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WASHINGTON, DC — As some participants in the Occupy Movement across the US begin to turn towards involvement in elections, Green Party leaders are inviting them to run for office as Greens and to support Green candidates.

“The Green Party encourages those Occupiers who want to have an effect on the 2012 elections to help us build a permanent alternative party that represents the interests of We The People — the 99 percent — instead of banks, oil companies, arms manufacturers, insurance firms, and other powerful lobbies. The Green Party accepts no money from corporate PACs. Our platform reflects the values and demands of Occupy Wall Street,” said Kent Mesplay, candidate for the Green Party’s 2012 presidential nomination (http://www.mesplay.org).

Breaking News: Greens condemned the police clearance of the Occupy Oakland encampment and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s order for police to evict the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park on November 15. New York Greens are offering assistance in the form of emergency housing, arrest support, and food and expressed hope that the court order obtained by the National Lawyers Guild would allow the encampment to continue. Greens noted that the clearances and other police actions in various cities will swell the November 17 Day of Action (http://occupywallst.org/action/november-17th). (See “Eviction of Wall Street Occupation Exposes Mayor’s Corporate Collusion, Says NY Green Party,” Green Party of New York State press release, Nov. 15, http://www.gp.org/press/pr-state.php?ID=459)

Occupy Wall Street in New York City and other Occupy protests have declared that they do not endorse any political party and that the demonstrations are not a venue for electioneering. The Green Party has respected and cooperated with this request (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=453).

But many Occupiers have begun to embrace electoral participation as a strategy for challenging the corporate corruption and the erosion of democracy in the US (http://www.occupytheballot.org). Occupy Cincinnati demonstrators are working to establish their own party (http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_19279413 / http://www.occupationparty.org). Carl Mayer, public defender and long-time Ralph Nader/Green Party supporter, recently spoke before Occupy Wall Street in Zuccotti Park and expressed “his hopes of the OWS movement’s becoming a viable third party in the future” (http://www.policymic.com/articles/2251/carl-mayer-speaks-at-zuccotti-park-says-ows-can-be-third-party).

“The Green Party, as an established national party, has laid a foundation for Occupy candidates to run for public office,” said Budd Dickinson, secretary of the Green Party of the United States. “In many states, Greens have accomplished the difficult task of achieving ballot status, overcoming prohibitive rules enacted by Democratic and Republican politicians to hinder alternative parties and candidates. By allying themselves with the Green Party, by becoming the Green Party in some states and towns, Occupiers who wish to launch campaigns for office can take advantage of the infrastructure and experience we’ve been building for more than a decade.” read more »

The Baltimore Sun reports:

Though it won’t be on the same scale as the huge political affairs expected in Tampa or Charlotte, Baltimore will nevertheless have a slice of the presidential convention scene next year. The city is the only candidate remaining to host the Green Party’s 2012 convention, a state party leader said Monday.

The party’s national committee is voting this week to select a city to host its presidential nominating convention, but Baltimore is the only option still in the running after Sacramento dropped its bid Friday. The event, which the party expects to draw hundreds of delegates, will take place at the University of Baltimore from July 12-15. read more »

Damon Eris writes at Poli-Tea Party (emphasis added):

There is an inspiring amount of third party and independent political activity happening at the occupation protests in New York and Washington DC.  Consider, for example, the case of the Greens.  In New York, Green party activists have been involved at Occupy Wall Street from the very first days of the protest.  A number of weeks ago a liaison from the party made an announcement at a general assembly pledging the full support of Green party activists all over the country and asking how Greens could help the movement.  A number of high profile Greens were present at the Freedom Plaza protests in Washington DC over the weekend, including Cheri Honkala, Howie Hawkins and Ralph Nader.  Now, it appears that Jill Stein, a former Green party candidate for governor of Massachusetts who is seeking the party’s nomination for president in 2012, has been visiting Occupy Boston in recent days and campaigning in support of the 99%. 

