James Tyler – a Green Party candidate for State Senate in Kalamazoo, Michigan – has recently been caught up in a bit of drama with the local Democratic Party. It started when he reached out to them in the hope of gaining some support well in advance of the 2010 election. It didn’t work out well, according to Tyler:
It’s no wonder that the Democratic party leadership doesn’t want someone who doesn’t meet their standards. They are hell bent on gaining control of the Michigan Senate so that they will control all of the re-districting after the next census which, put plainly, means that they will be able to gerrymander the districts in their favor. An estimate from West Michigan Rising, a west Michigan Democratic blogging website, proposes a districting plan that gerrymanders 12 districts in their favor.
The only party of conscience in Michigan is the Green Party. The Green Party stands up against corporate and special interests. It encourages civic discourse when other parties are encouraging their candidates to “play it safe”.
That was from a post on his blog. The chair of the local Democratic Party responded with what Tyler called a “peculiar” email (the bold is what Tyler wrote):
It’s no wonder that the Democratic party leadership doesn’t want someone who doesn’t meet their standards.
Again, were dems, not even organized
They are hell bent on gaining control of the Michigan Senate so that they will control all of the re-districting after the next census which, put plainly, means that they will be able to gerrymander the districts in their favor.
Yes!An estimate from this website proposes a districting plan that gerrymanders 12 districts in their favor.
12? thats it?The only party of conscience in Michigan is the Green Party. The Green Party stands up against corporate and special interests.
What special interests?
Enviros?
Teachers?
Labor?
The disabled?Again the “business community” or the corporate owners of property are republicans and do NOT give us money.
It encourages civic discourse when other parties are encouraging their candidates to “play it safe”.
Just win baby!…
dp
David C. Pawloski, Chair
Kalamazoo County Democratic Party
[email protected]
269-744-6774
In related news, Green Party Watch brings us the sad news of two Green candidates’ petitions being successfully challenged by Democrats, meaning that they won’t be on the ballot. Green Party Watch only provides the evidence of one of the candidates saying that Democrats pushed him off the ballot – the actual situation is not entirely clear. The candidates are Ken Wolski and Nick Mellis.
Another related story is from Arizona. A Green who previously got 28 percent in a race for mayor might get thrown off of the ballot in a city council election because he could have failed to collect seven valid signatures. A Democrat is once again the one challenging the petition.
“If you can’t get seven valid signatures, you’re probably not somebody we want on the City Council,” Rogers says.
Croteau wouldn’t be likely to win the council race, but he could play a spoiler role and/or give Trasoff headaches by siphoning off votes from the left as Kozachik picks up votes on the right.
A hearing has been set for next Wednesday, June 24, according to Rogers.
Exactly!
Do you really think that supporting slavery, opposing women rights, and protecting Jim Crow laws; all of which the Democratic Party has done, is something progressive? And to tell you the truth, i would rather vote for a Green than for a party that doesn’t have a freaking definition.
ARR HAR HARR!!
I’ll bet nobody has ever heard that one before!!
And just WHAT is “progressive” about opposition to free elections in the US?? democrats have taken the lead in opposing peoples right to vote for generations!
And what is “progressive” about irresponsible wars? democrats are now taking the lead in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, though they are using mercenaries…errr, private security contractors more than Bush ever thought to.
And what is “progressive” about making pollution a marketable entity (through “cap-and-trade) that is nearly impossible to understand but can best be described as a combination of Fannie and Freddie combining their “toxic assets” into a marketable entity that would make Enron executives blush?
And what is “progressive” about jailing sick people for using a non FDA approved medication? Obama promised to end the war on medical marijuana, but maybe the “Prison Guards Union” donated to his campaign!
DP, stay in your little echo chamber of the democrat party where I am sure others will be impressed with your wit…such as it is.
PEACE
G. etting
R. epublicans
E. lected
E. vey
N. ovember
Join the Progressive Party-the Democratic Party
Who cares? It is a popular position in North America and Europe. It’s color is Green.
Attention by association, no matter how nebulous!
You sure are quite literal! Are you an accountant or engineer? [They usually make lousy politicians and or administrators!]
