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Thursday, July 15, 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
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "The Kerry/Edwards campaign
and the Democratic Party leadership are apparently so afraid of
confronting Bush that they're retreating on many of the most crucial
issues in the 2004 election," said Joe Fortunato, Green congressional
candidate in New Jersey (8th district). "The Democratic
platform draft should dispel illusions that those who care about reversing
Bush policies on global warming or Iraq might find relief in the
Democratic Party."
Greens sharply criticized Democratic candidates John
Kerry and John Edwards and the proposed 2004 Democratic Party platform and
asserted the need for Green participation in the national debate, citing
the following:
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Sen. Kerry has no clear position on strengthening
the Kyoto Accord, restoring U.S. participation in the
agreement, or aggressive national and international steps to stem
catastrophic global climate change, or challenging the domination of
U.S. policy by energy firms like Halliburton. The Democratic
Party's 2004 platform does not mention the Kyoto Accord or higher fuel
efficiency standards for cars.
-
Neither Sen. Kerry nor the Democratic Platform call
for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq; Sen. Kerry proposes to
send 40,000 additional troops to Iraq for a prolonged occupation,
despite Iraq's new 'sovereignty.' Neither Sen. Kerry nor the
Democratic Platform criticizes former Iraqi administrator Bremer's
mandate opening up Iraqi resources and business to up to 100% foreign
ownership, which violates the 1907 Hague Conventions' rules against
pillage by an invading nation.
-
Sen. Kerry, reversing his position, has announced
his support for Israel's security fence in the West Bank, which
was ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice (http://www.johnkerry.com/press..).
During its 2004 national convention in Milwaukee last month, the
Green Party of the United States adopted an expanded platform
statement on the conflict, calling for restoration of rights for
Palestinians and recommending the democratic one-state solution.
The plank also calls the separation barrier "an obstacle to peace
and a unilateral escalation of conflict." Greens, unlike
Bush and Kerry, support the right of return for Palestinians and
withdrawal from the occupied territories, and have called for the
suspension of aid until Israel complies with international law.
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The Democratic Platform says nothing about
overturning or revising the USA Patriot Act or about the
Ashcroft Justice Department's possible plans to expand the act.
332 cities, four states, and the Green Party have condemned the act's
numerous violations of the U.S. Constitution (http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/...).
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The Democratic Platform makes no mention of veterans,
despite the Bush Administration's efforts in 2003 to scale back
veterans' benefits by $25 billion.
Greens have also noted that Kerry and the Democratic
Platform would maintain corporate insurance and HMO domination of the U.S.
health care system, and say nothing about guaranteed living wages or
repeal of Taft-Hartley restrictions on union organizing. Kerry
opposes full legal equality for same-sex marriages; the Democratic
platform would leave the decision up to states and omits the rights of
transgender Americans. For the Green Party position on all of these,
see the party's platform at (http://www.gp.org/platform.html).
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
Cobb/LaMarche 2004
http://www.votecobb.org
The Green Party Platform
http://www.gp.org/platform_index.html
2004 platform amendments
http://greens.org/platforms/us/
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