From updates at cagreens.org Mon Jan 1 18:56:16 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2007 18:56:16 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens: Saddam's execution brings no hope or justice for Iraq Message-ID: <4599C9D0.1953E74@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Monday, January 1, 2007 Greens: Saddam Hussein's execution brings neither hope or justice for Iraq or regional stability ? Greens categorically oppose the death penalty ? Trial and execution ignored complicity by U.S. officials (including Rumsfeld) and corporations in Saddam's atrocities ? 'Saddam was convicted, but Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld are still at large' WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders responded to news of the execution of Saddam Hussein with a warning that his hanging brings neither hope for the Iraqi people nor justification for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. "The Green Party opposed the execution of Saddam Hussein, because we categorically oppose the death penalty and reject it as an instrument of justice," said Jill Bussiere, 2006 Green candidate for the Wisconsin State Senate (District 1) . "Greens look forward to the fall of all governments that abuse their power, but we support international laws that forbid the invasion of one country by another and the U.S. Constitution, which mandates that our armed forces exist solely for defense of U.S. borders." "The Bush Administration initially justified the invasion of Iraq by claims about WMDs, collusion with Al-Qaeda, and the need for preemption;' and later by propaganda about liberating the Iraqi people and bestowing democracy. All of these have been proven fraudulent. The reason that President Bush acted to remove Saddam Hussein was to assert U.S. political domination over the Middle East and control over oil resources," Ms. Bussiere added. Greens noted that the current situation in Iraq suggests that the next government will -- like the Saddam Hussein regime -- be an autocracy that disregards law and the rights of its citizens and is sustained with U.S. support. The outcome of the Iraqi civil war that followed the U.S. invasion is likely to be a new autocratic regime (or regimes, if Iraq divides into two or three nations), possibly a repressive, misogynistic theocracy similar to Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saddam Hussein's quick and extra-legal execution, said Greens, also makes it unlikely that the world will see the investigation and prosecution of U.S. leaders who supported his regime in the 1980s, when most of his atrocities took place, and U.S. corporations that provided the means, including biological and chemical weapons, for Saddam to commit crimes against humanity. Saddam was noticeably not tried for crimes in which he used American made weapons, said Greens, in order to protect U.S. leaders (especially Reagan Administration officials and former Bush Administration Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld) and firms that were complicit in his crimes by providing aide, intelligence, and chemical and biological arms. (See "How the West armed Saddam, fed him intelligence on his 'enemies', equipped him for atrocities - and then made sure he wouldn't squeal" by Robert Fisk, The Independent, December 31, 2006 .) "The invasion of Iraq was an international crime for which the current White House must be held accountable through impeachment and criminal prosecution" said Starlene Rankin, Lavender Caucus delegate to the Green Party's national committee. "Saddam Hussein's execution brings neither peaceful resolution, justice, or democracy for the people of Iraq. Saddam Hussein was convicted, but George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld are still at large." 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 Database of 2006 Green candidates and election results http://www.greens.org/elections Green campaign listings, news, photos, and web sites http://www.gp.org/2006elections Video clips of Green candidates http://www.gp.org/2006elections/media.shtml Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml From updates at cagreens.org Mon Jan 8 18:52:23 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:52:23 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Former Green Party gubernatorial candidatediagnosed with cancer Message-ID: <45A30367.2209CDF0@greens.org> PRESS RELEASE FROM CAMEJO GROUP January 8, 2007 Peter Miguel Camejo, who was the Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate in 2002, 2003 and 2006 and was the Vice Presidential Candidate with Ralph Nader in 2004, has been diagnosed with cancer. The cancer was caught at an early stage and is considered treatable. Mr. Camejo currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Progressive Asset Management Inc. He has been recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Earth Share the Federation of more than 400 environmental organizations, where he is working on a special program to promote solar energy. From updates at cagreens.org Wed Jan 10 18:57:04 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:57:04 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Greens to governor - You will fail because you won't take big money out of politics Message-ID: <45A5A780.EC6BA25D@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, January 9, 2007 Greens state-of-state reaction: Schwarzenegger plan can't succeed without taking big money out of state politics, Greens contend SACRAMENTO (January 9, 2007, 6:01 p.m.) ? Gov. Schwarzenegger's state of state message delivered late today gave priority to schools, the environment, prisons, political reform and healthcare ? but his plan has no real chance of succeeding because the governor refuses to address the seedy influence of big corporate money in politics, responded the Green Party of California. "The governor wants a redistricting plan, but the real problem ? at the heart of voter discontent ? is that powerful special interests simply buy the legislation they want through obscene campaign contributions to both Democrats and Republicans. Big money needs to be taken out of politics. The governor did not mention it because he knows it fuels his party, and the Democratic Party," said Erika McDonald, San Francisco Green Party spokesperson. Greens also said Schwarzenegger had it wrong when he called for more money for more prisons rather than take a hard look at mandated sentencing guidelines. "But before we talk about spending more taxpayer money on incarceration instead of education, let's talk about reforming "3-strikes" law, so that the prisons are not full of thousands of people serving life sentences, many who have committed crimes no more serious than stealing a lawnmower or cheating on a DMV test," said Michael Feinstein, former mayor of Santa Monica and co-chair of the GPCA Coordinating Committee. And, although he made it to sound very theatrical, the governor's promise to sign an executive order mandating a reduction the carbon content in fuels by 10 percent rang hollow because the order wouldn't go into effect until at least 2020. "Again, the governor make it sound good and look good, but he misses the mark in solutions ? in large part because big political money spenders are pulling his strings," added McDonald. The Greens already criticized Arnold's health plan because it gives too much to powerful insurance interests, yet mandates health insurance purchases by the working poor and strapped middle class. From updates at cagreens.org Thu Jan 18 19:42:25 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:42:25 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPUS - Action Alert - Impeach Bush and Cheney Message-ID: <45B03E21.C1DADBF9@greens.org> ***ACTION ALERT*** Sign the Green Party Petition to Impeach Bush and Cheney In a representative democracy, the rule of law establishes the necessary premise that no one is above the law, the land, and the people. However, today we suffer under an administration which sees itself above the rule of law. The Bush administration has continuously lied to and manipulated the American people about the war in Iraq. It has engaged in illegal surveillance, mass detentions (without judicial review), torture and signing statements that carve out exceptions to legislation. Today, it is time for you to take action and tell the Bush administration we will no longer allow their abuse of power to go unnoticed. Congress, through various committees, is in the process of conducting oversight investigations. Such oversight investigations have subpoena power, and so this is the first step for Congress to move to a full blown impeachment. Your Congressperson needs to hear from you on this issue. We need your help in telling the Bush Administration that no one is above the rule of law. Help protect the rule of law in our country! You can sign the Green Party impeachment petition at the following link:http://www.gp.org/action/index.shtml . Or, you can send an automated sample letter (or you can modify it in your own words) to be found at the same link. Please help the Green Party in its efforts to convince Congress to impeach the Bush Administration. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Green Party of the United States Email: office at gp.org Office: PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037 202-319-7191 or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN Donate to the Green Party https://secure.democracyinaction.com/dia/organizations/Greens/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1257 From updates at cagreens.org Tue Jan 23 19:40:00 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:40:00 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] "Green Focus" Spring Edition Message-ID: <45B6D510.F0867DAC@greens.org> The Spring edition of Green Focus, the Green Party of California's newspaper, is now available for download from this link - http://www.cagreens.org/greenfocus/. This is in PDF format. This edition's articles include: Annoucements Election Results Green Media Campaigns a Success Napa Greens Against GMO?s IRV Wins in Califoria Opinion Pages LA Greens Go To Jail Fur Trade Protests in SF Parsing Pombo?s Defeat Petra Kelly Scholarship Awards Riverside Greens In Life Struggle Movie Review - The Good Shepherd Please support the production of our newspaper by sending a contribution. You'll find a form on the last page. From updates at cagreens.org Thu Jan 25 19:16:32 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:16:32 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens respond to Bush State of the Union & Dem rebuttal Message-ID: <45B97290.F37B0143@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 25, 2007 Green Party leaders respond to President Bush's State of the Union address and to the Democratic Party's rebuttal Nan Garrett, co-chair of the Georgia Green Party, co-chair of the National Women's Caucus of the Green Party: "President Bush opened his State of the Union address with a plea for bipartisanship. Bipartisan blind faith in the White House's dishonest justifications for invading Iraq resulted in more than 3,000 U.S. troop deaths, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians, and worldwide anger against the U.S. Bipartisanship too often means a conspiracy between two corporate political parties against the partisan interests of the American people, and it's one of the best arguments for multiparty democracy. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), in his Democratic rebuttal to Mr. Bush, was right when he recalled the Robber Baron Era -- but he failed to note that both Democrats and Republicans have placed themselves on the side of the robber barons, stealing from the middle class and poor people for the benefit of corporate interests. The Green Party now represents majority opinion on the Iraq war and on health coverage, according to polls." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_22.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_11_13.shtml Ron Hardy, co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party (which initiated and campaigned for a 'Bring the Troops Home initiative,' resulting in 34 out of 42 municipalities voting for U.S. troop withdrawal): "President Bush said that Americans 'didn't vote for failure' in Iraq -- but failure is inevitable in a war of aggression that was justified by lies, and which weakened U.S. security by inflaming anger against us in Iraq, in the Middle East, and around the world. The only way to support our troops is to bring them home now. The Green Party demands immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces, we demand that Congress stop funding for all U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we demand an end to military threats against Iran, and we demand a cutoff of aid to Israel until Israel ends its illegal and murderous occupation of Palestinian lands and violations of human rights." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_12_19.shtml Sylvia Inwood, chair of the Green Party of Michigan: "The Green Party has shown political leadership in opposing President Bush's disastrous foreign policies, while Democrats acquiesced to the Bush agenda. Green candidates and party leaders spoke out against the war from the very beginning, while Democrats fell over themselves supporting the invasion. Democrats like Hillary Clinton -- who a year ago recommended sending 80,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq -- only turned against the Iraq war when it became a political liability, and most Democrats still base their opposition solely on the Bush Administration's strategic mistakes. The invasion itself was a crime and an abuse of power, regardless of military strategy. Only impeachment will restore the rule of law, but even Democrats like Rep. John Conyers [Mich.], after compiling evidence of impeachable crimes, have retreated from holding President Bush and Vice President Cheney accountable." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_03.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_12_11.shtml Rebecca Rotzler, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York (which recently passed a resolution in favor of impeachment): "The only winners in the Iraq war are U.S. oil companies, arms manufacturers, and military contractors like Halliburton and Blackwater. Oil companies like Exxon Mobil, Texaco, Chevron, and BP stand to make billions thanks to a proposed law giving them lucrative 30-year contracts allowing access to Iraqi oil. The billions of dollars these corporations have made and stand to make from the U.S. invasion of Iraq prove that this was 'blood for oil' all along. President Bush's proposal to send 21,000 more troops is part of a plan to keep U.S. forces in Iraq for the long haul, to protect American corporate investments and maintain political control in the region." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_10.shtml Starlene Rankin, Lavender Green Caucus delegate to the Green Party's national committee: "The greatest obstacle to health care is the backroom deal between the Democrats and Republicans to maintain control by private HMO and insurance companies over our health coverage. Despite President Bush's State of the Union promises, proposals like Medical Savings Accounts will not help uninsured low-income Americans who lack coverage, and would even penalize working people who do enjoy good coverage. But most Democrats, offering only modest alternatives and reforms that leave private HMOs and insurance firms in charge, are refusing to consider single-payer national health insurance, despite polls and recent government figures showing that a majority of Americans would welcome such a program. The Green Party strongly supports single-payer, and our state and local candidates have made state-based single-payer plans a top priority in their campaigns." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_11_27.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_08_24.shtml http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=11305 http://www.phnp.org Liz Arnone, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "We agree with President Bush that the U.S. must drastically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but this is only part of the greater crisis of energy consumption. Our first priority should be conservation ?- diminishing our energy use ?- as all of our consumption options have consequences for our sustained survival on earth. We should implement policies such as carbon taxes, increased public transportation, zero emission regulations for cars, reorganization of economic policies and land use to discourage car traffic, and other innovative, ecologically sound solutions." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_07_19.shtml Jim Coplen, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "President Bush never mentioned New Orleans and Sen. Webb only named it in passing, but the federal response to the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita remain the greatest evidence of the Bush Administration's indifference to Americans without power and wealth. The disaster continues. Middle- and low-income residents of New Orleans are being systematically compelled, through economic pressure and eviction, to give up their homes to big developers. The first priority after the storms should have been helping residents return to their homes, or at least to their own neighborhoods. It's not too late to prevent an old city with a complex, unique culture from being replaced by a theme park. We challenge Congress and the White House to stand up for the rights of the people of New Orleans." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_03_02.shtml 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 Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml From updates at cagreens.org Thu Feb 1 19:00:38 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2007 19:00:38 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPCA NEWS ADVISORY: Early CA presidential primary hurtsvoters, say Greens Message-ID: <45C2A956.221F2D94@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, February 1, 2007 Early CA presidential primary hurts voters, turns primary into even more of a ?big bucks' contest that limits ballot box choice, charge Greens SACRAMENTO (February 1, 2007) ? Moving up the presidential primary would only further corrupt an already undemocratic process by turning the primary into even more of a "big bucks" contest and limit choices for voters, charged members of the Green Party of California Thursday. The idea, said the Greens, now being floated by legislative leaders and the governor to move up the presidential primary from June to February is, in short, not good for voters. "Only the best financed candidates can win, or even compete. The big money early primary will destroy an semblance of retail, or meet-the-voters politics in Iowa or New Hampshire, where a dark horse candidate has at least a whisper of a chance," said Dr. Robert Vizzard, a former State Senate candidate from Auburn. "Why not just put the presidency, especially in California, up for bid and stop the pretense? Let's abandon the transparent sham that the people have anything to do with the electoral process. Those with the most money win, and an early primary only accelerate this," said Vizzard. Critics of moving the primary ? from all parties ? have noted that moving it would work to the advantage of candidates supported by "big-bucks" contributors, said Jonathan Lundell of the GPCA Election Reform Working Group. "California is an enormously expensive state to campaign in, and the early primary will bar the way for grassroots candidates even more. All of this ?done deal' talk about moving the primary up is an indication that this entire process is being pushed through without public input, and without regard to the public interest," Lundell said. -30- From updates at cagreens.org Tue Feb 13 19:42:55 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:42:55 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Greening California Strategic Retreat Message-ID: <45D2853F.163514D4@greens.org> Dear fellow Green Party of California members This is to announce registration for the Greening California Strategic Retreat, February 23-25 (Friday-Sunday) in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County: The retreat is open to all Green Party of California members, with a particular focus on - members of GPCA statewide Standing Committees and Working Groups and others active on the state level - members of GPCA County Councils and others active on the county level - former (and future) GPCA candidates, campaign managers and campaign workers - former and present Greens holding elected office Saturday's daytime focus will be on GPCA electoral strategy for 2007-2008. Our state party?s Campaigns & Candidates Working Group will be coordinating the sessions. Saturday evening will feature former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, introduced by Aimee Allison, former Green candidate for Oakland City Council. Brent McMillan, Green Party of the United States Political Director, will precede them with an overview of Green Party national planning for 2008. On Sunday, the focus will be on various GPCA internal party issues that would benefit from free flowing discussions, before they are brought forward to decision-making at our state business meetings (General Assemblies.) These sessions will be coordinated by GPCA members involved with each issue at hand, with the overall day coordinated by our state party?s Strategy Committee. Saturday will also feature a gathering of Campus Greens from across California. Sunday will feature Green officeholders (present and past) establishing a California Green Officeholders Network. The location for the Strategic Retreat will be at Valley of the Moon Camp in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County http://www.uccr.org/vom.htm, with directions to the camp here http://www.uccr.org/driving_vom.htm The reason for choosing such a venue, is so that party members can benefit from the informal contact, networking and building opportunities that staying in the same place together can provide. In order to make this possible, inexpensive lodging on site ($18.50) will be available - and is encouraged - for both Friday and Saturday evenings. Space is limited to 90 people sleeping on site and 115 attending day-time sessions. Parking is limited, so car-pooling is strongly encouraged. All Retreat Attendees must register in advance and pay a day fee of $19/person/day for Saturday and Sunday. There will be no charge for Friday, day or night. The Saturday evening program is open only to attendees of the daytime program. Lodging is in dormitory style rooms of four to 16 people. Attendees must bring their own bring linens, pillows, sleeping bags. Meals are $7 breakfast, $9.25 lunch and $10.50 dinner (includes tip and 7.75% Sonoma County sales tax.) Saturday evening will feature complimentary local wine. Here is the registration form: http://register.cagreens.org/register.cgi Here is the weekend?s schedule of events: http://www.cagreens.org/cc/strategy/retreat/ We look forward to seeing you in Sonoma. Sincerely, Warner Bloomberg, Campaigns & Candidates Working Group Mike Feinstein, Strategy Committee From updates at cagreens.org Mon Feb 26 19:49:06 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:49:06 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens: Clinton & Dems are obstacles to real health care reform Message-ID: <45E3AA32.9B4F273E@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Monday, February 26, 2007 Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democratic leaders are obstacles to real health care reform, say Greens ? Greens assert need for single-payer national health insurance, which top Democrats and Republicans reject because of corporate HMO, insurance, and pharmaceutical contributors WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders called on Congress to reject health care reform plans that maintained corporate-based insurance and HMO coverage, and urged passage of a single-player national health insurance program. "America is ready for single-payer," said Maria Allwine, former Green candidate for Maryland State Senate and U.S. Senate and member of the Maryland Universal Health Care Action Network . "We're not ready for another Republican or Democratic proposal that guarantees profits for HMOs and insurance firms, while doing little for America's 46 million uninsured and millions more under-insured. We appeal to Congress, the American people, unions, and health-care providers to reject corporate-friendly managed-care plans and demand national health insurance." Greens were especially critical of Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) continuing role in obstructing needed health care reforms. "Hillary Clinton should be banished from the room when health coverage is discussed," said Rebecca Rotzler, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York. "Ms. Clinton's favoritism towards major insurance companies undermined real health care reform when her husband's administration crafted its managed-care monstrosity in 1993. She and other Democrats remain at the top of the list of recipients of contributions from insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies [http://www.opensecrets.org]." In the 2006 race for the U.S. Senate, New York Green candidate Howie Hawkins sharply criticized Ms. Clinton for pandering to private health insurance companies and endorsing a Massachusetts bill mandating that consumers buy inadequate private health insurance. Greens running for office in New York, Massachusetts, and numerous other states promoted state-based plans to provide all residents with health care services through publicly-funded coverage. "Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, and other prominent Democrats are the greatest obstacle to universal health coverage. Except for a few mavericks like Rep. John Conyers [D-Mich.], who has regularly introduced single-payer bills, Democrats have joined Republicans in favoring HMO and insurance corporations over guaranteed publicly-financed quality health care for every American. It's a safe bet that the 2008 Democratic nominee will -- like Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry before them -- follow the same pattern," said Kat Swift, spokesperson for the National Women's Caucus of the Green Party. Greens noted that Democrats and Republicans alike were responding to the growing health care crisis in recent years by siding with corporate insurers and rejecting the principle that federal or state governments should provide coverage, despite poll numbers showing growing majority support for single-payer. During the Clinton-Gore Administration, the Democratic Party deleted national health insurance from its national platform; national health insurance had been a Democratic promise since 1948. In November, 2003, Republicans in Congress passed a complex Prescription Drug bill that mostly benefits drug firms and advances the long-time Republican ambition to replace Medicare with private coverage . More recently, President Bush has cut $28 million from Medicaid to pay for the Iraq War. Greens noted that profits for the private health insurance industry now consume as much as 30? of every health dollar, and that pay for insurance and HMO executives is now in the multimillion-dollar stratosphere, e.g., $29,061,599 for Stephen Wiggins, CEO of Oxford Health Plans, Inc.; $11,568,410 for Wilson Taylor, Chairman and CEO of CIGNA Corporation . According to a 2000 study by Harvard Medical School and the Canadian Institute for Health Information , U.S. pays 31 cents on every dollar for administrative costs; Canada, under its single-payer system, pays half this amount. Greens further noted that taxpayers and health care providers are already paying health care costs for the uninsured. "We urge unions and other civil groups to demand single-payer, instead of falling into lockstep with Democrats, or we'll repeat the health care reform debacle of 1993," said John Battista, M.D., former Green candidate for state representative in Connecticut and co-author of his state's single-payer legislation in 1999 (the Connecticut Health Care Security Act). "It's time to reject vaguely defined corporate-friendly 'affordable' health care plans." "Single-payer will provide quality health coverage for every American regardless of income, ability to pay, residence, age, or prior medical condition at a cost that's far less than working Americans currently pay for private coverage, while providing full choice of physician and hospital," added Dr. Battista. "That's why the Green Party supports single-payer." 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 Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml "Seeking Coverage For All" By John R. Battista and Justine McCabe (Green Party members), The Hartford Courant, October 31, 2006 http://www.pnhp.org/news/2006/november/seeking_coverage_for.php "Why Obama, Edwards, Hillary, Romney, Schwarzenegger Don?t Support Single Payer? It Would Mean the Death of the Health Insurance Industry, and Reduced Profits for Big Pharma" Corporate Crime Reporter 9, February 21, 2007 http://www.healthcare-now.org/shownews.php?nid=394&sid=&subid http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org From updates at cagreens.org Mon Mar 19 20:47:33 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:47:33 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Democrats fail to deliver for state voters andtroops, charge Greens Message-ID: <45FF5955.8AF8A8E4@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 19, 2007 On 4th anniversary of Iraq War, Democrats fail to deliver for state voters, and troops, charge Greens; Hundreds of Californians among dead SACRAMENTO (March 19, 2007) ? On the fourth anniversary of the start of the war and occupation of Iraq, the Green Party of California Monday said most California members of Congress ? Democrats as well as Republicans ? have "failed" state voters by refusing to protect US troops by cutting new funding for the war. A vote in the House is due this week to decide whether another $100 billion will be spent on the war. But, although they are the new majority, Democrats will vote for the funding. "Democrats were voted into power last Fall ? especially in California ? because voters wanted the war to end, and troops brought home. And now, the best Democrats can do is try to end the war in two years? That's not good enough," said Dr. Bob Vizzard, a state party spokesperson. He said about 340 Californians have died, and thousands injured in the war. The Green Party, in fact, is the only national political party to be opposed to the war from the beginning ? on March 19, 2003, when only about 22-26 percent of Americans were opposed. Today, the vast majority of Americans want US troops home now. Demonstrations today in major California cities are endorsed by Green Party locals, including one Monday at the offices in San Francisco of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Former Green supervisor Matt Gonzalez, current Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo, and former candidates Aimee Allison and Krissy Keefer will speak. Greens will also be prominent at a "Die-In" at the State Capital of Sacramento, where the nation's longest running sit-in is being held at the offices of another Democrat, Rep. Doris Matsui. Demonstrators have sat in Matsui's offices since Jan. 8 ? 