Montgomery County, MD Green Party Blog

In Toledo, Ohio’s city council elections on September 11, 2007, Green Party candidate outpolled the incumbant Republican candidate in a three way race.  The results in the 6th district were: Democrat Lindsey Webb 1,403; Green David Ball 615; Republican Joe Birmingham 462. Webb and Ball will compete in a runoff on November 6. 

Broder opposes Democracy at the Federal level of U.S. Government.

That’s right, folks: The Washington Post Columnist David S. Broder opposes the principle of one-person-one-vote at the Federal level. If you do not believe me, then check out his column for yourself. It does not make for just interesting reading — it makes for incredible reading. He justifies his opposition to one-person-one-vote at the Federal level (Although, given the way he frames the issue, he almost certainly opposes one-person-one-vote at the state level as well.) on the grounds that the two party system might suffer. It is quite obvious that he is contemptuous of any voter who supports an independent/third-party candidate. This does beg the following question: Is he an elitist? Does he support the interests of the wealthy at the expense of the common people? Before reading this column, I would immediately have dismissed this question from my mind as being ridiculous; but now I can no longer do so. All of his rationalizations come straight out of the elite playbook: Say that you are opposing this in order to protect minorities (while at the same time opposing any allocation of any meaningful resources to assist said minorities that are discriminated against in the popular culture); Say that you are opposing this in order to protect the family farmer (while at the same time supporting corporate farmers at the expense of the small stakeholder); in short, say and do anything in order to maintain your political hegemony in this country — and indeed, throughout the world.

I never before would have argued that Broder is an elitist — but now I wonder.

 A survey by Rasmussen Reports of 15,000 adults shows that the number of people identifying themselves as independents has increased to an all time high of 31.5% in March.  37.2% identified themselves as Democrats while 31.7% identified themselves as Republicans.

The percentage of people identifying themselves as Democrats has changed little in the last few years while the percentage of Republicans has declined.  In November, 2004, 38.8% identified themselves as Democrats, 37.1% identified themselves as Republican, and 24.3% identified themselves as independents.

Independents now make up roughly the same proporition of the electorate as Republicans.  The significance for Greens is that they have been making inroads into the independent vote in recent elections.  In our two best showings in 2006–Illinois and Maine–Green Party candidates for governor ran competative races with the Democrat and Republican candidates among independent voters.

The Rasmussen poll seems to indicate that the electoral ground continues to grow more fertile for Green candidates.

Richard Winger of Ballot Access News has calculated the total number of votes in top of the ballot races nationwide (governor in 36 states and senate in 11 states).

 In total, independents and third party candidates got 5% of the vote–the second highest off year total since 1934. 

The Green Party was the top third party, getting just under a million votes in 24 states or 1.1%.  Libertarians were second with just under 800,000 in 27 states, and the Constitution Party a distant third with 200,000 in 12 states.

The Green Party has emerged as the top third party, with particularly strong showings in Maine and Illinois.  In some major cities such as Baltimore and D.C., the Green Party is close to passing Republicans as the second party.

We are starting to build bases of support around the country.  We need to work to build on the vote we got this year.