I lost an opportunity to meet Maine Green Independent Party candidate for Governor Lynne Williams last week; she had to cancel a local appearance because she was due in court to make arguments asserting local residents’ right to control the path of alternative energy development. When a hearing was called on February 5 regarding State Senator Dennis Damon’s bill to stop the tracking of Maine drivers’ locations through automatic license plate scans, Lynne Williams was the only one of more than 20 candidates for governor in Maine who showed up to testify on the bill (she testified in favor of it). During last fall’s marriage equality vote, Williams shot video to support a NO on 1 vote. In December, she headed to DC to take part in an anti-war protest.
More than any candidate I can think of in recent races, Williams has melded the role of candidate with that of a multi-level, multi-target activist. It’s fitting that she’s running as a Maine Green, considering that the state party declares its purpose in its bylaws to be not merely electoral:
The Party shall demonstrate leadership of such issues and concern, first by declaring such positions, and second, by participating as a Party, in rallies, marches, and other political events as may occur.
Well, i guess she better line up her corporate sponsors or she’ll be wasting her time and energy trying to get elected, what with the Supreme (kangaroo) Court decision of late.
Well, that won’t happen. But Maine’s got a small enough population that she might pull something off. Angus King, an independent, won the governorship not long ago.
Are you all glad you voted for Barack Obama now?
That’s a good question. Ralph Nader was still unprepared for the presidency and John McCain would have done much worse than Barack Obama. So yes, I am still glad I voted for Barack Obama. I am rather disappointed in what he’s done.
How do you know McCain would have done worse? From where I sit it seems Obama has done very little, if anything positive. Well, unless you count the whole age of peace that he ushered in and earned a metal for… o, wait, thats not exactly right either
Well, from your record of comments it’s clear to me that you and Tomas are in greater substantive agreement with McCain. I’m not.
I dont necessarily think that McCain would have done better. With a majority Democrate in the House and Senate I think there would have been a stallmate of power and little would have gotten done. I just think that Obama has done so little in his time especially considering that things were primed for him to be able to push through about whatever he wanted. I dont think it can be obvious to anyone that McCain would have been worse. Seems to me if Obama continues on this path he will be considered to be as effective a president as Calvin Cooledge. That is not a compliment
Nope, McCain would NOT have done as bad as Obama. Not even. McCain had a long record of where he stood, what he would do and how he thought. The people would have been able to either support or counter what McCain had in mind of doing. With Obama it’s one blidside smack after another because we have no record, no history of what he was capable of doing.