Jill Stein, Green Party candidate, is back.
Jill Stein:
"I'm running for president to offer a choice for the people outside the failed two-party system. We'll put a pro-worker, anti-war, climate emergency agenda front and center in this election and on the ballot in November."
Jill Stein's votes may have been the margin that elected Donald Trump in 2016. Jill Stein says she has no regrets.
“There are differences between Clinton and Trump, no doubt, but they’re not different enough to save your life, to save your job, to save the planet."
Her Green Party candidacy got 1.4 million votes in 2016. In Michigan, Stein received more than 51,000 votes; Hillary Clinton lost by fewer than 11,000. In Wisconsin, Trump’s won by 23,000 votes; Stein got 31,000. In Pennsylvania she got 50,000 votes; Trump won by 44,000.
Jill Stein has an easily understood, predictable platform that reflects the ideals and policy goals of a great many Democrats, including Joe Biden. Her platform is a wish list. She wants a peaceful, prosperous, healthy world where everyone gets what they want and need.
Economy: "We need an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful. To reverse surging inequality and insecurity, we need an Economic Bill of Rights, including the right to a living-wage job, housing, food, healthcare, education and more, so that all of us are guaranteed the basic security for a good life."
Environment: "We need a Green New Deal with massive investment in green jobs, industries, and technologies to revitalize the American economy, improve our quality of life, protect our planet and safeguard our children’s future."
Peace: "We must end the endless wars and create a new foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid."
Democracy: "We need to revive our democracy with a full spectrum of reforms to empower the people, including real choice on the ballot - because without freedom of choice in elections, there is no democracy."
The Green Party is already on the ballot in battleground Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Arizona requires only 34,000 valid signatures and the Green Party has already collected 41,000. Nevada only requires signatures equalling 1% of the votes for U.S. Representatives. Georgia will be difficult. The state Green Party has dis-affiliated with the national party over the issue of transgender rights, and it takes getting 20% of the vote for Georgia governor for a party to be on the ballot -- a tough lift.
Jill Stein is a near-classmate at Harvard. She is 74 years old. She (like Cornell West) graduated in 1973, two years after me. I am unaware of meeting or sharing classes with either of them. Stein went to Harvard's medical school after college. She became a physician living and practicing in Massachusetts. She became active in Physicians for Social Responsibility. She resigned a position on the Town Council of the City of Lexington, to run for governor against Mitt Romney.
In 2012 she ran for president on the Green Party ticket. She said "Romney is a wolf in a wolf's clothing, Obama is a wolf in sheep's clothing, but they both essentially have the same agenda."
The Jill Stein candidacy is likely to win votes that might otherwise have gone to Biden. She describes a joyful destination. Biden is mired in grim reality of trying to implement much of it. Biden has polled poorly among young voters, even ones with liberal/progressive policy positions. Biden's support for Israel may further weaken him among voters in their 20s, who as a group are more critical of Israel than are older voters.
There will be two messages at cross purposes leading up to the 2024 election. One, coming from third party candidates, is that the major parties have given us two unsatisfactory choices, so let's send a message of disapproval and vote for one's ideals. The other message, coming from Democrats, is that Trump is uniquely crazy, criminal, and dangerous. A vote for anyone but Biden empowers a strong-man demagogue. There is no reason to think Trump will attempt to appear temperate in character. Trump will condemn Biden harshly for trying to do exactly the kinds of things Stein favors. That should help Biden.
Still, net-net, Jill Stine is trouble for Democrats.
I appreciate your introductions to the candidates running for President. Your introduction to Kennedy in particular was great by listing key issues and his “yes” or “no” position on that issue. Wish you had the same list format on each candidate. Thank you, Nancy
This woman sickens me. Why was she photographed sitting beside pootin with 5 US Senators who chose to go to Russia & meet with the Russian dictator ON the 4th of July a few years ago? Jill was a terrible doctor who lied about vaccines before & during a pandemic. I have to wonder why she still has her physician license frankly. She appears to be another agent of the Russian tyrant, running for a 3rd election to be a spoiler for democrats who don't know any better & will vote for her.