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September 26, 2004 - Green Candidates for New Castle County Council Criticize the "Freebery Four"
September 01, 2004 - Third Parties Offer Genuine Democracy
August 23, 2004 - Open Public Hearings
July 26, 2004 - Cannon states NCCo is in 'Code Red'
May 25, 2004 - Cannon Denounces NCCo Government Corruption
March 25, 2004 - Cannon Announces Campaign for NCC Council Seat
Third Parties Offer Genuine Democracy
By John Atkeison, J. Roy Cannon and Vincent Sottile
Wilmington News Journal
09/01/2004
An opinion article by Pradeep Chibber and Ken Kollman makes the welcome point that third parties have a long history in America. Abraham Lincoln came from the newly formed Republican Party. We also appreciate recognition that the Green Party has elected hundreds of people to office.
They fall short, though, by attributing the lack of third parties to the greater centralization of American government since the mid-20th century. England, France, and Germany are much more centralized than the United States, yet all support thriving multi-party systems.
Third parties in the United States are hampered by ourwinner-take-all electoral system and the need for candidates to raise huge sums of money to compete effectively. These obstacles make our country less democratic by preventing citizens from choosing candidates who truly reflect the government policies they support.
The result is that big money rules American politics, whatever party is in office. No wonder that as the income gap between rich and poor widens in Delaware and the nation, the percentage of alienated voters and angry nonvoters grows.
The American winner-take-all system is unusual in the world today. In France, any party that receives more than 5 percent of the vote has representatives in parliament. Consequently, the French are more likely to vote for small parties that can influence government policies in Parliament.
When the French choose a president, he or she must receive a majority of votes to be elected. In the event no one gets 50 percent, the top two candidates compete in a run-off. As voters have a second chance to vote if their top choice is eliminated, there is more leeway to support third-party candidates on the first round. Interestingly, a number of American unions elect officials in this way.
Another method is 1-2-3 or instant runoff voting. Rather than hold a runoff election at a later date, the voter indicates his or her preferences on the first ballot. The voter does this by numbering the candidates for a particular office according to preference. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a second count is made. The candidate receiving the lowest number of votes is eliminated from this count, although the ballots favoring that candidate are not eliminated. Instead, the number two preference on each of these ballots is given to the appropriate candidate.
Here's an example of how this would work. Delaware's 2002 attorney general race pitted Republican Jane Brady against Democrat Carl Schnee and the Green Party's Vivian Houghton. Since Brady won with less than 50 percent of the vote, a 1-2-3 system would have required a second count with Houghton eliminated, but with the second choice of those who voted for her given to the appropriate candidate. If Houghton supporters preferred Schnee to Brady, as most analysts believed, and had been able to vote for him as their second choice, a 1-2-3 voting system would have placed the Democrat in office.
Third-party candidates would be more attractive to voters under the 1-2-3 voting method. So it is not surprisingly that the Democratic and Republican parties who benefit from the winner-take-all system disdain giving voters more power through runoff voting. As a result, our system penalizes citizens who want to vote for third parties. Those who do vote often hold their nose and support the lesser of two evils, never getting what they want.
The two-party system puts big money in the driver's seat. Corporations easily skirt campaign finance limits to dole out big bucks to those candidates who promise to follow policies favored by contributors. Look at how Rep. Michael Castle and Senators Thomas Carper and Joseph Biden prance in rhythm to MBNA's wishes for appalling new laws preventing those with credit card debt from declaring bankruptcy.
Or look at The News Journal's role fostering a claustrophobic political climate that excludes alternate views. Even though the Green Party has had ballot status since 2000, the paper routinely ignores Green Party representatives when it seeks opinions on issues affecting local life. Since our voices are squelched in the media, potential voters get the message that there is no point thinking about supporting a third political party on election day.
The political system needs a radical overhaul to make our country more democratic. We need 1-2-3 voting, campaign finance reform, easier ballot access and instant voter registration. And the media needs to include all political parties in its coverage.
