[statecom-discuss] Re: [candidate-development] greens 4 nadar 08
John Walsh
john.walsh at umassmed.edu
Sun Mar 18 08:02:47 EST 2007
On Mar 18, 2007, at 7:38 AM, Yarden wrote:
> John,
> I really has hoped to lay this 'particular' conversation to rest by
> a proposal that was approved by the GRP State Committee. That
> proposal was designed to reduce the quantity of speculative
> political bookmaking that distracts people, and may even interfere
> with developing a local participatory democracy sense of politics.
THESE TWO THINGS NEED NOT BE AT ODDS - NATIONAL ELECTORAL EFFORTS CAN
BUILD ENTHUSIASM AND TEACH PEOPLE THE NECESSITY OF BUILDING AN
INFRASTRUCTURE AT TTH LOCAL LEVEL. WHY MUST WE SEE THESE THINGS IN
OPPOSITION? NOTHING IN THE UNIVERSE (SO FAR AS WE KNOW) ACTS WITHOUT
BEING ACTED UPON.
> Whatever else they may be, here and elsewhere in democratic
> countries, presidential elections are primarily a spectator sport.
NOT WITH A THIRD PARTY IN '08 SINCE THE ONLY WAY THAT NADER OR A
GREEN OR SOME THIRD PARTY CAN WIN IS WITH THE MOBILIZATION OF LARGE
NUMBERS OF PEOPLE. THAT HAPPENS AT TIMES AND RIGHT NOW THE PEOPLE
ARE FED UP WITH THE WAR AND EVER MORE READY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT. IN PART WE ARE PURSUING THE FILIBUSTER STRATEGY TO MAKE IT
CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THE DEMS CAN EASILY STOP THE WAR. THEY HAVE THE
POWER BUT THEY HAVE OTHER ALLEGIANCES THAT PREVENT THEM FROM USING
IT. THAT HELPS SET THE STAGE FOR A THIRD PARTY EFFORT.
>
> If we participate at all, that participation must serve to expose
> the ideological assumptions about; the electoral college, the 'two-
> party' system, the ballot box, the role of money and advertising,
> separation of powers, the 'political' elite, populism, etc.
SEE ABOVE
> I know of nothing to prevent us from entering his name in the
> Massachusetts primary other than a refusal to do so on his part. I
> did my best to persuade him to do this in 2004. To no avail. It
> was not even possible to get through the apparatus that surrounds
> him. His primary loyalties, like almost any presidential
> candidate, are to himself, and not to any party. Not even to one
> that he might help to create. His main strength is as a speaker
> for the values that many of us hold. He has far more work to raise
> an awareness of the destructive paths of duopoly politics than any
> of us have. He has no interest in actively pursuing a new
> political path building new political institutions.
NADER HAS CHANGED AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE FILM 'AN UNREASONABLE MAN.'
HE DOES NOT WANT TO RUN NOR DID HE. (I SEE THAT. WHEN I RAN, I DID
NOT WANT TO EITHER.) HE DID IT, BECAUSE HE FELT SOMEONE SHOULD. AND
> If you or anyone else would like to have him on the Massachusetts
> primary ballot, you are free to pursue the course of approaching
> him with a petition signed by a thousand, ten thousand, or a
> hundred thousand, in Massachusetts. It might be as useful to talk
> to him about it.
THE MAIN THING THAT WILL PREVENT A NADER CANDIDACY IN '08 (IF HE WILL
DO IT) IS THE FAILURE OF GREENS TO BE VERY SUPPORTIVE. THAT OF
COURSE IS UP TO US.
> Peace,
> Elie Yarden
>
> On Sunday, March 18, 2007, at 01:46 AM, John Walsh wrote:
>
>> I agree with Mike.
>> And if the national Green Party can put Nader on the ballot, why
>> can't we?
>> But it is probably too early to have this discussion.
