by frog
The vacancy created by the departure of Rahm Emanuel from Illinois’ 5th District has presented an excellent opportunity to implant progressive rhetoric into the debate surrounding the election process.
The Primary Election season was highlighted by the first contested Green primary for a non-presidential race in Illinois history, as Matt Reichel ran against Deb Gordils, Mark Frederickson and Simon Ribeiro for the privilege of being the Green Party nominee in this high profile election. All four Green candidates were invited to the vast majority of the forums and debates, and made the most of it: in general, they received the most raucous applause and the most visible expression of interest from attendees.
Matt won the primary based largely on his populist Green message:
Let us also draw a clear, thick line between us progressives and Democrat Mike Quigley, the “reformer.” With our country in crisis, we don’t have time for reforming the machine of Chicago politics. We must organize to defeat the Machine.
We can’t afford to compromise on the most pressing issues: the ongoing wars of Empire in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the overspending on bailouts of this nation’s criminal Wall Street class, and the lack of comprehensive universal single payer health care.
To learn more about Matt, watch his YouTube video here.
Well, Matt, I cannot speak for the US Greens or the specific issues that you are running on, but from our windy city of Wellington to yours, we wish you all the success in the world in your battle against the old parties and their entrenched ideologies.
Published in Justice & Democracy by frog on Wed, March 18th, 2009
Tags: Congress, election, illinois, matt reichel, primary
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
Interesting that he draws attention to Pakistan and the need to withdraw troops – is the US strictly fighting there? However if there’s somewhere that needs more attention from politicians, it’s that place!
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The US isn’t officially fighting there, but is unofficially, and if Pakistan collapses as many predict, it will be in with both feet.
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Hopefully?!
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