Dr Cornel West: "I'm running as an Independent candidate for President of the United States"

SusanJ · 2023-10-21T01:39:01+00:00

I need to get on here more often, sorry /u/Maniak

He's lost more credibility now with the Harlan Crow debacle. It seems like he's not the same man who endorsed Ralph Nader in 2000.

I'm hoping really hard (which I guess beats voting hard?!) that Jill will decide to run. She's credible, has experience running, people like her and if she commits, she means it. I'll let you guys know if I hear something:)

SusanJ · 2023-10-12T03:18:46+00:00

Hi /u/Maniak - sorry I missed your name check. We were all taken by surprise, and I just needed some downtime, though I did post something on reddit.

Anyway, what I'm gathering is making more sense. Mrs. West has a lot more say than anyone else. These tweets are credible. I do not know who his contact inside the campaign is (I just know it's not anyone I know).

https://twitter.com/numarqs/status/1710351310028255561

/#LEAKED someone close to Dr Cornel West campaign I just spoke to, said that the Wests panicked when Ralph Nader came out in support of the Dems.
According to her, Nader’s WaPo announcement made a huge impact on the West family where they just didn’t think an association with the Green Party was “good for Cornel”.

https://twitter.com/numarqs/status/1710353268201972058?s=20

“Dr West has walked right into a trap and none of us on the skeletal campaign were aware he was gonna quit the Greens”.

https://twitter.com/numarqs/status/1710354582717747365?s=20

Peter did not support the decision to go independent according to my source. Apparently mrs west has the last say.
I don’t know what’s true in this case.

https://twitter.com/numarqs/status/1710353940368470339?s=20

I was tweeting in support of this move to run independent until my friend who was close to the campaign reached out.
Now it’s basically an almost dead campaign.

So, with all of that, I'm glad he's out as the Green Party candidate. This is not what he promised us. It's better to find out now, before any real deadlines happen, than to be left at the altar next November. I can't imagine the campaign lasting much longer. They've lost several key staff members and volunteers are split, but most are gone as far as I can tell. The Cornel West volunteer Discord was a ghost town when I left.

Politics!

Btw, this tweeter was personally impacted by the Israeli attack on Gaza and has lost several friends. In case anyone is on twitter, he assuredly won't be interested in any back and forth about Cornel West. But it's the best information I have on what happened and wanted to share.

SusanJ · 2023-10-04T00:36:09+00:00

Code Pink will be doing a sit in at Bernie Sanders' office tomorrow - starting with a peaceful gathering at 9:30am in front of the Senate Hart building with Cornel West.

For peace in Ukraine.

SusanJ · 2023-10-04T00:12:29+00:00

Claudia De la Cruz just spoke. Cornel West is speaking now and greeted everyone on stage, including Claudia, very warmly.💚

SusanJ · 2023-10-03T23:34:04+00:00

Found a better livestream - Code Pink is also streaming, and their audio is perfect!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1GKvqX6wdQ

SusanJ · 2023-10-03T23:29:52+00:00

Clare Daly, the amazing Irish MEP, sent a message:) I'll post the text later.

Lee Camp is speaking now.

But the sound is awful. I hope there will be a video later with cleaned up sound.

SusanJ · 2023-10-03T23:18:33+00:00

Ugh, the sound is terrible. I'm not sure where this is being held, but their PA sucks.

Claudia De la Cruz, the Presidential candidate from PSL, is there too.

Right now, a group is singing inspirations songs of peace.

SusanJ · 2023-10-03T21:48:45+00:00

Sabby Sabs will have live coverage of the Peace in Ukraine event where Dr. West is the keynote speaker, tonight (10/3) at 7pm ET!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBz_uYB3Mlc

SusanJ · 2023-09-30T20:01:13+00:00

This is an old story, but may still hold true:

https://rollcall.com/2011/09/02/fec-allows-presidential-campaign-for-foreign-born-man/

The Federal Election Commission ruled Friday that a Guyana-born American citizen could file papers and raise money to run for president of the United States. But the agency also told the prospective candidate, Abdul Hassan, that his campaign may not receive federal matching funds because he was not born in America.

