Statehood Greens have five citywide candidates

D.C.'s "Second Party"?
Statehood Greens have five citywide candidates
By P.J. ORVETTI
Updated 6:46 AM EDT, Tue, Oct 26, 2010

The D.C. Statehood Green Party styles itself the District’s “Second Party” -- a barb directed not just at the city’s Republicans, but also at the notion that D.C. is a one-party town.

This year, the Statehood Greens have five candidates running for citywide office.

The party nominated perennial candidate, noted trumpet player, and former Marlon Brando paramour Faith for mayor, though with some reluctance -- Faith actually received only 40 percent of the votes in the September primary, despite running unopposed. (The remainder went to write-ins.) While Faith has signs up around the city, and has appeared at several candidate forums, she’s not likely to be much of a factor next week. (Her signs point voters to a campaign website that hasn’t been updated in three years.)

Other contenders are making more serious efforts. Rick Tingling-Clemmons is challenging Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, while Joyce Robinson-Paul is on the ballot for shadow representative. Two veteran Statehood Green activists, Ann C. Wilcox and David Schwartzman, are running for citywide D.C. Council seats. (The party also has a candidate in Ward 1, Nancy Shia, who was nominated after winning the primary there as a write-in candidate.)

Wilcox, who finished third of five candidates in at At-Large Council bid four years ago -- outpolling the Republican contender -- is now running for Council Chair. Wilcox, an attorney who served on the D.C. Board of Education back in the 1990s, says her campaign is primarily about raising the visibility of the Statehood Greens.

“It is probably a long shot for the Statehood Green Party to win the chairmanship,” Wilcox told me. “However, all of our campaigns work to raise the visibility of the party, its progressive agenda, and its status as a viable, progressive alternative to the established Democratic Party.”

So what’s the difference between the Democrats and the Statehood Greens? Wilcox says her party will do more to focus on those left behind by the District’s rush to development.

“I would emphasize preserving economically diverse neighborhoods with affordable housing; and preserving the social safety net programs,” she said. These “are often small line-items” in the city budget, “but provide critical support to youth, families, and seniors.”

David Schwartzman, a Howard University environmental science professor, is running for At-Large Council, one of four candidates in a race where the top two vote-getters win. Schwartzman’s goal is to finish second to Democratic incumbent Phil Mendelson but outpoll independent incumbent David Catania to win a seat.

Schwartzman suggests that voters who rejected Mayor Adrian Fenty should reject Catania as well.

“I stood against the Fenty-Rhee-Catania agenda for so-called educational reform that closed neighborhood schools and unjustly fired experienced teachers and staff,” he told me. He says the “most relevant factor impacting student performance” is family poverty, which has been ignored.

Schwartzman, a political activist for more than 50 years, says the District government should focus on the needs of the “working and middle-class majority.” This would entail the adoption of a progressive tax structure and the creation of a “D.C. Municipal Bank” to fund green jobs and economic development, as well as affordable housing. He accuses Catania of “consistently voting against modest tax hikes for the wealthy and for hurtful and avoidable cuts” in social services and adult education.

Scott McLarty, the party’s media coordinator, told me that one goal for 2010 “is to maintain our status as D.C.’s second party in terms of votes received.” Though there are just 4,300 registered Statehood Greens compared to 29,700 Republicans in the District, McLarty points out that “in recent elections, D.C. Statehood Green candidates received more votes collectively than Republicans on the ballot, even when we’ve run the same number of candidates.”

In the 2006 mayoral race, the Statehood Green candidate received 4 percent of the vote, while Republican David Kranich got 6 percent. (Democratic nominee Fenty took 89 percent.) But in a run for an At-Large Council seat two years ago, Schwartzman received more than 18,500 votes, and other 2008 Statehood Green candidates received 7 to 13 percent of the vote.

