Jill Stein is the Green Party’s 2012 nominee for President. Dr Stein is an alumna of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and currently resides in Lexington, Massachusetts. She ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and 2010.
Ron Paul recently called the economic sanctions against Iran an “Act of War.” Would you agree with his description?
We define cyber attacks as an act of war so by our own definition we have engaged in unilateral warfare with Iran. That approach has been extremely unhelpful and we are not using diplomacy. If there are real threats to U.S. security then sanctions are warranted but I don't see that Iran is threatening U.S. security right now. The issue of Iran is that it has the potential to build nuclear weapons, it does not have nuclear weapons right now. There are already illegal nuclear weapons in the region in Israel and Pakistan. We need a comprehensive and evenhanded policy. There are drastic violations of human rights right now amongst both our friends and our enemies. Creating a nuclear free Middle East is the only way we are going to stop the development of nuclear weapons.
The Green Party platform states that the U.S. must handle disputes with foreign countries through the United Nations. If a humanitarian crisis erupts and the U.N. fails to pass a resolution would you consider bypassing the U.N. and staging an intervention without the assistance of other countries?
I think the priority is that we do not bypass the American people who have been routinely bypassed in most of the interventions in recent decades including Iraq and Libya. This is being done without the explicit permission from Congress and is a critical check and balance that has gotten lost in the shuffle and is a violation of the U.S. Constitution and the war powers act. It is very dangerous when politicians declare war and exhaust economic resources and spill the blood of Americans and civilians overseas. Most of the conflicts of the last decade would not have happened had there been a national conversation and discussion about what the true risks and benefits of our national security were.
If elected president would you eliminate federal farm subsidies?
Our food system should be treated for what it is and not as a tool for agribusiness and market share. Our current subsidies drive the food system towards a very unhealthy industrialized FrankenFood type system. Those subsidies need to be redirected to support small farmers and to support community farms and the institutions that can provide real food in a way that is sustainable for the long haul. That means localized food systems rather than this globalized industrial factory system which is extremely unhealthy for the economy, farmers and for people who eat the food. The planet is being poisoned by the pesticides and the greenhouse gases that are being produced by the current system.
Are you in favor of legalizing all drugs or just marijuana?
We would do something revolutionary. We would actually use science to determine which drugs are dangerous and which ones are not. That means right off the bat marijuana and hemp are removed from the list of dangerous substances because these are not dangerous substances in relative to other unregulated substances including nicotine and alcohol. We would start with the legalization of marijuana and transform the drug system from a criminal system to a public health system. If people have issues of dependency which would apply to legal drugs as well as illegal drugs including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and heavier drugs they need to be treated within the public health system. These are psychological problems not criminal problems. If you don't treat the problem it only aggravates it and compounds it with issues of public safety and criminal violence that are associated with the illegal drug culture.
You have stated your support of the Obama administration’s mandate that insurance companies provide birth control to women free of charge. Would you exempt religious organizations from this mandate?
Religion and healthcare have nothing to do with each other. It should not be the prerogative of an employer to exercise his personal beliefs in determining the healthcare of his employees. Healthcare is a human right and we need to provide it through medicare for all. It needs to be a system that does away with this divide and conquer mentality that pits the religious community against the health of employees. It doesn't make any sense. We have a right to healthcare and there is a way to make it affordable.
In your opinion, was the Obama administration’s 2009 stimulus plan too large or too small?
It was misdirected. It was mostly tax breaks for the wealthy. It made a slight dent in the crisis but it didn't fix it. We would pass a real stimulus package called the Green New Deal. Instead of passing tax breaks for corporations, which is what the 2009 stimulus package did, we would create jobs directly. It will put everyone back to work and will also green the economy which would green our energy and food supply and provide public transportation. It will be the same size as the 2009 stimulus but instead of tax breaks for corporations it would create jobs.
You’ve stated that you would apply a tiny tax to every Wall Street transaction of .03%. Would you tax capital gains as an ordinary income tax and overturn the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005?
We think that fairness is the name of the game which is what we do not have in our tax system. There is no reason why the very wealthy should be paying half as much on their earnings as low income working people. Lets just call capital gains what it is and tax it accordingly
Is your campaign making an effort to spoil this election for Obama and gain national attention for the Green Party by siphoning votes from him in Ohio and Florida?
