07/13/12 07/13/12 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] >> from pacifica, this is "democracy now!" we are broadcasting from baltimore where the green party convention is underway. >> our campaign is here to change the breaking point into a tipping point, to begin taking back the promise of our democracy and the peaceful, just, green future we deserve and is within our reach. >> as mitt romney president obama dominate the presidential election news, we will speak with the green party candidate,

dr. jill stein. also, her newly announced running mate, cheri honkala. >> i am thrilled to be running on the ticket for vice- president of the united states of america with jill stein. we will also look at the green party internationally. all of that and more coming up. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. forces loyal to syrian president bashar al-assad are being accused of a new massacre, with more than 150 civilians reportedly killed in the province of hama. the killings reportedly occurred in the village name to tremseh,

with some reports saying up to two other 20 people died. it would be the worst attack inside syria since pro- government forces were accused of killing more than 100 civilians in houla in may. the reported new massacre has boosted calls for the united nations security council to pass a binding measure in syria threatening new sanctions and potential military action under chapter seven of the u.n. charter. speaking during a visit to cambodia, secretary state clinton called on russia to join international pressure on syria. >> the regime is struggling to hold onto large parts of the country, so we to look to the security council and all of its members, including russia, to join us in a serious resolution that gives special envoy kofi annan what he needs. >> more than 100 people were killed on thursday when a gasoline tanker crashed and exploded in nigeria's niger delta. many of the victims lost their

lives as they try to scoop up the tanker's oil as a leak on the ground. an exhaustive independent probe has concluded top officials at penn state university -- including legendary football coach joe paterno -- covered up sexual molestation allegations against an assistant coach 14 years before they finally came to light. the seven-month investigation reveals paterno, school president graham spanier, and other school officials were aware former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky was accused of child molestation as early as 1998, or were only concerned with protecting the school's image. the report concludes that a "culture of reverence for the football program" at the school led to a cover-up that "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade." sandusky was finally arrested last year and found guilty of sexually abusing 10 young boys last month. thursday, the former fbi director said penn state's

leadership had allowed sandusky's abuse to continue. >> our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at penn state. mr. spam commercials, the to cu not andrley failed to report the 1998 investigation or take any other action against mr. sandusky. none of them ever spoke to sandusky about his conduct. in short, nothing was done and sandusky was allowed to continue with impunity. >> the report's findings show paterno, who died earlier this year, made false statements to a grand jury in the public about his knowledge of the allegations against sandusky. in e-mail by the penn state athletic director from 1998 -- three years before paterno said he heard of the allegations --

reads -- the turner reportedly convinced his colleagues that it would be most "human" to do with the matter internally instead of reporting it to the police. a janitor at the school reportedly failed to report witnessing sandusky abuse a young boy in 2000 out of fear he would lose his job. the janitor said -- in response to the report, penn state is facing pressure to remove a statue of paterno displayed prominently on campus. the report is also expected to fill a number of civil lawsuits against the school on behalf of the victims. the former athletic director and the school's former vice president gary schultz still face criminal charges for failing to inform police about sandusky possible use and for lying before a grand jury about their knowledge of it. the banking giant wells fargo

has agreed to pay a settlement of at least $175 million for discriminating against african- american and hispanic borrowers. the justice department says wells fargo routinely carried out misleading leading -- lending practices to minority communities from 2004 through 2009, saddling them with subprime loans and pushing many into foreclosure. all told, wells fargo's practices are said to have led to higher rates for 34,000 african-american and hispanic borrowers in 36 states and the district of columbia solely because of their ethnicity. on thursday, deputy attorney general james cole said the summit would bring relief to wells fargo's victims. >> with today's settlement, the federal government will ensure that african-american and hispanic borrowers who are discriminated against will be entitled compensation anbar wars in communities hit hard by the housing crisis will have the opportunity to access home

ownership. >> an of the settlement terms, wells fargo will pay $125 million in compensation to borrowers and another $50 million in direct down payment aid to parts of the country where rampant discrimination was found. in striking the deal, wells fargo refuse to a bid to any wrongdoing but said it wanted to settle the case to avoid a lengthy dispute. newly disclosed records show republican presidential candidate mitt romney remained at the helm of the private equity firm bain capital three years longer than he's previously disclosed. romney has maintained he left bain capital in 1999 to run the winter olympics in utah. but the boston globe reports romney retained control of bain and earned a salary through 2002. president obama's re-election campaign says the report suggests romney may have lied to the sec about his final years at bain. one day after romney was booed at the naacp national convention in houston, vice-president joe biden received a friendlier

reception thursday when he delivered an address urging support for president obama is re-election. >> he passed the affordable care act, a goal strapped for by president started with teddy roosevelt. it requires them early on to use up almost all of his political capital. he prevailed where no president had done before. he was right. he was right. [applause] he cut $100 billion from the federal debt over the next 10 years, providing access to affordable health care to 30 million americans, 8 million black americans who would never have had insurance. [applause] >> in mexico, the runner-up candidate and trace obrador has filed a legal challenge seeking to void the recent election victory of enrique pena nieto. on thursday, lopez obrador

officially accused peña nieto of violating campaign finance laws and committing electoral fraud. the complaint says peña negative how to manipulate television coverage and work with local officials to buy millions of votes. the online whistle-blower website wikileaks says it is one a significant victory in challenging a financial blockade imposed by major financial firms. mastercard, visa, paypal, bank of america and others have blocked wikileaks donation since it began publishing his government cables in 2010. in a slide into it -- a court has ruled visa, mastercard broke laws in stopping wikileaks payments and ordered the local partner to resume processing donations. the pioneering media activist george stoney has died at the age of 96. his career spanned more than half a century, producing film and television that focused on issues of racial justice, social

responsibility, community, and freedom of speech. in an early advocate of video as a tool for social change, george stoney found a public access programs throughout the united states and canada. in a 2005 interview with "democracy now!" he discussed his legendary career. >> i started in the state of georgia with a little educational program. before long, i found i was making films about people who should be making them themselves. at that time, it was much more complicated. now with the user from the equipment, there is no reason why people should not make their own programs. now we have an outlet with public access. we look at cable as a way of encouraging public action, not just access. social change comes with a combination of use of media and people getting out on the streets, or getting involved.

and we find if people make programs together and put them on the local channel, that gets them involved. >> the late george stoney speaking in 2005. he has died at the age of 96. those are some of the headlines. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are broadcasting from baltimore for the green party convention is underway. as the media covers every move made by republican presidential contender mitt romney and democratic incumbent barack obama, we speak with a presidential candidate who has received far less attention. her name is dr. jill stein and she is the presumptive nominee of the green party ticket, a party that's not included in presidential debates and rarely interviewed on policy issues. on wednesday, in any event at the national press club in washington, d.c., she announced her vice presidential cheri

honkala choice who is a single mother who has firsthand experience with homelessness. in 2011, she ran as a green for sheriff and philadelphia and ending foreclosures and halting evictions. stein applauded her record as an anti-poverty advocate. >> our campaign is here to change that breaking point into a tipping point, to begin taking back the promise of our democracy and the peaceful, just, cream future that we deserve and is within our reach. so with that, i am very honored to introduce by running mate, who is one of the nation's leading anti-poverty advocates. she is the national coordinator for the poor people economic human-rights campaign, which is one of the largest multiracial,

multigenerational movements actually led by the disenfranchised. >> my name is cheri honkala, and i am thrilled to be running on the ticket for vice-president of the united states of america with jill stein. >> that was green party presidential candidate dr. jill stein and her vice-presidential choice cheri honkala, another high profile contender for stein's running mate, actress and comedian roseanne barr, was also running for the nomination of president. jill stein and cheri honkala have three-quarters of the delegates in the current tally, running on a platform called the green new deal that emphasizes economic justice, to a financial regulation, the repeal of citizens united, and a transition to a green economy. this year the green party expects to be on the ballot in at least 45 states and to spend about $1 million on his campaign. stein is the party's first candidate to have independently

qualified for federal matching funds -- a milestone for this 11-year-old alternative party. it could be a major boost for a campaign that does that accept corporate donations. we're joined in baltimore by dr. jill stein and cheri honkala. we welcome you both to "democracy now!" it is good to have you with us. dr. stein, right now the actual nomination has not taken place. we interviewed roseanne barr a while ago, who was running against you for green party president, but if he were elected president, what would you do? >> sterley, a lot needs to be done. as you know so well. the american people are really in crisis facing the loss of our jobs, decent wages, affordable healthcare, losing our homes. with a generation of students who have become indentured servants who could not repay their debt because of high

unemployment. the climate is in serious jeopardy. we need big solutions, not solutions around the margins. we need to end unemployment. we need to put 25 million people back to work with good paying jobs. >> how would you do that? >> through a green new deal, modeled on the new deal that helped it is out of the great depression. instead of using the money that went into the stimulus package, for example, of 2009, some $700 billion -- more than half of that went to basically corporate subsidies and tax breaks, which do not create jobs. instead, if the money or simply used for direct job creation, jobs that are community-based and small businesses and worker cooperatives as well as public services and public works, that is how you can do it. it is not rocket science. we have done it before and it works. the money would be basically

distributed to communities to create the kinds of jobs that they need to become sustainable, not only economically, but also socially and ecologically as well. we're talking about jobs in the green economy, clean up manufacturing, public transportation, clean renewable energy, jobs because of the people to work right now in the places they need it -- jobs that we can put people to work right now in the places they need them. we would have a green energy economy. it basically puts in and to the climate crisis, which we are seeing unfolding. another point, we also create the social jobs our communities need. let's put 300,000 teachers back to work, the nurses, after- school, affordable housing, construction, nurses, violence and drug abuse prevention rehabilitation. it creates a whole spectrum of

jobs. we can jump-start this basically at the cost of the first stimulus package. but instead of creating a small dent in the problem, we can fix it and put an end to unemployment. >> you are dr. jill stein. let's talk about health care. as romney continues to vow to end so-called obamacare, the republican controlled house passed a repeal of the measure but the democrats in the senate said they will not allow to pass their, speaking on the house floor, house majority leader eric cantor and nancy pelosi traded barbs over the law. >> we are trying to in the era of washington controlled healthcare. we believe, as do most of the american people, that is a patient-centered care is our goal. that is where we need to start. we start along the path toward

that goal by repealing obamacare. >> the american people want us to create jobs. that is what we should be using this time on the floor for, not on this useless bill to nowhere that does serious damage to the health and economic well-being of america's families. >> that is nancy pelosi and eric cantor trading barbs on the house floor. dr. jill stein, interestingly, you are from massachusetts, lexington, so even as mitt romney attacks president obama over his healthcare plan, it was very much modeled on romney's health care plan when he was governor of your state of massachusetts. >> and we have had romneycare in effect in massachusetts for five years. there is a track record here. that track record is very problematic. romneycare, obamacare, helped some people and hurt others. it basically pits the very poor

against the near poor. that is not a solution. i think the debate misses the point which is we can solve this problem. there is a track record of success, called medicare. instead is spending on wasteful insurance bureaucracy and paper pushing, we can take that 30% and squeeze it down to 3%. that is what the overhead is in medicare. and use that incredible windfall to expand healthcare and cover everyone. medicare works. people like it we need to improve it, but it works and we have a track record all over the world, really, of just about every developed nation. >> just drop in the over 65? >> right. let's make it from the point of conception on, that we're basically covered from cradle to grave. >> how can u.s. of for that? >> is a money saver.