Follow P.J. Orvetti on Twitter at @PJOinDC
First Published: Oct 25, 2010 6:01 PM EDT




Links referenced within this article


P.J. ORVETTI
http://www.nbcwashington.com/results/?keywords=%22P.J.+ORVETTI%22&author=y&sort=date
former Marlon Brando paramour
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A37595-2002Aug19
a campaign website
http://faithformayor.com
Rick Tingling-Clemmons
http://vote4rick.wordpress.com/
Joyce Robinson-Paul
http://www.statehood4dc.com/jrpaul/home
Ann C. Wilcox
http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=Ann+Wilcox
David Schwartzman
http://www.davidschwartzman.com/
Nancy Shia
http://anc1c06.blogspot.com/
At-Large Council
http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=At-Large+Council
David Schwartzman
http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=David+Schwartzman
David Catania
http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=David+Catania
Mayor Adrian Fenty
http://www.nbcwashington.com/topics?topic=Adrian+Fenty
at @PJOinDC
http://twitter.com/PJOinDC

‎Is Eric Holder Serious About Enforcing the Marijuana Laws?

Written by Kevin Zeese

Thursday, 21 October 2010 16:15

When the majority says marijuana should not be a crime the law looses its legitimacy. It is hard to imagine that Eric Holder's letter threatening to "vigorously enforce" federal law if California votes for legalization of marijuana is serious. It seems timed to manipulate voters in California, but in this year when political elites are hated it is likely to backfire and lead Californians to vote to end the failed marijuana war. During one of the greatest failed experiments in American history, alcohol prohibition, a turning point was when New York told the federal government it would no longer enforce laws against alcohol. That left it to the federal government to enforce the law. Already “the feds” as they were derogatorily known were hated in rural areas where alcohol was often produced and the feds came in and disrupted their commerce. Then, the biggest urban area refused to enforce the law. The result, alcohol prohibition ended a few years later. Attorney General Eric Holder last week promised "We will vigorously enforce the [Controlled Substances Act] against those individuals and organizations that possess, manufacture or distribute marijuana for recreational use, even if such activities are permitted under state law." Does he mean that the federal government will start enforcing laws against possession of marijuana? Or, be looking in people's homes to see if they are growing or using marijuana? That they will be searching people's backyards for their marijuana victory garden? It is hard to believe that in a nation where half the murders go unsolved that the Department of Justice would make marijuana a priority after the people voted for legalization. It is hard to believe that an attorney general who decided not to enforce laws against torturers and lawyers who enabled torture would instead prosecute people for marijuana offenses. This is the same attorney general who is doing nothing while the greatest democracy crime since Watergate is going on – hundreds of millions in anonymous donations to non-profit front group who are trying to influence campaigns in violation of election and tax laws. The police and the courts depend on the cooperation of communities to keep order. If a majority of Californians vote for legalization of adult use and cultivation of marijuana what kind of legitimacy do the laws against marijuana have? Already, large numbers distrust law enforcement, the feds will have no legitimacy if they are enforcing a law the majority opposes. I realize that Holder has the responsibility of enforcing federal law. But, continuing on autopilot with aggressive marijuana law enforcement is a disservice, indeed an injustice. Passage of Prop. 19 is an opportunity to begin a national discussion of how to better control marijuana. Prohibition has been a failure, the marijuana war has been expensive and damaging; there are better ways. Proposition 19 is an opportunity for the lead law enforcement officer to help the country change direction to a more just and fair society. As long ago as 1972 a federal commission appointed by President Nixon, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse , recommended decriminalization of marijuana. And, this was restated in 1982 by a commission of the National Academy of Science in their report "An Analysis of Marijuana Policy" which urged consideration of legalization. The experts have said throughout the time of the marijuana war that it was the wrong approach, now the voters are showing they agree. This is an opportunity for leadership from the attorney general, leadership to a non-criminal approach to marijuana. The U.S. criminal justice system is already seen by many as a system of injustice. Why? Because the United States with 5% of the world's population has 25% of the world's prisoners . One in 31 Americans is either behind bars, on probation or on parole, for African Americans it is one in 11 adults. This mass “criminal” population in “the land of the free” shows something is terribly wrong. What drives a system that results in 7 million Americans behind bars, on probation or parole? No doubt, one of the driving forces is the war on drugs, and marijuana is the driving force of the drug war with a marijuana arrest every 38 seconds, 840,000 annually. Hopefully, Attorney General Holder will re-think his plan to escalate federal enforcement if a majority votes for ending criminal laws against marijuana. He should instead lead the nation to laws that are consistent with the essence of justice, i.e. being righteous and fair. Is it righteous or fair to enforce laws that the majority says should no longer exist? Attorney General Holder – America needs real justice leadership. We need a leader who will help the country face up to its mass incarceration problem and its misuse of law enforcement to incarcerate people who grow a plant or smoke an herb. Mr. Attorney General you can do better than just saying – we're going to ignore the people and keep arresting people for something they think should no longer be illegal. Kevin Zeese is president of Common Sense for Drug Policy ( www.csdp.org ).