49 straight days ? refusing to leave until she agrees to vote against new funding for the war. "Rep. Matsui is the poster Democrat from California. She claims to be opposed to the war, but she insists that voting for funding will ?protect' the troops when all it does is leave them in harm's way," said Cres Vellucci, a Vietnam veteran and press secretary for the GPCA. From updates at cagreens.org Wed Mar 21 20:20:07 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 19:20:07 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Maine Green Candidate Pat LaMarche Wins Awards for Website Message-ID: <4601F5E7.52DAEE1B@greens.org> Green Party of the United States www.gp.org Wednesday, March 21, 2007 2006 Maine Green candidate Pat LaMarche wins awards and recognition for her campaign website The Green Party's first national award in a competition with all other political parties WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders congratulated Pat LaMarche, Green candidate for Governor of Maine in 2006, for awards and recognition she received for her online campaign. The Pat LaMarche campaign's web site was designed and administered by Emilienne Ireland & Phil Tajitsu Nash, authors of 'Winning Campaigns Online: Strategies for Candidates and Causes' . Ms. LaMarche credited Ms. Ireland and Mr. Nash for the success of the site: "Phil and Emi were the best ever. There was never a time that I called them needing anything that they weren't by the phone and the computer making it happen. I guess that's how you get to be number one." "This is our first national win over all other political parties!" added Ms. LaMarche, whose site won a national competition in the 'Best Local Campaign Website' category. Ms. LaMarch lost the race but helped expand the Maine Green Independent Party, which has the highest percentage of registrants of any state Green Party. The LaMarche web site won the following awards: The Golden Dot Award as Best Local Campaign Website of the 2006 campaign at the annual Politics Online conference held in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2007 http://www.campaignadvantage.com/services/websites/golden_dot/pat2006/ http://polc.ipdi.org/GoldenDots/shortlist.htm http://polc.ipdi.org/GoldenDots/default.aspx A Pollie Award from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) in the gubernatorial websites category http://www.theaapc.org/content/pollieawards/2007/2007_Winners.pdf An Honorable Mention from AAPC for mobile technology used in the LaMarche campaign Permanent inclusion in the Library of Congress archives because of its historic value as one of the best web sites and campaigns of 2006 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 Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml Maine Green Independent Party http://www.mainegreens.org From updates at cagreens.org Wed Mar 28 19:51:03 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:51:03 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: SF bans plastic bags; Green supervisor leadscharge Message-ID: <460B2997.B0B0C514@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, March 27, 2007 San Francisco becomes the first city in nation to ban plastic bags; Green Party supervisor leads fights to save planet, marine life SAN FRANCISCO (March 27, 2007) ? San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi ? one of 50 elected Green Party members in the state ? pushed through an ordinance late Tuesday that would make San Francisco the first city in the nation to ban the use of all but the most environmentally-sound shopping bags. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 Tuesday to require the city's grocery stores and chain pharmacies to use only recyclable paper or compostable bags, despite stiff resistance from the California Grocers Association and the plastic industry. "I have been astounded by the worldwide attention the issue has received. Hopefully, other cities and states will follow suit," said Mirkarimi, adding that he believes the decision is part of a "trend of making sure that a forward-thinking economy is one that understands its relationship with our environment." The measure had been delayed after the grocery industry went to the Legislature to intervene. Now, the law goes into effect for 54 grocery stores within six months, and a year for large pharmacies with at least five locations. It benefits consumers in many ways, says Mirkarimi. The compostable "plastic" bags are stronger, they can be dumped directly into a compost pile because they are made from starches like corn and potatoes and they won't pollute the environment, kill marine life or gum up recycling machines. The cost for compostable bags is about the same as paper bags. Plastic bags are a worldwide environmental disaster ? and many countries have already made the leap to rid themselves of the bags, of which as many as one trillion are used worldwide every year, according to experts. Sea life, from whales to turtles to sea birds, ingest the bags. The plastic bags are pervasive. In South Africa, there are two Texas-size "islands" of plastic bags floating at sea, and Bangladesh banned plastic when it was discovered millions of the bags blocked drains and led to massive flooding. In Ireland, a "bag fee" led to a 90 percent reduction in the use of plastic in three years. From updates at cagreens.org Sat Mar 31 20:06:08 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:06:08 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] News Advisory: Greens celebrate Cesar Chavez legacy as Latinoleader... Message-ID: <460F21A0.D5ADF4A3@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, March 30, 2007 California Greens celebrate Cesar Chavez legacy as Latino leader and his non-violent struggle for social justice; Greens also note some state schools avoid holiday SACRAMENTO, Ca. (March 30, 2007) ? The Green Party of California joins with other political organizations and the people of California, and the nation, to commemorate the life of farm labor leader Cesar Chavez celebrated today (Friday) through this weekend with marches and other events throughout the state. March 31 is a holiday in eight states. Nativo Lopez, a member of the Green party and president of the Mexican American Political Association, has stated that Cesar Chavez has guided generations of social justice activists. "Cesar was the greatest advocate within the Latino community for the principles of non-cooperation and non-violence to fight for social justice. His legacy lives on with the thousands of labor and social activists he mentored," said Lopez, who joined the Green Party several years ago, and urged other Latino organizations to do the same because he said Greens represent the best hope for them. Greens also noted that many schools in the state have avoided honoring Cesar Chavez Day by refusing to close on Friday, despite protests by Latino leaders. There was a walk-out early Friday by students in East LA and other southern California schools. "We are concerned, as echoed by Latino activists in Berkeley where the school district refuses to honor the holiday, that although Cesar Chavez Day has been a state holiday for seven years, it is not recognized as it should be ? as an important day to honor a Latino civil rights activist," said Cres Vellucci, a MAPA member, and GPCA press secretary. He said many schools do honor the holiday, including those in San Francisco and Oakland. From updates at cagreens.org Sat Apr 7 16:23:47 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:23:47 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPCA NEWS ADVISORY: Greens blast Perata Iraq pulloutresolution Message-ID: <46182803.C1E9B9F5@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, April 5, 2007 Greens blast Perata Iraq pullout resolution as a ?self-serving' scheme to repair Democrats' image as party that calls for peace, but funds war SACRAMENTO, Ca. (April 5, 2007) ? Legislation to put a measure on next year's presidential primary ballot calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq is nothing more than Democrats playing "self-serving" politics while Americans ? including Californians ? continue to die, said members of the Green Party of California today. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata said Thursday he would introduce a resolution to immediately begin the withdrawal of U.S. forces, and urge the president and Congress to provide the diplomatic and non-military assistance to promote peace in the region. But Greens said it was way too little, and way too late. "Last month, Democrats in Congress voted to fully fund the war through late 2008. Now Democrats here are calling for the return of the troops? This bill is nothing more than a self-serving attempt by the Democratic Party to repair its image as a party that says it wants peace but votes for war," said Jeff Kravitz, a 2006 Green Party congressional candidate (5th CD). He noted that Perata and other state Democrats would do better spending their time with the California Democrats in Congress ? starting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ? who voted for the $124 billion supplemental House funding bill. "The death toll in Iraq, for U.S. and Iraqi civilians, continues to climb and all Democrats can do is claim to be opposed to the war, while funding it. This resolution would have been a good idea...four years ago. It's way too late and way too little," added Kravtiz, who pointed out that the Green Party has been opposed to the war in Iraq, unlike Democrats and Republicans, since it began. The Democratic Party-controlled Legislature even failed to move legislation last year that called for a return of the California National Guard from Iraq. The measure died in committee after languishing for months because the Democratic Party leadership refused to put it up for a vote. Three Democrats refused to vote or voted against it in committee. It failed 3-3. From updates at cagreens.org Thu Apr 12 18:12:15 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:12:15 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Greens back cloned-animal labeling bill... Message-ID: <461ED8EF.808382B0@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, April 11, 2007 Greens back cloned-animal labeling bill, explain measure necessary to protect state consumers from ?potentially dangerous' food SACRAMENTO, Ca. (April 11, 2007) ? Green Party environmental specialists today voiced support for legislation to mandate clear labels on any food derived from a cloned animal or its offspring, and said the bill is in the "public interest" and necessary to protect consumers from "potentially dangerous" food products. Senate Bill 63, authored by State Senator Carole Migden, D-Marin/San Francisco, was approved in the Senate Health Committee Wednesday. "The federal government continues to make it difficult for citizens to know what they are putting in their bodies. First, they attacked Proposition 65 that requires warning labels on products known to contain hazardous ingredients, then fought local governments from controlling Genetically Engineered Agriculture and now they want to allow growers to hide the fact that their animals were cloned," said Wes Rolley, of the Green Party of United States Eco-Action Committee. "It is all part of the same plan to keep the public in the dark," added Rolley. "The federal government continues to rubber stamp biotech foods. In 1992, over the objections of government scientists, it was decided that genetically engineered foods are ?substantially equivalent' to natural foods and do not need to be safety tested or labeled," said Erica Martenson, a Napa County Green who works on the GPCA Platform Committee regarding food safety issues. "This decision was made despite the agency's own scientists' statements that genetically engineered foods are different and carry different risks, including allergenicity, toxicity, antibiotic resistance, nutritional problems and cancer. Now, several years later, the FDA is doing the same thing with milk and meat from cloned animals," she added. "These decisions are not in the public interest. Only biotech corporations benefit from this lack of regulation. We need politicians at the state level to intervene on behalf of the public by at least mandating that these foods be labeled, so that consumers can protect their own health and well-being by avoiding these potentially dangerous products," Martenson said. From updates at cagreens.org Mon Apr 16 16:05:39 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:05:39 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] National Corp Shopping Boycott (4/15 - 4/22) Message-ID: <46240143.DF5D8881@greens.org> Dear Green Party Activist, The State Coordinating Committe has consensed to endorse the National Corporate Shopping Boycott and urges involvement from all GPCA Locals and activists. Your involvement and help in building the National Corporate Shopping Boycott to End the War and Impeach Bush and Cheney into a major event is greatly desired and appreciated... Please visit the website listed below for more info about how to get directly involved... Thank you all, Peace, Tim Smith Northbay Regional Rep, GPCA-CC rioryon at aol.com 707-202-4507 National Effort to End the War and Impeach Bush and Cheney The National Committee to Impeach for Peace announces a coordinated effort to organize a US corporate shopping boycott April 15 (Tax day) to April 22 (Earth Day) to end the Iraq war and Impeach Bush and Cheney. We are asking people to suspend corporate shopping for one week by delaying major purchases, avoiding chain stores and shopping malls, and finding local retailers and small business owners to support. The message to corporate America "we are not buying it" is a response to Bush's declaration after 9/11 to quietly go shopping. We are not going to be quiet in the face of torture, WMD lies, civil liberty losses and hundreds of thousands civilian deaths. Endorse the Shopping Boycott at: http://www.wearenotbuyingit.org/ We need regional volunteer coordinators though out the US. Sign up today and download a support kit. Copy and Distribute the following flyers/posters... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NATIONAL SHOPPING BOYCOTT APRIL 15 (TAX DAY) -- (EARTHDAY) APRIL 22 End the War in Iraq & Impeach Bush and Cheney After 9/11 Bush told us that the best thing was to quietly go shopping. We can collectively say no to being quiet and say no to shopping. It is time for Americans take a one-week break, from Tax Day April 15 to April 22, and stop all corporate shopping, delay major purchases, stay out of shopping malls, and avoid national chain stores. People of conscience send a message to corporate America and Congress to end the war in Iraq and move forward immediately on the impeachment of Bush and Cheney! Endorse this Action at: http://www.wearenotbuyingit.org National Committee Impeach for Peace: Dennis Loo, Peter Phillips, Dahr Jamail, Larry Everest, Mary Lia, Lew Brown, Bridget Thornton, Mickey Huff, Michael Nagler, Andy Roth, Camelia Gannon, Liane Casten, Myrna Goodman, Lenore Foerstel Susan Guest -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: StateletterheadNSB.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 12549 bytes Desc: not available URL: From updates at cagreens.org Tue Apr 17 12:54:05 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:54:05 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Greens condemn bill to restore 'NuclearDracula' Message-ID: <462525DD.B4D4B2AB@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, April 16, 2007 Greens strongly condemn legislation to restore ?Nuclear Dracula' in California; Urge defeat of bill to bring back nuclear power SACRAMENTO, Ca. (April 16, 2007) ? The Green Party of California Monday strongly denounced legislation ? scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources Monday ? that repeals an, in effect, moratorium on construction of new nuclear fission power plants in the state. AB 719, authored by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Orange County, suggests that nuclear energy could "reduce greenhouse gas emissions" and repeals the 1976 statute prohibiting any new nuclear fission power plants until the California Energy Commission determines it is safe to dispose of high-level nuclear waste. The CEC says the disposal technology does not exist. "This Nuclear Dracula, as it has been called, must be kept in its grave. The Green Party of California, which has been consistent in calling for the halt to all nuclear power plants, is strongly opposed to this misguided bill and any move to produce nuclear wastes, which cannot be stored safely," the party said in a statement Monday. The GPCA, in its platform, points out that nuclear energy is a spin-off from military nuclear weapons production, and gave an ideological justification for continued proliferation of nuclear technology by making nuclear fission appear more benevolent and promoted the myth that nuclear power (is) safe and cheap. The Green Party, which also opposes the use of nuclear energy for irradiation of food products, use in international transportation and trade and being carried aboard craft launched into space, has called for reducing Greenhouse emissions through conservation, and the development of alternative energy programs, such as wind and solar. Of the four nuclear power plants developed in California, only two ? Diablo Canyon and the San Onofre station ? continue to operate. From updates at cagreens.org Sat Apr 21 17:40:55 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:40:55 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPCA ADVISORY: Green Party lawmaker leads fight to providehalf of power to San Francisco from solar, wind Message-ID: <462AAF17.1F1DD331@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, April 20, 2007 Contact: Susan King, spokesperson, 415.823-5524 funking at mindspring.com Dr. Bob Vizzard, spokesperson, 916.206 8953, thevizz at aol.com Sara Amir, spokesperson, 310.270-7106 saraamir at earthlink.net Cres Vellucci, press secretary, 916.996-9170 civillib at cwnet.com Green Party lawmaker leads fight to provide half of power to San Francisco from solar, wind SAN FRANCISCO, Ca. (April 20, 2007) ? San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi ? the Green Party lawmaker who last month pushed through a bill to