{news} Illinois Greens have first Governor candidate

[Green Party-CT]

    Attorney Rich Whitney makes bid for governor as Green Party nominee
  BY NICOLE SACK 
THE SOUTHERN
          
  
CARBONDALE - He's lean. He's a Green, he's a gubernatorial machine. Rich Whitney, Carbondale civil-rights attorney, accepted the Illinois Green Party nomination as its candidate for governor during a brisk, outdoor press conference Thursday at the Carbondale Amtrak station.

Whitney now has to collect 25,000 petition signatures statewide to get on the ballot for the general election in November, since the Greens are considered a new party. While the task is large, Whitney is determined to make a run for the state's top seat.

"I am running to give the voters of Illinois a better choice," Whitney said. "They deserve a better choice than the corruption and bad judgment of George Ryan's gang and the corruption and bad judgment of Rod Blagojevich's gang. They deserve a better choice than a Republican leadership that is shameless and a Democratic leadership that is spineless."

Whitney said Illinois needs to repair its state budget, rejuvenate public services and overhaul the school funding. He outlined the four essential initiatives that he said would separate his campaign from the incumbent governor and the Republican contenders.

Whitney said he will fight to keep the Illinois National Guard at home and out of Iraq. He said under federal law governors can veto mobilization of guardsmen under certain circumstances.

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         "The war in Iraq is plainly illegal and immoral," Whitney said. "The National Guard, as the name implies, is supposed to be guarding the nation - not serving a deadly and illegal fool's errand in Iraq on behalf of the gang of corporate robber barons that is now dominating our government."

Also on Whitney's list, and the reason for his chilly press conference at the train station, was to emphasize the need for a major state commitment to mass transit, including high-speed rail.

"The present governor and legislature have not made the necessary commitment to build new, modern high-speed rail systems that the times demand," Whitney said. "A person should be able to get on a train in Carbondale and get to St. Louis in an hour, to Springfield or Memphis in an hour and a half, and Chicago in three hours. This is not pie in the sky, it is doable. It just takes political will."

Budget, education and tax reform are also key points in Whitney's bid. He said he is aligned with the fiscal conservatives and has found that the state is suffering from a breed of politicians far worse than what the right wing calls "tax and spend liberals."

They include "a 'borrow, steal and waste pseudo-conservative,' like our current president, or 'borrow, steal and waste pseudo-liberals' like our current governor, who has refused to implement necessary tax reforms, instead choosing to balance the budget by delving into dedicated state funds, cutting necessary programs and burdening future generations with more interest and bonds," Whitney said.

The final pillar of Whitney's campaign is to bring universal single-payer health care to everyone in Illinois. Whitney said Gov. Blagojevich's All Kids program doesn't go far enough in addressing the skyrocketing costs of healthcare.

He said refining the system would boost the economy because it would remove the tremendous burden from businesses that are struggling to provide health insurance.

In general, Whitney said he would be an advocate for working and middle-class taxpayers, farmer, small business owners and the underprivileged. He said neither he, nor any other Green, would accept any corporate campaign contributions.

"We are building a true party of the people because we want to restore government of, by and for the people, instead of government dominated by big money," he said. "This campaign will be true to that principle."

Whitney is no stranger to the political process. His campaigns in 2002 and 2004 for state representative established the Green Party in the 115th District. This year Charlie Howe, also of Carbondale, will be running for the seat currently held by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro.

Howe said as he was gathering petitions, a woman asked him what his heart's desire was. After a few seconds, Howe responded, "To get rid of the bunch of hooligans that have taken over the White House and the federal government, bring back a government that helps people instead of corporations."



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      THE GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT is the third largest political party in CT. The Greens are also the third largest political party in the US, with 220 Greens officeholders in 27 states. Over 80 countries in world have Green Parties. Wangari Maathai, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is Kenya's assistant minister for environment and an elected Green Party member.
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National Committee member from Connecticut: Tim McKee (860) 324-1684

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