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
I’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”.
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
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.
Would be nice if someone would post the Green Party URL - we’re not all internet-savy, you know. I don’t get along well with search engines - ADHD and autism. Just a thought. Is this it?
http://www.gp.org/index.php
Assuming Obama is the Dem nominee, we should not sabotage his bid for the White House by voting Green in “swing” states. All the Greens are looking for this time around is 5% of the popular vote so they can get federal matching money in the next election and establish a permanent credible third party alternative to the Dem/Repub political duopoly. We would be shooting ourselves in the foot if we got McCain elected.
So my plan is simple: Look at polling data for your state in the beginning of November. Vote Green in “safe” blue states (like NY, Cal, Mass, etc.) and in “safe” red states (like Alabama, Georgia, etc). Vote Obama in all potentially “swing” states.
“Cynthia McKinney on a ticket of non-violence? snicker… Remember when she assaulted a Capitol building security guard for stopping her for going past the metal detecters without a congressional pin?”
wow! i’d forgotten how vicious and murderous a killer she was…billary threatens to nuke iran, cpb obama kisses aipac’s butt - non violently - and we kill hundreds of thousands in iraq…hmmm…but mckinney “assaulted” a security guard…again: wow!
no wonder we are ruled by morons…
Massud, so don’t vote for someone because of the stances on the issues they take (healthcare, the war, the economy, environmental policy) because you can cite instances where she showed that she’s human and makes mistakes, yeah, solid argument. I guess if McCain had the same exact policies, all of them leading to the wreck that is our country, but always did it with a smile on his face and a thank you he’d get your vote? I’m out of this country in a few months and I can’t wait, being around idiots who think like this shortens my life span, not to mention they vote for stupid reasons and horrible candidates which enact policies that lower my standard of living. The stupidity of our election cycle is on a trajectory that I honestly expect in about 20 years the candidates to have crayons and building blocks during the debates, just to help the audience along when discussing the issues. Maybe INSTEAD of the debates the candidates can go through a sporting contest (bowling would HAVE to be part of it, sorry Obama) and whoever wins is president.
“Sorry, a bully is the last type of person I want in charge of anything that has to do with me.”
So what politician are you ok with then? Is a bully someone who believes in the violent foreign policy of this country? Do bullies force countries to adopt economic policies that they don’t want? You must not want most any politician to have anything to do with you, if so I’m with ya.
Anyway, give us an example of a few politicians who you support, just so we know how to spot non-bullies.
armybrat: You did it! By the way, on the right side of the Common Dreams main page, scroll down where you see the political parties and click on the Green Party. And take it from there. You can click on to your particular state, county, or whatever and read current activities about the Greens. I’m more than happy to help you, as long as its not technical because I know zilch about computers. I’m sure others will assist you. Best to you.
frankscott: Right on! I didn’t think the other comment was worth replying to. But I second your post.
I’m with you on the ideas but you don’t just wake up and have a leaderless society (which would by the way require doing something about centralized PRIVATE power as well). Every country who has tried that historically (the most famous Spain the 1930’s) did so as a result of decades of activism, organizing and experimentation (some of which failed). What blossomed for a few years in the 30’s began in the later 19th century in Spain. In order for you to get to that point you have to organize and educate, getting people to take a chance on an idea that has no precedent over something that is flawed but at least feeds people and gives them necessities here. I don’t think for a second that Kucinich, if by some magic he were to become president, would be against giving people direct power but he couldn’t do that in the current environment, outside of giving them the power to vote in national referendum on laws (taking the power away from the crooks in government). That is some of the problems that we’ve seen in Venezuela. Chavez is listening to the people and trying to further a revolution in a country that has not had a long history of mass social activism, thanks in large part to right wing goons we’ve funded for decades. Some of his policies, that have given people direct power, have been huge successes and some have been problems because the people there don’t have alternate structures created as a result of years of activism and experimentation, so he’s had to lead the revolution “from above” at times. There’s no getting around this fact here, if you believe in some form of anarchism (if you do welcome to the club), or direct power then your only realistic hope is to educate and organize, that society just doesn’t come into existence because it’s such a good idea. People have to understand the alternative, have some experience in how to use that power and have to have experience in collective action, which is entirely missing here. Centralized GOVERNMENT isn’t just the problem, centralized power (governmental or private) is the problem, and that isn’t overcome easily or overnight.
