To reiterate a previous posting, that’s what Wobblie organizer Joe Hill said to supporters just before he was executed for a murder he didn’t commit.

“Don’t mourn, organize.”

In about 1910 or so, the Wobblies, probably the most militant union ever in US history, marched on a logging town in Washington state. They were met by the sheriff and his goon squad. The Wobblies said, “we have a legal right to organize here.” The sheriff said, “I’m the law here”, and his goons attacked, driving back the Wobblies.

Three days later, the Wobblies marched again on that logging town, and this time they organized it.

From the song made famous by Joan Baez

 I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I “But Joe, you’re ten years dead”
“I never died” said he,
“I never died” said he.

And standing there as big as life
and smiling with his eyes.
Says Joe “What they can never kill
went on to organize,
went on to organize”

Don’t mourn, organize.

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Sheesh, you’d think Kerry would at least wait until the provisional ballots were counted. But no. Like Al Gore in 2000, rather than precipitate a possibly serious in-the-streets squabble, Kerry choose to fold. A Marxist would say Kerry, like Gore, defended his class interest, as the ruling class doesn’t like social unrest and will always move to prevent it.

And you did know this race was between two members of the ruling class, right?

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There are over 100,000 registered Greens in California. Green Party candidate David Cobb polled a mere 31,679 votes, less than 1/3 the number of Greens, a truly inept showing.

Nader got less than 400,000 votes nationwide, less than 1%, and way less than he got in 2000.

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Count the votes!.

It’s not over in Ohio. As this email notes:Bush is currently leading in Ohio by 136,221 If there are 250,000 provisional ballots outstanding. The highest number I’ve seen. And 90% of those ballots are good, as they were in 2000. That leaves 225,000 votes.

If 85% of those ballots prove to be for Kerry, about the number that Gore got in 2000. That leaves us with 191,250, giving us a lead of 55,029.

If there are only 200,000 provisionals, following the same calculation would leave us with a lead of 16,779. If the provisional ballots are only 175,000 that leaves us with a deficit of -2,346 that will leaves us in a position to get an automatic statewide recount.

If it takes lawyers and judges to arrive at a conclusive answer, then so be it.

Update: It’s over, Kerry has conceded.

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In Santa Monica CA, Green Party member and incumbent Mike Feinstein lost his bid for re-election to the Santa Monica City Council, coming in 9th in a race where the top 4 were elected.

From the Santa Monica Daily Press, pg 6 (pdf)

City Councilman Mike Feinstein, who was dropped by SMRR this year after eight years of support and was criticized by education leaders and members of his own Green Party, lost his bid for re-election as an independent. With nearly 80 percent of precincts reporting, Feinstein was in ninth place, capturing less than 6 percent of the votes cast.

Santa Monicans for Renters Rights (SMRR) is a powerful tenants association and delivers votes. Their endorsement is crucial. Longtime PoliZeros readers will recall that a few years ago I, acting as Treasurer of the Green Party of Los Angeles County, filed a complaint with the Santa Monica Police concerning Feinstein’s handling of a $10,000 check made out to GPLAC that he deposited into a bank account with his name on it. In the end, the D.A. choose not to prosecute,  however my action had long-lasting repercussions within the Green Party.

And I took no joy in any of it. Now, Feinstein has lost his city council seat, something that should have been a slam-dunk to keep, and his once prominent role in the state and national Green Party no longer exists.

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