CNN reports: McKinney running for president as Green candidate
(CNN) — The liberal environmentalist Green Party nominated former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as its presidential candidate Saturday.
McKinney, 53, held off three rivals to win the party’s nomination during its convention in Chicago, Illinois. She picked journalist and activist Rosa Clemente as her running mate.
It is always good to have choices.
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yay! i was hoping they’d nominate her.
Now she has to get on ballots. I’m not sure if it’s automatic in Florida.
i was looking for information on that a few weeks ago, when it looked like she had the nomination wrapped up. i think i read somewhere back then that the green nominee will be on the florida ballot, but i won’t swear to this.
i could take a few minutes out of my day and call the supervisor f elections and ask, but golly gee whiz, can’t the party just put this information out on the internet in plain sight?
I have considerable respect for McKinney, but a lot less respect for the Greens I’ve met. In this region at least, many of them know a lot less about urban environmental issues than I do, and I know a lot less than some of the experts I used to hang out with. And yes, I’m quite sure my experts are actually experts: they do environmental research for a living, testify at hearings, etc. etc.
I met all these people because I was on the political committee of the local group of a major national environmentalist org, and I interviewed candidates, including Greens, for possible endorsement. Their hearts were in the right place, but sometimes their level of knowledge was appalling.
I hope you’re right, Hipparchia, but the two party system in Florida makes it expensive and time consuming to intrude on “their turf”.
That is a problem I’ve noticed with many groups, Steve. They want to help, but don’t want to invest in the study to learn how to be effective. There is nothing worse than trying to explain to an “animal rights activist” that you have to cull animals with incurable, communicable diseases to prevent harm to the larger population. I pay for blood tests when I take a feral in for spaying to be sure there are no problems, and there never have been, but as painful as it would be for me, the vet and I already know the answer if those tests show a problem.
At this point anyone not in the Republican party is going to be “green”.
I’m torn by this, and because of our system — I really wish we had a form of proportional voting (Its so un-American, I know, you’re either a WINNER or a LOSER).
That’s 20th century thinking, Map. In the 21st century you can win even if you lose.
Instant runoff elections, proportional representation, direct elections – all very “quaint” last-century ideas.
There are 22 ballot qualified political parties in Florida, and the Green Party is one of them. McKinney will be on the Florida Ballot this fall as the Green nominee. To see all the states where the Green Party is on the ballot, just check out this link.
Hope that helps hipparchia
Steve, while I agree that many of we Greens know less than we realize, we do have any number of exceptionally well qualified and broadly educated Greens both running and more “behind the scene” folks. With sixteen years in Congress and eight in the Georgia legislature, surely you don’t think Congresswoman McKinney is less well versed on important topics than the average bear.
Thanks for the word on the ballot, Gregg.
Steve’s concern is specifically with environmental issues, and the fact that many people who espouse causes do it for emotional reasons. There’s nothing wrong with that, but a lack of knowledge on the issues that the party is supposed to represent weakens the perception of the party in the eyes of the public. Greens will get no credit for actual knowledge of environmental issues, because it is assumed, but will have real problems if they don’t have that knowledge.
Wow, no Ralphie????? KEWL!! Another Choice!!!
Now I gotta go check out her education type stuff….
I would assume that it’s a standard “far left” Democratic stance, i.e. left of center, but not by much.
thanks, gregg. that was the table i had seen, but i couldn’t remember for sure.
i haven’t got a problem with many greens not knowing a lot of stuff about the environment, just so long as elected greens are smart enough to listen to those experts who do know stuff about the environment [and also smart enough to avoid the charlatans too]. no one politician can be an expert on every single issue. all i require is smarts and the proper focus [environment good, war bad, just for example].
Intelligence in a politician would be something of a shocking change.
Oh yeah! 😀
You can tell the smart politicians… they are the ones who don’t get caught! 😉 LOL
NO such animal as an *honest* politician these days. The rest of the crooks wouldn’t give an honest one a chance in hell. A few of the still sitting older (16+ years) poli’s are somewhat honest… but far and few between, and even then, they can’t do anything anyway.
Sad.
It has all devolved into grubbing for money. If you can’t get money,you can’t run. If you do get money, people want a return on their investment.
William Proxmire was a Senator from Wisconsin for 32 years. He spent less than $200 on his last two campaigns – the cost of filing and postage to return contributions. He didn’t believe it. No one today has that kind of confidence in their ability.