Sorry, Mr. Stevenson, but the Green Party is still run by the same corrupt, anti-democracy suspects (Mansky, McCarty, Hart et al.) that it was during the last decade’s Green Wars. Cobb’s safe strategy was a disaster.
I urge Rocky not to take seriously any suggestion that he drop out and endorse Stein. Go, Rocky, Go! Stay Strong and don’t let the Green Party sabotage your efforts.

Do ALL the states where Rocky has qualified as a write-in candidate, and where he is currently seeking qualification as a write-in candidate, both COUNT and TALLY presidential write-in votes in 2012? Is there any threshold that has to be reached before write-ins are counted and tallied? Thanks….keep up the good work!:-)

Richard Batson
Vancouver, WA

I telephoned the voter registrar in Plano, TX and they told me that I would be able to type in my candidates name on a Diebold machine.

@mitch_Clogg They need help right now becoming eligible as a write-in candidate in many states for the election. The map above shows which states they need people to sign the elector(supporter) forms and mail in. Walter Mason has the forms and he can be contacted under the contact section on the website. I’m not part of the campaign, just a volunteer and supporter, but I would add that they need help getting their message out. Talking with your friends and family about their issues would help.

I’m a journalist and a seasoned observer/analyst. I’m also a professional writer. Let me know what I can do.

I mailed in my elector write-in form yesterday. One down. Sincerely California.

I think there is a major problem with the idea that it is productive to have a plethora of candidates all saying essentially the same things but competing against each other to say these things most loudly while squabbling for a small sliver of the national electorate. I, like all people, have my own admittedly subjective views of looking at politics and the best prescriptions for a sustainable democracy. On the national stage I imagine a scenario where there are about six to eight more or less permanent national parties. Although it is a grotesque oversimplification of a broad national political conversation I think the ideological segments present in this country can possibly be described as liberal, conservative, libertarian, communitarian, and pragmatic. The Dems and the GOP each represent subtle, incrementally, distinguishable articulations of a pragmatic agenda. What they do is essentially assume that the ideological squabbles should happen during the primary season, and that the general election candidates will represent essentially two consensus candidates arguing for what might be called “ultimate consensus” where the decision is finally made regarding which arrangement of ideological views best represent the composite interests of the electorate. I am a Green because, among other reasons, I don’t feel that the primary process within the major parties works as a system for airing all of the potential views regarding which issues are most pressing to public concern and how those issues should be addressed. Of the possible ideological segments I designate I think the Greens, Libertarians, Constitution Party, Some kind of united Socialist Party, and perhaps a reinvigorated Reform Party or similar coalition provide adequate opportunity for participation and representation. I’m talking about Presidential elections. I think it’s entirely appropriate and useful for smaller regional parties, parties of interest marginalized segments of society, and parties formed to address more specific issues to be active in elections at state and local levels. But what I call for represents a slight, yet in itself radical, realignment of the national political picture specific to Presidential and Federal politics. We are bickering over LESS THAN 1% of the vote and we can’t even agree on the candidate at this late date. On the national stage the Green Party represents a better possibility for the articulation of a progressive agenda than the independent campaign of Rocky Anderson represents. I am unconvinced that Mr. Anderson is doing this for much more than an ego trip. I’m really sorry. But whatever his reasons he’s not doing very well. The best he can hope for is to splinter a coalition that needs to be united. The Justice Party is a one candidate party. If I’m wrong prove it. If the Justice Party grows in coming years and sees electoral successes and overtakes the Greens in enrollment and ballot access and gains wider exposure as the voice of the progressive movement I’ll consider enrolling. But we are a long, LONG, way off from that. As of right now I think he should withdraw his candidacy from all states with a Green Party presence, endorse the Jill Stein campaign, and agree to work in cooperation with Ms. Stein in the very few states where he has a ballot line that she does not have.

@Steve Welzer Not an implication at all. I don’t feel this is a battle between 3rd parties so much as a battle to get those that want to run on the ballot…and able to debate. We should all be able to listen to various platforms and vote for who we want…not have our choices limited to 2. What ever happened to the Fairness Doctrine? I want to see a fair contest not the shit that is happening now. I feel the Green Party has been trying to do this for 40 years and have not yet been able to make these changes happen so perhaps it is time for new parties to step in and try to help get this done. I think the Green Party has a lot of good basics behind them. I sometimes question their route as one that has started to “lean”. I question any thinking that “doing it the way the Reps and Dems do it” is a way to accomplish anything. I still cling to my ideaology that obtaining fairness is possible while still maintaining solid ethical principals. Perhaps a silly thing to cling to but not one I am willing to give up on.

@William Stevenson & @Steve Welzer

Peter Collins Show interviewing Rocky (Peter reconsidering his plan to vote for Jill Stein)

1:04:07

Peter B. Collins: Thank Rocky Anderson for being generous with your time today.

You’ve made a very strong case, I have to say that I am going to reconsider my plan to vote for Jill Stein because your description of a longer-term movement and a launch of a Justice Party in this country I do think has potential for a broader based movement that would go beyond an individual election cycle. And the issues of justice and constitutional rule are central to my objection to Obama’s presidency and my refusal to be participating in an extension of a second term. So I want to thank you for your thoughtful presentation of these issues.