The authors are Green Party candidates: John Atkeison for an at-large seat on the Wilmington City Council., J. Roy Cannon for the 9th New Castle County Council district, and Vincent J. Sottile for the 7th New Castle County Council District.
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Open Public Hearings
Monday, 8/23/04
My name is J. Roy Cannon. I'm the Green Party candidate for NCCo Council - District 9.
December 15th last year I represented the Green Party of Delaware at a DNREC sponsored meeting about the lack of process to ensure open public hearings where citizens have direct access to information and input into the decision making process. Today, the problem continues and perhaps worsens. Our supposed leaders seek to create the appearance of citizen participation in public hearings while curtailing the reality of it. As a candidate for County Council, I call for public hearings that allow for real public participation, where questions can be put forward freely from the public and informed feedback can be expected. The time is long over due for Delaware’s elected officials to ‘get real’ and start being a government “of, by and for the people”, not a government of the good ol’boy and back-room deal, the stooges of fat-cat developers and big corporate polluters.
As a husband, father of two teenage children, working a full time job as a mental health counselor, and now, as a candidate for public office, I can’t get to all the many public hearings. Many other ordinary citizens are in similar circumstances as it pertains to their available time. So, when I come to a public hearing, I expect to have my views heard, to ask questions and have them responded to, and to have the hearing conducted in an impartial place and manner that is open to many points of view.
When I can’t get to a public hearing, I count on real government watchdog groups like Common Cause and Green Delaware to be there getting to the bottom of government proposals and representing the needs of ordinary citizens to hear and know the facts. It is essential that public hearings be truly public not private dog and pony shows that say nothing and mean nothing. It is vital that public hearings be structured so that ordinary people have an equal voice with other, often more powerful, corporate interests.
In conclusion, as a candidate for County Council yet still an ordinary citizen, I call for greater public access and influence into the public hearing process. Steps must be take to restore the integrity of the public hearing process. Furthermore, I call for increased input and access to government decision making with the enactment of sunshine and open meeting legislation. I call for greater openness in essential elements of the democratic process, not closed doors, backroom politics and bureaucratic interference.
Thank you.***************************
Committee to Elect J. Roy Cannon to NCC Council
For Immediate Release
Monday, July 26, 2004NCCo is in 'Code Red'
New Castle County is in a 'Code Red' condition - 'Code Red' for the
unethical and illegal behavior exhibited by our elected officials. Sherry Freebery's recent behavior just represents the overall rotten condition found with NCCo government elected officials. And just like the 'Code Red' days of excessive pollution, this rotten condition threatens the life and well being of our citizens.
In many ways, this 'Code Red' condition has been brought about by the
Republican and Democrat parties - their failure to provide adequate
oversight of their elected officials and candidates - their ass-kissing policies towards big developers and corporate interests - their rampant development policies in the name of no-tax increases (until the land disappears!) - and, their 'good 'ol boy' backroom deals. These policies, encouraged by both Democratic and Republican party elected officials, have led to a deterioration in the quality of life for our citizens, inequity for minority populations in housing, jobs, a safe environment in which to live, and a sense of disillusionment with our democracy.
The Cannon campaign insists on Green Party oversight. The Cannon campaign calls for strong community involvement and on-going review. I have and will continue to work closely with Common Cause and other community watchdog organizations. The Green Party insists on leaders with integrity that aren't afraid to speak out against corruption. I am the anti-corruption candidate for the 9th county council district who isn't afraid to speak the truth and stand up for people's rights.
The Cannon campaign represents a very much-needed 'breath of fresh air' for NCCo council. A candidate that is responsible to the needs of the people of NCCo. One that is responsible to all ... beholding to none.
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Committee to Elect J. Roy Cannon to NCC Council
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Cannon Denounces NCCo Government Corruption
Issues position on ethics. Solutions call for establishing an Ethics Commission independent of NCCo government, citizens control of rerdistricting process, Sunshine and open meeting laws, and reporting unethical behavior to the public.