CALIFORNIA: Center for Pan African Development & Culture

URGENT!!! Haiti Demonstration at UN July 28

HAITI EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

WEDNESDAY JULY 28, 2010:

ANTI-OCCUPATION DEMONSTRATION

IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS

43rd St/1st Ave

5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.

&

BATAY OUVRIYE SOLIDARITY NETWORK

SATURDAY JULY 31, 2010:

ANTI-OCCUPATION FORUM

Community Hall

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

836 Rogers Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11226

Between Church Ave & Erasmus St

(#2 Train to Church Ave)

6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Please come to our Saturday July 17, 2010 Planning Meeting @ 6:00 P.M., 836 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn, between Church Ave & Erasmus St. #2 Train to Church Ave.

For more information, please call 646-829-9519

E-mail: bosolidarity@yahoo.com

*******************************

(Creole Version)

KOMITE IJANS POU AYITI

MÈKREDI 28 JIYÈ, 2010:

MANIFESTASYON ANTI-OKIPASYON

DEVAN NASYON ZINI

43èm Ri/1e Avni

5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.

***********************

REZO SOLIDARITE AK BATAY OUVRIYE

SAMDI 31 JIYÈ, 2010:

FOWÒM ANTI-OKIPASYON

Kay Jean-Jacques Dessalines

836 Rogers Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11226

Ant Church Ave ak Erasmus St

(Tren #2, Desann nan Church Ave)

6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Tanpri, vini nan Rankont Planifikasyon nap fè Samdi 17 Jiyè, 2010 a 6:00 P.M. Tapan, 836 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn, ant Church Ave ak Erasmus St.

Pou tout enfòmasyon, rele 646-829-9519

Imel: bosolidarity@yahoo.com

OCA: Take Action

OCA: Take Action

It is important that we work with and support the people's grassroots movements in Haiti as they work to rebuild Haiti and stop the a temp of international corporate takeovers.

Open Letter from Chavannes,
Translated from Spanish

Comrades,
There is a dangerous new earthquake more dangerous for the long-term than than which occurred on January 12. It is not a threat but a very strong attack on peasant agriculture, on the farmers, on biodiversity, on native seeds that we are defending, on what remains of our environment in Haiti.
The Haitian government is using the earthquake to sell or give away the country to the imperialist forces and their principal instruments which are the multinationals. La Via Campesina identified the transnationals as one of the most powerful enemies of the people, and the pesticide businesses as principal enemies of peasant agriculture, the environment in general and the climate in particular.
I remember at the last meeting of the CCI, I said that in Haiti, our campaign against the transnationals begins with the struggle against the agrofuels businesses because the people do not know much about Monsanto, which still doesn't have operations in Haiti. The news of Monsanto's presence through WINNER and USAID arrived about 15 days after COCHABAMBA.
Monsanto is using the earthquake with the anti-national criminal complicity of the government of Rene Preval to enter Haiti to enter through a "gift of death," which is 475 tons of GMO maize. This gift of death has as its objective: to open the door of the country to this powerful company that is destroying the planet, which is destroying peasant agriculture, with the farmers.
We cannot accept that. We must begin to mobilize against this project, against Monsanto in Haiti. We need a strong unit in Haiti and a strong international solidarity to confront Monsanto and all the forces of death that want to end the full sovereignty of this small country that took its independence in the blood of its sons and daughters since 1804.
The MPP gave the sign of the struggle with a statement on RADIO (VWA Peyizan) VOICE OF THE PEASANTS and other Radios asking farmers to bury and burn all the maize seeds given by the Ministry of Agriculture. We are planning a big march from the CEDE of the MPP of Papaye to the city of Hinche on the occasion of International Environment Day on June 5. We will make the march on Friday June 4th. We will invite the the organizations of the LVC and others to be present. It's one step among many that we must take.
We will contact all the peasant organizations and allied organizations to design the strategy of struggle. We ask now for the solidarity of sister organizations and international allies.
LONG LIVE HAITI'S SOVEREIGNTY, LONG LIVE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY, LONG LIVE THE RIGHTS OF THE MOTHER LAND, LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE'S SOLIDARITY!
ORGANIZATION OR DEATH.
Chavannes Jean-Baptiste
Spokesman for the MPP and MPNKP
Member of the CCI of LVC