We think that no state is safe. Under both Republicans and Democrats. We have been accelerating in the wrong direction. Wall Street now runs the show. Obama has expanded our wars and the Wall Street meltdowns have been magnified. We need to change the lethal directory we are on. Being quiet and going into the voting booth and voting for either Wall Street sponsored candidate gives them a mandate for four more years of raking us over the coals. The only real vote is to stand up and vote your values and support our campaign.
How do you side with Jill Stein? Find out by taking our presidential election quiz. Also, see our issues breakdown of Jill Stein vs Barack Obama.
I think this party will hurt both party and will give the election back to obama witch we do not need another 4 yr of his polices or him he got to got he is destroy this country.
Willie R Nugent
You don't have a brother named "Ted", do you?
NoInfo ToShare
NO T DON T --I AM NO KIN TO HIM NO I DONT I AM NOT KIN TO HIM
Willie R Nugent
KIN ???
K.t. Hanrahan
Ted could prob be his grand father
K.t. Hanrahan
This is a very smart lady and she has some GREAT ideas. I really mean it when I say that we need more women holding political office!
Royce N Young
I agree, never heard of her until today, and now upon reading about her I like her thought process.
Marvin L Eason
I agree with your premise but disagree with your conclusion, I would say: "This is a very smart lady and she has some GREAT ideas. I really mean it when I say that we need more _smart people_ holding political office!"
Jan Christian Refsgaard
Alright, I'll admit I like her view on taxation and health care being a separate issue than belief (if I worked for Christian Scientist, could they only provide prayer as health coverage?). Not sure I feel her on international policy.
Joseph Hart
She gave mostly vague answers to some of these questions, but I do agree with her on the issue of the stimulus being misdirected and legal and illegal drug dependency being treated as a public health issue, instead of a criminal one. She offered no specifics on what this "Green New Deal" would entail and also dodged the question of action outside of the UN and failed to articulate what she would do different with Iran; direct diplomacy was already tried and failed, and the sanctions are actually a product of great diplomacy in concert with our allies to strike at the Iranian economy.
Samuel L. Neff
I believe she was attempting more to be concise for the sake of the interview rather than vague. She lays out a very detailed "Green New Deal" platform on her website, which can be found here if you're interested: http://www.jillstein.org/summary_green_new_deal
Emily Whitmore
It is great to see there is an alternative to voting for a person not affiliated with athe Democrats or Republicans.
Sue Sankel Ryan
Her response to the HSS mandate question "Religion and healthcare have nothing to do with each other.... It doesn't make any sense" is very shallow and ignores the real issue, which is the government's definition of "religious employer," so narrowly construted that Catholic hospitals, colleges, and universities are not considered "religious employers" and thus not exempt.
Adam Rasmussen
And for that matter, individual Catholic employers are not exempt, either. A businessman should not have to buy strychnine for his employees, or a quietus for that matter, if his conscience rebels, even if his business isn't "officially Catholic."
Ryan Haber
I'm pretty sure strychnine is not part of her health care policy.
Lucas Kuzma
@Lucas Kuzma: Not the point. The point is that it is bad for people - not health care. Catholics have a deeply held belief that the same applies to contraception. Moreover and at a deeper point, we Americans believe in a limited government: live and let live, right? How am I possibly hurting someone by *not* buying them contraception, even if contraception is a good thing? If that's true, then right now I am hurting you, Lucas, limiting you, by not buying you a house or jelly beams or cabbage. Those are good things. Should the government be allowed to force me to buy them for you? Is that the kind of country you want to live in?
Ryan Haber
I feel ya, but if employers are required to provide healthcare (which is where it looks like were going legally), science and medicine should prove what works best, not the clergy. Should a Muslim-Based hospital (if they exist) be allowed to deny a woman healthcare because she is menstruating and "unclean"? To base our healthcare policy on religious texts, (written before these medicines and social problems existed) just seems silly. I agree, we shouldn't have to pay the feds for anything we don't agree with, but it's a bit late for that. I pay for policies I despise daily. Science should always supersede superstition.
