> 2004 will probably be a make-or-break year for the Green Party. Wavering
> amongst the Green Party organizers and activists had almost doomed the
> party. Then, Democratic voters in the early caucuses and primaries did
> a great favor to the Green Party, by eliminating Howard Dean and making
> only two unsavory pro-war Democrats the remaining contenders for the
> party nomination. Nader's declaration of his candidacy yesterday is
> another favor to the Green Party, as it will strengthen the hands of
> Green organizers and activists -- like Peter Camejo and Howie Hawkins --
> who oppose giving away Green votes in closely contested states to the
> Democratic Party for free:
>
> ***** The minute the Greens stop campaigning where they might affect
> the outcome is the minute no one takes the Greens seriously. The minute
> the Greens start backhandedly supporting Democrats with a cute
> "strategic voting" scheme is the minute the public stops taking Greens
> seriously. This will be because the Greens have stopped stop taking
> themselves seriously. It is the minute that the corporate Democrats feel
> free to completely ignore their own Kucinich/ Shaprton wing and take
> votes to their Left for granted. It is the minute the whole dynamic of
> the election shifts to the Right, with the Green Party looking like it
> isn't really serious about wanting governmental power to make changes.
>
> (Howie Hawkins, "'Strategic Voting' Is Strategic Suicide,"
> _Synthesis/Regeneration_ 32, Fall 2003,
> <http://www.greens.org/s-r/32/32-18.html>) *****
I often disagree with Yoshie on many things, but this post from her just contains a bunch of political gems. I really appreciate the information on the 2000 exit polling, which really helps discredit the simplsitic conclusion that "Nader cost Gore the election." And this comment above from Howie Hawkins offers some stark political reality for Green Party supporters. If the Greens want to turn their party into a viable third party in the long run, they have to reject all of this ABB politics that treats the Greens like the kiddie table to the Democratic Party. If people really believe that a third party like the Greens is needed, they have to stick to their guns and not give people the impression that they are half-assed about this thrid party idea. It looks like some of the Greens understand this and are refraining from dissing Nader for his announcement.
Thanks Yoshie,
Chuck0