Green Party Watch

Green Party Press Release:

WASHINGTON, DC — A record number of Green Party candidates are running for public office throughout the US, with many campaigning for reelection along with fresh new Green faces.

146 Green Party candidates have announced runs in local and state races, about a dozen more than at this point in 2005 (like 2009, the first year after a presidential election) and nearly 50 more than at this point in 2007.

Some races to watch:
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Jeremy Karpen is a Green Party candidate for Illinois State Representative District 39. In 2008, Karpen challenged an otherwise unopposed Democrat for Illinois State Representative and picked up 21% of the vote. He vowed then to run again, and tonight he kicks off his 2010 bid with a party at Cole’s Bar from 8pm-11pm , 2338 N Milwaukee Avenue.

Karpen is a Licensed Professional Counselor, currently working as a therapist for troubled youth at a residential treatment center in Chicago. In addition, Jeremy volunteers his time as a Partner Abuse Intervention Facilitator at a local domestic violence agency. Universal health care is one of his main issues, along with marriage equality, education funding reform, and others. He has an impressive platform, and his race is one to watch for 2010.

Visit his website and consider a donation to his campaign.

Greens have been around long enough to include us in the spectrum of political ideas. All too often Greens are lumped into the “left” end of the spectrum. It’s time to evaluate Green perspectives from our base up. To do that we have to address matters such as voter support and electoral strategies and find ways to implement our Platform.

It is worthwhile to review the current administration’s policies with the previous administration’s and ask: “What’s new about this or that?” We also can ask why are we not making the structural changes that are really needed for ecological democracy or adaptive governance. We don’t need to gloss over differences to include them in the decision-making processes and yet, that is what we continue to do. Rather then using a model that proposes central government versus state governments, I would suggest a model that presents autonomous regions (or governing entities) with defined authorities integrated into both state and Federal governments. read more »

The Green Party of New York reports that Howie Hawkins has submitted 531 signatures in his bid for Syracuse Common Council, twice the number needed. The election is November 3.

“When I announced my candidacy a month ago and called for a stronger living wage law, I noted that it was shameful that the parking garage workers had to sue the city to get their living wage. Two weeks later we found out that the city administration had found a loophole in the living wage law and last April cut the parking garage workers‚ wages by two dollars below the living wage standard. We have not heard one word of protest from any of the common councilors, including the Democratic incumbent in the 4th district, Thomas Seals, for whom the living wage is supposed to be his signature issue. This development underscores the need to elect a Green to the city council who is independent of the Democratic majority and will not be silent and just go along with the Democratic administration, no matter what it does,” Hawkins said.

Howie Hawkins Website (and yes, you can donate to his campaign!)

This just in from the Rev. Billy Talen campaign. According to a report at The L Magazine, Rev. Billy has turned in over 18,000 signatures.

Well I’ll be damned, the Reverend Billy is on the ballot (pending certification… but he should be fine with over 18,000 signatures).

A full message from Billy Talen is below the fold. read more »

From www.gp.org:

GREEN LOLLIPOP

Remember when you were a kid and the physician gave you a lollipop after your examination? This page is a big GREEN LOLLIPOP from the Green Party for everyone who believes that we should make health care a human right for every American!

Join the Green Party and millions of other Americans in our demand for SINGLE-PAYER national health care, also called MEDICARE FOR ALL: Everybody in, nobody out!

What do the Democrats holding town hall meetings and the mobs trying to disrupt the meetings have in common? No matter which side gets its way, the insurance companies win and Americans lose!

50 million Americans have no health coverage, millions more are denied medical treatment by their insurance providers, and hundreds of thousands of Americans face financial ruin every year because of an illness or injury. The only solution to America’s health crisis is SINGLE-PAYER!

TAKE THE SINGLE-PAYER VOTER’S PLEDGE:
“I will vote for no candidate who does not support single-payer. I will vote for no candidate who takes contributions from health insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other powerful corporations that put profit before people. I will only vote for candidates who will work to make health care a human right for everyone!”

QUESTION OF THE DAY
(from The Progressive Review, August 13, http://prorev.com) Why is it that these town hall loons are being considered representative of the voice of the people, yet when ten times the amount of people protest against the Iraq War, the news barely reported on it, and acted as if their opinions were “fringe” opinions not worthy of consideration? – A Reddit reader

CALL YOUR US SENATORS & US REPRESENTATIVE
and demand that they support and vote for single-payer legislation (HR 676 in the House). Call the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator or Representative. Be firm but nice!

