(nominated by the Green Party as candidate for the 6th District State House of Representatives in Detroit)

Margaret Guttshall

A pro-working class candidate for Michigan State Representative


mguttshall@peoplepc.com

313-831-4695

July 15, 2002

Friends,

I am running for Michigan State Representative from the 6th
district in Detroit on the Green Party ticket.

I am not doing this because I think it's possible to make
fundamental changes in our society, in the interests of the
working class and the oppressed population, simply by campaigning
in elections or electing people to public office.

The most important decisions that most affect the lives of both
working class and middle class people - how many people to hire;
what their wages, hours, benefits and tasks will be; how much to
spend on schools or healthcare; where and how much to pollute;
which people of other countries to make war on - are made by the
owners and top managers of the giant transnational corporations
(Exxon-Mobil, GM, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler), not by public
officials, no matter how high up they may be.

The only way to make fundamental changes is to build a mass
movement of millions of working people to fight for workers'
control and workers' management of the most important resources -
the land, the water, the banks, basic industry, agriculture,
transportation. With workers' control and management, it will be
possible to make sure that everyone has decent jobs, wages,
hours, working conditions, healthcare, education, housing, and
transportation.

On the other hand, I am convinced that it is possible to use
election campaigns, and positions in public office, to talk with
larger numbers of people, learn more about what they think and
want, encourage working class women, working class men, and all
oppressed people to build a massive movement of millions to fight
for their needs and wants, and to develop and promote a platform
or program that addresses the most serious problems facing the
exploited and oppressed.

This is why I have decided to run for Michigan State
Representative on the Green Party ticket.

It is especially important to take advantage of the opportunities
elections present now. The scandals at Enron, World.com and other
giant corporations, show how dishonest and corrupt the owners and
top managers are. At the same time, they are trying to solve
their problems by laying off thousands, cutting public funds for
social programs, persecuting immigrants, making war on people in
other countries, and attempting to suppress dissent. We need
candidates and campaigners not owned and controlled by these same
corporations, as the Republicans and Democrats are.

I want to begin by developing a platform for my campaign that
spells out some of the most important things I think we need to
fight for. You can help by contacting me and letting me know some
of the issues and demands you think are important.

I thank the Detroit Greens for inviting Detroit activists to run
for office on their slate. Their invitation shows they are
committed to building a unified movement against the owners of
the giant transnationals; they are making an important
contribution to this struggle.

With solidarity,

Margaret Guttshall

Member of the National Writers Union and the Labor Party
Organizing Committee

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Page last updated 28 July 2002