Published on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 by Al Jazeera English
The Green Party's Cynthia McKinney
In this web exclusive, Al Jazeera's Riz Khan talks to Cynthia McKinney, the Green party's presidential nominee, about her platform and the country's two-party election system.
© 2008 Al Jazeera English
Posted in Politics
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27 Comments so far
Show AllBill Walz - If the Green Party wants a serious place at the table in American politics, their first agenda ought to be to create a chair at the table. This is done by leading the movement for instituting no runoff or instant runoff elections in which a vote for a Green candidate goes to the support of the major party candidate closest to the positions of the Green party - assuming that is a Democrat. A third party vote is then additive, not subtractive. Every vote for Ralph Nader in 2000 was a vote subtracted from Al Gore,thus putting George Bush in the Presidency. Under a no runoff election system, Al Gore would be finishing his 2nd term, not George Bush, having been placed in power by Green votes. The Green party would have a powerful argument for their being a coalition government partner. Under this system, third party voting would explode in this country, and we could, at long last, have a dynamic and responsive democracy.
"Every vote for Ralph Nader in 2000 was a vote subtracted from Al Gore,thus putting George Bush in the Presidency."
simply false
Cynthia, as I told you in Denver, you have my vote!
Obama will win in a landslide, but either W will declare martial law preventing elections or Obama will be martyred. The Republicans will stop at nothing to maintain their stranglehold, as we've seen, to our dismay. The goal of two-party politics is power and only power. So, Cynthia, truth, justice and the "American" way are up to you. Lucky for us, you are out there. May we deserve you!
There's no denying she's a well-spoken woman whose views are in line with my own as a progressive.
However, I have a topic for discussion, and invite constructive commentary:
What does it say about the fractured state of the progressive movement in this country that we have 2 Third party candidates for the presidency running AGAINST each other?
It says about the same thing as the cancelled third party debates did.
Minute 4 of this interview was music to my ears.
Great interview, vote McKinney for president!
http://www.votetruth08.com/
http://www.gp.org/
Moe Seager
Cynthia McKinney did a good job in 7 minutes, answering Rhiz khan's questions. Rhiz Khan and Aljazeera saw it as news, relevant to the current American political quagmire. Interesting, Aljazeera, a foreign based media demonstrates more insight and concern for a third party p.o.v. than home grown CommonDreams. But then, Aljazeera isn't fear driven, panic stricken over the credibility of third party coverage. CommonDreams editor is bent on sustaining the dying Dems on alternative news site artificial life support. Note: More and more inspirational and useful direction will come from abroad, filling the vacuum left by our progressive liberal groups and media, themselves exhausted from their brief periods of work for independent organizations. Activists from other nations understand that 5 and 10 years work commitment is a beginning step to fundamental change. Sadly, American liberal progressives, like the larger consumer instant gratification addicts can't see past the short run, and are thus disposed to rationalize against any engagement that requires slow and steady application. Sadly funny, the all American-ness shared by consumer materialists and wannabe progressives.
Good interview with McKinney.
I've been disappointed with some of her stump speeches because she tends to meander through issues without a sense of prioritizing them.
I was also pretty shocked by her recent decision to drop-out of the "third party" debates so she could attend an ANNUAL Black Panthers reunion.
But here, she was on-point, well spoken, and concise.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GreenProgress
yes
I changed my party affliation in June to Green so I could vote for this remarkable woman. My friends just say "who?"...oh I didn't know there were any other choices. Sadly few will hear the real voices of change.
I wish her, Nader, and any other good third-party candidates all the success they can get; as it is, Obama's going to win anyway, and the U.S. needs to finally start granting greater credit to valid third-party candidates. It's not that they don't have a good chance of winning elections; it's the evil-leaning voters who continuously refuse to stop leaning in this direction, evil. They never accept to [learn] from their past mistakes; unless they weren't really mistakes after all.
That's not to say that Obama's evil, while I've wondered about McCain being possibly possessed by some dumb-acting demon, or demons, but the D. Party clearly has been evil for a very long time already. It funds wars of criminal aggression more than the amounts called for by the evil sh*ts running the White House, for crying out loud.
If McKinney was elected, then we'd have a chance of finally getting the 9-11 investigations re-opened or -started, and then we could dig into the details (many kept hidden without re-opening these investigations) of the 9-11 attacks. It's not an option; it's a DUTY! And if there's nothing incriminating to hide, then there's no cause for not re-opening this or these investigations!