The FEC’s unanimous vote allows Hassan — who born in the South American country in 1974 — to be a candidate, solicit funds and requires him to file disclosure reports for a presidential bid. However, the agency’s decision stopped short of addressing the constitutional issue of whether someone born outside the United States can be president.

...

“This does not mean that he can go and say ‘look the FEC has said that I am a candidate, give me money, I’m official,’” said Republican Commissioner Donald McGahn. “That is not what we do here; we don’t certify you as a candidate. That’s what the states do.”

SusanJ · 2023-09-29T21:44:50+00:00

He can't run for President. He was born in Istanbul. He and his family immigrated to the U.S. when he was a child. See Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution:

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

SusanJ · 2023-09-19T07:28:58+00:00

Yes, he did. But the apology was not actually for us, it was to his billionaire cohorts who don't like it when the truth about them is revealed.

He meant what he said the first time.

SusanJ · 2023-09-18T20:40:05+00:00

Also, related to the article:

OUR IRONCLAD COMMITMENT:

✅ Cornel West will be on the ballot next November.

✅ There will be no dropping out and endorsing a Democrat.

✅ We are here to oppose the system, not to reinforce it.

Peter was speaking for the campaign. And the reason Cornel West decided to run third party is that he saw how badly the Democrats treated not just Bernie, but the people who supported him and really, the country and the world. The Democrats are a failing Party. Cornel West is in it all the way.

https://twitter.com/SAVoltolin/status/1703044469996548103/photo/1

SusanJ · 2023-09-18T20:16:12+00:00

There’s a fundamental difference between the left that understands itself as Default Democrats and the left that’s indifferent to the pretension that Democrats are less of an enemy than Republicans. It was nicely demonstrated when Kyle Kulinski said to Briahna Joy Gray: “Let's just say it's election night, 2024. It is all of our worst nightmare: Biden versus Trump...It's going to be Biden or Trump winning. Are you sitting there like, yeah, of course, I would prefer Biden win over Trump,” and she said, “Honestly, I don't care.”

Brie speak for me here!! And I hope a lot of others that I'm asking to vote Green in 2024. It's time the DeRPs (thanks u/caelian !) get out of the way, to save democracy!

SusanJ · 2023-09-18T19:58:11+00:00

Kshama Sawant has something to say: https://twitter.com/cmkshama/status/1701772488974491856

See also Caitlin's essay:

https://twitter.com/caitoz/status/1701787428045177158

SusanJ · 2023-09-18T19:57:30+00:00

I posted this on reddit the other day, and didn't realize that twitter link posts there had to be from here. Oops. Got it!

https://twitter.com/kenklippenstein/status/1701658625280704599

“We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around. We need to see unemployment rise, unemployment has to jump 40–50 percent. In my view, we need to see pain in the economy. I mean, there’s been a systematic change where employees feel the employer is extremely lucky to have them as opposed to the other way around.

“So it’s a dynamic that has to change. We’ve got to kill that attitude and that has to come through hurting the economy which is what the whole global world is trying to do. The governments around the world are trying to increase unemployment, to get that to some sort of normality, and we’re seeing it. I think every employer now is seeing it.

“I mean, there are definitely massive layoffs going off and people might not be talking about it, but people are definitely laying people off and we’re starting to see less arrogance in the employment market and that has to continue, because that will cascade across the cost balance.”

All the while the left is arguing about campaign strategy, guys like this are cheering as people lose their jobs.

This is who we need to direct our anger at, not each other!

SusanJ · 2023-09-13T01:00:06+00:00

Some positive comments on Twitter:

PeterDouche:

https://twitter.com/PatTheBerner/status/1701724860182081646

https://twitter.com/PatTheBerner/status/1701731127118176412

I think point number three is worth considering:

https://twitter.com/benigma2017/status/1701709429471838305

Peter Daou's plan:

https://twitter.com/peterdaou/status/1701672247562309862

SusanJ · 2023-09-13T00:58:04+00:00

Can you tell me who you think would be better? Or which "winners" the Greens are likely to get?

