Friday, January 06, 2006
Good Morning Sunshine!
I have got to find a way to get enough sleep, get my for-profit micro-business on firmer footing, and get all my activism done in a 24 hour span. Afterall, if Ralph Nader, George Bush, Dennis Kuchinich and David Cobb all get the same 24 hours, why in the world shouldn't I be able to get more done in the same time? Anyway, I guess this is my "Opinion for the Day", so to get more of my opinion, click the << "Read More!" link below...The news today includes 11 dead US military in Iraq, Ariel Sharon's stroke, Bird Flu deaths in Turkey and the death of the last Maoist member of the "Gang of Four" blamed after Mao's death with the establishment of the "Cultural Revolution"
It might be easy, given all the turmoil in the world, to think that there is little we can do.
Give up on that sort of pessimism. Greens believe in the future. We are supreme optimists because we believe that we, the people, have enough smarts to lead our planet to a safe and sane future.
Let's take a look at the real world, and we'll see that the current batch of leaders in every field bear at least some responsibility for the degradation of the planet, and the lack of democracy, nonviolence, social justice and ecological wisdom we demand. We cannot count on these people to save our planet and our family's future. The truth is, they will screw us out of every dollar, squeeze every drop of blood, extract every tear and bead of sweat if it leads to more money, power and influence for those who already have too much of each. From business leaders to entertainers to political and military leaders to even religious leaders the arrogance and superiority complex is evident everywhere.
This is our planet, and we have a right to live, to strive, to struggle and excel, without having to deal with narrow minded people with too much control.
So...what to do? If you're not already a member of the party, , join the US GP If you are already a member, run for office. Give a few hours. Give a few dollars.
I know, of course, that most folks visiting here are already doing these things, and you deserve a big slap on the back for your help. May your leadership be rewarded with success at the polls, and more importantly, success in the world. To me, a clean, safe, and sane planet is what we need. If the Dems or Pubs could give us that, I'd say we are wasting our time.
But, instead of a group of reasonable people in charge, people capable of discourse and negotiation, we have a corrupt leadership willing to kill innocents abroad, and imprison here at home, to promote their sick agenda.
We must fight back! WE are the opposition. There is no meaningful challenge from within the D or R parties, even if some are willing to fool themselves into believing that groups like the "Progressive Democrats of America" care about us.
If David Cobb and Media Benjamin et al continue their overtures to the PDA etc, one has to wonder if David Cobb even heard what he told us here in South Carolina. It's today's Quote of the Day.
It might be easy, given all the turmoil in the world, to think that there is little we can do.
Give up on that sort of pessimism. Greens believe in the future. We are supreme optimists because we believe that we, the people, have enough smarts to lead our planet to a safe and sane future.
Let's take a look at the real world, and we'll see that the current batch of leaders in every field bear at least some responsibility for the degradation of the planet, and the lack of democracy, nonviolence, social justice and ecological wisdom we demand. We cannot count on these people to save our planet and our family's future. The truth is, they will screw us out of every dollar, squeeze every drop of blood, extract every tear and bead of sweat if it leads to more money, power and influence for those who already have too much of each. From business leaders to entertainers to political and military leaders to even religious leaders the arrogance and superiority complex is evident everywhere.
This is our planet, and we have a right to live, to strive, to struggle and excel, without having to deal with narrow minded people with too much control.
So...what to do? If you're not already a member of the party, , join the US GP If you are already a member, run for office. Give a few hours. Give a few dollars.
I know, of course, that most folks visiting here are already doing these things, and you deserve a big slap on the back for your help. May your leadership be rewarded with success at the polls, and more importantly, success in the world. To me, a clean, safe, and sane planet is what we need. If the Dems or Pubs could give us that, I'd say we are wasting our time.
But, instead of a group of reasonable people in charge, people capable of discourse and negotiation, we have a corrupt leadership willing to kill innocents abroad, and imprison here at home, to promote their sick agenda.
We must fight back! WE are the opposition. There is no meaningful challenge from within the D or R parties, even if some are willing to fool themselves into believing that groups like the "Progressive Democrats of America" care about us.
If David Cobb and Media Benjamin et al continue their overtures to the PDA etc, one has to wonder if David Cobb even heard what he told us here in South Carolina. It's today's Quote of the Day.
// posted by Gregg Jocoy @ 9:12 AM 
Comments:
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What overtures? Didn't he speak to them once? About a year and a half ago?
Honestly, the preoccupation with the PDA has puzzled me. I don't know any PDA members. I don't have their phone numbers; I wouldn't know how to contact them. I suppose they're nice people, and someday they should be Greens - but then, I think that everyone should be.
Honestly, the preoccupation with the PDA has puzzled me. I don't know any PDA members. I don't have their phone numbers; I wouldn't know how to contact them. I suppose they're nice people, and someday they should be Greens - but then, I think that everyone should be.
# posted by 
: 10:33 PM
: 10:33 PM
I have hesitated to reply because I don't want to come across like I'm trying to kill disent or anything. I am thrilled that you're reading here Steve, and I want you to know that I am glad.
Even so, I have published almost a hundred pieces so far, and I don't think anyone would really say that I have been beating up on Cobb or the PDA, but I do have serious reservations about any Green who chooses to associate with what is clearly a 100% Democratic Party dominated organization. Their purpose, like the Kucinich campaign, is to keep green minded folks from leaving their Master's side and going it alone.
