Economic Investment ideas from the Green Party:

*************


From: http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=152

Greens offer six big steps for economic recovery

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

Greens support workers occupying a factory in Chicago after layoff: bailout money isn't being used to help working Americans


WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders said today that the incoming Obama Administration and Congress should take six major steps to reverse the financial meltdown and restore financial security for Americans.

The steps include a Green public works program, aid for state and muncipal governments, expansion of mass transit, Single-Payer health care, a peace dividend gained by ending the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and an end to the wasteful war on drugs.

Green Party candidates running for local, state, and national office in 2008 promoted many of these ideas even before the crisis precipitated. In September, Cynthia McKinney published a ten-point list of solutions and reforms in response to the Wall Street meltdown, titled "Seize the Time" (http://votetruth08.com/index.php/learn/mckinney-messages).

Greens expressed support for United Electrical Workers union members occupying a Republic Windows and Doors plant in Chicago after the plant was shut down and they were laid off with three days' notice and told they had no assurance of receiving severance and unused vacation pay. The company's creditor, Bank of America, received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. Greens said that the bank's actions, including refusal to allow Republic to give workers 60 days notice (as required by law), demonstrates how bailout money isn't being used to assist working Americans facing financial hardship.

Six Green steps for economic recovery:

(1) Enact a massive Green public works program, creating new living-wage jobs in conservation (including weatherization and energy retro-fitting); clean and safe energy technologies to replace fossil fuel and nuclear sources and create a carbon-free economy; repair and improvement of America's deteriorating infrastructure (especially water and sewer systems); and improvement of public schools and Green job training programs.

"The collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis in 2007 was a result of the neglect and starvation of funds for maintaining infrastructure that was built decades ago. The ideology of privatization and hostility to 'big government' is no longer tenable during the financial crisis -- the current White House and Congress conceded as much when they began pushing for bailouts. Public works programs built America, and public works, with hundreds of thousands of new Green jobs, is what America needs now for economic recovery," said Rosa Clemente, the Green Party's 2008 candidate for Vice President (http://www.rosaclemente.com).

"We're encouraged that President-elect Obama intends to launch a public works program along these basic lines, but we hope Congress and his own administration don't undermine and dilute such a program out of traditional Democratic and Republican loyalty to corporate interests and fear of being labeled liberal or socialist. It's time to follow the lead of the Green Jobs For All movement," Ms. Clemente added.

(2) Bail out financially ailing towns, cities, and states before bailing out private corporations: millions of public sector and contractor jobs depend on the fiscal security of municipal and state governments.

Greens noted that municipalities and states are businesses that drive state and local economies throughout the US. They also provide the social safety net that millions of working people need during the current crisis.

(3) Jumpstart our country's mass transit system, giving people an alternative to cars while saving them money and providing jobs.

"Making autos more efficient will only get us part way toward solving our energy and climate challenges. We need to get people out of their cars altogether. Communities need the ability to provide local solutions for mass transprotation: new trains, subways, light rail wherever they fit," said Wes Rolley, co-chair of the Green Party's EcoAction Committee.

(4) Enact a Single-Payer/Medicare For All national health plan, providing every American with coverage and removing the burden of health care from small and large private businesses.

"The skyrocketing cost of health care under our private health care system has created much of the economic instability as businesses struggle to provide workers health benefits. If President Obama and Congress have the political will to resist the power of the insurance, HMO, and pharmaceutical industries that siphon their profits off America's need for health care, the relief that Single-Payer will be a huge economic boost," said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

Single-Payer would cover all Americans regardless of income, employment, residence, age, or prior medical condition, allowing choice of health care provider, and costing working people far less than they now pay for private coverage. In 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article estimating that Single-Payer could cut health care costs by $350 billion annually (http://www.pnhp.org/publications/nejmadmin.pdf). Greens sharply criticized Barack Obama during the election season for rejecting Single-Payer out of concern for health insurance companies.

(5) End the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The staggering expense of the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions and occupations haven't only cost American, Iraqi, and Afghan lives. It also ate up trillions of dollars away that could have been spent on human and environmental needs. If we call home our troops right now, we can divert the money needed for military occupations to Green public works and other programs to jumpstart the economy -- a new peace dividend," said Starlene Rankin, co-chair of the Lavender Green Caucus.

