RSS FEED
Scoop: Cindy Sheehan Reveals Plan for New Political Party, Reflects on Race Against Pelosi
Barack Obama, Cindy Sheehan, Class Issues, Corporate Responsibility, Dennis Kucinich, Election reform, Elections, Former Presidents, George W. Bush, Green Party, Impeachment, Iraq War, Labour movements, Media, POTUS, Petitions, Ralph Nader, Robert Wexler, Ron Paul, Trevor Lyman, U.S. Elections, Uncategorized, Unions, activists, authors, debate access, executive powers, health care, independent candidates, peace movement, politics, poverty, third parties, u.s. house of representatives, white house, witers
Cindy Sheehan Reveals Plan for New Political Party, Reflects on Prospects in Race Vs. Pelosi and the Democratic Party Machine in California
NOTE: originally appeared in DigitalJournal.com
scroll to bottom for pt 2 and 4 audio preview segments (or click on THIS, yes ‘THIS’)
Anti War activist and challenger for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Congressional Seat (CD 8, California), Cindy Sheehan has indicated her intention to launch a National political party after the U.S. Election of Nov. 4
Inspired in part by Mark Twain’s involvement in The American Anti Imperialst League (also chaired by Andrew Carnegie and former President Grover Cleveland, fyi) in reaction to the annexation of the Phillippines by the United States in the late 19th Century, Sheehan said that the party will have a progressive platform and that after Nov. 4, “no matter what happens, we need to consolidate the energy against Imperialism and work on building another party movement.”
While discussing a potential third party unity movement, Sheehan indicated that her own candidacy against House Speaker Pelosi has seen a broad coalition of support from Greens, independents, disillusioned Democrats such as herself (Sheehan left the Democratic Party in May of 2007 in response to the Democratic Party led House support for a funding bill to continue Iraq War funding), and Republicans, many of whom made up the traditional base of the GOP represented by Ron Paul.
Sheehan revealed that name of the new party would be The First Party. She reasoned “We don’t want to do third-party politics which has a stigma in the United States” The First Party, with a populist-progressive agenda and platform, will be the first party that “cares about the people, will work for the people, and will actually be a viable party.”
“I have spoken to Green Party Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney and the Nader Campaign” and as disillusionment with the two party system increases,”this is the time to build on that energy.”
Reflecting on her own chances in unseating incumbent Pelosi, she is pragmatic and acknowledges it has been “upward momentum, the only way we could go” but believes the success of the recent $700 billion bailout proposal could turn the tide in her favour. “When we’re out on the streets, we have overwhelming support , especially since this bailout.” Sheehan indicates that she notices that “people have a new rage and a new fire in their belly because of the corporate bailout. People are just so angry”
More importantly, some public opinions of her ability to lead have changed, and could indicate a tipping point for the Sheehan Campaign. She notes that responses have been favourable pointing to an email she recently recieved,”Two weeks ago I thought you should be shot, but now I’m awake, I’m not going to be a slave anymore, and I support what you do.”
Sheehan believes that Members of Congress voting in favour of the bill did so at the peril of their own House seats and they have underestimated the voters.“I was watching the debates on the House floor and the Congress people kept saying ‘my constituents are overwhemlingly against this but I have to do it because it’s for the good of the country’, what a load of crap!”
Interview Audio preview 2 of 4:
More audio will be posted soon.
The candidates facing off against Nancy Pelosi include Cindy Sheehan (Decline to State), Dana Walsh - also running as a Republican independent, former John Kerry campaign worker Shirley Golub (another independent), and Philp Berg (Libertarian). More great political race resources can be found via Politics1 website — a fantastic resource.
just to ponder this link: as the two parties become indistinguishable, should we look at history?
~Sven Eric Balabanoff
for media inquiries and bladebladebla email globalpundit.org
admin @ October 7, 2008
VOTE FOR CINDY!
http://www.cindyforcongress.org
How you can help:
Call 415-621-5027
DONATE!
PHONE BANK!
Get out on the Streets with us!
March 20th, 2003: The day after the war in Iraq was launched; thousands and thousands of Nancy Pelosi’s constituents were in San Francisco’s streets protesting the illegal invasion. That same day on the floor of Congress, Nancy Pelosi condemned the demonstrators, and voted for a resolution declaring “unequivocal support and appreciation of the president … for his firm leadership and decisive action.”
Nancy Pelosi:
• Pushed for the Bail-out of Wall Street! Voted for the war, and has consistently voted for funding the war with no occupation withdrawal timetable, Voted for every Bush administration Pentagon budget request since 2001,
• Refused to deliver and ignored promises made to American Voters in the 2006 mid-term elections to end the war.
• Pushed the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that repealed Glass-Steagall and allowed commercial and investment banks and insurance companies to combine; it opened the door for the worst financial abuses now apparent. Pelosi also owns ½ million dollars in AIG stock, a company she is pushing to be bailed out.
• Supported the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act with President Bush.
• Voted for the 2001 USA Patriot Act.
• Pelosi was briefed by top officials and knew secretly about torture in 2002, and did nothing.
• Pushed the 2006 Homeland Security Department Authorization Act: destroying Posse Comitatus, removing constitutionally sacred provisions of preventing the military’s direct involvement in domestic law enforcement.
• Passed the 2008 FISA Amendments Act - to weaken standards of proof and warrants required for surveillance and grant telecom companies retroactive immunity for warrantless spying post-9/11.
• Pelosi voted against withdrawing from the WTO, and has praised NAFTA.
• Voted and backed similar “free trade” agreements with Australia, Peru, Chile, and Singapore.
• As House Speaker, she declared that efforts to impeach George Bush are “off the table.”
• Voted for offshore oil drilling, San Franciscans do not support this at all.
Let’s put a real candidate on the ballot who will truly represent San Francisco.
Let’s send Nancy Pelosi home, and put a real representative in the House!
Cindy Sheehan
for the 8th District U.S. Congress
(www.cindyforcongress.org)