🚀 go-pugleaf

This statement by Ralph Nader was faxed to the California State
Convention of the Green Party of California for June 30, 1996 as
he was officially named as the Presidential candidate by 96% of
the delegates present.

               AN INITIATIVE OF  "UNITY AND DIVERSITY"

                            BY RALPH NADER

     Welcome to the most self-reliant political movement in
California. Welcome to a progressive initiative that goes to
the central contention of public politics -- the concentration
of power and wealth in a few hands and what should be done
about what Thomas Jefferson called  "the excesses of the
monied interests."

     Society rots from the top down and it is reconstructed
from the bottom up. The takeover of our political government
at the national and state levels by the corporate powers is
dismantling our democracy, shutting out citizens and citizen
groups from their own government -- executive, legislative
and judicial.

     When democracy is downsized, so too will people's
standard of living be downsized, along with their rights,
remedies, opportunities and ability to make a difference
in this world.

          "BY THE PEOPLE AS A COMMONWEALTH..."

     But the people in this country still have assets that they
own, but unfortunately do not control. I speak of the public
airwaves, the public lands, the huge capital pools that comprise
trillions of dollars in pensions, mutual insurance assets and
other savings.

     We the people own these enormous assets but corporations
control their use and disposition -- from the broadcast industry
to the mining and timber industries. Progressive politics means
that what is legally owned by the people as a commonwealth
must be controlled by them.

     That means, first and foremost, that we must pay close
attention to our civic duties in time, knowledge and
determination. That is what self-reliance and grass roots
mean for progressive politics -- banding together in the various
roles that citizens need to assume for a prosperous political
economy, a benign environment and a just society for all.

     Demanding and achieving justice requires that we demand
from  all of us as citizens more civic time and energy.

     The Greens must show the way here with new definitions
and strategies. Leadership means producing more leaders,
not more followers.

      "UNITY AND DIVERSITY HOLDS TRUE TODAY".

     A political movement means agreeing on core issues of
fundamental democracy and not fracturing on demands for
unanimity about remaining priorities. The old slogan -- unity
and diversity -- holds true today. Together they build energy
that builds democracy -- the best mechanism yet devised for
solving problems with justice in a society where everybody
counts and everybody is respected and everybody is eager to
assume the duties of citizen action writ large and writ small.

     For where there is no community, there is crisis. The
global corporations are on a collision course with American
democracy, with community and with sustainable economies
and the well being of workers and consumers.

     Plutocracy and oligarchy are making our government one
OF the Exxons, BY the General Motors, and FOR the DuPonts.

          "LAUNCH THE GREEN WAVES AND BREEZES..."

     What of the future for the children -- nearly 25 percent of whom
 live in poverty in our country -- and future generations to come?
What will THEY think of our generation if we do not launch the
green waves and breezes of a resurgent democracy across
this land.

     May your decisions, motivations and objectives rise to
the level of expectations held by hardworking California
Greens who wish to forge a united endeavor to take on the
two party duopoly that is demeaning and denigrating to the
promise of our country and the performance of its people.

     From this side of the country, I can assure you that the
message will be communicated in many ways through many
mediums that the time has come for progressives to restore
and advance the great promise of our society and its benign
contributions to the world.

     Forward, Greens. Forward, America!

     Thank you..