Vote Green!
• Greens promote ten videos of McKinney speaking on major issues; Green leaders stress ‘Green Imperative’ of building a progressive US party
• Obama and McCain don’t represent the views of millions who want real change in US politics; voters who seek a permanent alternative to two-party politics should vote for Green Party candidate McKinney.
Green Party leaders are urging progressive, independent, and antiwar voters to invest their votes in a growing progressive, antiwar party on Election Day 2008 by voting for the Green Party presidential ticket: Cynthia McKinney for President, Rosa Clemente for Vice President.
Greens are making a special appeal progressive, independent and ant-war voters to vote for the ‘Green Imperative’ on November 4. Ms. McKinney is currently featured in ten online videos in which she details her positions on major issues, including corporate bailouts, foreign policy, health care, the rights of Katrina survivors, and the Green challenge to two-party dominance. Links to the clips are listed below.
“Millions of Americans who favor the Green Party’s positions on the wars, health care, global warming, and other important issues plan to vote for Barack Obama, who doesn’t share their views. It’s not enough just to defeat John McCain and the GOP agenda,” said Green vice presidential candidate Rosa Clemente.
“Democrats have retreated over and over and voted for Bush-Cheney policies — war funding, the unconstitutional US Patriotic Act, telecomm immunity, corporate handouts and taxbreaks, the death penalty, record incarceration rates, and a $700 billion Wall Street bailout that doesn’t help working Americans. The only way to reverse the dangerous direction of US politics is to build a real opposition party. Voting for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente will strengthen a party that’s dedicated to ecological, antiwar, and truly democratic values and doesn’t take money and orders from corporations,” Ms. Clemente added.
Greens stressed that votes for the Green presidential candidates, as well as for Green candidates for state and local office, will also help some state Green Parties achieve or keep official party status in their states. For example, Iowa requires 2% in a presidential race to maintain a party’s ballot line, Arkansas requires 3%, and Minnesota and Rhode Island each require 5%.
Green Party leaders said that votes for for the McKinney/Clemente ticket would have an effect after Election Day. “A vote for the McKinney-Clemente ticket is an investment that will continue to pay off as the Green Party grows and challenges bipartisan corporate-money politics in the years to come. A vote for an independent is a valid protest vote, but does nothing to establish a permanent political alternative. The Green Party is a permanent political fixture with the hope of achieving major party status in the coming years,” said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.
Video clips: Cynthia McKinney on various issues, produced by Don DeBar
• Single Payer Health Care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgBk-6s5Ntw
• Sustainable Investment instead of Corporate Bailouts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH5tIi1uejM
• Green Values: Grassroots Democracy, Peace Social Justice, Environmental Wisdom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fAgjv9uLaI
• Green Party Seat At The Table will invite the Public http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6bn9ooLUvQ
• The Two Party Paradigms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbN7pR7kDJs
• Restore Our Constitutional Rights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0c5qEZuqHo
• Rebuild the Economy with Energy Efficient Cars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3v1VqVb2Z8
• Bring All The Troops Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2r2ZBz4tSI
• Katrina survivors right of return http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRYEdh5KBIE
• Oppose Africom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGOMY4gNVQ
MORE INFORMATION
2008 Green candidates to watch http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/candidate-news.php
Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente ‘Power to the People’ Campaign for the White House
http://www.runcynthiarun.org
Cynthia McKinney on video
• BreakTheMatrix.com interview, Oct. 19: http://www.breakthematrix.com/node/28047
• Democracy Now! interview, Oct. 16: http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/16/breaking_the_sound_barrier_third
• Music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx1NPlQjkqo
Rosa Clemente on video
• Interview: Current TV/Rock the Vote http://current.com/items/89335393_the_organizer_and_green_party_vp_candidate_talks_a
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102602240_3.html
Most hilarious “serious” candidate ever? Quite possibly.
The thing that must be noted is that the 9/11 truther thing isn’t one diversion for Cynthia, its her entire mindset. Not really someone I would want leading anywhere.
Comment by tinter — 3 November, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
>>”Most hilarious “serious” candidate ever? Quite possibly.”
Not even close, tinter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic7s8Qy9FhE
Comment by Strategist — 3 November, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
McKinney represents the possibility of a break in the two party system in the USA and a black candidate not prepared to be absorbed by the establishment.
She’s prepared to stand with anti-death penalty campaigners outside Huntsville Prison Texas in the run up to an election - that demonstrates principles.