SusanJ · 2023-09-12T20:44:16+00:00

For those wondering what Jill Stein thinks of the matter, here she is, in her own words:

https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1701665333797355948

NEWS FLASH: It was me that brought Peter Daou to Cornel West. WHY: Because i learned how essential an experienced campaign manager (CM) is from my campaigns without one. He's the most experienced CM i know of with independent/Green politics & strong opposition to duopoly. 11:33 AM · Sep 12, 2023

https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1701668004461785598
Though i didn't know of Peter Daou in his days as DNC defender, it's not hard to see how a war torn bloody childhood led to fierce opposition to Bush and bondage to the Dem Party. If only more liberal apologists would have this kind of wake up. 11:44 AM · Sep 12, 2023

https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1701670209487061477
With an experienced campaign manager, our team can give Cornel West the support he needs to break the duopoly and give all those thrown under the bus reason to fight back. 11:52 AM · Sep 12, 2023

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T22:46:59+00:00

True. And honestly, there are some people who hate this development, but I think there are a lot more who see it as something positive. 2024 is really getting exciting now!

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T22:45:22+00:00

That's how I'm looking at it. If Cornel West's campaign scared the Democrats before, look out!

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T22:43:52+00:00

He's not even been on the job for one day. I wish people would give him a chance. Let's see what he can do, rather than guessing.

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T22:02:34+00:00

Thanks! I really hope that people give Peter a chance. I honestly would not want to work for some of the naysayers. He hasn't been on the job for a day and already people are asking for his head, yikes.

Luckily, I think it's just the surprise factor. I think the critics will come around when they see Peter doing a great job, which many of us who are campaign adjacent if not actually connected believe that good things are coming. So we shall see.

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T21:59:31+00:00

I think it will. And I think the campaign will be doing a lot more events and things too. And better prep for interviews!

SusanJ · 2023-09-11T21:02:18+00:00

With Peter Daou's hire as his new campaign manager, I think you will see a fire lit under Cornel West that we all hoped for. I'm very pleased about this new development!

SusanJ · 2023-09-08T23:14:49+00:00

https://twitter.com/realnikohouse/status/1700240553009426441

@realnikohouse

Just had a powerful conversation with @CornelWest about many things including the convo with Jimmy Dore. He makes himself more clear and he opened himself up to listen to my rendition of Jimmy’s perspective while also stressing the importance of his perspective as well. Some of the truths will be uncomfortable for some to hear, but are truths nonetheless. The desire to fight for national and international class consciousness in its entirety was a consistent theme. And the conversation became real on a personal level many may not have expected but hopefully will appreciate. Hoping that those who listen to this interview truly listen.

I’ll be talking to Jimmy as well to better understand his perspective and both interviews will drop on Tuesday.

Anxious to see if leftists in the auxiliary are capable as listening to dissenting opinions as they are at screaming at each other when disagreements and tough conversations get uncomfortable 1:11 PM · Sep 8, 2023

SusanJ · 2023-09-08T22:59:46+00:00

Thanks for you kind words:) I do wish a few more Greens would join our subs. Just to keep everyone in the know. There's a lot of stuff on Twitter and Facebook (gah!).

I do think that Dr. West needs to work on getting his actual message out a little better. But that's always the problem with third parties - we get very little media. He's going on as many shows as possible. I think the MSNBC apperance yesterday was good, it was clear to me that he's no fan of the Democrats.

Here's the short (10 minutes) interview with Ari Melber:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah7px3sUl6M

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T20:19:49+00:00

I guess I disagree about the democrat-lite thing. I don't think I've ever heard him say that Biden is a good person. As Cornel said in the interview, "some people will listen and some won't." He's reaching out anyway.

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T20:16:58+00:00

I don't work for the campaign, so I can't actually speak to that. I do know they have some great people working on ballot access (including people who are out in the field, training people and gathering signatures themselves).

https://cornelwestfor.us/ballotaccess/

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T19:37:14+00:00

Nick Brana is still pissed off that Cornel West ditched his fake party. MPP has zero ballot access even though they've been around since 2016.

Meanwhile, the Green Party is going to be on the ballot in Oklahoma - not even Ralph Nader was able to do that!

For the record, Cornel West dumped the People's Party because Nick Brana created an online donation form that was going to get Cornel into serious trouble with the FEC. Some of us volunteers spotted it and that's when Chris Hedges stepped in and got Cornel to switch.

