[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE McKinney/Clemente & Obama/Biden compared on the justice sytem, human rights, Katrina, election integrity

Thu Aug 28 20:30:22 PDT 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614,
mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org

McKinney/Clemente and Obama/Biden compared on the US justice system, the War
on Drugs, human rights, and fair elections

• The Green Imperative: Ending the Drug War, establishing racial and social
justice, ensuring democracy and election integrity

• Video: Cindy Sheehan endorses Cynthia McKinney for President
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOZlpLmL7wk
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRNA6nnT2OY

• Video: Cynthia McKinney discusses major issues
http://www.youtube.com/user/RunCynthiaRun
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=RunCynthiaRun
Ms. McKinney on the Democratic Party: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpYlQx2MLuw

WASHINGTON, DC -- As the Democratic National Convention continued, Green
Party leaders called attention to sharp differences between the Democratic
ticket and Green nominees Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente.

Greens congratulated Mr. Obama on his historic nomination as the first
African American presidential candidate of an established party in the US.
But Greens noted that the nomination of Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
in July is also historically significant -- the first time a national
political party has chosen two women of color.  Ms. McKinney is African
American and Ms. Clemente is Black Puerto Rican.

"There's a whole list of urgent issues that Cynthia McKinney and Rosa
Clemente are talking about, while Barack Obama and Joe Biden remain silent,"
said Cliff Thornton, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and
co-founder of Efficacy, Inc. (http://www.Efficacy-online.org).  "The
Democrats don't want to discuss the devastation caused by the failed War on
Drugs, or abuses by the police, courts, and Homeland Security authorities.
They won't mention the theft of the 2000 and 2004 elections by the
Republicans or address the mass displacement of poor and African American
people from New Orleans.  For Cynthia and Rosa, these are major issues
affecting the future of our country."

The War on Drugs

• Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
-- oppose the War on Drugs, calling it a war on African American, Latino,
poor, and young people.  They favor legalization of marijuana and medical
treatment for drug use and abuse instead of prosecution.

• Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
-- support the War on Drugs.  Mr. Obama will continue the Andean Counterdrug
Initiative, which has funded US assistance for repressive police and
military forces in seven South American countries (Bolivia, Brazil,
Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela) since 2001.

The Justice System

• Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
-- have spoken out strongly against police and court abuses, including the
Sean Bell case, the Jena Six, and the Mumia Abu Jamal case.
-- oppose privatization of prisons, which has created a new industry
demanding increasing numbers of inmates for corporate profits.  As a result
of the Prison-Industrial Complex, the US incarcerates more citizens than any
other country in the world.
-- call for abolition of the death penalty.

• Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
-- remain silent or have equivocated on many cases of police and court abuses.
-- are silent on the privatization of the prison system.
-- support the death penalty.

Human Rights

• Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
-- would repeal the USA Patriot Act, Secret Evidence Act, and Military
Commissions Act.
-- have spoken out for the rights of survivors of Katrina in 2005.  Ms.
McKinney was directly involved in efforts on behalf of people in New Orleans
and has criticized bipartisan policies that have displaced thousands of poor
and African American residents in the wake of the hurricane
(http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=94).  She joined the Select
Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to
Hurricane Katrina, disobeying Democratic leadership's call for Democrats to
boycott the committee.
-- support full and equal recognition for same-sex marriage.
-- support full reproductive rights.
-- support reparations for the descendents of African American slaves in the US.
-- support statehood for the District of Columbia, with self-determination
and full representation in Congress equal to other states
(http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org).

• Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
-- support the USA Patriot Act (Mr. Obama voted for reauthorization).
-- were not involved in assistance for Gulf Coast residents in Katrina
aftermath.
-- favor limited and unequal recognition for same-sex couples.
-- would allow states to restrict late-term 'partial birth' abortion.
-- do not support reparations for the descendents of slaves.
-- favor the 'DC Vote': a single voting seat in the US House for DC.
Statehood for DC was removed from the Democratic Party's national platform
in 2004.

Democracy and Election Integrity

• Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
-- take no money from corporate contributors.
-- have spoken out against the Republican theft of the 2000 and 2004
elections: see Ms. McKinney's documentary 'American Blackout'
(http://www.americanblackout.com).  Greens led effort to expose Republican
obstruction of African American and young voters and manipulation of votes
in Ohio and New Mexico in 2004 (http://www.iwantmyvote.com).
-- seek public financing of elections, free time on public airwaves for all
candidates, repeal of ballot access laws restricting third party and
independent candidates.
-- support instant runoff voting, proportional representation, and other
reforms to ensure democracy in US elections.

• Barack Obama and Joseph Biden
-- have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate contributors
(http://www.opensecrets.org).
-- have not responded to election irregularities in Ohio in 2004 or to the
Conyers Commission's evidence that the 2004 election may have been stolen.
-- are silent on many needed election reforms.  Democrats and Republicans
have together worked to pass laws limiting third party and independent
participation in elections.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
• Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections

Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 'Power to the People' Campaign for the White
House
http://votetruth08.com/
http://www.runcynthiarun.org

Cynthia McKinney on video
http://www.youtube.com/user/RunCynthiaRun
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=RunCynthiaRun
• Speech in Denver, August 24: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPxgcjOjUEc
• Music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx1NPlQjkqo

2008 Green National Convention, July 10-13 in Chicago, Illinois
http://www.greenparty2008.org

~ END ~