I will not be voting for any of the mainstream candidates. I am still undecided on who I will vote for, any of the alternatives is a more honest vote for principles of peace and justice.
I’m glad that very occasionally Common Dreams throws a crumb (article) to progressive candidates even though the overwhelming focus is on the mainstream corporate candidates. Why is that?
If only people voted for candidates who represented their views, then maybe candidates like McKinney, Nader and Gravel would have a chance. But most democrats will withdraw to the shadows of the ‘democratic’ candidate, no matter how republican they are. Will people ever learn? If 2008 is any sign, the answer is no.
so it goes…
Bravo! At 65 years of age I am totally sick of the Democratic Party. The two presidential candidates offer little major changes in economics, health care (both propose plans that have failed in various states and were even suggested by Nixon!), energy (the two presidential characters are promoting bio fuels–foolishly not analyzing the inefficiency of these), military spending (Obama actually wants to increase it!!!. Do Americans know that Chavez of Venezuela has an excise tax on the excessive profits of petroleum company profits..that take affect for all prices over $70 a barrel?? What are Obama and Clinton proposing for the US rip off? Not a darn thing).
Grant: Excellent! Well-written and right to the point. My hat off to you. “educate and organize” two extremely important words. Emma Goldman was a great teacher and the power-elite made sure she was deported. She was frustrated with the leftists quarreling among themselves during The Spanish Civil War. And they were progressives!
Words Are Important: Also a good post! Thomas Franks wrote the book a few years ago but the people still haven’t learned. You nailed it, of course, about people voting for candidates who represented their views. Why is this task so difficult? Mckinney, Nader, and Gravel are by far the best candidates running for this country. Want to hear a downer? A close friend of mine who likes Kucinich but listened to the MSM since the 04 election (he voted for Kerry) about Dennis’s “electability” finally came around during the February primaries after I spent a zkillion hours, since 04, trying to convince him to vote for DK. He voted on an absentee ballot for Kucinich, and was happy letting me know. I congratulated him, and a week or so goes by and I get the phone call about DK calling his run for the White House over. How do you think I felt after “browbeating” him for four years? We spoke last week and he asked me about Nader and McKinney, showing an interest in these candidates, and I think he will vote for one of them. All is not lost, Words.
What better way to educate and organize than this? However, nothing educates better than hands on experience. Why keep spinning our wheels when we can have the referendum now instead of later:
http://nationalinitiative.us/
My dream ticket would be McKinney/Kucinich, preferably in that order! But then again, its just a “dream” ticket. For now I urge everyone to get behind OBAMA.
Im sorry but I just can’t pull the lever for Ms. McKinney, as much as I adore her, her party and her campaign of peace and people power. I don’t wanna stand by and watch McCain be the next president. You progressives should know our battle isn’t just the presidential election - we have judicial battles (ACLU), local races, protests, and so on. We don’t have to win every battle to win the war. Our cause is much greater than the next person to be occupy the Oval Office in far away Washington.
I’ve settled in the same place as others here:
1. Obama
2. McKinney
cobrafifty April 23rd, 2008 9:30 pm
“My dream ticket would be McKinney/Kucinich, preferably in that order! But then again, its just a “dream” ticket. For now I urge everyone to get behind OBAMA.
Im sorry but I just can’t pull the lever for Ms. McKinney, as much as I adore her, her party and her campaign of peace and people power. I don’t wanna stand by and watch McCain be the next president.”
Which state do you live in? If you live in a blue state like CA, NY, IL, or MA, you can vote for McKinney and the Democrat will still win. If you live in a red state, you can vote for McKinney because the Democrat will lose anyway.
hi all
i met cynthia mckinney at her stop here in texas in march. she was great and i hope she gains as much support as possible. i am helping the green party get on the ballot in texas. If anyone on here lives in texas or is coming to texas to visit or has friends living in texas we could use the help getting ballot access in texas. we have until the end of may to get 66,000 signatures.
check out our website and contact us if anyone would be willing to help the green party. www.hcgp.org or txgreens.org
thanks matthew
Grant: Centralized GOVERNMENT isn’t just the problem, centralized power (governmental or private) is the problem, and that isn’t overcome easily or overnight.
