[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens support Wisc. public employees, urge wider protest against budget policies that slash benefits, collective bargaining

[Green Party of California Updates]

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

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011


The Green Party supports Wisconsin public employees, urges wider protest
against policies that cut benefits and eliminate collective bargaining

• Greens denounce austerity budgets, calling them a ploy to balance budgets on
the backs of working people, destroy unions, and enlarge the power of corporations

• Green solution to deficits and economic recession: rescind tax cuts for the
rich, end the wars and reduce military spending, enact Medicare For All and
public works programs

• 'GreenStream Wednesday' on Feb. 23: online show will feature Wisconsin Green
leaders and an elected Oshkosh City Council member, 10 pm ET, 7 pm PT, on the
Green Party Livestream Channel (http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus).


WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders declared today that the party solidly
supports Wisconsin's public-sector employees protesting a bill introduced by
Gov. Scott Walker to eliminate their benefits and collective bargaining rights.

"We in the Green Party are standing out front on this issue by standing with
our labor and public service brothers and sisters here in Wisconsin," said AJ
Segneri, co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party
(http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org).

On Feb. 17, the Wisconsin Greens issued a statement affirming that their party
"salutes the state’s public workers, and stands in solidarity with their fight
to retain full collective bargaining rights with their employers"
(http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org/?q=node/97).

On Wednesday, Feb. 23, Wisconsin Wave will hold a demonstration at a
conference of Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce (WMC), which includes the
state's top corporate lobbyists
(http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org/?q=node/97).  Wisconsin Wave is a project
of the Liberty Tree Foundation and the Center for Media and Democracy; Liberty
Tree's founder and executive director is Ben Manski, a Green who ran for the
Wisconsin state legislature in 2010 and received the best numbers for an
independent party candidate since 1944.

Greens speak out on the Wisconsin uprising:

• Laura Wells, 2010 Green Party candidate for Governor of California: "At long
last, Americans are pushing back against the rule of our country by corporate
oligarchies.  We've been inspired by the courage of people in countries like
Egypt and Tunisia, and now by public employees in Wisconsin.  This is more
than a struggle to preserve benefits and collective bargaining rights in a
single state.  It's about saving the infrastructure of our democracy and
preventing the US from lapsing into a new Robber Baron Era reminiscent of the
late 19th century.  We hope that the fire of protest spreads to every state
where such budgets are proposed, whether by Democrats in California or
Republicans in Wisconsin.  It’s a thrill to see working people take back their
rights, their freedoms, and their financial security."

• AJ Segneri, co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party: "Gov. Walker's bill to
strip benefits and bargaining rights from state workers, based on the claim of
a state deficit, is an old Republican trick.  The governor enacted tax breaks
and special interest spending for the top income brackets, then introduced a
bill to solve the resulting deficit on the backs of working people in
Wisconsin and break up the public employees' unions.  The 14 Democratic state
legislators in Wisconsn deserve our praise for denying Gov. Walker his quorum.
  National Democratic leaders should follow their example, instead of demanding
sacrifice from working people and the needy while excusing the wealthy and
corporations from paying their fair share in taxes.  President Obama's budget
plan would place a five-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending,
affecting programs like heating assistance to low-income Americans and
community-service block grants, as well as cuts in
  money for water treatment plants and other environmental projects and higher
interest on federal loans for graduate students.  The rampaging union-busting
extremism of the GOP and their billionaire supporters like the Koch brothers
doesn't justify the Obama austerity plan."

• Howie Hawkins, 2010 Green candidate for Governor of New York: "The biggest
myth is that these deficits are caused by excessive social spending and
generous wages and benefits for public workers.  The real cause is tax cuts
for the rich, runaway military spending, and a recession triggered by the
subprime mortage crisis, which was caused by deregulation of the financial
industry.  The Green Party proposes the obvious solution.  One, call US troops
home from Iraq and Afghanistan and reduce military spending.  Two, roll back
the tax cuts and loopholes for wealthy individuals and corporations.  Three,
enact Medicare For All, which will save 30% by eliminating private insurance
administrative overhead and reduce the cost of health insurance for public
workers.  Medicare For All will also stimulate the economy by relieving the
financial burden on business of providing health benefits, enabling
negotiation to bring down skyrocketing drug prices and other
  health costs, promoting competition by letting everyone choose which
physician or hospital to visit, and saving tens of thousands of people from
financial ruin over medical costs every year.  And four, initiate major public
works projects in conservation, green energy, public transportation, and
repair of infrastructure.  Presidents like FDR and Eisenhower proved that
public works boost the economy for everyone."

• Tony Palmeri, Green city council member in Oshkosh serving his second term:
"Gov. Walker says he wants to give local governments the tools to balance our
budgets -- including a hammer to destroy collective bargaining rights.  We
reject his tools of divisiveness, and instead ask state government for
assistance based on Green values, such as fairer distribution of shared
revenue dollars to support local budgets; an end to needless budget-busting
and polluting road projects; a fairer distribution of tax dollars to support
equity in our K-12 system; increased grant money for college students; an end
to special-interest tax breaks for the wealthy that drain millions of dollars
from the budget; a progressive tax system based on ability to pay; and a green
jobs program to help us build a sustainable, economically viable future.
These measures, taken together, would save the state money and restore
Wisconsin's tradition as a laboratory for progressive ideas
  and democracy.  Citizen activism has demonstrated, in an inspiring way, that
we will not let Mr. Walker and his corporate sponsors bury that tradition."


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Ballot Access Page http://www.gp.org/ballotstatus
• Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus
• Video Page http://www.gp.org/video/index.php

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the
United States (Fall 2010 issue now online)
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog


~ END ~