It was inspiring and instructive to read about Noble Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer of “microcredit” in which small loans “unleash the entrepreneurial talents of people who had historically been written off” (“Small-loan pioneer wins peace prize”, 10-14-06.)
I believe that in this new millennium, governments, institutions and corporations will be judged by how well they promote social justice, grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom and nonviolence.
The example of Yunus should be repeated elsewhere—even here in Maryland— as a practical method of finally breaking the recurring cycle of poverty amongst our own “permanent underclass.”
Sunday, October 15, 2006
October 15, 2006 - Four on the Ballot but Only Two in the Debate?
The Sun again neglected to mention that although there are four candidates on the ballot in Maryland for governor, only two of them were allowed into the debates Saturday (“Two rivals clash with two styles”, 10-15.)
In addition to the Republican and Democratic candidates, voters in November will also see Green Party candidate Ed Boyd and Populist Party candidate Chris Driscoll’s names on the ballot.
Wouldn’t it be a good idea if voters knew something about these candidates before they entered the polling booth—in other words, isn’t it the responsibility of the Sun to cover ALL of the candidates on the ballot?
I can only assume that Boyd and Driscoll were denied their just places beside Ehrlich and O’Malley because of the shellacking Green Party candidate for Senate Kevin Zeese gave Ben Cardin and Michael Steele at their first Senatorial debate.
The fact that third-party candidates may outclass their ossified competition is good reason for Republicans and Democrats to try to keep them out of debates, but it is a lousy reason for the Sun to decline covering these serious and exciting campaigns.
In addition to the Republican and Democratic candidates, voters in November will also see Green Party candidate Ed Boyd and Populist Party candidate Chris Driscoll’s names on the ballot.
Wouldn’t it be a good idea if voters knew something about these candidates before they entered the polling booth—in other words, isn’t it the responsibility of the Sun to cover ALL of the candidates on the ballot?
I can only assume that Boyd and Driscoll were denied their just places beside Ehrlich and O’Malley because of the shellacking Green Party candidate for Senate Kevin Zeese gave Ben Cardin and Michael Steele at their first Senatorial debate.
The fact that third-party candidates may outclass their ossified competition is good reason for Republicans and Democrats to try to keep them out of debates, but it is a lousy reason for the Sun to decline covering these serious and exciting campaigns.
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