EMAIL SIGN UP!
Most Popular This Week
- Corporate Win: Supreme Court Says Monsanto Has 'Control Over Product of Life'
- How the US Turned Three Pacifists into Violent Terrorists
- Cornel West: Obama 'Is a War Criminal'
- In 'March Toward Disaster,' World Hits 400 PPM Milestone
- Revealed: How US State Department 'Twists Arms' on Monsanto's Behalf
Popular content
Today's Top News
Outspoken War Critic Poised for Green Party Run
ATLANTA - With media attention focused almost exclusively on the dramatic contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, millions of U.S. voters probably have no inkling that there is a ballot option beyond the Democratic and Republican Parties.
"There needs to be room for a lot of policy threads in American discourse. But the corporate media is not informing the people," Cynthia McKinney, the front-runner for the Green Party presidential nomination, told IPS during a rare 90-minute interview.
Founded in 2001 as the successor of the Association of State Green Parties, the party's platform revolves around environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organising. It has slightly more than 300,000 registered voters nationwide, and a standing ballot line in 20 states plus Washington, DC. In other states, the party must circulate petitions to get its candidates on the ballot.
McKinney, a former congressional representative from Georgia, abandoned the Democratic Party last year in disgust at its failure to end the U.S. troop presence in Iraq, and is now poised for a presidential run on the Green Party ticket.
She has won Green Party primaries in Arkansas, Illinois, and Washington, DC. Ralph Nader, who gave the party national stature as its candidate in 2000, won in California and Massachusetts, prior to announcing he is running as an Independent instead.
McKinney also won the Green state caucuses in Wisconsin and Rhode Island, and has a total of 71 delegates. Trailing candidates include Kent Mesplay (10 delegates), Howie Hawkins (8), Jesse Johnson (2) and Kat Swift (2).
The likelihood of McKinney winning the nomination at the party's national convention in Chicago this summer is "very high", Richard Winger, editor of Ballot Access News, told IPS, although he added that the Green Party will have a "one in a million" chance of winning the presidency this November.
"This country, even though it claims to be such a model, is one of the least democratic countries because election laws, campaign finance laws, and laws around debates openly discriminate against all parties except two parties [Republican and Democrat]," Winger said.
"In other countries, there is one set of [ballot access] laws," instead of 51 sets governing the 50 states and the capital, he said. "This is the only country that exempts the two biggest parties from having to qualify."
Scott McLarty, the national Green Party spokesperson, told IPS, "We would like to see our presidential ticket get five percent of the vote."
Despite the fact that winning is pretty much out of the question, many party activists are excited by the prospect of McKinney's campaign inspiring a "Black-Brown-Green Coalition".
"Of course you've got the situation that the Green Party is basically a party of whites. So they are extremely aware of that fact, except in Massachusetts and DC where they merged with the Rainbow Party. You have a little more people of colour in those two states," McKinney, who is African American, told IPS.
"There is a real need of the values of the Green Party to be known among all people of the country, not just a few," she said.
The Green Party admits this problem. "That's true except in certain locations. In DC, the Green Party membership is mostly black. Among leaders, there's a lot of diversity," said McLarty.
"Over the past couple decades, there has been a belief that the environmental movement is a white phenomenon and the Green Party has been associated with the environment even though we cover other things like health care and the war," he told IPS.
"On top of that, a lot of black voters have felt a very strong loyalty to the Democratic Party. When people feel strong loyalty to one party, they are less likely to support start-up parties," McLarty said.
"It's always been true of minor parties in U.S. You'd think African Americans would have been angry enough to leave the two major parties. Tradition goes back 100 years ago that African Americans are not interested in other parties," Winger said.
McKinney, McLarty, and Winger each have different ideas of how the Green Party should approach its political development.
"I asked for candidate recruitment because the purpose of a political party is to win office. They have successfully recruited more than 500 candidates," McKinney said.
However, the fact that the Green Party is not on the ballot in McKinney's home state "looks weak", Winger pointed out. Georgians will need to collect over 40,000 signatures by July to get McKinney on the ballot, Winger said, and they've only collected about 3,000.
"Some people have been out of the political system for a very long time," McKinney noted. "They made a choice to not be involved in the political process. After a series of disappointments, people made a rational choice. Unfortunately, the U.S. participation rates are well below that of other countries."
In recent years, Green parties have been racking up electoral successes around the world, particularly in Europe.