The Green Party opposed both wars from the beginning and has criticized Mr. Obama's plans for delayed and partial troop withdrawal from Iraq and for sending more troops to Afghanistan.

(6) End the war on drugs, which wastes billions annually, hasn't curbed drug use, and ruins lives by incarcerating nonviolent offenders (mostly young, African American, Latino, and poor white) at further government expense.

"The war on drugs is America's longest and costliest war. With Afghanistan providing the world's world's biggest poppy crop, it's one of the main reasons the US is fighting a war there," said Cliff Thornton, co-chair of the Green Party and co-founder of Efficacy, Inc. (http://www.efficacy-online.org), which promotes major reforms in drug policy.

Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron has estimated that legalizing cannabis would save federal, state, and local governments $44 billion a year in enforcement costs (http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/mironreport.html). Governments could collect another $33 billion in revenues by taxing cannabis as heavily as alcohol and tobacco.

Cross-posted at http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2008/10/09/2012-presidential-race/

2012 Presidential Race

October 9th, 2008 · 

Canada is having an election too, in case you had not heard. Their candidate for Prime Minister, Elizabeth May, is polling at 10% currently, and will participate in the nationally televised debates.

It appears Canadians will get to hear more than just the pre-approved political participants.

Great article from the Christian Science Monitor:

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/10/02/why-canada’s-green-party-is-finally-a-prime-time-draw/



Why Canada’s Green Party is (finally) a prime-time draw
Elizabeth May, the Green candidate, will make history by appearing in a nationally televised debate on Thursday night.

By Susan Bourette| Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor/ October 2, 2008 edition


TORONTO
One way or another, Canada’s Green Party leader Elizabeth May will make history this week.

The mother, lawyer, environmental activist, and native of Connecticut will be the first Green Party member to participate in national televised debates on equal footing with Canada’s mainstream party leaders.

The debates – in French on Wednesday and in English on Thursday night – are “make or break” events for a party long relegated to the fringes of Canadian politics. Despite Green Party success in Europe, Canadians have yet to elect a single Green member to Parliament.

Voter concern over high oil prices and climate change have thrust the environment into the center of Canadian politics. But political analysts attribute the party’s rise in the polls to Ms. May’s scrappy, off-the-cuff campaign style. She has a giftfor rhetorical thunder that seems to resonate with voters.

“She’s got lots of natural charisma,” says Karen Bird, who teaches Canadian politics at Hamilton’s McMaster University. “She seems to be a person of integrity who is down to earth. She’s not obsequious. She tells you what she really thinks and where she stands and I think a lot of people respond to that.”

Earlier this week, May said she planned to employ that “spontaneous, from-the-heart” approach to disarm her political foes in two debates (Wednesday night in French, Thursday in English) in which five party leaders will compete.

The debates give May a shot at establishing herself as a serious contender in the eyes of the Canadian electorate. Recent polls put the ruling Conservative Party within striking distance of forming a majority government. The once mighty Liberal Party, currently the official opposition, is sinking like a stone. The Liberal Party is polling last, for example, in British Columbia, behind the Tories, the left-leaning New Democratic Party, and the Greens. The most recent Press Harris-Decima poll has the Green Party polling at 10 percent.

At the heart of the May’s Green Party policy platform is a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by taxing polluters while doling out tax breaks to companies and individuals that reduce their carbon output. She campaigned this past week in a cross-Canada tour by train instead of by plane, a lower carbon-footprint form of transportation. She has not driven a car, according to media reports, in 20 years.

But May is also keen to stamp out the perception that the Green Party is a left-wing party full of treehuggers. Instead, she emphasizes a platform that is socially progressive with fiscally conservative ideas.

While the Green Party has a long history of electoral success in Europe, with strong representation in countries like Germany, Italy, and Ireland, the party hasn’t made significant inroads in North America.

In the 2006 Canadian federal election, the Green Party garnered 660,000 votes, or 4.5 percent of those cast.

May has her sights set on a much bigger piece of the pie this time around. She said this week that she hopes to win at least 12 seats in the election. Canadians head to the polls October 14.

