{news} 'Green' option to be offered to voters

[clifford thornton]

 http://www.villagernewspapers.com/<http://www.villagernewspapers.com/>





By CHUCK EDENBURN, ANTOINE CRAIGWELL, SHAUN MORIARTY

Villager Staff Writers



He isn't the pot-smoking, sandal-wearing hippie that members of the green party are often stereotyped as being.

In fact, Cliff Thornton, the Green Party candidate for Governor, worked for SNET for 25 years, and has lived a typical, middle-class American life. He currently lives in Glastonbury with his wife, Margaret, and has five grown daughters. The funny thing is that Thornton came out of retirement to run on the Green Party's Gubernatorial ticket.





But what could possibly motivate the retired businessman to run for the top political office in Connecticut, when no other African American has ever held the position before, let alone a Green Party candidate?     

For Thornton, the answer is simple.

"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired," said Thornton. "Politician's will do whatever they want until there is a mass dissent against them. I am up against tremendous odds, but what I bring to the table are issues that no other candidates are willing to talk about."



Thornton said one of his biggest concerns is the electorate's disenchantment with mainstream politics.

"People have become so disenchanted with the government, that they don't want to participate," he said. "I want an open administration without corruption. It's only corrupt because we accept it."



Thornton founded the nonprofit organization "efficacy," which began in 1996 and focuses its efforts on drug policy reform. He said the war on drugs is putting more and more people in jail without actually decreasing the number of users. Thornton also wants to utilize farmland for hemp cultivation because of the many needs it could meet.

"We need to develop alternatives for fossil fuels," said Thornton. "Hemp farming is a true money maker and also environmentally sound."

In addition to legalizing marijuana for medicinal use, Thornton wants to "decriminalize and medicalize drugs."

"When we talk about legalizing, medicalizing, and decriminalizing drugs, we are talking about the redistribution of income and wealth," he said.

After his mother died of a heroin overdose when he was 18, Thornton ultimately concluded that if heroin had been legal and supervised by doctors, his mother might not have died so young. He also said the lack of effectiveness in the way the government has handled its drug policy has been tolerated by the people, and changing and improving the situation is the right thing to do.



"We have to ask ourselves, when does going along, to get along, make one complicit?," said Thornton. "We need politicians that are so committed to their job, that they are willing to lose it to make the right decision. Any politician that is not willing to risk election does not deserve to be elected in the first place."

Another concern of Thornton's is the lack of available jobs and the need for a living wage. As stated on his Web site, "a $10 an hour living wage would raise living conditions for all."



Thornton also believes college educations should be funded by the state lottery.

"These candidates talk about education, but this problem popped up 40 years ago," he said. "If they were going to do something about this, they would have done it already. Politicians don't want an educated electorate." 

According to Thornton, a total of $1.1 billion in what is called the "Rainy Day Fund," and "much of it should be used for education."

"In the last eight presidential elections, only between 42 and 52 percent of the registered voters voted, not counting the tens of millions of people that are not involved in participatory democracy," said Thornton. "This sends a clear message to the politicians that people don't think they can make a difference."  

And he did address the "Green Party stereotype." 



"One of my objectives was to change the misconception that the Green Party is a sandal-wearing group of hippies," said Thornton. "I have 25 years of experience working in corporate America."

However, some politicians are often accused of selling out their electorate, in exchange for the opportunity to "become insiders."

When the issue was raised and Thornton was asked if he would ever do such a thing, he said he had no such intentions.

"I think my record speaks for itself," he said. "I have no ties to big business. Eminent Domain has cost people living in New London their private property for private business purposes. We have to ask ourselves the question, what would God do? What would Allah do? What would Buddha do?"



Thornton said it comes down to serving your constituents and not yourself.  

"You have to meet people at the point of their need, not yours," said Thornton. "I bring honesty, integrity, and commitment to the table. I bring credibility to the table where they do not."



When asked how far he was willing to go in the field of politics, Thornton said he was prepared to improve the political system, and do whatever it takes.

"I'm prepared to take my campaign all the way," he said. "There are things in life that prepare you for the next step. I remember my grandmother and great grandmother saying that you have to leave the land better than the way you found it. I have the answers to the issues that people are concerned with. I will deal with the issues that other politicians aren't willing to talk about."



Thornton said understanding the way the world works has been a key asset in his success to this point in his life.

"If one does not understand racism, classism, white privilege, terrorism, and the war on drugs, what these terms mean, and how these concepts work," he said. "Then everything else you do understand will only confuse you."      

 

   Charles Edenburn may be reached by phone at (860) 928-1818 ext. 113, or by e-mail at chuck at villagernewspapers.com.



Thornton for Governor
PO Box 1971
Manchester, CT 06045
votethornton at yahoogroups.com<mailto:votethornton at yahoogroups.com>
www.votethornton.com<http://www.votethornton.com/>
860 657 8438-H
860 268 1294-C
860 778 1304-Tim Mckee-Campaign Manager
860 293 0222-Ken Krayeske-field Manager
Paid for by Thornton For Governor
Donna L. Byrne-Mckee, Treasure
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