Today, September 10, Ron Paul is holding a press conference with four third party and independent candidates – all of whom oppose the war – to reportedly urge support for them rather than for McCain or Obama. The peace vote is being told it has somewhere else to go.
As Bruce Peterson of the Peace and Justice Radio Network said on a discussion list for United for Peace and Justice: “If everyone who called themselves ‘progressive’ or ‘liberal’ voted for a third party candidate, we would actually have a chance at making real change in this country.” More and more anti-war voters are concluding that a vote against the militarism of the two major parties will do more to change U.S. foreign policy than a vote for Obama.
Of course, some peace voters have concluded that they should support Obama. Indeed, this is probably still the majority view but they criticize Obama’s militaristic foreign policy viewpoints and argue that he is better than John McCain. Tom Hayden, the 1960s anti-war activist who went on to become a Democratic state legislator puts forward this view on behalf of Progressive for Obama.
On the Voters for Peace discussion list there was an exchange about the question of peace voters and their role in the election.
Carl Davidson of Progressives for Obama: “Kevin, I scold the Obama team at least once a day. Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don't. They have a lot of forces scolding them from every direction.
“But right now, I'm far more interested in 'scolding,' 'nudging', 'haranguing' or inspiring all the left activists down on the ground, where it counts most, to get off their butts and get to work, if they're not already doing so, defeating McCain. Obama is what he is, and the differences between the two camps, the progressive- center alliance vs. rightwing populism, should be fairly clear to everyone, especially since the GOP's show in St. Paul. If you still can't see it, there's not much more I can say to help you at this point.
“We think globally but act locally. Anyone who thinks they're at all progressive has no business remaining passive and not mobilizing THEIR OWN PERSONAL BASE, whatever the warts with Obama's effort.
“It's not hard. Just register every young antiwar and antiracist new voter you can, at your local high school or community college, keep a list, and get them all to the polls on Election Day.”
Jodda Mitchell responded putting forward the view of some peace activists: “I do a lot of local work to get McKinney elected. I talk to people everywhere I go, and let them know there is an alternative to the two wings of the war party. I let them know that there is a candidate whose voting record should stand as a shining example to all the rest, someone who represents real change, someone with the balls to go after Bushco for war crimes, someone who actually embodies what the people in this country say they want in a candidate. I made copies of McKinney's voting record and platform, and pass those out along with the buttons and bumper stickers I got from her website. No one can accuse me of not working to elect a good candidate.
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