Europe Ecologie Video La Crise
June 20, 2009 in International Greens
The New York Times has an article today called “A Green Coalition Gathers Strength in Europe” by Steven Erlanger. A post-European Parliament Election piece, it goes from Daniel Cohn-Bendit to the European Green Coalition strategy, but what really got my attention was the link to this French language campaign video:
This is awesome. The Green Party is already using a lot of videos to spread the word but we need more and we need them run on mainstream television, not just the Internet. Put all the Green issues in one video and show the nation what Greens look like, much like this video from Some of All Parts.
Richard Kuszmar said on June 20, 2009
What a joyfull video from the French Greens. Inspires me to send a contribution to the US Greens.
Jayne Lattka said on June 20, 2009
This is indeed fantastic! Thank You.
A key point to make about the Europe Ecology aka French Green Party.
Dany had to form the new green party after the official French Green Party drove itself down with internal bickering.
Europe Ecology focused on economic growth with eco energy. Dany recruited well known Independents, celebrity attorneys, respected centrists, and some conservatives.
All of these elements were very important parts of the success. As Ralph Fuchs, wrote in die Welt newspaper, “The Greens have arrived at the political center of society”.
That is exactly where the votes are with the power for positive change. It’s the same model I hope our beloved U.S. Green Party will follow.
To get into mainstream media we must have crediable mainstream American Green Party politicians on the ballot running for office in every race.
Jayne Lattka said on June 20, 2009
Mr. Hardy,
Thank you for your outstanding reporting.
Let’s hope some day soon you’ll be on ballot as Green Party candidate…
And share every step of the experience with us here at Green Party watch.
Third Party Revolution said on June 20, 2009
A very nice video indeed.
Ron said on June 20, 2009
Jayne Lattka, I’ll respond to this since you have made this suggestion to me personally. I’ve heard this challenge before – run for office – and I’ve often heard this challenge made towards others who suggest “what we ought to do” to grow the Green Party, as if running for office is the only, or ultimate, way of proving one’s mettle.
I was almost a candidate this spring for School Board. I was collecting signatures to get on the ballot before I realized that I had precious little time to campaign, and even less time to actually serve once elected (because I would have been elected, I have no doubt of that). On top of family obligations and work, I am the chair of a city board (sustainability advisory board), co-chair of my local party, treasurer of my state party, and delegate to the national committee of the GPUS. I’ve got a lot on my plate, and if one is considering running for office, one must be prepared to actually SERVE. I wanted to run, I wanted to serve, but I knew I didn’t have the time to do it, not right now. (But I did help re-elect one local city councilor and elect for the first time another local city councilor, so I kept busy on that local election front).
I have been holding out for Spring 2010, when our local county board seats are up for election. I feel that the county board level can be a very effective means for Greens to have a positive and Green impact on the local region – land use, planning and zoning, connecting city and town issues with rural/agricultural issues – VERY ripe for a Green influence. However I am also still considering the school board, although that is a very difficult position with some very challenging issues due to the downward spiraling funding for education and the Democrat’s apparent embrace of the Republican’s No Child Left Behind fiasco.
National office, such as the US House of Representatives, would be exciting – a chance to really take the Green Party issues against the Middle East Wars, for Universal Health Care, for Marriage Equality for same-sex partners, for government (and tax) support for small locally owned Main Street businesses and for abandoning the greed of Wall Street and the “global finance” sector that has fucked up America – and putting those issues on the ballot and those issues in front of the voters – that has appeal as well.
However I see the latter option (national office) as a soap box campaign (assuming any media coverage at all), while the local office option is very real because the issues are local, the campaign is local, and I know I can win.
But I want to point out that there are so many roles that need to be filled for Green Party growth – campaign support, fundraising, campaign finance filing, candidate recruitment, press release writing and distribution, candidate training, literature design, formulating messages, training and preparing materials for lit drops, issue paper writing, membership development, database development and website design and maintenance, etc.
Running candidates is the purpose of a political party, but a political party needs SO MANY PEOPLE to achieve success. We need people who are NOT candidates, to do all those functions above, to support the candidates that do run for office.
So I appreciate the encouragement, but I also want to suggest to Greens and potential Greens that there are so many ways to support the Green Party without being a candidate for office. But we do need more candidates as well!
Ron
Dave Schwab said on June 21, 2009
“Europe Ecology focused on economic growth with eco energy. Dany recruited well known Independents, celebrity attorneys, respected centrists, and some conservatives.
All of these elements were very important parts of the success. As Ralph Fuchs, wrote in die Welt newspaper, “The Greens have arrived at the political center of society”.
That is exactly where the votes are with the power for positive change. It’s the same model I hope our beloved U.S. Green Party will follow.
To get into mainstream media we must have crediable mainstream American Green Party politicians on the ballot running for office in every race.”
This has to be seen in perspective. In Europe, the center can be seen as those seeking to strike a balance between the best attributes of socialism and capitalism. Parties like Europe-Ecologie do this well, as well as adding a social conscience and plan for transitioning to a sustainable way of life.
In the US, what is normally called the ‘center’ is well to the right of the average American. So-called “centrists” in Washington consistently value profits over people. In fact, on issues like single-payer ‘Medicare for all’ health care, the Green Party is already in the center of American opinion… and well to the left of the political establishment.
US Greens don’t have to compromise any of our positions to become a major party. All we have to do is publicize our platform and candidates better, and we will grow. As the GOP descends into racist fanaticism, the center-left Greens will rise as a balance to the center-right Democrats.
Dave Schwab said on June 21, 2009
Check out the poll data in this link. It will open your eyes about where the real ‘center’ of American society is.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?id=2836