It is not difficult to understand why third party and independent activists would be attracted to the Occupy Everything protests spreading across the country.  A simple explanation is embedded in the movement’s most prominent slogan: We are the 99%.  The Democratic and Republican parties do not represent the interests of 99% of the American people.  They are the parties of the ruling financial oligarchy and political class.  They are the parties of the 1%. 

Democrats, obviously, are attempting to hijack this movement the same way the Republicans hijacked the Tea Party movement in 2009-2010 and the same way the Democrats hijacked the anti-war movement in 2005-2006.  At present, many participants in these protests appear to be vehemently intent upon maintaining their political independence.  Yet the same was true of Tea Party activists in the spring of 2009, and we know how that turned out.  The question is whether this movement will suffer the same fate.  The more important question is: what can be done to avert that outcome?

As someone who was active in the Tea Party movement until it was infiltrated and destroyed by the Republican party, I urge all Tea Party activists who have maintained at least a semblance of political independence to become involved in the occupation protests.  As an Independent, I urge all Independents to become active in this movement.  As an advocate of third party alternatives to the Democrat-Republican duopoly, I urge all third party activists to become involved in this movement.

Perhaps some may say they do not agree with the direction this movement is heading and refuse to become involved.  The funny thing is, if you become involved you can change its direction.  It is really that simple.   

In a press release sent to Green Party Watch, the Green Party of the United States endorsed plans to engage in a long term protest in Washington DC. Echoing the call from October2011.org, the press release quotes Sanda Everette of California.

“In making this endorsement, we’re challenging the dangerous political direction of the US. We also challenge others who support ‘October 2011′ to recognize the Green Party’s leadership on the issues these events will address, such as endless wars, the demand for Medicare For All universal health care and millions of new jobs, and the need to end the control of top corporations over our political system,” said Sanda Everette, member of the Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of California and former co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. Ms. Everette will participate in the October 6 event.

Greens and others interested in supporting the party and the occupation of Freedom Plaza can check for local leadership at the October 2011 website. The full text of the press release is below the fold. read more »

The Green Party is live streaming the Annual National Meeting and Green Fest in Alfred, New York that begins this Friday August 5th. You can watch the live feed here and participate in the online chat that comes with it.

You can also watch at the Green Party’s Live Feed Page: http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

From the Green Party of New York:

Join us for New York Green Fest/GP-US ANM Fri., Aug. 5 to Sun., Aug. 7, 2011 in Alfred, NY on the campus of Alfred University.

It is not enough to oppose toxic drilling and injustice, we need alternatives. The most difficult questions of sustainability are not about technology; they are about implementing our values. Implementation is achieved in the political arena. At NY Green Fest we explore the politics that enable us to live in a sustainable world.

For NY Green Fest 2011, we return to the beautiful campus of Alfred University in Alfred, NY. We are joined by Greens from across the country and Canada coming to the 2011 Green Annual National Meeting (ANM), which is being held in conjunction with Green Fest this year.

Our program features more than 30 great workshops on politics, energy, media and ecology (check out the list on the right), four forums and great music on our solar stage. Presenters include Elizabeth May, Canada’s first elected Green Party member of Parliament, David Korten, author of Corporations will Rule the World and co-founder of YES! Magazine, Tina Clarke from the Transition Towns Movement, David Cobb, 2004 Green nominee for President, Virginia Rasmussen from the Program for Corporations Law and Democracy (POCLAD), Gay Nicholson from Sustainable Tompkins, Richard Grossman from Frack Free Catskills and Jack Ossont and Kate Bartholomew from the Coalition to Protect New York among many. Several Green Party candidates and officeholders from New York and other states will attend. At least one candidate for the Green presidential nomination, Kent Mesplay, will be present.