But all the minority campaigns together are running at perhaps 3% of the vote.
So they remain at the level of propaganda. The Brian Moore and Stewart Alexander campaign of the Socialist Party is also quite significant and there programme is worth examining in detail.
There’s a popular groundswell behind Obama that includes almost all the people that will need to be persuaded in future. The illusions in him will only unravel if and probably when, he’s in power.
Some far rightists will be violently opposed to an Obama Presidency and the heightened expecations it will arouse amongst black people, undocumented immigrants and all workers being hit by the ecomomic crisis.
That almost guarantees a period of radicalisation in which deep splits can occur in the Democratic party’s support and there is a good chance of a mass socialist party developing. If it has a socialist environmentalist programme that will lead to its fusion with the more left wing elements in the Greens.
It’s most unlikely to arise from the linear development of any of the existing independent campaigns without a process of fusion occuring.
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P.S. Could the moderators here filter out the mentally disturbed racist troll posting at #3, who is impersonating other people and infesting this site and Liam’s ?
Comment by prianikoff — 4 November, 2008 @ 8:27 am
Isn’t she the candidate that believes that 5000 people were shot by The National Guard and secretly buried in the bayou after the New Orleans hurricane?
Comment by terryfitz — 4 November, 2008 @ 9:03 am
Aren’t you the guy who told us that Hugo Chavez was planning on invading those parts of Venezuela which didn’t vote for him?
Comment by Calvin — 4 November, 2008 @ 9:42 am
That doesn’t answer the question at no. 4, Calvin. (Hint: the answer’s “yes”.)
Who does the Green candidate’s father, incidentally, blame -in public and in the press - , for her no longer being a Democratic Senator?
Comment by Andrew — 4 November, 2008 @ 10:33 am
It’s sad that when most of progressive humanity is awaiting with bated breath the result, and we want Obama to win come what may, that this dubious irrelevency is cited here.
For an alternatvie view, http://tendancecoatesy.wordpress.com/
Comment by Andrew Coates — 4 November, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Unfortunately the more left-wing parties in the US are pretty irrelevant at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see how the crisis and the gradual decline of US power creates space for class struggle forces to develop.
The new president’s role will be to shift the cost of the crisis onto the working class. Obama has signed up to that. But it doesn’t mean we don’t want Americans to vote for him, because he is more progressive than McCain. And the election of a black man to the most powerful position on earth will have real significance for the black communities.
Comment by little black sister — 4 November, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
When I had a look at this week’s WW and saw the front page I spat coffee all over my machine with laughter. This had a similar effect.
The propagandist sects will make no friends with these tactics. You’ve got to take your programme into the movement (where you can) not deliberately set yourself against it. No wonder these sects are so disliked by normal workers.
Comment by David Ellis — 4 November, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
I’m sorry Dr. Wall, if this were any old American election I’d agree. In an Obama landslide state I think a vote for Green candidate is a good one (I think Nader is more popular though, probably better to try and focus on a single left-wing third candidate than two!).
BUT - I can’t help but think a vote for Obama without illusions is worth it. Obama needs every few per-cents to win, while Obama is still a war-hungry capitalist he would be seen as a victory for the american left, whom he would ultimately disapoint and hopefully move people more leftward. Also Obama is not anywhere near as passionate with going head to head with Russia, nor continuing in Iraq, starting in Iran, or enouraging furhter inequality at home.
If ever there was a lesser evil it was him. Ordinary people need a break from the neo-con capitalists to something at least a bit more avoidant of conflict and class division. From there on lets move leftward. But let’s kill the republican party in the polls first.
Still - I’m not voting as I’m in the UK.
Comment by Futurecast — 4 November, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
Sorry, but she’s a loon. And anyone who would urge others to throw away their vote and put at risk the election of the US’s first African-American president is also a loon.
The fact that Derek would waste internet ink on this rubbish suggests he doesn’t take world politics terribly seriously. Let’s start a pool on when he’ll pull an Icke and start telling us about lizardszzzzzzzzzz.
Comment by Dustin the Turkey — 4 November, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
I would prefer to vote red
Comment by Entdinglichung — 4 November, 2008 @ 4:36 pm
Well, Dustin, it’s the “lizards” who control the US, according to McKinney’s dad, anyway. Or as he puts it, the “L-I-Z-A-R-D-S”. Or did I mean “Jews”?
