All posts by Shane Pekny

What if Jill joined the debate stage?

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From Democracy Now!:

With the presidential election just over four weeks away, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off Sunday night at Washington University in St. Louis in what Politico described as “the ugliest debate in American history.” We play excerpts and expand the debate by giving Green Party nominee Jill Stein a chance to respond to the same questions posed to Trump and Clinton. Stein and Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson were excluded from the debate under stringent rules set by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is controlled by the Democratic and Republican parties. We invited both Stein and Johnson to join us on the program; only Stein took us up on the offer.

Watch Jill’s responses or read the transcript.

Educate your friends and neighbors: Vote to retain the repeal of the death penalty

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From the Lincoln Journal Star:

There was a time during early efforts to undo the Legislature’s repeal of capital punishment in 2015 that longtime death penalty opponent Sen. Ernie Chambers was confident.

He said he had no doubt Nebraska voters would uphold the decision of the Legislature to stop executions.

Now, because of the way the ballot referendum will appear to voters, he just doesn’t know.

“It’s so confusing to people,” he said.

He even gets confused trying to explain it to those who call him and ask.

The simplest way to think of it is to focus on what the Legislature did, and then to decide if you want to retain the law senators passed to eliminate the death penalty for first-degree murder and substitute it with a life sentence, or if you want to repeal that bill (LB268), keeping the death sentence intact.

Read the full story.

State Council Meeting Oct. 16 in Omaha

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Please consider attending the Nebraska Green Party’s upcoming State Council Meeting:

  • Sunday, Oct. 16
  • 6:30 to 9 p.m.
  • Caffeine Dreams, 4524 Farnam St., Omaha

For more information and to request an agenda, contact Charles Ostdiek, NGP Co-Chair, at (402) 718-5991.

Scene outside debate: What? Open debates. When? NOW!

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From Democracy Now!:

Hundreds of people protested outside the debate at Hofstra University on Monday to demand the presidential debates be opened up to third-party candidates. At least 24 people were arrested. Green Party presidential nominee Dr. Jill Stein was escorted off campus by Hofstra security and Nassau County police, despite the fact that she was invited on site by MSNBC, ABC, Fox and CBS for interviews. Democracy Now! was there at Hofstra and brings you this exclusive report.

Read the full story.

Two action alerts in support of Jill Stein this weekend

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Phone bank for Jill Stein in Omaha

Join the phonebanking crew for Jill Stein in Omaha:

  • Saturday, September 24, 4 to 6 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 27, 6 to 8 p.m.

Both opportunities will be at the Benson Branch of the Omaha Public Library, 6015 Binney Street. Free pizza provided!

Participate in the first presidential debate

Just because she ain’t invited doesn’t mean she ain’t goin’. Join Jill Stein and Greens from across the country in support of more inclusive debates. The Love Bus from Lincoln is taking Nebraskans to the protest at Monday evening’s presidential debate at Hofstra University in New York. There’s still room. If you’d like to join the group, Contact Jennifer Allen, jallen4 (at) lps.org.

Read more about the plan for protest and civil disobedience at the first debate.

National ballot access update: Americans in 48 states can vote for Jill Stein

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From jill2016.com:

The Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka campaign has been working nationally with state Green Parties and teams of volunteers to give all voters the chance to vote for our campaign and the Green Party in 2016.

September 10 update: Petitioning in all states has ended. Americans in 48 states (including the District of Columbia) are able to cast a vote for Stein/Baraka.

We’re on the ballot in 45 states (including DC) and are qualified for write-in status in another 3 states, for a total of 48 states in which a vote for our campaign will count.

Check out the national ballot access map.

Jill Stein in Omaha: ‘We are Bernie on steroids’

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From the Omaha World-Herald:

Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein sought to embrace Bernie Sanders supporters at a Nebraska campaign stop Wednesday, urging them to side with her over “lesser-evil Democrats” in November.

“We are Bernie Sanders on steroids,” she told a conference room crowd of about 250 people at Metro Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus.

In an 80-minute appearance, the second-time presidential candidate also courted environmentalists and political newcomers who opposed the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline before it was rejected last year.

“This is where you did so much to stop the Keystone pipeline,” Stein told the crowd.

Read the full story.

