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CAMPAIGN 2006 Malachy McCourt running on Green Party ticket

If Malachy McCourt is seen wearing green these days, it might not be to represent his Irish heritage, but rather the party that has selected him to run for Governor of New York.
McCourt, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Limerick, Ireland, is the Green Party candidate for Governor in New York on the “Peace Slate” ticket. Also running on the ticket is Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor, Howie Hawkins for Senate, Rachel Treichler for Attorney General and Julia Willebrand for Comptroller.
“We can’t do anything unless we have peace,” McCourt said.
Prior to being approached by the Green Party, McCourt, who is an actor and author, never considered being a politician. He said that his views on things such as housing, a living wage and social and economic equality were compatible with the Green Party, so he decided he would run for the position of governor.
McCourt is against the war in Iraq, saying that it is costing too much money and too many lives.
“Our resources are going to Washington for destruction and we need them here,” said McCourt, who also criticized the recent anti-terrorism cuts. “We’re sending far too much money to Washington.”
Other issues that McCourt said need to be addressed are the housing and education crisis. Regarding education, McCourt said he wants to revise the current system, give teachers raises, serve organic foods to students and change the curriculum to include music, art and literature.
McCourt said that more attention and care also needs to be paid to the environment, saying that, “If we don’t do something about the environment, we [aren’t] going to have an Earth to stand on.”
For the Democrats, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi are running for Governor of New York. Republicans Bill Weld, a former Governor of Massachusetts, and John Faso, who was once an Assemblyman for upstate New York, are also hopefuls for the position.
For more information on McCourt and his campaign, visit www.malachyforgovernor.com.