[Peace] [Peace-discuss] [OccupyCU] Fwd: Rise Up Against The Machine

Sun Jul 20 04:49:38 EDT 2014

As long as only 20-30 percent of eligible voters vote in primaries, we
end up with tepid candidates on the ballot and poor choices in the
general election. The answer is not getting involved three months
before the election and using legal tricks and loopholes, but rather
to get involved 15 months or two years (or more) before the election you hope to
affect. Increase the vote in primary elections and get better
candidates to run in the first place. Once the general election
candidates are chosen, the stage is set and third parties face
overwhelming odds. The best they can do at that point is, as Stan
says, split the progressive vote in close races and help elect
Republicans.

Debra

On 7/19/14, C. G. Estabrook via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> Why is that the only alternative?
>
> "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will
> that it should become a universal law" (Kant).
>
> If everyone (or even just enough) does as I do - vote Green - there is no
> problem.
>
>
>
> On Jul 19, 2014, at 9:50 PM, Stan via Peace-discuss
> <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>
>> As though helping Republicans win is the right solution. There are few
>> starving people who would turn down a half a bowl is soup because they
>> only want a full bowl of soup or nothing, yet the supporters of third
>> parties continue to play into the hands of the 1%ers.
>>
>>
>>
>> "C. G. Estabrook" <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
>>
>> But it's the Democrats in control of the legislature who have prevented
>> Illinois' paying its bills by refusing to tax the rich.
>>
>> Voting for Democrats in Illinois simply prolongs that acquiescence to the
>> 1%.
>>
>> Debs is supposed to have pointed out long ago, "It is better to vote for
>> what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get
>> it."
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jul 19, 2014, at 10:40 AM, Stan <swag901 at ymail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> AKA  tools of the Republican Party.
>>>
>>>
>>> The Greens have another chance to get Republicans elected by splitting
>>> the liberal votes.
>>>
>>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
>>>
>>>
>>> "C. G. Estabrook via OccupyCU" <occupycu at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> THE PETITION DRIVE
>>>>
>>>> On June 23rd, the Illinois Green Party submitted 29,707 signatures to
>>>> the State Board of Elections in order to place our full slate of
>>>> candidates on the November ballot - US Senate, Governor, Lieutenant
>>>> Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and
>>>> Treasurer.
>>>>
>>>> Three volunteers in particular collected an insane number of signatures.
>>>> Rita Maniotis collected 4,071, Sheldon Schafer collected 3,246, and
>>>> Charlie Howe collected 2,066. Rich Whitney, Scott Summers, and Bill
>>>> Kreml also collected over 1,000 signatures each. All together, 118
>>>> petition circulators came together with many other generous donors and
>>>> volunteers in order to build the Green Party in Illinois. The voters of
>>>> Illinois deserve candidates that will stand up for public education,
>>>> teachers, children, the environment, unions, pensioners, and progressive
>>>> taxation.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> THE CHALLENGE
>>>>
>>>> Illinois is notorious for its backwards and unfair "binder check"
>>>> process. It's a process that allows objectors to challenge individual
>>>> signatures without any evidence, cause, or consequences. An extremely
>>>> high burden of proof is automatically put on the defense who have
>>>> already signed and notarized each individual petition sheet.
>>>>
>>>> Karen Yarbrough, the sitting Cook County Recorder of Deeds and a
>>>> prominent Democrat, officially challenged our signatures on June 30th.
>>>> Make no mistake, this is at the direct behest of Pat Quinn and Mike
>>>> Madigan. What this potentially means is a grueling 3-4 weeks, 7
>>>> hours/day, of 8-10 people going line by line through our petition
>>>> sheets, each with a hearing officer and a representative for Yarbrough.
>>>> Independent Maps, in an attempt to put a statewide referendum on the
>>>> ballot, just went through this process and lost. Some hearing officers
>>>> tossed over 85% of their signatures. In 2006, putting our volunteers
>>>> through this process set the actual campaign back until September with
>>>> our people already burned out.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> THE LAWSUIT
>>>>
>>>> Rather than fight the Democratic Machine and the State Board of
>>>> elections on their own terms, we've decided to fight back by attacking
>>>> the fundamental problem, the election code itself.
>>>>
>>>> On July 15th, Scott Summers, Green Party candidate for Governor, and the
>>>> slate of Green Party statewide candidates, filed a lawsuit in federal
>>>> court seeking to halt the state’s “binder check” process and have key
>>>> provisions of the Illinois Election Code ruled unconstitutional. You can
>>>> read more about the lawsuit here.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> RISE UP AGAINST THE MACHINE
>>>>
>>>> Overturning these key provisions of the election code doesn't just help
>>>> the Green Party. It doesn't just help third parties and independents. It
>>>> would bust open the Democratic and Republican primaries as well, making
>>>> it easier for all candidates to actually get on the ballot and not be
>>>> subject to harsh and arbitrary legal challenges. Our fight isn't just
>>>> for our party or even our party's values. We're building multi-party
>>>> democracy in the United States and right here in Illinois.
>>>>
>>>> Help us offset our legal and petitioning expenses, and help us raise
>>>> funds to support our terrific candidates.
>>>>
>>>> Donate here and better yet donate and also become a Green Party member!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> FOR THE LATEST NEWS, LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
>>>>
>>>> For more information about the Illinois Green Party, see ILGP.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Illinois Green Party * 213 S Wheaton Ave * Wheaton IL 60187
>>>> 773-809-4547
>>>> Paid for by the Illinois Green Party. Contributions may be used in
>>>> connection with federal elections and are subject to all federal
>>>> campaign contribution limits. Contributions are not deductible for
>>>> federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ###
>>>
>>>
>>
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>
>