(How do the Greens get to the point where they can field that many State Rep. candidates? It’s not just signatures… you need to find 133 people willing to take the leap to put their names forward. And that’s no easy task. – promoted by eli_beckerman)
The one thing I can’t stand more than Republicans is Republicans in Democratic clothing. We all know them and we all know that they are not good representatives of us. I think it’s time for the Green Party in Massachusetts to become the opposition party in Massachusetts.
If the Green Party became a dominant party here in Massachusetts it would not only force the Democratic Party more to the left but maybe even the Republicans.
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We have so many races in Massachusetts where the incumbent or Democratic candidate running unopposed. We have 200 seats in the House and Senate combined and 21 of them are held by Republicans.
In 2008 there were 9 contested elections for State Senate out of 40 and only one of them had a Green-Rainbow candidate. In 2008 there were 40 contested elections for State House out of 160 and we had ZERO Green-Rainbow candidates. The only way you can win an election is to RUN!!! So we need to recruit as many people as possible. We need to have at least half of the 200 races contested to at least become viable.
It takes 150 signatures to get on the ballot for State Representative and 300 for State Senator. We collect 20,000+ every time a member of the Green Party runs for Governor and LT. Governor I think we can collect at least that many for the down ballot races. If we did that for just the House races we would get at least 133 candidates on the ballot. Or we could get 40 Senate candidates and 50+ House races.
The party needs to rethink its strategy because we will never win the Governorship or a Federal Senate/House seat without elected officials in lower positions. I’m not saying don’t run but I am saying do two things at once get signatures for both at the same time or just focus on the lower races. One thing is clear the Green Party can easily become the opposition party here in Massachusetts we just have to work just a little harder for it.
Just my two cents,
GreenDem
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GreenDem makes an important point about the need to put a third force into the mix that will keep the Democrats from sliding to the right. As things stand now, the Democrats are very happy to ignore progressive voters because they have nowhere to turn. Democrats spend more time courting the conservative blocs to keep them away from the Republicans. And there are emerging forces – such as the Tea Baggers – who may pull the Democrat/Republican duopoly further to the right. We need a truly progressive party like Green-Rainbow to create balance and keep progressive ideas before the voters.
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I think Green-Rainbow Party registrants dipped below 6000 last year, and Secretary of State Galvin’s postcard probably helped drop it even lower. (Check out the GRP newsletter article on page 6 for more background).
At the same time, the GRP has likely bottomed out from a high of over 10,000 registered voters. And Democratic Party betrayal after Democratic Party betrayal — even with the corner office and 90% of the state house; even with the President and 60 Senators — has probably made some progressive Dems reconsider their playing within the bounds of corporate duopoly politics. Meanwhile the biggest voting force in Massachusetts, by far, are Unenrolled voters. And there are lots of disillusioned non-voters who could be encouraged and organized and empowered, who gain a voice by linking arms with other people who refuse to remain voiceless.
None of what you propose is easy. Most Green Party activists — including former candidates — have moved on to other things. The GRP in MA and the Green Party nationally have their work cut out for them. The mere fact that they still exist says A LOT. The system is stacked against Green electoral success. But it’s certainly possible to break through.
Thankfully the GRP has adopted an electoral strategy that emphasizes State Rep. candidacies. Read the article on page 3 of the autumn 2009 GRP newsletter. I don’t think it’s an either-or… but you have to start from this basic reality: that the Green-Rainbow Party is small, doesn’t have much of an infrastructure, and is waging an uphill battle to not only break through here and there, but to transform the political playing field so that it more accurately reflects the desires of the people of the state. This is tantamount to creating a democracy where one doesn’t exist.
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Eli you have an excellent point but the number of registered Greens has to be much over that number especially in places like Greater Boston. Has there ever been an ask or is there even a data base of registered Greens that can be reached out to easily? I think all the smaller parties in this country have this concept that if they win the big races they will win the small races. It’s not true look at Minnesota not a single Independence Party member in the House or Senate after the Ventura win. Maine on the other hand had a Green member of the house and they pull 10% almost every Gubernatorial election. Start small and easy get every member of the Green-Rainbow Party who has run in the past and get them all to run in one year. Preferably in an off year like 2010 or 2014 or even in special elections where there is always low turn out where the hard core progressives vote. If we had a Green run in every special election at least then we’d be making an effort.
Just me,
GreenDem
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Just sharing some thoughts,
GreenDem
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It’s a hell of a lot more than collecting signatures for candidates that have no money, volunteers, or effectiveness. The hard work is running a viable and credible campaign, and really going after winning the election. It requires careful attention to resources, people and the calendar. Now is the time to have people raising money for district campaigns. It’s less than 11 months to the general election. It’s getting late for a small weak party to be visible in local races for the state house.
Be an alternative besides the other alternative, the Republican party, at the district level. The opportunity is awaiting.
(See for example: Blame Beacon Hill By Joan Vennochi – Boston Globe – January 17, 2010.)
Just focus on a FEW districts and really go after them, spending precious and scarce human resources in a focused way. And win. Galluccio’s State Senate District in Cambridge is OPEN, and for the Massachusetts senate, the candidate need not be a resident in the district at the time of filing papers. Go for that district. Find a credible candiate for it. Like Jill Stein.
If the Green/Rainbow folks were to actually support and win a couple of districts, and not yet another losing state-wide campaign, it would be the kernel of real political change.