PP is also posting straight out lies about the Green Party. As someone said in the replies, "it's jealous ex-boyfriend energy."

On the issues, the campaign is still working on a platform, so that's one of Nick's lies.

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T19:37:06+00:00

He's not shitting over Trump supporters though. He very clearly distinguishes things he doesn't like about Trump from Trump's supporters.

This is another one of Nick's lies. Cornel is absolutely going to talk to Trump supporters. As he said, many of them voted for Bernie. The Green Party is absolutely not opposed to winning over these voters.

Cornel absolutely talks about class. It's always part of his talk. He's not going to stop talking about white supremacy though and he really shouldn't. It comes from his Christian background, which he lives better than most Christians. I'm an atheist btw, so I don't tend to quote The Bible, but this seems to be the passage that Cornel is modeling. It's the way he will connect with Trump voters and religious people, even as he says that Trans people should have rights.

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T19:29:05+00:00

Don't take Nick's word for anything. The campaign is still refining the platform. This is what they have so far, I think it's pretty good. Starting with demilitarization.

Policies

Dismantling the Empire

Vastly cutting back on military spending, dissolving non-defensive security alliances, including NATO and AUKUS, dismantling the global network of over 800 military bases and severing the link between U.S. foreign policy and corporate profits to respect national sovereignty and the principle of self-determination for people. The USA should be a decent and dignified nation among nations rather than an imperial power dominating every corner of the globe. Withdrawing foreign aid to Egypt, Israel, and any other countries violating the human rights of subjugated peoples. Increasing humanitarian aid to poor and vulnerable peoples around the world. Enabling international peace by highlighting ecological sustainability, abolishing nuclear weapons, and promoting diplomatic processes.

Unleashing Democracy

Massive investments in satisfying the social needs of everyday people. Medicare for all including humane mental healthcare, decriminalization of drugs, and creation of humane rehabilitation sites. Decent housing for all, quality education for all, free college tuition for all, and jobs with living wages for all. Abolishing poverty and houselessness. Targeting the vicious legacy of white supremacy by ending mass incarceration, demilitarizing policing (abolishing Cop-Cities), and promoting reparations for past unjust treatment of Black people. Prioritizing the empowerment of indigenous peoples. Protecting the reproductive rights of women and ending all forms of patriarchy. Securing the rights of LGBTQ+ and Trans-Peoples. Treating every migrant and asylum seeker with dignity and implementing fundamental changes in immigration policies. Public financing of elections with ranked-choice voting, eliminating the Electoral College and a national holiday for voting. Democratizing unaccountable monopolies and oligopolies with workers' control.

Saving The Planet

Fighting back against the escalating ecological catastrophe by targeting the corporate greed of fossil fuel companies and resurrecting the Green New Deal. Shifting from extraction and emission to regenerative and renewable energy. Eliminating the environmental racism that disproportionately damages the life chances of poor people, especially poor people of color here and abroad. The future of life on this planet depends on this fundamental shift!

SusanJ · 2023-09-07T18:58:14+00:00

Working on it, thanks!

SusanJ · 2023-08-26T07:39:24+00:00

There's no question the realities of climate devastation are going to lead to government-imposed restrictions.

I think that Nature is going to be imposing restrictions long before governments do. And she won't care what any of us think.

SusanJ · 2023-08-26T04:57:03+00:00

David Cassidy - Rainmaker

SusanJ · 2023-08-26T04:49:21+00:00

Traffic - Coloured Rain

Dada - Mary Sunshine Rain

The Judybats - Waiting for the Rain

Deep Purple - One More Rainy Day

The Guess Who - Rain Dance

SusanJ · 2023-08-24T20:38:12+00:00

And of course, if you want to help, there's information about how to volunteer for ballot access in all the states in this map:

https://cornelwestfor.us/ballotaccess/

SusanJ · 2023-08-24T06:33:41+00:00

Best line I've seen all week!

SusanJ · 2023-08-24T06:25:09+00:00

Rick Lass, who is coordinating ballot access for the Cornel West campaign was on Tim Black, along with Justin Beth, also involved in ballot access for the campaign.

