Invisible News: Green Party Candidates Arrested Outside of Presidential Debate

On October 16th, 2012 in Hempstead New York, presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein and her running mate Cheri Honkala were arrested outside of the second presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney after trying to gain access to the venue. After trying for about 20 minutes at the front door to gain access, the two candidates were turned away for "lack of credentials" to sit into the debate. Their only intent was to speak with reporters and not disrupt the ongoing debate as it was happening. After being turned away, the both of them both took a seat and draped themselves with the American flag, while a Nassau county officer asked the two candidates to move because they were "blocking traffic." Finally, the encounter leads to their arrest by police where they are taken to the local jail till at least midnight tonight.

Stein and Honkala being arrested outside the 2nd Presidential Debates

The Presidential Debate Committee (PDC) stipulates that in order for any candidate to be a part of the debates, they must hold a 15% standing in national polls prior along with having the perceived ability to win a majority of the electoral college votes. According to a campaign release, the Green Party is expected to be on about 85% of national ballots this election season. So what's the problem? Are the Democrats and Republicans really afraid of a third (or more) voice that they would have to contend with at a debate? And is this a reaction from both major parties who recently have been exposed to popular movements from the Tea Party and the Occupy movement in order to maintain their monopoly in American politics?

 

So we should be asking ourselves, what is the point of these debates when a third voice isn't even allowed to intervene? Are that far down "democracy" that we don't need that voice? I know there's quite a few issues that I don't agree with either party, not to mention a lot of topics that aren't brought up in the slightest at these debates. Where's my voice about the influence of superPACs in elections, my voice about how the US incarcerates more people than any other country in the world? And who decides the values of these national polls and why aren't they disclosed to the public? If you have anything to add please respectfully place a comment.

 

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1: Cirilli, Kevin. "Green Party Ticket Arrested at Debate." Politico, 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82490.html.

 

2: "Green Party Candidates Arrested at Debate." SFGate, 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Green-Party-candidates-arrested-at-debate-3954374.php.

 

3: LongIslandReport. "Jill Stein, Green Party Candidate for President Gets Taken." YouTube. N.p., 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKwwPVO8bNk.

The American Immigrant update

Hi everyone just giving my bi-monthly post up on the blog to give everyone an idea where I'm at and what I'm doing. Below is the inks of page 16 from my graphic novel that I'm working on The American Immigrant. I'm sure I have a few followers here that can guess where I'm going to in this page ;).