Linux Beach: How Green Party's Jill Stein tells two lies at once

According to Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, anyone who actually participates in deciding who the next president of the United States will be is wasting their vote. She says this is true because she claims there are no significant difference between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump so it doesn't really matter which one is our next president.

2-party system is a downward spiral. Let's #BreakThe2PartyTrap. 5% this year makes @GreenPartyUS a contender in 2020; cast a #StrategicVote!
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) November 6, 2016

Either she is blind to the realities of the world or there is a reason behind her willful deception. Her campaign slogan "Jill Not Hill" gives us a clue. She is trying to neutralize Clinton voters exclusively. She is running a pro-Trump campaign. She is protecting his Left flank.

Contrary to mindless cliches, your Green vote doesn't help the GOP or Democrats. You can take out two bags of trash at once. #VoteGreen2016
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) November 6, 2016

Of course, that's not the reason she gives for running. Her main sell, the main reason she gives citizens for voting Green, other than some progressive elements in her platform, is the need to build a progressive third party in the United States. While this need has never been greater than it is today, as this election year has clearly demonstrated, the Green Party is far from that party, and this election year has also demonstrated that.

57% of US want more parties. 5% makes @GreenPartyUS a new major party. Cast a smart #StrategicVote to get us to 5% & #BreakThe2PartyTrap!
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) November 5, 2016

The Green Party continues to do little of the grassroots community work essential to the building of a successful third party. It continues its narrow appeal to an elite white demographic. It continues to have very shallow answers to deep questions in a politically flawed, pro-Putin platform.Yet once again it has emerged from hibernation after four years to run a spoiler candidate.

Spread the word: 5% of the popular vote would qualify @GreenPartyUS for millions in public funds & ballot lines around the country.
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) November 4, 2016

Everybody knows Jill Stein has zero chance of winning the election, so the one goals she has set for her party and the big reason she gives for asking progressives to stand down from the fight to keep the white nationalist Robert Mercer financed fascists out of the White House is that if the Green Party can get 5% of the vote, if will guarantee it a place on the ballot and millions of federal dollars in 2020.

We're close to 5% in some polls, even when they don't poll millennials. Earning 5% would mean millions in funding for 2020. #GreenTownHall
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) October 12, 2016

Jill Stein put this forward as her one achievable goal, but the reality if that she has about as much chance of winning even 5% of the vote as she has of working from the Oval Office. She claims this goal is possible because they are already polling close to 5% so getting 5% of the vote should be within reach. This is based on two, shall we say "misrepresentations," that is a nicer word if size doesn't matter as it does in a tweet.

Just 5% of the vote in 2016 gets the Green Party national funding that can be used to keep building our non-corporate, progressive party.
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) April 29, 2016

This claim is false on two grounds:

1) She has never been at 5% in the national polls. She came into the race with a solid 4% but has drifted down to about 2% 1.8% as she has gained more exposure.

2) Her poll ratings are not reflected in actual votes. Not even close. In 2012, she was running a steady 4% in the polls, but on election day she received only 0.36% of the popular vote. In other words, more than 9 out of 10 voters who toll pollsters that they favored Jill Stein, either voted for someone else on election day or they didn't vote at all. The reason for this disparity is that while many progressives like to show their colors when talking to pollsters, they aren't really buying the Green Party line and throwing away their vote on election day. On Friday, Harvard Business Review published a report on how polls over estimate support for third-party candidates. This analysis has "Stein showing negligible levels of support from voters."

When Greens achieve over 5% of the vote in 2016, we will receive national funding to keep building the non-corporate party of the people.
— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) May 11, 2016