Update on Other Green Party Presidential Candidates ahead of the National Convention

While physician Jill Stein is the presumptive Green Party presidential nominee after securing a total of 205 delegates with her victory in the California primary, four additional candidates with delegates that are still in the race hope to pull off an upset or claim the party’s vice-presidential nomination at the July 12-15 nominating convention in Baltimore.  Additionally, a fifth candidate  has recently emerged and is attempting to make it to the Baltimore convention to address the delegates and pitch his plan for electoral success.

Of the four candidates with delegates, other than Stein:

Roseanne Barr, a comedienne from Hawaii, who starred in the successful 90’s sitcom Roseanne, has garnered 84 delegates and is mentioned as a potential vice presidential nominee. After finishing second in the California primary, according to Twitchy, she tweeted “I wonder if someone can tell me if I am still a candidate for green party presidential nominee or not?” After hearing that Stein had become the presumptive nominee, Barr tweeted, “I will not be the candidate nor will I be campaigning 4 the GP-i will remain a member-but will run Independent.” According to this report on Ballot Access News,  Barr supporters in Minnesota are considering an effort to place her on the states’ ballot under the “Green Tea Party” label.  However, it appears that the aforementioned tweets have been removed and Barr now claims to be continuing her bid for the Green Party nomination. In addition, she claims to deserve a speaking slot at the convention for winning “nearly ALL votes by ppl of color.”

Kent Mesplay, an air quality inspector from San Diego, finished third out of three candidates in the California primary. He previously ran for president as a Green in 2004 and 2008 and currently serves as a delegate to the Green National Committee. This cycle, he has attained a total of 17 delegates. He recently discussed his campaign and prospects for the vice presidential nomination with Wikinews earlier this week, mentioning, “I have not directly discussed the vice presidential nomination with Jill Stein, although I have expressed such interest when Skyping in to a recent Michigan Green Party state meeting. I will support Jill Stein as the Green Party nominee in whatever way I can.”

Harley Mikkelson, a Vietnam veteran and former Post Office worker from Michigan, who describes himself as a “working class” candidate, currently has 3.5 delegates. According to his entry on the Green Party website, he has not issued any press releases, but does have a Facebook account, which was last updated in March.

Rhett Smith, a perennial candidate from San Antonio currently has 0.5 delegates. He updates his website and Facebook profile somewhat frequently, and is involved in James Ogle’s parliamentary project. IPR reported his entrance into the race in January noting his previous runs for public office.

The allocation of delegates to the above candidates leaves only seven unpledged. However, progressive activist Robert Milnes of New Jersey is hoping to convince the delegates to change their support to either back his campaign for president or to nominate a ticket of a libertarian woman and progressive man, which he sees as a winning combination.  But before he can make his plea, Milnes must find a way to travel to the convention in Baltimore. To assist this, he has initiated the “Get Bob to Baltimore!” effort:

Please forward.

I have developed a Strategy to vote out democrats and republicans in favor of 50/50 greens and libertarians. This could be accomplished by maximizing and coordinating the progressive and Libertarian vote blocs. They are not more or less 1% + 1%. That is the end vote after most of the voters that might have voted green or libertarian abandoned them to choose their lesser of 2 evils the democrats and republicans so as to not waste their vote on a party that will not win. Rather it is about 27% + about 13%= 40% which is favorable to win in a three way race.  Clinton 1992 and Wilson 1912 both won with 42% in a three way race.

I call this Strategy the Progressive Libertarian Alliance Strategy (PLAS).

I have called for the GP and LP the endorse and implement PLAS. They have not.

I have called for supporters of PLAS to attend the GP convention July 12-15 at the University of Baltimore. The goal would be to pursuade the delegates to endorse PLAS and nominate a fusion ticket. That would be a man progressive Green president/woman libertarian Libertarian vice president .A fusion ticket would encourage both blocs to vote for the one ticket. Presently both the LP and to be nominated GP tickets will almost certainly lose. Whereas a fusion ticket has a reasonable chance to win in a close three way plurality.

I had hoped to attend the convention. However I am very depressed and financially strapped. I may not be able to make it without help. Someone hit & run my van which I can’t afford to repair. I haven’t paid my June rent so I cannot afford busfare. I will need transportation from near Philadelphia to Baltimore. I would like to arrive a day or 2 ahead of time and stay at the University if possible. I would also need to address the delegates at the start of the convention.

If you are in any way able to help me with these please contact me asap.

If you are a libertarian interested in PLAS please try to attend the Green convention. All PLAS supporters should find a place on campus to assemble and organize.

This may be the last chance to nominate a PLAS fusion ticket in 2012.

