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The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
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Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What would you do to increase the number of voters registered in your party?
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Answer from James "Jim" Doyle:
In a word, proselytize. Present the Green Party platform at community meetings and events, make personal contacts with prospective voters.
Answer from Dana M. St George:
I would say, "What would you like to see in this country? Campaign finance reform? Reforming the electoral system to feature Proportional Representation and Ranked Voting? Grassroots candidates? An end to constant redistricting? A restructured economy that stopped making obscene profits selling war toys and petroleum, but included manufacturing and provided jobs? National single-payer healthcare for all ?(like in most other developed countries.) An end to nuclear proliferation? Enforcement of environmental protections? Want to see the United States returned to a position of respect in the world? Time for a change!
Frankly, I think most Americans can't see beyond the two-party system, even when it's not working. But in the past, "third" parties have strongly influenced important political change.
Answer from Tian Harter:
Table for the Green Party at public events at least once a month and encourage others to do the same.
Answer from Caroline Yacoub:
I would attend local events such as farmers' markets and engage people in discussions about local and national issues, and ask them if they feel the current major political parties are adequately addressing these issues. If they do not, I would suggest that they consider joining a party that believes in grassroots democracy, diversity, personal responsibility and sustainability. If they answer that that would be a waste of time, I would respond that the more people who demonstrate dissatisfaction with the current major parties by actually voting for alternatives, the better the chance that the major parties will take up our issues.
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2. What would you do to help the campaigns of candidates of your party?
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Answer from Dana M. St George:
Encourage them, contribute money, help with campaign.
Answer from Caroline Yacoub:
I would work to get media coverage.
Answer from Tian Harter:
Invest at least a few hours a week in their efforts. Also, publicize their stuff at my website, tian.greens.org and help get the word out other ways (post posters, distribute fliers, push buttons etc., support people doing press releases, etc.) as the opportunity presents itself.
Answer from James "Jim" Doyle:
Precinct walking, phone banking,posting signs.
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3. Why did you become a member of this political party?
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Answer from Tian Harter:
A woman walked up to me at a peace march during the 1991 Gulf War and asked me, "Do you want to join a political party based on peace, justice, and ecological wisdom?" It didn't take me long to decide the answer was yes.
I became an activist with the party a few months later, when I moved to Sacramento. Since then it's been an ongoing learning experience about what a volunteer organization is capable of.
Sometimes I paraphrase Mark Twain and say, "Quiting the Green Party is easy. I've done it several times." It seems that every time I do that, the incumbents do something else that makes me feel like not being actively opposed to their scene makes me feel like an accessory to war crimes. So I go back to being an activist again.
Answer from Caroline Yacoub:
I became a Green because I was dissatisfied with the major political parties. Neither one was solving problems I care about. The Ten Key Values appeal to me, especially personal and global responsibility. Being Green is not about assigning blame for society's ills, it is about taking the responsibility for doing what you can to make things better.
Answer from James "Jim" Doyle:
Upon retiring I looked around for a place to contribute and to participate. With three of the Green Party's platform entries re single payer universal health care, public financing of campaigns, and reduction of the military budget
it was virtually love at first sight.
Further considerations such as living wage, equal pay for equal work, overall economic justice were
details in the Green Party platform revealed that the Green Party's basic concerns indicated a concern for the populace.
That cemented it. And as additional 'freebies' we have the concern and care for the environment.
Need I say more?
Answer from Dana M. St George:
After living and working in Europe for 6 years, I realized that there were a lot of improvements that needed to be made to bring Americans up to the same level with regard to health insurance, paid holidays, maternity and family leave.After I lost my job and my health insurance in 1996,I "woke up" politically. I could see that the patriotic propaganda I had been fed all my life was hogwash. I needed to find a political party that could give me some hope, and that was fundamentally grounded in serving the needs of the people.I joined in 2000.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are not edited or
corrected by the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