we know because of that 30% waste, that is part and parcel for are privatized health care system now, 30% of your health care dollar is paying for those elaborate forms you have to fill out every time your engines changes or every time you see a provider. there is a mountain of minutia that goes into the tracking of payments. instead of tracking who is using what and who pays for it, let's just covered as a human right. most other developed nations around the world are using a medicare for all single payer type system providing better care with better outcomes at half the cost of what we're paying. there is a really good solution. it also stabilizes medical inflation, which is the biggest driver of our skyrocketing health-care costs. on that account, economists estimate that moving to a medicare for all system will actually save us trillions of

dollars over the coming decades. so this is not a cost, it is actually a money saver. >> the issue of the supreme court upholding obama's health care law but not on the issue of expansion of medicaid. explain the significance of this. >> that is huge. it is basically -- it destroys what was most valuable in the affordable care act. if you look at massachusetts, what has really benefited people in massachusetts who need health care is the expansion of medicaid, far above anything -- >> what does that mean? >> it means people who are basically at the poverty level or some slight increase over the poverty level, not exactly sure what the cost of is, but if you are poor, you're covered under medicaid. with medicaid expanding to cover millions of people who are not

currently eligible. so romneycare expanded medicaid eligibility. >> what is the supreme court decision? >> basically, it allows states to take it or leave it on the medicaid expansion. so it is expected, there were some 20 something states, the majority of states, who were suing to overturn the affordable care act. so it is expected those states are going to decline expansion of medicaid. >> we will take a break and come back to this discussion. then you can introduce us to your new vice-presidential running mate. again, the official vote of the green party has not taken place yet for the green party candidate, but dr. jill stein is the green party presumptive nominee. she was running against roseanne barr. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are broadcasting from baltimore where the green party

convention is underway. stay with us. ♪ [music break] ♪ [music break]

>> this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are broadcasting from baltimore, maryland, over the green party's national convention is underway. i am joined by dr. jill stein, presumptive presidential nominee for the green party, and the vice presidential nominee cheri honkala, national coordinator of the poor people's economic human-rights campaign. dr. jill stein, talk about the decision he made in choosing cheri honkala. who was on your short list?

>> we had a wonderful short list. i am not sure i am at liberty to disclose who exactly was on end. >> why did you choose cheri honkala? >> she stands out as a leading advocate for poor people, for justice, for the fight against predatory banks, for the fight against mortgage foreclosures, fighting on behalf of children most at risk, fighting for justice and for a fair economy. incredibly inspired human being and mother who was a homeless single mother and began to take over in the buildings, saying there are buildings or homesteader into their and our people like me who are sleeping on the streets, what is wrong with this picture? i am going to go sleep in that empty home. cheri honkala is unstoppable.

i think she exemplifies the fighting spirit that is alive and well across america that we hope to give voice to in this campaign. >> the 'p' or is not talked about by the presumptive candidates, poverty. you're marching at the presidential conventions, marching for people's rights in this country, not been chosen as a vice president to candidate. your feelings today? >> it is very exciting. i think i'm prepared to take on this challenge. i was absolutely shocked when i was chosen, but i think it is a reinstatement of the stein campaign. immense sums to people across the country. i literally received hundreds of letters once the announcement was made but it was not just

from this country, but a round the world. >> was it a hard decision? >> it was the hardest decision i made my life. i have family out there. i have two sons. there used to their mother bringing attention to them in the various different choices i made. i ask my 10-year-old, and he immediately did the happy dance in my living room, so i knew it was a go. >> what do you plan to represent? you ran for sheriff of philadelphia on a platform of no evictions, and no foreclosures. i want to ask about an announcement president obama made in february. bankamerica and four other large banks signed on to a $25 billion mortgage solomon to resolve claims over faulty foreclosures and the mishandling of requests for loan modifications. president obama described it as a landmark settlement. >> under the terms of the

sediment, america's biggest banks, banks that were rescued by taxpayer dollars, will be required to right these wrongs. that means more than just paying a fee. these banks will put billions of dollars toward relief for families across the nation. they will provide refinancing for bar wars that are stuck in high-interest rate mortgages, reduce loans for families who owe more on their homes than they are worth, and it will deliver some measure of justice for families that have already been victims of abuse of practices. >> that was president obama. our headline today, wells fargo has agreed to pay at least $175 million for discriminating against black and latino borrowers. talk about what obama said. >> it sounds good, but in reality, and never happen. the families in america, the 6 million families that have lost

their homes to foreclosure, none of them received any kind of bailout. my sister, herself, was a victim of wells fargo. she has african-american children and now they are homeless. they're living in my mother's living room. they had a home for 20 years. both her and her husband worked around the clock full-time and were victims of predatory lending. the money that was supposed to bail out the american people, a great deal of that was written off. there was no regulation around what they should do with that money. the week before finding out i was chosen as the vice presidential candidates, i spent last week facing the sheriff's department with rhonda lancaster and friends cars broke. frans scarsborough.

she was illegally thrown out by chase bank. rhonda lancaster has had her home taken from her by fannie mae. we were able to stop the foreclosure. >> what other issues are you would take on as the vice- presidential candidate travelling across this country? >> i think the issues i will focus on are the section of the population that is been forgotten about. neither obama or mitt romney have raised any of these issues. when you talk about poverty, they have not talked about the mortgage foreclosure crisis or the school to prison pipeline or the disabled. in philadelphia, there was 125 disabled individuals that lost their jobs. this is at a time when people are losing their jobs all across

the entire country. there is a high chance they will never see employment ever again. that is, until jail and nine are elected, and we take the unemployment centers and turn them into employment centers. >> the co-host of "the young turks" talk show interviewed roseanne barr and asked her why she's making a bid to the presidential nominee. >> the green tea party because i spoke about a consensus between capital and social, which i think is the future and what needs to happen. i feel a represents all of the american people. the truth 99% who know this is a scam. i chose them because of ballot access. i like the values of the green party. they're good, basic. i think everyone who reads them, agrees with them. >> we spent a good deal of time

talking to roseanne barr as well. dr. jill stein, the actual votes, you are running against her for the nomination, is tomorrow here at the green party convention. your main differences? >> with roseanne barr? we have a lot of similar policies and positions. we had a debate in san francisco a couple of months back where it was hard for people define the differences. i think the differences between us really are historic. organizer, a grass-roots, you know, advocate on the whole spectrum of issues. and she has been a spokesperson in her own right, not actually building the networks and during the on the ground advocacy, but -- and doing the on the ground advocacy, but as an actor is an artist, would get more

celebrities to follow in her footsteps would be a good thing. >> in 2004 as george w. bush and john kerry wrapped up their campaigns, "democracy now!" spoke to the late legendary history howard zinn. he explained what he another sign a petition calling for people to vote for kerry in swing states. >> people should vote for kerry in swing states. the reason is this -- i am speaking not for everyone, but i would guess this is their thinking, certainly my thinking. and that is, i tietmeyer nader enormously. he stands high above these other candidates in terms of his morality and contributions of the country, but this election is the wrong place for him to put his great energy and talent. it is a waste of his stature to

put all of his work that he has done into counting the votes in an election, which he cannot win anyway. and the bush administration is so dangerous. >> that was howard zinn talking about why people should vote for john kerry over ralph nader in 2004. dr. jill stein? >> that was then and this is now. let me say i think the last four years have been quite instructive to people, really the last 10 years there have been these campaigns of fear that we need to silence ourselves politically, that we dare not stand up for what we believe and for the solutions we desperately need. and a lot of progressives plotting to that over the last decade, and was all third-party politics really shrink -- and we saw third-party politics shrink

significantly. but now we have 10 years' experience. looking back, people are quite clear -- or should we say this is a big white that moment that political silence has not been ineffective -- has not been an effective way. the attack on civil liberties, the expanding so-called free trade agreements that offshore our jobs and undermine wages here at home, the meltdown of the climate, the map of wall streetmassive wall street bailo. we are saying it is time to replace the politics of fear with the politics of carriage. >> you already debated romney in 2002 for governor in massachusetts? you were green party rainbow candidate? what's that is right. >> how did you end up debating a major party candidate?

as we know, really do have third-party candidates in the presidential debates. >> we managed to get into the insisting. that is a model for our campaign. our lives, our jobs, our economy, our climate is at risk. we need to take our future into our own hands in insist we move forward in this election. previously, which entered into them with that sense of empowerment. alice walker says the biggest red people give up power is not knowing they had it to start with. we know it and a lot of people know it. we're not going to sit back and watch our future continue to unravel the way it has been over the past decade, actually, over the past many decades under both democrats and republicans. we are standing up to say we need politics of, by, and for the people. there are good solutions.

>> cheri honkala, can you talk about the growth of the green party and qualify for matching funds, the significance of this for both of you? >> i think it is incredibly exciting that people across this entire country have been holding house parties and doing whatever they possibly can to raise the money for the matching funds. i definitely think this is historic. we are just really excited to be able to involve the majority of the people that are in this country. where i live in kensington, people did not know anything about the green party. and now all it takes is a major voter education registration drive, which people are doing across this country, it takes about two seconds to switch people from republican or democrat to green. >> i would just add to that, what happened with matching

funds is unprecedented. in our minds, that is another sign we are at the historic moment for the american people have hit the breaking point, and our campaign is how we turn up wrecking. into a tipping point to start to taking back the democracy and the green, just future we deserve and pushing for the solutions. the fact we got to matching funds happened because of a grassroots engagement and a sense of rosa clemente in the last election said the green party is no longer the alternative, but the imperative. i think increasingly, people are realizing that, yes, we do need to do this and can do it. >> that's talk about money and politics. i want ask about the 2010 citizens united ruling that allows corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money in federal elections. let's turn to a clip of harvard law professor lawrence lessig

commenting on citizens united. >> it is not as if on generate 2010 the day before citizens united was decided, democracy was coming along well and broken by the supreme court. democracy was already broken in the united states in 2010. it is broken because the tiniest slice of americans, point to 6%, give or than $200 and a congressional campaign. 0.05% max out. the tiniest slice of the top 1% of america funds elections in america. that reality will always be, whether corporations or persons or not, corrupt the system in washington. the only solution to that problem is not just limiting the ability of corporations or private individuals, but to talk openly and honestly about the need to funds publicly fund elections. >> that was lawrence lessig.

what are you going to do about citizens united? it is a supreme court decision. >> absolutely i agree with the professor that it is not that citizens united made all the difference. we had big problems with money in politics going back for decades, really, forever, but the problem became really serious beginning in the 1970's when the democrats made a decision to adopt the fundraising strategy of the republicans. at that point, he began to see both parties under similar pressure -- you begin to see both parties under similar pressure to adopt similar policies. i think there's a lot the president can do. the president needn't be simply the commander in chief, but then also be the organizer in chief she so chooses to do so. the president could be on prime- time tv and making public service announcements and conducting e-mail information campaigns like a move to -- i'm sorry, like moveon.org that

moved on from the democratic party and had a broader agenda of. there are some new strategies a president could bring into play to help draw public attention to not only the problem, but how with and solve it with a constitutional amendment to make clear that money is not speech and corporations are not people. >> let me turn to cnn for a moment who responded to a viewer who asked -- "why there aren't more serious third party candidates in the and?"states >> america does not have a very broad ideological spectrum read if you look at america's two parties, they're very close together in terms of their ideological differences. both american parties would fit comfortably as center-right parties in europe. the democrats and republicans. you have no real social

democratic party, no real hyper nationalist party. if you look at the kind of political spectrum elsewhere, the u.s. has a narrow perspective. >> your response, cheri honkala? he is talking about how the american parties, democrats and republicans, would fit as center-right parties in europe. >> i think the american people are not happy with the one-party system in this country, and i think they're shown that by not voting. large sections of the population are just sitting out. i think they are sitting out elections because it is like a protest vote. it is not just because they're not interested in what is happening in this country, they just do not see their vote matters. but our campaign gives an opportunity for people to see

themselves, because we represent the 99% and not corporate america. our campaign is not going to be directed by corporate america. >> what are your plans? how are you going to run this presidential race? are you making a concerted effort to get into the debates? who'd you appeal to? where are you traveling? >> the first thing it is really all about participation. that is exciting. when i talk about the hundreds and soon going to turn into the thousands of people going door knocking, you know, there are many ways we can change things in this country and it doesn't just come from money. we can look all around the world and be inspired. history does not just go in a flat line. there are leaks that take place. i think we will see a league with this election.

a >> what is your strategy? what's the name of the game is really to engage in the people who are currently locked out. large constituencies fell they do not have a voice. for example, students. there are about 36 million students and recent graduates servants.cally in dange there is no difference between obama and romney plan, which is essentially to stay the course in this student debt. we're reaching out to students, the unemployed, underemployed, people who need will health care, the medicare for all constituency. >> traveling around the country? >> traveling, but if you look at tunisian and tahrir square, a came out of left field. it did not have the backing of organized media. >> will you be protesting at the republican and democratic conventions? i saw you there last time, cheri honkala?

>> i would not miss it for the world. there is av a romneyille set up in tampa, florida. i hope you will be saved this time and not arrested like the last time reid absolutely. we have a responsibility to raise all the horrible things that are happening. we spoke to some steelworkers yesterday. they are about ready to close down their plant here in baltimore with 2500 workers. if we have to, we will support workers in occupying their plans to hold onto their jobs. >> dr. jill stein, if you have a tossup race, if a swing states like ohio is very close, the comet that someone like howard zinn, how someone should vote for green party, democratic party, or republican party? but i think we need the politics of courage in this day and age.

with a social movement on the ground and independent political party that can articulate the agenda and the solutions that can move us forward. we are in this for the long haul. one of these days we will turn the white house into a green house. that will be a really good thing for the people of this nation and the world. >> what would you do in syria right now? >> for starters, we would uphold the international treaty which is being negotiated right now, which covers, i believe, last n week,avi pillay, the human- rights or better with the united nations made the point that armaments, which are being sold to both sides of this conflict have absolutely blown it up. >> he would be out front on the arms trade treaty? >> we sure would. >> thank you both for joining us. we will look at the green party internationally next. we've been speaking with dr. jill stein, the green party 2012 presumptive presidential nominee.

the vote will take place tomorrow here in baltimore where the convention is underway. we have been also joined a cheri honkala, perhaps the country's leading anti-poverty activist. she herself was homeless for a time, a national credit of the poor people's economic human rights campaign. the vice presidential prevent -- presumptive nominee for the green party. stay with us. ♪ [music break] ♪ [music break]

>> kermit the frog. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we continue our broadcast from baltimore, maryland, where the green party is hosting its 2012 master convention. green party members from around the world have joined people from across the united states and we're joined here by one of them, dr. joachim denkinger, the deputy secretary general of the greens group and european parliament. across a joined by justine mccabe, co-chair the international committee of the

green party of the u.s. dr. joachim denkinger, let's begin with you. the significance of the green party in europe, a much greater presence than it is in the united states. >> yes, that is true. unfortunately, we wanted to be as significant in the u.s. already as in europe, but we have the disadvantage electoral system for small parties. the story of the development of greens in europe, we managed to go into parliament and the step by step into political responsibility. this is different in the u.s. agree that the majority voting system, especially for the -- where you have a majority voting system, especially for the presidential campaign. it is very difficult. before we went in development in germany, it took as a long time. >> how long? >> in 1979, in belgium, germany

