When Barack Obama appointed of Clinton-era divisionist Rahm ("effing retards") Emanuel as his chief of staff within days of being elected, some of his strongest supporters cringed. Was the new president's promise of ending "politics as usual" an empty one?
Their fears spread weeks later when Mr. Obama - the still-not-sworn-in, self-described change agent - made Timothy Geithner his Treasury Secretary. Suddenly it was clear: The new boss, to borrow a line from The Who, was the same as the old boss. Just as it's been for the past 30 years.
After his inauguration, things got worse.
From (not) ending the wars, (not) reforming health insurance and (not) expanding workers' right to unionize - to (not) protecting the environment, (not) jailing Wall Street criminals and (not) protecting basic human rights at Guantanamo and elsewhere, Obama confirmed our worst fears: He'd led us down a primrose path, whose destination was reduced opportunity for the masses and ever-increasing riches for the few.
But if every cloud has a silver lining, this one did too: The Obama experience - like the Bush debacle before it - helped hundreds of thousands of voters see through the FOXNews/MSNBC kabuki of two-party politics.
AWAKENING
Even now, thanks to our voices - as individuals and small groups - increasing numbers of voters are waking up, and the time has come to take the next step: We must unite and build a dais from which our message can be heard loud and clear.
We have a golden opportunity to do just that. But we must act.
Right now.
Harvard-trained physician, author, teacher and lifelong activist
Dr. Jill Stein, presidential nominee of the Green Party, is within just a few hundred or few thousand dollars - depending on the state - of qualifying for federal matching funds.
But the deadline is just three days away!
WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE?
Whether you advocate for Peace, People, the Planet, Medicare for All, a Real Social Safety Net, Human Rights or ending Wall Street's grip on power, Stein is one of the few candidates who is right there with you. BUT SHE NEEDS MATCHING FUNDS TO BE FULLY HEARD.
That means residents in least 20 states must donate $5,000 per state to her campaign. So far 11 states have cleared this hurdle. The list below shows where other states stand:
OR $4,698.00
MI 4,592.78
NM 4,160.10
VA 3,699.90
CO 3,633.10
NC 3,498.00
OH 3,450.02
FL 2,873.95
CT 2,507.12
AZ 2,310.50
DC 2,009.55
TN 1,393.00
MO 1,375.00
ME 1205.00
SC 909.12
Can you please help by FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW in the above states? Every dime donated - up to $250 - can help Jill Stein get matching funds!
And what about you?
Will you drop what you're doing right now to strike a blow for real electoral alternatives by making a donation? It doesn't matter whether you belong to the Green Party. What matters is giving dissent a voice.
WHY WE ARE ASKING
As a subscriber to The NPA Update, you well know: We respect your intelligence. We don't load up your inbox with pleas of support or trivial information. We write you only when we have something important to say.
Because the NPA was founded to foster conditions where alternatives to the sold-out corporate parties could take root, we see Jill Stein's candidacy as important indeed. So for each of the next three days, we will mail you - just once per day - with the latest tallies in this effort.
Every vote for candidates who have endorsed the Unified Platform is a straw that will eventually break the duopoly's back. Stein has endorsed it, and that's why we're urging you - our members and supporters - to forward this message widely.
Help Jill trade her megaphone for a bullhorn. When Dr. Stein gets matching funds, all our voices get a little louder. That, in turn, wakes more people up!
Donate to the Stein campaign by clicking here.
And please, forward this email to everyone you know! Thank you.
