Citizens Alliance for Better Candidates * 703-338-0200
More Trains - Less Traffic!
There is no shortage of reasons why we need you to run for office! These illustrations say it loudly.
No train traveling on 19th century rail technology in the US goes faster than 100 mph. Quite embarrassing for a country
that prided itself on innovation and technological prowess. Modern magnetic levitation rail systems (Maglev) around the globe are approaching 400 mph.
This impediment is caused by the stalemate in our electoral system which produces nothing but tribal friction disguised as political differentiation. The resulting outcome: a very dysfunctional
governing system.
The only way to innovate governing is to upend
the current political tyranny, and release those inspired to serve to do so in a free and innovative manner.
Legislating will only improve when we can seriously diminish the outsized
influence of money, and the extremist control of election outcomes most visibly noticed in the primary election process where
only 10% of voters decide over 80% of the general election outcomes.
Here is an excerpt from a 2019 interview
with Dr. Jill
Stein.
10/19/19Dr. Jill Stein answers HRC’s charge … “And that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which
she might not because she is also a Russian agent.Jill answers, “This is a completely unhinged conspiracy
theory for which there is no basis in fact.It’s really outrageous that Hillary Clinton is trying
to promote this crazy idea.You can’t just slander people, you have to present some basis in fact.I am not running for office, so it is preposterous to say “if I would give it up.”It’s
a wild and insulting theory and I think it speaks to Hillary’s need to try to explain, perhaps to herself, why her campaign
was not successful.People really wanted change and unfortunately believed Donald Trump’s lies that
he was going to bring change.We need a voting system in which people can actually vote for what they want
and if people are concerned that independent candidates and campaigns are Russian plots, there is a very simple solution:
Rank Choice Voting prevents any evil, foreign asset or anyone from splitting the vote.It lets you rank
your choices.You never have to worry about your vote being (quote) thrown away or your vote not counting
or spoiling the election.It doesn’t happen under rank choice voting.If your
first choice loses, your vote is automatically reassigned to your second choice.It’s a win-win.And that’s the solution here.The solution is not to silence political dissent.You know the basis of our democracy is supposed to be political dialogue and competition.We shouldn’t
be in the business of throwing terrible accusations and calling tyranny and traitor for people who are standing up for very
important values that the American people badly need to hear about.You know 70% in a recent Wall Street
Journal poll, 70% of Americans said they are not just fed up, they are fighting angry with a political establishment that’s
thrown them under the bus.So we shouldn’t be in the business of silencing diverse political choices.We need Rank Choice Voting to make that okay and bring our values back into our vote.
(Stein, CNN): “We need
to get the 42% that didn’t participate into the game, instead of concentrating on those who earnestly get into the arena.”
View 2023 Jill Stein interview below as she seeks the Green party nomination
for the third time.
(Also hear from
Dr. Cornell West in 2023 below...)
Other reasons to run:
1) You have better policy positions that need to be advocated than those who are bought and paid for by
the lobby community.
2) Even with the semblance of a two-party system, nearly 50% of the elected positions have no challengers
and the current electoral systems are unfairly skewed against outside participants. After a very carefully crafted gerrymandered
redistricting process in South Carolina, the majority party ensured their continued dominance by reducing the number of
challengers. For the 2022 South Carolina State House of Representatives, 72 out of 124 seats had NO major party opposition. That is embarrassing and something that only V. Putin should be proud of.
3) The
primary system is wrecking our democracy.The 10% extremists in each party have an outsized influence on
the outcome of the general elections.
Act now to prepare to get on the ballot in 2024 and beyond.
It requires planning and carefully designing a strategy to run or even stand* for public office.
Our team stands ready to help you
prepare - whether it is honing your personal skills, developing a fundraising operation, gathering supporters or conducting
a field operation.
Contact Independent Green Party of Virginia Co-Founder and Former Chairman Joseph Oddo, now at (703) 338-0200
*Running for office is more involved,
but standing for office is still a great value to our country.
You don't protest, so you think the Public Order Bill - the most
repressive legislation of the modern era - doesn't affect you? If so, I'm sorry to say that you couldn't be
more wrong. *Please* watch this. You need to know. pic.twitter.com/xYmAUwOzZK
Paying tribute to one of the all-time great civic leaders: Capt Ron Fisher (USN) d. 10/31/23
Join
our team of Citizen Advisers...
Contact
us at 703-338-0200.
Rail Now Coalition Members!
Dr. Jill Stein
Tex Wood
Terry Modglin
Gail for
Rail Parker
Dianne Blais
Albert
Burckard
Captain Ron Fisher (USN-retired)
Carey Campbell
Joseph Oddo
Pricillia Burnett
Corazon Foley
Erica Lawler
Brooklyn Kinlay
David Lambert
Elaine Hildebrandt
Dr. Ken Hildebrandt
Col. Jim Leslie, USMC
Marisa Wissar
Dianne
Blais
Peter Marchetti
Dr.
