The Pros And Cons Of The Green Party

In George Washington’s Farewell Address, he warned against the danger of political parties to American democracy. However, for better or worse, political parties are linkage institutions that dominate our politics and election system. Many Americans define their political identity and views by their membership in a political party-generally Republican or Democrat. These two parties capture the vote of the majority of American voters, however the influence of third parties should not be discounted. The Green Party was founded in 2001 and is based around social justice and environmentalism. The party’s politics are generally further left than the Democrats. In opposition stand the Constitution Party, founded in 1991 and based on a wrightwing

The Constitution Party takes a firm stance in favor of a loose interpretation of the 2nd Amendment and against any kind of gun control. “The Constitution Party upholds the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms. We oppose attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition.” The Libertarian Party takes a very similar standpoint. “We affirm the individual right recognized by the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms...We oppose all laws at any level of government restricting, registering, or monitoring the ownership, manufacture, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.” The Green Party does not currently have gun control as a major issue, but lists support for gun control in the general “Criminal Justice Reform” section of its platform. “Thoughtful, carefully considered gun control such as is contained in the Brady Bill (1993). Eliminate the gun show loophole that permits sale of weapons without background checks. Extend background checks to all private sales of firearms.” Putting principles into action, the Green Party formally endorsed the March for Our Lives, while the Libertarian Party issued a statement of support for the Parkland victims but stressed the importance of “defensive gun use”. The Constitution Party issued a general statement affirming their support of the 2nd Amendment

However, on the issue of benefits for veterans they are in near unanimity. Benefits for veterans iare not a hot button issue, but still one that affects millions of Americans. Both the Green Party and the Constitution Party support benefits for veterans, and the Green Party has a section of their platform dedicated to ideas for expanding benefits. “We vigorously resist the attempt by any government agency to nullify or reduce earned benefits to veterans and their survivors, including but not limited to, compensation, pensions, education, and health care.” The Constitution Party is surprisingly similar, given their otherwise distaste for Social Security and welfare programs. “Our nation has a moral obligation to provide health care services and disability entitlements to its veterans. Soldiers, who are required to carry out our nation's policies, often with great hardship to themselves and their families, deserve our respect, compassion and commitment to adequate compensation and benefits.” One can hypothesize that the Constitution Party support for veterans is based on patriotism, while the Green Party’s is based on a wider belief in active government social programs. In contrast, the Libertarian Party has no strong stance in support of veterans’ benefits. They support the maintenance of a military, and in their statement of principles announce that “People should not be forced to