It was a great interview. Tim Black is going to sign a ballot access petition too!

SusanJ · 2023-08-20T01:41:21+00:00

Nope, it's real. And really amazing too!

https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-science-upward-leaders

SusanJ · 2023-08-18T05:20:52+00:00

Thanks! Added WotB (both kinds) in my Green Friendly sidebar:)

SusanJ · 2023-08-18T03:02:07+00:00

I've been on team "other" for a long, long time...

Cornel West has been on Fox News recently and isn't afraid to reach out to anybody. I'm dying to see these polls after a few months of campaigning where the Green Party front runner gets named!

SusanJ · 2023-08-17T01:57:03+00:00

It really does feel like a dealignment is happening. Hopefully Cornel West will pick up a lot of those disaffected voters!

Sorry I missed your message, and the DP too! Was in the woods and no internet for a few days:)

SusanJ · 2023-08-17T01:53:00+00:00

Hi /UseFewerSyllables - sorry I missed your comment - I was away from internet access for a few days:)

Fortunately, with a great candidate that it's hard to say anything bad about, I think getting signatures will be doable. So far, people have started petitioning in nine states, are getting ready to in nine more, are on the ballot in 18 states, and have to wait in 15 more due to state laws. That includes DC, for people who are adding them up:)

Here's the Cornel West for Us Volunteer Portal - for anyone interested: https://cornelwestfor.us/

SusanJ · 2023-08-05T08:36:38+00:00

Howard Keel was in one of my favorite movies, 1963's Day of the Triffids which has this classic line: "Keep behind me. There's no sense in getting killed by a plant." I so agree!

SusanJ · 2023-08-01T01:39:25+00:00

Here's a link to the full article, about sheepdogging, that was quoted in the Capitol Hill Citizen, with a longer except below:

https://www.blackagendareport.com/bernie-sanders-sheepdog-4-hillary

Sanders: Sheepdogging for Hillary and the Democrats in 2016 – by Bruce Dixon published in May 2015 by Black Agenda Report

1984 and 88 the sheepdog candidate was Jesse Jackson. In 92 it was California governor Jerry Brown. In 2000 and 2004 the designated sheepdog was Al Sharpton, and in 2008 it was Dennis Kucinich. This year it's Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. The function of the sheepdog candidate is to give left activists and voters a reason, however illusory, to believe there's a place of influence for them inside the Democratic party, if and only if the eventual Democratic nominee can win in November.

Despite casting millions of voters for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and other sheepdogs, those leftish Democrat voters are always disregarded when Democrats actually win. Bill Clinton gave us NAFTA, a vicious “welfare reform,” no peace dividend or push for DC statehood, lowered unemployment but mostly in part time and low-wage jobs, and mass incarceration of black and brown people. President Obama doubled down on bailouts of banksters and GM, and immunized them from prosecution but failed to address the most catastrophic fall in black household wealth in history.

The sheepdog's job is to divert the energy and enthusiasm of activists a year, a year and a half out from a November election away from building an alternative to the Democratic party, and into his doomed effort. When the sheepdog inevitably folds in the late spring or early summer before a November election, there's no time remaining to win ballot access for alternative parties or candidates, no time to raise money or organize any effective challenge to the two capitalist parties.

At that point, with all the alternatives foreclosed, the narrative shifts to the familiar “lesser of two evils.” Every sheepdog candidate surrenders the shreds of his credibility to the Democratic nominee in time for the November election.

SusanJ · 2023-08-01T01:35:25+00:00

Glad to share:) I really like Ralph's paper, there are always good articles and I'm glad they do a few PDFs too.

SusanJ · 2023-07-29T23:08:49+00:00

The panel includes Stephanie Voltolin, Cindy Matthews, Ed Grystar, and Dr. Jill Stein! With Nick Cruse and Compton Jay moderating.

SusanJ · 2023-07-29T23:05:07+00:00

Here's the actual livestream, about to start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-4DD-KwXY8

SusanJ · 2023-07-29T21:49:42+00:00

We've noticed this on Twitter too. People who were getting a lot of engagement suddenly are not. On the real left that is. The VBNMW bots are all over the place. We're trying to boost each other as much as possible, of course.