But many observers are sceptical. Wilfrid Laurier University political scientist David Doherty says that despite the uptick in support, it’s unlikely that the Green Party will achieve a major breakthrough.

“Our electoral system isn’t exactly democratic,” Professor Doherty says. “It tends to punish smaller parties, while rewarding a winner who may not even have a majority of the votes.”

The “first past the post” or plurality system means that while everyone gets a vote, some votes effectively count more than others. The winner is the one who places first, not necessarily the candidate who receives a majority of votes. The electoral system tends to reward parties that are able to bunch their votes geographically. In 26 federal elections held since 1921, there have been 16 majority governments elected but only two that actually commanded a majority of the vote.

The way Doherty sees it, the Green Party may have a shot at winning three or four seats. But he adds that even if the party manages to double its popular vote from 2006, it may not win a single seat in Parliament.

May’s shot at expanding the party’s power in Parliament may have been further diminished Tuesday when Canada’s two most powerful environmental groups issued a call to its members to “vote strategically.” In other words, they are urging Canadians to support any party that will defeat the Conservatives. “We are nonpartisan,” explains Bruce Cox, executive director of Greenpeace Canada. “Our goal is to send a very clear message to voters. If you want real action on climate change, you must vote for anyone other than the party that we believe has the worst environmental plan for Canada going forward.”

By all accounts, May is undaunted by these obstacles as she heads into the debate. Her first triumph in this campaign was, in effect, to win a spot at the podium. Last month, two of the major party leaders balked at including May in the debate. However, facing a heated backlash from the Canadian public, they retreated, allowing May to join in.

May comes by her political passions honestly. She was born in Hartford, Conn., where her mother was an early antinuclear activist who campaigned for the Democrats alongside Bill Clinton. The family moved to Cape Breton on Canada’s east coast to open a restaurant in a schooner where May worked as waitress while still a teenager.

******

For more info on the McKinney/Clemente campaign, go to: http://votetruth08.com/

http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org//press/press.php?annc_id=271&section_id=2

Interesting press release from the DC Green Party - apparently not even the democrats favor statehood for the district anymore. Sad to see disenfranchisement perpetuated.

One wonders why - with the high minority population and the general liberal trend of the populace, the democrats would stand to gain seats in the Senate and House. Yes, it might be difficult and tedious to admit another state into the Union, but if democracy were easy and quick, the entire world would have become a democracy 1000 years ago.

But democracy is slow, ugly, and difficult. However, considering the alternatives, I will stick with democracy, thank you very much.

Of course, perhaps DC should secede from the Union and only rejoin if they will have full state status?

Free DC!

Rest in peace, Frank Zeidler, died at age 93.

In 2004, the Green Party held its nominating convention in Milwaukee. At the time, I was a candidate for US Senate here in Iowa, and a delegate for the Iowa Green Party. Mr. Zeidler was announced as the next speaker to address the 800 or so Green Party delegates. I had never heard of him, and had no idea who he was - other than a socialist ex-mayor of Milwaukee.

In his 9th decade, Mr. Zeidler walked slowly and with a measured gait to the podium, and I wondered if he still possessed the mental and physical faculties to address a crowd like the one that had gathered that day.

He did. He most certainly did.

He detailed the commonalities between the socialists and the greens, and spoke about the accomplishments of his mayorship of Milwaukee: city parks, public housing, jobs - investments in people, dictated by the needs of people, and not by special interests.

When I am his age, I hope to still have the strength and intellect to address crowds, and to let them know that they are not alone in their desire for accountable, responsible, and effective governance.

In this article, Congress is shown as clearly still backing the tragic war in Iraq - a war with no plan, and no end in sight. Some great quotes:

"On June 15, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly defeated a resolution calling for the withdrawal of American combat forces from Iraq by the end of this year. Only six of the 100 senators voted in favor of the resolution"

"Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts put forward a resolution the following week calling for a withdrawal by July 1, 2007. The Democratic leadership reportedly put enormous pressure on Kerry to withdraw even this tepid resolution from consideration, but the bill went to the floor anyway. Kerry's bill was also soundly defeated, with no Republican senators and only 13 of the 44 Democratic senators voting in favor."

"Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman declared that adopting the Levin resolution would result in “the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 being able to claim victory in Iraq and going on, emboldened, to attack us again here at home.” Lieberman failed to mention that al-Qaida found recruitment opportunities inside Iraq only after the U.S. invasion."

**********************
It's high time we wake up and realize that every branch of government: executive, legislative, and judicial is in full support of this war, whereas the US public is not. So, fellow progressives, what will you do on election day this November? Will you vote for pro-war democrats, in hope that they magically change their stance? Try not to act too shocked when they continue to spinelessly support a war based on failed intel/outright lies. It is time to vote for candidates that have your values, and will take action based on those values. Green Party candidates from local to national levels have been in opposition to the wars of the Bush regime from day one.

When the pro-war democrats come clutching, grasping, clawing for your vote this fall, what will you do? Will you betray your values, like the senators listed in the story? Or, will you stand up for what you believe in? Trust in this, if you stand by your values, you will not be alone.

We need your help getting Wendy on the ballot this fall. 1500 signatures is what is required by the state of Iowa. To sign, you must be:

1. A resident of Iowa
2. eligible to register to vote (18yrs old and above)

Completed (or partially complete) petitions should be mailed to:
Polk County Greens
PO Box 13223
Des Moines IA  50310

To download the petition, click http://www.geocities.com/cimat/petition.pdf
(right click, select "save as")

If you have any questions, email me at dnorthrop@PolkCoGreens.org

Thank you for your help!

An illegal, illegitimate, and pointless war in Iraq, massive domestic spying on law-abiding citizens without warrants, botched responses to natural disasters, illegal leaks of sensitive intelligence - that's the Bush administration in action. Looks like a "slam-dunk" situation for the Democrats to regain both houses of Congress, right? Maybe not. The article from The Progressive, listed in its entirety below, shows that Democrats may be looking to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And, it's not just a defeat for their party, it's a defeat for every citizen in the United States.

Why?

Even if Democrats win majorities in the House and Senate, it will not be a progressive majority needed to turn this country around when it comes to foreign policy, health care, the environment, workers rights, etc. "The party leadership continues to promote caution on withdrawing from Iraq, criticizing the President, or taking a stand against the aggressive and unconstitutional policies of this administration. The conventional wisdom--that taking too clear a position might get in the way of letting the Republicans hang themselves—is only strengthened by the fact that the Dems' chances are looking better in the polls now, even as they shy away from appearing to be too strong an opposition."

We currently have, in effect, no opposition in Congress to the center-right corporate-dominated coalition that is the Republican and Democratic Parties.

The Green Party is working to change that. Across the nation, Green candidates are mobilizing electorates, and bringing a new message of hope, accountibility, compassion, and citizern power to the people of this nation. Do you want a progressive majority in Congress? Green candidates are those progressive that we so desperately need. For more information on Green Party candidates near you, visit http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_05_15.shtml

********************

Published on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 by The Progressive

The Democrats' Losing Attitude

by Ruth Conniff

Conservatives are considering sulking at home during the upcoming midterms. Apparently, two rightwing appointments to the Supreme Court and an evangelical crusader in the White House are apparently not enough. Meanwhile, the Democrats are, for the first time, actually looking at a fighting chance to take over Congress, according to a front page story in Sunday's New York Times. A simultaneous rebuke to Bush from the right and the left may break the Republican stranglehold on government this fall. But dramatic political change is not necessarily at hand. Even if the Democrats gain a majority in Congress in 2006, it won't be a progressive majority. The party leadership continues to promote caution on withdrawing from Iraq, criticizing the President, or taking a stand against the aggressive and unconstitutional policies of this administration. The conventional wisdom--that taking too clear a position might get in the way of letting the Republicans hang themselves—is only strengthened by the fact that the Dems' chances are looking better in the polls now, even as they shy away from appearing to be too strong an opposition. If stalling is a viable strategy, why be surprised that some Dems are even promoting losing as a winning prospect? Really. Last week Tony Coelho told Adam Nagourney that NOT gaining majorities in the House and Senate might be better for Democrats, since then they won't be blamed for the mess the country is in. "The most politically advantageous thing for the Democrats is to pick up 11, 12 seats in the House and three or four seats in the Senate but let the Republicans continue to be responsible for government," Coelho, a former House Democratic whip, told the Times. "We are heading into this period of tremendous deficit, plus all the scandals, plus all the programs that have been cut. This way, they get blamed for everything." So when, exactly, can we expect a change of direction? When the Republicans start governing responsibly, ending the deficit, reforming government, restoring domestic services, and rolling back the Bush tax cuts? It will be a cold day in Hell before the Democrats judge it a safe time to step up to the plate and take over. And if they manage to stumble into power, what are the chances that the Democrats will take bold steps to rescue the country from all the bad policies this Administration has brought on us? Not much, judging by the nervous attitude of the current leadership. Howard Dean incurred the wrath of House and Senate leaders when he declined to direct funds to the Congressional campaigns of the suddenly viable Democratic contenders, who are counting on the anyone-but-Bush-and-friends vote to get them into office. Instead, the DLC chair insists on continuing to fund state-level party-building activities. That sort of long term thinking is not particularly popular. But it might help cure what ails the Democrats. By bringing some grassroots candidates up through the ranks, it is possible that, in a few years, the party might actually have some candidates willing to take a chance on leading the country. Imagine. Ruth Conniff is the political editor of The Progressive. © 2006 The Progressive ###

Thanks New York Times! Link to story here.

Son's Death in Iraq Prompts Bid for Congress

Presumably he was killed by his kidnappers. Tom, you will not be forgotten, and we Greens will not be deterred from our mission to end war - all wars.

Police: U.S. hostage shot, tortured

Tom Fox among four peace activists kidnapped in November

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American hostage Tom Fox -- who was kidnapped with three other Christian peace activists in November -- has been found shot in the head with his body showing signs of torture, Iraqi emergency police told CNN Saturday.

There was no word on the whereabouts of Fox's fellow hostages -- Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, and 74-year-old Briton Norman Kember -- who were last seen in a video broadcast Tuesday on Arab television.

Fox's body was found wrapped in a blanket around 5 p.m. Thursday in the Daoudi neighborhood in western Baghdad -- dumped on the main road near a train station. His hands and feet were bound, police said. He was wearing gray trousers and a gray shirt.

Police discovered the body and then contacted an Iraqi army patrol that was nearby. The Iraqi army also determined that the body appeared to be of a Westerner, and U.S. forces were called to the scene.

A spokesman for the U.S. military confirmed they picked up the body Thursday evening, and it was later determined to be that of Fox.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Fifty-four foreign hostages are known to have been killed by their captors, Reuters reported.

Fox, 54, a Quaker from Clear Brook, Virginia., had been abducted with three other members of Christian Peacemaker Teams on November 26.

"In grief we tremble before God who wraps us with compassion. The death of our beloved colleague and friend pierces us with pain," a statement from Christian Peacemaker Teams said.

"We mourn the loss of Tom Fox, who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression and the recognition of God in everyone.

"We renew our plea for the safe release of Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember."

The brief video of those three hostages was aired Tuesday on the Arabic-language TV network Al-Jazeera. Noticeably absent from the video was Fox, and his status was not mentioned.

A group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade claimed responsibility for the abductions, and had threatened to kill the men if Iraqi prisoners held by the United States and Iraq were not released.

Fox's death was announced by the U.S. State Department on Friday.

"The FBI has verified the identity of a body found in Iraq," said spokesman Noel Clay. "While additional forensic testing will be completed in the United States, we believe this is the body of Tom Fox."

He said Fox's family was notified, and he offered them the department's "heartfelt condolences."

Doug Pritchard, co-director of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Toronto, said the humanitarian organization planned to maintain its presence in Iraq, at least until the fate of the other captives is known. The group has five workers in the country in addition to the remaining captives.

"We know the risks involved. It's very much a part of our training," Pritchard told a news conference late Friday.

He and Chicago co-director Carol Rose blamed the U.S. involvement in Iraq, backed by Britain, for the captives' dilemma, and urged both nations to release detained Iraqis.

Rose said Fox was "a very quiet man, very thoughtful and had a very subtle and quiet sense of humor."

Although Tuesday's 25-second video that aired was silent, an Al-Jazeera anchor said the three men were pleading with their home governments and Gulf Arab leaders to assist with securing their release.

On the tape were Briton Norman Kember and Canadians James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden. The date of February 28, 2006 was superimposed on the tape. In the video, the men were seated, and no hostage-takers were visible. (Full story)

There have been other videotapes of the men, including one released on an Islamist Web site in December that showed the hostages wearing orange jumpsuits and speaking individually to the camera.

In it, Fox and Kember were blindfolded and their hands chained together.

"I'd like to offer my pleas to the people of America, not to the government of America, a plea for my release from captivity and also a plea for a release from captivity of all the people of Iraq," Fox said.

"The only way that we can all be free is for the American and British soldiers to leave Iraq as soon as possible."

Kember, speaking in a tired, raspy voice, said, "I have been opposed to this war, Mr. (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair's war, since the very beginning. I ask of him now, and the British government, to do all that they can to work for my release and the release of the Iraqi people from oppression."

In response, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said his government was open to hearing from the hostage-takers, but that the group's demands were ones "plainly no government could meet."

There have been many international calls for the men's release, including pleas from Muslim clerics.

Pritchard said he was with Fox not long before he was kidnapped, when there was a special group meeting. The day before his abduction, Fox wrote an essay in which he asked, "Why are we here?"

"We are here to root out all aspects of dehumanization that exists within us. We are here to stand with those being dehumanized by oppressors and stand firm against that dehumanization," he wrote.

Fox's friend, John Surr, said Fox felt his calling in Iraq was worth the potential risk.

"He was willing to go in there at all costs," Surr said.

Fox, a 54-year-old Quaker, had two children, according to Christian Peacemaker Teams. He enjoyed cooking and playing music on his recorder and bass clarinet.

A music major, Fox graduated from college in May 1973. Though he was unwilling to participate in U.S. military actions in Vietnam, he auditioned for and earned a spot in the Marine Band, based in Washington, where he played to support his family.

After leaving the military, Fox quit the band to become a grocer, according to Christian Peacemaker Teams.

Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/11/iraq.hostage/index.html

http://www.gp.org/video/2006stateofunion/

STATE OF UNION

IRAQ WAR & IMPEACHMENT

HEALTH CARE

ENERGY GLOBAL WARM

DEMOCRACY & LOCAL ISSUES

GREEN PARTY

Greens Respond to 2006 State of the Union Speech from George W. Bush

Video News Releases (in sequence):
Videos will be available Wednesday, Feb 01.

#1 Iraq War & Impeachment

Byron DeLear Massive deception behind the Iraq invasion & occupation; Immediate withdrawal of US troops; Bush Administration lawlessness:  warrantless spying on US citizens, etc.; Retreat of Dems: Sen. Clinton; Pro-war Gov. Kaine's rebuttal for the Dems; Call for impeachment of Bush & Cheney [Request Video for Broadcasting]

#2 Health care

Marakay Rogers Failure of Bush's prescription drug bill: chaos in the states; Call for national health insurance [Request Video for Broadcasting]

#3 Energy and Global Warming

Rich Whitney Threat of global warming: evident with Katrina; Real US security: measures against global warming; ending oil addiction; National & state solutions: alternative energy sources [Request Video for Broadcasting]

#4 Democracy & Local Issues

Renée Bowser Greens running for & holding local office; Bush administration attacks on the social safety net; Addressing local issues: education, housing, basic human rights; DC statehood: a civil rights issue [Request Video for Broadcasting]

#5 The Green Party

Rebecca Rotzler The Green alternative: party for the 21st century; US democracy in danger (mention 2004 election irregularities & Green response); Comparison of GP with the 2 parties: Rep. Pelosi offers no criticism of Iraq War & refuses to mention national health insurance; Dems line up behind Alito; Dems favor eminent domain decision), No interesting ideas; GP candidates; Register Green, vote Green [Request Video for Broadcasting]

Great new for the Green Party and America! Accross American, people are turning towards the Green Party for accountable, innovative political leadership that is positive and inclusive. State and National Green Parties do not accept any pac money, or corporate contributions. We put the needs and interests of people first, and that is something the corporate controlled Demopublican and Republicrat parties cannot claim. It is common sense that you cannot serve two masters.

