Massachusetts likes to call itself the Birthplace of Democracy. But if giving voters a choice on election day is a measure of the health of a Democracy, we’re not doing very well. Massachusetts has become a one-party state in which possession of the vote is often rendered meaningless because there is only one candidate in the race.
According to a recent tally by State House News Service, the 2010 elections are suffering from a dearth of candidates.
Continue reading Slim Pickings for VotersThere are good discussions popping up in some different places about Green-Rainbow electoral strategies, and I’d like to take this opportunity to create an ongoing dialogue that could help catalyze some action.
Leo Maley points out on Blue Mass Group that there will be something like 25 open seats this year in the Legislature. In the same space, he also argues that the Green-Rainbow Party has no business running for high office without having demonstrated political viability or acuity at any level other than a small crop of municipal officials.
Jason Pramas ponders pretty much the same question at Open Media Boston, with a little less devotion to the Grand Old Democrats, and a little more interest in seeing a local electoral focus take hold.
And Peter Vickery makes an eloquent case to run for office and to run Green right here at GMG.
Of course, the Green-Rainbow Party’s electoral strategy for 2010-2012 was to go after State Rep. seats with an eye towards winning one or two in 2012. And Jill Stein’s gubernatorial bid emerged as a powerfully synergistic opportunity to help spur stronger legislative challenges. A strong municipal field in 2011 would also be synergistic with this top-to-bottom-and-up approach.
Continue reading Green-Rainbow strategy for challenging the State Legislature