Three-time presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein warned students against a corrupt two-party system at Northwestern Political Union’s annual winter speaker event Thursday. The politician and activist spoke to more than 200 students at Lutkin Hall about U.S. politics and solutions for current world crises.
Stein ran for president in 2012, 2016 and 2024 as the Green Party nominee. She’s been a divisive figure in politics, and the Democratic Party made a concerted effort in 2024 to get her off the ballot in several states.
Undeterred by her opposition, Stein spoke to the audience about the need for alternatives in a party system corrupted by money. She discussed her work on campaign finance reform and the moment that made her “throw in the towel” with the Democratic Party.
Stein also pointed to the significant campaign funding from billionaires to both Democrats and Republicans in the 2024 presidential election as proof of corruption on both sides of the aisle.
“You cannot take the system back from the billionaires through parties that are funded and given their marching orders by the billionaires,” Stein said.
Weinberg senior Arianna Montas and Weinberg junior Alex Nagy, Political Union event chairs, moderated the Q&A segment. They asked Stein about foreign policy, including the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars.
Stein emphasized the need to stop funding “endless” wars and criticized both Democrats and Republicans for continuing to support Israel’s war effort despite strong opposition from the American people.
On the Russia-Ukraine War, Stein similarly emphasized the need for negotiating peace, one that meets Russia’s needs as well as Ukraine’s. She criticized NATO for moving east and encroaching on Russia.
“There’s no way Russia is going to, you know, move forward in a peaceful way without its warm water port and neutrality on its border,” Stein said.
Stein took questions from the audience, some of whom expressed skepticism about her views, particularly on the Russia-Ukraine War. One student asked if Stein believed Russia had the power to stop the war at any moment. She responded, “Yes.”
Stein also addressed the spoiler effect, the idea that the presence of third-party candidates on the ballot can swing the election. Democrats commonly cite this concept, particularly when talking about the 2016 election, when Stein received 1% of the vote and Hillary Clinton lost by slim margins.
While Stein said she rejects the spoiler effect, she added that implementing a ranked-choice voting system would eliminate the issue.
According to Montas, the event has been in the works since spring 2024. She said that hosting a presidential candidate coming off the election cycle felt like a good fit.
“Given this past presidential election, there was a lot of conversation about third parties and whether or not they work in the two-party system,” Montas said. “So we felt like a lot of students on campus would have questions for her.”
For Montas, a goal of Political Union is to foster a space where people can discuss politics and ask the hard questions. Several students went back and forth with Stein, some continuing in conversation after the event ended.
Weinberg freshman Jacob Witte attended the event. He said he appreciated Stein’s discussion of many important topics, but wished she had discussed queer issues, which has become a key issue in U.S. politics.
“I think that was a really important part of the election for a lot of people,” Witte said.
As a college student during the Vietnam War, Stein said she could relate to Northwestern students in the current state of international political upheaval and conflicts.
Stein said that in crisis, there is opportunity for change. But she emphasized that this change will not come through the Democrats or Republicans or under an economic system that prioritizes profits above peace.
To her skeptics, Stein stated her message loud and clear.
“Good luck supporting the powers that be,” Stein said.
A previous version of this story stated that Jill Stein ran for president four times. Jill Stein only ran for president three times. The Daily regrets this error.
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