OntheWilderSide

K: Don’t you just love the stark, cold-hearted, aloofness of the corporate media? There are hundreds of articles saying in many mean ways that Cindy Sheehan did not win against Speaker of the House, anti-impeachment, pro-war Democrat Nancy Pelosi. But, none stop to say what the numbers were.

As a first-time candidate, and as an independent, it might be expected for Cindy Sheehan to get no attention and one to five percent. I will try to hunt down the numbers and see what she gets.

With the election over, I am in the “What next?” mood. So…

What next for Nancy Pelosi: The peace movement should shove her out of the way. I heard a very wise lecturer recently say that after this election, if the Democrats win, the next move for anyone who wants to rebuild the Democratic Party in the correct direction should knock Nancy Pelosi out of her seat. This could be a great project for the peace movement and impeachment movement. (By, the way, who would we put up? Who is a Democrat inside the House worth fighting for? Or, at least with for a few weeks?)

What next for Cindy Sheehan: Whatever she wants. I do hope the post-election blues don’t get her. Every candidate wants to…and really has to…believe they will win. That is how they go on. That is how they garner the confidence to get voters. And, myself and others really believed with Cindy. But, what were we thinking? Incumbents rarely lose, and you can’t topple the Speaker of the House in year when there is a sweep in her party.

I can’t wait to see Cindy Sheehan’s next, bold adventure.  I will probably be on board.

Though, I will say, I resisted writing about it before the big election, though I have not enjoyed discussion that Cindy Sheehan might start a new, political party.

The Green Party may not be so big and bold in America right now. But, the Green Party is an international movement. And, truly, the Green Party is an idea that has staying power: Love the earth and all the creatures on the earth, support non-violent change movement.

I know people get frustrated with the Green Party and think they can do better. I know there are people that pooh-pooh our image. There are people who want to put peace first and tire of the tree-hugger stuff. Though, the values of the Green Party are perennial.* And, if you are trying to organize masses of people, in an egalitarian way, to support non-violence and justice, the Green Party is a pretty good focal point. It is kind of like how you make rock candy. All the sugar is there in the water, but you wait as piece by piece the crystals form, and when one crystal starts getting big, the other sugar will start sticking to it. We have a pretty good lump of sugar. And, it would be such a waste to give up, and try to force something to happen on the other side of the pot.

I am very eager to see if the fact that the Green Party’s presidential race number were on the low side, and the Libertarian and Nader numbers were on the high side means people bail on the Green Party. It may seem strange, but I think that some of the Nader success belongs to the Green Party. While I am someone who gave Nader pretty much the cold shoulder this time around, the Nader organization used old relationships with Greens and the Green synergy to get the work done. And, when Nader is ever finished with us, I think we will get some Green Party members back for good.

Though, with new groups forming, it might not be a Nader entity that forms. It might not be a Nader shism with the Greens. In thinking about the lay of the land, I am thinking that it could be a Constitutional rights-centered party evolves, now. Maybe Nader, and Libertarian, and Ron Paul people find a consensus around the Constitution and/or the Federal reserve. If that kind of a new third party forms, I think it would take only a small fraction of Nader-Greens from the Green Party.

Another forming faction to watch is the authentically left, left. There are “Peace and Freedom” people–the small feminist/socialist party from California who supported Nader this year and were trying to go a bit more national–and some other non-violence socialist groups who I could see making the big decision: Join with the Green Party, or compete with the Green Party.

I think I will write a post now or later today on what happens next to small parties…I should really sleep first.

*Cynthia McKinney taught me to put the word values out there, though, we have always had our “Ten Key Values.

Filed under: Election 2008, Green Party Websites, Green Presidential Campaign 2008, News, progressive politics, US Politics Tagged: | Cindy Sheehan, Constitution, cynthia mckinney, libertarian, nancy pelosi, Peace and Freedom, Ralph Nader, socialism, socialist, Speaker of the House, The Left