Newark, DE: J. Roy Cannon, NCCo Council - 9th district CANDIDATE for the Green Party, issued his formal positon on the lack of ethical behavior by NCCo goverment officials. The statement follows.
In 1990, the New Castle County Council created an Ethics Code and an Ethics Commission. These moves were made on the heels of Democratic councilperson Ronald J. Aiello being convicted for extorting a $100,000 bribe on rezoning votes. The Ethics Code, which is still in place, prohibits conflicts of interest and appearance of impropriety in the conduct of New Castle County public officials and employees.
Unfortunately, none of this has prevented New Castle County Council from being wracked by continuing financial and corruption scandals over the last 14 years. From ex-councilperson Chris Roberts’ indictment on bribery charges to the current county government’s use of taxpayer money to cover the defense costs of county officials under investigation for illegal activities, the trend in county government remains the same: developers and political cliques are in control while government “by the people and for the people” has been replaced by government of the backroom deal.
Given these realities, the fact that members of the county’s Ethics Commission are appointed by the County Executive and members of County Council is obviously a big problem. No wonder that, over time, fundamental issues have appeared concerning the Ethics Commission. How independent are commissioners willing to be regarding questions concerning the people who appointed them? And even when they are willing, are they allowed to act on their motives? At one point the entire commission resigned in protest over government refusal to help it deal with the most important issues before it.
Since then other commissioners have been appointed, but deeper questions remain. Most of the members come from professions which have close ties to county business, such as lawyers, engineers and contractors. When is the viewpoint of the general public ever represented? This body should have a membership more representative of all the county’s citizens, not merely of the already powerful.
That the commission is controlled by those it is supposed to oversee has sabotaged its effectiveness, which is why the commission deals with such a limited scope of problems. As a result of this, the county has no official body to tackle the kinds of problems that have appeared lately. An example: in the absence of an effective Ethics Commission, private citizens are currently filing a suit questioning the hiring of out-of-state attorneys to represent county officials when the county’s own statutes require the use of the county’s law offices for all such legal matters. The money to be paid for these out-of-state attorneys far exceeds that which was originally available in the current fiscal budget; consequently, budgetary slights-of-hand have been used to secure the funds from other portions of the county budget.
Another problem pertaining to ethical issues is the Gordon-Freebery administration’s recent decision to donate county funds to certain organizations without first informing the public and soliciting comments. The fact that this occurred without the majority of county council’s members uttering a peep makes the situation even worse. A further deepening of the county’s ethical crisis is shown in Ms. Freebery recent bristling at calls to reveal potential conflicts of interests, such as (a) her brother's law firm's handling of worker's compensation cases for the county and (b) her financial ties to a wealthy du Pont heiress who had business before the county.
When you throw into this mix of disturbing behaviors, other county government deviations from ethical practices, the magnitude of the problem becomes clear. Such other behaviors include the use of county police to conduct political phone campaigning; the transferring of whistleblowers to lower-paying and/or less prestigious positions, and the overuse of county credit cards for out of state expenses.
The time has come to either create a truly independent Ethics Commission which is willing to deal with all of the ethical questions regarding county government or to abolish the commission and turn such issues over to the state's Public Integrity Commission, as do Kent and Sussex Counties.
What Can Be Done
As the above makes clear, and as many New Castle County residents already know, when it comes to ethical behavior, county politicians and officials leave a lot of be desired. Given this, it should come as no surprise that county council meetings are frequently just a perfunctory routine where nothing is done because the relevant issues being voted on have already been agreed upon previously behind closed doors. As a result, the public never gets to know who's making deals. Too many county council members over the years have just been shills for real estate companies that are ever eager to overrun the land with more housing developments and strip malls.
Against this background, the Cannon campaign stands for people’s interests, not the interests of political insiders and millionaire developers.
* We call for the establishment of an independent Ethics Commission that has the power to bring county government corruption to its knees.
