Matt Reichel

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Reichel, Bocanegra Fall in Chicago Primaries

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

Municipal Elections were held in Chicago Tuesday, in a low turnout primary election where if no candidate gets 50% of the vote there is a run off election. Two Greens were on the ballot, both losing in the primary.

In the 12th Ward, Alberto Bocanegra, Jr. came in 4th of 5 candidates, finishing with 321 votes (6.63%).

In the 47th Ward, Matt Reichel finished 3rd of 4 candidates with 605 votes (3.21%).

In a statement on Facebook, Bocanegra said: “Unfortunately we didn’t get the outcome we expected. People are so disgusted with politicians that they refused to come out and vote.”

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Matt Reichel Interview – Windy City Times

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

WCT: What does it mean/matter that you are endorsed by the Green Party?

Matt Reichel: This is significant because the 47th Ward has been one of the top performing wards for the Green Party going back to [Ralph] Nader’s presidential run in 2000. There has always been a strong progressive and independent streak to this community, and so this would be a fitting place to elect the city’s first Green alderman. If elected, our ward organization will be converted into a coalition of community groups, oriented on civic service. We will not exist purely as a means of electing machine Democrats to higher office, as is currently the case. As such, a victory for me will be more than a victory for the Green Party; it will be a victory for all working people of the 47th Ward.

Matt Reichel is running for Alderman in Chicago’s 47th Ward. Read the entire interview here.

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Matt Reichel Claims Victory in Chicago’s 47th Ward Forum

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

There was a candidate forum for the open 47th Ward seat in Chicago last night but no press about it today. Matt Reichel, one of 4 candidates seeking the open seat, claimed victory:

Reichel emerged from the debate as upbeat as ever: “This debate marked a clear victory for the Reichel camp. I was the most energetic, determined and progressive of the candidates, and provided the most well-founded and realistic solutions to the problems facing this city.”

While the debate remained civil throughout, the candidates did find room to inject friendly jabs at one another. In response to Reichel’s pleas to the community to join him in cleaning out the ward organization and removing the machine influence that exists there now, Tom O’Donnell disparaged Reichel and claimed “This isn’t about “machine” this or “machine” that. This is about getting things done.” Reichel retorted: “With all due respect, Mr. O’Donnell, the Democratic machine is very real, and poses a real road block to getting anything done for the 99% of us that are not integral members of it.”

Mr. O’Donnell is a long-time member of Ald. Schulter’s ward organization.

Reichel continued: “Our progressive and populist message resonated most with voters in attendance, who were also impressed by the enthusiasm of our campaign. Today, we have made a big step forward to victory on February 22nd.”

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Green Party candidate Matt Reichel has pronounced himself the favorite for Chicago Ward 47 alderman

Posted on by paulie

Emailed to contact.ipr@gmail.com:

After the announcement of incumbent alderman Gene Schulter’s departure from the 47th ward aldermanic election, Green Party candidate Matt Reichel has pronounced himself the favorite:

“I am the only remaining candidate who has been actively campaigning and organizing in this ward for nearly two years, as part of my congressional campaign. “

(Reichel was previously the Green party candidate for Congress in the 5th District.)

Continue Reading →

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Matt Reichel Running for Chicago Alder

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

Two time Congressional Candidate Matt Reichel has announced that he will be running for Alderman in Chicago’s 47th Ward:

Matt Reichel, two-time Green Party nominee for Congress in Illinois’s 5th District, has announced to supporters that he will try to unseat 9-term alderman Gene Schulter in the upcoming municipal elections.

Reichel won about 1,000 votes in the 47th ward part of the 5th district in last week’s election, and believes he can make up the difference needed to beat Schulter. He told supporters:

Despite our vast disadvantage in resources and organization, we pulled nearly 1,000 votes in the ward for the Green Party vision. 1,000 votes for grassroots democracy. 1,000 votes for sustainable economics. 1,000 votes for peace. 1,000 votes for real monetary reform.

There are thousands of other progressives out there, who either voted Democrat out of fear of a Republican take over, or did not vote out of frustration with American electoral politics. There are thousands more, who are ready to join our movement, and make history in 2011.

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Matt Reichel: Democratic shame on health care

Posted on by Dave Schwab

Today, the single-payer health care community learned of its bitter defeat in the fight for the only just and workable solution to this nation’s health care crisis: expanded and improved medicare for all Americans.

We had been advocating two amendments to the health care bill (HB 3200), both of which were removed from consideration by the Democratic leadership today. One, the Weiner Amendment, would have resulted in an up-down vote on single-payer on the house floor. The other, the Kucinich amendment, would have allowed individual states to institute their own single-payer health care systems. Continue Reading →

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Good Crowd for Whitney – Reichel Chicago Event

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

From Rob Sherman blog:

Over one hundred confident and enthusiastic supporters jammed into the party room of the Globe Pub in the 1900 block of West Irving Park Road, last night, to see and hear Illinois Green Party candidate for Governor Richard Whitney and candidate for 5th Congressional District Matt Reichel.

Whitney presented a credible, populist campaign platform, which he called “the ideas of the majority.” Reichel was polished and competent in his presentation, in which he said that we need to change Barack’s message of “Yes we can” to Matt’s message of “Yes we will.”

Whitney spoke about the need to have a government that we can believe in. Whitney said that corporations have a stranglehold on the Democratic and Republican Parties, and that’s why they want to privatize everything. Whitney countered that a healthy public sector is necessary in order for the private sector to flourish.

Since Green Party candidates don’t take corporate contributions, Whitney said that he would operate a government that was focused on what people need, rather than government focused on what corporations wanted at the expense of the people. Whitney would put people back in charge of the political agenda, rather than corporations.
Continue Reading →

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Matt Reichel Money Bomb Tomorrow (9/30)

Posted on by Ronald Hardy

Matt ReichelTomorrow is the last day of the 3rd Quarter FEC Reporting Period and the date set for the Matt Reichel for Congress Money Bomb. From the Facebook page:

On the last day of the 3rd quarter FEC reporting period, the Matt Reichel for Congress campaign is asking supporters to pledge a gift of $50. Our primary goal is to “exist” in the eyes of the FEC, which requires a minimum of $5,000 in the bank. If 100 people pledge a $50 gift, we will reach that goal of $5,000. Our secondary goal is to substantially beat that total, and to enter uncharted territory. If we can get 400 people to pledge a gift of $50 on 9/30/09, we will raise $20,000, and in ONE DAY become the most lucrative Green Party congressional campaign in Illinois history. Let’s make history!!

Contributions can be made through our website, www.mattreichel.us. Signing up to this event counts as making the pledge. Please invite friends, spread the word, and let’s reach the goal of 400 by the end of September!

So if you have fifty bucks in the bank tomorrow (or any amount really) please consider helping the Reichel campaign make a big splash in fund raising!