There are few times when a small group of people can truly make a difference within the political process. Particularly if those people have little leverage in the process as it stands.
Nowhere is this more obvious than in those who identify themselves as "Greens."
I've been thinking about this over the past few months and the problems have only seemed to compound.
If, as democrats, or liberals, progressives, or however you may wish to label yourself, you have felt the dilemna at the polls between the democrat and green parties, I believe I have an answer.
My solution below...
The problem we face is that the Green Party is tugging on the Democratic Party when they should be pushing the Republicans. What we see is that the D's are forced either to go further to the left or risk losing support to the G's and thus loose to the R's.
What we need, and I believe most Greens would agree, is to have is the R's hurting when they face the G's not the D's. Thus, my solution.
Rather than face the Greens as a party in the General Elections, the G's should run against R's in the primaries. Take the banner of localism, decentralization, anti-globalism/protectionism, etc. to the Republicans by labeling yourself a Republican.
What does this do? First, it gives Greens a real say in the democratic process. Instead of cutting the legs out from the closest ally to the party, GP arguments can be heard when it will really matter. Second, of the people who vote Green, most are very active. Particularly in the primary contests. An active GP base going against the current RP base gives the GP a much better chance of being heard and of getting into positions of power because the GP general vote is fairly similar to the GP primary vote unlike the RP. Third, if the candidate doesn't survive the primary it gives those same people the chance to vote pragmatically during the general election.
That's my solution, what do you all think?