GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org
Monday, November 8, 2004
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-487-0693, mclarty@greens.org
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
GREENS CHARGE KERRY'S CONCESSION BROKE HIS
PROMISE THAT EVERY VOTE BE COUNTED, WARN OF DEMOCRATIC SURRENDER TO
BUSH'S 'MANDATE'
Will Zell Miller be the model for Democrats in
the next four years?, ask Greens.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Greens joined numerous Democrats
in criticizing John Kerry's quick concession to President Bush in light
of thousands of uncounted and obstructed votes and wide discrepancies
between counted votes and exit polls.
"Mr. Kerry wanted to avoid a repeat of the 2000
Florida debacle, but in conceding quickly he broke his promise to make
sure every vote was counted," said Ben Manski, Wisconsin Green and
co-founder of the No Stolen Elections! campaign. "The
widespread reports of election tampering, voting machine breakdowns,
intimidated and blocked voters, electioneering phone calls that spread
misinformation, and voters misidentified as felons made it necessary in
2004 to count and verify every vote and make sure the election wasn't
compromised. Regardless of whether Democrats retreat, Greens demand that
every vote be counted."
Noting that Ken Blackwell, Ohio Secretary of State
and a long-time Republican politician, had already been the target of
numerous complaints about voter obstruction, Greens said that partisan
bureaucrats should be removed from the responsibility of counting votes.
The Green Party of the United States has endorsed
measures to ensure fair and accurate elections, including an auditable
paper ballot trail for every vote. The votes of at least a third of the
U.S. electorate are currently unverifiable, because of the lack of a
paper ballot trail.
A state-based index of news articles compiled by
Demos detailing obstruction of voters, miscounting of votes, and voting
machine breakdowns can be found at <http://www.demos-usa.org/page196.cfm>.
Greens said that Mr. Kerry's quick concession
portends other Democratic surrenders to President Bush's supposed
'mandate'.
"Despite the rhetoric about 'healing', the Bush
Administration is already claiming a mandate to enact its radical
ideology," said Jody Grage Haug, co-chair of the Green Party.
"Equally dangerous is that the leadership of the Democratic Party
will see the Bush victory as a motivation to retreat even further from
the party's willingness to fight for working people and issues important
to progressive voters."
Greens recall that one of the legacies of the Reagan
years was the establishment of the Democratic Leadership Council. DLC
members Bill Clinton, Al Gore, party chair Terry McAuliffe, and others
persuaded their party to abandon national health insurance and other
Democratic positions, embrace Reagan planks like 'welfare reform' and
space-based missile defense, and make numerous other concessions to
corporate lobbies.
"The model for the Democratic Party's future
might be Zell Miller," said Nan Garrett, member of the Georgia
Green Party. "Greens are the only party offering a sane alternative
to bipartisan consensus behind Bush's radical neocon agenda."
MORE INFORMATION
The Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
2004 Green candidates and election results
http://www.gp.org/patience.html
Beyond Voting Campaign
http://www.beyondvoting.org
November 3rd Democracy Movement
http://www.nov3.us/
