Archive for Green Party

The Green Party and National Security: An Interview with Alan Augustson

Posted by: Ion | May 29th, 2007 · 11:55 PM

A few weeks back I posted a facile little rebuke aimed at the national security implications of Green Party presidential candidate Alan Augustson’s political platform. Alan responded to this in such a way that I realized I had little idea what the Green Party’s position on security matters was, relative to its environmental policies. Indeed, rarely have I seen anyone even ask Green Party figures questions about this subject.

In continental Europe, Greens are expected to have a broad agenda on all conventional political issues from foreign policy, to funding for the humanities. However in the United States, Greens seem to have been ghettoized into answering questions solely on subjects like global warming or genetically engineered foods. This has the natural effect of marginalizing them into niche political interests within the broader Left. A Left that the media seems quite content to have dominated by the Democratic Party alone.

So, toward a better education in the broader politics of Greens, Alan was kind enough to sit down with us for a short interview on security policy.

From the outset, it should be noted that Alan is a fierce critic of current US security policy and naturally his ideas won’t find much agreement with me, or among postpolitical’s predominantly conservative audience. But I think you’ll agree with me that we managed to ask some fair questions and the interview turned out to be an interesting and instructive exploration of a radically different political perspective.

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Serf’s Up

Posted by: Ion | May 11th, 2007 · 1:15 AM

Green Party presidential candidate Alan Augustson, on his political platform for the 2008 general election:

As your President, I will mobilize American industry and the American people to transition from the “unlimited growth” economy that has brought us to the brink. Together we will reposition our families and our communities to care for themselves, protect themselves and even educate and govern themselves — all at the community level.

Together we will re-tool our industries, using the resources we have left, to produce the simpler, more durable, non-oil-powered tools and machines, and the renewable energy sources that every household and every community will need, and the additional shared power plants that will help us to preserve and share knowledge in the post-oil economy.
(Augustson2008)

How long do you believe it would take for this new Green Luddite, neo-feudal utopia –which would still be sitting atop of the most valuable piece of real estate on the planet– to be attacked and occupied by anyone with a gasoline engine or two?

a) one week b) one day c) one hour d) I’m a Green Party member and thus don’t believe that any of these plans have security implications.

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