Death Penalty Panel Sept. 6 in Lincoln

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From Nebraskans For Peace:

Ahead of the upcoming November vote to retain the repeal of the death penalty, Nebraskans for Peace, Retain a Just Nebraska, the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, the National Association of Social Workers, and the League of Women Voters will be hosting a panel discussion on September 6, 2016, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Held at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6300 A Street, the event is free and open to the public.

The discussion will cover in-depth the consequences of the death penalty. The panelists include Senator Colby Coash, from Legislative District 27, who helped garner votes to repeal last year. Christy Hargesheimer, Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator, will join the discussion, as will the former Gage County Attorney, Randall Ritnour. Rounding out the panel is Leslie Seymore, Board Director ACLU; Past Chair, National Black Police Association.

The panel meets the requirements for 1.5 Continuing Education Units for Mental Health for any qualified professional.

Jill Stein is coming to Omaha Sept. 7

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Green Party Presidential Candidate Dr. Jill Stein will visit Omaha Wednesday, September 7. She will speak at the Swanson Conference Center on Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus, located at 5370 North 30th Street. (That’s inside the Institute for Culinary Arts.) Time is 7 to 9 p.m.

Join the Facebook event.

Map of MCC’s Fort Omaha Campus.

Update: Jill Stein will be on Nebraska’s ballot

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A New Choice for Nebraskans: Jill Stein to appear on the state’s November ballot

August 19, 2016

Today leaders of the Nebraska Green Party received official notification from the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office: Jill Stein, the U.S. Green Party’s presidential candidate, will appear on the state’s general election ballot this November.

“Choice is good,” said Steve Larrick, the Nebraska Green Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate in 2008 and for the District 1 U.S. House seat in 2004. “With the Green presidential ticket on the ballot, Nebraskans can now vote for the greater good, not just for the lesser of two evils.”

Dr. Jill Stein and her running mate, Ajamu Baraka, were officially nominated for the Green Party’s ticket at the national convention earlier this month in Houston, Texas. Here in Nebraska, they will be listed as nonpartisan, or “by petition,” a type of ballot access that requires 2,500 signatures from registered voters. Nebraska Greens submitted 7,656 signatures Aug. 1 requesting a ballot line for the candidates.

With the perennial hurdle of ballot access cleared, Greens in Nebraska and elsewhere are now working to reach more voters with their policy ideas, especially in the upcoming presidential debates. Access to the debates is controlled largely by the national Democratic and Republican parties, and third-party candidates are typically barred from participating.

“By being on the presidential ballot in most states,” Larrick said, “the Stein-Baraka team should rightfully be included in all presidential debates. It’s a simple matter of respect for American justice and democracy.”

Dr. Jill Stein is a practicing physician, a community organizer, mother, and environmental-health advocate. She also ran as the Green candidate in 2012, earning more votes than any previous woman candidate for president.

Ajamu Baraka is a human rights activist, organizer, and geopolitical analyst. He was the founding executive director of the U.S. Human Rights Network until 2011. He has served on the boards of various national and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International (USA) and the National Center for Human Rights Education.

Voters can learn more about Dr. Stein and her running mate at www.jill2016.com.

The Nebraska Green Party organizes citizens in support of progressive causes and fights for broader access to the ballot. The party has fielded candidates in several elections since 2000, including the following partisan races:

  • In 2002 Doug Paterson for U.S. House District 2
  • In 2004 Steve Larrick for U.S. House District 1
  • In 2004 Dante Salvatierra for U.S. House District 2
  • In 2004 Roy Guisinger  for U.S. House District 3
  • In 2006 Doug Paterson for Secretary of State
  • In 2008 Steve Larrick for U.S. Senate

Dr. Jill Stein, the U.S. Green Party, and the Nebraska Green Party are committed to 10 Key Values, centered on grassroots democracy, local decision-making, equality, environmental wisdom, and social justice. Voters can read more about the Nebraska Green Party and its values at www.nebraskagreens.org.

Nebraska Green Party Contact Information:

  • Mark Zimmermann, Treasurer, markalanzimmermann at gmail.com
  • Steve Larrick, former candidate for U.S. Senate and House, slarrick1 at msn.com

Read the press release from the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office.

Get the update on Jill Stein’s ballot status nationwide.