Jill Stein Will Protest Outside The Debate

After the controversial decision to exclude nominees Gary Johnson and Jill Stein from the upcoming presidential debates, many people are wondering what's next for their campaigns. Since the Committee for Presidential Debates' (CPD) 15-percent threshold criteria for inclusion is theoretically connected to the probability of the candidate winning the election, Johnson and Stein don't seem to stand much of a chance. But one of the candidates isn't giving up, and she plans on letting the country know that she isn't happy about being left out of the debate. Stein won't be participating in the presidential debate, but she will be protesting her exclusion outside the venue.

The CPD was pretty clear from the beginning that the 15-percent threshold wasn't going to be lowered, so the odds never looked all that great for Stein or Johnson's inclusion. But this largely unsatisfactory election cycle made space for third-party candidates in mainstream politics like never before, and there was a lot of hope that the Green and Libertarian nominees would be given a chance on the main stage. Unfortunately for them, the CPD made its announcement last week, barring Stein and Johnson from participation. The exclusion prompted Stein's protest, which you can help take part in.

If you live in the New York City area, you can join Stein in her protest against the ruling. The campaign is sponsoring buses from Manhattan and Brooklyn to bring supporters to Hofstra University on Long Island, the site of the first debate (sign up to RSVP for a spot on the bus here). According to the event page on Stein's website, some protesters will be taking actions that may risk arrest, so the campaign probably has a pretty provocative plan in the works. Stein and her running mate Ajamu Baraka will both be there, so get ready for something real wild to go down.

Stein's protest fits in perfectly with her protest campaign, which has attacked both major parties' politics and the two-party system itself. She's taken on some real outside causes, like animal rights and the Standing Rock tribe's fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline, proving that she's not just about politics as usual. Particularly during this year, which can feel so hopeless and entrenched in the same repetitive political flaws, Stein is a breath of fresh air who, at the very least, provides a nice break between the monotony of Clinton-Trump coverage. Although she won't be in the presidential debate, it will still be compelling to see what she does to get people's attention that night.