Rocky: And as I do with regard to any candidates, I always urge people, don’t listen to just what people say during a campaign and look at their speaking points and what somebody has put together as their platform, look at what they’ve done during their lives, where has their passion really been, what have they committed their lives to doing. And if you take a look at my Wikipedia, my biographical sketch on my website, you’ll see that all that we’ve talked about here today is central to what I’ve worked on during my entire adult life.

1:05:31

Peter B. Collins: Rocky, it’s a real pleasure, hope you can sustain yourself through the long campaign here and hope you have some breakthroughs to reach more people and help them understand what you offer, how it can truly change our country.

@Steve Welzer: To me, that is not a good answer. At the time this was happening it was huge and all over everywhere. Everyone was talking about it! My point is that I want a President that lives their life by the principals they establish for themself, no matter what. It is such a natural way of being that as soon as something crosses that line they stop and say WAIT A MINUTE! This is wrong and something we have to do something about right now. Campaigns are always crazy and hectic and too much to do in 24 hours so to me that is no excuse. Did they correct the situation after the fact? Yes, kudos to them but was the correction done due to pressure or principals?

According to aljazeera, Greece at its last election had 32 candidates running for PM. I don’t see why there needs to be a specific number.

The argument that the Justice party is diluting the Green Party is the same as the Green Party is diluting the democratic party. We need an open election not an exclusive club. We need instant runoff voting and legitimate candidates should be allowed to debate and have equal access to our public airwaves. Perhaps in the meantime we should have had Stein for President and Rocky for VP or visa versa.

@Steve Welzer: The person that did challenge the other 3rd parties in Illinois is a major player in the Green Party. My question is:

If Jill Stein has no authority to influence the people in her own party how do you think she is going to be able to run the country?

Seriously?? “America needs more major parties, but frankly not TOO MANY parties.” Really? So, please tell us just how many political parties does this country need? What is the right magical number? Also, please note your sources with regards to making this decision.

@ Nancy Karter: Well I’m sorry to hear that. Nevertheless. I’m not just trolling here. This “Justice Party” is a mistake. It’s an ego trip. It’s not going to lead to a lasting movement. Nobody is paying attention. He needs to work with the Greens. The Green Party is not perfect, but they are the best progressive voice out there now. America needs more major parties, but frankly not TOO MANY parties. Progressives need to really around Jill Stein. This is especially true now that Ralph Nader isn’t running. I’m sorry for soiling Mr. Anderson’s page. But he should start campaigning for Jill Stein. They want very similar things. The only thing he has on her is ballot access in CT and VT. They need to cooperate and coordinate. The Green Party is the best hope for progressive politics in these times. If Rocky Anderson wants clean air, clean water, and healthy food he needs to work with the Greens to help strengthen their platform in these areas and help sell their strength in these areas. Nobody is going to care about his campaign in a few years.

@Ingrid Yiannios & @William Stevenson: Rocky and 3 other candidates filed in Illinois to be on the ballot. The Green Party “challenged” the filings of all 4 candidates and now none of the 4 will be on the ballot.

@ Ingrid Yiannios: That’s bad for this campaign but good for progressive politics. I really and truly think Mr. Anderson is making a mistake by even having this campaign. He’s probably not going to get more than, what, 50,000 or 100,000 votes. Who will ultimately care. I don’t think the Greens got Mr. Anderson knocked from the Illinois ballot. But I think he should quit this and work with the Greens.

How did the Green Party manage to get Rocky’s name removed from the ballot in Illinois?

@ William Stevenson: we only gave up on states when we absolutely had to do it. With scant resources and all the deadlines stacked against us we had to cut back as time ran short. You mentioned Wyoming—that’s a particularly difficult state despite it’s low signature requirement because of low population density and the fact that they have election day voter registration which means low voter registration numbers (people don’t worry about registering to vote because they can do it on election day).

@ Mickey Johnston: “Votes are Counted” means that if you write in “Rocky Anderson” (or Ross C. “Rocky” Anderson) they will count your vote! Some states do not count write-ins.

@ Jeff Altenbach: we need people to be presidential electors. Email me at ballotaccess@voterocky.org if you’d like to help.

@ Martha Moore: North Carolina has some of the most restrictive ballot access laws in the country. To have write-in votes counted we needed 500 signatures on a petition but we missed the deadline. To have been on the ballot would have required 85,000 valid signatures! If you write-in Rocky’s name on the ballot then they will not count it in 2012—it doesn’t matter how you’re registered.

@ G. Bud Budlong: in Arkansas we filed our petition but it was rejected. We are fighting their decision. If we are unsuccessful and Rocky does not appear on the ballot then there will be no way to vote in 2012 for him because write-in votes are not allowed for the office of President in Arkansas.

@ Tom Valens, Tracy Vargo, Christopher Ritter : unfortunately, in Ohio we missed the deadline (it was the end of August) to file for write-in votes to be counted. It looks like there will be no way in Ohio to have a vote for Rocky counted in 2012.