* We call for citizen control of redistricting processes so that the “backroom” apportionment process can be moved into the light and made subject to public dialogue. As part of this process, minority representation must be protected and secured in order to protect minority rights.
* We call for the passage of “sunshine laws” that allow public inquiry into government affairs. We also advocate the passage of "open meeting laws" such as California's Brown Act that guarantee public access to local government’s decision-making processes. Additionally, we call for the passage of local legislation that makes most local government documents "public records" and therefore available for inspection or copying by any citizen or legal resident alien who asks.
* We call for the election of new political voices, not the voices of big talkers, but the voices of big doers, male and female candidates who are not afraid to speak truth to power, to uncover unethical and illegal government behavior, and to work closely with people at the grassroots level in order to defeat the two dominant parties’ self-serving politics and to create in its stead a new political “people’s force.”
Community
The Green Party doesn’t just think of politics in terms of candidates running for office. For us, individual participation in the life of the local community -- e.g., coaching a Little League team, volunteering in a senior center, participating in a neighborhood cleanup, belonging to a union, etc. -- is also political and vital to the health of a community. Therefore, we support people’s involvement in all such efforts to take control of and improve our environments.
The Cannon campaign’s vision of political ethics grows out of this sense of community. From our perspective, government exists to serve the community and to draw its strength from the community. Its mandate is to be open-minded and fair, not to keep some sections of the community in their place while favoring others. And we can never forget that at its most fundamental level, a democratic government is meant to be people-driven, not corporate- or special-interests-driven.
This is the vision that J. Roy Cannon will bring to New Castle County Council.***************************
Campaign to Elect J. Roy Cannon to NCC Council
For Immediate Release
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Cannon Announces Campaign for NCC Council SeatReceives Green Party of Delaware Newark Local unanimous endorsement. Speaks out for closing Salem nuclear power plants Sunday, 3/28/04, 2 PM at "No TMI on the Delaware" protest at Salem.
Newark, Delaware: Green Party member J. Roy Cannon announced his intentions today to seek election to the NCC Council 9th District seat. A native Delawarean and resident of NCC for over 30 years, Cannon outlined the issues he plans to take to the citizens of his district.
- End sprawl - create and preserve more open space in New Castle County
- Support for stronger ethics oversight of NCC government.
- Development of alternative transportation plans to reduce traffic congestion
and avoidance of building more roads.
- Open and ongoing dialogue with community organizations.
- Incentives for and support of community-based businesses.
- Changeover of NCC car fleet to fuel efficient hybrid vehicles.
- Democratic reform through instant run-off voting and public financing of
campaigns.
- Work to establish smaller, integrated, community schools, reducing class
size, and modifying ‘high stakes testing’ policies.
- Implement mandatory curbside recycling placing any initial cost burden on
waste-disposal companies.“I got involved with the Green Party because it is a party with values that I share - grassroots democracy, economic and social justice, nonviolence/peace, and environmental wisdom,” Cannon said. “In running for NCC Council, I look forward to seeking and implementing solutions to the problems faced by citizens of New Castle County - environmental degradation, unethical behavior by our elected officials, lack of meaningful access to and involvement in local government by ordinary citizens and community groups, the needs of our public schools, and improving the climate for community-based businesses.”
Father of two teenage children, Cannon is a member of Wilmington Friends Meeting and works as a licensed professional counselor of mental health supervising a community-bases intensive outpatient program for Diakon Lutheran Social Services. He is an active member of his community having served in the past as a district representative for his civic association and little league baseball coach. Cannon is a graduate of the University of Delaware receiving a masters degree in counseling in 1983.
Cannon has been involved with the Green Party of Delaware since its beginning in 1999. He has served as Chair to the Newark Local and as a National Representative to the Green Party of the United States. Currently, he is an elected member of the GPDE Coordinating Council, chairs its Peace Committee, and is a member of the Communications and Outreach Committee.