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The Pennsylvania Green Party held it's convention here in Luzerne County and almost nobody noticed. I was unable to attend the festivities because of a death in the family and have to rely on the press coverage. The press coverage was underwhelming and the party website doesn't tell us much more.
The party did nominate Marakay Rogers for Governor, Chrisitna Valente for Lt. Gov. and Wilkes-Barre native and activist Carl Romanelli for U.S. Senator. They also nominated a handful of people for Congress and the State legislature who's names I can't find.
But this post is about Carl. From the CV:
"People in the United States are dissatisfied. They're ready for a change,' Romanelli said during his acceptance speech. He thinks voters are fed up with the current system, and that people are ready for a candidate who has the interests of the voters at heart, not corporations. "We have the responsibility to do better. All we lack is the will to do so," Romanelli said. He is opposed to the Iraq war because he does not want his tax dollars funding a conflict he believes is bankrupting this country and compromising national security.
The PA Green Party website:
Romanelli, a Wilkes-Barre resident and rail industry consultant, will face incumbent Republican Rick Santorum and his Democratic challenger, presumably Bob Casey, Jr., in the November elections. Unlike his opponents, Romanelli favors universal health care, immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, reproductive freedom, and the right to same-sex marriage. Romanelli considers himself "the only candidate with a different platform" and the one alternative to two opponents with almost identical platforms.
My question for the Greens or any other small party is why put so much effort in statewide efforts when you stand a better chance of winning a local race? In Luzerne County we have 3 open seats for the state house and 1 in the state senate. As far as I know there is no Green Party candidate in any of these races. In the last election there was only one candidate for a local office, Mario Fiorucci, who ran for the Mayor of Sugar Notch and lost to a crook. The only Green before that I remember running for a local office was Jim Spak who ran for a seat on the Ashley Council. At least I didn't have to hear his poetry this weekend, I've heard him sing.
8 comments:
You can be certain as curtains that this guy stands a cold snowballs chance in hell at getting ANYTHING out of this. Nice concept, the green party...unfortunatly, they have barely enough backing to have made the election ballot let alone a serious potential shot at anything other than city council.
I agree with you Gort. These guys will impart NO change unless they do it grassroots first. And ultimatly, this party hurts the Dems!
The fact that the Republicans are funding Romanelli's campaign to the tune of $100K should tell you exactly what's going on. Romanelli's no more a Green Party candidate than Joe Lieberman.
"Rail Consultant" ???
I believe anyone with two brain cells can connect those dots.
In fairness to Romanelli, only $55,000 of his total contributions $66,000 came from Republicans as far as can be told.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001247.php
But hey, Carl did cough up a whopping $30.00 contribution of his own.
He's a tool, and what's worse is he knows he is being used as a tool.
And also, he's currently a consultant for a company called "Power Route Distribution" or something close to that.
You can reach him there at (570) 822-6406. And no I'm not outing anyone, that is the number Carl lists for the Green Party of Luzerne County on this affilliate site.
http://www.gpofpa.org/index.php?module=Affiliates&func=main
He must know that 80%+ of his support is from ultra-conservatives and the GOP. Someone should call him up and ask him. I guess he likes Rick Santorum so much that he'll do whatever it takes to get him re-elected!
Please don't give me the sob story about how you can't tell the Dems from the GOP after 8 yrs under Bush. If you think a Gore or Kerry presidency would have looked remotely similar, it's going to be pointless arguing with you.
The most recent post on Carl is here:http://gort42.blogspot.com/2006/07/romanelli-getting-close.html
Ok, It's official. 100% of the $66,000 donations to Carl Romanelli came from Republicans, primarily Santorum supporters. The only other donation was $35 from Romanelli himself. Prior to that, the campaign listed only $17.50 on hand.
See http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001256.php
Wow, these people must think self-identifying Greens are total idiots and would fall for this bull just because they put the "Green Party" lable on it. I guess they think that's enough for Greens to floow blindly, just like Santorum and his drones follow Bus.
Best of luck, arl. My guess is you have just stabbed yourself in the back, inflicting fatal wounds from which you will never recover.
"... why put so much effort in statewide efforts when you stand a better chance of winning a local race? ..."
I agree, the Green Party in the U.S. is poorly run, and doesn't understand how to win hearts and minds in politics. It's the same advise given to anyone who wants to run for office, start with municipalities (like city counsel, school board, etc.), on up through state government, from there to Washington D.C.
There will never be a Green Party President, until there's a Green Party Congressman/woman.
I was a Green Party member, and I voted for Nader in 2000, but until the Greens can act locally, they will continue to be powerless.
I don't care how much of a right Romanelli has to run for Senator, anyone with half a brain knows that he's got a snowball's chance to win, and this is not the environment to make a political statement against the two party strangle-hold on power, especially when it's so obvious that his race is being used as a tool by Santorum (as if Santorum is doing this for the sake of democracy.)
He should bow out, and announce his support for a candidate, and think of running locally, or for the state legislature, next time.
Sean, Join the discussion on my latest post.
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