DON’T BE A SUCKER

• The Democratic Party’s plan for health care reform will not provide universal health care! Obamacare does not make health care a right for every American. It would leave for-profit insurance industry power & inefficiency (huge CEO salaries, high overhead and administrative costs) in place and send millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies to for-profit insurance companies. 60% of insurance industry contributions went to Democrats in the 2008 election.
• The Republicans (and rightwing ranters like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity) are telling you lies and repeating dishonest talking points from the insurance industry lobby about “socialized medicine,” “rationing,” and the “failure” of the British and Canadian health care programs. In fact, health care in the UK and Canada is better than in the US, with longer life expectancies, lower infant mortality rates, and guaranteed treatment for all citizens.
• The mainstream media is misreporting the news on health care reform. They ignore the movement for single-payer, even though a majority of Americans support guaranteed national health care. Some stations won’t run ads for single-payer, because they’re afraid such ads will offend insurance companies advertisers.

In voting recorded at the Green National Committee webpage, the following were elected to be co-chairs of the Green Party:
David Strand of MN
Farheen Hakim of MN
Jason Nabewaniec of NY
Mike Feinstein of CA

These four join join sitting members:
Sanda Everett of CA
Craig Thorsen of CA
Jill Bussier of WI

Nabewaniec was a sitting member who ran for re-election. Former members Budd Dickinson of CA, and Clifford Thornton of CT opted not to run for re-election, and Phil Huckelberry of IL resigned his post to focus on IL elections. **Please note, Huckelberry corrected an error in the story. He did not resign his post, but simply opted not to run for re-election.**

In addition, Holly Hart of IA was re-elected Secretary.

**Additional note** These are apparently preliminary results, and will be confirmed by the Elections Tabulation Committee. It is expected that the results will be unchanged after their review.

There are more stories of Greens in the news right now than I can properly report, so I’m just going to sling hash…

Green Party candidate Erik Shelley managed to take shots this week at U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter No weapons were involved though…

An interview with Marina Silva. She’s being courted to run for President of Brazil as a Green.

Greens in New Zealand want capital gains taxes on real estate profits. They don’t include the family home in the proposal. There’s more coverage of this story here and also here.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution interviews Cynthia McKinney. She pulls no punches.

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I got this in my inbox today from the Reichel campaign. Green Congressional (IL-5) candidate Matt Reichel is planning a “money bomb” which was used very successfully by Ron Paul back in the 2008 presidential election. Good idea! Please consider donating to the Reichel campaign!

For Immediate Release!

Reichel for Congress Launches Money Bomb; Predicts Over $10,000 One Day Rake

The Committee to Elect Matt Reichel to Congress has launched a “Money Bomb” for September 30th. The “Money Bomb” fundraiser idea, popularized by Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, involves recruiting supporters to pledge to donate online on a specific date in the future.

The Reichel campaign has chosen September 30th so as to coincide with the end of the 3rd accounting quarter. If the campaign tops $5,000 in fundraising by that date, Reichel will have to file with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

Prior to launching the “bomb,” the campaign “tested the waters” for a week, by asking previous supporters if they would pledge in this fundraiser.

On the success of this preliminary period, Reichel says: “I asked roughly 50 of our best supporters, and have already attracted well over $1,000. As we begin to really promote this pledge drive and attract contributions from progressives throughout the country, I expect that we will raise well into five-digit territory. We will quickly be entering uncharted terrain for a Green Party congressional candidate.”

Since Green Party candidates are required to refuse all corporate campaign contributions, they are at a significant fundraising disadvantage compared to mainstream candidates.

According to Reichel, “We don’t need to match Quigley buck for buck, because we are going to knock on every door in the district and let the people of this city know that we are the solution to the two corporate controlled parties.”

Supporters can sign up for the pledge drive on Reichel’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=246317155586), or by filling out a volunteer form on the website (http://www.mattreichel.us/volunteer.php).

The Reichel campaign will display a pledge progress bar on the website as 9/30 draws closer.

