In a political landscape dominated by two large parties, why do I spend a lot of time and energy with a small, minority party?
First and foremost, I believe in a dynamic and sustainable democracy. One that recognizes that we all have shared values, serious worries, unmet needs, and hopes for the future, and that we all need places to express them. So we need a variety of options on the ballot. And we need to work to change our electoral system so that it isn’t a first-across-the-line horse race to appoint a winner who will then tell us all how we are going to follow their dreams.
More urgently important, is that I believe we are in the midst of a multitude of crises which the major parties are not prepared to confront head-on. Greens have the audacity to imagine a better future.
- We must work toward a sustainable relationship with the environment. The Climate Crisis and the serious problem of environmental degradation will cost us. Just as a household or government budget deficit will undoubtedly create problems, we cannot continue to drain the account of our environment without expecting catastrophic results.
- Social health problems such as the housing crisis, homeless crisis, access to healthcare, and the opioid crisis are causing grief and economic loss across our communities. Addressing these issues requires bold thinking such a ending welfare by building a more compassionate and constructive Basic Income Guarantee, creating citizen’s coalitions on healthcare, and changing the dialogue around addiction, supply safety, and mental health.