From Jill Stein for Governor

October 1, 2010

AFTER LOSCOCCO’S DEFECTION, STEIN/PURCELL EMERGE AS THE TRUE INDEPENDENTS

BOSTON – As news spread of Paul Loscocco’s decision to abandon Tim Cahill’s campaign and join the Republican camp, Jill Stein, Green-Rainbow candidate for governor commented that “The Cahill campaign has never really established its independent credentials with voters who are looking for change. At this point its becoming clear that my campaign is the only one that is really independent of the Beacon Hill machines.  We’re not going to surprise everyone by suddenly deciding to join the business-as-usual parties.  We’re in this race to offer a true alternative, and the only alternative that really stands for change.”

Stein also reminded voters and political leaders that a solution exists for the so-called “spoiler” problem.

“The news around the high-profile defections from the Cahill campaign have focused primarily on how Cahill’s candidacy helps Deval Patrick and hurts Charlie Baker. The truth is there is a voting reform that gets rid of the problem that voting for the candidate you truly support might have unintended consequences – like helping a candidate you don’t like.”

“Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), also known as ranked-choice voting, lets voters rank the candidates in order of preference. And if your first choice loses, your vote is automatically reassigned to your second choice. So, for example, a hardcore Cahill supporter might vote for Cahill first and Baker second. Under IRV, if Cahill lost in the final tally, that supporter’s vote would be reassigned to Baker.”

Stein pointed out that the Democrats in the legislature have been sitting on a bill to implement IRV for almost 10 years. “Let me remind anyone who suggests that silencing candidates is the answer to the meltdown of jobs, health care, schools and the climate that this is the very time our voices must be heard. And there’s a win-win solution that preserves democratic dialogue AND avoids any vote-splitting among candidates that appeal the same voters.”

“If the powers-that-be were truly concerned about the so-called ‘spoiler’ issue, they could have remedied it long ago.  They’re more worried about maintaining their stranglehold on power, so common-sense reforms like IRV continue to languish in committees on Beacon Hill.”

“And that’s precisely why I’m in this race.  We’re building a movement –  a movement of people who are fed up with the bailouts, the payoffs, the ripoffs, and the layoffs.  We’re going to continue standing up for strong public schools against the attack of the privatization, and for teaching the whole student – not just to a high stakes test.  We’ll continue to insist on a system of single-payer health care that reduces costs by eliminating the massive health insurance bureaucracy, not by cutting your care. We’ll continue to push for secure green jobs not low wage insecure jobs in casinos that hurt communities and put small businesses out of business. We have always opposed sending $9 million Massachusetts tax dollars a day to the Afghanistan/Iraqi war that is making us less secure, when that money is urgently needed here at home.”

“I am the true independent in this race.  Mr. Cahill’s running mate defected back to his Republican roots.  Cahill himself is a product of the Democratic Party and his ties to the establishment are well-documented.  If voters are really looking for a genuine outsider candidate this year, the choice is obvious.”

“The importance of this election is not as a horse race to advance the political careers of Baker, Cahill, Patrick, or Stein.  This is about the people of Massachusetts taking their government back. What happens November 2nd is just the beginning.”