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Václav Havel, leader of the Velvet Revolution which overthrew and replaced the Czechoslovakian Communist government in a non-violent revolt lasting approximately six weeks, will apparently support the Green Party in snap elections called for this October.

According to Czech News, Havel will again throw his support behind the Greens.

Havel is adamant that the Greens’ presence in the Chamber of Deputies is in the interest of public, said the Green leader Liška.

In last spring’s European Union elections, where Greens generally did better across the EU, the Czech Republic saw a different outcome. The Czech News report says that an internal party split, with two prominent members dismissed from the party, was responsible for that outcome.

Elizabeth May, leader of the Canadian Green Party, is in the news of late. May, who was born in Connecticut, is reportedly interested in running for office in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding, the tern used in Canada for an electoral district.

BC Loacl reports that the incumbent, Sport Minister and Conservative Party incumbent Gary Lunn is unconcerned about May entering the race.

“I’m proud of my record and I’m happy to put that up against anybody in any of the other parties,” he said, noting he’s represented the region in the federal cabinet since 2006.

“I can only tell you the Canadian people aren’t interested in an election, that’s for sure. We’re just starting to see positive signs for the economy turning around,” he said.

For the first time, the Canadian Green Party are focusing their efforts behind getting the party leader elected to parliament.

Meanwhile, the Well and Tribune reports on her visit to Niagara to promote green living.

WASHINGTON, DC — Green Party activists and leaders today called coal a threat to publc health and a false alternative to petroleum energy in the effort to fight global warming.

Greens cited “Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost,” a study published in the July-August issue of Public Health Reports (http://www.health.wvu.edu/newsreleases/news-details.aspx?ID=1217), which reports that, while coal mining contributed about $8 billion to the economies of Appalachian states, the costs of reduced life-spans associated with coal mining were $17 billion to $84.5 billion.

“Coal mining doesn’t only destroy the landscape, it kills people,” said Jody Grage, treasurer of the Green Party of the United States. “There is no such thing as clean coal. President Obama is repeating a lie designed by the coal industry to maintain its profit margins and to continue turning states like West Virginia into a poisonous wasteland covered with giant craters.”

The Green Party has demanded a halt to mountaintop-removal operations, which have destroyed over 500 mountains in West Virginia, filled in river valleys, and caused toxins to be dumped into freshwater streams and rivers. The Public Health Reports studied offered evidence that the coal industry is causing sickness and early death not just among coalminers but among populations living near mines, processing plants, and transportation centers. The combination of these effects has elevated poverty rates in Appalachian states.
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From Independent Political Report:

A campaign insider reported to me this morning that the Reverend Billy team was on their way to the Board of Elections to file a little over 18,000 signatures. Then, the following e-mail went out on the Reverend Billy “activists” list:

Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 12:58 PM

Sean Haugh sent a message to the members of Reverend Billy Talen for Mayor of NYC activists.

Subject: turning in the signatures

Howdy all!  We’re about to head out to the Board of Elections to hand in the 18,395 signatures gathered by 112 different people to get Rev. Billy on the ballot for Mayor!  Thanks so much for all your help!!

We’ll be celebrating the accomplishment tonight at HQ, at 250 Lafayette in Manhattan.  Hope to see you there!  We switch into full campaign mode tomorrow with the weekly volunteer meeting at HQ at 7pm.

Thanks again so very much for everything you are doing to help Rev. Billy take the message about the Rise of the Fabulous 500 Neighborhoods to the people of NYC!

Sean Haugh

And a follow up announcement:

Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 1:22 PM

Brennan Cavanaugh sent a message to the members of Reverend Billy Talen for Mayor of NYC activists.

Subject: Tues @ 250 Lafayette @ 7

“AND the WVRB [W VoteRevBilly radio] staff will be broadcasting tonight (Cambra@7, Wes@8, Brennan@9) so requestlines will be open…”

Dennis Spisak wrote an update of his Yahoo! profile, saying

Dennis has turned in his petitions to the Mahoning County Board of Elections yesterday to run for re-election to the Struthers School Board.

The petitions were filed August 12th.

No campaign website was readily found, but a profile stolen from New Menu and can be read by clicking this article’s headline. It’s a pretty impressive resume for a school board member to me. The webpage includes info from Spisak’s 2008 Green Party run for Congress as well.

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