[Prairiegreens] RE: [UCprogressives-discuss] Re: [Peace-discuss]
Fw: Election Commission
Morton K.Brussel
brussel at uiuc.edu
Wed Oct 27 11:54:19 CDT 2004
The Greens are being self destructive here. In some places, Greens do
agree to join with Democrats if the "progressive cause" will be
advanced in doing so. This would seem to apply here. It has applied
elsewhere (Germany, France, e.g.). Don't hold your breath for the
current electoral system to change while we revert to Republican
domination of the County Board.
I understand that the current candidates of the Green party feel
undercut by Fabri's argument, and resentful, but for the voter who
wants to see progressive policies continue on the County Board, Fabri's
argument has merit. Will progressive issues advance or retrogress if
indeed the vote is split on the Green-Democrat side of the ledger? That
is the question in this particular election.
mkb
On Oct 27, 2004, at 11:19 AM, Dawn Owens-Nicholson wrote:
> Tony Fabri wrote:
>
>> In my relatively short time participating in local politics (12
>> years), I've come to the opinion that splitting the progressive vote
>> between two or more parties will only improve the already strong odds
>> of electing conservative Republicans in Champaign County.
>
> This is only true under the current two-party system. But if both
> democrats and republicans are able to get themselves elected under
> this system, there is no incentive for them to change the electoral
> structure to something more fair to other parties (instant runoffs,
> proportional representation, etc.) In every election, democrats are
> able to discourage progressives from voting for progressive third
> party candidates by alleging that the republican alternative is SOO
> horrible that it is irresponsible to vote for the candidate you really
> want. But are democrats moving us toward alternative election
> structures? No. Why should they? They can get themselves elected by
> scaring progressives into not voting for progressive candidates. It
> is not in their interest to make it possible for non-democrats to win
> races.
> The ONLY way we will ever get instant runoff elections is if one of
> the two power parties can no longer get its members elected because of
> third party pull. It is the democrats and republicans who would have
> to be the ones to introduce and pass the legislation needed to change
> the system. To do this, they would need an incentive. If they are
> able to get elected under the current system, they have no incentive.
> If democrats find it difficult to get elected because the progressive
> vote is split between the democrats and the greens and the socialists,
> only then will they work toward a fairer election system--because it
> will be in their interest to do so.
>
> --
> Dawn Owens-Nicholson
>
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