Katherine Pettigrew, Phd
Janet Murphy
Tareq Salahi
Honorary:
Petra Kelly
---
Independent Green Party Co-Founder. Statesman. Professor George R. "Tex"
Wood, Independent Green Party Co-Founder
Virginia and America has lost an
Independent Green Party patriot
Dedication by Carey Campbell
Professor George R. “Tex” Wood (73) Independent Green Party (IG) co-founder, IG 9th Congressional
District Chairman, state central committee member has passed.
Tex Wood was burned in a January (2020) accident and died from complications.
Tex
was a true southern gentleman, and lifelong civil rights, and ballot access advocate. Tex was a U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam
Veteran. Tex ran as a Reform Party candidate for US House of Representatives.
Tex joined the Green Party and co-founded the Independent Green Party of Virginia. According
to Ballot Access News, Tex Wood’s Independent Green Party became the most active on ballot third party in Virginia in
100 years.
Tex Wood was one the nation’s,
and Virginia’s foremost fighter in the courts, and on the streets for Ballot Access.
Every American, especially Virginian benefits from Tex Wood’s success at lowering
signature petition requirements for Independent and Green Party candidates.
Tex Wood passing leaves a great void in our body politic for Independent Green Party
reformers.
Tex Wood was irreplaceable:
fun, funny, witty, insightful, wise, quick with a charming quip. Tex could win every debate while bringing waves of laughter.
The Independent Green Party of Virginia
was built on Tex Wood’s knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Along with his great good humor, Tex’s humility endeared
him to us all.
Professor Tex Wood
taught English and Literature. Tex liked Shakespeare. The bards words describe our dear Tex Wood.
“...Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon
them...”
For us, who knew and
loved him, our Independent Green Party leader Tex Wood was truly a great person. We knew Tex Woods greatness in so many ways
and times.
Sleep well, and in peace
our dear Green Prince.
Tex, You live
on in our state and nations improved civil life you bequeathed to generations to come.
Mergers & Acquisition Advisor, Writer, Political Campaign
Director
Four-time
ballot certified candidate for congress.
After 20 years in
retail management and launching sales transitions to e-Commerce, Joe Oddo switched back to his college studies to create
a writing and political/sales consulting practice in 2002. He is a four-time ballot certified candidate for congress (Virginia
2004-08, South Carolina 2022), and founder of a number of political advocacy organizations. A Public Policy major from Penn
State, Oddo volunteers as DJ at public radio WTJU, was volunteer host on GreenTV public television, and a Friend of the
Library. In SC, he teamed up with Better Ballot SC to advocate for Instant Runoff/Ranked Choice Voting. Currently he is the
South Carolina Managing Director for Neumann Associates M&A Advisors.
"I have blessed to being able to conduct three distinctive careers over the course
of the last 45 years: Writing / Business Management / Political Campaign Management.
"Having run for office on numerous occasions, I coordinated statewide ballot access drives, and directed
campaign operations for at least ten candidates running for federal, state and local office.Have served
as founder, director, organizer, fund-raiser, policy writer, media relations and press coordinator, as well as candidate surrogate.
"If you even remotely consider running for office, please reach out to me. Let’s have a conversation!"
The
Republican lieutenant governor is expected to announce by March 14 whether he will run for governor as an independent. Bolling
dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination in November, conceding that he didn’t have a chance against conservative
firebrand Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in a June nominating convention dominated by the party’s right wing.
Since then, Bolling has been flirting with the idea of an independent candidacy, possibly building a ticket with
other independent candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Most of the time, such
campaigns are inconsequential. In 2005, Republican state Sen. Russell Potts garnered only 2.2 percent of the vote when he
ran for governor as an independent against Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Jerry Kilgore.
This
time, however, may be different. Bolling, a well-known political figure statewide, could have an outside shot of making it
to the Executive Mansion because of the dismal dilemma now facing Virginia voters, a choice between Cuccinelli and former
Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe.
Both men want to claim the “Bob’s
for Jobs” mantle used so effectively by Gov. Bob McDonnell in his 2009 campaign.
McAuliffe
is making his second stab at running for governor based on his credentials as a businessman. His record didn’t persuade
enough Democrats in 2009 when a Washington Post editorial endorsing state Sen. Creigh Deeds was enough to defeat McAuliffe
in the primary.
McAuliffe appears to have spent much of the past four years trying to build his
case as someone who can bring jobs to Virginia. One of those efforts involved buying a Chinese car company that he relocated
to the United States. The company’s manufacturing operations, however, wound up in Mississippi, not Virginia.
McAuliffe’s explanation was the Virginia Economic Development Partnership wasn’t interested in his
plans. PolitiFact Virginia, however, concluded after an exhaustive study of communications between VEDP and McAuliffe’s
company, GreenTech Automotive, that the company continually failed to provide information VEDP requested. PolitiFact labeled
McAuliffe’s claim “false.” I wonder why it didn’t receive PolitiFact’s more emphatic description
“Pants on Fire.”
Cuccinelli, his handlers say, also plans to campaign on economic issues.
Oddly, jobs are not the first thing that come to mind with Cuccinelli, who has made headlines by suggesting that Catholic
bishops should go to jail in acts of civil disobedience; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has become too liberal; and
Social Security recipients are pawns trapped in a cycle of government dependence.
In contrast to
these pretenders, Bolling has a legitimate claim to be the only candidate with a real economic development record. He has
been the “chief jobs creation officer” under McDonnell during the past four years. If you think “Bob’s
for Jobs” was good for Virginia, then “Get Rolling with Bolling” would appear to be a natural extension.
Bolling’s connection to McDonnell brings up another point in his favor, a sense of fair play among Virginia
gentlemen. Bolling and McDonnell were lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively, during the term of Democratic
Gov. Tim Kaine (now a U.S. senator). Bolling stepped aside in 2009 to let McDonnell have the Republican nomination. The lieutenant
governor, in turn, had McDonnell’s support for his long-awaited shot at the commonwealth’s top job. Cuccinelli,
however, let it be known he would not wait in line for anyone. As a result of a conservative takeover of the Republican state
central committee, the nomination process was changed from a primary to a convention, a switch that heavily favored Cuccinelli.
Bolling has refused to endorse Cuccinelli and appears to be finding his own voice in state affairs after cleaving
to the McDonnell administration line for most of the past four years. He opposed uranium mining in Southern Virginia and supported
the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia.
McAuliffe, in fact, appears ready to neutralize Bolling’s
appeal, saying that he would like to have the lieutenant governor join his administration.
But
would Bolling actually be more help to McAuliffe as an independent spoiler in the governor’s race, peeling moderate
Republican votes away from Cuccinelli? That appears to be the conventional wisdom, but University of Virginia political analyst
Larry Sabato disagrees. “Bolling has been taking very moderate positions and as a consequence, I could see him taking
a lot of votes from both candidates,” he told the Daily Progress in Charlottesville. Maybe it’s time to have a
third choice for governor. If not Bill Bolling, then maybe this entry, which appears on ballots in Nevada, “none of
the above.”
Independent Greens of Virginia Launch Petition Drive for Bill Bolling
Independent Green Party leaders are very
serious about Bill Bolling as their Independent Green Party candidate for Governor. Led by the Indy Green Party state Vice
Chair, Gail “for Rail” Parker, and Denny McKell (Gail “for Rail” and McKell are both U.S. Air Force
retirees), the Indy Greens have established a political action committee (PAC). Now the Independent
Green Party team has a Draft Bill Bolling web
An alliance between Bill Bolling and the Independent Greens makes
sense. The Indy Green Party has a proven record of collecting thousands of petition signatures across Virginia every year.
Bolling will need 10,000 valid signatures to get on the ballot. That means Indy Greens would need to collect 20,000 signatures
for Bolling. Some Independent Greens started collecting signatures in January.
The Independent Green Party
group has released a series of video press releases urging Bill Bolling to run for Governor as Independent Green Party candidate.
Denny McKell is a retired TV and radio producer, and newsman. McKell produced the video press releases for his Independent
Green Party.
"We need
'More Trains, Less Traffic!" says Gail “for Rail” Parker, the retired U.S. Air Force officer and former two-time
statewide on-the-ballot candidate for US Senate (2006 & 2008).
"An alliance with the Independent Green Party of Virginia and Bill Bolling as
our Indy Green candidate for Governor can provide positive pro-business, and pro-rail policy to grow the economy and create
sustainable rail, solar, wind, and geothermal energy jobs." Gail ‘for Rail’ Parker has been on the ballot
as an Indy Green Party rail advocate for each of the last 8 years. The Independent Greens are Virginia's most successful on
ballot third party in Virginia in a century.
IG Fifth District Chairman Brandon
Trent adds, "As the chief jobs creation office while serving as Lt. Governor, Bolling knows how to sell the strengths
of the Commonwealth for companies interested in bringing industry to Virginia. Here in Southside Virginia we need an economic
boost. Just the fact that he came out in favor of continuing the ban on uranium mining shows that he knows we can do better
than create a dangerous industry that would run investors off."
The Independent Green Party is recruiting
candidates for House of Delegates across Virginia. Indy Greens hope to run a full slate of 100 House of Delegates candidates
this year.
