Green party candidate says Republicians, Democrats create issues, looks to majority

by Alex Brousseau

Monday, September 8, 2008 00:00

Green Party presidential candidate and former Democratic U.S. representative Cynthia McKinney spoke to a crowd of about 50 supporters Saturday night at a rally in her honor.

The rally was sponsored by the Four Lakes Green Party of Dane County and included music by David Rovics, a singer, songwriter and grassroots political protestor, and speeches by Green Party officers and city leaders including Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, who introduced McKinney.

“I was listening to her speak about economic and social justice issues and the values that are so important to her, and it internalized in me,” Konkel said, referring to a previous speech McKinney gave. “I could feel those 10 key values, and I could feel those four pillars. This is what the Green Party is about.”

Konkel is a committed party member and along with Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, helped sponsor this event.

In her speech, McKinney criticized the current government for its recent foreign policy decisions, such as sending a U.S. warship to Georgia and another fleet to Latin America, a decision she called a “revival of gun-bolt diplomacy” and “mutual-assured destruction.”

The answer, she claims, can be found in neither of the two major parties, but in the third Green Party.

“The situation in this country where we’re threatening war and not taking into consideration the needs of our own people and is a result of the policies implemented in D.C.[CM1] ,” McKinney said. “The solution to our problems can’t be found in those who create the problems — the Democrats and Republicans.”

McKinney also spoke of her running mate, Rosa Clemente, whose expertise lies in the area of hip-hop activism and how the government treats and watches popular icons. According to McKinney, Clemente brings “enthusiasm and activism” to her ticket.

With Clemente as her running mate, McKinney is confident their ticket will represent the true majority of U.S. citizens.

“The values of the Green Party and its activists are the values of the majority in this country,” McKinney said. “There is no way people can look at what’s happening now and think they (Republicans and Democrats) are representing the people’s values.”

The rally ended with a speech by the Green Party Treasurer Nelson Eisman, praising McKinney for her long-standing political background and bravery to change things for the better.

“She comes from a long line of democrats,” Eisman said. “She was raised a democrat, served in the state legislature as a democrat, ran as a democrat for U.S. Congress, (was a) leader in the black caucus and turned back on the legacy and her seat of power because she knew it was no longer the truth.”

McKinney’s campaign has two slogans: Truth ‘08 and Run Cynthia Run.

During her 12 years in Congress, McKinney authored legislation to eliminate subsidies for corporations taking jobs abroad, institute a national living wage and eliminate the use of depleted uranium in weapons.  

She was also the first to introduce articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.