From the Berkshire Eagle in Massachusetts:
Candidate for state representative L. Scott Laugenour hosted a “meet and greet” Thursday night, talking to supporters at the Firefly Restaurant.
The evening itself was low-key, with Laugenour meeting with supporters and speaking mostly one-on-one. There were probably a few dozen people moving in and out of the restaurant during the event.
Fellow Green-Rainbow Party member Mark Miller was also on hand. Laugenour is running for a two-year term in the 4th Berkshire District, while Miller is seeking a similar term in the 3rd Berkshire District.
“I’ve been out there, knocking on doors, meeting people,” said Laugenour. “And a lot of them don’t recall the last time they had a choice in this district.”
For the record, state Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli last faced an opponent in 2004, when he defeated Republican challenger James Bashour.
Laugenour said one of his party’s platforms is refusing to take money from lobbyists or officers of corporations who hire lobbyists.
So it is nice to see enthusiasm from young college kids about conservative, or alternate R and D politics.
But here is the simple issue that the youth on college campuses cannot understand, neither do they seem willing to change. Note, this is a hot button issue, but it is the reality I am not trying to use the issue as a political toy, this is the reality of our country.
Baby Boomers Generation: 1946 to 1964= 76million Americans babies were born
Gen X,Y,Z: 1973 to 2010= OVER 50 Million babies have been aborted in America.
The votes just don’t exist for a true youth movement to dominate the political arena. The message needs to be sent to the Baby Boom generation about voting to change the problems we face, and the gov. they’ve built. It is a tough task with the generation trying to send the message having such a disadvantage in populous.
So the way to success is through baby steps, not vial discontent for an older generation, and their misconceptions about gov. Also you must be able to re-educate the youth around you infected by the plight of their parents statist views.
Boston: The first televised debate of the campaign season has been rescheduled for Tuesday (9/7) -That’s right, TOMORROW! The debate will be broadcast live on WBZ (Channel 4) at 7:00 PM and be posted on http://www.wbz.com directly after it airs.
If you’re in the Boston area and would like to show your support for Jill outside of the studio, please come to 1170 Soldiers Field Rd. in Boston (at 6:30pm) to stand with other sign toting supporters at this very exciting event!
Although there is no studio audience for this debate, a strong showing outside makes a world of difference. For more information or to find out how to get involved, please e-mail Dante at dante@jillstein.org.
While Jill is definitely in THIS debate, there is still a chance she may not be included in two major televised debates this fall unless that campaign has raised $100,000 ………….
paulie, you are avoiding the issue.
CT, very astute. Yes, I agree a RAAS type situation is theoretically. The dems & reps could cooperate against PLAS. This also could apply in the Top 2 situation. Should it come down to a PLAS candidate & a dem or a rep, the dems or reps could cooperate & coordinate their vote of 60% to defeat the PLAS candidate 60/40. It would be very difficult for a PLAS candidate to get 50% + 1.
+ the counterrevolutionary Constitutional Party could achieve a reverse-PLAS coalition
So, the sooner PLAS is implemented the better which is why I am pointing out the ticking clock on 2010 elections.
Paulie & Tom K. & the GP & LP are wasting valuable time.
RAAS FTW.
It just means they have agreed not to spend more than some large amount of money that they won’t have anyway, which is a pretty easy promise to make. The challenge for them (or at least for Stein, Cahill might have more money) is to get to the minimum level of contributions where the matching contributions from the state start to kick in.
My guess is that she is publicizing this so as to give supporters some incentive to donate.
Robert, as I’ve said before, I am a PLAS supporter, despite my disagreements with progressivism and libertarianism on some social issues, and remembering the fact that I have no influence among the Green and Libertarian crazy losers. But my latest worry about PLAS is that, if it ever did happen, the reactionary Democrats and Republicans might develop a strategy to settle their differences and unite their campaigns, with the strongest major party candidate in each race staying in, while the weaker one drops out. This didn’t happen in 1912, but I think it could happen now, if the Republicans finally wake up from the fact that they are being controlled by Ralph Nader and decide to take a more positive attitude toward Commander Obama. This strategy could be called RAAS (Regressive Antilibertarian Alliance Strategy).
Now, is there any way a RAAS campaign could lose to a PLAS campaign? PLAS needs 50% then, not 40%.
paulie, What does what the lnc knows about your belief about targeting message have to do with taking plas to lnc?
paulie, how does that work with Jill Stein and Tim Cahill? I don’t really understand it from what I read.