Centralized power is hard to overcome especially when we don’t discuss how to overcome it. We overcome it by shifting our individual exchange/association away from the power centers and toward our local communities. This shifts the economic/political power to our local communities where it belongs. Cottage industries and craftsman guilds like in the pre-industrial age. This is the post-industrial age ain’t it? So.. are we done investing in the robber baron enterprises? Wanna divest now? Ready to give it up?
checking edit, Find in the page, and tying in: Brz and beep-pink field, will not be found. Next was Russ and no need to go further. Next CF and Trila and geno and Rock; all stopped before completion of respectively.:
Meaning Brzezinski, Russia, CFR - Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission, genocide, and Rockefeller.
Print Prevent counts 14 pages to this article and 66 posted comments. And in all that tezt by people concerned with the presidential election and a third party, where the discussion could easily embrace whatever they had on their minds and “were their issue(s)” might have gotten to a key point of the most ominous monster and manipulator of US foreign policy in criminal ways aided at war, including the greatest belligerent that could be imagined, and is real,
This war criminal has a name, as you see have foreseen, so how do you the composition would be very telling and I know I am not the only here that knows this. So, what is happening? Elections come and go, and the wars, misery, system rolls-on, over people, laws, treaties, and the constitution.
And wow, the total opposite, the perfect American President, Cynthia McKinney, the most courageous and forthright Member of Congress, not just while there, but perhaps ever. Consider what she said to whom at what, and who they are, and what they done, and she called them on it! We are talking about 9/11 the motive being money, she did everyones job, not just hers in congress and of course they will never want the people of the world or country to see her.
That is repression and censorship, a violation of the First Amendment Rights of speech, press, and petition.
You got to know, the real problem with the democrats, because that what you would have been otherwise, not republicans. So, here is Zbigkniew Brzezinski the geostratigist
If those of us who understand how little time there is to turn this country and world AROUND SOON don’t get serious and figure out this presidential vote thing we are doomed. MY take is the following: We must vote third party. The Greens have the only sensible approach. It is essential that the Greens begin to Actually Exist in the minds of the masses, to become a serious option. We need that 5%….
So what if McCain wins? What is the difference? Fascism with a tough face or fascism with a smiley afro-amerikun’s or lovely woman’s….Wake up folks. A case may be made that BUSH and Cheny actually pushed us Farther Faster towards a (hopefully peaceful) revolution, or at least a reform movement which will give us a fighting chance to organize around the calamities rapidly enveloping us worldwide. Did anyone think the changes we need are going to be legislated in our laughable Congress????? Let’s Get Real. Economic collapse will probably be necessary before we do anything Real, but please, prove me wrong…
global strategist that David Rockefeller made an empire partner and formed the Trilateral Commission in 1973 to put the players these two madmen, who put meaning to Bob Dylan’s line in Masters of War - “playing with my world like it was your little toy” and genocide is a fair-use WMD for them, as is DU, biologicals man-made or not. Starvation seems to be the weapon of choice for depopulation now. But, it gets worse; nuclear war, not on Iran, but WITH Russia, and their missiles are equal to ours, and that is why the push to the east, to get up closer, for a first strike or say nuclear checkmate!
Obama is dangerous, the face you don’t see is Brezezinski, but he will rule, the policy is long done and now ready to move on this front and to be silent about it because Obama is black, is nonesense. General Colin Powell was a career war criminal, and trumped it all, at the UN in his boldface lies about WMDs and he knew and therefore instigated wars of aggression, and we hung Nazis for that!
Sure McCain is nuts and dangerous, but it seems impossible they would even want him around at all, for what, an embarrassment, that is all we have had, isn’t?
Rising above all of this is Cynthia McKinney, and I expect her to speak to this, ask Obama to drup the Brzezinski fascist-imperialist from his campaign. And if not, he has elected and can only be, as one of them. They own him, he didn’t get to the point of coming to selling-out! He was recruited and formed, a property for those that more property than most of us put together, and that goes for money and what goes in this country, our country, being run de facto by those two fascist and others here and there, and more around the world, that is who you are campaigning for or against.
