Green Canidates on the ballot in several states...

[Cain]

Two years back, Google and a New York financial firm were looking into invest heavily into a project that could form the backbone of such a future project - I haven't heard much since, but I havent really looked.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/science/earth/12wind.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Google and a New York financial firm have each agreed to invest heavily in a proposed $5 billion transmission backbone for future offshore wind farms along the Atlantic Seaboard that could ultimately transform the region's electrical map. The 350-mile underwater spine, which could remove some critical obstacles to wind power development, has stirred excitement among investors, government officials and environmentalists who have been briefed on it.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

You said Green Party. I'm a Green. I'm going to talk about Greens.

I don't really know a whole lot about Dr. Stein's running mate. Hey, Rev, I seem to recall you saying something about the Greens in Maine being a little looney tunes. Could you expand upon that point?

A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Romney.  Just saying.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

You said Green Party. I'm a Green. I'm going to talk about Greens.

I don't really know a whole lot about Dr. Stein's running mate. Hey, Rev, I seem to recall you saying something about the Greens in Maine being a little looney tunes. Could you expand upon that point?

A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Romney.  Just saying.

Maybe in the Presidential election, but it IS time for a new 2nd party to emerge. It might not be the Greens, but this could possibly be the election that rockets them into prominence as the nation's liberal party.

[AFK]

No it's not.  For one, they will be cancelled out by the Libertarian and Constitutional Parties.  For another, that idea simply reinforces The Machine.  Not that any single vote against the two-party machine is going to change any cogs in that machine.  But votes FOR it certainly doesn't accomplish anything.


If anything there needs to be MORE encouragement for voting outside the box.  I don't think that a million other yahoos votes for that machine is a legitimate reason to sell yourself out and ALSO give them your vote.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

You said Green Party. I'm a Green. I'm going to talk about Greens.

I don't really know a whole lot about Dr. Stein's running mate. Hey, Rev, I seem to recall you saying something about the Greens in Maine being a little looney tunes. Could you expand upon that point?

A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Romney.  Just saying.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/114016/state-states-political-party-affiliation.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)
Number of Twids=1

[Nephew Twiddleton]

No it's not.  For one, they will be cancelled out by the Libertarian and Constitutional Parties.  For another, that idea simply reinforces The Machine.  Not that any single vote against the two-party machine is going to change any cogs in that machine.  But votes FOR it certainly doesn't accomplish anything.


If anything there needs to be MORE encouragement for voting outside the box.  I don't think that a million other yahoos votes for that machine is a legitimate reason to sell yourself out and ALSO give them your vote.

If I vote for Barack Obama, Massachusetts will go to Barack Obama.
If I vote from Mitt Romney, Massachusetts will go to Barack Obama.
If I vote for Gary Johnson, Massachusetts will go to Barack Obama.
If I write in Adolf Hitler, Massachusetts will go to Barack Obama and I'll probably get put on a list.

Why not vote for the person I agree the most with? My vote is not going to increase or decrease Romney's chances of winning.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

You said Green Party. I'm a Green. I'm going to talk about Greens.

I don't really know a whole lot about Dr. Stein's running mate. Hey, Rev, I seem to recall you saying something about the Greens in Maine being a little looney tunes. Could you expand upon that point?

A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Romney.  Just saying.

Maybe in the Presidential election, but it IS time for a new 2nd party to emerge. It might not be the Greens, but this could possibly be the election that rockets them into prominence as the nation's liberal party.

I've been a Green for 10 years. In those 10 years I've noticed something.

Greens are incapable of winning national level elections. The main reason being that Democrats don't want Republicans to win.

Greens do much better in local elections, especially where the Republican Party either doesn't have a candidate or is assumed to get such a small percentage of the vote that s/he's wasting time and money.

A Green ran for State Treasurer a couple of years back. He got 20% of the vote. He was the only person running against a Democrat.

People want to give third parties a chance, but the problem is they're still caught in the whole "the other side is evil" line of thinking.

But really, to someone who actually ends up joining a third party, the two major parties look the same but talk differently.

[Salty]

That happens also if you join no party.

[AFK]

Agreed.  Also, I don't know how it works in other states, but the Green Party, or any party, has to get a certain percentage of votes to be able to be recognized.  Kooky Carter garnered enough votes to pave the way for Greens running for local races, andnow they do hold office in many places in Maine including Portland.  If everyone had just voted for whatever assmunch was running for the DEMS, the Green Party wouldn't have made it as far as it has. 


In the grand scheme of things it is David v Goliath, but fuck, just standing there to get squashed isn't the way to go.

[AFK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_Green_Independent_Party


There is a list on this page of the Greens who are holding or have held office.  Mostly city council, school board kind of offices, but they have had some success here in the Southern part of the state.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

That happens also if you join no party.

But I like partying.

Agreed.  Also, I don't know how it works in other states, but the Green Party, or any party, has to get a certain percentage of votes to be able to be recognized.  Kooky Carter garnered enough votes to pave the way for Greens running for local races, andnow they do hold office in many places in Maine including Portland.  If everyone had just voted for whatever assmunch was running for the DEMS, the Green Party wouldn't have made it as far as it has. 


In the grand scheme of things it is David v Goliath, but fuck, just standing there to get squashed isn't the way to go.

David won.

It works that way in Massachusetts too. You have to get 5% of the vote in order to be a political party. This causes something interesting to happen.

In 2002, what is now called the Green Rainbow Party of Massachusetts (we merged with the Rainbow Coalition when we realized we agreed on everything, but with different emphasis) gained party status. Jill Stein, Carla Howell, and Barbara Johnson successfully sued for the chance to debate Shannon O'Brien and Mitt Romney. And you know, Jill got a lot of attention from the liberals in the newspapers and everything.

In 2004, we lost party status, since no one here wanted Bush to win. Even though he won anyway, without MA's help.

In 2006, we gained party status, and a Democrat ended up taking the Governorship either way.

In 2008 we lost party status.

See the pattern here?

[Nephew Twiddleton]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-Rainbow_Party#Elected_officials

Also, I forgot Chuck Turner was one of ours. That's another interesting thing to note. Often times, especially in Boston City elections, candidates don't say what party they belong to. Hell, when he had that scandal it wasn't even mentioned.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I'm not sure if it's old hat here, but I think that minor parties is a potentially good topic to explore, as Discordians. What good can they do, how can we break the 2 party system, all that rot. I realize that it's pretty USA centric, but people from countries with multiple parties would have a good perspective to add.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

No it's not.  For one, they will be cancelled out by the Libertarian and Constitutional Parties. 

The constitution party is a pathetic joke, and the libertarians have neither grown nor shrunk in 30 years.  They aren't worth mentioning.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

No it's not.  For one, they will be cancelled out by the Libertarian and Constitutional Parties. 

The constitution party is a pathetic joke, and the libertarians have neither grown nor shrunk in 30 years.  They aren't worth mentioning.

Worse yet, the GOP has basically assumed the role of the Libertarian Party. It's a failed party, mostly because the only thing they can agree on is small government and capitalism.