I don't trust the PDA, and don't believe leaders of the USGP should address their meetings or coordinate with them. That is a personal opinion, but it is felt strongly.
And no, it wasn't a year and a half ago, but one year ago. There has been nothing to indicate any distancing of Cobb, Benjamin nor any other Greens from the PDA, so I must assume that these Greens continue to believe that a relationship between the PDA and the Greens is desirable. I don't. I see such a relationship as ruinious to the Green Party.
Even so, I have published almost a hundred pieces so far, and I don't think anyone would really say that I have been beating up on Cobb or the PDA, but I do have serious reservations about any Green who chooses to associate with what is clearly a 100% Democratic Party dominated organization. Their purpose, like the Kucinich campaign, is to keep green minded folks from leaving their Master's side and going it alone.
I don't trust the PDA, and don't believe leaders of the USGP should address their meetings or coordinate with them. That is a personal opinion, but it is felt strongly.
And no, it wasn't a year and a half ago, but one year ago. There has been nothing to indicate any distancing of Cobb, Benjamin nor any other Greens from the PDA, so I must assume that these Greens continue to believe that a relationship between the PDA and the Greens is desirable. I don't. I see such a relationship as ruinious to the Green Party.
Well, this is the point: there's no relationship there. It was a speech given a year ago. I don't know if David Cobb or anyone else has talked to them since. Medea might've, but to be frank, she doesn't really return phone calls.
We don't sit around at the national party's office wondering what the PDA is doing. I don't have them in the rolodex. I don't know their address, I don't have a contact there, I don't know the name of their Chairperson or even if they have a Chairperson. The GPUS's preoccupation with these guys is less than zero.
I realize this is a strong opinion that you hold, but mine is equally strong: I believe some Greens do have an undue preoccupation with the Democratic Party...and if I had to choose which Green had it between a guy who gave a speech to Democrats a year ago, and a guy who is still bringing up that speech a year after the fact, I know which one I'd choose.
Personally, I'm out to grow the Green Party and get Greens elected to public office. I will talk to Democrats, Republicans, other Greens, independents, apoliticals, or Martians if I have to in order to accomplish that goal. In fact, if I make a point of not talking to people, whoever they are, I won't get very far in what I'm setting out to do.
I have worked with Democrats in the past. Democrats and Greens worked together locally in order to defeat an extremely regressive property tax bill that would have primarily affected poor and middle-class residents in Howard County. In March, Greens will be lobbying at the State House in Annapolis. We'll be talking to Democratic and Republican members of the General Assembly in order to get parts of the Maryland Green Party's legislative agenda passed. Does this make me "less Green"? Am I out to ruin the Green Party?
This is the stuff of politics. It is how we can get things done and become more than a debating society. It is how we take Green people and ideas and transform them into elected officials and laws. It does not require that we sign any PDA cards, nor do we ever sit around in a circle with Dennis Kucinich and sing "Kumbayah". There is a good, healthy, mutual distrust; we agree only on what we want to get done and skip the rest. They try to use us; we try to use them. But whatever the situation, there's no such thing as "Democratic cooties". We don't walk away infected by the experience.
I'm sorry for being vehement about this, and I would ask that you not take it personally, because you are far from the only Green I've encountered who had this opinion, but I have a great deal of difficulty understanding the logic behind it.
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We don't sit around at the national party's office wondering what the PDA is doing. I don't have them in the rolodex. I don't know their address, I don't have a contact there, I don't know the name of their Chairperson or even if they have a Chairperson. The GPUS's preoccupation with these guys is less than zero.
I realize this is a strong opinion that you hold, but mine is equally strong: I believe some Greens do have an undue preoccupation with the Democratic Party...and if I had to choose which Green had it between a guy who gave a speech to Democrats a year ago, and a guy who is still bringing up that speech a year after the fact, I know which one I'd choose.
Personally, I'm out to grow the Green Party and get Greens elected to public office. I will talk to Democrats, Republicans, other Greens, independents, apoliticals, or Martians if I have to in order to accomplish that goal. In fact, if I make a point of not talking to people, whoever they are, I won't get very far in what I'm setting out to do.
I have worked with Democrats in the past. Democrats and Greens worked together locally in order to defeat an extremely regressive property tax bill that would have primarily affected poor and middle-class residents in Howard County. In March, Greens will be lobbying at the State House in Annapolis. We'll be talking to Democratic and Republican members of the General Assembly in order to get parts of the Maryland Green Party's legislative agenda passed. Does this make me "less Green"? Am I out to ruin the Green Party?
This is the stuff of politics. It is how we can get things done and become more than a debating society. It is how we take Green people and ideas and transform them into elected officials and laws. It does not require that we sign any PDA cards, nor do we ever sit around in a circle with Dennis Kucinich and sing "Kumbayah". There is a good, healthy, mutual distrust; we agree only on what we want to get done and skip the rest. They try to use us; we try to use them. But whatever the situation, there's no such thing as "Democratic cooties". We don't walk away infected by the experience.
I'm sorry for being vehement about this, and I would ask that you not take it personally, because you are far from the only Green I've encountered who had this opinion, but I have a great deal of difficulty understanding the logic behind it.
# posted by : 11:22 AM
: 11:22 AM << Home