Lucas Kuzma
I don't have a problem with the government forcing businesses to provide certain healthcare benefits. The government has the duty to protect the people, and healthcare is important for our flourishing. I just have a problem with the fact that the administration created a religious exemption and then said that Catholics hospitals and universities don't qualify! I think it's patently obvious that they are religious, and for the gov't to say otherwise is encroaching on the 1st Amendment.
Adam Rasmussen
Contraception is used for a lot of other female issues besides preventing babies. I take it as a form of hormone replacement therapy after going through premature menopause--which puts me at much greater risk of heart disease. And that's a lot more expensive to treat.
Debbie Valenta
W T F
K.t. Hanrahan
I really like how she sees many of the problems, however, her way of fixing it is with more and more government. Some of you might like this route, but I for one like being able to make my own choices and realize that more government is what we have been getting these past few decades. If you're looking for less government intervention, as well as steady voting records for more than a decade, check out Ron Paul or the Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson. Those are the 2 best candidates for this country IMO.
Ben Iwen
Ron Paul and Libertarians would never address the issue that less government means more power for multi-national corporations who have no allegiance to anyone but themselves. The Libertarian Party nominated a Koch Brother in the 80's. You think that was because they believe in a Utopian Free-Market approach? hell no. They just believe in more power for themselves and screw the check and balance that is the government when paired up against the free-market. The corporations have been running the show, not the government. Sure, the government has caved in to corporation's demands, but who are we going to trust. Ralph Nader or Ron Paul?
Chicano Hipster Alvarez
Also, as for who I would trust more? Look at Ron Paul's voting record for the past, oh I don't know, 30 or so years. The man stuck up for what he believed was true way before anyone took notice. Gary Johnson also has a good voting record. So to truly answer your question, I would trust all 3 of them.
Ben Iwen
Edy Vote Green Alvarez Because the government created corporations.
Afi Keita James
The Koch brothers have funded some hard right think tanks and politicians. They are not helping the Libertarian Party. If they were, they would have raised a lot more money. And they have never been on its national ticket.
John Dubose
and George Soros is even worse.
Afi Keita James
@Edy Vote Green Alvarez, now that you see a response, do you understand where i, and other libertarians, am coming from?
Ben Iwen
Being consistent isn't enough. You have to have a good voting record, and stick up for THE RIGHT IDEAS. I disagree with Ron Paul on most of the issues, so I don't care at all about his voting record. I think Edy's comment missed the point (We all know Ron Paul won't cave to corporate demands), but is still totally true. Ron Paul would give the corporations and the private sector way too much power to "run the show." That is what he believes in already. A corporation doesn't need to convince/bribe him.
Ryland Osborne
Why not a balanced approach? A SMARTER government that operates more efficient. When the economy is doing well, the govt role and size is reduced, when corporations run amok, the govt steps in and creates balance.
Marvin L Eason
Ryland, if you believe that we live in a free market society, you are quite mistaken. Proof? The 2008 financial meltdown. What happened? "Too big to fail" corporations were bailed out while many small businesses failed. You believe that corporatism is what libertarians are about. We are not at all. Those companies should have been allowed to fail because of the choices they made. THAT, my friend, is what a free market is about. You are allowed to fail, yet you are allowed to achieve whatever you put your mind to.
Ben Iwen
Ben Iwen I don't think Libertarians like corporatism. They don't. However, their policies would give corporations way too much power. Read the 1st 2 paragraphs of Edy's comment.
Ryland Osborne
Our electorate remains primarily in a two-party lock. Green Party voters in 2000, after Bush was handed the White House by the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, were compelled to reflect on whether their country would fare better (in all relevant particulars, e.g. those controlled by the Executive Branch) under right-wing control, or under an Al Gore administration, thus a continuance of Clintonian policies. Many Greens concluded that it was a wash -- that D's and R's were both corporate parties, and that you could hardly tell the difference. Some Greens understood that their votes kept Gore out of the White House, and gave us the presidency of our worst nightmares (Bush). Jill Stein presents well, and articulates some interesting ideas. I will not, however, risk a Romney presidency. I just can't do it to my children.