And I am be glad to renew my lapsed voter registration, and it was as a Green. But otherwise their was no one representative of where I am coming from, and would not surender my proxy symbolic or not, and join the masquerade of the bogus election processes and always has been!
I failed to offer evidence, and here is it debated for one hour on audio, but you will love it, regardless of candidates, it speaks to the mechanizations in real terms that is not easily found.:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/webster-tarpley-on-the-dynamic-duo-with-jim-fetzer-april-2nd-2008/3502989213?icid=acvsv3
Webster Tarpley on The Dynamic Duo with Jim Fetzer. April 2nd 2008. http://www….gcnlive.com Discussing Barack Obama, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Iran, Russia, China, Tibet, Reverend Wright, Ford Foundation, Trilateral Commission, Jimmy Carter, Liberation Theology etc.
Webster Tarpley on The Dynamic Duo with Jim Fetzer. April 2nd 2008.
This may be naive, but my view of Obama is that he is a commondreams.org kind of person, who as a young man realized that he would never make an impact in the world if he was a total puritan like all too many posters here. He is a self-described progressive who decided to try to work “within the system”, try to be optimistic and not demonize opponents, and try to succeed by building consensus from a diverse range of people. It’s working, and he is probably one of the best hopes for the progressive movement.
Now people from the right have tried to demonize him using “guilt by association tactics” with Wright, Ayers, etc. This is of course flawed logic. But some people here are committing the same fallacy from the left by associating him with Brzenzinski, the WSJ, pro-war Dems, Hillary, etc. People shouldn’t be criticized so heavily for trying to listen to the other side and see if they might have anything valuable to say. For example Brzenzski was against the war in Iraq, and he is a knowledgeable and experienced person on foreign policy. For a lot of reasons he’s also a bad apple, but is it so wrong to consult his opinion, as one among many?
We will never accomplish things unless we find a way to work together with a broad range of people. The Left has a sad history of being fractured and impotent. For pragmatism’s sake, let’s build a coalition around our best shot for power, while continuing to push the establishment on our various causes.
Third parties serve a special function in the US federal structure of winner-take-all politics. They may have “insurmountable difficulties” achieving the “take-all” critical mass but third parties hold formidable possibilities for shaking the rotten establishment. The Demoks are afraid that if they fail to win the progressive vote they give up the coveted throne to the Repuks. So they demand that progressives slide on over under the capitalist wing. But they stand no chance in persuading progressives to give up the sunshine and budge from the platform of the people. The fact is that the progressive platform is supported by 70% to 90% of the American people. Progressives can persuade the Demoks to work harder for the progressive vote. Progressives can do this by declaring their support for third party progressive candidates like this: Hey Demoks, unless you’ve impeached the criminals and totally retreated out of Iraq by election day, we’re voting Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party candidate. We really want to turn her loose in the oval orifice and see what she can do. At the very least she will displace the capitalists to outside the federal battlement, prove that we don’t need them, that we’re better off without them, and thereby bring great relief to people/planet. And if the Demoks fail to get progressive, maybe they deserve another four years of Repuk throne farts, fireworks, theft, plunder, death and destruction.
I enjoyed the privilege of assisting Cynthia and her crew when she visited us here in Arizona a few months ago. Cynthia is one of the warmest and down-to-earth people you will find anywhere on this planet. She always speaks from the heart.
Cynthia is a very intelligent leader and deserves serious consideration. Her conversion and devotion to the GP is thoroughly true and impressive. I love her “come home to the Green Party” slogans in her 8 minute video. If that video doesn’t convince you she is truly a Green, I am not sure what will. I think that video could also make a believer out of many out there who are still unsure how they will vote this fall.
The United States — and the WORLD — would do itself a great big favor by voting Cynthia McKinney into office while there is still a chance to save this planet and its denizens.
The last time I emailed Cynthia, I said “IF Clinton usurps the nomination, get ready to put out the tent stakes. You’ll only have ten weeks between the Convention and the Election to put it together. If I had a bundle of dough I’d send it to you. I will bring my tambourine.”
She emailed back (or a staffer did) and said “Bring your tambourine, Baby.”
It might be the best thing that ever happened to this Country.
greenerthanthou, excelloent quote. “Master of Puppets”, one of the great ones!