make San Francisco the first city in the nation to ban plastic bags ? co-introduced historic legislation here this week to require at least 50 percent of all the energy to the city be provided by solar or wind electricity. If approved by the full Board of Supervisors next month, the ordinance for San Francisco's Community Choice will be the first effort to implement a state law passed in 2002 which allows communities to withdraw from purchasing power from private providers (PG&E, in San Francisco's case) and become a buying co-op known as a "Community Choice Aggregator." The legislation calls for constructing wind, solar and efficiency projects with the goal of meeting over 50 percent of the city's overall electricity demands through renewables by 2020. "As long as this nation is disproportionately reliant on oil and fossil fuel technology, we stand vulnerable. San Francisco needs to mount a smart, energetic counterattack designed to protect our environment and safeguard against energy market fiascoes," Mirkarimi has said. The state's Community Choice bill passed with help from Paul Fenn of Local Power. Fenn was also the main co-author and negotiator for the new San Francisco ordinance, introduced by SF Sups Mirkarimi and Tom Ammiano. The implementation plan was strenuously debated and re-written to reach its current form. "The newest science on global warming shows that all industrial countries like the U.S. will need to cut our CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent in the next 20-25 years in order to avoid a global catastrophic climate collapse. It is absolutely vital that the Board of Supervisors pass the Community Choice renewable energy project immediately," said Eric Brooks, Co-Chair of the San Francisco Green Party Sustainability Working Group. "We should hurry with implementing a way to get more renewable energy to San Franciscans and avoid siting polluting Natural Gas Turbines in southeast San Francisco, as is being considered, and making other mistakes we might need to live with for a long time," said Don Eichelberger of SF Green Party Sustainability Working Group. From updates at cagreens.org Mon Apr 30 17:08:04 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:08:04 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Most Green Officeholders 'Ever' Message-ID: <463684E4.E6160FC@greens.org> >From GPUS... Most Green Officeholders 'Ever' - Thanks to Recent Victories in Wisconsin and Illinois! The Green Party now has 230 officeholders, the most ever thanks to elections this month in Wisconsin and Illinois. In Wisconsin, seven out of fourteen Green Party candidates won election on April 3, bringing the total of Wisconsin Green elected officials to twenty-two. Pete Karas, endorsed by the Kenosha/Racine Green Party, won re-election in a tight race for alderperson in District 9 of the Racine Common Council. Four out of five Green women candidates, all endorsed by Four Lakes Green Party, won seats on the Madison Common Council. Brenda Konkel, who ran unopposed for re-election, Satya Rhodes-Conway, Robbie Webber, and Marsha Rummel were all victorious on April 3rd. "The Madison's sixth district overwhelmingly showed support for progressive and green values, said Rummel. "I'm honored and look forward to serving the next 2 years. My priorities are affordable housing, water quality, jobs that support families, and government that supports the people." Tony Palmeri, endorsed by the Lake Winnebago Green Party, came in second out of 6 candidates running for 3 seats, earning a place on the Oshkosh Common Council. "This is a victory for the Green agenda - open government, and social and economic justice, which were the themes of my campaign", said Palmeri. "Oshkosh voters made it clear they want a progressive, forward looking council." Amy Heart, endorsed by the Portage County Green Party, won her race for Stevens Point Common Council. In Illinois, three out of six Illinois Green Party members were elected on April 17th, Robert Braam was elected as Trustee of the Manhattan Public Library District, receiving 107 votes as a write-in. Kris Campbell won reelection to the Poplar Grove Village Trustee. With 340 votes (20%), Campbell was second in a six-way race for three seats. Carol Larson earned 3,370 votes (53.74%) and was the top vote-getter for three seats on the Oak Lawn-Hometown School Board. Larson and Braam join Campbell, Dale Bowen (Winnebago Public Library Trustee), Jim Long (Kirby Park School Board) and Jon Murray (Mt. Morris Village Trustee) on the list of Illinois Green Party elected officials. So far this year, the Green Party has elected fourteen officeholders, bringing our total number of officeholders to 230, the most in Green Party history. From updates at cagreens.org Thu May 3 18:28:00 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 18:28:00 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPCA NEWS ADVISORY: Greens condemn 'brazen brutality' of LAPDat immigration march Message-ID: <463A8C20.5C368DE1@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, May 3, 2007 Greens condemn ?brazen brutality' by police at Los Angeles immigration rights march, charge police targeting ?marginalized and disenfranchised' LOS ANGELES, Ca. (May 3, 2007) ? The Green Party of California today condemned the "brazen brutality" of the Los Angeles Police Department Tuesday at a peaceful immigration rights march here where dozens of demonstrators ? and members of the news media ? were clubbed and shot by so-called "non-lethal" projectiles. At least three investigations ? including one by the FBI ? are now underway to determine the extent of the unnecessary violence used by police to disperse a peaceful crowd at a park, although the organizers of the May Day march had an approved permit. Police apparently fired at least 240 rounds at demonstrators and reporters, sending many to the hospital. "The brazen police brutality of the LAPD is yet another example of the erosion of our civil liberties as we slide more and more into a police state, with the poor, immigrants, people of color, the marginalized and disenfranchised the targets of institutionalized violence and repression," said Los Angeles Green spokesperson Linda Piera-Avila. "The LAPD's mission of ?to protect and serve' seems to only apply to those who are part of the corporate interests, while immigrants are being used as target practice. For justice to be served, NAFTA and similar disastrous foreign policy agreements must be ended abroad while here at home immigrants must be recognized and accorded human rights," she added. Greens in Southern California are mobilizing to provide any assistance needed by those attacked by the LAPD on May Day. "The LAPD action was outrageous," said Peter Thottam, a Los Angeles attorney and former Green Party candidate for Assembly in the 53rd District, who has offered his help to those involved in the attacks by police. From updates at cagreens.org Tue Jun 12 20:40:50 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:40:50 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Greens welcome Michael Moore's 'Sicko', but askwhy Dems not behind health care for all Message-ID: <466F6742.655460F9@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Greens welcome Michael Moore, and film ?Sicko,' but wonder why Dems are not ?universally' behind Sen. Sheila Kuehl's universal health care legislation SACRAMENTO (June 12, 2007) ? Filmmaker Michael Moore's presence today at the State Capitol to support universal health care legislation overshadows the fact that Democratic Party leaders apparently are not as universally behind it, and are poised to back measures that would leave millions of Californians out without the health care Moore is in town to promote, charged the Green Party of California. "The Green Party has never waivered in its support for what Michael Moore talks about in his new film ?Sicko' ? a health care plan that would bring real reform via a single-payer system, and protect all Californians," said Dr. Robert Vizzard, an emergency room doctor and GPCA spokesperson. "We are glad Michael made the visit to our state, and supports the one measure in the Legislature that would make a real difference, Sen. Sheila Kuehl's SB 840," added Vizzard. However, the Greens point out that although Kuehl's bill has made it through the Senate and is awaiting a full Assembly vote, the Democratic Party leadership is promoting other legislation that helps some, but not all, Californians in need of medical help. "Sheila Kuehl's bill is a lifesaver. But, many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle play political games by introducing other health care bills designed to please the Governor, or special interests like the insurance industry, but fail all Californians," said Vizzard. In fact, in an analysis by the California Universal Health Care Organizing Project, the plan by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata leaves millions of Californians "out-in-the-cold." Kuehl's SB 840 is a mirror of the Greens' health care plank in California. It provides care for everyone, and pays for itself by eliminating the huge profits of health care insurers. It would take advantage of economies or scale and new technologies to pay for itself, while providing care to everyone. From updates at cagreens.org Thu Jun 14 18:56:05 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:56:05 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPCA NEWS ADVISORY: Green official asks Speaker Pelosi to helpend trade deals that hurt workers, planet Message-ID: <4671F1B5.7C9D2EE8@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Green Party member and San Francisco Supervisor asks Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to help end US trade deals that hurt workers and environment SAN FRANCISCO ? (June 13, 2007) ? One of the Green Party's highest ranking elected officials introduced a resolution that was adopted unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors late Tuesday opposing so-called "Fast Track" trade agreements that harm the US economy, the environment and working people ? and he asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from San Francisco, to take a stand opposing the practice. SF Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi ? who recently shepherded a measure making San Francisco the first U.S. city to ban all but compostable plastic bags ? authored the resolution urging Congress to not renew the Bush Administration's Fast Track Trade Authority, which limits Congress' ability to analyze them. Mirkarimi's resolution calls for inclusive trade negotiating, including "meaningful" consultation with state and local governments and civil society groups. He said the Fast Track Authority allows the executive branch to negotiate trade deals in secret. Labor and community groups have opposed the Fast Track Authority because, they charge, similar agreements such as North American Free trade Agreement (NAFTA) have hurt workers, the environment and the economy of the U.S., resulting in lost jobs, wage stagnation and high US trade deficits. "Nancy Pelosi has the power to stop Fast Track from even coming to the floor of the House...and that's exactly what she should do," according to a statement released by Mirkarimi's office, which noted that Pelosi had not taken a stand on Fast Track even though its renewal is pending. The resolution notes "accountable governance is being undermined by international commercial and trade rules enforced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and (NAFTA)," and in pending trade agreements with Colombia, Peru, Panama and South Korea." From updates at cagreens.org Wed Jun 20 18:55:26 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 18:55:26 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Gov's 'antiquated' plan for Delta wrongsolution, say Greens Message-ID: <4679DA8E.57134C64@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 20, 2007 Schwarzenegger's resurrection of an antiquated plan for the Delta is the wrong solution for the wrong problem, says Green Party SACRAMENTO (June 20, 2007) ? The Green Party of California reacted to the Governor's announced plans for a peripheral canal by outlining the basic requirements for a sustainable water policy, and criticizing Schwarzenegger's move as a return to old solutions that have been rejected in the past. "We understand the Governor's frustration, but the Peripheral Canal does not solve many of the problems of California water needs. While it would seem to make it easier for managing water exports from the Delta, other consequences are not acceptable," commented Green Party National Eco-Action Committee member, Wes Rolley. "This would include a decreased flow of fresh water through the Delta, an increase of saline water and the need to abandon much of the agricultural use in the south, central and western islands." Water policy in California, Greens charge, needs to be based on current reality, not on some 19th Century idea of exploiting inexhaustible resources for unlimited growth. That current reality is the fact that the state's major source of water is the Sierra snow pack and that itself is being threatened by Global Warming, and the entire Southwestern U.S. has sustained a 7 year drought. As a result, water use at its current rate is not sustainable and any plan that does not include a reduction in demand only substitutes wishful thinking for responsible action. The GPCA has long called for sustainable water use. It's platform proposes policies which "Preserve and restore the state's natural water features - California's streams, rivers, lakes, bays, wetlands and groundwater aquifers...vital to achieving sustainable use of state water resources." "It makes little sense to provide subsidized water to grow federally subsidized cotton in the desert, but that is what we are doing. It makes little sense to irrigate crop lands containing selenium and allowing that toxic water to drain back into rivers, but that is what we are doing," explained Rolley. A sustainable water policy would, according to Rolley: Recognize that the future promises a dwindling seasonal water supply; reduce demand for water to protect that supply, reduce exports from the to preserve the lands that are there, enforce current state and federal clean water regulations to preserve the quality of that water, work with agricultural interests to reduce demand including changing the types of crops that are grown, protect the 's current residential, agricultural and water export facilities through levee improvements to avert the possibility of a New Orleans scale failure. From updates at cagreens.org Mon Jun 25 20:34:01 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:34:01 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Gov, Legislature prison plan denounced by Greens Message-ID: <016e01c7b7a2$e3a70fb0$0f006e45@Stauffer> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 21, 2007 Green Party of California denounces prison expansion; Urges state officials to seek comprehensive reform instead SACRAMENTO (June 21, 2007) - The Green Party of California (GPCA) this week denounced the prison expansion plan embraced by GOP Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Democratic Party-controlled Legislature, charging that real reform of the criminal justice system is what is needed. "Republicans and Democrats alike are seeking to spend billions of dollars building more prisons when they should be pursuing comprehensive change," said Erika McDonald, a San Francisco Green Party spokesperson. "We urge the Governor and the California Legislature to examine the real issues behind prison overcrowding, look closely at our failed system of justice and seek effective reform," said McDonald. The GPCA notes in its platform that "Our criminal justice system is inhumane, ineffective and prohibitively expensive," contending that prisons should be the sentence of last resort, reserved for violent criminals and those convicted of non-violent offenses should be handled by other programs that serve the interests of justice but reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses. No amount of prison construction will solve the overcrowding problem, claim Greens, who propose alternatives such as improved rehabilitation and re-entry programs, parole reform and sentencing reform. "Substance abuse should be addressed as a medical problem requiring treatment, not imprisonment, and a failed drug test should not result in revocation of parole," said McDonald, who notes that many inmates have drug convictions on their records. The GPCA also supports amending California's onerous three strikes law, noting that it should only be applied when the third offense is a serious or violent felony. From updates at cagreens.org Wed Jul 11 19:12:24 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:12:24 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPUS RELEASE: Open Letter from Green Party to Michael Moore on Sicko, health reform In-Reply-To: <83c49f8f2cf927a4dee0b9d90ccf5368@igc.org> References: <83c49f8f2cf927a4dee0b9d90ccf5368@igc.org> Message-ID: GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 Green Party to Michael Moore, as 'Sicko' opens nationwide: ? Democrats are a lost cause on health care, while the Green Party's candidates and platform demand a single-payer national health plan ? Americans will only get a true universal health plan (Single-Payer / Medicare For All) when Greens are elected WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States sent an open letter to Michael Moore, whose movie 'Sicko' opened in theaters last week, urging him to join the efforts of the Green Party and its candidates and officeholders to enact a single-payer national health plan (also called Medicare For All). The Green Party agrees with Michael Moore's premise that the US's private insurance system must be dismantled, and that the country must convert to a single-payer plan similar to the Canadian system. Greens warned Mr. Moore that the Democratic Party (like the Republican Party) is too awash in corporate money to end the stranglehold of the private HMO-insurance industry and enact genuine coverage for all Americans. Congress will only seriously consider a single-payer plan when Greens begin to win seats in the US House and Senate. The Green Party letter encourages Mr. Moore to help Greens get elected to Congress, as well as state legislatures and city councils, and predicts that the Green Party's 2008 nominee and national slate will be the only candidates on most ballots who support single-payer. The text of the letter follows below. ? Dear Mike Congratulations on the opening of 'Sicko' and all the glowing reviews! We in the Green Party hope that millions of Americans will see 'Sicko' and understand that America has a choice: we can either have quality health care guaranteed for everyone, or we can maintain a system based on corporate insurance and HMO coverage. We can't have both. And we hope that the American people will realize that it's time to demand a single-payer national health plan and stop privileging corporate profits over the health -- the very lives -- of the American people. Here's the problem: we're not going to get a national health plan as long as the political landscape remains limited to two parties addicted to corporate contributions. Republican and Democratic politicians alike refuse to consider any plan that doesn't leave private HMOs and insurance corporations in charge. There are some exceptions among Dems, like Reps. John Conyers (Mich.) and Dennis Kucinich (Oh.), but Rep. Conyers' single-payer bill has as little chance of passage as Rep. Kucinich has of getting nominated. Once upon a time, the Democratic Party supported national health coverage and even endorsed it in the Democratic national platform in 1948. But they deleted it from the platform in the 1990s to make room for President Clinton's 'managed-care' phony reform scheme, which would have enlarged the power of major insurance firms. In the 2000 and 2004 elections, Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry both rejected national health insurance. (Mr. Gore saw the light and endorsed it a couple of years later.) There's only one prominent national party that supports single-payer/Medicare For All -- the Green Party. The Green Party and its candidates have demanded single-payer ever since we were founded, and we don't accept corporate contributions from HMOs, insurance firms, pharmaceutical manufacturers, or any other corporate lobby. Let's be honest, Mike. The USA will never have a national health insurance program until we break the two-party stranglehold and see the emergence of a new party that's free of corporate influence. If we can get a few Greens into Congress, as well as into state legislatures and city halls all across America, and if our presidential candidates can draw significant percentages on Election Day, it'll change the political landscape. When Democratic politicians have to compete with Greens as well as Republicans, more of them will embrace single-payer. (And some maverick Republicans will support it, too!) When the 2004 election season began, you and Bill Maher got down on your knees in front of 2000 Green presidential candidate Ralph Nader and begged him not to run again in 2004. You and Bill insisted that 2004 wasn't the time for a third-party challenge, and that the priority of every rational American should be the removal of George W. Bush from the White House. Millions of Americans who support a national health plan -- as well as an end to the Iraq War -- agreed with you and Bill and voted for John Kerry, a candidate awash in corporate money. Mr. Kerry dismissed national health care and declared himself solidly in support of the Iraq War. What was the outcome? John Kerry and his fellow Dems (again, with a couple of exceptions like Rep. Conyers) sat on their thumbs when reports of Election Day irregularities surfaced in Ohio and other states. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of African American and student votes were obstructed or not counted. Mr. Bush's election in 2004 was as illegitimate as his 2000 victory! Mike, I'm sure you remember that it was two third-party presidential candidates -- the Green Party's David Cobb and Libertarian Michael Badnarik -- who demanded an investigation and led the Ohio recount. It was Greens who raised the money for legal expenses in the Ohio and New Mexico recounts. While John Kerry and his buddies kept mum (maybe they feared that the Democrats' own election shenanigans would be exposed), Greens fought for fair and accurate elections and the right to vote. A few months later, the Conyers hearings proved that the Green Party was right. Republicans in Ohio not only rigged the election, they also tried to influence the recount. In January, 2007, two Republican election operatives were convicted in Cuyahoga County for their role in fixing the recount. Here's the kicker, Mike. When Republicans in Florida failed to hand in petitions for George W. Bush before the deadline for the 2004 election, Democrats gave them a pass and placed Mr. Bush on the ballot anyway! Imagine the movie you could make about how Republicans and Democrats have shredded our election system! We can only conclude that the Democratic Party would rather lose elections to the GOP than tolerate third parties and independents -- with a special hostility towards anyone whose campaign brings a noncorporate antiwar message to the American people. That's why we can't get a national health program. The Democratic and Republican leadership doesn't even want Americans to discuss the single-payer option, although they'll have a hard time censoring the debate now that 'Sicko' is in theaters. We know that the private insurance industry, mainstream Democratic and Republican politicians, and the corporate media are already trying to undermine the message of 'Sicko.' They're calling national health care 'liberal elitism' and 'creeping socialism' and other names. As FAIR reported on June 25, CBS's Jeff Greenfield ignored polls in a June 22 story on 'Sicko' with an erroneous claim that national health coverage has minimal popular support. We know that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and most of the other Democratic presidential hopefuls are offering corporate-friendly health care reform plans. We can predict that they'll claim their plans will solve the crisis depicted in 'Sicko,' just as the Clinton Administration dishonestly called its managed-care proposal 'universal health care' back in 1993. On June 26, 2007 six Democratic US Senators spoke at an SEIU-sponsored 'universal health care' rally on Capitol Hill in which single-payer and Medicare For All were never mentioned. When Dems say 'universal health care,' they really mean "For God's sake, anything but single-payer!" The Green Party will be the ONLY PARTY in 2008 that demands single-payer. The Green nominee will be the ONLY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE who talks about single-payer. We'll be the only party supporting what Michael Moore supports! The argument that our first priority must be the defeat of the GOP no longer holds water. Regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans get into public office, the real winners are powerful corporate lobbies: insurance, HMO, pharmaceutical, oil, defense, credit card, real estate, you name it. And if the Republicans manipulate the vote again and engineer their own victory, blocking African Americans, young voters, poor voters, and voters serving overseas in the US Armed Forces, we can be sure that the Democratic leadership will again roll over, scratch their butts, and say "Let's not be divisive! It's time to move on!" 'Sicko' will not change the Democratic Party agenda. MoveOn, Progressive Democrats for America, and terrific pro-single-payer candidates like Dennis Kucinich will not influence the Democratic platform in 2008. It's a safe bet that MoveOn & Co. will place party loyalty ahead of their own stated ideals and endorse whichever corporate candidate gets the 2008 Democratic nomination. These Pied Piper Progressives will lure voters who want single-payer, voters who want US troops out of Iraq, voters who want a White House and Congress free of insurance, oil, and defense industry influence into voting for a Democrat who flushes their agenda down the drain. As David Cobb observed during his 2004 Green presidential campaign, the Democratic Party is the "graveyard of progressive politics." It's the graveyard of national health care. The Green Party is growing. We've continued to face down antidemocratic challenges from the old parties. In 2006, Green candidate Rich Whitney drew 11% in the race for Governor of Illinois and achieved ballot status in his state for the Green Party, after Gov. Rod Blagojevich spent $800,000 in taxpayers' money trying to keep Greens off the ballot. Nationally, we won more votes than ever before in the 2006 election. But we have a long way to go. Hey, Mike, do you really want to see a national health plan enacted? Do you really want the message of 'Sicko' to be part of the public debate over health care in the 2008 election and beyond? Then let's stop wasting time. Help us run a Green candidate for president in 2008. Help us get Greens elected to Congress. Help us place Greens in statehouses and county commissions and city halls and school boards. (Yes, we know you have supported Green candidates in the past!) Help us get ballot access in every state. Help us bring the Green message to the American people. Help us make the Greens a major political US party. Help us spark the kind of revolution in US politics that will make a single-payer national health plan a reality! Yours truly, The Green Party of the United States 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 Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers 'Green for a Change': 2007 Green Party National Meeting in Reading, Pennsylvania, July 12-15 http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/ Media credentialing page http://www.gp.org/forms/media Archives from the 2004 Cobb-LaMarche presidential campaign, including information on the Ohio and New Mexico recounts http://www.iwantmyvote.com/ The Green Party and Single-Payer National Health Insurance ? "Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democratic leaders are obstacles to real health care reform, say Greens" (press release, February 26, 2007) http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_02_26.shtml ? "Democrats and Republicans Downplay Health Care Crisis" (press release, August 24, 2006)http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_08_24.shtml ? Video: Pennsylvania Green gubernatorial candidate Marakay Rogers discusses national health insurance http://gp.org/video/2006stateofunion/video2.shtml ? Green Party Platform: Universal Health Care http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#1004214 Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org Frequently Asked Questions http://www.pnhp.org/facts/singlepayer_faq.php "CBS's 'Sicko' Spin: Americans Don't Want Single-Payer Health? Except They Do" FAIR Action Alert, June 25, 2007 http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3124 Information on rigged US elections: "The GOP's Cyber Election Hit Squad" By Steven Rosenfeld and Bob Fitrakis, The Free Press, April 23, 2007 http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2007/2553 "Will The Next Election Be Hacked? Fresh disasters at the polls -- and new evidence from an industry insider -- prove that electronic voting machines can't be trusted" By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Rolling Stone, October 5, 2006 issue http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/11717105/... "Our Rigged Elections: The Elephant in the Polling Booth" By Mark Crispin Miller, The Washington Spectator, October 3, 2006 http://www.washingtonspectator.com/articles/20061001elephant_1.cfm "Was the 2004 Election Stolen? Republicans prevented more than 350,000 voters in Ohio from casting ballots or having their votes counted -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House." By Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Rolling Stone, posted June 1, 2006 http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/ was_the_2004_election_stolen "None Dare Call It Stolen: Ohio, the election, and America's servile press" By Mark Crispin Miller, Harper's Magazine, August 2005 http://harpers.org/ExcerptNoneDare.html "New Florida vote scandal feared" By Greg Palast, BBC, October 26, 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/3956129.stm "Did Bush camp err on ballot papers? Democrats say the president may have missed Florida's filing deadline, but say they don't plan a challenge." St. Petersburg Times, September 11, 2004 http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/11/Decision2004/ Did_Bush_camp_err_on_.shtml ~ END ~ From updates at cagreens.org Thu Aug 9 18:42:33 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:42:33 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: Greens back Bowen's voting machine decision, urge more reforms... In-Reply-To: <3.0.32.20070808133454.01dcfee4@mail.cwnet.com> References: <3.0.32.20070808133454.01dcfee4@mail.cwnet.com> Message-ID: News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 8, 2007 Greens support decertification of voting machines, call for greater reforms to restore ?voter confidence,' including giving 17-year-olds, immigrants right to vote SACRAMENTO (August 8, 2007) ? Secretary of State Debra Bowen's decertification of several voting machines late Friday is, in fact, only a modest first step in restoring democracy and voter confidence in California, said the Green Party of California today, urging the SOS to go even further in reforming the state voting system. "Secretary of State Bowen was correct to limit the use of hackable voting machines, which have raised questions about the validity of individuals votes. There should be auditable paper trails for electronic voting machines and public access to the data and software on the computers that record and count votes," said Tom Bolema, a member GPCA Media Committee. Greens have urged, for years, that other measures, other than questioning faulty and non-transparent voting equipment, should be taken to restore voter confidence, discourage voter apathy and bring more democracy to elections "It is no secret that our democracy is in crisis here. Voter turnout last year set a record low, and for the past decade the average turnout of eligible voters in non-Presidential election years hovers around 40 percent," said Forrest Hill last year during his campaign for Secretary of State on the Green Party ticket. The California Green Party approved a resolution at its state convention in May calling for the lowering of the minimum voting age to 17. Greens also support giving undocumented immigrants the right to vote, especially in local elections where immigrants work and live. The Green Party promotes proportional representation, encourages the use of ranked choice voting ? which has been approved by voters in Oakland recently with Green Party financial backing ? and true campaign financing reforms, including public financing of campaigns. "Instant Runoff Voting allows voters more freedom to choose among all candidates, regardless of party. Our antiquated winner-take-all voting system discriminates against non-major party candidates and discourages citizens from voting for candidates they truly support," said Dr. Bob Vizzard, the co-coordinator of the GPCA Electoral Reform Working Group. From updates at cagreens.org Sat Aug 11 12:48:29 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:48:29 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Green Party -- GET MORE INVOLVED!! JOIN A NATIONAL COMMITTEE!! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: GET MORE INVOLVED!! JOIN A NATIONAL COMMITTEE!! Please forward this announcement as appropriate! The GPUS is recruiting California Greens to participate in the party-building work to be done at the national level. The only requirements are that you're a California Green, willing and able to commit to the position, and can work well with others....well, ok, and have regular access to email and willingness to participate in teleconferences, usually monthly. The positions of voting members are by appointment; non-voting observers may join committees without prior appointment, just contact the committee chairs directly. All appointed positions are for two-year terms and are renewable. Because women and historically marginalized communities, including people of color, are underrepresented at the national level, we are strongly encouraging members of those groups to apply. Most standing national committees have open seats for California Greens: CA list of membership in GPUS committees can be found at http://www.votegreen.org/gpus-ca/about/committees with links to each of the national committees. A GPUS list of all the committees can be found athttp://www.gp.org/committees.shtml Note that we are going through webmaster transition so webpage may not be totally up to date. The only committees that has no openings currently is Media. RECRUITING WILL BE ONGOING UNTIL THESE POSITIONS ARE FILLED. A short 2-paragraph biography of your past party (or related) experience and why you're interested in the position is required for all applicants to be considered. One or two references are appreciated, especially for newer Greens, if we are not familiar with your work. Local or state party experience is desired, but not required. Please send it to sanda at greens.org. Committee positions may be appointed by the GPUS-CA Standing Delegation at their next monthly teleconference or at the next plenary meeting, whichever comes first. The standing delegation increased to 42 members on July 4, 2007. More delegates have applied and will be elected at the fall plenary and we will be taking applications for additional delegates or alternates 60 days before the spring plenary. We are getting ready for the exciting work of a presidential election year. For further information or questions, you can contact me, atsanda at greens.org. Thank you for considering increasing your participation in our party! Sanda Everette co-chair, CA delegation From updates at cagreens.org Thu Aug 23 19:25:48 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:25:48 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: CA Green congressional candidate garners 9 times voter registration... Message-ID: <46CE41AC.6040502@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, August 23, 2007 Green candidate garners nine times party's district voter registration in Special Congressional Election Tuesday; Promises to ?keep eye' on Democratic Party winner LONG BEACH (August 23, 2007) ? Green Party congressional candidate Daniel Abraham Brezenoff ? who polled an astounding nine times the percentage of registered Greens in Tuesday's 37th District Special Election ? said in a statement issued today he will "keep a close eye" on winner Laura Richardson in between now and the 2008 elections to see if she keeps her promises to voters. The complete statement is at www.danielforcongress.com. Brezenoff finished third in the race, garnering 5.41 percent (1,138 votes) of the vote. Only .61 percent of the voters in the District are registered Green, even fewer than the Libertarian Party. Brezenoff's final tally, though, put him into third, far ahead of the Libertarian candidate, Herb Peters, who had just 2.3 percent of the vote. "I am disappointed with the low turnout, and I am disappointed I will not be represented by a more progressive leader," said Brezenoff, a clinical social worker, of Richardson, the Democratic Party candidate. "She has pledged to oppose any and all new war funding, and we in the Green Party and the peace movement will hold her to that. I will help (by keeping) a close eye on her," he added. Brezenoff also criticized Richardson for not being a "strong" critic of the Bush Administration. "We...will push her to continue speaking out against failed Republican policies. We will also push her to speak against failed Democratic policies, and we certainly hope she will not lose her ability to speak truth to power if and when a Democrat enters the White House. We will pressure the Congresswoman to take up impeachment articles against the President and Vice President, do more to protect our environment and to call for repealing the Patriot Act. We do not expect (her) to follow the party line, but instead...remember that she must answer to her constituents at the polls in just 14 months," said Brezenoff. While Brezenoff said that the 8.4 percent district voter turnout reflected "apathy," he noted that voters "do not feel they have good choices...even those who support third parties stay home because they believe candidates like me have little chance of winning in our current system." He called upon Richardson to make her "first goal" increased participation of her district in "American political life," and support instant run-off voting to help accomplish that. From updates at cagreens.org Sun Aug 26 21:54:16 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:54:16 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Registration for the General Assembly is now Open Message-ID: <46D258F8.1030809@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Online registration for the Sept. 8-9 General Assembly in Riverside is now open. Registration will close at midnight on Sept. 5. After that, pay at the door. http://www.cagreens.org/plenary/ We request that those planning to attend register online as soon as possible to assist the host committee with their final planning. County Councils - Please remember to submit your list of delegates online from the Delegate link on the main plenary page. We look forward to a productive and informative meeting in Riverside!!! From updates at cagreens.org Fri Aug 31 18:42:34 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:42:34 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GPUS Release: National Green Party Convention Message-ID: <46D8C38A.7020907@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chicago to host 2008 National Green Party Convention Delegates from state Green Parties and caucuses in the party's National Committee completed their vote Tuesday, August 28th, with Chicago taking the lead over Detroit, Minneapolis, and Oakland. Chicago's proposal can be read at http://www.greenconvention2008.com. The convention will take place July 10 to 13, 2008. The Blackstone Hotel in Chicago has a storied political convention tradition. It's where many a political campaign set up headquarters during convention week. It was in "smoke-filled room" at the Blackstone where a deal was cut to end a deadlock that made Warren Harding the 1920 Republican nominee. And Eisenhower watched the 1952 Republican convention from his room at the Blackstone (the first time the networks covered a convention gavel-to-gavel). Over the years, it has hosted at least 12 presidents on their visits to Chicago. Just as Greens are working to rehabilitate that old style of politics, the Blackstone Hotel is also undergoing a process of top-to-bottom renewal. When it reopens later this fall, the Blackstone will be the most green-friendly hotel in the city, complete with a green roof. And when it opens this Fall the Blackstone will be non-smoking and a union shop. One of the city's recognizable landmarks located in the heart of Chicago, the Chicago Theatre would be a spectacular setting for the convention. It would allow us to put the "Green Party" name on one of the most eye-catching, most photographed marquees in the city, and it's sure to be noticed by the thousands of residents and tourists alike. The Chicago Theatre is located directly on transit lines, close to everything, and is one of the larger venues which we could pack with up to 3,600 enthusiastic delegates, observers and media. The Chicago Theatre is also a union shop. The combination of the world-class Blackstone Hotel and the historic Chicago Theatre will help the Green Party to attract celebrity guest speakers?not to mention the media?for our events and fundraisers. In 2006, the Illinois Green Party did what many pundits said was impossible. Greens got on the ballot in one of the worst states for ballot access. Green candidates broke through to the media to receive more coverage than ever, even earning the endorsements of several major newspapers throughout the state. And the Green candidate for governor, Rich Whitney, was the choice of more than 350,000 voters, 10% statewide, twice the percentage needed to establish the party for the next four years! From updates at cagreens.org Fri Sep 28 18:49:17 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:49:17 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Cynthia McKinney in SF Bay Area next week for GP events! Message-ID: <46FDAF1D.7050008@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For those Cynthia McKinney supports in No. Cal.... Many of us California Greens have been anxiously awaiting Cynthia?s return to her natural home in the Green Party, and we now believe that with some heartfelt encouragement, the time is near. Consequently, the (informal) Draft Cynthia McKinney for the GPCA Presidential Primary Ballot Committee is happy to invite all Greens and the Green-friendly to ?Meet Cynthia McKinney Week? in the San Francisco Bay Area from October 4th to 7th. And it is also happy to announce the launch of its (almost completed) website, ?http://www.RunCynthiaRun.com?. Please attend one or more of our events and meet the delightful and courageous former Congresswoman from Georgia, watch the acclaimed documentary ?American Blackout?, listen to Ms. McKinney?s bold ideas on governance, ask challenging questions, and bring your checkbook to donate to her upcoming campaign to be America?s First Green President! 1- Thursday, October 4th, 6:30 to 9:00 PM, at the West Oakland Public Library, 1801 Adeline (@18th St.), Oakland, CA. Ms. McKinney will speak and respond to questions. Hosted by Wilson Riles, former Oakland City Council member and mayoral candidate in 2004 (v. Jerry Brown). Expect the press. 2- Friday, October 5th, 6:00 to 9:00 PM, at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Hall, 1924 Cedar (@Bonita), Berkeley, CA. ?American Blackout? will be shown, and Ms. McKinney will speak and respond to questions. Mistress of Ceremonies to be announced, but hopefully Aimee Allison, former Green candidate for Oakland City Council. 3- Saturday, October 6th, exciting day and evening events in San Francisco will be announced soon. 4- Sunday, October 7th, 11:00 AM, ?Impeach at the Beach? #4, at Cesar Chavez Park in the Berkeley Marina. Cynthia McKinney, first Member of the House to file impeachment proceedings against George Bush, will join Cindy Sheehan and 1500 other Californians to chat, sing, and hang out while helicopters survey from overhead. Please also visit our website, sign in as an endorser for Cynthia, make a pledge of time and money, and make friendly suggestions. Other ?Cynthia McKinney Week? events and locations will be posted to the website as they are confirmed. See you there! For the Draft Cynthia McKinney for the GPCA Presidential Primary Ballot Committee, John Morton www.RunCynthiaRun.com From updates at cagreens.org Sat Oct 6 21:25:21 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2007 21:25:21 -0700 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Cynthia McKinney to announce bid for the White House Message-ID: <47085FB1.4090600@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ // This announcement came from a local activist. \\ ----------------------------------------------- Note: McKinney registered as a Green Party of California member and is making her new residence in the SF Bay Area of California. For more info see also http://RunCynthiaRun.com and http://www.allthingscynthiamckinney.com/ Green is Connection! Drew Johnson GPCA http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/overheard_071005.shtml (*) Update 3:10 p.m: According to a source, McKinney officially registered as a member of the Green Party yesterday. October 5, 2007 2:00 p.m. (updated) Cynthia McKinney to announce bid for the White House According to a reliable source, former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga) will officially announce her candidacy for U.S. president as early as next week. According to the source, the Green Party has been actively courting McKinney to switch party affiliation and run as a Green. (*) McKinney has been outspoken about the Iraq war, AIPAC's lobbying influence over U.S. foreign policy, the 9/11 Commission Report, and the partisan decision by a partial body of the Supreme Court to elect George W. Bush to the presidency in 2000. She is also trumpeting the call of millions of Americans calling for the impeachment of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for perpetrating war crimes against humanity. McKinney is in San Francisco this weekend. Her schedule includes an appearance at a CodePink party tonight at El Rio, and an appearance tomorrow at a campaign rally to elect mayoral candidate Ahimsa Sumchai. From updates at cagreens.org Sun Nov 4 19:51:13 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:51:13 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens to watch on Election Day, Nov. 6; Message-ID: <472E9331.1030506@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 1, 2007 2007 Green candidates to watch on Election Day, November 6 * Facts, figures, and updates on Green ballot access, officeholders, and campaigns in the off-year election * Green candidate database for 2007 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party is off and running with candidates for public office in races throughout the US on Election Day, November 6. The total number of Green candidates in 2007 is 130. At least 225 Greens across the nation currently hold elected office. Greens ran 377 races throughout 2006, winning 67 races (18%). Out of 170 municipal and county races in 2007, Greens won 70 (41%). 45 states and the District of Columbia have parties affiliated with the Green Party of the United States . 22 state Green Parties have ballot access for the 2008 national election as of October 2007. Several candidates deserve special attention in the 2007 election: * Chuck Turner is running for reelection to the City Council District 7 seat in Boston, Massachusetts. He is currently the highest ranking African-American Green officeholder in the US. Mr. Turner won his primary election with 75% of the votes cast. * Howie Hawkins, candidate for Councilor At-Large in Syracuse, New York was endorsed by the Syracuse Post-Standard on October 30 . Mr. Hawkins ran for the US Senate in New York against Hillary Clinton in the 2006 election. * Grace Ross, for Councilor-at-large in Worcester, Massachusetts , is one of twelve candidates running for six seats after finishing sixth in the September 11 primary. BALLOT ACCESS UPDATES * NATIONAL On October 30, Ralph Nader, Peter Camejo, and six voters filed a lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee. The 30-page complaint details the national Democratic Party*s extensive support for challenges to Mr. Nader's ballot positions, especially efforts to sabotage ballot petitions and harass petitioners in several states. http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/10/30/nader-sues-democratic-national-committee-for-2004-dirty-tricks/ * ARKANSAS On October 17, the Arkansas Green Party was notified that its petition has been certified. It is the only Arkansas party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, that is on the ballot for all offices. http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/10/17/arkansas-says-green-party-is-on-ballot/ http://www.arkgreens.org * NEW JERSEY On October 17, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Neil H. Shuster ordered that the state grant equal treatment to alternative political parties. The ruling eliminates some of the structural advantages long enjoyed by the Democratic and Republican Parties, and concedes that New Jersey election law must treat alternative parties as official "political parties" for the purposes of campaign finance, lobbying, and voter registration. The lawsuit in the case was filed by the Green Party of New Jersey, the New Jersey Constitution Party, and the New Jersey Libertarian Party. http://www.njappleseed.net/entity_pdfs/182.pdf http://www.gpnj.org * PENNSYLVANIA Carl Romanelli, 2006 Green candidate for the US Senate, is awaiting a decision from the State Supreme Court on $80,000-plus in costs he was ordered to pay as a penalty for invalidated signatures on his ballot petitions. In an equally troubling and unprecedented twist, the court also encumbered Mr. Romanelli's attorney, Larry Otter, with fines and costs. Pennsylvania requires over 67,000 valid signatures for third party and independent candidates but only 2,000 signatures for Democrats and Republicans running for US Senator, Governor, or President. Greens have accused the Pennsylvania court system of intimidating third parties and independents and freezing them out of major races by exacting such fines, which are unprecedented in the US. The Green, Libertarian, and Constitution Parties of Pennsylvania have filed a joint law suit in the US Supreme Court against the state's blatantly unfair and antidemocratic ballot access laws. http://video.google.com/videoplay*docid=-4586797401475004986 http://video.google.com/videoplay*docid=-4586797401475004986 http://www.youtube.com/watch*v=MiED0xToa48 http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_10_09.shtml http://www.gpofpa.org MORE 2007 GREEN CANDIDATES TO WATCH Arizona * Beryl Baker for Tucson City Council Ward 4 http://ElectBerylBaker.tripod.com * Dave Croteau for Mayor of Tucson http://www.davecroteau4mayor.org California * Janice Brittain, for City Council, Hermosa Beach http://www.janicebrittain.com Connecticut * Jean de Smet, for First Selectman, Windham http://www.VoteJean.com * Ronna Stuller, for Board of Education, New London http://www.nlgreens.org Indiana * Kathleen Petitjean, for Council 1st Distict in South Bend, Indiana http://www.votepetitjean.wordpress.com http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article*AID=/20071028/NEWS01/710280355 Maine * Ben Meiklejohn for Portland School Committee http://www.benmeiklejohn.com/ * Leslie Minton for Portland School Committee Maryland * Maria Allwine, for President of the Baltimore City Council http://www.takebge.org/main.htm http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.fraser14oct14,0,1317880.column New York * Margaret Human, for New Paltz Town Councilman (At-Large) http://www.humanfornewpaltz.org * David Lussier, for Albany County Legislature, District 7 http://www.lussierforleg.com/ (In a four-way race for an Albany City Council seat in 2005, Mr. Lussier finished second with 30%) Pennsylvania * Jennaro Pullano, for Mayor, Reading http://www.pullanoformayor.org Virginia * Josh Ruebner, Arlington County Board http://www.voteruebner.com (five candidates running for two seats) Washington * Sally Soriano, for reelection to Seattle School Board, North District 1 http://sallysoriano.org * Joe Szwaja, Seattle City Council Position 3 http://joeforcouncil.com MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193 * Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml * Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers * 2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading, Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/ "Green Party chooses 2007 Green candidates for campaign support" Green Party press release, October 3, 2007 http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_10_03.shtml From updates at cagreens.org Wed Nov 7 18:46:09 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:46:09 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Green wins on Election Day 2007: early reports Message-ID: <47327871.7090108@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Some important Green wins in local elections, according to early Election Day returns ? Illinois Greens succeed in meeting early filing deadline for 2008 elections ? Green candidate database for 2007 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders are congratulating several candidates who were elected to local office on Election Day, November 6, according to early returns. 137 Greens ran for public office in the 2007 off-year elections, with 89 of them competing on November 6. Green leaders also congratulated Illinois Greens for meeting the early filing deadline on November 6 for placing presidential, congressional, and other candidates on the ballot for the state's February 5 primary. In 2006, the Green Party won its ballot line in Illinois, overcoming difficult ballot access rules and obstruction efforts by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who used $800,000 in taxpayers' money trying to block Greens from the ballot. Green gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney drew over 10% in 2006, more than twice Illinois' 5% requirement to maintain ballot access. According to Phil Huckelberry, chair of the Illinois Green Party's government and elections committee, the party has set a goal of having 100 to 110 state and local candidates on ballots in 2008. For more information on Illinois Green races, contact Mr. Huckelberry at 309-268-9974 or . GREEN VICTORIES on November 6 (according to early returns; more to be reported later): CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org ? Larry Bragman and Lew Tremain were re-elected to the Fairfax City Council. Mr. Bragman finished first with 1,322 votes or 40.74%, and Mr. Tremain finished second with 969 votes or 29.66 %. Three candidates competed for two seats. http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/rv/main/CurrentElection/Results.htm CONNECTICUT http://www.ctgreens.org ? Alan Brison scored an upset victory in his race for Ward 10 Alderman in New Haven. Mr. Brison beat his competition by 100 votes in the East Rock and Cedar Hill neighborhoods. http://ctgreens.org/candidates/brison2007 ? Jean deSmet was elected First Selectman of the town of Windham. (At 9:30 pm on Tuesday, Ms. deSmet was 120 votes ahead of the Democrat and far ahead of the Republican.) Ms. deSmet is also co-chair of the Green Party of Connecticut. http://www.VoteJean.com MAINE http://www.mainegreens.org ? John Anton won his race for Portland City Council. Mr. Anton finished first among four candidates for two at-large seats, drawing 6,320 votes or 29.04%. http://www.johnanton.us/ MASSACHUSETTS http://www.massgreens.org ? Chuck Turner easily won reelection to Boston City Council (District 7) with 81% of the vote. ? Luc Schuster won reelection to the Cambridge School Committee, finishing fourth out of nine candidates for six seats. Mr. Schuster received 1,658 first place votes. http://www.voteluc.org/ NEW YORK http://www.gpnys.org ? David Lussier, running in a partisan race for County Legislature (District 7) in Albany, has a five vote lead with all machine votes in on Election Night. 90 affidavit and absentee ballots remain to be counted on November 14. Mr. Lussier's 531 votes places him ahead of Democrat Brian Scavo (526 votes). Mr. Lussier campaigned vigorously among absentee ballot voters, and Greens are optimistic that his victory will be confirmed. http://www.lussierforleg.com VIRGINIA http://www.vagreenparty.org ? Chris Simmons won his race for Soil and Water Conservation Board in Loudon County. He finished second out of four candidates for three seats with 18,093 votes or 25.38%. MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193 ? Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml ? Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers ? 2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading, Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/ "2007 Green candidates to watch on Election Day, November 6" Green Party press release, November 1, 2007 http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_11_01.shtml From updates at cagreens.org Mon Nov 26 19:18:04 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:18:04 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens urge cutoff in military aid to Pakistan Message-ID: <474B8C6C.4080609@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Monday, November 26, 2007 Greens urge support for civil society and democracy in Pakistan, cutoff in military aid WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders and candidates called for national and global support for civil society, democracy, and the rule of law in Pakistan, an end to President Pervez Musharraf's 'national emergency' declaration, and a cutoff in US aid to military dictatorships in Pakistan. Greens especially criticized the Bush Administration's use of Pakistan as a pawn in the US's 'war on terror' and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. "President Bush may press Gen. Musharraf to step down, but it's naive to think that the Bush Administration's goal is democracy in Pakistan," said Rodger Jennings, Green candidate for Congress in Illinois (12th District) . "It's clear that Mr. Bush prefers another corrupt dictator or military strong man to take Gen. Musharraf's place, if he steps down, and that Pakistan will continue to receive military aid from the US. The Green Party urges an end to such aid, and we call on the White House and Congress to support restoration of democratic elections in Pakistan," added Mr. Jennings. Greens have also called for international pressure on Pakistan to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, as part of a global nuclear disarmament effort. "It's hypocritical for Democrats and Republicans to criticize Iran for human rights violations and alleged nuclear arms ambitions, while assisting a brutal dictatorship in Pakistan and giving a pass to Pakistani, Indian, and Israeli nukes -- not to mention the US's own nuclear arsenal," said Steve Alesch, Green Party candidate for Congress in Illinois (13th District) . "It's also well known that Pakistan's military rulers provided assistance for the Taliban before 9/11, that officials in Pakistan, including the ISI [Pakistan's intelligence service], have maintained support for the Taliban, and that the head of the ISI wired $100,000 to Mohammed Atta, the lead 9/11 hijacker. These facts and the current crisis in Pakistan show that US policy has little to do with the goal of democracy in Asia or security for America." The Green Party has received appeals from Pakistani Greens for help, reporting that Greens have been arrested for participating in peaceful protest and that all independent media have been banned in Pakistan. "The US, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has aided brutal military and repressive theocratic regimes in Pakistan and other nations over the past several decades. The current 'war on terror' alliance and military aid are mainly serving to line the pockets of defense contractors and other corporate war profiteers, while providing no real security for the US or democracy and stability in Pakistan," said Romi Elnagar of the Green Party's International Committee . MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193 ? Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml ? Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers ? Green candidate database for 2007 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml Pakistan?s Dictatorships and the United States By Stephen Zunes, Common Dreams, November 12, 2007 http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/12/5167/ "Lawyers against the general" The Economist, November 8, 2007 http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10102956 From updates at cagreens.org Wed Nov 28 21:23:05 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:23:05 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Be a Delegate to the Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention Message-ID: <474E4CB9.2080900@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Greens, This coming February's California Green Party ballot is currently scheduled to feature seven Presidential candidates. Following the official February election results, an allocation of national convention delegates for each candidate will be made (in proportion to the number of February votes that the candidates receive) -- for California Green delegates to attend the July 10 through July 13 Green Party national convention in Chicago, Illinois. According to rules passed by the Green Party of California state plenary meeting (also known as the "general assembly" meeting), this coming December 7, 2007 is the deadline for Presidential candidates, and also for Green Party of California county groups, to submit the names of California Greens to attend next summer's national convention in Chicago. Therefore, if you would like to represent a particular Green Party Presidential candidate, PLEASE CONTACT THEIR CAMPAIGN IMMEDIATELY (as listed below), as most campaigns want to start finalizing their delegate slates starting on approximately Tuesday, December 4! (Note: you can only be on one candidate's slate and you will generally be expected to support that candidate unless and until that candidate is eliminated from the running). In addition, everyone (including "candidate delegates") can also be a "county delegate". (This is recommended, since those candidates who do not have enough of their own delegates will then draw from the county-delegate pool to fill out their lists). To be a "county delegate", please contact your local county Green Party RIGHT AWAY! If you're not absolutely sure at this point whether you'll be able to attend, but you are interested in attending, please contact the campaign of your choice and/or your county Green Party and just let them know about your situation. That way you'll be prioritized now, so that you'll have a much better chance of being a delegate should everything work out for you next year! Please help the Green Party of California send a full delegation to next year's Green Party national convention in Chicago! Please volunteer to be a delegate -- now! Sincerely, Delegate Selection Committee Green Party of California ---------------------------------------------------- FORM TO APPLY FOR CANDIDATE, COUNTY, OR DIVERSITY CAUCUS SLATES: Please complete the information below and send to one of the contacts for a specific candidate and/or to your county party for inclusion on your county's slate. * full name: * phone: * email: * mailing address: * county of residence: * gender (to provide gender balance): * racial/ethnic group (to provide diversity, e.g., African American, European American, Asian American, etc.) * other diversity factors (LGBT, Disabled, Senior, etc.): ********************************** PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN CONTACTS: (Thanks to Sanda Everette for the descriptive info. below, on the candidates): JARED BALL (DC) http://www.jaredball.com/ jbforpresident at gmail.com College Professor and freelance journalist from the District of Columbia. ELAINE BROWN (GA) http://www.elainebrown.org/ sistaelaine at gmail.com Former Black Panther Party leader, noted author, community and prison justice activist JESSE JOHNSON (WV) jesse at mtparty.org Filmmaker, and 2006 Senate candidate & 2004 gubernatorial candidate for the Mountain Party from West Virginia. CYNTHIA MCKINNEY (CA) California Contacts: Sanda Everette: sanda at greensolutions.org John Morton: jlm108 at yahoo.com http://www.allthingscynthiamckinney.com/ Former U.S. Congressmember from Georgia KENT MESPLAY (CA) http://www.mesplay.org/ info at mesplay.org Biomedical engineer who sought Green presidential nomination in 2004 from California. RALPH NADER (CT) CA Contact: Tinker Dominguez at tink at cruzio.com. http://www.draftnader.org/ Consumer advocate; 1996 and 2000 Green presidential nominee; 2004 independent presidential candidate. KAT SWIFT (TX) http://www.votekat.info/ prezkat at bexagreens.org Texas state party Co-Chair, progressive activist and newspaper credit manager From updates at cagreens.org Tue Dec 4 19:01:02 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:01:02 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Green Party's Thornton awarded for work on drug policy reform Message-ID: <4756146E.6020204@greens.org> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Monday, December 3, 2007 Green Party leader to receive award