Third Party Candidates 2004

[RedCeltic]

I thought I would mention the candidates for the 2004 election this far. The ones I know of in both parties I've been a member of::: Green & Socialist. Actually, if you look on the websites of the candidates, you will notice that most Socialists have run for positions as greens also.

GREEN PARTY

http://www.globalexchange.org/education/speakers/images/MedeaBenjamin.jpg

Medea S. Benjamin (Green-California) (http://www.globalexchange.org/education/speakers/MedeaBenjamin.html)

http://votenader.org/images/winona_hs.jpg

Winona LaDuke (Green-Minnesota) (http://votenader.org/laduke.html)

http://us.ilo.org/news/focus/0012/images/mckinney.jpg

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-Georgia) (http://www.votemckinney.org/)

http://democracyrising.org/ny_top-earth.jpg

Ralph Nader (I-Connecticut) (http://www.democracyrising.org/)

http://williams2004.freeservers.com/stormWilliams.jpg

Storm Bear Williams (I-North Carolina) (http://williams2004.freeservers.com/)

SOCIALIST PARTY USA

E. Geoff Braach (Ohio)

Eric Chester (http://votesocialist.org/chester2002/bio.html)

http://www.politics1.com/pix1/hollis.jpg

Mary Cal Hollis (http://www.hollis2004.org)

http://www.politics1.com/pix1/morrill.jpg

Michael Morrill (http://www.michaelmorrill.org/)

[Sensitive]

Another socialist party (in California) - the Peace and Freedom Party - will have ballot access in 2004. They now have around 80,000 registered members. I'm not sure if they are going to run a presidential candidate. However, it is really great that a socialist party in the US is actually on the ballot and has around 80,000 members in one state. I hope they keep growing!

http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/

http://www.la-peaceandfreedom.org/

[RedCeltic]

Yes I've heard of the Peace and Freedom Party in California. They've been around since the Late Sixties I beleive.

[Hampton]

True, in 1968 Eldridge Cleaver ran for President on their ticket.

[Iron Star]

I think we have a better chance of getting the Greens in power than the Socialists. For many people, the word socialist has many bad connontations. That's why I've decided to vote Green when I'm of age.

[Comrade Marcel]

I would never vote Green, they are Anarcho-Enviro-Capitalists with barely any; if not no class counciousness. Just because they are a alternative does not make them the alternative.

[truthaddict11]

from what I have heard Howard Zinn was going to run on the Peace and Freedom party

[RedCeltic]

Quote: from Comrade Marcel on 2:33 am on April 20, 2003
I would never vote Green, they are Anarcho-Enviro-Capitalists with barely any; if not no class counciousness. Just because they are a alternative does not make them the alternative.


I don't know what the Greens are like in Canada, but in the United States, the Green Party is made up of many different state wide parties. Here in Albany New York, the Green Party is anarcho-syndiclist/anti-capitalist. And, also is made up of many people who are also members of the Socialist Party USA. (as I pointed out in my first post).

In New York, there is no other third party to vote for on the left.

[Lefty]

I think the first step towards getting the U.S. in a better shape is electing a democratic president. With Bush in office, it will be hard enough electing a democrat, let alone a socialist. The Greens and Socialists dont stand a chance of getting elected, so the first step towards a better place is electing a semi-liberal like John Kerry and have the Democrats retake the senate and congress. After that, we will see, perhaps the end product will be a green president.

[Bernardine Dohrn]

I agree that Greens/Socialists have no chance of winning the presidency, but getting the 5% for the Green Party would help in establishing them as a viable third party.

The good thing about the Green Party is that they are starting at the local grassroots level instead of attempting to win from the top down. The politicians of tomorrow usually come from lower levels of state and national governments, which is where many Greens are winning now.

[praxis1966]

The great Abbie Hoffman was a founding member of the Peace and Freedom Party. I didn't know they were still around. Next thing you know, chapters of Students for a Democratic Society will start popping up.

As far as the presidency is concerned, I would rather have a Republican in office. Hold on, before you freak out just listen. It gives leftists a more obvious opponent. Believe me, when I was 18 and Clinton had just won his second term, it was a lot harder to make the case for socialism than it is now. Most centrists and right wingers can't tell the difference between liberalism and socialism. With Bush, the differences are obvious.

In any case, I don't think there's going to be any way in hell a Democrat will win the White House. There's way to many candidates in the primary election this year, which will probably only lead to divisiveness in the party. That's the problem with the Democrats. They never could offer any organised opposition. What we need is a candidate with Democratic ideology and a Republican attitude (synonomous with hardcore).

[Sabocat]

Quote: from truthaddict11 on 4:36 pm on April 20, 2003
from what I have heard Howard Zinn was going to run on the Peace and Freedom party


After reading "A Peoples History of the United States" by Zinn, I would vote for him for president. No question. This is a guy that not only understands history, but most definitely supports the Socialist ideals. He's got my vote.

[Sensitive]

That would be sweet if Howard Zinn ran.

I also really like the Peace and Freedom Party's "multi-socialist-tendency" membership (i.e. more focused on specific issues concerning the left, rather than ideological debate).

[Umoja]

I agree with Praxis, but I think the Green Party being grassroots is fine to vote for, because no matter who wins the election, we don't lose. The entire government is moving to the right, and that's exactly what we need. Once the United States government gets a figurative "boner" and realizes it's wearing swim trunks, the rest of the nation will notice as well.

McKinney gets my vote, because she's proven popular.

[Sensitive]

Those are some good points Umoja.

I'll probably end up voting for the Green Party in 2004, because no socialist candidates (SP-USA, SWP or WWP) are ever on the ballot in my right-wing Midwestern state. The Green Party is the only slightly sane party we have here. While it is still stupid capitalist, it is better than nothing.

[Umoja]

They only act Capitalist because that is what is agreed on nationally. On a State basis I've met quite a few socialist, I even think more then a few Che admirers.

[Sensitive]

Yep, there are lots of socialist/commie Green Party members... I'm one of them. =)

[Donut Master]

The Greens are a respectable bunch, I'll probably vote for them this time. I've heard that Cynthia McKinney is most likely going to run, and I think she is the best of all other canidates I have seen.

It is true that the GP has many socialist supporters, and it's not surprising, considering it's statement of principles and the Ten Key Values nearly mirrors that of the Socialist Party, only with subtler language. The Greens are very class concious, probably best categorized as Social Democratic or Populist, though the member's ideologies vary from center-left to radical left. The GP is ardently opposed to the war in Iraq, and has been active in the anti-war demonstrations, which earns big points with me. My main concern with the party is that they appear to put too much trust in reform, I simply don't agree that we can work within the system all the time.

But the Greens are preferrable to Democrats any day (who will probably run some loser like Leiberman), and as long as the Greens can't even win the presidency, the Socialist Party will never have a chance of winning anything. Greens, on the other hand, have won many local elections, and most recently aquired a Maine state legislature seat. If they get at least 5% of the vote in this upcoming presidential election, they will be elligable for federal funding, which will help the party's future immensly.

Unfortunately, in NY, the GP was short by a thousand votes and will not be on the ballot, unless some kind of petition is successful.


The US electoral system is extremely unfair to third parties. I could list all the examples, but I'd be preaching to the choir. What we really need is some kind of... revolutionary action... :biggrin: hint, hint?

(Edited by Donut Master at 7:28 am on April 25, 2003)

[Umoja]

Who says reform and revolution both can't happen? But I just see reform as the easier one, revolution "ain't never been simple".