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Another 2024 presidential contender has entered the race for the White House, and she’s already being seen as a much bigger threat to President Joe Biden than to former President Donald Trump.
That’s because it is widely believed that her far-left views peeled votes away from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, contributing to Trump’s narrow wins in historically blue states.
Dr. Jill Stein, who ran on the Green Party platform nearly eight years ago, took to the X platform late last week to make her announcement.
“The political system is broken. Over 60% of us now say the two-party establishment has failed us and we need a party that serves the people. I’m running for president to offer a better choice for the people,” she wrote in a post that contained a video announcement as well.
“We need an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful. To reverse surging inequality and insecurity, we need an Economic Bill of Rights, including the right to a living-wage job, housing, food, healthcare, education, and more, so that all of us are guaranteed the basic security for a good life,” she also noted on her website.
“Political insiders always smear outsiders like us, and try to shame voters who want better choices,” Stein added in a statement. “But without freedom of choice in elections, there is no democracy.”
Stein is an environmental activist as well as a practicing physician in Massachusetts, CBS News noted.
“This is Stein’s third presidential bid. In 2016, she was the Green Party nominee in the race against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Stein won about 1% of the popular vote, according to the Federal Elections Commission. She was also the party’s nominee in 2012 against President Barack Obama, who was running for reelection, and Republican Mitt Romney,” the outlet added.
In a June 2020 story, POLITICO claimed that voters who went for Stein in the “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin cost Hillary Clinton the election.
“As Clinton—and Al Gore before her—learned, even seemingly minor factors can sway a close election. Trump faces his own third-party challenge from the Libertarian Party, but may have dodged a more formidable threat when Rep. Justin Amash decided against pursuing that party’s nomination,” the outlet reported at the time.
On her campaign site, Stein also promised a “real green new deal.”
“From record heat waves and wildfires to devastating hurricanes, droughts, and floods, the warning signs are clear: we must take decisive action now to fight runaway global warming and prevent the worst-case scenario of climate collapse. We need a Green New Deal with massive investment in green jobs, industries, and technologies to revitalize the American economy, improve our quality of life, protect our planet, and safeguard our children’s future,” the website claimed.
The renowned leftist also noted on her site: “Americans cherish ideals of liberty and justice, yet countless millions are still fighting for basic rights. We must put an end to the shameful legacy of systemic discrimination against women, Black and Brown people, Indigenous people, immigrants, people with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalized groups, and come together to ensure our rights, freedoms, and justice for all.”
“The bipartisan endless war machine enriches military contractors, lobbyists, and politicians, while it fuels devastation around the world and impoverishes the American people. We must end the endless wars and create a new foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid,” her campaign site continued.
It notes further: “Our democracy is on life support. Belief in our political system is at historic lows and the number of Americans who feel that neither establishment party represents them is at a record high. We need to revive our democracy with a full spectrum of reforms to empower the people, including real choice on the ballot – because without freedom of choice in elections, there is no democracy.”