Party hoping for Green-er pastures ahead

By Lisa Glaub

The leader of the Green Party at WIU says the recent Mock Presidential Election helped the organization, even though the Greens’ candidate didn’t come close in the Electoral College voting.

Campus Greens President Robert Casey believes the effort was successful.

“Students who came told me that they never heard of this party, and now, they are more interested based upon the information we shared with them,” he said. “I feel we have reached these students.”

Casey, a WIU senior, delivered the Greens’ speeches on two occasions –- once during the nominating night, and a different speech during the final voting night. He said he could have used more time to get his point across.

Perhaps that’s because the way he sees it, the Greens are “the best party out there,” he said.

It’s a conclusion Casey came to last year when he decided he wanted to become politically active.

Casey was impressed with the idea of a party with organizations around the globe in different cultures. Plus, he agrees with the Greens’ focus on environmental sustainability.

Casey says it’s important that people figure out ways to “not destroy what we have.”

The efforts during the WIU simulation, Casey said, were a great way for the Green Party to put its values to work.

“Grassroots democracy is the idea that people need to go out and engage in government themselves,” he said. “This should not be machine politics. People need to go out there and get involved directly.”

It’s that sort of activity that attracted Casey to the Greens, and the kind he hopes will attract students who didn’t necessarily embrace the Greens yet. Casey says he’s patient.

“The students were more active than usual,” he said. “They seemed to really enjoy this event. I think now they will be more likely to be active in real elections. We got our ideals and beliefs across, and we put our name and party out there.”

Campus Greens meet at 8 on Thursday nights in the Union Sandburg Lounge.