Jill Stein facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Jill Stein
Stein in 2024

Member of the Lexington Town Meeting from the 2nd Precinct
In office 2005–2010

Personal details
Born	Jill Ellen Stein (1950-05-14) May 14, 1950 (age 75) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Green (2002–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (1968–2002)
Spouse	Richard Rohrer
Children	2
Education	Harvard University (BA, MD)
Signature

Jill Ellen Stein (born May 14, 1950) is an American doctor, activist, and politician. She is known for her work on environmental health and her campaigns for president.

In 2024, she ran for president against former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Her campaign focused on ending wars, providing universal healthcare, offering free public education, and creating a "real Green New Deal" to help the environment and workers. Her running mate was Butch Ware.

Early Life and Education

Jill Stein was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 14, 1950. She grew up in Highland Park, Illinois. Her family came from Russian Jewish backgrounds.

In 1973, Stein graduated with high honors from Harvard College. She studied psychology, sociology, and anthropology. She then went to Harvard Medical School, finishing in 1979. For 25 years, she worked as a doctor in the Boston area. She also taught medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Early Activism and Political Start

As a doctor, Jill Stein saw how people's health was connected to their environment. This led her to become an activist in 1998. She started protesting against coal plants in Massachusetts.

She joined the board of Physicians for Social Responsibility in Boston. She won awards for her work, like the "Not in Anyone's Backyard Award" in 1998. She also received the "Children's Health Hero Award" in 2000.

Stein helped write two reports about how the environment affects health. These reports were called In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development (2000) and Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging (2009).

Political Career in Massachusetts

Stein at a protest against coal-powered energy production

Jill Stein began her political journey in 2002. She ran for governor of Massachusetts as a candidate for the Green-Rainbow Party. She came in third place in that election.

In 2005, Stein was elected to the Lexington Town Meeting. This is a local group that makes laws for the town. She was re-elected in 2008. She later resigned to run for governor again.

Jill Stein announcing her candidacy for governor in February 2010

In 2006, she ran for Secretary of the Commonwealth. She received a significant number of votes. In 2010, she ran for governor of Massachusetts for a second time.

Presidential Campaigns

Jill Stein has been the Green Party's candidate for president of the United States twice. She ran in the 2012 and 2016 elections.

During her campaigns, she talked about a Green New Deal. This plan aimed to fight climate change and reduce income inequality. It also focused on civil and political rights. In 2012, she received 0.36% of the votes. In 2016, she received 1.07% of the votes.

Stein with Jon Wiener, a writer for The Nation, in 2016

Jill Stein's presidential campaign logo, 2016

On November 9, 2023, Stein announced she would run for president again. She posted her plans on X. Her main goals included being anti-war, pushing for a Green New Deal, and supporting universal healthcare.

Political Ideas

Jill Stein has shared her ideas on many important topics during her campaigns.

Economy

Stein supports ideas like making sure everyone who wants to work can find a job. She has also talked about how official unemployment numbers might not show the full picture.

Green New Deal

Stein supports a Green New Deal. This plan is inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. It would create jobs in renewable energy to help the environment. The goal is to employ "every American willing and able to work." Stein believes this plan would end unemployment and poverty.

Infrastructure

Stein wants to build sustainable infrastructure. This means using clean energy and creating communities that are good for the environment. Her ideas include more mass transit in cities and better railroads between cities. She also supports complete streets for bikes and walking.

Funding the Plan

Stein suggests paying for the Green New Deal by reducing the U.S. military budget. She also proposes taxing stock market trades and large inheritances. She believes these changes would help the economy grow.

Financial Reform

Stein has criticized the Wall Street bailout. She believes the U.S. should raise taxes on the wealthy instead of increasing the national debt.

She also supports a small tax on buying and selling stocks and bonds. She wants to increase the tax on very large inheritances.

Banking Regulation

Stein wants to change how the Federal Reserve works. She believes it should be more controlled by the government. She also supports creating public banks that are not for profit.

Education

Stein believes in "free higher public education" for everyone.

She is against charter schools. She also thinks that teachers, not companies, should decide what is taught in schools.

Technology in Education

Stein is concerned about too much computer use in early education. She believes it might not be good for young children's development. She argues that more computer use mainly benefits companies that make devices.

Health Effects of Wi-Fi

Stein has raised concerns about wireless internet in schools. She suggests taking precautions until more is known about its long-term health effects. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that "no adverse health effects are expected from exposure to [Wi-Fi]."

Debt Forgiveness

Stein supports canceling all student loan debt. She believes this can be done without raising taxes. She compares it to how the government helped Wall Street during the 2008 financial crisis. She sees education as a "right" and a "necessity," not a gift.

Electoral Reform

Stein is critical of the two-party system. She supports ranked-choice voting. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

She also supports lowering the voting age to 16. This is a common idea among Green parties worldwide.

Energy and Environment

Stein calls climate change a "national emergency." She believes it is a threat even greater than World War II. She wants the U.S. to act quickly, similar to how it acted after World War II. She also believes that energy should be a "human right."

Regulation

Stein proposes that the United States switch to 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Fossil Fuels

Stein supports a national ban on fracking. She believes fracking is harmful to the environment.

Nuclear Power

Stein is against nuclear energy. She says it is "dirty, dangerous and expensive." She also tweeted that "Nuclear power plants = weapons of mass destruction waiting to be detonated."

Implications

Stein says that workers who lose jobs in the fossil fuel industry would get support. They would receive income and benefits as they move to new jobs in renewable energy. She also argues that moving away from fossil fuels would save a lot of money on healthcare.

Foreign and Defense Policy

Stein believes in a non-interventionist foreign policy. This means the U.S. should not get involved in other countries' conflicts unless absolutely necessary. She has criticized America's "expanding wars."

Military Spending

Stein wants to cut U.S. military spending by at least 50%. She would also close U.S. military bases in other countries. She believes these bases turn the U.S. into a "bankrupt empire." She wants to replace military jobs with jobs in renewable energy and green infrastructure.

Use of Force

Stein believes the U.S. should only use force when there is a clear and immediate threat of attack. She has criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the U.S. involvement in the War in Afghanistan.

Weapons Use

Stein wants to remove U.S. nuclear weapons from foreign countries. She is also critical of using drones. She calls them a human rights violation.

NATO

Stein has said that NATO needs to be examined. She believes NATO has been involved in actions that violate international law. She also suggests that NATO creates "invented enemies" to support the weapons industry.

Immigration

Jill Stein supports "a welcoming path to citizenship for immigrants."

Public Health

Stein wants to replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). She supports a "Medicare-for-All" healthcare system.

She has also criticized the food industry for promoting unhealthy eating.

GMOs and Pesticides

Stein supports labeling GMO foods. She wants a pause on new GMOs until they are proven safe. She believes current studies are not good enough to prove their safety.

However, many scientists agree that existing GM foods are as safe as traditional crops.

Stein has also raised concerns about pesticides. She notes that many studies link pesticides to health problems.

Space Exploration

In 2012, Stein wanted to slightly decrease spending on space exploration. However, in 2016, she said NASA funding should be increased. She argued that by cutting the military budget, more money could go to "exploring space instead of destroying planet Earth."

Personal Life

Jill Stein is married to Richard Rohrer, who is also a doctor. They live in Lexington, Massachusetts. They have two sons.

Images for kids

Stein in 2024
Jill Stein's signature