[candidate-development] [Platform] Fwd: New Mexico

[John Walsh]

Hi Merelice,

I was not around for all that, so I saw it only from the outside - I  
was deep into the single-payer movement before the war which more or  
less reawakened me.  (I did have something to do, very little  
actually, with Jill's campaign.)
And I have heard this kind of complaint about Nader from a variety of  
sources.  But I do not think it is just Nader.  Many candidates keep  
their data bases and do not share them the GPUS or the state parties  
- probably most.  And I would like to see that data shared.
BUT I also see that the GRP data base is not handled democratically  
and competently - despite the best efforts of you and Nat to ensure  
that it is.  The Draft Nader effort here was an indication of that.   
And I bet it is worse in other states.
In the age of the internet, information,especially contact  
information - emails and phone numbers (for robocalls), is especially  
valuable.  And we have not faced up to how to use it.
I know that Nader's solution or that of other campaigns is not  
optimal.  But as it worked out in practice, neither was ours.
So we have to work all this out.
john walsh
On Mar 11, 2008, at 11:29 AM, Merelice wrote:

> John,
>
> What happened in 2000 is as much Nader's fault as the Party's. Despite
> the fact that the Green Party organized to turn out 10,000 people in
> one week for his rally and collected the sigs he needed to get on the
> ballot, Nader didn't share any of his data with us (volunteers,
> contributors, etc.) thus making it difficult to build the party on his
> success at getting us ballot status.
>
> In 2004, the party did not commit to a full-blown 50-state campaign as
> Nader wanted, but to the best of my knowledge neither had Nader done
> anything in the interim four years to build the party.
>
> Merelice
>
>
>
> On 3/11/08, John Walsh <john.walsh at umassmed.edu> wrote:
>>  Wherever possible Nader/Gonzalez will seek a ballot line NOT as  
>> individuals
>> but as a new party - name undecided.  That is my understanding.
>> That party can then work to put folks on the ballot in the next  
>> campaign.  I
>> think that the better GP parties (I include MA and CA) will in one  
>> way or
>> other make an alliance or join with this new political entity.   
>> Ralph does
>> not want to use his last hurrah just to run a campaign.  It is to  
>> be part of
>> a new movement just as was 2000 but unfortunately the GPUS was  
>> hijacked and
>> remains so.  Sad.
>> john walsh
>>
>

John V. Walsh, MD
Professor of Physiology
University of Massachusetts Medical School
508-856-3360 (Office)
508-868-1653 (Cell)
john.walsh at umassmed.edu