I don’t know about you, but I am a bit worn out with all the presidential race news. But, one thing I haven’t heard much about, unfortunately, is the Green Party.
It seems like Al Gore should be its presidential candidate, but the Green Party candidates are actually Dr. Jill Stein and her vice-presidential candidate, Cheri Honkala.
The Green Party isn’t new – it’s been around since 1984. What is their platform? According to its homepage, the Green Party, or “Greens” as they call themselves, “are grassroots activists, environmentalists, advocates for social justice, nonviolent resisters and regular citizens who’ve had enough of corporate-dominated politics. Our growth has been rapid since our founding in 2001 and Green candidates are winning elections throughout the U.S.”
They aren’t kidding either. So far, 134 “Greens” have been elected to office in the U.S. Each candidate bases their run for office on ten key values that all “Greens” use. The ten values are simple:
Social Justice
Community-Based Economics
Nonviolence
Decentralisation
Future Focus/Sustainability
Feminism
Personal and Global Responsibility
Respect for Diversity
Grassroots Democracy
Ecological Wisdom
The Green Party focuses on making environmental issues as well as respect for all citizens a priority. Its slogan is “Another U.S. is possible, another party is necessary.”
Dr. Stein is a physician who promotes local economies and sustainable agriculture as well as clean power and water. She has written two reports about how toxins can harm both the young and old. She entered politics when she realized other politicians just didn’t seem to care about protecting children from toxins. Stein has appeared as a environmental health expert on many television shows. A member of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Stein ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and also ran for State Representative in 2004 and Secretary of State in 2006.
Honkala grew up in poverty, with a mother who suffered from domestic violence and a brother who committed suicide because he didn’t have insurance to help with his mental health issues. Even as an adult, Honkala and her son were homeless until they moved into a HUD home. She dedicated her life to helping other families in need. She was named Philadelphia’s Woman of the Year in 1997 as well as receiving the Public Citizen of the Year award by the Pennsylvania Association of Social Workers among other public service awards. Mother Jones magazine even named her Hellraiser of the Month in April 2005. She ran for Sheriff of Philadelphia (the first woman to do so).
So, when you go to the polls in a couple of weeks, remember there is more than just the Democratic and Republican parties.