[statecom-discuss] Fwd: Surprising 19 percent vote for Rand Wilson earns ballot status for Massachusetts Working Families Party

[John Walsh]

But there is a difference.  On the core issues of war, empire and
threat to our liberties, we have basic agreement with the Libertarians
whereas with the Dems and therefore the WFP (I love that name; it
rings of "Kinder, Kirche, Kuche," a kind of national socialism) we
have virtually nothing in common - despite the pretensions of the
Dems.
Also George Phillies is hardly a formidable foe and his machinations
were a major reason for the collapse of the Libertarians here in MA.
jw

On 11/9/06, Colby E. Peterson <saphron at verizon.net> wrote:
> We should operate under the assumption that the WFP intends to be
> politically active and perhaps run candidates.
>
> If they pack up and ship out because fusion failed, good for them,
> good for us.
>
> If they decide to actually run an independent political party using
> the current electoral system, then we have a potential competitor and
> a potential collaborator.
>
> - Colby
>
> PS: I might add that the Libertarians are also beginning to stir
> again, with Massachusetts native George Philles already declaring a
> run for President.
>
> On Nov 8, 2006, at 11:26 PM, BillCunningham wrote:
>
> > Not really. Since fusion (Question 2) was defeated 2 to 1, it's
> > hard to see what the WFP can do. Its strategy, like that of theno-
> > longer-extant New Party, was completely dependant upon fusion
> > endorsement of democrats.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >> From: John Walsh <john.walsh at umassmed.edu>
> >> Sent: Nov 8, 2006 5:08 PM
> >> To: Jill Stein <jstein at massmed.org>, graccross at aol.com, Discussion
> >> List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>,
> >> NeedToKnow at green-rainbow.org, Ron Francis <ronwf777 at yahoo.com>
> >> Subject: [statecom-discuss] Fwd: Surprising 19 percent vote for
> >> Rand Wilson earns ballot status for Massachusetts Working Families
> >> Party
> >>
> >> Isn't that dandy!  Now the  Dems have a second way to counter the
> >> GRP.
> >> jw
> >>
> >> Begin forwarded message:
> >>
> >>> From: "Rand Wilson" <rand at mindspring.com>
> >>> Date: November 8, 2006 5:02:53 PM EST
> >>> Subject: Surprising 19 percent vote for Rand Wilson earns ballot
> >>> status for Massachusetts Working Families Party
> >>> Reply-To: rand at mindspring.com
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Wilson for Working Families
> >>> 44 Foskett Street  ?  Somerville, MA 02144  ?  617 697-0380
> >>> www.randwilson.org
> >>>
> >>> Press Release
> >>> For immediate release: November 8, 2006
> >>> Contact: Rand Wilson, (617) 697-0380 or rand at mindspring.org
> >>>
> >>> New party on the block?
> >>> Wilson campaign for State Auditor earns ballot status for new
> >>> Massachusetts Working Families Party
> >>>
> >>> Surprising 19 percent vote sends message to Beacon Hill about need
> >>> for elected officials to refocus their priorities on economic
> >>> justice issues
> >>>
> >>> With all precincts in Massachusetts counted, the Wilson campaign
> >>> for State Auditor achieved ballot status for the Working Families
> >>> Party on Nov. 7 with surprising support from 19 percent of voters.
> >>> Only 3 percent was needed to get ballot status for the new party.
> >>>
> >>> Over 60 grassroots labor and community organizations backed the
> >>> formation of a new Working Families Party and ten unions and ACORN
> >>> took the bolder step of endorsing Rand Wilson for State Auditor as
> >>> the party's first Massachusetts candidate.
> >>>
> >>> "Over 369,500 citizens cast a vote for a brand new Working Families
> >>> Party to send a message urging our elected officials to refocus on
> >>> the bread and butter issues that matter most to working people,"
> >>> said Wilson, a veteran union organizer who was virtually unknown
> >>> prior to the election campaign.  "It also shows the widespread
> >>> interest in a party that is committed to an electoral strategy that
> >>> won't risk spoiling an election or asking supporters of our
> >>> platform to waste their votes on purely symbolic candidates."
> >>>
> >>> Wilson campaigned vigorously for the passage of Question 2, a
> >>> statewide referendum allowing independent parties to build
> >>> coalitions with candidates from other parties, but count their
> >>> votes on a separate ballot line.  Unfortunately the ballot
> >>> initiative failed.
> >>>
> >>> "Half a million people voted for Question 2," said Wilson.  "That's
> >>> a good start for an innovative idea to improve our democracy so
> >>> that people in Massachusetts would have more choices and a better
> >>> chance to have their voices heard."
> >>>
> >>> "Many unions and community groups united behind Rand Wilson's
> >>> candidacy to build support for the Working Families Party.  Now we
> >>> have earned a new place on the ballot for the voice of working
> >>> class people," said Teamsters Local 122 Secretary-Treasurer John
> >>> Murphy.  "In the absence of the election reform we sought with
> >>> Question 2, the future of our party depends on whether we can use
> >>> that ballot line to support our platform in a meaningful way."
> >>>
> >>> For more information, please visit www.randwilson.org or call (617)
> >>> 697-0380.
> >>
> >> 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
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> > Bill Cunningham
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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