Casey Nova
This is exactly how I feel. :(
Tony Hanf
Jill Stein supporter here! I think that Gary Johnson is a fine candidate in terms of foreign and military policy, in terms of fiscal responsibility, and in terms of social policy, but the very core of his platform, that we need to deregulate the economy and gut the government, is counterproductive. Here's why: The corporations in this country have ruthlessly exploited the American people, and there is no reason to believe they can be trusted to police themselves in the future. They consider American labor to be too expensive, so they engage in outsourcing at an unprecedented scale. Johnson's response is to remove the last few institutions that provide some amount of accountability to corporations. It is great to fight bloat and bureaucracy, but they are not the forces responsible for this mess; that is entirely the fault of Wall Street. (It's no secret that many of Jill Stein's supporters are also members of the Occupy movement. In fact, a few days ago she was thrown in jail for protesting outside of Fannie Mae.) Oh, and as to ambiguity regarding the Green New Deal, here is a summary: http://www.jillstein.org/summary_green_new_deal. Basically, the implementation of a single-payer health care system, the creation of 25 million government-funded jobs, a moratorium on foreclosures, massive student loan forgiveness, raising taxes on the rich, proportional representation in government, public campaign funding, reducing military funding by 50%, repealing the Patriot Act, immigrant rights, removing corporate personhood, basically a whole slew of awesome things.
Tom W. Horwath
HI TOM!!!
Dan Zink
Oh no it's Zan Dink
Tom W. Horwath
Wow! Another Harvard nut!
Michael Kennedy
way would any normal person go to harvard!
Greg Brennan
because they are really smart and enjoy learning?
Connie Cunningham
Or have a nice bank account. Not denying her credibility for going to Harvard but some do have the way paved for them.
Patrick Russell
' Normal people Dont go to Harvard , Only Smart People ''' duh
K.t. Hanrahan
Actually ONLY Smart ppl can go to harvard just F Y I
K.t. Hanrahan
She has WAY too much common sense and logical approach toward addressing the problems of our NATION (notice I didn't say "party" "ideology" or "special interest"?) to become a viable candidate. We are, collectively, a nation of self-absorbed idiots that see solutions only from a perspective of "...how will I benefit?" --- rather than the nation as a whole. On a basic foundation, we need to rid government of corporate/religious influence and start appealing and tackling our ills with pragmatism, science and the American "people" in mind first. Democrats are too divided and all over the place philosophically, while Republicans are ruthless liars who, in my opinion. should be shot for treason (please bring back the sensible, articulate conservative). In all fairness, while Obama lies about "Hope" -- conservatives lie about what we should be fearful of 365/24/7. It is a polar mindset that has all but silenced the [moderate] middle. I've often thought that our governance should not lie in one particular party at the helm (e.g., the President), but instead have two "presidents" -- one from each side(s) that work out the issues and arrive at a conclusion/compromise based on logic. Sniping, infighting, and party politics is bringing this once great nation down. But WE the PEOPLE need to tune in and arrive at our own solutions rather than depend on a corporate head puppet (from ANY side) to tell them how and what to think.
NoInfo ToShare
I think Obama's initial aim was to overcome the polarization of American politics. In this, he failed completely. Look at healthcare, for instance. I suspect that he actually believed that he could get _some_ republicans to support his federal Romney-care. Oh no. They sabotaged it as much as they could. If you believe that there is sense in what Jill Stein is saying, then your first aim should be to get less than 33% republicans in the Congress, so that republican filibusters can be stopped. Only when that is achieved will it make any sense to promote non-democrat leftist presidential candidates.
Edmund Brekke
mrnoinfo fits you well general
K.t. Hanrahan
perfect name
K.t. Hanrahan
@Ben Iwen -- It's not government that's the problem, it's the moneyed-influence that determines what goes into law and is enforced. "Government" is what built this nation and maintains its "standards of living" (societal, infrastructural, regulatory, and economically) but legislation written and passed into law by self-interest groups such banksters, the prison industries, anti-environment/pro-corporation businesses,...the list goes on and on...is what gives government a bad name. I know many people that work within government and they are the most conscientious people you could know and who care about their jobs (and by extension, our country). But it seems we only read/hear about the bad apples and crooks. It's a shame that the average American cannot grasp the notion that our country's biggest crooks are on Wall Street. THEY influence and steer our government to their liking and we should ALL be outraged at paying taxes to further enrich fat cats while our cities and quality of life erode. Someone should write a "Wall Street Swindlers for Dummies."
