Green Party of Ohio
www.ohiogreens.org
May 1, 2006
Columbus, Ohio
CONTACT: Russ Buckbee
russbuckbee@adelphia.net
330 562 4637
http://www.bobforohio.com
http://www.sostim06.com
http://ohiogreens.org
OHIO -- Today Green Party candidates will submit to the State of Ohio the signatures of thousands of Ohioans who want to see real alternatives for statewide races on the November ballot. Bob Fitrakis, Green Party candidate for Governor, along with his running mate, Anita Rios, and Secretary of State candidate Tim Kettler will spearhead the attack on corruption and corporate influence and create a new set of priorities that will begin to deal with the problems that have been swept under the rug by the two major parties and their vested interests for decades. Bob summed up the petitioning campaign by saying, "We are able to file so many signatures because the citizens of Ohio thirst for new ideas and recognize the corruption of the two party system."
New Priorities
Zero Tolerance for Corruption - Unlike the Democrat and Republican candidates Bob, Anita, and Tim initiated lawsuits and ran the recount effort against Ken Blackwell and his crooked election. As members of the Green Party, they don't accept contributions from corporate interest groups and they don't take orders from a party boss. Bob will put people who break the law in jail, no matter who they know, no matter who they are. The Green Party will work to cleanse Ohio of the flood of big business money that is corrupting Ohio politics.
Bring our Troops Home Now - The Ohio National Guard has been deployed overseas as an occupying force in an illegal Presidential adventure based on lies. Governor Fitrakis will recall the Ohio National Guard and refuse to allow one more Ohioan to die in this conflict.
Developing a Dynamic Economy - The fossil fuel industry has had a stranglehold on our energy policy for too long. Our economy is hemorrhaging billions of dollars a year in an immoral war to control these ever-dwindling resources. Bob and Anita will nurture a new energy industry in our state that develops renewable and sustainable energy sources. This new economic engine can only emerge if the needs of the people of Ohio are put ahead of the vested interests who are buying our lawmakers.
Putting People First: Health Care - The insurance industry currently takes up to 50 cents of every dollar spent on health care and uses it to pay for stock dividends, exorbitant CEO salaries, maintaining an army of lobbyists, political campaigns, lawyers and litigation, advertising, marketing, and sales. Kicking insurance companies out of Ohio's health care system and going to a single payer, state administered plan will result in $11 billion in savings that can be used to provide universal health care for all Ohioans and bring health care costs under control. The Green Party supports the SPANOhio Ballot Initiative.
Putting People First: Education - Green Party candidates will make sure that there is adequate and equitable funding for all of Ohio's students.
Putting People First: The Environment - Our environment is under attack from the toxins that that the Democratic and Republican policy makers have allowed to be spread throughout our state. Not only are industrial polluters getting away with ruining air, land, and water, but Ohio is accepting millions of tons of waste from other states and allowing toxin-laden urban sludge to be dumped on our crop land. We are becoming the nation's sewer. Governor Fitrakis will not turn a blind eye to those who poison our state's resources.
Putting People First: Voting Rights - Tim Kettler has made reforming the way our state runs elections the cornerstone of his campaign. He has a number of specific goals under the broad headings of inclusion, representation, and transparency which he believes are necessary for the conduct of free and fair democratic elections. "I had the opportunity to speak to several thousand registered voters while gathering signatures," said Tim. "I found them to be very interested in the participation of third parties and independents in Ohio's elections and especially interested in my campaign to protect their voting rights."
Inclusion
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More neighborhood precincts; More voting booths per precinct.
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Register to vote on election day.
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Statewide holiday on election day.
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Vote anywhere in your county.
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Voters cannot be refused absentee ballots.
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Reexamine new voter identification provisions.
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Appoint independents and third parties to election boards.
Representation
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Ease restrictions for getting citizen initiated laws on the ballot, registering citizens to vote, and granting party status.
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Allocate Electoral College vote by percentage of popular vote won.
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Non-partisan oversight of elections and redistricting.
Transparency
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Eliminate computer voting.
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Use clear simple paper ballots marked directly by the voter.
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Issue durable paper ballot receipts to voters.
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Establish non-partisan board to investigate irregularities.