That "mission" is a very important thing for the next president to do, but I don't know what other candidates, other than McKinney, that is, have been calling for this to be done.
Re-open them, including even if you think nothing incriminating for the White House, etcetera, will be found. It'd still be a very good investment, to make sure that this investigation truly was conducted with utmost competence and truth. As it is, presently, we only have critical reasons to believe that very much is being hidden for cover-up and that many people, i.e., officials, are extremely guilty in this ... "game".
There's nothing to be hidden about them, so restart them and correctly this time! Let's go; I'm very ready.
And only now CD is mentioning her? And that because a non-American new outlet posted this article? Pathetic !
She sounded pretty reasonable to me.
Yes, truthteller, but she's OUR crazy - like a fox. Bush may be rational - but he's an insane idiot.
But I could be wrong !
This lady is genuinely CRAZY. She makes Bush look rational.
As they say, "Paranoia can destroya..."
"This lady is genuinely CRAZY. She makes Bush look rational."
Your rightwing infested brain is afraid of people who are truly generous. If Cynthia Mckinney were president, you would be earning more money and the cost of living in your area would actually go down. But I guess that's too much for you, isn't it? You'd much rather let the "conservatives" sell your ass to China and then blame the liberals, progressive, Chavez, or some non-rightwing individual or group.
If Cynthia McKinney were president, we would be running around chasing down imaginary Jews who are out to get her. No thanks.
Baseless accusation. The Republicans are no less dangerous.
while you are reading the future can you tell me what the lottery numbers will be?
Basic cable should be required to carry Al Jazeera.
We can all be extremely grateful that there ARE genuine leaders, and genuine voices of reason, that have sacrificed themselves for the greater benefit of others.
I cannot find the words to express the gratitude I feel for Cynthia McKinney´s courage and intelligence.
She is one of those few individuals who keep me here still breathing, rather than exiting as quickly as possible, any way possible.
I find it hilarious that Al Jazeera had this story on their website at 0600 H this morning (GMT) and the only other outlet that has bothered to present the statements of a viable candidate for the highest office in the US is CD.
WHAT, I say, WHAT does that tell you about the "state of the nation"?
I KNOW in my heart and the roots of my being that the average working American is better than portrayed, is better than the criminals that have stolen their government, stolen their country, and stolen their heritage, for a private material profit.
I for one would rather starve with any American on the streets than survive with the criminals at large.
I will gladly serve someone I can respect, someone who I can believe will not abuse my trust. There aren´t very many of those left in public office, so Cynthia McKinney deserves all the support, and all the protection she can be given, at all times.
We NEED a REAL black woman representing our interest as a free people, instead of some ... Kindasleazy ... bimbo for hire.
McKinney was my second choice, and I'm fine with voters choosing her - she's terrific! I decided to cast my one vote for Nader. It is actually Obama supporters who sicken me. I hope both McKinney and Nader do better than expected on November 4th. Go girl, indeed!! (:
Don't expect Obama to uphold any democratic process that would limit his chances. It is why he didn't raise a voice of objection when Kucinich was excluded from the debates, or when McKinney and Nader were.
It is more important for Obama (and McCain) to be president then represent democratic values of fairness and justice. That is why the mainstream candidate debates were a sham.
We have taxation without representation.
Vote third party.
A possible third party debate will be held by the Free and Equal Elections Coalition (FREE) on October 23. (originally scheduled Sunday, October 19th, 2008, rescheduled for October 23rd). Details will be announced Tuesday, October 21.
http://www.freeandequal.org
Go Girl!!!
I and many are voting for you in spite of the overwhelming odds.
I heard you speak at the extremely underreported ILWU strike and rally which closed all West Coast ports. You spoke the truth then and I am glad you are keeping at it.
Go Girl!!!!
But I could be wrong !
Love you, Cynthia McKinney. If only this country was worthy of YOU. You should be the next President of this country. But the corruption has shouted you down and buried your voice. But they can't hide the TRUTH forever. I grieve for what could be if you could be President. It would be the beginning of world peace -- but the sick ones don't want that because they are too unevolved and out of touch with Divine Law -- which can never be broken without severe penalty. When Divine Justice finally gets here, there will be no where for them to run. Then we will take back the world for ALL people, not just a few greedy ones.