The elites are really scared about Cornel West's campaign, which makes me all the more determined to get his message out to as many people as possible.

SusanJ · 2023-07-29T21:02:55+00:00

I enjoy having the kind of power that makes the VBNMW brigade tremble. And I intend to wield it, nothing is going to stop me from making sure that every last vote which might have gone to Biden goes to Cornel West instead. Same with Trump too. Cornel is reaching out to all voters. Their votes don't belong to any candidate until they're cast. Take that, DNC!

SusanJ · 2023-07-29T20:56:50+00:00

Ooops, didn't see the name mention until just now, sorry and thanks for the ping:)

Fortunately, Howie is not as stupid as he sometimes appears. Since Cornel West entered the race, Howie has decided not to run!

So, there really is no one else in contention. There are some people who did FEC filings and that's it. They haven't set up committees, they haven't collected a dime, nor a signature to get on primary ballots, and so their initial filing with the FEC may be all that there is. We shall see if any of them decide it's worth their time to do more than that. But all the excitement is behind Dr. West. And so far, he's the only one who has met our very minimal requirements for being considered for the Green Party nomination for President.

The rules about endorsements vary from state to state. Fortunately, in CA, we are allowed to endorse candidates and my county Green Party just unanimously endored Cornel West for President:)

Green Party officials are expected to be neutral in their official capacity, but there's nothing to prevent people from campaigning for Dr. West. Now is the time! The more we do to get his name and message out to a larger audience, the better the chances that people will have heard his name by next November, and the better our chances of kicking the Democratic Party to the dustbin of history. More and more people are fed up, people can't afford rent or groceries and the Dems and Repubs don't care. I am really excited about voting for Cornel West for President. He's the best candidate since Ralph Nader (I love Jill Stein too.)

Btw, the campaign website is slowly but surely being updated.💚 Cornel West 2024 for President

SusanJ · 2023-07-15T22:07:26+00:00

Looks like people will be dropping Reddit Premium. That's the main reason I bet people get it. Ad blockers do the trick otherwise.

SusanJ · 2023-07-15T05:18:07+00:00

Bonne fête nationale! Happy Bastille Day! (it's still 14 July here in California...;))

By the will of the people, we can make a better world...

Les Misérables - A La Volonté Du Peuple

SusanJ · 2023-07-15T05:09:39+00:00

Yep. It's greenwashing. Not really Green at all in any sense of the word, but masquerading as such.

"Dark Triad" - that's a great name! And it does perfectly describe our rulers.

SusanJ · 2023-07-15T04:56:10+00:00

Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone

SusanJ · 2023-07-15T04:48:34+00:00

The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

Erasure - Stop! 🎶We'll be together again...🎶

Pablo Cruise - I Go To Rio

Paul McCartney - Letting Go

The Cars - Since You're Gone

SusanJ · 2023-07-14T22:21:02+00:00

Ftr, none of this is a Green agenda. It's capitalist, the opposite of a true Green agenda. Especially with the Henry Kissinger connection.

Greens oppose this kind of thing. We support things like the Open Source Seed Initiative. We're appalled that a handful of companies control the seeds needed to grow food to sustain life. That's the reason a lot of Greens oppose GMO seeds - the corporate control of these seeds by companies who have no problem suing small farms into oblivion. Greens think that people should be able to save seeds to plant later, as has been done ever since the dawn of agriculture.

We also don't promote eating bugs. Ick.

As Michael Pollan says, "Eat food, not too much, mainly plants." That's the real Green point of view.

SusanJ · 2023-07-05T22:48:17+00:00

He's got so much opposition, especially in the U.S., where conservatives hate him. I really do think he's trying to do the right thing and turn things around.

I'm an atheist, btw, but I have a soft spot for Francis. His writings on climate change, on socialism, on peace, on the need for healthcare for everyone, these are things I've been talking about for years. Of course, it's falling on deaf ears with Biden and the rest of the Democratic leadership who are Catholics. But that shouldn't suprise any of us!

SusanJ · 2023-07-05T22:42:30+00:00

The leader of one of the most conservative organizations in the world is to the left of the leaders of the United States. We live in interesting times...

