permaculture

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>]

Wish I could agree, and I agree with Green ideals, but after a couple years 
working (or trying to) with both wings of the Greens, I've had to admit the 
fatal flaw in the whole third party thing. In our winner take all system, not 
proportional representation or parliamentary system, anyone running on a 
progressive agenda or left of center is always going to siphon off votes from 
the more progressive candidates in the major parties. There's just no getting 
around that. No third party has gained major party status in 140 years, and 
it isn't going to happen now. The Libertarians are actually the largest third 
party, and they're not even in the ballpark. The Greens hold a hundred or so 
local offices out of a possible half a million elective offices in this 
country at all levels, and none of them are paying fulltime jobs. Well, Drain 
Commissioner in Michigan pays $1 a year. The most discouraging part though, 
to me, was trying to get them to support other organizations with publicity 
and networking, organizations that actively promote Green Party ideals in 
other ways than elections. They won't do it, and that failure to connect and 
network with similar causes will make them history after this November. But 
that's politics, unfortunately. I don't know what difference it would make in 
agriculture anyway. Other than passing paper resolutions against GMOs and 
pesticides, agricultural and rural issues aren't even on their agenda. They 
have no platform on agriculture or farmers' issues.

paul & barb - on the continental divide
http://globalcircle.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 10/16/2002 at 3:09 PM Lawrence F. London, Jr. wrote:

>I have decided to register as unaffiliated and vote for Green candidates
>in all forthcoming elections. If there are no Green candidates on the
>ballot
>I wil vote for candidates who make it clear in the media that they are
>supportive of
>Green party goals and principles. I would urge others to consider
>supporting
>Green Party goals and, if possible, voting Green also.
>
>LL
>-- 
>L.F.London
>lfl@intrex.net
>http://market-farming.com
>http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/index.php/london
>
>
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