"The Green Party participated in the coalition that led in Germany and in Ireland and in the Kenyan Parliament," McKinney said. "The Green Party is international."
"We have a winner-take-all system in the U.S. that pushes conformity," she added. "Regressive ballot access laws in Georgia [and other states] prevent candidates from getting on the ballot."
"The Green Party is a political entity that deserves to be built," she said.
© 2008 Inter Press Service
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
95 Comments so far
Show AllI'll definately keep you in mind Cindy. You are one of the good ones.
If you haven't had enough war vote for Clinton/McCain/Obama. If you're looking for change vote Gravel/McKinney/Nader. This is the year to shake the earth, to break the logjam, and wash the duopoly out to sea.
If you want change, well then you have to stop doing the same mindless thing over, and over, and over... the question is, do you really want change? Or do you want our nice, comfortable war and its accompanying descent into hell? Because that's what you're going to get with Clinton/McCain/Obama... more of the same. One billion dollars worth, in fact. Paid in "campaign contributions".
American hero, Cynthia McKinney was run out of the Democratic party for her honesty about Israel's influence, as well as her opposition to killing our own troops with the WMD depleted uranium, challenging the lies and misuse of the 9/11 tragedy, and basically supporting the American people, ahead of corporate power.
This is a defining time for the Democratic party as it wages an internal battle that will determine it's direction. It received bad news last night as the combined forces of Clinton and Limbaugh scored another victory - admittedly with the help of a lot of Democrats who should know better.
If Clinton succeeds in dowsing the encouraging fires of optimism and greater involvement that Obama's exciting emergence on the political scene is igniting, then McKinney may well see a tremendous shift in her direction, as the fate of the Democratic party's ability to represent ordinary citizens, is once again taken out of our hands.
There isn't a better possible person to inherit that task, then Cynthia McKinney.
To all Obama supporters -
After you get shafted at the convention in August and Hillary gets anointed as candidate (she 'wins' and you become 'LOSERS'), please consider supporting independents such as McKinney instead of staying home and not voting because you are fed up with the amoral machinations of the Democratic party.
Cynthia McKinney on a ticket of non-violence? ::snicker:: The woman is an arrogant manipulator; raw and exposed. Remember when she assaulted a Capitol building security guard for stopping her for going past the metal detecters without a congressional pin? She never really apologized for it, instead she cried racism (wtf!?) ie played a stinky race card and tried to blame the security guards for not knowing by face the 100's of members of congress. All just to weasel out of admitting that she was in the wrong.
Locust, some of us soon-to-be-shafted people are already thinking along the same lines you are. Not only will I vote McKinney if Billary gets the nomination, but I am forever through voting Democrat. Two presidential elections and a mid-term election that made not a damned bit of difference are enough for me to realize the futility of voting for either pole of our bipolar political system.
Yeah ... all the white women who favor hillary (you know, she is a woman and we need to vote for a woman) will never vote for Cynthia even though she is far more progressive and enlightened !
locust - right you are. She'll never win, because she's not one of the chosen, but the more votes she (or any 3rd party candidate) gets, the more the Dynasty-Corporate Ones have to pay attention.
Please don't vote out of fear again. The Democrats have promised things for decades and have never delivered. F*ck them.
Mossad at 10:29 am -- your transparent character assassination is so droll, and the association of highly charged emotional words like "weasel", "stinky", "raw", "exposed", arrogant", "manipulator", "snicker", "assaulted", "never… apologized", "cried", "racism", "race card", "blame", and "wrong".
Is it any accident that when one _ r e m o v e s _ ALL of the _ c r a p _,
that there is __ n o t h i n g __ l e f t __ of any substance
in you PSY-OPS engendered propaganda piece?
massud wrote: "snicker:: The woman is an arrogant manipulator; raw and exposed."
Why, because she exposed AIPAC? Is that your real sore spot massud? I would expect likudnicks to oppose Cynthia.
I'm voting Green as a clear rejection of corporatism and AIPAC.
D n G -- DBL teaming the nasties, hoooRaAA!!
Here's one more white woman, age 46, who will be voting for Cynthia McKinney in November if Obama doesn't get the nomination. Under no circumstances will I vote for that snake, Hillary Clinton.
Please, the ssssnakessss do have value, you disssparage them too much me thinkssssssssssssssss
There will be a lot of bleed to the Greens and Nader if Hillary gets the nomination. Obama not so much (Hillary's supporters would more likely shift to McCain!)