Leftist Greens COULD get about 27%. This number explains a LOT. It is a significant number-enough to get Obama the democratic nomination. But it is NOT enough to win a general election. The only exception I’m familiar with is Allende 1970. & it was VERY close with the Nationalists-American equivalent-Constitution party.
The Libertarian Vote/Cato=13%. As far as I’m concerned Ron Paul 2008 proved this. He got little more than that DESPITE 35 million. + he’s not actually a libertarian. Yet Tom still doesn’t believe this is a potential vote bloc. & he can’t add 27 + 13.
paulie, you just don’t get it. same old shit is not good enough. don’t go to the young people & act like they know it all which is what they think.
I’ve been pondering this stuff for DECADES.
& Tom can’t add. & can only point out possible drawbacks like jeopardizing ballot access & bylaw obstacles.
Ballot access is ALWAYS a problem. So what?
& bylaws that are a problem can be dealt with. You don’t stop just because you encounter an obstacle.
The rightists could do a reverse PLAS. We’d be wise to do PLAS before that or you think things are bad NOW!
American Taliban.
The LNC is well aware of my belief that we should target our libertarian message more at the younger, more left-libertarian audience. Since Wes Benedict has taken over as executive director, and as Young Americans for Liberty and Students for Liberty have revived the libertarian movement on college campuses, I think we have made strides in a positive direction.
My views regarding where Greens and Libertarians can cooperate and how have been published many times in numerous fora.
No matter how much money they raise. Just like Ron Paul. THE VOTES ARE NOT THERE.
So what? Without PLAS they are going to lose.
Jill Stein and the Green Party in Mass just qualified for $750,000 in matching campaign funding.
Not to my knowledge. They agreed to be bound by the spending limits which could qualify them for up to that much, depending on how much they raise.
If you have a different source on that, please let me know.
It is an impressive success…
Apologies for the grammar error.
Bobby,
I agree with Derek. Lighten up a little. Try to be a little more understandable in your remarks.
Jill Stein and the Green Party in Mass just qualified for $750,000 in matching campaign funding.
That is a big deal for any state Green Party.
It is a impressive success. Jill and the Green Party deserve encouragement and praise.
Derek thank you for the links.
Yes, the rightists could do a reverse PLAS.
Milnes,
In 1996, Howard Phillips had the idea of having the US Taxpayer’s Party (present day Constitution Party) nominate Pat Buchanan. His idea was to have Buchanan be endorsed by the Taxpayer’s Party, Reform Party and the Conservative and Right to Life parties.
He suggested that if Buchanan accepted this, he can’t receive any federal matching funds and that a running mate would be available in each state (which would apparently be able to give Buchanan large sums of money but legally).
The reason I mention this is because I see you highlighting the PLAS idea most of the time and thought that this could be another way to implement your idea in ways never thought. Here are two links:
http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9604/phillips.html
http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9507/plot.html
Geez Bobby… lighten up! Those hundred year old votes are still there. Just think… Teddy Roosevelt and David Bergland leading the charge up San Juan Hill! Throw in a Green dude or two and BINGO… VICTORY!!! Oh Lord sweet victory! (Cue the orchestra and prepare for a post by Catholic Trotskyist)
PLAS offers the possibility to vote out the reactionary governments & vote in inclusive progressive governments.
I say the biggest direct cause of hunger is reactionary governments all over the world. Their war/defense budgets, corruption, waste, corporate welfare, etc.
http://www.bread.org/hunger/global/
Every day almost 16,000 children die from hunger related causes. That is one child every 5 seconds. http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats
Losers.
You all losers can thank yourselves for losing. You could try PLAS but you won’t so you will lose-again. & Again. Year after year. LOL!
Heeee Hawww!
& you can thank Tom K. & paulie , perennial losers.et al. They could have done SOMETHING with PLAS. Take it to the LNc. Modify it. Endorse it. Discussiion group. NOTHING. They could have done something & did nothing but criticize & dismiss & LOL.
So, here we go. Clock is ticking down. Nobody is trying PLAS. ALL will lose.
But they are such Good Losers. & getting better at it. Because practice makes perfect.
IPR=Crazy Losers Club.
LOL. Losertarians.