Pope Francis calls for an immediate cease fire in Ukraine.

SusanJ · 2023-07-04T23:12:53+00:00

Nice article. I don't know how Francis got elected, he's completely the opposite of his predecessors. I hope he's got a few more years in him.

"The Argentine Jesuit pope has long expressed solidarity with prisoners, frequently visiting detainees on his foreign visits."

SusanJ · 2023-06-18T00:59:26+00:00

Aha, that makes sense. I didn't see a way to downvote, but I only just arrived here. Cool!

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T07:15:44+00:00

I think anyone who doesn't know will catch on soon enough:)

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T07:11:06+00:00

It's a big decision, we may be here for a while. I was going to go with my first Usenet name for a brief moment.

Whatever you do, don't be siri!🙃

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T07:09:47+00:00

They must be furious at least to down vote anyone at a party!

Maybe it was the fun vote, they seem to start at 0. I love the idea of fun votes though:)

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T06:49:11+00:00

When you replied to one of my comment the other day, the lightbulb went off, an aha moment. So risi is redditrisi, that makes sense, since this isn't reddit:)

I dropped the 2019, since I'm the first SusanJ here. That hasn't happened in ages.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T06:46:22+00:00

Thanks for the upvotes! Yikes, I'm getting downvoted already?

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T05:55:11+00:00

Your flair is excellent!

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T04:58:33+00:00

Which one??? Some of them are Everywhere...

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T04:33:10+00:00

It's rather fun seeing the names people have here vs there. Saidit is growing on me:)

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T03:35:23+00:00

Hey, awesome, you made it over here🎶

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T03:32:44+00:00

Just wondering. Where are they going to get replacement moderators for all these subs? There are still thousands in the protest, or they wouldn't care.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T03:25:38+00:00

It's mobile and new reddit vs. old reddit, which lets you include a link.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T03:24:52+00:00

You can only include a link with old reddit. New reddit and mobile, links don't work for these messages.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T03:17:39+00:00

Oh dear god, "it's time we grew up and behaved like an adult company." That's what the Democrats are always telling us Greens - grow up!

I really hate that they are going to break reddit. I've only had an account since 2019😉 But I was visiting a lot of subs, via google searches, since way before that.

I wonder how many people on non-political subs get it. I think that "web 2.0" has been a disaster in many ways. Before social media, people had their own personal websites. They weren't slick, but people posted things that came from their hearts. Or stuff they thought was fun. But today, everyone goes to a handful or two of social media sites. And since people aren't used to going to other places, it's so much easier to control the conversation, the official narrative.What an absolute disaster for free speech, for anyone with a point of view outside of what mainstream media and their corporate overlords deem acceptable.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T02:49:23+00:00

Sorry, but from outside the US your party looks awful too. I don't see anything particularly special about it.

If you'd like to come over here from whereever you live and help organize a better party than the Greens, which is a waaaay better party than the Democrats or Republicans, please have at it.

SusanJ · 2023-06-17T02:44:01+00:00

Song of the Summer

Deep Purple - Burn

Jimi Hendrix - Burning Desire - Live at the Fillmore East, NY - 12/31/69 - 1st Set

Donovan & Jeff Beck Group - Barabajagal - Love is Hot

General Public (English Beat) - Hot You're Cool

The Kinks - Too Hot

Time to cool off:

Meat Puppets - Swimming Ground

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T19:50:42+00:00

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T19:48:18+00:00

The Green Party of the United States has no official connection with the other Green Parties around the world. Yes, the other Green Parties in the rest of the world are awful and Greens in the U.S. agree that they are awful. There may be a few exceptions, but I don't actually know.

If you're interested, do a little exploring here:

https://www.gp.org/

Cheers!

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T05:07:24+00:00

We are aware and we vehemently disagree with the German Greens.

Any organization can be taken over, but it's harder when it's grassroots. Our volunteers are quite outspoken about wanting peace. And other things that Europeans take for granted, like single payer health insurance, not going bankrupt because of getting sick or for wanting an education, etc.