Everyone who wants to know Cynthia should check out the documentary American Blackout. She could become the channel for all those who feel disenfranchised. This feeling will explode if Hillary captures the Dem nomination.
If Barack was to get nominated, one the boldest things he could do would be to include and absorb the third parties by inviting Cynthia to be his running mate and by inviting Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, and maybe even Mike Huckabee (yes, if he would agree to serve alongside a band of merry liberals) to high positions in advance. Such a thing might produce a landslide over McCain---which is, of course, the goal.
crying for Obama WHAT A JOKE
ON A SOMEWHAT PROGRESSIVE news stream [Common Dreams Org]
to claim Obama is progressive is total and complete nonsense
he has some many folks of the oligarchy and elite class.
wake up wakey wakey wakey wakey
Obama and Clinton are better suited as lobbyists.
its Nader or McKinney [ provided she can "lead" her own state to petitioning her on the ballot.
Greens are a grassroots, decentralized movement. Why are they (we) joining and depending on failed centralized representative government electoral processes? We're selling out from desperation it seems to me.
Wouldn't our energies be better spent calling for public referendums to let the people decide instead of easily corrupted representatives?
See Senator Gravel's National Initiative for Democracy to find out how it's done.
Let's do more than just vote Green - send them some money
like we do for Amnesty and ACLU and ...
What is so frustrating about this article is that Cynthia McKinney stands for all the right things but she is nowhere near the proper person for such an important job. Still, it would be instructive to see just how far the Democratic Party can go without its left wing and that, more than McKinney herself, is the chief agttraction to voting for her.
Thet truth to tell, though it will never happen, she is the natural running mate for Ralph Nader rather than Barack Obama.
You're right, Namaste. I have no problem with snakes, except poisonous ones like Hillary.
Lovely ... even the alternative press has to stress the 'she can't win theme.'
To Poet, I strongly recommend that you pay no attention to what the corporate press says about Cynthia McKinney. I had the privilidge of living in Atlanta and thus getting to see her time in Congress close up. It has long been the case that if you listen to what Cynthia McKinney has to say first hand, and then read the corporate media accounts, the corporate media accounts are so wildly incorrect that you wonder if they were at the same event. Your statement sounds like all you know about Cynthia is what the corporate media has told you.
Having worked on her campaigns and been able to attend some of her speeches and events in person, I can say I think she'd make a wonderful President. I'd strongly suggest that anyone reading this take any opportunity to see her speak in person, and to generally discount anything you've seen or read about her in the corporate media.
Let me pass along an impression I got the first time I went to volunteer for a Cynthia McKinney for Congress campaign. The campaign had been calling for volunteers and telling people who were interested to show up on a Friday night. When I went to the campaign HQ that evening, I was instead directed to go to a Baptist Church just up the road. (The church had the wonderful name of the 'Free for All Baptist Church')
When I walked in the door, I found that as much as I was at a volunteer meeting for this campaign, I was also at a meeting of the same civil rights movement that in Atlanta has a history stretching back through both Martin Luther Kings (Jr and Sr).
For instance, Billy McKinney was up on stage telling stories. For those that don't know, Bill McKinney is Cynthia McKinney's father. He was an activist in Atlanta dating back to the early 60's. So he was up on stage telling stories about the early days of the movement.
For instance, the Atlanta Police Dept used to be all white before the 60's (of course). One day, Billy McKinney got fed up with the abuse, made himself a sign and started protesting all by himself outside the APD HQ (a great example for all of us!). As he was marching, he was of course a bit nervous, so he jumped a bit when he heard the screech of brakes of a car stopping suddenly behind him. But what that turned out to be was the pastor of this church who had seen Billy McKinney over there protesting and who had slammed on the brakes and stopped the car just so he could get out and join him. Thus, the movement to integrate the APD was born.
The whole campaign had that feel. Not only were you meeting college kids and Green Party members and people from the Nation of Islam (another great experience for those who've never had the pleasure --- again, the corporate media lies to you!), but I also met a lot of people who were now in their 70's or 80's but who had been working in this civil rights movement for their entire lives.
There are other great stories to tell about the McKinneys. They are a treasure. For instance, when I got to Atlanta in the late 70's, Billy McKinney was in the news. By then, the reform movements had reached the point where blacks could get elected to office, and Billy McKinney was now a State Representative. He was in the news because he had punched a Republican on the floor of the state house who had made a series of disgusting comments.