>> jw
>> p.s. PLEASE SIGN AND CIRCULATE: WWW.FilibusterForPeace.org
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 17, 2007, at 11:02 PM, Mike Heichman wrote:
>>
>>> Hi John and Grace,
>>>
>>> A couple of clarifying comments/questions:
>>>
>>> 1. My memory of Ralph Nader's campaign in 2004 was that he was
>>> not always so staunchly anti-Dem. He had said some kind words
>>> about Kucinich and he had said that he had wanted to push the
>>> Dems and later Kerry in a more progressive direction. When you
>>> say that Nader supports all of our principles, what are you
>>> referring (Do you mean the 10 Values? If not, what are all the
>>> principles?)
>>>
>>> 2. Grace, I don't understand why Nader can't be on our primary
>>> ballot if he decides to pursue the Green Party nomination. In
>>> 2000, he was on the MA ballot in November because he was the
>>> Green Party nominee and because I believe "we" had to get the
>>> necessary signatures. He wasn't a Green then. In 2004, when he
>>> decided not to pursue the Green Party nomination, we honored his
>>> request and his name was not on our primary ballot. He still
>>> wasn't a Green. We put Cobb's name on our November ballot because
>>> he was nominated by the Green Party's convention-not because he
>>> was a Green. Please explain.
>>>
>>> I am not speaking in favor or in opposition to Nader at this
>>> point. While I believe that he has some strengths, I do not see
>>> him perfectly aligned with Green values. At the same time, if he
>>> decides to pursue the Green Party nomination, I think we should
>>> "welcome" his candidacy, as well as others who are or will be
>>> candidates.
>>>
>>> Mike Heichman
>>>
>>>
>>> John Walsh wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Grace,
>>>> But Nader embraces all our principles. And he also is
>>>> consistently tough on the Dems which some of us thought was the
>>>> one shortcoming in the your otherwise superb campaign.
>>>>
>>>> So if Nader can boost the Green principles, then perhaps we
>>>> should change our rules. I am tired of hearing from our
>>>> critics that the Greens are dysfunctional. Let us break that
>>>> mold.
>>>> jw
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 17, 2007, at 8:43 PM, GracCRoss at aol.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Just a reminder- not a registered Green, then you cannot go on
>>>>> our ballot - Love, Grace
>>>>> In a message dated 3/17/07 12:08:09 PM,
>>>>> john.walsh at umassmed.edu writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have added my name to the petition. So please include me.
>>>>>> My comment to the petition was:
>>>>>> John Walsh
>>>>>> 16 Chauncy St., #37
>>>>>> Cambridge
>>>>>> MA
>>>>>> 02138
>>>>>> 508 868-1653
>>>>>> jvwalshmd at gmail.com
>>>>>> One way to set the stage for 2008 is to make the Dems take a
>>>>>> stand on
>>>>>> Iraq. It takes only 41 Senators to end the war. They have the
>>>>>> power
>>>>>> and then some. Will they exercise it? If not, it is surely
>>>>>> Ralph\'s
>>>>>> turn.
>>>>>> Please visit, sign and circulate widely.
>>>>>> www.FilibusterForPeace.org
>>>>>> Mar-17-2007
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mar 17, 2007, at 1:33 AM, Jamie O'Keefe wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> > [I am not on statecom-discuss, so would someone on CDLC who
>>>>>> is and
>>>>>> > feels my words should be forwarded to that list, please do so.]
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Thanks Jamie!
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > I see two people from MA who signed up as supporting such a
>>>>>> run. We
>>>>>> > should contact the folks behind this effort to get their
>>>>>> names and see
>>>>>> > if they want to be the MA Nader contacts and keep them in
>>>>>> the loop
>>>>>> > about our presidential process.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > That especially goes for all of the other GP pres.
>>>>>> candidates as well.
