Presidential Debates this Fall, wouldn't it be cool if Jill Stein (Green Party) was on stage

Right now, we are potentially looking at Presidential debates consisting of Hillary, Trump, and Gary Johnson (Libertarian). Johnson is polling in the 10+% range. If he reaches 15%, he qualifies for the debate. So we could have Presidential Debates consisting of candidates who range from center-right to extreme right. Not very appetizing. We have a possible progressive debate attendee in Jill Stein of the Green Party. She is currently polling around 5%. Hillary will assuredly not want a progressive female on stage.

As some people pay little attention to politics, these debates may be their main source of info about the issues in 2016.

There are a lot of people who do not want to vote for Hillary or Trump. Thanks to higher poll numbers and more exposure, those people are drifting to Libertarian Gary Johnson. I wish people would hear and read about Jill Stein. I think Jill would really open up people's eyes if she got a chance to participate in the Presidential Debates. And she would draw attention to issues that other candidates won't.

There is no reason we can't support both Bernie's revolution and Jill Stein.

Jill supports establishing a guaranteed minimum income; supports a Green New Deal to create jobs and combat climate change; supports establishing a Medicare for all single payer healthcare system; supports tuition free education through college; supports breaking up the big banks; supports protecting LGBTQIA people from discrimination; supports ending the role of the US as the world's arms supplier, supports ending the drone attacks......(you can read a lot more at http://www.jill2016.com/plan and http://www.jill2016.com/platform).

The problem is that 1. Jill is polling around 5% and 2. Jill/the Green Party is on the ballot in 20 states + DC. I'm sure the MSM will do their darnedest to keep her out of the debates.

So, I'm hoping people will start to pay attention to her campaign, then, her poll numbers will go up, and then, she will end up in the Debates. If you want to vote Hillary in November, no problem. There's no reason we can't support Bernie and put Jill Stein in the debates and on the ballots.

So, I posted some of these links in a diary a few days ago, but will do so again.

1. you can sign up to receive emails at http://www.jill2016.com/
2. you can help her with getting on state ballots at http://www.jill2016.com/ballot_access
(the deadline for Illinois in June 27th, and she needs donations to help get signatures)
(high-priority states are Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Georgia)

Jill's wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Stein

Update: Here's an interview with Cenk Uygur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MMahrBteE8

[VIDEO:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MMahrBteE8]
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Update2: from the comments (blazinAZ) - it appears that Jill still has a good chance to be on the ballot in AZ
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Greens not out yet in AZ

We're still fighting to get the Green party back on the ballot here in AZ. Don't give up! There is a court precedent that missing such an early deadline should not eliminate a party from being on the November ballot. You can also donate for the court case, if it's needed, and you can help Stein get on the ballot in other states.

Here's a link with more info about the situation in AZ.
http://ballot-access.org/2016/06/17/green-party-presidential-nominee-lik...
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Update3: The threshold to qualify for the debates is 15%.

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mjsmeme's picture

going to the Convention.

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if Bernie were in the debates as the Green Party nominee. Of course it'd be cooler if he were the Dem nominee instead of Artillary but that probably ain't gonna happen because fucking Obama isn't gonna allow Lynch to indict the first female and the first female criminal nominee of a major party and the FBI director is pissing around twiddling his thumbs anyhow and the blowhards Assange and Putin aren't going to release anything worth a shit and all the states Bernie won won't be able to get their shit in court in time to stop this corrupt POS and trump ain't gonna beat her even if he is the nominee because 1. he can't keep his stupid mouth shut and 2. if clinton can steal the election from Bernie she can do it to trump. Screw it. Time for bed...

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ZimInSeattle's picture

Not to mention spot on. Thanks.

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"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - JFK | "The more I see of the moneyed peoples, the more I understand the guillotine." - G. B. Shaw Bernie/Tulsi 2020

hellinahandcart's picture

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importer's picture

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detroitmechworks's picture

Hence the immeasurably more favorable coverage they give to Johnson.

With Stein, it's always prefaced by "Perennial Candidate" or "The Usual Green Party Candidate"

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

paradigmshift's picture

Just imagine Jill next to Hillary on stage. Jill talking about real issues and looking authentic. Hillary doing her same thing and looking unauthentic. Gary Johnson helps Clinton by taking away from Trump, that is another reason for increased media coverage. Jill Stein hurts Clinton.

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

paradigmshift's picture

Jill Stein is the backup plan, but we can't wait until late July to act to help her. I am all for Bernie on stage, but I am planning on Hillary. And that plan would ideally have Jill Stein on stage also. If Bernie is there I suspect Jill will support him.

But ballot access is crucial NOW, and the deadline for ballot access in Illinois in June 27th. Other deadlines are coming up, and it takes time and money to gather signatures. So, look at it this way. We act now to help Jill Stein get on ballots across the country. And root for Bernie at the same time.

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

We need to get the message out to the movement. In how many states are The Greens on the ballot?

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paradigmshift's picture

from http://www.jill2016.com/ballot_access

"....on the ballot in 21 states (including the District of Columbia). But we need your help to get on the ballot in the remaining 30 states listed below. Please click on a state below to become an active petitioner in that state.

Especially high-priority states are Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Georgia.

If you live in a state where we're already on the ballot, you might be allowed to travel to a neighboring state to petition—if the state law allows. Please check in with the specific state's coordinator(s) to find out and to plan.

You can also help by volunteering to make phone calls. For that, please get in touch with one of the coordinators in the states below, keeping in mind these high-priority states: IL, PA, MO, GA....

Wherever you live, you can help by donating to the effort and signing up to volunteer."

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

and which propagandists will be "hosting" the debates?