That was the first time I decided I liked the McKinney's.
They are fighters. Corporate America and the corporate media have always hated them for that. So, they get smeared regularly. But, if you like someone who will stand up and fight for our cause, check out Cynthia McKinney!
Not a chance that Obama would pick McKinney as a running mate. The Wall St money that is paying for his campaign would never let him. That comment is just more nonsense about Obama from the Democrats to try to pretend he's something he's not ... anything other than yet another corporate Dim.
I have a hard time understanding why so many progressive people remain loyal to the Democratic party. I challenge you to log on to the Green party web site, read the 10 key values, see what the party is all about and compare to the platforms and actions of the Democrats. I know most of you will feel much more aligned with the Greens than the Dems. The Dems are not a party of change, they've proven that time and time again, most recently with their refusal to end the war or impeach the administration that lead us into it, despite overwhelming support from the people. They feed at the same corporate troughs as the Republicans and worst of all have taken the support of progressives for granted for so long they don't even speak to our issues any more. Wait until the general election and see how far Obama or Clinton bend to the right. Vote what you believe, vote for real change, let your true voice be heard. Vote Green!
Has anyone ever been around a working Congress-person? The schedules they keep are incredible. Every minute is booked, and they are always behind schedule. Especially one like Cynthia McKinney was who is actually interested in talking to people.
A lot of their work and conversations are done on the run. If you are trying to get a few minutes to talk to the Congress-person, you are happy if you can get it while they are for instance going from their office to the House floor for a vote. If you can get just a couple of minutes to talk to them while they walk, you are happy and take it.
So, picture Congresswoman McKinney going from her office to the House floor for a vote. Not just strolling along leisurely by herself, but surrounded both by staff that's trying to talk to her and maybe some constituents or others. She comes up on the check point that she goes through several times a day. She goes through this routinely and is never stopped.
Yet this time, a guard who's brand new on the job decides to stop her. And not politely, but by grabbing her shoulder and spinning around. She basically just knocked his hand off her shoulder and said not to touch her.
That's the assault that you'll hear about over and over from the liars in the Democratic Party who want to make sure that the one thing you don't ever do is support someone other than their corporate-bought-and-paid for con artists that they'll offer to you as candidates.
I've dropped out of the Democratic party and am also convincing my family and friends to. I'll vote for McKinney. She is no elitist like Dr. Condoleeezzza Rice, for example.
Here's another little thing I noticed while around her campaigns. Don't get me wrong, I was never anyone special. Just answering phones, stuffing envelopes, being a gopher, that's what I was doing over there as a volunteer.
But, that had me around the office at least some of the time. And I could see that the schedule that the candidate keeps in the last week of the campaign is just insane. Start the day before sunrise at events like a prayer breakfast or meeting people at a factory gate, and going deep into the night with fundraisers and events that usually run at least till midnight.
What struck me is this. Cynthia was always smiling. She always seemed to have energy. But most of all, she was always smiling. Just coming through the HQ heading towards her private office in the back, she didn't seem tired even though you wondered when she'd last slept. And she never seemed overly stressed, even though this was the primary race where the Democrats and Republicans double-teamed her to beat her (2002).
Yet, somehow, she was always friendly, always smiling. That impressed the heck out of me as much as anything.
McKinney is amazing. When you hear her speak you come away knowing you have experienced a rare event in your life -- a real person who actually cares and will never sell out, who is intelligent and shockingly courageous, who marches the march and takes on the most powerful. Yes, watch "American Blackout" and also watch her take on Rumsfeld and others --
Transcript of Representative Cynthia McKinney's Exchange with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, and Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Tina Jonas, March 11th, 2005
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/031505_mckinney_transcript.shtml
McKinney Grills Rumsfeld
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eootfzAhAoU
If this were a true democracy this powerful woman would be president. My dream ticket --- a Kucinich/McKinney presidency -- in either order.
CYNTHIA MCKINNEY -- WE LOVE YOU for fighting for honesty in this country. The neo-cons and false democrats can't hold a candle to you.
The opposite of GREEN is NEERG. I like the sound of neerg, pronounced (nurg), as an identifyer for selfish people who abuse others.
clandrummer: Good post. I'm Green and proud of it. Used to be a die-hard Dem, but watched too many Bush "enablers," give the most corrupt and criminal regime in US history, the nod and the wink in tacit approval, starting with the Patriot Act, and just about every un-Constitutional and illegal bills the Republican Crime Family asked for. This progressive votes for the "BEST OF THE BEST" rather than 'the lesser of two evils," like I did for decades.
