Cobb/LaMarche Ticket Signals New Era.

OPINION by Lansing Scott

July 18, 2004.

The David Cobb/Pat LaMarche nomination signals a new era in Green Party presidential politics. For the first time, the Greens have nominated a "homegrown" Green for president, someone who has been steadfastly working for years to build the party into a credible force in American politics. Recent history suggests that electoral movements built around individuals (e.g., Ross Perot, Jesse Jackson, John Anderson) lack staying power; this year Greens favored a clearly articulated strategy for party-building over supporting the independent bid by Ralph Nader and Green Party activist Peter Camejo.

It's a sign of maturity in a party that has been steadily growing in recent years: after Nader's historic presidential bid in 2000 Greens had elected about 80 people to state and local office across the country; today it's over 200. The Green Party is getting bigger, stronger, and better organized every election cycle, and David Cobb is committed to doing everything in his power to continue that trend.

Cobb's background is as legal counsel for the Green Party for many years; Nader's Texas campaign coordinator in 2000; candidate for Texas Attorney General in 2002; and advocate for corporate reform with Democracy Unlimited (www.duhc.com) and ReclaimDemocracy.org. He is a fiery and articulate speaker who could certainly hold his own in any national presidential debates. His running mate, Pat LaMarche is a radio personality in Maine; she ran for governor in 1998 and secured Green Party ballot status by receiving 7% of the vote.

Cobb is a consummate political organizer. His approach is to build the Green Party into the electoral arm of the broad-based, grassroots movement for change in America. He knows that you can't build a broad movement by alienating your potential allies--that's why he's built a strategy inclusive of those progressives who see beating Bush as the primary objective this year.

The key is to get those people to see that while beating Bush this year is important, building a long-term political alternative to represent the voices of peace, justice, and ecological sustainability is even more important. Cobb's strategy is to do both.

Come November, the Green message in the 40 or so states where the presidential outcome is likely known will be, "don't waste your vote supporting a militarist, corporatist Democrat; invest your vote in building a Green alternative." In the handful of states still "in play" the Green message will be, "vote your conscience for president, vote Green for state and local races." In all states, Cobb is committed to helping Green campaigns at state and local levels.

For more information on the Cobb/LaMarche campaign, or to donate, visit www.votecobb.org. For more information on how to support the campaign locally, contact me at facilitator@seattlegreens.org.

--Lansing Scott, a longtime Green activist currently serving as Facilitator for the Green Party of Seattle.

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