Green Party Watch

This Winston Salem Journal Editorial discusses the North Carolina primaries on May 9, and how voters aren’t allowed to vote for Libertarian or Green Party candidates:

For North Carolinians who would like to see a vibrant third party, state law says no. Democrats and Republicans have conspired for years to ensure that only their two parties get candidates on the ballot.

In terms of getting third parties on the ballot, North Carolina state law is one of the most restrictive in the country. To get on the ballot, a third party must collect enough signatures on petitions to equal 2 percent of the total vote in the last gubernatorial election. For this year, that is 69,000 certified signatures of registered voters. Then, if the party does not draw a sufficient number of votes in that election, it can lose its certification for the next election cycle.

The burden is considerable. The parties probably have to collect 100,000 signatures to ensure that they get 69,000 that can be certified as valid registered voters. Minor parties report that they spend most of their efforts at this petition process and, therefore, even if they are successful, have few resources left over to use on spreading their ideas.

The purpose of the law, of course, is to keep the competition to a minimum. Republicans and Democrats can agree on very little in this state other than that they know best and, therefore, that they should dominate the political discussion.

The two major parties defend their positions on this exclusivity. They say parties and candidates should have to demonstrate a measure of political support before they are allowed on the ballot. Otherwise, anyone could just walk into the county elections office and demand a spot for his “party” on the ballot. This would confuse voters and lead to ballots that are too long.

Implicit in this argument is the notion that the Democrats and Republicans have some kind of exclusive grip on thoughtful, committed candidates. That’s not the case. Consider that the Libertarian Party, if it can just get on this year’s ballot, will run Mike Munger, a political scientist on the faculty of Duke University, for governor.

The Libertarians and the Green Party are suing the state, hoping the courts will force North Carolina to adopt more reasonable certification standards. The case began Monday in Wake County Superior Court.

We all have a stake in this battle. In the United States, we’ve traditionally had a two-party system. But, we’ve also been blessed, at important times in our history, to have third parties challenge tweedledum and tweedledee. These third parties bring new and fresh approaches to the political discourse.

Given the stagnation in our government these days with the same-old, same-old holding sway, a strong third-party movement might be just what we need to shake things up and get this state moving forward.

CBS News is reporting that General David Petraeus, commander of troops in Iraq had his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee interrupted by members of Code Pink.

Listening to the interruption on All Things Considered, it sounded to me as if one of the protesters was Medea Benjamin, former Green Party nominee for US Senate in California.

David Cobb, writing for the Eureka Times-Standard, wrote about Cynthia McKinney’s swing through Oregon earlier this month in a column: “Peace Candidate McKinney visits Humbolt”. An excerpt:

Ms. McKinney is a towering figure in the progressive community. She was the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Georgia, and served six terms before quitting the Democratic Party and joining the Green Party.

While in Congress, she introduced articles of impeachment against George Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice. She has actively participated in international war crimes tribunals designed to bring the Bush-Cheney administration to justice. She also bucked the Democratic Party leadership and consistently voted against every regular and supplemental appropriation bill to fund the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

She co-sponsored legislation for universal health care, for a living wage, and for publicly funded elections. She voted to implement the Kyoto protocols to end global warming, to abolish the federal death penalty, to repeal NAFTA and to abolish the World Trade Organization.

The corporate media has refused to cover Cynthia McKinney’s campaign for president. Perhaps it is because she has been such an outspoken voice for the people.

The Ann Arbor News reports that Matt Erard is challenging incumbent Democrat Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) for the second time. Last time around he ran as a Socialist and picked up 847 votes (3%). This time he is running as a Green but with the backing and support of the Socialists.

Erard advocates an end to what he describes as attacks on the rights and living standards for Michigan workers. Referring to them as “corporate” parties, Erard said Democrats and Republicans alike have made no progress on job losses, record home foreclosures and other economic issues facing the state.

“Michigan voters are only more fed up with being ignored by the major parties than they were in the early ’70s,” Erard said.

“In this race, our campaign will have the support of two parties committed to challenging the corporate politics that dominate our state Legislature.” (Ann Arbor News, May 4)

From the Michigan Socialist:

In 2000, at the age of 15, Matt became the youngest intern ever at the Detroit office of the American Civil Liberties Union. That same year, he finally joined the Socialist Party and actively campaigned for its candidate, David McReynolds, in the 2000 Presidential election. The following year, Matt was elected State Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Michigan. In 2003, Matt was one of fourteen winners nationwide of a $4000 college scholarship from the ACLU for his work in civil liberties.

Cynthia McKinney, former Democratic Congresswoman from Georgia, and one of four candidates seeking the Green Party nomination for President of the United States. This was recorded in Feb. 2007 before she had become a candidate.

Video made by Polidoc Productions.

Kat Swift, Green Party activist from Texas, and one of four candidates seeking the Green Party nomination for President of the United States.

Video created by Polidoc Productions.

Kent Mesplay, and environmental engineer and Green Party organizer from Southern California, and one of four candidates seeking the Green Party nomination for President.

Video created by Polidoc Productions

Jesse Johnson, former state chair of the West Virginia Mountain Party, and one of four candidates seeking the Green Party nomination for President.

Video by Polidoc Productions

A blog about the Green Party, especially the Green Party in the United States.