COMarc: Very good comments. Cynthia took on the ruling elite and was canned by her own party. Pelosi changed for the worse after becoming the Speaker of the House. I liked her before. A group of thugs pulls her strings.
And for you apologists for the Democrats, and I honor your beliefs, we who vote for either McKinney or Nader in November are not throwing our votes away. Ruppert Murdock, the Pentagon, Wall Street, and AIPAC can peddle their selected candidates elsewhere.
Throwing your vote away is voting for the same cast of Bushco enabling Democrats expecting that things will different when they win. They won't. Run Ralph Run!
Millions, gave up on the Democratic Party seven years ago when it became abundantly clear that the Dems are the flip side of the same corrupt complicit corporate coin. Nancy Pelosi and John Conyers are proof positive that this is the case. Look at this Democrats:
"On top of the $102 billion requested by the Bush administration, the Democratic Party leadership is proposing to offer an unsolicited, additional $70 billion to cover the first quarter war funding for FY2009. In other words, this will be a whopping $172 billion!"
Way to go, eh? The days of the Democratic Party having no place for voters they stab in the back to go are over. People are wising up, finally.
Wow. Showing my disdain for McKinney on a personal level drew some interesting responses. You guys are PARANOID. I also find it interesting that I'm accused of being Jewish, which first off 1)what would be wrong with it if I was? and 2) I'm not, FYI, and its hilarious you counter my opinion by declaring me one of 'them'.
Let me be clear; I have no respect for McKinney because she's proven herself to be a bully. Like when was interviewed after the capitol hill incident and said something off camera. Did you see how she looked, "is that understood?" wide eyed and baring teeth in faux smile? You could SEE she was trying to be intimidating. Sorry, a bully is the last type of person I want in charge of anything that has to do with me.
Debates inclusion: the work needs to start NOW! Any 3rd party candidate on enough ballots to get 270 electoral college votes should be included. (this would be I think 5 candidates). Writing letters, making phone calls, to all parties involved AND organizing large scale protests if they don't include them at the venues - we've got to make REAL noise this time!! Debates inclusion is more important for the growth of 3rd parties than any other issue. Yes, of course, run locally, but these debates are crucial for getting people inspired to run locally!!
Again, I'm perplexed by the hatred towards Hillary Clinton, yet a lack of knowledge about Barack Obama's actual positions!
CHEERS, CINDY! There ARE good people in the world!
Clinton and Obama are too scared to debate McKinney or Nader. But I'll keep shouting from the rooftops for McKinney 08!
Interesting, while I'm reading Massud's comments, I'm listening to "Bow Down Before the One You Serve".
His belief that craven submission to authority is the proper role of a citizen is unfortunately widespread in America ("the home of the free") today.
I can't believe how many americans think nothing of showing their papers, er, ID cards, to whatever officious jerk in a uniform demands it of them. Yesterday, most people at my work willingly gave their fingerprints to a corporation so that they didn't have to type in an ID number.
So Cynthia McKinney removed the hand of a cop who was assaulting her, and that makes her unfit for President? Unbelievable!
And, yeah, the adjectives show your bias also.
I'm voting for McKinney because I'm not stupid enough to fall for the hype year after year after year. But if you prefer to believe that this time it'll be different, go for it.
massud,
Cynthia Mckinney was reacting to racial-profiling of her and other black congresspersons - especiallly women, by the Capitol security police. Other, white members of congress are routinely recognized and waved through without ID. But the cops seem to have special trouble recognizing black members of congress. She was right for raising hell.
Or, are you a racism-denier?
I have a dream....
... a Cynthia/Cindy '08 dream ticket.
Truthseeker58 April 23rd, 2008 1:12 pm
"My dream ticket — a Kucinich/McKinney presidency — in either order."
My soul yearns for this dream ticket! Sadly, the powers that be would sabotage any such possibility.
"On top of that, a lot of black voters have felt a very strong loyalty to the Democratic Party. When people feel strong loyalty to one party, they are less likely to support start-up parties"
I have a real hard time understanding that as really, what does the Democratic party have to offer to ANYBODY who's not white and rich? Of course the answer is nothing. It's more of a "We Vote Democrat, period." type mentality. You HAVE to shake that off... the whole two party system that you Americans call a "democracy" is a joke. How can two parties possibly represent all the diverse interests of the people? Of course, again the answer is "It Doesn't"... so why allow it people?
