The Green Party held its annual national convention here in Iowa City this past weekend. Among those at the event included the 2012 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. There were local and statewide Democratic leaders scheduled to appear at this weekend's convention also, including Representative Mary Mascher and Senator Rob Hogg who were hosting a seminar on environmental policy.
The Green Party's message to progressives? Leave the Democratic Party and join a real progressive party:
The Green Party's message to progressives? Leave the Democratic Party and join a real progressive party:
The Green Party started as a collection of state organizations in the mid-1980s, aiming to promote progressive positions, especially on the environment, labor and foreign policy. The party got a boon in 2000 when candidate Ralph Nader earned almost 3 percent nationally in the presidential election, but the party hasn’t posted such high numbers in a national election since.
Still, Green Party organizers predict more voters will grow too frustrated with both major parties in coming years.
“As we know from the major dominant parties that are running the country, there’s very little difference between the politics of what one hand is doing and what another hand is doing,” said Darryl Moch, national co-chair of the Green Party. “What we’ve found, is all the people between those two hands are struggling and they’re suffering.”
The party’s name reflects its emphasis on environmental issues, but the Green Party has a broad platform on a slew of political and social issues. For instance, the party opposes the United States’ global military reach, supports broader rights for women and minorities, and pushes for harsher punishments against financial sector workers mixed up in potentially dangerous trading.
The party also uses its network to advocate on local issues — even things like agricultural zoning changes.I'm actually quite supportive to the Green Party and it's policy statements. I just don't know how to make the leap from the established party that actually has the power in this state to protect families like mine. Suggestions?