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T02:18:02+00:00

Thanks, risi!💚 And I'm glad you're not going to start a campaign or something, after all this Green campaigning, I'm going to want a vacation in 2025:)

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T02:13:52+00:00

The Green Party of the United States is quite different than Green Parties elsewhere in the world. We are a party of peace and have numerous statements advocating for peace in Ukraine and the end to proxy wars between nuclear powers.

SusanJ · 2023-06-16T02:07:03+00:00

I have no actual idea. Of the volunteers I work with, we are all excited about finally having a great candidate in Dr. West. That's my bubble maybe, but even among people who liked Howie in 2020 (and I did, but he wasn't pushing war back then) he's lost support.

But I still think it's safest to vote for what you want. And that includes the primary.

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T23:35:12+00:00

Great interview! Though I think that Cornel could actually win. Screw that 5% BS. I want 270 electoral votes! And if we can't do more than 5% with a great candidate like Cornel, in desperate times like these, when will we???

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T23:11:21+00:00

The only way Hawkins will win is if Cornel West supporters don't vote in the Green Party primary and Howie Hawkins supporters do. I really want to avoid that at all costs. This is why I'm encouraging people to register Green or join their Green Party and vote in the primary. To me, it makes more sense to invest energy is something forward looking, rather than vote in the Dem primary in the hopes that the DNC won't do what they always do and give the nod to their inner circle. In some states, getting enough people to register Green gets the Greens on the ballot, so it's a twofer:)

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T23:06:54+00:00

Me too, actually!

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T19:08:37+00:00

Some more good news, on the Howie front. I heard through the grapevine that he's been told by the GP Steering Committee that he has to put a disclaimer on his pro-war posts that his views do not represent the Green Party of the United States. Seems like he's been given a turtle shell🐢😉

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T19:00:51+00:00

Yep, saw the WNDP after I asked:)

And what, you're not in favor of a dance off... :)

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T05:00:51+00:00

Thanks for the ping! Nice to be here:) And good job getting the community built up too!

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T04:49:10+00:00

Greens would definitely win a few down ballot seats if we could start drafting some good candidates now. Suggestion box is open!

Considering that I think the DNC will never let Kennedy win (even if something happens to Biden, it will be one of their inner circle), I'm hoping to convince people to #DemExit before the primary and register Green to vote in the GP primary. Big numbers for Dr. West could turn the tide. And for the first time in many years, we're ramping things up with enough time to make that happen!

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T04:04:04+00:00

Not sure. But an exodus of Black voters from the SC Dem primary, to vote in the Green Party primary instead and leave Joe Biden behind, would be a wonderful thing. Lots of things to work out and work on!

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T03:57:36+00:00

Talib Kweli - Bushonomics feat (Cornel West)

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T03:39:47+00:00

So, are we doing a Friday Night Dance Party here?

SusanJ · 2023-06-15T03:34:12+00:00

Hey, thanks for the ping! First time on Saidit:)

So yes, things just got more exciting in the 2024 race. Cornel West has indeed switched to the Green Party. Only a few days in and it became clear that the People's Party wasn't up to the task of running a serious presidential campaign, including a donation form that could have spelled trouble with the FEC.

So, after Chris Hedges arranged a meeting with Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka, Dr. West has announced that he's going to pursue the Green Party nomination. Personally, I love the idea of a candidate being able to change course when confronted with new evidence, instead of doubling down on a mistake.

Cornel was on RBN today, and will be back in two weeks and wants to go there on a regular basis to answer questions - to keep him honest!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSA7UDKlzDk

Just a note, I don't think the campaign website has been updated. So probably wait a few days for anyone who wants to volunteer or especially donate, to make sure it doesn't go to Nick Brana. The FEC registration should be updated in a few days too (the site seems like it takes a few days before new items or revisions are posted).

I always say that I think Green candidates can win, but honestly, this is the first time that polls are going in the right direction. This could actually be the year that people leave the Democrats in the dustbin of history where they belong.

https://twitter.com/ProudSocialist/status/1669001514365362176

With Cornel West challenging, Biden just can't say "if you don't vote for me, you ain't black." South Carolina is going to be interesting too.

The VBNMW people were losing their minds.

And a lot of people on twitter were doing happy dances.

Including me:)

Glad to be back with you guys:)