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Alameda County, CA March 5, 2002 Election
Smart Voter

The Green Party is Ready to Develop into a Real Political Force

By John T. Selawsky

Candidate for Member, Green Party County Council; County of Alameda; Supervisorial District 5

This information is provided by the candidate
The Green Party is at a crossroads. We can continue to talk and act among ourselves or we can begin the much harder work that is necessary to make the Green Party a major political force in this country.
I believe the Green Party must focus first and foremost on what it does best: working on local issues and electing local Greens to municipal and regional office. I am an example of this: I ran for the Berkeley School Board, unsuccessfully at first in 1998, but then successfully again in November, 2000. Greens cannot get elected to office, even in Green stronghold Berkeley, without votes from progressives from all political parties: there are approximately 5,000 registered Greens in Berkeley, I received over 15,000 votes to get elected to the Berkeley School Board in 2000 (and almost 10,000 in 1998). Greens must work in coalition with other progressives on matters of common interest: the environment, social and economic justice, daylighting of local and state legislative process, and now, more important than ever, civil liberties. By expanding the arenas in which we participate we bring our ideas and perspective into the larger political discussion, show our own maturity (hopefully!) and wisdom, and create avenues for others to convert to our Party and participate in our objectives.

It is time for the Green Party to mature and grow into the next level of political involvement. We cannot do this with pure ideologues or those who only want to discuss things with people who always agree with them; we, and the culture, will not grow if we remain insular and self-contained. I will work to extend the values, beliefs, and commitment that are the strengths of the Green Party to a larger circle of participants. Help me make this a reality.

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ca/alm Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 20, 2002 08:49
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