Oddo has at various times had an association with the
following organizations:
J.A.
Moore for State House / Senate (Special Election 2023)
Alliance
Party of SC
Better Ballot South Carolina
Independent Greens of Virginia Green TV
Americans for Fair Taxation
Diane Blais for Congress 2014
Gerard Blais for Congress 2014
Elaine Hildbrandt for Congress 2014
Col. Jim Leslie for Delegate 2009 & 2013 (VA)
Terry
Modglin for Delegate 2013 (VA)
Jeannemarie Davis for Lt. Governor 2013 (VA) bett Ken Hildebrandt for
Congress (VA 2012 & 14)
Floyd Bayne for Congress (VA 10 & 12)
Karen Kwiatkowski for Congress
2012 (VA)
Imperato for President 2008 / for Florida Governor 2010
Hagler for Council (DC)
Joseph
Oddo for Congress (VA 04, 06 & 08)
Gail "for Rail" Parker for US Senate (VA 06 & 08)
Gail for Rail for Congress (VA 2010, 12 & 14)
Parker for Delegate 2013
Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg 2006 - 2020
Nader for President (04 & 08)
Kent Mesplay for President 2004
Virginia Bill of Rights
Coalition
Joseph Oddo delivering speech during the
2006 campaign.
Transcript
of five minute News8TV taping.
Joe Oddo, Independent Candidate, US House of Representatives
Oct 6, 2006
A patriot must always be ready to defend his country from his government.
I’m Joe Oddo, Independent
Green candidate running for Congress and I encourage you to get involved. To run for office. To insist we be allowed in the
debates. To fix our democracy. And stop the mudslingin
I believe in expanding civic participation by fixing election rules and instituting universal
registration. Anyone that shows up at the right polling place with their official ID should be able to register and vote on
the spot.
Plus
we should expand the hours of Election Day, or make it a holiday so everyone can take off work to cast their vote.
Our team of Independents have
spent weeks out in all weather extremes to qualify to make the ballot. We talked to over 150,000 Virginians who understand
the need for Independent voices. And by listening to your concerns, we have formulated a sound platform that addresses diverse
issues like lobby reform and term limits.
Together with our statewide candidate for the US Senate Gail “for Rail” Parker, we propose Rail Now solutions.
More Trains Less Traffic. We need hi-speed Rail from Danville to Charlottesville, from Charlottesville to Richmond, and on
to Washington. Modern high-speed rail utilizes existing right-of-ways. We can run elevated rail right along I-64 and Rt. 29
with minimal disturbance. It is the time to develop alternative energy solutions, and end our dependence on oil.
We must pay closer attention
to how government spends OUR money, and to ensure that it is on realistic, long-term solutions. So one of our initiatives
is to solve the fiscal crises in our federal budget. We need a balanced budget now. We can to pay off the federal debt in
five years. And we can fix the tax code for real tax cuts, not credit card advances.
We are more conservative than our opponents. There
is nothing compassionate or conservative in military adventurism. This administration promotes addiction to a new drug called
fear. We no longer face facts. We prefer to fabricate them. We lost over 3,000 young American soldiers since Nine Eleven.
Why? For war industry profits.
Everyone knows it. One of every four tax dollars are being spent at the Defense Department. From their own report, billions
are being mismanaged through "improper payments". And this Congress has been complicit and needs replaced.
We can fix Pentagon waste
with an auditable accounting system so we know where our money is going. We can save $2 Billion a week by withdrawing from
Iraq. We can save Billions more by closing bases in Germany and Japan. And Billions more by scrapping useless weapons programs.
Now I ask you, what real liberal
or conservative would ever sanction the Patriot Act, or NSA domestic spying? Why should we give away rights guaranteed by
the Constitution now? They served us well for the multitude of threats we defeated during the last 230 years.
Now it’s: be afraid.
Be very afraid. Don’t worry about your tax dollars going to campaign contributors through no-bid contracts. Don’t
pay attention while they strip away our rights, or rob our Treasury blind.
We won’t hear them say: War as a foreign policy of the United
States is wrong. Peace is the answer. Nonviolence is the answer.
We can protest all we want. We can editorialize, we can lobby, we can strike, we can boycott,
we can hold endless numbers of meetings. This only gets us so far. If we are going to accomplish real change in government,
then we have to resort to action. The only real action against apathy is to get on the ballot and run for office.
Now is our chance to restore
the optimism and promise of a world for all to live in peace. Join us as an independent - not bought and paid for by corporate
rulers.
We run
on positive issues. We listen. We do not sling mud.
Because I am an optimist, I offer solutions that the two parties will not address. Please
Join us. Our Web site is www.VoteJoinRun.us. Please Vote Oddo on November 7th.
