Green Party Nominates Jill Stein for President

Jill Stein for President of the United States

Cheri Honkala for Vice President of the United States

The Green Party of the United States nominates Dr. Jill Stein for President and Cheri Honkala for Vice President at a convention held in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, July 14, 2012.   Stein is a medical doctor and past Green Party candidate for Governor of Massachusetts.  Cheri Honkala is an activist in Philadelpha and a long-time worker for the poor and homeless.  In 2010, Honkala ran for Sheriff of Philadelphia on a “no evictions” platform, earning 10,000+ votes.

South Carolina was represented at the convention by three delegates, casting 5 votes for Stein, and one vote for Rosanne Barr.  The final tally was : Stein,205 delegates; Barr, 95; Kent Mesplay of California, 17 delegates; Harley Mikkelson of Michigan, 3.5 delegates; and 7 unassigned.

Follow the C-SPAN link for this article to view video of the convention and an in-depth interview with Stein by the Washington Journal program.

Courtesy C-SPAN:

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Green Party held their 2012 national convention in Baltimore where they nominated environmentalist Jill Stein as their presidential candidate in the first round of voting with 13.5 delegates out of a possible 292.

Dr. Stein was our guest on the Washington Journal on Sunday.

On Saturday morning, the delegates approved the party platform. They then proceeded to the nomination of presidential and vice presidential candidates. Jill Stein, a physician and environmental activist, began her work in the green movement from a public health perspective. She and other candidates for president will speak to the delegates before the official nomination.

Comedian and activist Roseanne Barr also ran for the nomination, coming in second, and was considered a strong possibility to run for vice president. She was scheduled to address the delegates Saturday morning, but instead a surrogate made a statement on her behalf.

On Wednesday, Dr. Stein announced that anti-poverty advocate Cheri Honkala was her choice for the second-in-command spot.

In the past, the Green Party has run candidates who had prior run for office or served as Democrats. Dr. Stein will be the first nominee to come directly from the environmental movement.

Link:  Green Party Nominates Jill Stein for President, http://www.c-span.org/Events/C-SPAN-Event/10737432256/

Spotlight on Sue Edward, Green Party Candidate for SC Senate District 41

The Southeastern Institute for Women in Politics spotlights Green Party candidate Sue Edward’s campaign in the July 17th Special Election!

Candidate Spotlight – Special Election: July 17, 2012
Sue Edward (G) for State Senate, District 41

Here’s the link to the original posting:
http://www.scelectswomen.com/candidates/sue_edward/

* Special Election: July 17, 2012 **

For State Senate, District 41 (G)

Candidate Spotlight – Special Election: July 17, 2012
Sue Edward (G) for State Senate, District 41

Sue Edward grew up in Syracuse, NY and attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, earning a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MBA. Following school, She lived in Buffalo an additional 3 years and then lived in Madison, WI for 12 years.

Edward moved to the Charleston area in 2003 and has lived in West Ashley since 2004. She lives with her partner, Larry Carter Center, and 3 cats: Max, Graeme, and Hypatia. Edward holds a full time job with a local software company in downtown Charleston. She also serves as Chair of the Charleston County Green Party and as Co-Chair of the South Carolina Green Party. She volunteers with many community and advocacy groups working to improve the lives of all South Carolinians.

Edwards says, “I am not a career politician, just an average person who believes that our government should represent all of us – after all, it’s supposed to be government for the people, by the people!

I strongly believe in equality, fairness, and social justice. I proudly volunteer with non-profit and advocacy groups including the Carolina Alliance for Fair Employment, South Carolina Women’s Choice Fund, Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Charleston Peace, and the South Carolina Progressive Network (plus many more), and hold office in several of these groups.”

Here are Ms. Edward’s answers to some questions posed by the Institute. 

What is your leadership style? 

I believe more is accomplished when things are done as a team effort and I work to educate myself on all of the facts before making decisions.

With so few women in elected office here in SC what do you foresee to be your greatest challenge once elected to public office?

Women’s rights are under attack everywhere – in the Statehouse as well as in Congress. The challenge is to fight to maintain our remaining rights as well as to regain those that have been lost.

Has there been a woman who you’ve admired in the political world and what is it about her that gives you courage to run the race? 

Matilda Joslyn Gage – suffragist, activist, abolitionist, freethinker, and “hater of oppression”. She was a brilliant, independent woman whose tombstone reads “THERE IS A WORD SWEETER THAN MOTHER, HOME OR HEAVEN. THAT WORD IS LIBERTY.”

Has political office been a life long goal/dream of yours? 

My first taste of politics was running for School of Management class president while in grad school. I became more interested in politics about 10 years ago and became much more politically active 4 years ago. This is my first run for public office.

South Carolina would be a better place if only…

We placed a higher priority on public education. With an educated workforce we will attract more jobs and grow our economy, making this a better place for all South Carolinians.

Learn more about Ms. Edward at her website:  www.electsueedward.com 

Island Connection: Green Party in Play for SC Senate District 41

Sue Edward is the candidate for the South Carolina Green Party in the July 14 special election for SC Senate District 41.  Now the Island Connection has a great article on Sue Edward’s campaign written by journalist Kristin Hackler.

Remember to vote Green July 14th in State Senate District 31.

Green Party in Play for District 41

Monday, July 2, 2012

By Kristin Hackler, staff writer, Island Connection, Newspaper for Kiawah, Seabrook and Bohicket Marina.

Sue Edward, Green Party candidate for South Carolina Senate District 41 in the July 14, 2012 Special Election.

While many people are aware that Republican candidate Walter Hundley and Democratic candidate Paul Tinkler are vying for Glenn McConnell’s former senate seat in the July 17 special elections, Green Party candidate Sue Edward has been working hard behind the scenes, steadily spreading the word that there is another option outside of the two major political parties.

“I would like to think that we’re offering the voters an alternative. Being grassroots, we’re representing the average person. I believe that the more choices that people have, the better,” said Edward.

A Charleston resident since 2003 and a West Ashley resident since 2004, Edward founded the Charleston branch of the Green Party in 2008 and also serves as the co-chair of the South Carolina Green Party.

“I have always been a voter. I found myself participating more and more politically around the 2000 elections while I was living in Madison, Wisconsin. In early 2003, I decided to research the many political parties to see which party best represented my views and found the closest match within the Green Party,” said Edward.

The principles of the Green Party were what originally appealed to Edward, who considered herself an Independent after becoming disenfranchised with the leading parties.

“What was appealing to me what that the Green Party upheld the same values I already held, and it meshed well for me,” said Edward.

Founded on 10 key values, the Green Party is “committed to ecology, social justice grassroots democracy, and non-violence…without the support of corporate donors.” For Edward, her interests include education, women’s rights, workers’ rights, election reform, and tax reform – all areas in which she hopes to serve during her term, if elected.

And while she’s running to complete Glenn McConnell’s term, which expires at the end of this year, Edward has also stated that she will not be running in the regular elections this November.

“This is my first time running for public office. The special election is a little more low key, so it is a good way to gain experience. And since there is no incumbent in the race, all candidates are on equal footing which allows all of us to more easily present our platforms to the voters,” said Edward.

Another reason for not running in November is her schedule. With a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MBA from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Edward has worked in computer software for more than 25 years, and as an average working person, she can’t afford the time requirements of the current legislative structure.

“The time requirements of traveling to Columbia three days per week for six months makes it simply impossible for the average person who does not own their own business or is not retired or is not independently wealthy [to hold a legislative office]. Since the remainder of this term is after the legislative session, the travel requirement is no longer an issue,” said Edward.

Through this election, Edward hopes not only to gain additional experience as a legislator, she hopes to spread that word that there are more electoral options than the two major parties.

“I offer the voters a choice. The two corporate parties are becoming more and more similar and Greens offer a real alternative. I will work for the people of district 41 and all of South Carolina with no conflicts of interest or ethics violations,” said Edward.

For more information about Sue Edward, visit www.electsueedward.com. For more information about the Green Party, visit charlestongreenparty.org, scgreenparty.org, and gp.org.

Jill Stein Campaign Achieves Presidential Matching Funds

We are very proud to announce that Jill Stein is the only 2012 progressive presidential candidate to secure the necessary public support to qualify for federal matching funds!

The first $250 donated by any adult citizen or legal resident is counted by the Federal Election Commission as a qualifying donation, and will be doubled once the Stein campaign’s application for matching funds has been approved. To gain approval, the campaign must demonstrate that it has raised at least $5000 in qualifying donations in each of at least 20 states.

The Stein campaign passed that threshold over the weekend.  At the time of reporting, the Stein campaign raised $187,413.58.  South Carolinians donated $944.12 to the campaign in total, so far.

Once the Federal Election Commission approves the application for matching funds, all donations will be doubled.  So, if you were holding back or waiting on a bit of good news, now is the time to donate!

For more information see: http://www.jillstein.org/funding