While mainstream America seems to concentrate only on the presidential candidates of the two major parties, small, less known groups of politically-minded individuals have been engaged in preparations for the 2008 presidential elections as well. In Colorado, the Libertarian Party is the third largest political party and the Green Party has the fourth largest membership of any party in the state.

The Libertarians, whose motto is “Smaller Government, Lower Taxes, More Freedom,” were formed in Colorado in 1971. The party is scheduled to hold its national convention in Denver over Memorial Day weekend from May 22 to 26. Nearly 1,000 delegates are expected from around the nation to gather at the Adam's Mark Hotel to select their presidential and vice presidential nominees.

The Libertarian Party of Colorado, which held its state convention on March 8 in Fort Collins, is known for running many candidates statewide for various office levels during each election cycle, but does not list any current officeholders on its Web site. The state party currently has announced candidates in three State House races and four county commissioner races.

The Greens, who were organized in 1991, have a platform that stands on four pillars: ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, and nonviolence. While the national convention is set for Chicago on July 10-13, the Green Party of Colorado is scheduled to hold its annual state meeting and candidate nominating convention on Saturday, May 3 at the Littleton Prep Charter School in Littleton.

The Colorado Greens have eight elected officials across the state, including one county commissioner, six town board and city council members, and one school board member. For the 2008 elections, the party has announced three county commissioner candidates, one U.S. Senate candidate and one State House candidate.

Below are interviews with two of these political parties’ national office contenders, who happen to be people of color.

Interview With Former Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Chris Bennett

Tell us about the candidates who are currently vying to become the Libertarian presidential nominee for the 2008 election.

There’s about 16 candidates (all Caucasian) running for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination (as of mid-April). Those who are actively running are George Phillies, Christine Smith, Steve Kubby, Mike Jingozian and Wayne Allyn Root, Mike Gravel, Mary Ruwart and possibly Bob Barr. Right now, our candidates are going to state conventions trying to get support from potential delegates. All the candidates will go to our National Convention. A candidate will have to get a certain amount of signatures from delegates to be included in the debates and will be given speaking time before the delegates vote. The first candidate who gets the majority of the vote wins the nomination. Our vice presidential candidate will be picked in a separate vote and the same rules will apply.

 

Why do Libertarians run a presidential candidate when the two major parties are so strong and always win anyway? Is the party concerned about their candidate taking enough votes to cause a Republican to lose to a Democrat?

The Libertarian Party runs a presidential candidate for many reasons. When we run a presidential candidate our membership seems to increase. Retaining ballot access in some states is tied to how well our presidential ticket does.

Taking away votes from the major party candidate is a fallacy. The major parties do not own anyone’s vote; their votes are earned. I would say that in some elections in the past, especially for U.S. Senate races, we have played the role as a “spoiler” but never have we played that role in a national election. Read more at: www.lp.org/media/article_574.shtml.

 

Briefly, who are you, why are you seeking the vice-presidential candidate nomination, and what are your top issues?

I am a senior at the University of Illinois at Springfield and will be graduating in May with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in economics. I have been married for eight years and have two children. I grew up in Littleton, Colo. and graduated from Heritage High School in 1990. I have been a libertarian activist since 1991, and have worked on numerous of campaigns. I am running for the VP nomination because I strongly believe that our VP nominee should be just as active as our presidential nominee during the campaign. My top issues are to increase awareness of the party, increase membership and bring more diversity into the party. (According to Bennett’s Web site as of April 21, his VP campaign was on hold.)

 

As an African American, do you think there are specific national issues that need to be addressed for people of your ethnicity?

There are two huge issues that need to be addressed within the African-American community.  The “War on Drugs” is crippling our community. We have more African-American men in prison than in college. One of every eight blacks is ineligible to vote because they are labeled as felons. Almost 50 percent of our prison population is Black. An African American will do six to eight times more the jail sentence of his white counterpart for the same crime, and drug sentencing – especially the federal guidelines pertaining to “crack cocaine” and powder cocaine – are racist and elitist.

The economic outlook in Black communities is bleak. Black unemployment is usually two to three times higher than the national average. Many businesses will not hire Blacks with felonies. Without jobs and a legitimate way to support oneself and one’s family, one may turn to crime or welfare to survive.

 

As an African American, what do you like most about the Libertarians?

I like the Libertarians because I feel we have the answers to improve the lives of every American. Restoring our civil liberties, lower taxes, personal responsibility and less government will allow Black communities, individuals and families to flourish. One would be able to save for a real retirement not the Social Security “ponzi-scheme” we have today. By having more financial freedom, you’ll be able to send your kids to the school of YOUR choice. Healthcare would be more affordable because the free market will allow one to choose what kind of healthcare they want at a price lower than what costs today.

 

Why are people of color in such low percentages in the Libertarian party?