I was going to write in “Bill Moyers” for President, but now I will vote for CYNTHIA and know my vote means something! Good that the Greens are still in the game.
I hope McKinney gets the Green nomination. She is truly a person of principle and given the alternatives she is a great choice. The planet is dying and we desperately need a non-corporate leader who isn’t afraid to speak the truth and do what must be done.
What I would love to see is runoff voting. ALL candidates who can get 2000 signatures in every state, get their name placed on the “primary” ballot, 6 months ahead of national elections. People vote (paper ballots only) for their top choice. The top 6 of the initial field “win” a weekly spot on a national community channel to put forth their platforms. All of the top 6 candidacies would then participate in debates and the public would have an opportunity to consider more issues and solutions than “who paid the media the most”. At the national election - voters would choose one among the six with the same sort of system France uses to runoff to the final “winner”.
In my life I’ve been involved with five parties… Republican, Libertarian, Democrat, Independent, and Green. In all, power games predominated. IMHO The party system is a heirarchial system, and as such, is innately flawed as a model for democracy.
rtdrury April 23rd, 2008 11:32 pm
“Centralized power is hard to overcome especially when we don’t discuss how to overcome it. We overcome it by shifting our individual exchange/association away from the power centers and toward our local communities. This shifts the economic/political power to our local communities where it belongs. Cottage industries and craftsman guilds like in the pre-industrial age. This is the post-industrial age ain’t it? So.. are we done investing in the robber baron enterprises? Wanna divest now? Ready to give it up?”
Well said.
While it isn’t easy (or even possible) to totally divest one’s self from the “robber baron enterprises,” it is essential to do so as much as possible. We can rail against the corporate system all we want (and isn’t that what we’re doing in this thread?), as long as we support the system with our money and energy it gets what it wants and we lose what we need.
“This country although it claims to be such a model is one of the least democratic, because of election laws, campaign finance laws, and laws around debates, discriminates against all parties except the Democratic and Republican ones.” How refreshing to see that finally in print. I get so tired of the constant coverage of the charade, not only in MSM, but in alternative media, as well. If this is the kind of democracy we are bringing to Iraq and Afghanistan, then it was hardly worth the trouble and expense.
You’ve probably all noticed that the MSM keeps reciting polls discussing the percentages of Clinton supporters who will vote for McCain if Obama is the Dem nominee, and the percentage of Obama supporters who will likewise vote for McCain if Clinton is the nominee. (How Dems can vote for McCain is beyond me, but says a lot about the Dems.) Note how the MSM never discusses, or even mentions, the OTHER option open to voters — voting THIRD PARTY, as if a third party alternative doesn’t exist, when in fact, it does.
anne faith: Please refer back to Tom Hayden’s article on CD. I wrote a little comment for you.
#
rtdrury April 24th, 2008 12:50 am:
“Third parties serve a special function…. They may have “insurmountable difficulties” achieving the “take-all” critical mass but….” [they can put the fear of God into the Ds and Rs]
Logical theory, but it doesn’t work that way in practice, because political professionals know they can pick up more votes by appealing to the soft center than the hard Left or Right. The Dems know they can may as well write off the hard-core Green Party or other left splinter activists. Progressives will have more influence if they can reliably deliver something of value (money, votes, committed activists) at election time.
“The fact is that the progressive platform is supported by 70% to 90% of the American people.”
Not really. It is rather that a solid majority COULD be mobilized behind a progressive platform, under certain conditions, but almost the same majority could be mobilized behind a hard-Right platform, under certain conditions. If you or I write down what we would consider a progressive platform, with lots of details on all the important issues, we will end up offending nearly everybody on one point or another. We would end up with only a few percent support. Building a ruling majority coalition is a hard task. Right now, the leading contender is Mr. Obama.
“If the Demoks fail to get progressive, maybe they deserve another four years of Repuk throne farts, fireworks, theft, plunder, death and destruction.”
Maybe the Dem Party leadership would deserve that, but the rest of us do not, particularly not the 95% of the world’s people who are not Americans.