***************************************

From the Green Party national website:

Greens Show 1/4 Win Rate in 2005

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

Thursday, January 5, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org 
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org 

After GOP scandals and weak Democratic leadership, Greens expect 2006 to be a good year for alternative party growth.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party candidates won a quarter of all the races in which they competed in 2005.
Out of 177 Green candidates, 46 were were elected to public office in 2005 -- a 25.99% victory rate. A summary of Green wins in 2005 can be read at <http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml>.

"The 2005 off-year elections showed steady growth for the Green Party," said Jody Grage Haug, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

The only Green incumbent candidates who lost in 2005 were two Minneapolis City Council members, Natalie Johnson Lee and Dean Zimmerman, who were defeated after Democrats deliberately redistricted the city in order to weaken Green support.

But these defeats were offset by the election of nonincumbent Green candidate Cam Gordon to the Minneapolis City Council.

Greens enjoyed some 'surprise' victories in various states:

• Mike Sellers was elected Mayor of Cobbleskill, New York. There are now two Green mayors in New York; the other is Jason West of New Paltz. While the Republican incumbent and the Democratic ran negative campaigns against each other, Mr. Sellers ran a positive campaign and focused on his Get Out the Vote effort, gaining 46% of the vote.

• On May 7, David Lanman was elected Mayor of Marfa, Texas.

• In a partisan three-way race, Marty Qually was elected to the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Borough Council.

• Hillary Bradbury-Huang was elected to the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees.

"We expect some dramatic Green victories in 2006," said Jennifer Walling, co-chair of the Green Party's Coordinated Campaign Committee. The public has grown disgusted with the nightly news about Republican abuses of power, deceptions behind the Iraq war, Katrina incompetence, election irregularities in 2000 and 2004, and corruption, including the Abramoff charges and DeLay allegations."

"But Americans also know that Democrats have facilitated such abuses and are just as addicted to corporate money. A NPR poll released this week found that the public has slightly less confidence in Democrats than in President Bush on the question of ethics, and that the two established parties are equal when it comes to corruption. The time is ripe for a third party insurgence." (See http://www.greenbergresearch.com/articles/1656/1786_npr_poll.pdf) 

As of January 1, 2006 there are at least 227 elected Green officeholders.

MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org 
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green Victories in 2005
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml 
http://www.greens.org/elections/  

Today, under the private healthcare mode, it is a commodity, much like orange juice or BMW's. According to the latest Iowa Poll, we here in the Hawkeye state are very concerned about this issue, but what are we, the public, going to do about it?

The choices presented by the two corporate funded parties are: introduce more competition, and watch prices rise and access fall. Or, introduce less competition, and watch prices rise and access fall. Great choice? No, it's the choice between a punch in the mouth or a punch in the eye- it's no choice at all. There is an alternative: national health care.

What the Democratic and Republican parties have given up on is what most of the western world uses- a national health system that everyone pays into, and everyone has access to, regardless of your ability to pay. And guess what, it works. Our Canadian comrades enjoy longer life spans, lower infant mortality rates, and lower per capita health costs than Americans.

That's right- national health care is cheaper than private health care. Why? Because the waste and profit are taken out of the economic equation, and everyone who has a job, pays into the system. Lets face it, fellow Iowans, the private sector does very well at providing many goods and services, but not health care. So why cling to a broken system? Why be scared of the "socialized medicine is the road to communism" and other bogus arguments brought forth to frighten sick people away from a health system that works? All we have to lose is our illness and empty wallets. Even Costa Rica has a national health care system. Costa Rica. Think of that the next time you receive an astronomical health insurance premium increase.

The answer to the question "Is health care a right?" is a natural yes. The Green Party stands ready to put policy side by side with our natural compassion. I want to live in a society of healthy people, leading productive, fulfilling lives. If this is your desire, and values system, there is a party that stands with you. All you have to lose is your illness and your empty wallet.

