Challenging Presidential Leadership
May 29, 2011 in General, International Greens, Presidential Campaign, Social & Economic Justice
Earlier this year, a group of environmental organization leaders sent a letter to both President Obama and China’s President Hu. It highlighted the current state of climate change inaction and concluded with the following:
Nature tells us time is running out, but we can’t see the clock. As we blindly reach critical climate “tipping points,” things promise to get worse, much worse. Central to the solution is a wartime-like mobilization by the governments of the United States and China to cut carbon emissions 80 percent (based on 2006 levels) by 2020. This is required if we are to reduce carbon emissions to 350 parts per million in the atmosphere, the level top climate scientists say is safe for humanity.
There is no more important measure of presidential leadership than living up to the expectations of our children to protect their future. Every day our respective governments fail to act, their future grows more perilous. We await your response.
I firmly believe that the same criteria of leadership needs to be applied to the selection of a Green Party presidential candidate. I will not vote for any candidate who does not make this the central issue. For the sake of our our children, we must find a voice who will speak for the future.
Taken from:http://cagreening.blogspot.com/
Jack said on May 30, 2011
I think we need a solid Presidential Candidate, but I don’t think that is our (as Greens), or the best, fight right now.
Cynthia was talking about a movement to bring Greens (more generally, responsible representatives) to Congress in her recent interview on Iranian TV. This coincides very much with both my suggestion to elect Cynthia as the Green Party candidate for President (http://freeindependentsun.com/republic/a-case-to-the-green-party-for-a-mckinneyhakeem-2012-ticket/) and my most recent endorsement/user’s guide: http://freeindependentsun.com/permaculture/end-the-war-a-memorial-day-endorsement-ron-paul-for-presidentgreen-party-for-congress-2012/
Which I have redirected a condensed url to: http://rp12gp.us
How about Cynthia for President AND Congress, using the Presidential Campaign to Campaign with other Congressional Candidates around the country. This would require all the name/stable Greens to start campaigns, even if only to gain ballot access. Kat Swift, Howie Hawkins, Rich Whitney, LeAlan Jones, Cam Gordon, Cindy Sheehan. We need to get some celebrities to run, I know it sounds lame, but Woody in So. Cal? Brad Pitt in New Orleans (wasn’t he talking about running for Mayor there?). Try to get Kucinich on a Green ticket somewhere (since he is looking for a new district anyway).
2012 needs to be “The Year of the First Green in Congress”
Eddie said on May 31, 2011
Jack, I agree. We need to run candidates. I will ask if Julia Butterfly Hill would like to run. I will make a list of people we would like to see run.
Eddie said on May 31, 2011
I will make a post here on GPW watch for suggestions and we can vote. We need to think outside the box.
Jack said on May 31, 2011
A few more names. Fahreen Hakeem, Medea Benjamin, Laura Wells, Matt Reichel, Jesse Johnson, Tom Clements, everyone who ran in AK (which I think is where our best shot is). Even having Ian Murphy run again. (“This time it’s Serial” – South Park Reference…it fits his campaign).
The idea would be to get as many people running, at least to get on the ballot, so more people can participate in the National Movement. That’ll build energy and momentum in every district (accumulating enough to push at least 1 candidate to victory). In addition, this will help all local and state campaigns (hopefully not taking energy away, but bringing energy to. Help collect signatures together. Speak together. Campaign together. The congressional candidates should be seen as campaign leaders for all campaigns in the area. The should be the “district leader” with Cynthia (or whoever) as a national leader.
Jack said on May 31, 2011
I’d also suggest not running current seat holders, as they should focus on doing their jobs and show that the Green Party is serious about running Government, not just running campaigns.
eddie said on May 31, 2011
Important point I want to make. How about running independents on the Green Party ticket? Well, I think this could work at the local, city, and perhaps state level. This is no time to just run Greens with no-name recognition. We need people other than Greens to run on the GPW. I guess I would only make the case for independents to run(be endorsed) on the GP ticket.
Jack said on June 1, 2011
I think that has to do with state laws, but I’m pretty sure Independents can get Green endorsements for Congress.
I personally think that if we at least get all our standard house hold green in (or a decent number) and *hopefully* draw in a few new big names (like I mentioned above) that, in all other districts, as long as we get someone true to the cause and on the Green ticket on the ballot, that we can be effective.
There are some districts that we just don’t have a chance of winning. But if we can get a national movement going that pushes a 1% district to 2%, that same movement may move a 20% district in AK to 35%, or better.
My idea, is if we create a national movement, (especially one connected to bring “non-conservatives to the Ron Paul movement) that the energy will get us our first Green in Congress, at least 1. I think we focus on the established names, those that have been working in the district for sometime and have the drive and energy to keep pushing forward, but once those campaigns are going, we need to fill in the rest, even if just to have a “Green” on the ballot for everyone.
I don’t think we have a single announce Green for Congress yet, hopefully talking about this idea will help expedite that. Once we start seeing who is interested we can start figuring out who else we need to run.
I’m in Nor Cal, but will be switching party registration to help support Ron Paul (so I can’t run), however, I’d love to see Medea run in SF and Laura (Wells) run in Oakland (I think that is where she lives). Cam and Fahreen in MN, Matt and LeAlan in IL, Swift in Texas, etc. etc. But that is up to those people.
All I can really do (especially if I’m not willing to run myself) is promote the idea and help whoever decides to run.
Jack said on June 1, 2011
We can even get Peace and Freedom, Pirate Party, etc. It will be most effective if they are able to actually have “Green” on the ballot next to their name, but even if they are just endorsed by the Green Party it should be better than nothing.
Part of this is that I want to make it such a simple idea, with two names (Ron Paul and Green Party) that at least most are familiar enough with to be effective, yet both are still technically “under dogs” and yet still both constitute a difficult “forward” move.
Ideally, the only two things the standard voter should need to know is “Ron Paul for President/Green Party for Congress” – However, we obviously can’t be too demanding, and can easily make some lists and such to help with any Independents or other-party candidates that join in the caus.