{news} Fwd: Let Greens Debate! - October Green Line

Wed Nov 1 07:53:04 EST 2006

Green Party of the United States <office at gp.org> wrote:  Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:16:04 -0500 (EST)
From: Green Party of the United States <office at gp.org>
To: greenpartyct at yahoo.com
Subject: Let Greens Debate! - October Green Line

                    October 2006

                      News Headlines

    Silencing democracy: Greens excluded from Debates  This year, local- and state-level Green candidates are running notably stronger campaigns: many have years of experience as elected officials, are in touch with the values and needs of their constituents, and are willing and eager to do the grassroots organizing necessary to challenge the status quo. Yet in many major markets, they are notably absent from debates—because Democrat and Republican candidates are running scared. 
  Maybe the two corporate parties see the writing on the wall when they read reports of recent polls, which show voters leaving both parties to register as independents? Perhaps they are afraid that when voters presented with Green solutions to today’s problems the talking points of the two pro-war, corporate parties do not stack up with the values of regular (not corporate!) citizens.

Aaron Dixon with supporters outside of King-5 TV -photo by Wendy Call    After arriving at Seattle’s King-5 TV station with 75 campaign volunteers and supporters holding signs saying “Let Dixon Debate,” police arrested Green Party Senate candidate Aaron Dixon for trying to enter the studio. Dixon had hoped to take part in what would later be described as the “Millionaire’s Debate”—so called because co-sponsors KING-5 and the Seattle Times made raising $1 million a requirement for participation. While recent polls indicate that voters are six times more likely to support Dixon than Libertarian candidate Bruce Guthrie, Dixon was barred from participating because he failed to meet the $1 million campaign chest requirement. (Guthrie, on the other hand, met the 7-figure hurdle by taking out a mortgage on his house.) All this after operatives from Democrat incumbent Maria Cantwell tried, unsuccessfully, to bribe Dixon into withdrawing his candidacy. 
  Illinois Radio Network invited top gubernatorial candidates to a televised debate scheduled on October 2, including Green candidate Rich Whitney. After learning he would have to debate Rich Whitney, the Democrat candidate Rod Blagojevich backed out, leading the station to cancel the debate. Despite being shut out of the debates, Rich Whitney’s poll numbers are steadily rising. He is currently at 14%—more than any statewide candidate from a nationally organized third party has received in Illinois in over 100 years. 
  In New York and Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters, an organization with a history of facilitating open and democratic debates, withdrew their sponsorship when Green Party candidates were shut out of the debates, citing their organization’s commitment to nonpartisanship. In Connecticut, Green Governor Candidate Cliff Thornton purchased advertising time to air a campaign promotion during the very debate that he was denied entry to! Green Party candidates have won almost 40% of their elections this year. When given the opportunity, more and more voters are choosing to vote for a party that represents their values. Peter LaVenia, co-chair of the New York Green Party pointed out that “a growing number of voters find the artificial restriction of debates to Democratic and republican candidates a complete sham. When alternative candidates are included, both viewership and voter turnout increase. When Independent candidate Jesse Ventura was included in the Minnesota
 gubernatorial debates, he went form 10% in the polls to over 30% in just a few weeks. And then he became governor. That would never have happened had he been excluded from the debates. This is why major party candidates strive to keep the public from hearing alternative candidates.”
  Tell the media that excluding Green Party candidates from debates is an attack on democracy and the public’s right to make informed choices! Go to the Action Page here. 

            Dems bring in big names to fight Greens in MainePowerful Democrats are stumping in Maine, where Green candidates like Pat LaMarche http://www.pat2006.com for Governor and Benjamiin Meiklejohn http://www.benmeiklejohn.com for the house seat in District 120 are running very strong campaigns. Both qualified for ‘clean election’ funds by securing $5 donations from supporters. Dem heavyweight Howard Dean engaged in a door-to-door photo opp in District 120 where Meiklejohn is gaining strength. His Democratic opponent is virtually missing in action, while Meiklejohn has been busy talking to his neighbors in district 120 and continues to canvas the area. In 2001, Meiklejohn became the first Green elected in Portland, where he currently serves on the school board.   Dennis Kucinich and Bill Clinton have also shown up to bolster the Democratic Governor John Baldacci‘s chances for re-election. Pat LaMarche, Green Party Vice-Presidential candidate in 2004, is running
 against duopoly candidates.
          “The Democrats are trying to rally their base by using the War in Iraq and anti-Bush sentiment as a means to garner support for Democrats at all levels but the public is not fooled. Campaigns for State Representative have little to do with the War in Iraq, and that the Republican is not even running in my House district is very telling. They must have got a hold of some polling data that shows I am handily winning as a Green Independent over the Democrat, otherwise they would not be bringing in big guns like Howard Dean and Bill Clinton,” Meiklejohn told the Portland Press Herald. “The truth is, they are very worried, and are using Democratic opposition to Republicans as a rallying cry to get support for a Democrat over a Green in a race where there isn't even a Republican running.” 

Benjamin Meiklejohn  “I’ve always heard, ‘Why are you Green? You can’t win.’ Yet I do win. And I do succeed,” Meiklejohn told Green Line. “Don’t listen to the naysayers—if you put in the hard work, you’ve got a better chance than a Democrat or Republican riding their party’s coattails.”
  Cindy Sheehan supports Green Party Peace Slate  Renowned peace activist Cindy Sheehan has thrown her support behind a number of Green Party candidates for the fall elections. In a recent interview she said “Malachy is a man of courage and integrity. The people of NY want peace. They are tired of politics as usual.” endorsing the Green Party of NY gubernatorial candidate Malachy McCourt. During the same interview, she also endorsed Michael Berg, running as a Green for US Congress in Delaware. (To watch a video of Cindy Sheehan’s endorsement of McCourt and Berg, go to www.gp.org) Sheehan also recently endorsed Todd Chrétien, CA, Kevin Zeese, MD and Howie Hawkins, NY all running for US Senate as Greens. Thanks for your support Cindy!
      Are you a blogger or webmaster?
Add an anti-war banner ad to your page!   The Green Party has a dynamic new WEB BANNER AD that can be placed on Green Party state/local websites, blogs, or personal homepages to point viewers to GP.org. The anti-war message and clean Green design appeals to a wide audience: "Americans know the war in Iraq was based on lies...Bring the troops home now! Only one U.S. political party calls for the end of military involvement in Iraq...Find out how you can get active with the nation's only true peace party." 
To place this banner ad on your website, please get the code at: http://www.gp.org/committees/outreach/materials.shtml

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