GPBC Journal: Green Party calls for an end to the “bipartisan economic war” on Blacks and Latinos/as, who suffer the brunt of the subprime crisis and economic meltdown � - Green Party News

OntheWilderSide - 3rd Mar 2010

Blacks and Latinos were primary targets for Lending corporations offering high-interest subprime loans, and were thus disproportionately hit by the subprime Mortgage crisis. Blacks were especially vulnerable to such loans because they were denied the equity that whites have long enjoyed, a result of Federal Housing Administration redlining and racial Discrimination in the granting of housing loans and Mortgages during the mid 20th century.

[GPBC Journal] Rich Whitney outlines Green economic plan for Illinois - Green Party News

Rich Whitney outlines Green economic plan for Illinois - Green Party News: "Rich Whitney outlines Green economic plan for Illinois

Green Party Watch - 12th Mar 2010

Rich Whitney , the Illinois Green Party’s 2010 candidate for governor who earned over 10% of the vote in 2006, has released a detailed working paper with the title “How we can solve the Budget Crisis in Illinois and build a Full Employment economy with good jobs for all who need them” . By way of introduction, Whitney writes, “ I do not contend that this platform is perfect. I do contend that it presents a far better alternative than anything offered by the candidates of..."  Read more

Green Party gubernatorial primary candidate S. Deacon Alexander, urges voters to Stand Together to Say No to Nazi’s!

“As part of its Reclaim the Southwest campaign, National Socialist Movement (NSM) has obtained permit for a Nazi rally at LA City Hall.  Nazis are on the march, after decades of covert organizing. They soon arrive in LA for a national conference.  NSM’s call for an all-White U.S.  NSM has chapters across the U.S., with strong presence in Riverside County, where a number of anti-immigrant demonstrations have been held.

NSM’s also support death penalty for all LGBTQ’s, and have a history of racist violence and execution style murders.

Deacon Alexander urges you to Stand Together with him, to Say No to Nazi’s! A non-violent demonstration is being organized Saturday, Saturday April 17, 10:00am, at the Triforium statue, on Temple and Main Streets in downtown LA.

A city-wide planning meeting to Say No to Nazi’s will be held Saturday April 3 6pm, at Chuco’s Justice Center, 1137 East Redondo Blvd, Inglewood (3 blocks west of Crenshaw at West Blvd., one block north of Florence). The Black Riders, a present-day version of Black Panthers, are part of this grassroots community organizing effort.

Both Deacon Alexander and The Black Riders have joined hands with No Nazis In LA Coalition, whose stated objectives are:

• Send the Nazis packing,
• Support human rights and self determination for Black, Brown, Native, Asian, gay and poor and working people,
• Say No to racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, imperialism and genocide,
• Do not accept penning by police.

Deacon says; “I hope a large collective action of Greens, and all people of conscience, will help promote Green Party core values of human rights, non-violence and social justice. Stand Together to Say No to Nazi’s!” 

Atlanta Daily World > Viewpoints

Atlanta Daily World > Viewpoints