No official, formal proclaimation[s]! No long [Martin Luther] treatisies! No ink of any kind! Just ‘neutral’ news photo graphs!
With comments like your’s, no wonder the alternative types can not barrow bus money to leave town. The Dems and GOP are laughing their asses off from behind ‘the curtain of Oz’!
Where did you read ‘official support of the USA’? Haven’t you ever woo’d a potential romantic partner? [Innuendo, hints, gestures, informal connections!]
You are much too formal and literal. It is often counter productive, as you seem to be ……
Donald – the protestors in Iran are not affiliated with the Global Green movement. Still, the Greens in Europe have taken a leading role in investigating claims of election fraud and calling for a revote. I wish the protesters well, but the last thing they need is any sort of official support from the US. Iranians haven’t forgotten about the last time the CIA robbed them of their democracy, in 1954.
Wow, never heard from WalterGPW
Well I happen to be in the 5th CD, know Cam, know and RESPECT Natalie Johnson-Lee.
So, based on that I make my decisions.
As an aside, my last act as a Green was a positive one.
I voted to endorse Jeanine Estime, who is now the GP endorsed candidate for the 8th ward of Minneapolis. My ward.
Donald, I happen to agree with ya. In fact this is a small editorial I wrote. Never published anywhere, except in the Minneapolis Mirror.
—————————————–
I find it interesting that our government and media are in a flap because of allegations of election tampering in Iran. Who are we to speak to any other country about election integrity?
In 2004, nine people went from Minnesota to Ohio, joining others all over the country because of allegations of election fraud there and elsewhere. I know because I was one of them.
What we discovered was horrifying, almost beyond comprehension. Many of us, myself included came to the conclusion that the integrity of elections and democracy itself was in question and possibly lost forever.
What was even more horrifying was the deafening silence of many, once we returned from Ohio. No jostling of reporters or in depth interviews from elected officials for us. In fact virtually the only people who would even listen to us were groups like Minnesota Citizens For Election Integrity and Fair Vote Minnesota.
What makes this more chilling, if that were possible, is the fact that we have seen this kind of ramped up rhetoric before. With another “country with weapons of mass destruction.” or so we were told. I am speaking of course about Iraq.
Where we, as a nation, were lied into an illegal war and now occupation of that beleaguered nation.
Perhaps if Ohio had nuclear weapons or had some export that the owners of our country were interested in, then perhaps we would have received those interviews and press attention.
Of course the ultimate irony of this entire situation is that Minneapolis is going to have Instant Run Off Voting this year.
With the votes counted, not on machines but with paper and hand counting in some cases. This means that for some Minnesotans, we know now that our vote will indeed count.
Perhaps election integrity and democracy is not quite lost yet.
Michael Cavlan RN
I’m a Registered Nurse who along with eight other Minnesotans went to Ohio in 2004 to take part in the historic re-count there. Since then I have been a committed Election Integrity Activist. I also ran for US Senate in 2006.
Checked the GPUS site yet again.
Hey ye of ‘Room Temperature IQ’
pull the standard local news
put page after page of crowd photos from
Iran, specializing in green flags and banners.
No commentary, no editorials. Let the photo graphs speak for them selves. [Duh!]
If the official or unofficial green sites do not do this, then like so many other alternate groups, they are just not smart enuf to progress ……….
I think the Dems did try to field a candidate against Cam in Ward 2, Charles Calson. It turned out he was less than truthful about his past so he dropped out.
http://minnesotaindependent.com/27896/gay-city-council-candidate-drops-out-admits-falsifying-much-of-his-life-story
So much for the Democratic Party acting democratic.
Is anybody planning to webcast the upcoming National Committee meeting in Durham, July 23-26?
PEACE
Steven,
Yeah. it is amazing to even think that.
Just goes to show you just how much some of these “progressives” live in a bubble, eh?
Good old RT Ryback.
He does have nice teeth and really pretty hair though.
mdh, oh to be young and foolish again.
* Solution to the homeless crisis we face was “build more $250,000 condos.” I kid you not.
I’ve noticed the same thing with our democrat mayor in Columbus. HE claims that it is “affordable housing”, and with a straight face!
PEACE
Michael ,just proves that the two-party system is God’s system and even if the Greens did gain some power, they would become like your complaints about the Democrats, so it’s not worth joining a third party, especially if it will help the Republicans.
Robert Milnes, get over your anti-religious stance and add the Constitution Party to your strategy.
Meanwhile
In Minneapolis, there was a Green Party endorsed Councilman, called Cam Gordon (2nd Ward Minneapolis)
This elected GP official had sought and received the GP endorsement for his next race. He was asked if he supported Democratic Party mayor of Minneapolis RT Ryback. He said no.
Then at that meeting GP endorsed Councilman Gordon worked on blocking the endorsement of Jeanine Estime in the 8th Ward (my ward in Minneapolis) He and his “allies” were able to block endorsement by ONE VOTE (that super majority issue and the tyranny of the minority issue again)
For clarification, I believe it was GP Councilman Cam Gordon was the organizer that blocked me from gaining GP endorsement in Mankato. Where I lost the GP endorsement for US Senate 2008 by ONE VOTE. As an aside, none of the Nader folks here showed up for the Mankato Convention.
Did I mention that Green Councilman Cam Gordon faced NO OPPOSITION to his race? Unheard of in Minneapolis history?
So anyway, Jeanine Estime asked again at another GP 5th CD meeting. Only this time she organized. As an aside, there were no other GP candidates for that race or indeed for my race for US Senate. So Cam Gordon and his friends supported No Candidate against the Dem.
That is what NOTA means to some. No One Against Establishment Democrats.
One of the folks who showed up for her was
Natalie Johnson Lee. Natalie was a former GP Councilwoman in Ward 5. She and former GP Councilman Dean Zimmermann had both been gerrymandered out of their respective seats.
Natalie, who had been on the city council stated
“I know how it works in City Hall. I ask you to look at the fact that there is no opposition for the Dems in Ward 2 (Cam’s Ward)” then “ask yourself why?”
Oh yes, and to finish it off.
Cam Gordon later endorsed Minneapolis Mayor RT Ryback.
Who has, among the many things about him
*Gave us the rotten police Chief Dolan
*Gave the police the ability to authorize using all sorts of brutal behavior against protesters
during the RNC in St Paul
* Solution to the homeless crisis we face was “build more $250,000 condos.” I kid you not.
Lots more but you get the drift.
But hey, I am just a Troll. Right?
I will bet ya dime to a dollar that right wingers called Cindy Sheehan a Troll when she set up Camp Casey in Texas too. Oh yeah and so is Ralph Nader I suppose. actually, our good wacky Catholic Trotsky friend would probably agree with that, ironically enough.
My mother taught me
Show me your friends and I will show you who you are.
Ma was right.
All of the above are in fact verifiable and traceable. Just not at GP Watch.
How about “Democracts Against Democracy, Drugs, and Youth” – DADDY.
That about covers it…
The gerrymandering thing is the worst part of the whole story, IMHO. Here’s a Democrat who’s got a reasonable amount of power just saying, yeah, we’re going to take advantage of the system for our own benefit. It’s awful.
Would someone post some election results for Milnes so that he realizes that the combined Green and Libertarian vote is more like .40% than 40%? Hahah.
Why do we need their .10% on top of our .30% and all the while accepting statism? Greens are left-statists.
How about “Democracts Against Democracy, Drugs, and Youth” – DADDY.
Or you can get serious & win.
Yes, paulie. You do that. Politics can be fun & a waste of time.
You there, Paulie? I think it may be time to restart talks about forming Democrats Against Democracy.
Yes!
Who cares if Paulie is there or not. He says his well is dry.
I’m getting tired of hearing about this sort of crap. All the Greens have to do is compete with Libertarians to get on EVERY ballot first, which they should already be doing. Then vote for ONE Green or ONE Libertarian on EVERY ballot, first come, first served. Then if a Green or Lib gets successfully challenged/thrown off the ballot, it won’t matter. The other can take the place. Their combined inclusive vote (bloc) should add up to 40%. Dems & reps split the remaining 60% in half leaving a 40/30/30 plurality victory EVERY election. Why isn’t this happening?
You there, Paulie? I think it may be time to restart talks about forming Democrats Against Democracy.