I’ve come across two accounts of Green Party activities today. They aren’t entirely incompatible with one another:
| PRESS RELEASE
Press Contact: Ian Wilder, Secretary, Green Party of Suffolk Green Party Vows to Run for President 2008: Sets Convention in Chicago “In a land that’s known as freedom how can such a thing be fair The Green Party of the United States (GP-US) has sent an unambiguous message that the Green Party will run a presidential candidate in 2008. The GP-US National Committee overwhelmingly passed a “We Will Run Resolution.” The resolution assures that the Green Party will conduct a contested presidential nomination process, that will culminate in the nomination of a Green Party 2008 presidential ticket at a July 10-13 convention in Chicago, Illinois. As news reports in Illinois have alluded to, there is symbolism in holding the Green Party’s presidential convention in Chicago. Chicago was the site of the 1968 Democratic presidential convention, where the Democrats inside nominated a pro-war candidate, while the anti-Vietnam war movement was left to protest outside. The protests led to the trial of several progressive leaders of the anti-war movement, who came to be known as the “Chicago 8″. Ian Wilder, GP-US Presidential Campaign Support Committee member, stated, “Now, the tables are turned in an interesting way. The Green Party is America’s peace party. So, in 2008, in Chicago, the peace movement will be inside the convention hall, nominating an anti-war, Green Party Presidential candidate. Democrats who are for peace may want to join with the Green Party, rather than be subjected to the kind of treatment they received at the hands of their own party in 1968 in Chicago; or in 2004, when the Democratic leaders corralled the anti-war Democratic activists into a barbed wire “Free-Speech Zone” near the Fleet Center in Boston.” In preparation for the 2008 presidential race, the Green Party had already announced its goal of securing 51 ballot lines in every state and the District of Columbia. The Green Party currently has ballot access in 19 states, with aggressive petition drives going on in Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Montana and North Carolina. There are currently 46 state parties affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. Some of the candidates who are announced or being drafted for the Green Party nomination include: Jared Ball, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Jesse Johnson, Elaine Brown, Kent Mesplay, Joe Schriner, Kat Swift, and Rebecca Rotzler. Ahmad Ali Mitchel-el, a Green Party candidate for local office in Suffolk County, stated, “The Green Party’s commitment to a strong, presidential campaign will help to promote Green Party politics and strengthen the party.” |
The Green Implosion Continues
Just when you thought there was nothing more to say about the Green’s self-destructive behavior. In the last few days I’ve taken a gander at what the Greens have been talking about on their discussion list. Nope, they are not talking about how they are going to end the war. Nor how they are going to organize to fight the Democrats. They are instead preparing to cyberlynch John Murphy, the delegate from Pennsylvania that I wrote about in a column earlier this week…. Murphy replied off the list to a message he had received from Gerritt in a personal email. Murphy allegedly wrote to Gerritt: “Good! Now Greg, carefully wake up that dozing, peg-legged hamster operating your wheel-powered brain and for once in your life do the decent thing; tie a large rock around your ankle and go swimming in some white water rapidsâ€. Another way of saying “go jump in a lakeâ€. Keep in mind that was an off list comment, not something posted to the group. Gerritt apparently cut and pasted this message to the Green delegates who then accused Murphy of posting violent messages and being an all around sour grape. It looks as if the Green delegates are not only having trouble prioritizing their goals and writing proposals, but they are also committing the worst sin of all: No sense of humor… So what we have here are the “safe staters†trying to hang Murphy because he called for their resignation, when the person who should actually be disciplined is instead Greg Gerritt. He violated the rules under resolution #186 by posting Murphy’s private, off-line e-mail message to the Green party’s discussion group. I wonder how these guys feel about the government being able to look into our private affairs. I’m trying to imagine how the Greens in Pennsylvania would deal with the loss of John Murphy, whose forthcoming congressional campaign will bring in 10,000 signatures or more for the Green Party’s presidential candidate in 2008. The Pennsylvania Greens are going to need about 60,000 signatures in order to get their candidate on the ballot. But throwing away 10,000 signatures just doesn’t seem to matter to these lesser-evil progressives. One has to wonder what their goal really is. From a clinical perspective this is the very essence of passive-aggressive behavior and seems to demonstrate that many of these Green leaders are terrified of criticism, incapable of accepting responsibility, and behave like a bunch of humorless narcissists who have the opportunity to pick on Mr. Murphy because they have removed him from the listserve. Presumed guilty with no trial or representation. |
Hmmm. Wonder what’s really behind Alan Augustson leaving the Greens.
The Greens have totally lost their mojo.
Iroquois,
Since when has Alan Augustson left the Greens? Just last week he sought (and received) the endorsement of a local on the North Side of Chicago. His web site is here:
http://augustson2008.us/
????
Oh, I thought he was going to challenge Rahm Emmanuel for the Democratic Party nomination. I guess he’s still running as a Green.
http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/06/30/alan-augustson-ends-green-party-presidential-bid-begins-another/
I like my way better, where he runs as a Democrat, loses of course, but injects some of his values into their little clubhouse, then turns around with some name recognition under his belt and runs against Emmanuel as a Green or an independent in the general election.
I wish Augustson would shave, though, before taking his campaign photo. He should have different glasses, too, something like gunmetal grey. The rust color of the ones he’s got makes his complexion look more ruddy. Emmanuel may be snarky and bad-tempered, but he’s a sharp dresser.
The two accounts aren’t in conflict at all. The “we’re going to have a Presidential candidate” press release is also a sign of weakness—of course a national party should have a candidate in our only national election. The fact that they had to have a special vote on it, and issue a press release, shows they don’t just take it for granted.