| Green governor candidate pushes for reform during Ithaca visit |
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| Written by Eric Jones |
| Thursday, 15 July 2010 00:00 |
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By Stacy Shackford of the Ithaca Journal ITHACA -- Progressive voters can no longer rely on Democrats to reform state government, gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins told Green Party members on Thursday. At a gathering at the Tompkins County Workers' Center, the activist from Syracuse compared progressive Democrats to Charlie Brown and the party leadership to Lucy, who repeatedly dangles promises of reform like her famous cartoon football, only to pull it away at the last moment. Like Charlie Brown, it is time for Democrats to learn their lesson, stop falling for the same old tricks and pursue other solutions, Hawkins said. He offered some of his own: progressive tax reform, single-payer health care, proportional representation, an increase in the minimum wage, and a "Green New Deal" that focuses on WPA-style public jobs creation and increased support for cooperatives and municipal utilities. The labor organizer identified employment as a key issue. "If you can't work, the American dream is a nightmare," Hawkins said. For upstate, Hawkins argued single-payer health care could offer property-tax relief. By removing Medicaid expense from county budgets, less money would have to be raised through taxes, he said. Much of the disconnect between areas of New York is due to a battle over resources, Hawkins said, adding that residents have a common interest and enemy: corporate interests that control the state economy, including wealthy individuals with influence, and big banks. "The economy is serving the banks, not the banks serving the economy," Hawkins said. "As governor, I will enact progressive tax reform to make the rich pay their fair share of taxes in order to erase the deficit and fund schools, public jobs programs, and a Green New Deal of public investment in a sustainable green economic recovery." He challenged those who believe a Green vote would be a wasted one. "I think you are wasting your vote if you vote for a Democrat you don't believe in, who might take your vote for granted," he said. "If you vote for the Green Party, even if we don't win, your vote will not be taken for granted. It will send a message and ensure our concerns are added to the agenda." If 55,000 people add their votes, future Green candidates will more easily get on the ballot, he said. |
| Last Updated ( Monday, 19 July 2010 13:36 ) |