For more info on the Green Party's Universal Health care policy, click here.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1118-33.htm

"The refrain of the Democrats about being misled into supporting the invasion of Iraq has become really tired. And someone other than the White House smearmongers needs to say it: The Democrats cannot be allowed to use faulty intelligence as a crutch to hold up their unforgivable support for the Iraq invasion. What is DNC Chair Howard Dean's excuse? He wasn't in Congress and didn't have any access to Senate intelligence. Still, on March 9, 2003, just days before the invasion began, Dean told Tim Russert, on NBC's Meet The Press, "I don't want Saddam staying in power with control over those weapons of mass destruction. I want him to be disarmed."

During the New Hampshire primary in January 2004, which I covered for Democracy Now!, I confronted Dean about that statement. I asked him on what intelligence he based that allegation. "Talks with people who were knowledgeable," Dean told me. "Including a series of folks that work in the Clinton administration."

A series of folks that work in the Clinton administration.

How does that jibe with the official Democratic line that they were misled by the Bush administration? Sounds like Howard Dean, head of the Democratic Party, was misled by....the Democrats. Dean's candor offers us a rare glimpse into the painful truth of the matter. As unpopular as this is to say, when President Bush accuses the Democrats of "rewriting history" on Iraq, he is right.

None of the horrors playing out in Iraq today would be possible without the Democratic Party."

********************

Never a truer statement can be said. The democratic party leadership was in favor of the war from day one, and even during the Clinton administration. The Green Party has been against the war in Iraq, knowing full well that the consequences would be disasterous, and that the case for war was at best very weak, and at worst, fraudulent. We know now, after the yellow cake/Plame affair, and the complete lack of WMD, and complete lack of connection between Saddam and Al-Queda, that the evidence was bogus.

So the question is now, how long will rank and file democrats who want peace and justice keep voting for representatives that want war and injustice? The lesson to take with you is: if you vote for the exact opposite of what you want, do not be surprised when that is what you get.

For more info on how the Greens differ from Republicrats and Demopublicans, go to http://www.therealdifference.com/issues2.html

Back to GP.org

Election Update: the Green Party Wins in 2005 Green candidates won 24 races last Tuesday, bringing the total number of Green electoral victories to 37 for 2005. Highlights of Election Day included Cam Gordon’s victory in his bid for Minneapolis City Council, Annie Young’s reelection to Minneapolis Recreation and Parks Board. Susan Hopkins won election to the Portland, Me., school board, where she will serve alongside three other Greens; Greens in Maine also helped defeat a ballot initiative that would have repealed the state’s new law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people form discrimination. Four out of five candidates in California won their bids for office. Greens in Takoma Park, Md., helped pass an Instant Runoff Voting initiative, which will ensure that elections won’t be winner-take-all. All of these successes would not have been possible without the Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC), a national committee that provides training and resources to Green campaigns. The CCC consists of Green Party activists who are skilled campaign volunteers from all over the country who help locals and states build strong Green Party campaigns. And they expect to undertake and accomplish more victories in 2006. Unlike the two major corporate parties, the Green Party depends entirely on donations from individuals. We do not take money from big business. Green office holders are accountable to their constituents, not corporations. The work of the CCC and other national Green Party projects would not be possible without the financial support of thousands of people across the country. The Green Party of the United States plans to run more candidates in 2006 and we anticipate more victories in 2006. The Coordinated Congressional Campaign is creating a unified message to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops now. A gift of $250.00 will allow us to promote the Green Party values of peace, genuine democracy, and sustainability in a national progressive publication like "The Progressive" for one month. The CCC plans to hold eight campaign schools in 2006 to train candidates and campaign staff to successfully run for office. Your gift of $100.00 will help pay a quarter of the travel expenses to bring an expert campaign consultant to a campaign school. A gift of $50 will allow us to print and send 100 copies of Green Pages to help start a new Campus Greens chapter. And if you haven’t seen Green Pages lately, check out its snazzy new format by placing an order at our online store, https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/Greens/shop/shop.jsp?storefront_KEY=4 Everyone donating $20 or more receives a yearly subscription to Green Pages. The Green Party is growing bigger, stronger, and more organized every day because of the support of people like you. Please help us realize our goals for 2006 and donate generously at https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/Greens/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1090

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