The Green Party

[aloha918]

i was walking around my school the other day and saw an advertisement for the Green Party......i didn't realize how nuts these guys were...........they claimed that they hate the Bush Admin. more than Democtats and that they tried to get a recount in ohio and New Mexico after the last election.....just wondering if any of you have run into a "green" member.........

[sweetpea316]

Nope, but we're learning about all kinds of third parties right now in Political Science class... there are some crazy ones out there!

[Socrates]

I like the Greens - they take away votes from Democrats.

[argent_paladin]

The greenies are truly insane. Here's their party platform...

"Since the beginning of what we call civilization, when men's dominance over women was firmly established until the present day, our history has been marred with oppression of and brutality to women. The Green Party deplores this system of male domination, known as patriarchy, in all its forms, both subtle and overt - from oppression, inequality, and discrimination to domestic violence, rape, trafficking and forced slavery. The change the world is crying for cannot occur unless women's voices are heard. Democracy cannot work without equality for women that provides equal participation and representation. It took an extraordinary and ongoing fight over 72 years for Women to win the right to vote. However, the Equal Rights Amendment has still not been ratified."

"Women's right to control their bodies is non-negotiable. It is essential that the option of a safe, legal abortion remains available. The "morning- after" pill must be affordable and easily accessible without a prescription, together with a government-sponsored public relations campaign to educate women about this form of contraception. Clinics must be accessible and must offer advice on contraception and the means for contraception; consultation about abortion and the performance of abortions, and; abortion regardless of age or marital status.

h. We endorse women's right to use contraception and, when they choose, to have an abortion. This right cannot be limited to women's age or marital status. Contraception and abortion must be included in all health insurance policies in the U.S., and any state government must be able to legally offer these services free of charge to women at the poverty level. Public health agencies operating abroad should be allowed to offer family planning, contraception, and abortion in all countries that ask for those services. We oppose our government's habit of cutting family planning funds when those funds go to agencies in foreign countries that give out contraceptive devices, offer advice on abortion, and perform abortions."

[Crusader_4]

My friends and i have a joke.

This election make sure you vote if you vote Democrat they will come by and bus you out vote Republican they will send a bus to pikc you up and if you vote Green they will send out a mountain bike or something.

[God Conquers]

Crusader, don't you mean the NDP?

[rufiokicks]

I think we should ask the Green Party about the Pill. See if they know about the one made for men. It's out there, it's just not marketed because it causes some slight shrinkage. Not cervical cancer or anything...just that. I'm thinking a woman shouldn't be given the right to murder her child.

[Crusader_4]

[quote name='God Conquers' date='Feb 24 2005, 12:23 AM'] Crusader, don't you mean the NDP? [/quote]
Hahah actually typically i would mean the NDP but i changed the Liberals -> Democrats and the Conservatives -> Republicans...but i actually had the Greens in mind cuz there is an actualy Green Party in Canada its biggest following is in BC.

[yiannii]

The Greens are everywhere - like in many many countries. They became more popular in Australia after the war in Iraq. The party here in Aust seems to be so fanatically left wing it's not funny.

[Ash Wednesday]

I can say one thing to compliment the Greens -- they are more straightforward and honest with their own leftiness and viewpoints than the Democrats are. Democrats (except the pro life/family ones) are wolves in sheep's clothing that act like "faith-filled group that supports family values" but that really isn't the case.

[crusader1234]

I dunno. I say support the Green just to support a 3rd party politician. I think that Americans bipartisan system is disgusting.

[argent_paladin]

I disagree, but I would be curious as to why you think so.

[God Conquers]

I prefer the Yoga Fliers or the Rhino Party...

[Socrates]

[quote name='crusader1234' date='Feb 27 2005, 03:22 AM'] I dunno. I say support the Green just to support a 3rd party politician. I think that Americans bipartisan system is disgusting. [/quote]
If you really must support a third party, why not support one that actually stands for good principles, such as the Constitution Party, rather than one whose principles are thoroughly rotten like the Green Party?

Remember, just voting for someone else won't make our political problems go away.

And radical socialism and leftism is hardly the answer.

[argent_paladin]

The two party system is not the root difference between us and most european countries. This flows from our rewarding only the party that recieves the most votes, rather than awarding proportional representation to all who recieve votes. So, even though Kerry got 48% of the vote, he has nothing. That encourages the formation of parties that have a real chance of success, that is parties that can be in the majority. Thus, special interest parties, like the Greens are marginal.

But the differences are not that great. In the parliamentary system, people explicitly vote for their own party and then the parties must come together and form a governing majority. For example in Germany there is a Social Democrat/Green coalition. Sometimes they have Rainbow coalition of three or more parties. This can be quite unstable as a small party can act as kingmaker or can removed support and topple a government. And, instead of formally forming coaltions, the American parties are themselves coaltions of interests. The Dems are a coalition of feminists, unions, environmentalists, anti-war types, blacks, etc. The Repubs are a coalition of business owners, social conservatives, libertarians, military types, etc. The break up of these coalitions can spell doom for the party, as seen by the Republican losses in 1992 and 1996 when Perot and Buchanan ran for president, leading to Clinton victories despite recieving the minority of the popular vote.

But then, why aren't we parliamentary rather than representative. It is because we are a federal republic, that is, we are made up of various levels of governance: counties, states, etc. So, rather than having a national election of party lists, we would rather have the smallest units (precincts) vote their own representative so that that person is directly accountable to his/her constituency. Imagine the parliamentary system. A party recieves 6% of the national vote and thus gets 8 members of Parliament. But they can pretty much act unfettered because their voters are so diffuse. America likes its elected to recieve majority approval, not 5%. I don' think that that is unreasonable.

BTW, I also endorse the Constitution party. If the Republicans don't make major progress in life issues, I will deregister, write letters explaining why and register in the Constitiution Party.