REJECTING THE LESSER EVIL FOR THE GREATER GOOD

With the United States Green Party set to formally declare itself a ecosocialist party, the Green's Jill Stein says that supporters of Bernie Sanders should not pack their bags and grudgingly support Hillary Clinton. She says they should support her presidential campaign - and reject lesser evil politics for the greater good.

WHILE THE CENTRIST New Zealand Green Party still harbours illusions of an 'environmentally friendly' capitalism, the United States Green Party is moving inexorably toward formally declaring itself to be an ecosocialist party, recognising that reforms to an economic system that is destroying the planet is a manifestly inadequate response to the environmental crisis.

Last month the Green Party's central committee voted to approve an amendment to the party's policy platform that would see it endorse and embrace democratic socialism. In part, the amendment reads:

"The Green Party seeks to build an alternative economic system based on ecology and decentralization of power, an alternative that rejects both the capitalist system that maintains private ownership over almost all production as well as the state-socialist system that assumes control over industries without democratic, local decision making. We believe the old models of capitalism (private ownership of production) and state socialism (state ownership of production) are not ecologically sound, socially just, or democratic and that both contain built-in structures that advance injustices...Production is best for people and planet when democratically owned and operated by those who do the work and those most affected by production decisions.”

The proposal to amend the 2016 platform will go to the Green Party National Convention for a final vote. The convention will be held in Houston, Texas, August 4-7, a week after the Democratic Party’s National Convention.

It will be at the National Convention that Jill Stein will be confirmed as the Green Party's presidential candidate, having secured enough delegates to win the nomination.

Jill Stein hopes that supporters of Bernie Sanders will support her if Sanders, as expected, commits himself to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Stein has been campaigning in rallies and appearances across the country that supporters of Sanders should think about voting for her.

She explained to CNN last month that the difference between her and Bernie Sanders was that "He was trying to have a revolutionary campaign in a counter-revolutionary party. I'm basically inside a revolutionary party that supports this agenda."

Stein says that supporters of Bernie Sanders should not pack their bags and settle for a presidential candidate they are clearly unhappy with.