Living in Holland with all of it’s political parties, we sometimes ’suffer’, wondering if we are making the correct choice every couple of years and we usually end with a coalition nobody’s really happy with. But I must say it beats the US with it’s two parties that are very hard to tell apart on some issues. You may not like the idea of communism, and most of us are socialist at heart, or right-wingers like Geert Wilders, our local Steven Spielberg, but at least we have the feeling there’s party for just about everyone.
WOW! I’m impressed, a little pressed for time, didn’t read all 85 comments, but a lot.
I’ve been posting about the Green Party, here and other places for awhile. After, Edwards and Kucinich, were ‘forced out’ (media, party, and FEC not providing matching funds); I was upset. I searched, and searched, and just coldn’t find any reason to actually support/or vote FOR either of the two Democratic Corporate/Centrist candidates left! They just didn’t have Policey Positions that supported my Major Issues!
{End the Occupation, Election Reform Nationaly, Single-Payer HealthCARE not Insurance, Corporate Regulation, End Lobbists Access, Media Reform}
Prior to 2000, I was Independant, generally voted Democratic, not real active. Bush getting (S)elected, changed all that. I started, writting and calling my representatives, volenteered for campaigns, and even on our limited income donated! Joined the Democratic Party. After, 04 & 06, after winning the majority, and the Democrats, doing little except whin about not having 60 Votes, and watching how these Blue-Dog Dems. vote. I was really pissed! We can’t even get them to call ‘IT’ an Occupation, and state clearly that ‘we won the War’, now end the Occupation!
When Edwards suspended, the ONLY (except Kucinich) True Progressive Populist, from a blue-collar working family, I gave up! Then I found the Green Party!
A REAL Written Party Platform, that every candidate runs on! (No more decept, or phoney Blue-Dog Dems,) you know where a candidate stands, how they’ll vote! ALL, my Major Issures are covered!
I’m not counted in that 300k yet, been in the process of moving! But I will be SOON!!I’m sick and tired of NOT knowing which ‘kind’ of Democrat I’m voting for, the Corporatist, the Blue-Dog with Red Fleas, The Centrist (Repug.-Lite) or the Liberal that wants to ‘feed the world, while Americans starve, Or the very few, like Russ Feingold, who actually care about Working-Class Americans First!!
PS: To my last comment after re-reading the article.
The Green Party, is NOT about Race, Brown, or Black; it’s NOT about who’s young or old, or white, or a women! From everything I’ve read and heard, it’s about doing the Right Things for All of America, and ALL Americans! Taking real positions on real relevant ISSUES!
I like Cindy, but I also like Kent Mesplay a Native American running! What is MOST important, is any candidates ideas and passion for getting our nation back on the right track! And building support for the Green Party, and others!
Our chance for real democracy will be realized when we have Instant Runoff Voting. The Green Party has been promoting IRV for years. Of course the dominant parties are not too excited about giving the people a real choice. IRV is in use in many countries and municipalities around the world and it works. It gives you the choice to rank the candidates in order of preference and if your first choice doesn’t get enough votes to make the cut your second choice is the one that counts until one candidate has a majority. This would give a voter the chance to vote for Cynthia as a first choice and take Obama as a second. If Cynthia didn’t get a majority she would be eliminated from the counting and the vote for Obama would be the one that counted. The opportunity to vote for what you really want and not risk “throwing your vote away”. It sounds complicated but its not. Check out http://www.instantrunoff.com/ and some of the other IRV sites for more details.
I think this could change the way democracy works.
Why didn’t the Green Party pick it’s candidate months ago? It’s hard to take them seriously at this point.
It’s hard to take them seriously after their pathetic routine in 2004 either, too. And where are they during all these off election years? Where, Ralph? Certainly not all that much involved in building an Antiwar Movement or Labor Movement.
Gosh knows many of us want a genuine Left Party to be with, but it’s like the Green Party is trying to innoculate the general population against having such a thought. And internationally, they don’t have that great a record. Just look at the Mexican Greens for one such sad example.
Sad to say, the Green Party even with Cynthia, Cindy, and Ralph all on board (if they only would???) still would not appear to be much real alternative. I wish it were not so, but that is the case now as it appears to be.
