Green Party offers viable alternative for students as other parties cause frustration

A recent column in The Daily Orange claimed voting Republican is “the only way to be a rebel on campus.” Let me introduce another way: getting involved in the Green Party!

Why is the Green Party important, and how does it offer a home to “rebels”?  It offers an alternative to the broken two-party system — a very rational, holistic and progressive platform that also includes some traditionally conservative principles like fiscal responsibility and respect for individual freedom.

A lot of people are frustrated with both the Democrats and Republicans. The Republican Party is more extreme than ever and often denies or twists facts on climate change, spending and welfare legislation.  Democrats are moving farther right, hesitant to push hard for comprehensive and holistic change in energy, health care and climate issues. Both have been very hawkish, and both are heavily influenced by corporate interests, money and political action committees.

The Green Party accepts no corporate donations and is truly a grassroots party. This is a financial weakness, but also a great strength because people are at its heart — their creativity, passion and willingness to build a new movement. The Green Party has a clear platform and explicit values: grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, social justice, decentralization and a focus on both economic and environmental sustainability.

It’s exciting to be part of a group that’s passionate about real change and issues that matter: not screwing around in other countries with our big toys and weapons, pursuing a sustainable and meaningful economy and way of life, universal health care and addressing the problems of rising student debt and cost of education.

The Green Party is focused on all of these in addition to a balanced and sustainable budget. Instead of giving tax cuts to the rich and wasting tax revenues, let’s actually put taxes to work by investing in infrastructure, health, education and other areas that truly promote a holistic prosperity and equal access to the American Dream.

Sound good? Get involved in the Campus Greens by contacting the president, Weston Hoy, at [email protected], or by getting in touch with me. Bring your ideas, enthusiasm, questions and even your frustration with the status quo. It can be funneled into something positive yet radical.

Ethan Bodnaruk

Doctorate student in ecological engineering

State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry