Greens hail President Obama's historic moment, but suggest California Democrats are guilty of the very political transgressions that the President says should end
GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO (January 20, 2009) – The Green Party of California today hailed the inauguration of the nation's first African-American President, President Barack Obama, and suggested that much of what Pres. Obama said in his inaugural speech should put his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature here on notice.
"When the President called for an 'end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas that...strangle(d) our politics,' he seemed to be speaking directly to California Democratic leaders who have failed the people repeatedly by not following through on their promises," said Alex Walker, a candidate in the 26th State Senate special election to replace Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas in the Los Angeles District.
"My wife Cathy and I watched the festivities at the Los Angeles Federation of Labor's inaugural breakfast in Burbank. The diverse crowd of union members, students and community organizers were full of hope for new politics for a new day in America. We were all very moved and some wept when Brother Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office," he said.
Greens, Walker added, hope the state Democratic Party - which controls both the Senate and Assembly - will heed Obama's call for laying "a new foundation for growth...harness the sun and winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories."
"This should be a reminder to those in the Democratic Party here not to pander to the oil companies, and begin moving legislation, which they have failed to do until now, that truly exploits alternative energy and quits subsidizing 'old' energy like oil," said Walker.
Finally, Walker criticized the "eternal hatred between Californians of different races and religions" which is the norm in the state and the currency of Republicans and Democrats." Walker applauded Obama's statement that "our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness."
"I am in total agreement with our new President on one more issue - that this is a time for new politics. Republicans and Democrats in California are dysfunctional. We all can see that. The time is past to allow these parties to run the state. They have made it all but ungovernable," said Walker, a computer programmer and peace and civil rights activist in Los Angeles.
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Contacts:
Susan King, Spokesperson, 415.823.5524,
Daniel Brezenoff, Spokesperson, 310.422.2211,
Cres Vellucci, Press Secretary, 916.996.9170,
The Green Party of California
PO Box 2828
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
Web: http://www.cagreens.org
EMail: