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DOUGLAS M. MASON
Port Matilda
I'd like to respond to Salena Zito's editorial, "We can elect a third-party candidate, but not the way you think," in the Jan. 24, 2024 edition of The Express. It was an interesting piece, but I think Zito should ask candidates like Jill Stein in person if she really thought she might become president rather than conjecture about it.
The Republican Party was a first-time-running third party when John C. Fremont was the nominee against Democrat James Buchanan and Know Nothing candidate Millard Fillmore in 1856. Would Zito have asked Fremont or Fillmore (who was president from 1850-53) if they ever thought they were going to be sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office? What about Abraham Lincoln in 1860? Does anyone doubt whether Honest Abe seriously wanted the job?
Jill Stein ran a significant campaign for president in 2012 and 2016, and I'd like to add that the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is likely to have her head the ticket again this year.
Unlike one-off independent candidate campaigns, Dr. Stein is helping to build the Green Party as the ongoing alternative we need to win solutions to the life-or-death issues of the climate crisis, growing economic inequality and insecurity, and the proliferation of wars in the context of a new nuclear arms race.
While the Democrats pass so-called climate legislation that still promotes an all-of-the-above energy policy of some renewables but also more fossil fuels and nuclear power, the Republicans simply deny climate change. Stein, on the other hand, is the champion for a Green New Deal for a rapid transition to 100% clean energy and real zero greenhouse gas emissions and for an Economic Bill of Rights to guarantee everyone economic security, including the rights to a living-wage job, an income above poverty, affordable housing, comprehensive health care, lifelong public education and a secure retirement.
Stein calls for deep cuts in military spending and investment of the savings in a global Green New Deal for climate safety and economic security around the world. Stein wants the U.S. to become the world's humanitarian superpower, making peace instead of war and friends instead of enemies by using our wealth to help build ecologically sustainable and equitable economies globally.
The Centre County Green Party has been active for well over a decade. There are registered Greens in every county in the Commonwealth, and many have organized parties. The Progressive Greens of Central Pennsylvania have trained Green activists in Blair, Huntingdon and Mifflin counties, and would be happy to help interested folks in Clinton county.
The Green Party of Pennsylvania will be holding a primary in February to choose from a half-dozen candidates for president. The GPUS will then meet this summer for a nominating convention where states will decide on a nominee for president in the 2024 election. I strongly believe Jill Stein will top the ticket.
The Greens have parties in almost 100 countries and most are signatories to the Global Greens Charter, which lists six guiding principles: ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory democracy, nonviolence, sustainability and respect for diversity.
I know this will be a contentious year and many people will be voting out of fear. I will vote Green out of hope for the future.
Douglas M. Mason is chair of the Centre County Green Party.