The only other possibility is a m/f fusion Independent ticket. There does not seem to be one including mine. I have failed to find a woman libertarian to join my Independent ticket.

I have no reservations about the possibility of the LP ticket being removed in favor of a PLAS ticket. Also no reservations in thwarting the presumptive GP nominee in favor of a PLAS ticket. If accomplished by due process. Presumably there will be many man progressives at the convention for the delegates to choose from. The problem is whether a libertarian woman can be found for the vice president position.

Perhaps the delegates would vote to postpone the nominations.

Something should be done or the GP and LP will surely lose-again. And squandered their chance to sweep out the awful democrats and republicans.

I look forward to hearing about any developments and assistance.

RWM                           www.robertwmilnesforpresident.com

Greetings…and Congratulations!

You are the nominees of the Green, Libertarian and Boston Tea party respectfully.

Surely you are aware that no third party or Independent ticket has won for at least the past 100 years. In 1912 Teddy Roosevely got the higest percent of the vote for a third party/independent candidate-27%. Second place.

The problem is that third parties/independents appeal to certain blocs of voters. None of which are large enough to win. The largest bloc being the progressive bloc and we saw TR lose. Voters quickly perceive the third parties/independents will lose, and add to that they always lose so they quickly move on to the proven winners, the lesser of two evils the democrats and republicans. “Third parties lose. They just lose.” -Rush Limbaugh. Most voters rationalize this as their vote is very important to them so they do not want to waste it on a ticket that will lose. This is called the wasted vote/lesser of two evils phenomenon.

But you know this. This has not changed, agreed?

Therefore all of you will lose, agreed?

Now, there is a somewhat new strategy that has not been fairly tried, that deliberately alters this phenomenon so that it is possible for a third party to win in a close 3 way race by plurality. It does this by combining hitherto not combined blocs and thereby maximizing those blocs due to the average voter anticipating that a third choice just might win. Those 2 blocs are the progressive bloc and the libertarian bloc. It is called The Progressive Libertarian Alliance Strategy. (PLAS)

Basically it calls for a male/female progressive/libertarian ticket. That ticket could win in a close 40/30 democrat/30 republican three way plurality. Clinton won in 1992 with 42%. Wilson won in 1912 with 42%. Then either a progressive or libertarian on downticket ballots on a 50/50 basis. Again, each ballot should win by about 40/30/30.

Don’t you think this is an interesting Strategy and should be given a fair try?

Unfortunately none of you are a male progressive or a female libertarian.

Therefore I call upon you to endorse the PLAS Strategy and then withdraw from the nomination. I this case “you” is both singular and plural. All PLAS needs is one ticket. However if all three tickets were the same, that would be better.

Now, your endorsement and withdrawal would then put the onus on your party to formulate a new ticket. Hopefully a PLAS ticket. The only other alternative is an Independent PLAS ticket. -Which I have tried and so far failed to get traction.

Now, the BTP already has a woman libertarian nominated. It would only have to replace the nominee with a progressive man. Unfortunately the BTP has very little ballot access presently. Well, none. But a PLAS ticket should promptly get a lot of support so that should remedy that. On the other hand the LP has ballot access galore but unfortunately the presidential and vp nominees are both men who are unlikely to endorse PLAS. The LP is patriarchal, dominated by  rightists, disinclined to form an alliance with leftist progressives. On the other hand, the GP is matriarchal, more inclined to form a f/f ticket. It has less ballot access than the LP but again a PLAS ticket should remedy that.

I would like to see the National Education Association withdraw its support for the democratic party and support instead PLAS. 3 million strong, they could helpwith contributionas as well as ballot access and educating the voters about PLAS, a key element.

Now, technically the GP has not officially nominated their ticket. But Stein has garnered enough delegates to win it.

Consequently I am hoping to go to their convention at the University of Baltimore July 12-15 and ask the delegates to endorse PLAS.

Note that I have called for progressive men who might be interested in the nomination to attend the convention. I have suggested as possible nominees Jesse Johnson, Rich Whitney, Mike Gravel, Ralph Nader.

I have also called for the libertarians to send a contingent to the convention also. Richard Winger of Ballot Access News, said to be a libertarian, has emailed me that he is planning to attend.

GET BOB TO BALTIMORE!

I of course am interested in being on a PLAS ticket. Also if I am not, I am willing to be an advisor to such a ticket.

But it sure would be simpler and easier if you would endorse PLAS and withdraw!

Would you be so kind as to consider my call upon you?

Maybe we can work together towards the worthy goal of VOTING OUT THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS!

That is not going to happen with politics as usual.

All I am saying…is give PLAS a chance!

Thank you for your kind consideration.