One of the things that most do not see is that the Prez is now just a figure-head. The Republicans and Democrats are run by their respective national caucuses who are outdoing one another to turn America into a corporate welfare state (if we are not there already). The last President we had who knew anything and was prepared to fight for the American people was Prez Jimmy Carter (remember Three Mile Island and his role in the hours following that disaster). As more information comes to light under FOIA, we are learning that all presidents since Prez Carter were shills, bought and paid for. What makes anyone think that things are going to change if Obama or Clinton or McCain were elected? One definition of insanity is performing the same actions repeatedly, yet expecting different outcomes.
Ms McKinney has proven, time and time again, that she is not scared to buck the powers that be - corporate shills, bought and paid for. Given the state of the US (and the world) today - food riots, wars, the creation of a permanent underclass (the real results of the free-market) etc, etc, etc. shouldn’t we be supporting Ms McKinney?
Let’s break the duopoly and take the US in to the 21st century!!!!
Monroe said:“This may be naive…”
The most factual statement in your whole post.
where’s a good hacker when you need one? why is it only the republicans steal elections? the republicans murdered JFK, RFK, MLK, Paul Wellstone, they steal elections, murdered millions of koreans, vietnamese, and now Iraqis, ever wonder why Nixon didnt get assasignated or this one? I mean Kennedy stood for peace and love and gets killed, this one has made himself a dictator and lives on. just curious. after watergate, iran contra, savings and loan, and wmd, ever wonder how any decent human being can even be a republican? why do they still exist they are pure evil….
But wouldnt it be the coolest thing if some kid at Princeton or Harvard who was some genius hacker actually stole the election for Cynthia McKinney?! The world would be a better place ten fold instantly…….I would love if Cynthia used the same dictorial powers that Bush has laid down to throw the entire world to the left. Completely ignore congress and be a liberal dictator.
World Peace, Prosperity for all, throw the Bush Crime Family in prison for life, for committing the 9/11 attrocities and the Iraq war, have O’reilly and Limbaugh and Hannity hung for spreading lies in the media, have Nancy Pelosi thrown in jail with the Bushes, same with the Clintons.
No homeless, jobs for everyone, healthcare for everyone, Mega Conglomerates busted apart by anti trust, shut down every base in a foreign country and stop policeing the world, bring all our troops home and reopen all of our military bases here, reopen all the steel mills and textile mills, place enormous import taxes on foreign vehicles and materials and commodities so we all buy american, make friends with the Arab nations and enemies with Israel. Make SUV’s illegal, make the cafe standards a minimum of 35 mpg, all vehicles must be hybrids, incandesent bulbs are illegal, pesticides illegal, tear down the malls and plant forests, make pizza hut taco bell wallmart home depot all illegal shut em all down. Make all the bad music form todays generation illegal. bring back love ins.
All that could happen, it would be heaven on earth, just from one hacker giving Cynthia the presidency…… what a lovely dream
December 8 2006,Cynthia McKinney introduced articles of Impeachment against G.W. Bush.This showed her integrity to her oath of office and doomed her next primary battle to failure.I am glad that she is poised to win the G.P.U.S. nomination and will vote for her if Obama is not the Democratic nominee.As a peace voter I cannot vote for Mrs. Clinton,and I have differences with Obama on Iraq ,health care and the like , but it’s not easy being Green.I am just sick of wimpy Democrats blaming me for Al Gores rolling over after winning the popular vote and not contesting the uncounted Florida vote.Just like Kerry gave up his winning bid,the Dems . have a bad habit of conceding victory.It took us Greens to sue for the Ohio investigation that proved that Kerry won!
I also would love to have supported a Kucinich /McKinney dream ticket,but alas it is just that. I would take the advise of Josh and if you want to help the Green party only do so if you are in a solidly blue state not a swing state.The Greens don’t need any more bullshit from frustrated Democrats. peas in
I will vote for Cynthia McKinney.
And there’s one reason and one reason only that I will do so.
She has dared to question the “official” story about 9/11.
Neither McCain, Clinton or Obama is worthy of my vote. They are liars and cowards.
Pat Pather: Welcome aboard. First time I’ve seen your name on CD.
liberal with an attitude: Sounds good to me.
abbybwood: C’mon, I know you can find more than one reason.
johnny hempseed: Anything worthwhile isn’t easy. Keep at it.
If Hillary gets the nomination, then Cynthia gets my vote!