“People throw away what they could have by insisting on perfection, which they cannot have, and looking for it where they will never find it” – Edith Schaeffer
The following is an assessment of how to approach politics, more so than it is a report on specific policies and voting records. Please look toward the candidates websites for policies and issues, and do a thorough search for their track record. Sometimes a well written article, or thoughtful argument, may persuade a voter, but it is typically through personal investment, experience and research that solid, educated, decisions are made. Instead what I give you is a quick run-down of how I would vote in the upcoming Mayoral Election in San Francisco is I were still a resident and registered voter there:
First Choice – Terry Baum – The Idealist
http://terryjoanbaum.com/issues
Terry, and the Green Party in general, represent a change to the stagnant two-party system (or the one-party system that San Francisco Democrats have managed to install) that has led our civilization down the path of corporate coddling and misguided priorities. It’s more about staying in power than distributing power, and in an evolving society change isn’t a preference, it’s an imperative. Power consolidated is by definition totalitarian, and we should be wise enough to see that the “benevolent dictator” is no more than a clever marketing scheme.
While Baum is a long shot to actually win the election, Instant Run Off Voting allows the voter to show support for fringe candidates with their First Vote while giving their Second (and Third) Vote to a candidate with a realistic chance of winning.
Second Choice - John Avalos – The Pragmatist
http://avalosformayor.org/issues/
A progressive-Democrat, John Avalos is the Second Choice endorsement of the San Francisco Green Party. Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors Avalos worked as an educator, councilor, community organizer, and legislative aide to Supervisor Chris Daly.
John Avalos Rides SF from John Avalos on Vimeo.
Third Choice – Leland Yee – The Outsider
http://www.lelandyee.com/issues/
I think the Guardian put it best, when speaking to Yee’s almost consistent at-odds with the San Francisco establishment, “for all his obvious flaws, at least Leland Yee isn’t part of that particular operation. If there’s a better reason to vote for him, I don’t know what it is.”
http://www.sfbg.com/2011/08/30/real-leland-yee
While progressives nor conservatives may agree 100% with Leland Yee, it’s hard to think of any politician, or any person for that matter, that you or I may agree with 100%. Only Anarchy allows us to be solely represented by someone who agrees with us 100% (ourselves), and if we simply regard Government as a service within society, rather than society itself, we can allow ourselves to be governed by our own principles rather than by leaders and representatives.
Further Endorsements:
http://www.sfgreenparty.org/endorsements
I haven’t had time to go over all the Propositions or other races, as I haven’t lived in the area and have actually been on the road for the last month. I usually side pretty closely with the Green Party despite typically disagreeing on some economic issues. In that vain I’d like to comment on a statement in their explanation of the NO vote for Prop. D;
“…we need to focus on revenues (Municipal Bank, public power, taxes on rich) rather than cuts.”
I think the Green Party deserve an incredible amount of credit for championing the Municipality Bank (“MUNI Bank”) initiative, and Public Power is a policy that I believe helps make Greens so attractive as Local Leaders. I disagree with the push to simply “Tax the Rich,” however is does not keep me up at night. What I would like to challenge however, is the “focus on revenues rather than cuts” philosophy that I feel hurts the Green Party in many cases.
Simply put:
A responsible individual, family, business or government, cannot spend projected profits. They must balance their budget within their actual revenues, and only increase spending when actual gains in revenue are made. When any of these entities find themselves unable to pay their bills, they must make cuts first and work at creating more revenue, but they can’t say, “Well, we’ll just make more money next month so we don’t have to make cuts.”
With that said, cuts in Government spending should come from bureaucracy, corporate welfare, wasteful spending, and the pursuit of policy counterproductive to the public (The War on Drugs for example). Cuts in services (education, health-care, public safety) should come last, just as a family should cut their entertainment, dining-out, second car and even charity contributions before they cut health insurance, school tuition, and electricity.
Related Articles:
Vote Local! Vote Green! A Grassroots Campaign
Make Massachusetts Green! Mark Miller for State Representative: October 18 Special Election
How the Green Party Can Win the Tucson Mayor Race and Prepare for 2012
“Green Party for Congress 2012” and Why the Green Party is the Third Party in American Politics
Further Reading:
We Are Sparta! Approval Voting in America
End the War: Ron Paul for President/Green Party for Congress 2012
2012 Enlightenment Theory: A World of Abundance and Self-Governance
Thumbnail Image: By Franco Folini [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Jack Wagner is the Editor of The Free Independent-Sun. Born in Sonoma, California and currently residing in San Francisco, Jack set up The Free Independent-Sun on July 4th, 2009, after sleeping in and not making his usual trip up north for his hometown festivities. He figured he'd do something revolutionary to make up for it. In the Summer of 2010 Jack registered Seraf Media with the City and County of San Francisco as a Sole-Proprietorship. He is dedicated to articulating the finer points of the Revolution in order to bring about a Global Renaissance and Abundant World Economy. He also isn't afraid to get his hands dirty transplanting succulents. 
