[GPSCC-chat] Monthly meeting minutes August 23, 2012

[Spencer Graves]

Below please find my standard notes. Please reply to all with any 
corrections, additions, deletions, etc. to the minutes.  The last posted 
version shall stand at least until the next meeting unless there is a 
dispute.  In the latter case, I will offer my opinion and we will decide 
as a group at the next meeting.


I think we had a good crowd and a very productive meeting this evening.  
A good time was had by all, I think.


Thanks.  Spencer


On 8/23/2012 2:59 PM, WB4D23 at aol.com wrote:
>
> *G**REENPARTYOF SANTACLARACOUNTY*
>
> DraftAgendaforMonthlyGeneralMembershipMeetingAugust23,2012
>
> San JosePeaceandJusticeCenter,48South7thStreet,San Jose,CA 
> (Near7thandSan Fernando)
>
> 7:00pm -- Eat andchat / Possible speaker (unconfirmed as of 8/22)
>
> David Merritt on his personal lawsuits against big banks for predatory 
> practices
>


       David Merritt pressured into signing a loan contract without 
reading and without getting a copy of the contract.  They added text to 
the contract, which David found out after finally suing Countrywide to 
get a copy of the contract from them.  David then filed a suit in 
Federal court, which was ultimately dismissed.  He then filed in State 
court (Santa Clara County Superior Court.  Wells Fargo was dismissed 
from the from the case.  An appellate court reinstated Wells Fargo as a 
defendant in "Merritt v. Wells Fargo". In the most recent hearing, last 
Friday, 17 August, David Merritt petitioned Judge James Stoelker to 
recuse himself for cause, as he had represented defendants Countrywide 
and First American Title in numerous cases over the previous decade 
prior to having been appointed to the bench by former Governor 
Schwarzenegger;  see 
"http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9818679.htm". For more see, 
"Merritt v. Countrywide" at occupy.pbworks.com 
(http://occupy.pbworks.com/w/page/57677826/Merritt%20v%20Countrywide).


> 7:30pm -- Beginmeeting
>
> SelectFacilitator,Notetaker,Timekeeper,andVibeswatcher(s),SelectAgendaPreparerfor 
> next meeting;Affirmor modifydraftagenda(5 Minutes)
>


       facilitator:  Warner


       Notetaker:  Spencer


       Timekeeper:  Caroline.


       Vibeswatcher:  Tian


       Agenda preparer for next meeting:  Caroline.

> IntroductionsandAnnouncements(10Minutes)
>


       Warner:  Has been trying to contact Cindy _______

Debra came with Drew Johnson, member of the County Council:


Merriam Kathaleen


Pete O'Reilly:  Peace & Freedom party here to support resolution 
opposing war against Syria and Iran.  Doubletree workers are picketing 
and going on strike soon.  Would like help.


Gary Landauer:  Been a Green party member for many years.  Part of CHAM.


Sandy Perry:  CHAM.  Never been formally part of the Green Party. Here 
to support the Foreclosure Summit and the campaign for Jill Stein and 
Cherry Hankela.


John Thielking:  Publishes Peacemovies.com & author of resolution to 
oppose invading Iran or Syria.


Caroline Yacoub:  Working to get us involved with Healthcare for All.


Spencer Graves:  notetaker.


Tian Harter:  with today's harvest.


Rob Means with Move To Amend


Jim Doyle:  Treasurer and on the County Council.  made images for 
buttons on "The Robin Hood Tax".  Has brochures for vote


Andrew McKay:

> Treasurer'sReport-- JimDoyle(5 minutes)
>


       $2,180.94 balance.  Sent check to Green Party of CA for Green 
tote bags in Feb. cashed in May.


Warner has several boxes.  Has not yet done an inventory.  Jim or others 
are welcome to come to Warner's house to look for tote bags.

> County Council Reports -- Discussions and actions taken since last 
> month's General Membership meeting (10 minutes)
>


     No report.  All 4 on the County Council

> Status Report on Foreclosures Program -- Spencer Graves (10 minutes)
>
> September 15^th at
>


       Jim:  foreclosure.com?


       Sandy:  He came to talk about foreclosures and how we can fight 
this.


       Warner:  Help is needed on Media.  Contact the state Green Party 
Media Committee.  Should be on our county web page.  Let Sherry know 
that we are having this event.


       Peter:  Ice cream social for social justice at ML King next 
Tuesday organized by 2 unions.  I need to contact them and appear at the 
social with fliers.


       Merriam:  foreclosure.com wants your credit card.

> County Polling Discussions-- WarnerBloomberg(30minutes)See summary of 
> ballot measures following the draft agenda/Also report(s) from County 
> Council Members re discussions on the Standing General Assembly email 
> lists
>


       We have 4 votes, distributed to our County Council Members, who 
must decide how to handle split votes:  who to vote for and who against.


       Prop 30 = Gerry Brown tax proposal:  2 tax measures:  Brown's 
increase sales tax by ~0.25 percent plus impose higher taxes on $200K or 
$250K income -- would sunset after 6 (?) years.  Includes a 
constitutional amendment with more money for jails and public safety.  
SC Greens 4 YES.


4 yes: 5
4 no:  2
4 abstain:  1
4 no position:  3


Conclusion:  2 YES, 1 NO, 1 NO POSITION.


       Prop 38 = Munger taxes for education only and not for general 
budget purposes -- would sunset after 12 (?) years.  Munger may preempt 
prop. 30 if it gets more votes.  Gerry Brown's is more tax. SC Greens 4 
NOs.


unresolved concern: Caroline does not understand the allocation of the


consensus:    4 NOs


* These are tax measures.  Warner doesn't think they are constitutional 
amendments but he's not certain.  Constitutional measures don't sunset.  
Brown seems more thorough and effective than Munger.


       Prop 31 = state & local government initiative:  Would give any 
governor extensive powers to veto more or less anything:  SC County 
Greens vote 4 NOs.


       Prop 32 = Corporation want to defund unions packaged as balanced 
requiring unions to get permission from every member to spend any money 
on political campaigns:  SC Co. Greens 4 NOs.


       Prop 33:  Auto insurance reform:  Mercury insurance wants to give 
good drivers reduced rates but anyone with a lapse in insurance would 
pay more:  Greens vote 4 NOs.


       Prop. 34:  repeal the death penalty:  Alameda County expressed 
reservations on two grounds:  argument is made on monetary grounds. SC 
Greens vote 4 YES.


       Prop.  35:  Increase criminal penalties for human trafficking.  
LA voted mostly yes;  Alameda County voted NO.  Sounds great but can we 
study the details more?


Consensus:  4 votes NO POSITION


       Prop. 36:  to reform 3 strikes would require a violent crime for 
any conviction:  SC Greens 4 YES.


       Prop 37:  label GMOs:  SC Greens 4 YES.


       Prop 39:  Roll back lower taxes on out of state corporate taxes:  
SC Greens 4 YES.


       Prop 40:  State Senate redistricting:  YES affirms the most 
recent maps;  Republicans oppose these maps.  SC Greens 4 YES.

> Report on local Health Care for All (HCA) meeting -- Caroline and and 
> Merriam (15 Minutes)
>


       Attended meeting Tuesday.  Next Thursday, a church in Palo Alto 
at the First Baptist church will show the health care movie. Merriam and 
Caroline could use help tabling at this event.  Dana will table.  Andrew 
McKay offers to produce a leaflet.  Merriam will organize to present 
this movie in Japan Town.  California Alliance of Health Professional 
Student Association:  Jill Stein will be Sept. 24 & 25 in Northern CA 
doing campus tours.  There are 3,000 student members:  Propose to bring 
Jill Stein to Stanford to support Single Payer and perhaps other campuses.


       Jim Doyle:


       Sandy:  Could have a flier that says that Jilll Stein and Sherry 
H. are the only presidential candidates supporting single payer.  Also, 
we need to do Latino outreach on this issue.


       Warner:  Campaign and Candidates working group teleconference 
last night.  There's a monthly teleconference for volunteers. tentative 
Sept. 25:  looking for someone at Stanford to schedule an event there.


