With the upcoming Presidential elections this year, much of the media has been focused on the top candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties. The people with the most funding get the most attention, leaving little to no room for other candidates or third parties.
Jill Stein, a Green Party candidate for president, believes that in a third party, not just the candidates are locked out, but also the voters. On an interview with CNN, Stein expressed how many voters don’t identify anymore with either Democrats or Republicans.
On her campaign website, Stein’s refreshing grassroots campaigning methods are a relief to the other candidates. She is putting people, peace and the planets needs over profit, her Power to the People Plan claims to create deep system change, moving from the greed and exploitation of corporate capitalism to a human-centered economy.
This almost seems too good to be true: a candidate from a political party not indebted to big business. But many people still insist on voting for a party, not a person. This is the way things have been done in this country for hundreds of years, so why change now?
Over the years, the two-party system less and less reflects the diversity of the American people. Plenty of people on across the political spectrum do not feel comfortable belonging to either of our major parties because of how ideologically extreme the candidates have become.
The Green Party is slowing gaining traction in this election; as of Jan. 1, 2016, the Green Party is already on the ballot in 22 states, and is actively petitioning in eight other states. The goal is to be on the ballot lines in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Green Party is also currently in a lawsuit against the Commission on Presidential Debates to allow its nominees to participate in post-nomination debates.
The Jill Stein campaign has recently qualified for primary season matching funds on Wednesday Jan. 6. Receiving these funds early means that Stein can use this money for general election petitioning, greatly benefiting the Green Party ballot access.
With a growing following and big ideas, Stein hopes to create a Green New Deal structured after the New Deal that got us out of the Great Depression. The goal is to end unemployment and create sustainability by creating 20 million jobs that would green our economy, green our energy, and our food and transportation system. Her system creates a viable solution that not only would revive the economy, but turn the tide and attitude toward climate change.
Americans deserve a party that stands up for individual liberties, a stronger middle class and a more responsible way of interacting with other nations and the environment. Dare to stand with those who have creative solutions to our country's problems! Change is possible if courageous political leaders, like Jill Stein and many others, take steps to break away from the current system to form these original ideas. There is political risk involved, but playing it safe never made history.