NoInfo ToShare
Without "franken foods" about 1 billion of the world's current population would die of starvation. Corn, by itself, is a franken food. There is no ancient corn. There is no evidence that 'franken foods' are bad for health, and on the contrary, could. Furthermore. people that want to switch over to organics only are just screwed in the head. Because of activists that are really only against the establishment, Africa has forgone safe engineered foods that could survive the harsh environment. If you and yours aren't starving, STFU!
David Lee Moreno
You and I know that the problem is meat, If we didn't eat so much meat there would be plenty of food to feed everyone.
Rodrigo Hernández
That makes no sense whatsoever. Without meat humans would never have achieved the intelligence that we enjoy today. I hope that was a sarcastic comment, because text is very ambiguous.
David Lee Moreno
Check out an study named "Live stock long shadow", you will see the impact is much more greater of what you can imagine. Also don't missunderstand me: eating LESS meat, not cutting it out totally.
Rodrigo Hernández
Interesting political piece, but until I see a skeptic trying to denounce the issue and get the same findings, I'll ask you to not read politically driven studies. People tend to go into a research with a preconceived goal and will often modify findings to support what they want.
David Lee Moreno
I have searched for other research work, this one is kind of at the center in it's conclucions, obviously the meat industry says it aint like it and enviromentalists state that the impact is far more larger. Nevertheless I find that at least the water and land data can be trusted even if GHG estimations are much more hard to quantify and trust. Other thing that got my attention is that after this report the meat industry lobby hard to get their representatives at FAO direction board, and sudenly it moderated it standing on the live stock issue.
Rodrigo Hernández
Let me rephrase this into something a little shorter, where do you want the human population to be killed off at. We cannot afford, as a species, to forgo any food source. I'll give you a hint, it'd affect places like Africa first. We could research and produce LFTR technology to desalinate sea water to solve the water issue, as well as all other high technology issues and the world energy crises.
David Lee Moreno
"We could research and produce LFTR technology to desalinate sea water to solve the water issue" That sounds completely unsustainable. That sounds like more rampant disregard for our impact on the enviorment, climate, biodiversity, and the future of the human species. "We cannot afford, as a species, to forgo any food source." So the human species must consume all other life at any cost?
Trevor John Kleinstuber
Jill Stein
Aj Janssen
Jill Stein has some good ideas, but her support of the UN is not one of them, GET AMERICA OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION, IT IS A THREAT TO U.S. Sovereignty.
Afi Keita James
Mitt Romney IS NOT The Magical Answer , However He deserves a Chance , He cant be any worse than what we got!
K.t. Hanrahan
Yes. Yes, he really can.
Tabitha Mitchell
yes he can and most certainly would be.
Barry Levine
yes he can ???
K.t. Hanrahan
who ?
K.t. Hanrahan
However I will prob. vote for Jill.
K.t. Hanrahan
The Green Party is for the PEOPLE , and for Saving the Earth , NOT Destroying it . Read More About Jill , ^ She would give America a chance , not a certain Downfall , like '' other candidates ' . She is actually Sincere , thats right , there are still a Few around ,
K.t. Hanrahan
Dont get me wrong Im still Republican ! but Jill just '' accidently ' be the best Single candidate out there .
K.t. Hanrahan
might^
K.t. Hanrahan
Any Rep. would be better than what we got Now , and Jill too.
K.t. Hanrahan
Yeah and dont forget Gary Johson either , (
K.t. Hanrahan
uhhh .... mmm hmmm watever LeBron wanna be
K.t. Hanrahan
More likely { if she had the nomination} to win than Romney, and his vice '' Barney Fife '' HAhA
K.t. Hanrahan
Eye opening! I am partial to her opinions.
Amanda Little
After taking the quiz and finding out I agree with this "Jill person" 90% I had to find out more about her. I dunno, she's way too honest, logical and, pragmatic to be a real politician. Not enough screaming about ideology or fear mongering to be a player in our messed up political circus...