*** Dana has connections with the Secular Student Alliance.  Dana with 
contact them.

> Discussionofstatusoftablingsupplies-- (15 Minutes)
>


> Ballot Measures Positions Leaflets?State party will have a position by 
> Labor Day.
>


literature for Foreclosure Summit:


John T.:


Tian:  We need some Jill Stein for President.


Drew:  Allocate $140 to purchase Jill Stein T-shirts from her web site.  
Drew to try to get a discount.


> Jill Stein Literature?Reconsider T-shirts purchase (new price info); 
> Other items?
>
> Plans forFallTabling--(15Minutes) Foreclosures Program; Rumored Jill 
> Stein appearance at Stanford September 25^th (campaign is looking for 
> a campus organizer)
>


       Foreclosure Summit:  Sept. 5.


       HCA Thursday, Aug. 30


       Jill Stein, Sept. 5

> Request for GPSCC endorsement by Rob Means, Milpitas mayor candidate 
> -- Warner Bloomberg (5 Minutes
>


Jim Doyle:


Rob has filed the official papers.  He has no staff.  Has a web site.  
Has answered questionnaires from 4 different groups.


Gerry:


Peter:  Rob already has official labor support.


Caroline:  Do you need buttons.  (A:  no.)


Dana:  Why Dems?  A:  Now on the Democrats Central Committee and is 
pushing them left.


CONSENSUS to endorse Rob.

> Proposal:Anti-War Resolution for other GPs --John Thielking (15 Minutes)
>


Proposed:  That the SC Greens endorse this statement.  John will be 
responsible for distribution.


Gerry:  " ... nuclear power program ..."


Dana disagrees with Gerry's.  Gerry prefers the "power" wording but will 
stand aside.


Drew:  Move final 2 paragraphs to the front.  and remove the "also".  
Accepted.


Merriam:  Would prefer a resolution for Iran and a separate one for 
Syria, because Merriam supports the one for Iran but not Syria.


Tian doesn't like the last paragraph.


vote:
yes adopt modified proposal.  6
no we do not adopt the proposal - 1
abstain:  - 3


proposal approved with reordering of the paragraphs.

> Resolution Of The Green Party of Santa Clara County To Oppose Military 
> Intervention In Iran Or Syria
>
> Whereas there has rarely been a successful occupation/liberation by 
> military force that promptly resulted in a stable democracy being 
> formed in a formerly occupied country AND;
>
> Whereas the US and NATO have an established track record of using 
> depleted Uranium in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and probably also in 
> Libya AND;
>
> Whereas the use of depleted Uranium has longer lasting effects than 
> any use of biological or chemical weapons and is itself a war crime AND;
>
> Whereas the people and established governments of Iran and Syria have 
> the right to self determination without outside interference;
>
> Hereby be it resolved that we, the Santa Clara County Green Party, of 
> California USA, demand that the US, NATO and allied forces should not 
> intervene militarily in either Iran or Syria, nor should either side 
> continue to supply arms in attempts to foment proxy wars and/or regime 
> changes through violent conflict.
>
> We also urge the government and opposition forces in Syria to enter 
> into serious negotiations to achieve a diplomatic settlement of the 
> conflict there and that the US government, NATO and their allies fully 
> support such negotiations instead of directly or indirectly supporting 
> regime change through a violent proxy war or other violent means while 
> undermining efforts to negotiate a settlement.
>
> We also urge the US/UN to lift the sanctions on Iran and allow Iran to 
> continue their nuclear program without outside interference while 
> continuing to work through peaceful negotiations (not coercive 
> negotiations, threats or military action) for the worldwide abolition 
> of nuclear weapons and for the ultimate goal of dismantling all 
> nuclear power plants and nuclear material production facilities worldwide.
>
>
> (2 HoursEstimatedCumulativeTimes.Goal:Adjournby 9:30pm)
>
> The GPSCC did not organize a study session regarding the November 
> ballot measures between last month's meeting and this month's 
> meeting.Below is a copy of an email posted to the CCWG email list from 
> the GPLAC study group.
>
>
>
> -- 
> Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
> President and Chief Technology Officer
> Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
> 751 Emerson Ct.
> San José, CA 95126
> ph:  408-655-4567
> web:  www.structuremonitoring.com
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