from the Drug Policy Alliance for leadership in drug law reform ? Cliff Thornton of Connecticut will receive the Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the Field of Citizen Action on December 8 WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party congratulates Connecticut Green Clifford Thornton on an award he will receive from the Drug Policy Alliance for his leadership in the movement to reform drug laws. Mr. Thornton, co-founder of the drug law reform organization Efficacy, Inc. , is a national co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. In 2006, he ran on the Green Party ticket for governor of Connecticut. "Cliff Thornton's work for the reform of US drug policy is in line with Green opposition to the War on Drugs, unjust and draconian drug laws, and the use of drug laws to fill up prison cells with black, brown, poor, and young Americans. We're proud that Cliff is a member of the Green Party," said Alfred Molison, co-chair of the Green Party's national Black Caucus . Excerpts from a November 29, 2007 Drug Policy Alliance press release announcing the award: "Longtime Connecticut drug policy reform advocate and activist Clifford Thornton will receive the Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the Field of Citizen Action from the Drug Policy Alliance. The award honors citizens who make democracy work in the difficult area of drug law and policy reform. Thornton will be among leading advocates that work courageously to promote and implement more sensible drug policies who will be honored at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference, in New Orleans, December 5-8. The conference is organized by the Drug Policy Alliance and dozens of other organizations. The Drug Policy Alliance is the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights. The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 8.... Thornton is the primary speaker for Efficacy, Inc. -- a non-profit organization that has concentrated on drug policy reform. Thornton ran for governor in Connecticut in 2006 on the Green Party ticket. His campaign centered on drug policy reform. Thornton has done over 400 radio shows on drug policy. Thornton has spoken to over 300,000 people in some 450 venues about the drug war as it relates to health, economics, race, class, and white privilege. Efficacy is partially responsible for the removal of D.A.R.E. from the Ocean City, NJ school system in 2001. Thornton gave a presentation to the board of education that received great reviews and helped facilitate its demise. Thornton taught a graduate-level course, "Illegal Drugs and Public Policy" at Trinity College in Hartford, CT in 2002." Media contacts for Drug Policy Alliance : Tony Newman, 646-335-5384; Tommy McDonald, 646-335-2242 MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193 ? Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml ? Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers ? Green candidate database for 2007 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml "War on drugs is a war on youth, people of color Green Party press release, May 16, 2007 http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_05_16.shtml "Green Party says racially biased US justice system needs drastic overhaul" Green Party press release, July 25, 2007 http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_25.shtml From updates at cagreens.org Sun Dec 9 21:32:18 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:32:18 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] ADVISORY: Seven, including Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney, on California presidential ballot] Message-ID: <475CCF62.7060705@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, December 6, 2007 Former Democratic congressperson Cynthia McKinney joins Ralph Nader and 5 others on Green Party presidential ballot in California SACRAMENTO (Dec. 6, 2007) ? Former Democratic Party congressperson Cynthia McKinney and longtime consumer advocate and presidential candidate Ralph Nader are among seven names on the California Green Party presidential ballot for the Feb. 5 Primary, according to the Green Party of California in a statement released today. In addition to McKinney (www.allthingscynthiamckinney.com), a former member of Congress from Georgia who has re-registered in the Green Party, and Nader (www.draftnader.org), the 1996 and 2000 Green Party nominee, others whose name will appear on the ballot include: * Jared Ball (www.jaredball.com), a college professor and freelance journalist from the District of Columbia; * Elaine Brown (www.elainebrown.org), a former Black Panther Party leader, noted author and community and prison justice activist from Georgia; * Jesse Johnson (jesse at mtparty.org), a filmmaker and 2006 Senate candidate and 2004 gubernatorial candidate for the Mountain Party from West Virginia; * Kent Mesplay (www.mesplay.org), a biomedical engineer who sought the Green Party presidential nomination in 2004; * Kat Swift (www.votekat.info), the Texas State Party Co-chair, progressive activist and newspaper credit manager. "This promises to be the most competitive presidential primary on record for the Green Party of California. And it comes at a time in our state and nation's history when voters need a real choice at the polls, and an opportunity to elect a President who will make a real difference in truly ending the war in Iraq now, protecting our planet now and providing universal, single-payer health care for all now," said Susan King, GPCA spokesperson. (Distribution of this release by the Green Party of California does not imply endorsement of any candidate for office.) From updates at cagreens.org Wed Dec 12 18:42:02 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:42:02 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] CALIF. GREEN RELEASE Greens to Dems: probe Pelosi on complicity in torture Message-ID: <47609BFA.8000204@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 10, 2007 Democratic Party state leadership urged by Greens to lean on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to learn the truth about her complicity in CIA torture SACRAMENTO (Dec. 10, 2007) ? The Green Party of California today called on California Democratic Party state and federal lawmakers to urge House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to respond about what she knew, and what she did ? if anything ? in 2002 when she was given a "virtual tour" of the CIA's torture program. According to reports this past weekend, the CIA said there were no objections raised by members of Congress, including at least two democrats, who were briefed and given a virtual tour of the CIA's torture program, including the use of the illegal and controversial waterboarding technique. "We are asking the Democratic state leadership, including elected state and federal lawmakers, to urge Rep. Pelosi to tell all of us what happened in 2002, and not hide behind a cloak of secrecy," said Cres Vellucci, a Vietnam veteran and member of the GPCA Veterans Caucus. While the Democratic Party leadership, including Pelosi, have maintained they are opposed to the Iraq war, and torture, and blame the Republican Party and the Bush Administration, the Green Party has insisted both of the major parties are complicit in the continuing killing in Iraq. "That Democratic Party lawmakers are being briefed about torture, and then tacitly agreeing with it is one more example that voters in California are being misled when they are being told the Democratic Party is the answer to ending this war. "The complicity of Democrats in CIA torture is not necessarily a surprise to us. The Green Party of California has been opposed to the war before it even started, and our candidates for local, state and federal office have insisted they are the true anti-war alternative choice for voters, not the Democratic Party," added Vellucci. From updates at cagreens.org Sat Dec 15 19:19:14 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:19:14 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] Info on Efforts to Impeach Chenny Message-ID: <47649932.6000707@greens.org> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Greens: This message was sent to our Clearinghouse. Since a lot of Greens support this effort, we thought this would be of interest. ================================================ LAST,BEST CHANCE FOR IMPEACHMENT VERY REAL!!! PLEASE FORWARD THIS LIBERALLY AND PROGRESSIVELY! Impeachment folks, http://wexlerwantshearings.com/ I don't think there is any way to over-emphasize how incredible and unique the Wexler/Baldwin/Gutierrez appeal for impeachment proceedings to begin against Cheney is for us. This isn't just another petition. This petition is initiated by a six-term member of the House of Representatives - and not only that - a senior member of the House Judiciary. Drop your other efforts, let go of your "ain't gonna happen" lethargy and take this for what it is: The last, best chance for impeachment hearings of Cheney to begin. Every impeachment site and organization needs to alter their website to put this petition on their face page full-time, every blogger needs to discuss this every day and every call to our Representatives needs to be on this topic for it to succeed. Every group that has been gathering petition signatures needs to re-contact each and every signer and get them to sign on online to support this appeal at: http://wexlerwantshearings.com/ Listening to Wasserman-Schultz say that there isn't enough public support for it makes clear that on the other side of the corporate lobbyist wall and inside the D.C. echo chamber, they don't know what we know, that Americans are eager for and longing for impeachment to happen. Again... we have been handed an incredible gift that can bring to pass what we have been tirelessly fighting for for years. We can't let this go... Are you with me? ~ Mikael http://wexlerwantshearings.com/ ~~~ http://impeachforpeace.org/impeach_bush_blog/?p=4244 December 15, 2007 Impeach Cheney? House Judiciary wants to know TODAY! If you want Cheney impeachment hearings to start there has never been a better time to say so. Sign this IMPEACHMENT PETITION initiated by House Judiciary Committee members Wexler (D-FL), Baldwin (D-WI) and Gutierrez (D-IL) TODAY! YouTube Video: Eight total members of the House Judiciary Committee have either co-signed House Resolution 333 to impeach Vice President Cheney and/or co-authored this current appeal for impeachment including Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). Clearly the House Judiciary is on the brink of possibly initiating impeachment hearings with more than one third of its Democratic members publicly committed to supporting impeachment of the Vice President. A call to the office of Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) by an IFP member on this topic was told that the current impeachment bill H.R. 799 "is in special discussion", and that now is the time that we should be calling our Representatives". Happy Holidays. Give the gift that keeps on giving. Impeach and remove from office War Criminal and War Profiteer Vice President Richard B. Cheney. From updates at cagreens.org Mon Dec 24 17:55:27 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:55:27 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] NEWS ADVISORY: In the spirit of the season - Amnesty for troops who refuse to fight in Iraq, say Greens Message-ID: <4770630F.1070605@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 21, 2007 In the spirit of the season: Amnesty should be given to military who refused to fight the ?unjust' war in Iraq, urges Green Party of California SACRAMENTO (Dec. 21, 2007) ? Military personnel who have refused to fight in an "unjust" war in Iraq should be given an immediate grant of amnesty ? because it would be right, and in keeping with spirit of the season, said the Green Party of California today. In a resolution approved by the GPCA's General Assembly, the Greens noted that the war was "created from lies and deception. Our (troops) should not be punished for refusing to fight an unjust war and speaking the truth about the injustice inflicted on our soldiers, the citizens of the United States, and the citizens of Iraq." The resolution goes on to state: "Men and women across the United States are refusing to fight in this war...on strong moral grounds. They are making difficult decisions, risking their life, career and harm to their families. They should not bear the shame of a dishonorable discharge, prison and humiliation. We do not want our (troops) to be victims for the rest of their lives. This would be a great shame on the United States. "Let us restore honor to our brave military men and women who stood up and refused to fight a war they determined to be morally corrupt and criminal...those who have refused to fight as well as those who have fought or are currently fighting, are deserving of compassion and support. Amnesty will allow our country some healing. Our leaders need to provide moral strength and courage and grant amnesty to (troops) who have refused to fight in the Iraq War. "We call on the United States government to grant amnesty to military personnel who have refused to fight in the Iraq War, and to reinstate them to active duty status or discharge them with full veterans? benefits. We call on Congress to address this important issue." From updates at cagreens.org Sat Dec 29 18:42:12 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:42:12 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA REVIEW OF 2007 Message-ID: <47770584.8070806@greens.org> News Advisory THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA http://www.cagreens.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 28, 2007 A ?Green' Year in Review: Green Party of California marks 2007 electoral gains, separates from ?major' parties by positions solidly against war, for impeachment, workers & planet SACRAMENTO (December 28, 2007) ? The Green Party of California ? noting its 2007 record cements its position as the state's solid anti-war, pro-healthcare and environmental political party ? said today it is poised for big gains in 2008 local, state and national races as voters become even more dissatisfied with the Republican and Democratic parties. As of November of this year, more Greens were in office than in 2006, with 55 elected offices in the state, numbering 16 mayors and city council members, including the mayor of Richmond (Gayle McLaughlin) and a San Francisco supervisor (Ross Mirkarimi). Greens hold majorities or near-majorities on city councils in several cities. At least 13 Greens are on boards of education. Mirkarimi distinguished himself by leading the fight to San Francisco to ban all but compostable or recycled paper shopping bags, and supporting legislation that would allow San Francisco to garner 50 percent of its energy from wind or solar. McLaughlin, who took office in 2006 in a surprise victory over the incumbent, promoted a tax on Chevron oil; joined with other cities to create "peacekeeping teams" with mediation skills to send into crime-ridden neighborhoods; established a Richmond Youth Corps to employ 1,000 at-risk kids to restore roads, creeks and work in libraries; and promoted a resolution that makes Richmond a "sanctuary" city that prevents Richmond's police from cooperating with immigration agents in raids on undocumented immigrants. Among positions taken by the GPCA, and not by the Democratic and Republican parties: Supported for amnesty for U.S. troops refusing to fight in the unpopular war in Iraq; Supported the impeachment of President George W. Bush, and Vice-President Dick Cheney; Supported legislation to bring state National Guard troops home from Iraq; Supported universal, single-payer health care for all Californians, proposed by a Democratic Senator but ignored by the party leadership; Opposed governor's plan to "save" the Delta, calling it "antiquated"; Opposed "fast-tracked" trade deals supported by Democrats and GOP that hurt workers and environment and encouraged Californians to prepare for a "post carbon" future without cheap oil. From updates at cagreens.org Sun Dec 30 18:40:58 2007 From: updates at cagreens.org (Green Party of California Updates) Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:40:58 -0800 Subject: [GPCA Updates] New Year Activities in the Green Party Message-ID: <477856BA.5050807@greens.org> Start your New (political) Year off by attending one of the upcoming Green Party events: Presidential Candidates' Debate Jan 13 in San Francisco GPCA "Brainstorming" Meeting Jan 12 in Palo Alto See our web page for details. http://www.cagreens.org/