in 1980. >> when did you go into parliament? >> it was 1983 in germany, and 1984 and european parliament, which probably know is a parliament which represents 20 of the 27 member states of the european movement -- 15 different member states. >> how many people are their ?verall and >> 27 member states, 28 next year with a correction coming to the european union. -- with croatia coming to the european union. 49 purer greens and 10 others -- >> shades of green. >> not formally a green member

party is the national state. >> what do you push for in the european parliament and what kind of power does the european parliament have any way? >> it is a young parliament and has quite a few legislative powers, in particular environmental issues, financial services issues. protection issues, things that are dear to us. i think we have done a lot to push on european parliament some legislation, which is superseding the national legislation. translating international law. it matters what we can achieve on european level because it will have to be transported. >> what are some of those issues you have pushed? >> for example, energy efficiency. member states are forced to achieve energy efficiency aims

for electric appliances, housing, and so on rid we have co2 limits which apply throughout the european union. >> what about economic issues? >> we have not so many powers because economics we do not have what we call the code decision. we're not people with the council. a >> but in terms of what the green party pushes? >> successful on the financial tax, for example. we have an agreement that 12 member states will go on to introduce a financial transaction tax to work together. we could not introduce it on the european level because the u.k. is still blocking everything on this fight. but we have this commitment from the 12 governments. and the financial services sectors, but a lot of consumer protection issues -- we have a

lot of consumer protection issues. the transport in the financial sector is so the consumer can be sure he has no disadvantages when he does business. >> justine mccabe, the significance of for the green party in this country stands and relation to the rest of the world? >> i think because we are an american, u.s. party, we represent a lot of the war and peace kind of issues -- because our government is so on the floor of that, so our party, for example, really pushes that though it is nonviolence, it is a that you all parties share. the international committee works to relate to the other green parties around the world. we learn from them, that we have shared values, but each cultural context is different. so we particularly will be interested in peace issues, for

example, foreign policy is a particular thing we do for the party. in terms of developing foreign policy. >> why are you here at the green party convention in baltimore, dr. joachim denkinger? >> we just recognize something is moving in the u.s. in the greenfield. i think it was never so interesting to follow the green politics in the u.s.. for example, since a couple of years, i think the green are real a factor. -- effector. in the government election in ward senate elections. for us, this is very important. i think we have to strengthen the transatlantic bridge. more and more, things will be

decided on a global level. >> yesterday the green party convention, "democracy now!" spoke to a two-time green candidate richard leckinger. >> i and the national policy committee convened for the green party in new zealand. i am here attending the green party usa convention in baltimore, and i'm really excited because in new zealand, we're going to strengthen the strength. we had our general election last year and increased our vote by 58%. that is a further increase on 2008. we are really excited there getting more and more membership and strength in the mainstream media is now referring to us as a legitimate party of opposition, and that thrills us to no end. >> justine mccabe, are you looking at new zealand where

they greens are seen as the opposition party? >> well, sure, we are thrilled at their success. again, as joachim denkinger was in, we have the first passed a post system, which makes it very difficult. i think the grassroots organizing is essential. campaign will's augment that, but it is really an uphill battle, it even compared to new zealand. we have this system where you either win or lose. we are heartened by our green colleagues around the world, but as joachim denkinger was saying, because we do not have proportional representation here, it is a very difficult system. but our approach and value of grassroots democracy is the only way to really succeed, eventually. >> joachim denkinger, your words

of wisdom, your advice to u.s. greens and those who are interested but just sort of looking? >> keep on going. stick your values. do not be afraid of power. grass whenever you can get because we want to change the world. we do not want to be right afterwards, we want to change the world now. >> thank you for being with us, justine mccabe and joachim denkinger dr.. that is today's broadcast. democracy now! is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. e-mail your comments to outreach@democracynow.org or mail them to democracy now! p.o. box 693 new york, new york 10013. [captioning made possible by democracy now!]