Four excellent forums will be held during the event:

Building Local Economies, Fri., Aug. 5, 6:45 pm

David Korten (via Skype) on “Agenda for a Local Economy,” Tina Clarke (via Skype) and David Doonan on the Transistion Town Movement, Opening music: Woven Green Band, Location: Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center

Asserting Local Sovereignty over Fossil Fuel Extraction, Sat., Aug. 6, 1:15 pm

Richard Grossman, Virginia Rasmussen, Mary Jo Long, Jack Ossont, Gary Abraham, Opening poetry: Michael Czarnecki, Location: Solar Stage on Campus Quad

Campaigning for Local Economies and Clean Energy, Sat., Aug. 6, 6:45 pm

Elizabeth May (via Skype), Kent Mesplay, Colia Clark, Bill Belitskus, Jay Sweeney, Green Candidates and Office Holders, Opening music: Crow Weaver, Moderator: David Cobb, Location: Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center

The Future of Sustainable Politics, Sun., Aug. 7, 11:15 am

John Resenbrinck, Greg Gerritt, Howie Hawkins, Cecile Lawrence, Opening music: Carl Lundgren, Location: Solar Stage on Campus Quad

Check out http://nygreenfest.or/2011schedule.html for the workshop schedule.  Bios of our 55 presenters are athttp://nygreenfest.org/presenterbios11.html read more »

A press release from the Green Party of the United States, including a list of 2011 candidates who will be at the event:

The meeting will take place August 5-7 at Green Fest in Alfred, western New York; Greens will begin planning for the 2012 elections, including the presidential race; Elizabeth May, Canadian Green member of Parliament, and economist David C. Korten to speak via Skype

Media credentialing page: http://www.gp.org/forms/media (also linked here: http://www.gp.org/committees/media/kit.shtml)

WASHINGTON, DC — The Green Party of the United States will feature an array of candidates and guest speakers at its 2011 Annual National Meeting at Alfred University in Alfred in western New York, from Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 7.

The meeting will take place at the fourth biennial New York Green Fest, “a gathering of folks interested in exploring the politics and practices that will help enable us to live in a sustainable world, and sharing a weekend of good discussions, good food, and good music” (http://nygreenfest.org).

Among the speakers will be leaders in the campaign to ban hydrofracking (hydraulic fracturing), an environmentally destructive and dangerous technique for accessing gas in the Marcellus Shale beneath Pennsylvania, New York, and other states (see http://nygreenfest.blogspot.com/2011/07/hydrofracking-activists-join-green.html and http://gp.org/greenpages-blog/?p=2440). David Cobb, 2004 Green nominee for President, will speak on the need to abolish corporate ‘personhood’ and restrict the political power of corporations (see http://www.movetoamend.org).

Elizabeth May, Canada’s first elected Green Party member of Parliament, will speak to Greens at the meeting by Skype. David C. Korten, economist, co-founder and board chair of YES! Magazine, and author of ‘When Corporations Rule the World’ and other books (http://livingeconomiesforum.org/author-bio), will also address the meeting by Skype.

“There are many people throughout the US, including Green elected officials and community activists, who are thinking, talking, planning, and working for a sustainable energy economy despite lack of broader government engagement,” said Peter LaVenia, co-chair of the Green Party of New York State (http://www.web.gpnys.com). “Many of them will be coming to the meeting in Alfred or will speak to meeting participants via Skype. Alfred is the perfect place for Green Fest (http://www.alfred.edu/campus/going-green.cfm).”

Several Green candidates from New York and other states will attend the meeting, speak at press conferences, and be available for interview. At least one candidate for the Green presidential nomination, Kent Mesplay, will be present. A preliminary list of candidates who plan to attend the meeting is appended below.

David Doonan, Green Party member and mayor of Greenwich, New York, will also be at the meeting.

For a list of presenters and other speakers at the meeting, with short bios, visit: http://nygreenfest.org/presenterbios11.html

For a draft schedule of panels and forums, see http://nygreenfest.org/detailedschedule.html

Green Party leaders at the meeting will begin organizing for the 2012 election season, including the presidential race. The party will nominate a candidate for the White House at its 2012 national convention. The 2011 meeting in Alfred will also feature Green Party panels, workshops, meetings of the Green National Committee, and other events.