It was an African American, Richard Boddie, who ran for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination in 1991 and introduced me to libertarianism. I think what turns many minorities off about the Libertarian Party is that we are viewed as another wing of the Republican Party, and we are NOT! Another perception about libertarians is the fact that we tend to come off as uncompassionate, but really that’s not the case. We feel that the bigger government gets, the more our liberties and freedoms are taken away. Libertarians want to restore your rights and let you decide what seems fit. We have to re-tool our message to minorities for us to compete with the Democrats and Republicans. Hopefully in 2008, I will be able to lead the way for increased minority membership in the LP.  

 

Where can people find more information about the Libertarians and your campaign?

One can learn more information about the Libertarian Party at www.lp.org, and learn more at my Web site/blog at www.chrisbennett2008.blogspot.com.

 

Interview With Green Party Presidential Candidate Kent Mesplay

Tell us about the candidates who are currently vying to become the Green presidential nominee for the 2008 election.

Four candidates are vying to become the Green Party presidential nominee: Jesse Johnson (African American), Kat Swift (Caucasian), Cynthia McKinney (African American), and Kent Mesplay (Native American). The Green Party has had primaries, just like the other parties, in a number of states, including Illinois, California, Arkansas and Massachusetts, and in Washington D.C.  In other states with a strong Green presence but lacking primary voting, the organized green organizations poll the state membership and poll the local chapters (much like caucusing).  The process varies state-to-state.  At a state-party level, delegate selection is currently taking place so that representatives of candidate support will be recognized in attending the national nominating convention. Each candidate represents a constituency, a perspective and a direction for the Green Party.  As of this writing I am ranked second in the delegate count.

 

Why do Greens run a presidential candidate when the two major parties are so strong and always win anyway? Is the party concerned about their candidate taking enough votes to cause a Democrat to lose to a Republican?

Greens run a presidential candidate for many reasons.  To maintain ballot status once it is achieved, it is necessary to demonstrate to each Secretary of State some measure of ongoing support. It can be a challenge to maintain ballot status. Fielding candidates is one way that registered Greens have of “voicing” their support for Green candidates and values.  The Green party relies heavily on “word of mouth” and grassroots organizing, in part because we shun corporate money and sponsorship in order to remain independent.

Traditionally, alternative parties and their candidates bring new ideas, voices and voters to introduce and advance policy.  Due to its platform, the Green Party is a viable alternative to the two main parties.  Today, while green solutions are being recognized as valuable, the Green Party has an opportunity to grow in size and influence.  A good way to do this is to reach out to people who ordinarily don’t vote and to bring their issues as much to the forefront as possible.  Roughly half the people who could register and vote do not bother to do so.  Greens are interested in helping the poor, the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised. 

 

Briefly, who are you, why are you seeking the vice-presidential candidate nomination, and what are your top issues?

I am a scientist, a person raised in a rainforest, and an air quality regulator, working as an inspector for the county of San Diego, ensuring business compliance with local, state and federal air quality standards. Climate change is the single defining issue of our time and it represents a public safety issue of historical proportions. My motto is “sustainability is security.” 

The solutions to climate change include doing what we can to not make the situation worse.  We need to be more efficient and less wasteful so we don’t burn as much carbon-carrying fuel. These are good steps to take anyway since our lives become more secure, our needs are met in a more local manner, and the strong local communities that we develop help us withstand any challenge: from job loss, from terrorism or from weather instability. Greens want meaningful change in how we treat water, food, energy, transportation and medicine, away from being so dependent upon centralized control.

 

As a Native American, do you think there are specific national issues that need to be addressed for people of your ethnicity?

As someone with Blackfoot ancestry, I am concerned with supporting tribal sovereignty and enforcing treaty mandates from the U.S. government to indigenous people.  Also, fishing and hunting treaty rights and other rights which were supposed to remain in perpetuity for Native peoples are periodically besieged.  The U.S. Government is trying to duck its responsibility to pay Indians the royalty payments for natural resources extracted from Indian lands.  Part of the problem is that the treaties were not developed with adequate enforcement and compliance provisions.  No third party represents tribal concerns in a truly unbiased, independent manner.  I would work to change this as president, by encouraging appropriate legislation.

 

As a Native American, what do you like most about the Greens? How is the party specifically addressing issues for people of color?

Greens want those societal benefits and supportive structures that have long been eroded and stripped from tribal communities: more local control, actual self-reliance, less federal influence on our lives, languages other than just English, a real return to recognizing and respecting a sense of place in an otherwise fast-paced, consumption-driven, resource-intensive way of life that, due to peak oil and other challenges, is doomed to failure.  Sustainable living is more secure.  The opportunity for those of us with mixed ancestry, for people like me who respect science and tradition, is to find our own way in a rapidly shifting and highly interactive world.

I grew up with stone-age people in the highlands of eastern Papua New Guinea.  I relate to tribal people both because of my upbringing and because of my Blackfoot heritage.  What I like about the Green Party is that the party has a broad enough basis of key values, allowing and respecting diversity among its membership. The Green Party’s perspectives are by design helpful to people from many walks of life.  Having diverse candidates, such as the current Green Party presidential candidates, helps draw in similar people to the party.  I am pleased that such diversity is evident among the Green Party presidential candidates.

Where can people find more information about the Greens and your campaign?

My URL is www.mesplay.org.  The national party is at www.gp.org.