For Further Information:
Kevin Zeese, 301-996-6582, KBZeese@gmail.com
Michael O’Neil, 917-825-3562, MEO@HowieHawkins.us
Howie Hawkins, “Original Green New Dealer”, Announces Exploratory Committee For Green Party Presidential Nomination
Howie Hawkins, a co-founder of the Green Party who was the first US candidate to run on the Green New Deal in 2010, announced today he has started an exploratory campaign for the nomination for president from the Green Party of the United States. See “Should I Run?”
Hawkins is responding to a “Draft Hawkins” movement among members of the Green Party. See Draft Howie Hawkins letter. The exploratory committee will examine whether Hawkins has enough support not only to win the nomination but to also run a strong campaign that builds the Green Party into a viable political party for the next decade.
If he decides to run, Hawkins would promote an ecosocialist Green New Deal as a centerpiece of his campaign. The Green Party became an ecosocialist party in 2016. An Ecosocialist Green New Deal would be an intensive Green Economy Reconstruction Program that will seek 100% clean energy by 2030 as climate science says is essential to avert catastrophic climate change.
Hawkins’ Green New Deal would convert not just the energy system, but also the agricultural, manufacturing, buildings, transportation, waste management, and military systems, as well as restoring the productivity of ecosystems at the foundation of the human economy.
“Averting climate disaster requires a major mobilization of resources and the transformation of the economy to put the protection of the planet and necessities of the people before profits,” said Hawkins. “The transition to an ecosocialist Green New Deal will also include an Economic Bill of Rights and an end to squandering resources on militarism and imperialism.”
Hawkins’ Economic Bill of Rights includes a job and income guarantee, national improved Medicare for all, free education from pre-K through college, and homes-for-all through public housing and rent control.
Hawkins’ plan is ecosocialist because it entails social ownership of key industries including Wall Street banks, major oil companies, and power utilities among them. Economic planning will be required to implement new green industrial policies for every economic sector from buildings to transportation, as well as management of waste and agriculture.
Hawkins said, “These programs can be paid for by cuts to the largest carbon polluter on the planet, the military, as well as more progressive taxation of income, wealth, and estates, and ecological taxes, including a carbon tax and a land value tax. Public banks can provide low-cost financing for long-term capital investments.” He pledged to provide detailed budgeting for the Ecosocialist Green New Deal if he decides to run.
“By empowering racially-oppressed communities with community ownership and control of public housing, schools, police, and businesses, the Green Economy Reconstruction Program will free communities of color from being subject to the decisions of racist employers, bankers, landlords, real estate agents, lawyers, judges, police, parole boards, and other gatekeepers,” Hawkins said.
“Sixty-five years after Brown v. Board of Education and 50 years after the Fair Housing Act, it is long past time to vigorously enforce the anti-discrimination laws already on the books. It is time to strengthen these laws in order to reverse the growing resegregation of housing and schools and the mass incarceration of people of color. The Green New Deal must include affirmative action programs to fully include communities of color in the new jobs, housing, public transportation, and business opportunities the Green New Deal will create.”
Hawkins blasted President Trump for failing to provide needed hurricane relief aid to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. “These islands need the Green New Deal right now. The federal government should be solarizing their power and rebuilding their economies. 400 years of so many racists like Trump in power is why we need to enact HR 40 for a Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins is a retired Teamster who is 66 years old. He has been an economic justice, anti-racism, and environmental activist who has opposed US imperialism his entire life. He is a three-time Green Party candidate for governor of New York who won 5% of the vote 2014, the highest return for a progressive third party candidate in NY in 100 years. He was a co-founder of the Green Party in the United States in 1984. Hawkins lives in Syracuse, NY.
His website is HowieHawkins.us and more information including photos, detailed bios, writings and more can be found at howie2020.us/press-kit. Note to media: the website will be viewable on Tuesday, April 2nd at 11:59pm ET.