>>>>>> > Best to get them hooked in and id contacts so we can help
>>>>>> the GP
>>>>>> > candidates when they come through. I don't think party
>>>>>> resources
>>>>>> > should be used to further their campaigns, but we should be
>>>>>> helping
>>>>>> > the activists of all GP candidates so that both the
>>>>>> campaigns and the
>>>>>> > party are successful.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > A key thing, once we clean up the list, is what we want to
>>>>>> do with the
>>>>>> > party db's. We need to think about what we want to provide to
>>>>>> > candidates and at what cost and with what requirements.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Jamie
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > On 3/16/07, jamie mclaughlin
>>>>>> <experimental_radio at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> >> only a messenger here folks,
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >> peace,
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >> jamm
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >>
>>>>>> >----------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> ----
>>>>>> >> --
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >Message: 1
>>>>>> >> >Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007 23:39:05 -0400
>>>>>> >> >From: Lou Novak <lmn at lppals.com>
>>>>>> >> >Subject: [usgp-dx] [Fwd: Draft Nader.org is UP AND RUNNING!
>>>>>> >> (Hopefully
>>>>>> >> > Ralph will be too!)]
>>>>>> >> >To: GPUS-NC <Natlcomaffairs at green.gpus.org>,
>>>>>> >> > "migreens at yahoogroups.com" <migreens at yahoogroups.com>
>>>>>> >> >Message-ID: <45F76E59.60308 at lppals.com>
>>>>>> >> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >Everyone,
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >The GREENS FOR NADER 2008 site has officially launched and is
>>>>>> >> hosting a
>>>>>> >> >petition to call for consumer advocate and past Green
>>>>>> candidate for
>>>>>> >> >President to seek our nomination in 2008!
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >Please go to the site: http://www.draftnader.org and sign the
>>>>>> >> petition!
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >There's no one more qualified, no one more knowledgeable and
>>>>>> >> articulate who
>>>>>> >> >can generate the press to run the biggest Green Party
>>>>>> >> presidential race in
>>>>>> >> >2008 to challenge the corporate Democratic and Republican
>>>>>> Parties!
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >Regards,
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >Mike Gillis
>>>>>> >> >Green Party of Washington State
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >--
>>>>>> >> >Lou Novak - lmn at lppals.com - 313-623-4709
>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>> >> >It is the duty of every citizen according to his best
>>>>>> capacities
>>>>>> >> >to give validity to his convictions in political affairs.
>>>>>> >> > Albert Einstein, 'Treasury for the Free World,' 1946
>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>> > candidate-development mailing list
>>>>>> > candidate-development at green-rainbow.org
>>>>>> > http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/candidate-
>>>>>> >>>>> development
>>>>>> >
>>>>>>
>>>>>> John V. Walsh, MD
>>>>>> Professor of Physiology
>>>>>> University of Massachusetts Medical School
>>>>>> 55 Lake Avenue, N.
>>>>>> Worcester, MA, 01655-0127
>>>>>> Phone (work): 508-856-3360
>>>>>> Phone (cell): 508-868-1653
>>>>>> email: john.walsh at umassmed.edu
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> candidate-development mailing list
>>>>>> candidate-development at green-rainbow.org
>>>>>> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/candidate-
>>>>>> development
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> **************************************
>>>>> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about
>>>>> what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> John V. Walsh, MD
>>>> Professor of Physiology
>>>> University of Massachusetts Medical School
>>>> 55 Lake Avenue, N.
>>>> Worcester, MA, 01655-0127
>>>> Phone (work): 508-856-3360
>>>> Phone (cell): 508-868-1653
>>>> email: john.walsh at umassmed.edu
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> candidate-development mailing list
>>>> candidate-development at green-rainbow.org
>>>> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/candidate-development
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> John V. Walsh, MD
>> Professor of Physiology
>> University of Massachusetts Medical School
>> 55 Lake Avenue, N.
>> Worcester, MA, 01655-0127
>> Phone (work): 508-856-3360
>> Phone (cell): 508-868-1653
>> email: john.walsh at umassmed.edu
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> candidate-development mailing list
>> candidate-development at green-rainbow.org
>> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/candidate-development
>>
>
>
John V. Walsh, MD
Professor of Physiology
University of Massachusetts Medical School
55 Lake Avenue, N.
Worcester, MA, 01655-0127
Phone (work): 508-856-3360
Phone (cell): 508-868-1653
email: john.walsh at umassmed.edu
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