Green Party nominee and presidential candidate Jill Stein is stubborn; after losing both the 2012 and 2016 elections, she’s back for Round Three. In contrast to the established political careers of Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump, Stein has no experience holding political office. As a third-party candidate, Stein’s chances of winning are almost impossible. Plus, she’s a known pseudoscientist and conspiracy theorist. Jill Stein isn’t the underdog we all want to root for — she represents the desperation of unhappy voters.
Originally a Harvard-educated physician, Stein’s commitment to health has always been admirable — she began politics as a local activist, focusing on issues relating to human rights. According to her website, she “began to fight for a healthy environment, assisting non-profits and marginalized communities in combating environmental injustice and racism.”
As a human rights activist, Stein was inclined to join the Green Party due to the party’s focus on human well-being. Additionally, she cites that her decision was a move to help bolster democracy, stating, “It’s time to offer the American people a real choice on their ballot independent of the failed establishment.”
Stein’s candidacy is built around many agreeable policies: first, she’s a staunch supporter of the environment. She wants to create an “Ecosocialist Green New Deal,” revolving around a goal to achieve 100 percent clean energy. Additionally, she aims to limit the number of incarcerations, hoping to create reform within the US prison system. Jill Stein states that she would abolish the Death Penalty, ban private prisons, and release nonviolent drug offenders.
She’s a confident candidate, and it’s admirable she believes in the impossible. 100% clean energy? Seriously? Jill Stein is well-known for her extreme and sometimes divisive views, as seen especially through her foreign policy. Take the example of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — as apparent by her ever-present keffiyeh, she’s incredibly pro-Palestine. Just take a look at her platform — she calls the conflict “a genocidal bloodbath,” and voices her support for “an immediate ceasefire.”
Everybody’s entitled to their own opinions — as long as they’re supported by evidence. While the word genocide isn’t entirely defined, it typically refers to the deliberate eradication of a group of people. Let’s get the facts straight — the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a war. It sucks that people die in war, but it’s the truth. Sure, Stein wants to support the Palestinian cause, but as a presidential candidate, she should avoid using such controversial descriptions. In addition, “an immediate ceasefire” simply isn’t possible. To declare one would be to ignore the countless hostages held captive in Gaza, as well as the geopolitical consequences that would follow.
Stein pretends like she’s the people’s hero, fighting against the “Wall Street parties” and “the demands of the corporate elite,” when in reality, she looks out of touch. Create a universal healthcare system? How will that happen? Jill Stein doesn’t know. She’s always listing such nice-sounding policies, that in reality don’t make a lick of sense. Jill Stein is clueless — she’s a three-time presidential candidate, and yet, couldn’t even name the number of seats in Congress.
Despite all of her problems, Jill Stein still somehow receives support. As a third-party candidate, a vote for Jill Stein isn’t only useless — it’s also dangerous.
Many undecided voters have a similar concern: if my vote doesn’t matter, then why don’t I choose whoever I want? In the upcoming election, that simply isn’t a possibility. Our president is undoubtedly going to be Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, with no third-party candidate having a chance.
Despite this, every third-party vote is still important. Since Stein voters are predominantly left-wing, Harris is losing a small, but significant percentage of her would-be voterbase. A vote for Jill Stein isn’t promoting voters’ interests, but instead helps an opposing candidate in Donald Trump. Take it from Trump himself — “Jill Stein, I like her very much. You know why? She takes 100 percent from [Democrats].”
Everybody loves an unorthodox, unconventional candidate who fights for the people. That’s part of the reason Trump was so appealing in 2016 — he was something different. But unfortunately, Jill Stein is not the different we need.
