Green Party of NJ joins Jill Stein's protest at closed presidential debate
The Green Party of New Jersey condemns the decision by the Commission on Presidential Debates to exclude Green Party candidate Jill Stein and other "third-party" candidates from the first debate, to take place on Monday. Democracy requires that we have the diverse range of political perspectives held by the citizens of this country represented on the debate stage. The debates must include candidates, such as Dr. Stein and her running mate Ajamu Baraka, who are not funded and controlled by wealthy corporations and who have the support of diverse working class people across the country.
The Stein/Baraka ticket is on the ballot in 45 states, including New Jersey, and is an official write-in option in 3 additional states. The Green Party already had ballot access in 18 states prior to 2016. Dr. Stein gained ballot access in 27 additional states thanks to the tireless efforts of hundreds of petitioners, who collected nearly 250,000 signatures from registered voters nationwide.
Green Party of New Jersey
http://www.gpnj.org
For Immediate Release:
September 25, 2016
Contact:
Laura Genna, Communications Committee, GPNJ at [email protected]
Julie Saporito-Acuna, Chairperson, GPNJ at [email protected]
Rich Harris , NJ Coordinator for the Jill Stein Campaign at [email protected]
The Stein/Baraka ticket is on the ballot in 45 states, including New Jersey, and is an official write-in option in 3 additional states. The Green Party already had ballot access in 18 states prior to 2016. Dr. Stein gained ballot access in 27 additional states thanks to the tireless efforts of hundreds of petitioners, who collected nearly 250,000 signatures from registered voters nationwide.
Voters have the right to make an informed decision regarding whom to vote for in November. The function of the presidential debates is to provide an opportunity for voters to compare candidates' perspectives and plans to address important issues that affect our everyday lives - including affordable and accessible health care, living wage jobs, quality affordable education, the student debt crisis, climate change, and the oppression faced by marginalized peoples.
The debates should also provide voters an opportunity to compare candidates' foreign policies, the impact each policy will have on our lives and our planet, and the relationship we as a nation will have with the rest of the world. The debates can only serve their function if Dr. Stein and other "third-party" candidates are included.
Therefore, the Green Party of New Jersey demands that Dr. Stein be included in the presidential debates as an equal participant, and supports the protest she will be leading at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY on Monday. GPNJ leadership are helping to organize New Jersey residents' participation in the protest; a number of GPNJ members will be actively protesting.
Anyone who is interested in participating and/or can provide grassroots media coverage of the protest should email Kevin Zeese at [email protected]. More information about the protest is available at http://www.jill2016.com/hofstraprotest/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ahmed El Touny, 2nd Vice-chair, GPNJ at [email protected]
Brian D. Powers, Membership Committee Chairperson, GPNJ at [email protected]
