Is the Green Party relevant?

[quaoar]

I admit to a certain lack of knowledge of the Green Party, though from what I do know, I agree with the party's position on a number of issues, particularly the environment.

But is the Green Party a significant force in the real world of politics or is it just a comfortable refuge for aggrieved Democrats?

I looked up registration numbers and found from a Green website that there were about 311,000 registered Greens this year, although a number of states don't have registration by party. Greens in California made up less than 1 percent of the total of registered voters in 2003:

http://web.greens.org/statestatus/

The Green's presidential candidate, David Cobb, got 112,000 votes in 2004 -- which means less than half of the people who actually registered as Greens voted for their own party's candidate. In many states, he was a write-in candidate.

http://www.gp.org/2004election/president2004.html

Granted, Cobb would have done better in a year in which Bush wasn't running. But even if you double his vote, it's a drop in the bucket.

The highest office obtained so far by the party seems to be state legislature in Maine. There are 212 Greens elected in 27 states.

So, my questions are -- Is the party relevant? Does it impact national policy? Does it have to start electing people to Congress and statewide office to be relevant?

What does the party have to do to grow?

[Deja Q]

1. I'll follow up with a counter-question...

Recall that, a year or two ago, a prominent Green was disallowed to fly on a plane. Sounds like he had enough clout to make somebody curious...

And my counter-question is, Is the DLC relevant?

[quaoar]

2. OK, so the Greens have enough influence to divert one flight

Is the DLC relevant? Yes.
Is it as powerful as it used to be? No.
Is its influence on the wane now? I believe so.
Should it still be part of the party today? Yes.
Should it have the kind of power it used to have? No.

For the record, I support Dean for DNC chair.

[Poppyseedman]

3. The basic problem with the green party

is the current condition of the country. Green Party issues simply did not register very high up on people's "Oh' Shit" meter.

Committed to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organizing, Greens are renewing democracy without the support of corporate donors.

If the world was a perfect place and our biggest concern was do we cook the brown rice or the wild organic rice for dinner, they might get some traction

edited for spelling

[demnan]

4. Of course it's relevant

If small, but the important thing is the Greens are a world wide party. Quite a few followers in Europe. I think they have a chance to grow here in the U.S., especially as we continue to suffer the effects of neglecting our environment, i.e., acid rain and global warming.

[quaoar]

5. Relevant means

that the party has enough influence through demonstrated electoral support to force policy makers to take its positions into account.

So far, Green influence seems to be restricted to the municipal level in a handful of states.

And what difference does it make in America how strong the Greens are in Europe?

[bluedonkey]

6. From here on out

I will throw my support to the Greens.
They are the ones helping us.They're fighting to get the votes counted!

I'm done with the democrats.

[IndianaGreen]

7. The Green Party is the party for those that agree with its principles

which are clearly spelled out here:

1. Grassroots Democracy

Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process.

2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity

All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

3. Ecological Wisdom

Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

4. Non-Violence

It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

5. Decentralization

Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.

6. Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice

We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a "living wage" which reflects the real value of a person's work.

Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers' rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our "quality of life." We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.

7. Feminism and Gender Equity

We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.

8. Respect for Diversity

We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.

We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.

9. Personal and Global Responsibility

We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.

10. Future Focus and Sustainability

Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or "unmaking" all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.

http://www.votecobb.org/issues/values/