Vets for the People is a project of the left-of-center Working Families Party that recruits ex-military members to represent the party and promote its ideology. It claims that veterans in politics are exploited to perpetuate white supremacy and warmongering. ¹

Vets for the People requires its political candidates to subscribe to and promote specific policy objectives. Its list of required policy objectives include government-mandated wage increases and benefits packages of private business, socialized healthcare, expanded social services, open borders, government-mandated family and medical paid leave, and environmentalist policies. ²

Background

As a project of the Working Families Party, Vets for the People recruits left-wing ex-military members who share political values to become party representatives for the Working Families Party. It specifically seeks ethnic minorities, women, LGBT people, and immigrants to use their identity or demographics as a basis of their representation for the party. ^{3 4}

Vets for the People claims that “warmongers, white supremacists, and corporate politicians” exploit veterans, so it seeks to counter alleged political actors with left-wing activist veterans to depict the military community as left leaning and garner support around them. It also considers honorably and at least certain non-honorably discharged veterans in equal regard, claiming the military disciplinary system is unjust. ^{5 6}

Ideological Requirements

Vets for the People has specific, far-left ideological requirements for its prospective representatives. On its webpage application for prospective political candidates, it lists that they should support: ⁷

• Raising the minimum wage to $15;
• Government-mandated paid family and medical leave;
• Liberalized immigration policy;
• Increased taxes on higher income earners;
• Socialized healthcare;
• Government-sponsored abortion services;
• “Equal and equitable access to health care, housing, education, employment, and accurate ID documents” for transgender persons;
• Government mandated wage increases and benefit packages by all employers;
• Expanded government social services;
• Environmentalist policies to address climate change; and
• Reducing incarceration rates.

Activities

In 2021, Vets for the People participated in a protest in support of extending the eviction moratorium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ⁸

In March 2021, representatives for Vets for the People criticized Florida’s House Bill 1, which would ban protestors from blocking roadways, increase mandatory punishments for certain crimes committed during protests, and prohibiting arrested protestors from being able to post bail until their first court appearance. The representatives argued that the legislation would unfairly affect ethnic minorities. ⁹

Leadership

Triste Ordex is the national organizer for Vets for the People. Ordex has also worked under various political campaigns for Democratic Party candidates, including as campaign manager for Texas state Rep. Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) and Spanish language equity advisor for Rochelle Garza’s campaign for Texas Attorney General and as a staffer for Democratic Party state and Congressional legislators. ¹⁰

On a podcast discussing work with Vets for the People, Ordex argued that America has a class system that exploits poor people by compelling them to enlist in the military when they would not otherwise. Ordex argued that the military subjects women, LGBT people, and ethnic minorities to “vicious harassment, violent assault, and worse.” ¹¹

1. “About.” Vets for the People. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.vetsforthepeople.us/about
2. “Vets for the People: Candidate Interest Form.” Home – Action Network. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/vets-for-the-people-candidate-interest-form-3?source=webconnect.
3. “About.” Vets for the People. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.vetsforthepeople.us/about.
4. “Get Active.” Vets for the People. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.vetsforthepeople.us/get-active.
5. “About.” Vets for the People. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.vetsforthepeople.us/about.
6. “Get Active.” Vets for the People. Accessed November 6, 2022. https://www.vetsforthepeople.us/get-active.
7. “Vets for the People: Candidate Interest Form.” Home – Action Network. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/vets-for-the-people-candidate-interest-form-3?source=webconnect.
8. Knight, S. J. “Eviction Moratorium Extension Is a Victory, but It’s Not Enough.” People’s World, August 6, 2021. https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/eviction-moratorium-extension-is-a-victory-but-its-not-enough/.
9. Rice, Katie. “Dozens Attend ‘Rally to Save Protesting’ after Anti-Riot Bill Passes Florida House.” Orlando Sentinel, March 27, 2021. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-rally-to-save-protesting-orlando-20210327-t7d3mznum5hytbbab45x3pjfzi-story.html.
10. “Tristeza O. Campaign Manager Victoria Neave for Texas .” Accessed November 7, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristeza-ordex.
11. Alvarez, Maximillian. “Woke-Washing the US Military Meat Grinder.” The Real News Network, May 10, 2021. https://therealnews.com/woke-washing-the-us-military-meat-grinder.