Oh, how I long for the days when the League of Women Voters hosted the debates. Sigh.

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

paradigmshift's picture

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-debate-schedule/2016-pres...

Monday, September 26, 2016
First presidential debate
Location: Wright State University, Dayton, OH

Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Vice presidential debate
Location: Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Sunday, October 9, 2016
Second presidential debate
Location: Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Third presidential debate
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

Nearlynecessary's picture

How many states is he on the ballot on? And if the answer is more than 21, then why is it so easy for him to declare he's running, get ballot access, and be included, while Jill Stein and the Green Party are struggling to meet deadlines and petition thresholds?

Please excuse my ignorance, but I do wonder if anyone here can answer that for me. Thanks

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Any stained glass afficionados? Please check out my website: www.masterpieceglass.net

paradigmshift's picture

I will try to answer some of this. From some web searches, the Libertarians appear to be on all 50 state ballots. As to the why, in some cases, the Libertarians have been on previous ballots in previous elections and automatically qualify to be on the next ballot (not sure how that works). This is the case for the Green Party in some states also. I suppose the overall reason is money, existing state organizations, and total membership. Maybe someone else can do a better job answering your questions.

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Nearlynecessary's picture

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Any stained glass afficionados? Please check out my website: www.masterpieceglass.net

CaptainPoptart's picture

Up till this point Jill hasn't been on my radar. But I saw some video of her asking Bernie to join her on the Green ticket and was impressed by her presence and her ability to express her positions. Your links helped me fill out a big gap in my knowledge. I'll now go look for more.

Unfortunately I live in AZ and I know the Greens missed the deadline to get on the November ballot. So I can't vote for her or volunteer locally, which would be my preference. Without Bernie on the ballot I can't write him in because AZ doesn't count write-ins, so I don't know what I'm going to do. At least I get to vote against McCain.

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I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance. - e.e.cummings

paradigmshift's picture

CaptainPoptart,

Sounds like you are going to figure it out on your own what you want to do.
That being here are some suggestions for you (or others) who can only volunteer long distance.
a. Donations of course...
b. spread the word through social media
c. there is an "open the debates" petition to help get her into the Presidential Debates (not sure that will accomplish anything, I think higher poll numbers is the key)
d. by looking at: http://www.jill2016.com/volunteer,
you can: 1. be an online activist, 2. make phone calls, and
3. provide certain special skills

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

blazinAZ's picture

We're still fighting to get the Green party back on the ballot here in AZ. Don't give up! There is a court precedent that missing such an early deadline should not eliminate a party from being on the November ballot. You can also donate for the court case, if it's needed, and you can help Stein get on the ballot in other states.

Here's a link with more info about the situation in AZ. http://ballot-access.org/2016/06/17/green-party-presidential-nominee-lik...

blaze

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

riverlover's picture

Dr. Stein is well-spoken, together, speaks truth (to us not-neoliberals) and if put in stage next to that other woman would make TOW look haggard and sound weasely (sorry, AB).

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

paradigmshift's picture

I agree, she is well-spoken and has a good presence. Hillary should be worried about her appearing in the debates.

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

ngant17's picture

as Ralph Nader said in his POTUS run in 2000: "If we can get 5, 10, 15 million people as a counterweight, we can begin to frighten the power elite."

Ross Perot's historic 1992 record was 20 million votes, 19% of voters, as Independent Party candidate. However there are a lot of unknowns in the 2016 political season, but I predict something closer to 10 million for Green this year.

BTW 1992 was the year when the book "Votescam: The Stealing of America" was published, a book which was kept largely off the market in the US. It detailed vote fraud permeating the American political system.

"Virtually all the vote counting equipment is produced and programmed by a few corporations with right-wing ties. There is strong and pervasive forensic evidence that vote counts are being shifted to the right, altering many election outcomes. " from Jonathan Simon's book, http://codered2014.com/

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darkmatter's picture

was not joining the follow-through. It was so traumatic to see what happened in Florida and with the Supreme Court putting its thumb on the scale, that I reverted to the two-party, us-vs.-them mentality. I did not push back on the demonization/blaming of Nader that was obviously the strategy of the neoliberal party elite (i.e. make the Green insurgency a violation of taboo, rather than a learning moment). I sank back into thinking the Democratic party could represent my interests.

What should have happened, I see in retrospect, is a sustained follow-through. I'm done with being a "loyal Democrat." I am only loyal to the values and outcomes I respect. If Bernie is not the nominee, I will be voting Green, and here's the key point: even if the Green party loses, I plan to sustain my opposition to the two party system afterwards, even if they try to make a Nader out of Bernie.

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WheninRome's picture

I met Jill Stein last Friday evening. I was very impressed. It was a small gathering. In fact I had her all to myself for something like 15 minutes at the beginning. Later in the evening, after more people filed in, one guest got contentious, more like combative, with a weird issue and JS handled it like a pro. She didn't get snarly like Hillary does and she has ready answers and speaks frankly on the fly. I have no doubt in a debate she would be very hard to beat. She's already on the ballot in my state.

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She would eviscerate the ego-maniacal hypocritical racist and The Donald.

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Does anyone know the exact rules?

According to my son, the party needs >15% in a poll. The only poll (to our knowledge) with Hill, T, Jill, Johnson & Bernie as Indy had Bernie at 18%! with Jill & Johnson each less than 15%. Does this really mean Bernie has a place on that stage? If so, he wins the presidency.

This is not meant to dilute the effort to strengthen Greens, but I still would prefer Bernie.

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paradigmshift's picture

I need to update the diary. I made a mistake. It is 15% based on the website I checked.

I don't think both Jill and Bernie would run. I suspect it will be one or the other.

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"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."