You also seem to have the whole "A 3rd party can't win. Vote for a 3rd party and your wasting your vote" type mentality. That's ludicrous! I bet if EVERYONE who was tempted to vote outside the traditional parties actually did, you'd see something dramatic happen. So you're NOT throwing away your vote by voting for someone like Ms. Mckinney. You're making a bold statement.
Don't vote democrat just because it's the lesser of two evils... the lesser of two evils is still evil.
Cynthia McKinney is a nice person and is sorely missed as a progressive voice in Congress. But she has nothing to do with the 2008 presidential election, except maybe to help John McCain a little.
Barack Obama is the almost certain Democratic nominee, and would be the most progressive president since FDR, or maybe ever. John McCain is very conservative on economic and social issues and would be extremely dangerous in charge of foreign and military policy. So, anyone who considers herself a progressive and wants to have a real, positive effect on how things go in the future, ought to support Obama.
But of course, there are a lot of people who don't really care who wins the presidency and who somehow disconnect their lofty ideals and values, their concerns about how things are and how they are going, from the actual effects of their political activities. For them, the Green Party and spoiler campaigns like the one McKinney is unfortunately preparing to run are a great way to flatter their self-image as defiant heroes of the True Way. The Republicans are only too pleased to have the assistance of such fools, though it probably won't be a decisive factor this time (as it was in 2000).
CoMarc says:
To Poet, I strongly recommend that you pay no attention to what the corporate press says about Cynthia McKinney. I had the privilidge of living in Atlanta and thus getting to see her time in Congress close up. It has long been the case that if you listen to what Cynthia McKinney has to say first hand, and then read the corporate media accounts,
***********************
CoMarc I have listened to her both with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now as well as to a presentation she did before British leftists that was rebroadcast over TUC Radio.
By the way, my first degree was from Georgia
State University in Atlanta and I am very familiar with both Cynthia and her daddy the late Billy McKinney. Both were (are) fine people. But she still is not presidential material (of course neither was Dubya, is McCain, or is either Clinton.) I would a whole lot rather see Cynthia back in congress than running for President.
Who needs to be led? Are we sheep?
Can't we see that centralized government is the problem? Haven't we realized that modern communications gives we the people the decentralized power to govern ourselves direct democratically? That easily corrupted professional politicians have become obsolete? That we can govern ourselves right now with the referendum?
Nader, McKinney, Kucinich and others are our teachers and good examples. If we appreciate and admire them, why must we subject them to the clear and present danger of becoming our leaders?
I plan to vote Obama in November without any illusions about him creating big changes, but my cynicism only goes so far. If Clinton gets the superdelegates to hand her the nomination the Green Party will get my vote no matter how many Capitol Hill guards McKinney has attacked, whipped, dismembered, robbed or slept with.
Mossad -- I don't even like your "cleaned up" image, which ( although so paranoid, to think that you responded just )
to PUBLICLY discount the possibility of your being
an agent provocateur,
while reinforcing the PSY-OPS rhetor-rutic twisting
(and convenient distance, working in sludge ALL day long)
Nader2000: Please explain your reasoning for calling the Green Party or McKinney's run for President as "spoilers" in a system so corrupt, the two major parties are almost (not quite yet) indistinguishable? Don't you think we have a right to select candidates who will best serve our "lofty ideals and values" as you said?
Is it possible the spoilers are the citizens voting for the same fraternity of politicians whose main goal is to serve the rich and the powerful, and then wonder why things keep getting worse.
Yorsame and Gail: Both of your selections are good! For our nation and for the world.
The political spectrum is not a straight line with two ends---it's a broken circle with the ends closer to each other than to the "middle".
If we were to have a party or coallition that included Kucinich, Paul, McKinney, Nader, Gravel, and independents, et al, we would have at least 50% of the vote. Leaving the Republicrats to split the rest. Why can't that happen???????
Cynthia McKinney for president!
http://www.runcynthiarun.org/
Another young white male proud to support Cynthia and to help build the third party alternative.
There are Dems who think they are voting for change. Some are supporting Clinton solely because of her gender...some are supporting Obama solely because of his race...
McKinney represents both of those categories...and better prospects for fundamental change of our political situation.
It's time to break with Democratic ineptitude.