Prominent
Progressives Make "Split State" Endorsement
for President
by Medea Benjamin/Peter Coyote/John
Eder/Daniel Ellsberg et al
A
group of progressive advocates -- including Daniel
Ellsberg, former California State Senator and activist
Tom Hayden, and actor Peter Coyote -- offer a unique
approach to this year's presidential race in an open
letter to be circulated on the Internet. They advocate
strategic "split state" voting that takes
advantage of the fact that a presidential election is
really 50 distinct state elections (plus Washington,
D.C.). The letter urges support for John Kerry in
swing states and for Green Party candidate David Cobb
in "safe states."
Signers also include Medea Benjamin (Code Pink, Global
Exchange); John Eder (Maine state legislator/Green
Party); Angela Gilliam (professor/feminist scholar);
Kevin Gray (Jackson '88/Sharpton '04); Elizabeth
Horton Sheff (Hartford City Council/Green Party);
Rabbi Michael Lerner (Tikkun); Robert McChesney
(communications professor/author); Norman Solomon
(author/columnist). All signers endorse the letter as
individuals, not on behalf of any groups.
AN OPEN LETTER TO PROGRESSIVES:
VOTE
KERRY AND COBB
There is no greater political imperative this year
than to retire the Bush regime, one of the most
dangerous and extremist in U.S. history. As people
dedicated to peace, economic justice, equality,
sustainability and constitutional freedoms, we are
committed to defeating Bush.
The only candidate who can win instead of Bush in
November is John Kerry. We want Kerry to replace Bush,
because a Kerry administration would be less dangerous
in many crucial areas, including militarism, civil
liberties, civil rights, judicial appointments,
reproductive rights and environmental protection.
But while helping Kerry-Edwards defeat Bush-Cheney, we
don't want to endorse Kerry positions that are an
insult to various causes we support, including
movements for global justice and peace that have
burgeoned in recent years. Indeed, we want to
communicate to Kerry and the world that we oppose many
of his policies, including some that are barely
distinguishable from Bush policies.
Accordingly, we encourage progressives to organize and
vote strategically this year.
1) In "swing states," where few percentage
points separate Bush and Kerry, we encourage activists
to mobilize voters behind Kerry. (A frequently updated
list of swing states is posted at
http://www.swing04.com)
2) In "safe states" (and Washington, D.C.),
so overwhelmingly pro-Bush or pro-Kerry that we can be
confident of who will win in November, we encourage
activists to mobilize voters behind Green Party
presidential candidate David Cobb.
3) In all states, we encourage activists to engage in
election-year vigilance to ensure that all votes
count, especially those of racial minorities -- and to
advocate for instant runoff voting and other reforms
so that voters in future elections can support the
candidate they most believe in without risk of
electing the candidate they most oppose.
David Cobb has earned our endorsement in safe states
by deftly steering the Green Party toward a nuanced
strategy dedicated to ousting Bush, while seeking to
grow a grassroots party that stands unapologetically
for peace, racial and social justice, economic
democracy, civil liberties and genuine ecology. The
Green Party gives political voice to movements that
challenge Bush's Iraq policy and resist trade
arrangements that trample on workers' rights, human
rights and the environment.
Despite a Democratic Party base that is increasingly
progressive, anti-NAFTA/WTO and anti-war, John Kerry
has lost the strong, brave voice he had as a young man
who challenged the Vietnam War and now offers a faint
echo of too many Bush policies -- from Iraq and
military spending to the global trade regime and
corporate coddling (e.g. Kerry's plan to reduce
corporate taxes).
We are disappointed that, four years after the Florida
disaster, Kerry and leading Democrats (with exceptions
such as Dennis Kucinich, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Howard
Dean) do not promote common-sense electoral reforms
like instant runoff voting that would once and for all
eliminate the "spoiler" risk that deforms
U.S. elections.
With our electoral system yet to be fixed, we are left
this year with the improvised solution of endorsing
one candidate in some states and
another candidate in other states. This
dual-endorsement solution is preferable to endorsing
either a candidate with important positions we oppose
or a solidly progressive candidate whose votes in
swing states could help Bush get four more years.
In this crucial election year, we encourage
progressives to work tirelessly to vote Bush out -- as
we build grassroots networks and coalitions to hold
the Kerry administration accountable to the
progressive values and policies shared by most
Americans.
Medea Benjamin
Peter Coyote
John Eder
Daniel Ellsberg
Angela Gilliam
Kevin Gray
Tom Hayden
Elizabeth Horton Sheff
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Robert McChesney
Norman Solomon
(Signers endorse this statement as individuals, not as
representatives of any groups.)
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