Comment by Andrew — 4 November, 2008 @ 7:29 pm
Naidar always regreted standing and splitting the vote and allowing in Bush
Its one thing to stand a candidate another to risk Palin being VP
The CPUSA called it right Obama
the world expects it…. unless you think McCain/Palin would be better for the world ????
how serious are people
voting for a black union backed President is imporatnt
yes his not going to be a Jessie Jackson but its still better than the ultra right
I am sure the Greens will be wearing Palin for 2012 T shirts
Comment by simon — 4 November, 2008 @ 10:11 pm
And don’t forget ‘Proposition K.’ The Greens are supporting a progressive alliance to decriminalize prostitution in the Bay Area of San Francisco.
Incidentally, the KKK are backing Obama - bizarre but true. Imperial Wizard, Ronald Edwards has stated that, “anything is better than Hillary Clinton.”
The story was broken by James Crowe (Daily Squib) back in Feb 08.
So, come on guys. Where’s the usual predictable stuff on this blog about fascists backing political opponents! So far as I can tell it’s pretty reflexive for Trots and other ‘Labour Left’ timewasters to associate anything they don’t like with the BNP and then condemn it by association.
So what’s happened here…?
Comment by Sergioleonine — 4 November, 2008 @ 11:38 pm
Is Derek still up, waiting for Obama to concede to Cynthia?
Comment by Dustin the Turkey — 5 November, 2008 @ 3:15 am
1.
@tinter
The Idea that Cynthia is a “truther” is promoted by media outlets like Fox, she had made some comments soon after 9/11 that, in her view, were misinterpreted.
“Cynthia McKinney today expressed her appreciation for the support of Professor Noam Chomsky.” Is he a “truther?”
Carlyle bought up United Defense in 1997 and worked on the crusader, a Howitzer.
Cynthia Mckinney discovered that George Bush tried to slip in money for the unwanted crusader as part of a defense request, which started a campaign to stop the contract.
Carlyle and the Bushes couldn’t take the heat so this crooked gun programme was cancelled.
Cynthia subsequently lost her seat because of a mischievous Republican campaign against her Georgia.
Comment by straightchris — 5 November, 2008 @ 7:15 am
She was comparing 9/11 truthers with civil rights activists just a month ago. Organised two major truther events way after 9/11. Truth hurts, shes way off the edge.
Well that would be predicated on what Chomsky said, wouldn’t it? So I would guess not. McKinney offering thanks for… something? Doesn’t mean anything to me.
Then theres things like 5000 dead prisoners in swamps which she seems to have just made up. Jeb Bush being a drug smuggler. We don’t know who killed MLK or Bobby Kennedy. And so forth.
She ran an unscheduled campaign because… well, to avoid COINTELPRO. And she got a desultory vote to nobodies suprise. Really, Derek Walls repeated endorsements of such a wacky and hopeless candidate has been one of the highlights of the election cycle.
Comment by tinter — 5 November, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
@tinter
Alright, so Obama saying that the whole of Jerusalem including East Jerusalem should be part of Israel and that he would not rule out anything concerning Iran, that’s not wacky…
Common, 5.4 million dead in Congo, what’s Obama going to do? Tell Sony, Barclays Bank, Anglo American & De Beers and others to stop doing business with the paramilitaries?
Cynthia would have something to say about that, that’s why I like her, because she has heart and is not a hack.
Comment by straightchris — 5 November, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
Better the unplesant rhetoric thats insincere then that which is.
Sure Cynthia would have something to say.Probably involving the west causing it to cover up some great conspiritorial plan or similar.
It takes more than criticising the same state as you to make a worthwhile friend. Really, Nader would be a better pick on that basis.
Comment by tinter — 6 November, 2008 @ 12:07 am
@tinter,
Yes Nader would or Kucinich, but where was the coverage on them?
They would have raised serious issues instead of this corporate blurb.
Again Cynthia McKinney took on Carlyle group, I like her for that.
Comment by straightchris — 6 November, 2008 @ 5:55 am
Calvin,
Hes I am the guy who said that the Green candidate alleged that the National Guard had shot 5000 people and, yes I am the guy that said that Chavez was reported as saying that he would use the armed forces to invade parts of Venezuela that did not vote for him. The reason I made both of those statements is because they are true. Is there anything about any of this that you do not understand you thick Trot?
Comment by terryfitz — 7 November, 2008 @ 4:28 pm