Francis San Juan
Which is why I wish she had a real chance lol
Marvin L Eason
yeah, I wanna vote for her, but I know it's wasted and I'll just be helping the dark side...
Francis San Juan
but what if everyone actually voted for who they wanted and did not choose the lesser of two evils? We are in this destructive cycle that limits us to a 2 party system, as we fear that we'll throw our vote away. Voting for the candidate you believe in and trust is not throwing a vote away, we all just need to do it. The current administration was a whopping disappointment and Romney Ryan are unthinkable...Vote what you believe, not the lesser of two evils
Bennett B King
On principal, I totally agree, but unless you can convince the entire country to do so (and people like me are sure of it) then I know I'm throwing my vote away. It's a sad reality really, but voting for Stein will help Romney and that reality is unthinkable!
Francis San Juan
@Francis San Juan, Please vote for her if you agree with her! The only time you are throwing away your vote is if you vote for someone you disagree with. Remember that the reason we are in this predicament is because Americans have been marginalizing their beliefs for too long. I am voting for @[165297924363:274:Gary Johnson] this election because he is the most closely aligned with my thinking. we need to go back to being men and women of principle instead of being cowards who just want the "other side" to lose.
Ben Iwen
no you wont francis , You would be making a statement ! you are not voting for the dark side If you vote for Jill , You are making a Statement !
K.t. Hanrahan
Well I'd be doing both. Yes, I get that it's a strong statement about principal and beliefs, but since she seriously has no chance of winning, then in practical terms, I'm helping or hurting the other 2 guys - depending on who you like. Obviously it's all personal perspective - and as righteous and romantic as we all want to be, we sometimes have to pick our battles in the real world. I'll think about it some more...
Francis San Juan
Mitt Romney's family has bought the election machines that will be used in several swing states. My prediction is that he will win regardless of what you do. You should wake up the next morning feeling good about who you voted for! With Rombama that's nearly impossible these days. By the way with the electoral college the way it is unless you are in a swing state your vote is meaningless anyway. Lastly if you side with Dr. Stein then vote for her! I side with her and Peta Lindsay. The only difference is that Peta realizes the system has been bought, sold, and revolution is the only real solution! I will feel good when Peta Lindsay receives my vote and you should feel good when Dr. Stein receives yours! Please don't vote for evil as it never solves anything.
Seamus Tremblay
Im sorry but you have such a tiny piece of politics {that you understand} you are just confused ''
K.t. Hanrahan
to francis^
K.t. Hanrahan
wow....I'm floored, how come I didn't know about this woman? she's AWESOME
Andrea Lynette Orenduff
Yes She is Spread The Word !
K.t. Hanrahan
I strongly support all of Jill's positions. This is our time. Yes it means transferring government resources, not more government. A government representing the people, not the corporations.
Barry Levine
Yes I agree!
Sydney J. Levine
agreed.. if everyone actually voted for who they wanted and did not choose the lesser of two evils, we just might break up the votes enough to have someone not on the top two tickets win! We need a poll to see how many people would consider voting for Jill if they thought it would make a difference!!
Richard Kerrill
right on barry
K.t. Hanrahan
There's not anything I don't agree with here.
Melanie Campbell
ditto ...and as Kermit has said time and again, it is not easy being green.
Richard Negri
Never heard of Jill Stein, now that we are left with no choice for pres. lets look into the other actual candidates. It's still not too late.
Joy Miller-Perry
I hadn't even heard of this woman (my very bad) until I took what seems to be an unbiased quiz on which candidate my views most closely compare. This woman's answers are very well thought out and appear to be right on the money for what I believe. I don't want to give anything away to Romney...but I truly wonder how many people even know she exists? If you take the quiz and it shows that you align with her beliefs, please pass this on so that we can give her a chance. Thank you.
Michael Manchester
Totally agree. A relief to hear someone say what has been inside my head for the past few years. Very sane, logical, clear opinions. Not something Washington will tolerate. The problem is that voting for Ms Stein would make it even more likely that the Republicans will name the next president...and that would be a disaster. Hope Ms. Stein keeps running and spreading sane, reasonable principles. Would like to vote for her. Just how to do that is my question. Tell us a way to help her gain recognition and followers. How can we help her?
Kate Leader Lpc