The meeting is open to the media and public. Press conferences will feature Green candidates for public office from across the US, with a special press conference on Friday, August 6, for women candidates hosted by the party’s Women Caucus (http://www.gp.org/caucuses/women/index.php). Journalists are encouraged to register ahead of time, at the Green Party’s media credentialing page (http://www.gp.org/forms/media). Registration for media will also take place on site during the meeting.

Alfred is about 80 miles from Rochester and 90 miles from Buffalo. For directions to Alfred University and Green Fest, see: http://nygreenfest.org/directions.html

GREEN CANDIDATES at the Green Party’s 2011 Annual National Meeting

Mike Bernhard, for Town Board member in Afton, New York.

Audrey Clement, for Arlington County Board, Virginia, in the 2011 general election (http://www.AudreyClement.org). Ms. Clement is a member of the Green Party’s national steering committee.

Joe Duffy, for Alderman in Hornell, New York. Mr. Duffy is chair of the Steuben County Green Party.

Howie Hawkins for Common Councillor of Syracuse, New York. The Green Party of New York State regained ballot status in 2010 as a result of Mr. Hawkin’s Green campaign for Governor.

Cheri Honkala, for Sheriff of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (http://www.cherihonkala.com) in the 2011 general election. Ms. Honkala founded the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and the national Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign. She was included in Philadelphia Magazine’s list of 100 Most Powerful Philadelphians and was named Philadelphia Weekly’s “Woman of the Year” in 1997.

Cecile Lawrence, candidate for the Tioga County Legislature (District 3), New York, , in the 2011 general election. Ms. Lawrence, who will conduct a workshop at the meeting, was the Green Party’s candidate for US Senate from New York in 2010. A member of Tioga Peace and Justice, she testified at hearings towards the passage of the New York State Managed Care Bill of Rights.

Kent Mesplay, candidate for the Green Party’s nomination for President (http://www.mesplay.org). Dr. Mesplay also sought the nomination in 2008.

Anita Rios, candidate for City Council in Toledo (District 4), Ohio, in the 2011 general election. Ms. Rios ran for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 2006 and 2010 and is former of the Green Party’s national steering committee.

Jay Sweeney, for Supervisor in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, in the 2011 general election (http://www.jaysweeney.org). Mr. Sweeney currently serves as Auditor in Falls Township.

The letter of endorsement, as posted on the campaign website of Cheri Honkala for Sheriff of Philadelphia:

Dear Fellow Green Party members,

Remember the excitement of the Nader/LaDuke 2000 campaign?  How about the enthusiasm generated when Matt Gonzalez ran for Mayor of San Francisco as a Green and damned near won?

I am writing to you because I think we have the opportunity to recapture that sense of momentum and optimism for our party by supporting Cheri Honkalah for Sheriff of Philadelphia.

Cheri is a long-distance runner for social justice.  I have personally known of her work as an activist for years, and was pleased to learn she was turning her activism toward electoral politics.  When I learned she was running as a Green, I was thrilled!

Cheri is a formerly homeless mother who worked her way out of poverty. She went on to form the Kensington Welfare Rights Union, and has become a national leader in the fight for economic fairness in this country.  She has been profiled in The Nation, Mother Jones named her a “Hell Raiser of the Month and Ms. Magazine awarded her “Woman of the Year” in 2001.

And it’s not just her credentials as an activist that has me so jazzed—it’s her keen sense of strategy, her commitment to movement building, and the multi-racial coalition of organized labor leaders, peace and justice activists, young people, and Greens she is bringing together.

And get this—in Philadelphia the main job of the Sheriff is to serve evictions and foreclosures.  Cheri’s campaign message?

NO EVICTIONS!

NO FORECLOSURES!

EVERYBODY STAYS IN THEIR HOMES!

Sisters and Brothers, this is genius!  Cheri’s campaign provides a perfect opportunity to fight back against the so-called “austerity programs” that the leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties are trying to shove down the throats of Americans across the country, and to show that the Green Party offers a true alternative.

Even deeper, I think Cheri’s campaign can become the “signature” national electoral campaign for progressives of all stripes in 2011.  No other candidate of her caliber is likely to be running in a local race, her principal opponent is a typical corporatist hack, and her campaign captures the zeitgeist of the moment—which is to fight back against Wall Street and Big Banks and the elected officials of both establishment parties who are doing their bidding.

And the enthusiasm is already building!  At this years “Progressive Dialogue” hosted by the Independent Progressive Politics Network (IPPN), there was universal agreement that Cheri’s campaign had the potential to unite Greens, independents, and progressive Democrats.

Who thought this? Greens, independents, and progressive Democrats, that’s who!

So I ask that you join me in supporting Cheri’s campaign.

Make a donation at www.cherihonkala.com or mail it to Friends of Cheri Honkala c/o Hillary Kane, 5031 Catharine St. Philadelphia, PA 19143

And don’t stop there! Blog about her campaign.  Friend her on Facebook. Write Letters to the Editor to The Nation, Mother Jones, The Progressive and every liberal print publication you know.

Call in to progressive talk radio to describe her strategy, and challenge elected officials in your area to follow her example.

If you are able, travel to Philadelphia and volunteer.  They can find host housing for you, and I can personally attest to the hospitality and generosity that Cheri—and her entire campaign team—will offer to you.

Regardless of how you do it, please add your voice to the growing chorus that is already supporting Cheri. Let’s become so loud and enthusiastic that others hear and join us, and too positive and boisterous to be ignored!

Consider this– even though the corporate media has ignored us, the Green Party continues to grow.

Cheri’s campaign provides Greens a tremendous opportunity to continue that success.  Cheri demonstrates to ordinary Americans that Greens are serious, we are credible, and that we can make a difference.

The time is ripe.  Cheri is the right candidate at the right time with the right strategy.

Lastly–as Greens, we need to support Cheri so that other candidates of her caliber realize that if they join and support the Green Party, the Green Party will support them.

In solidarity,
David Cobb
2004 Green Party Presidential Nominee and proud initiator of the Ohio Recount that helped to spawn a new election integrity movement

Elizabeth May, OC, MP the Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands gave her first speech.

Image via Wikipedia

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to congratulate you on your victory today and to commend, as well, the honourable members who all spoke so eloquently of the dreams we share for a House of Commons that lives up to the aspirations of the citizens of Canada, who desire nothing more than that they can allow their children to watch question period without fear of learning bad habits.

I have heard such good and strong sentiments today, and I want to speak personally to you, Mr. Speaker.

Congratulations. Today I am very proud of your efforts and your hard work. When the time came to elect a new speaker, the members decided to elect someone quite young.

I am speaking frankly. We know you are a young Speaker, but this is a young House. We have more young members of Parliament than we have had before and, as the only woman leader of a federal political party, I note with pride we have more women, at 25%, in the House of Commons.

Perhaps with this new spirit of co-operation we can indeed deliver greater decorum, greater co-operation and greater respect. I am very proud to join the leader of the official opposition in pledging that my entire caucus will not heckle.

View full text.

Related articles

• MPs elect Andrew Scheer, 32, as Speaker of the House (theglobeandmail.com)
• Elizabeth May: the lone Green in a blue sea (theglobeandmail.com)
• US Green Party: Congratulate Elizabeth May (G) on election to Canadian Parliament (wilderside.wordpress.com)

The Green Party of the United States weekly program onLivestream tonight at 9 PM East Coast time, 6 PM West Coast time, is a live call in show. The topic for discussion is Osama bin Laden.

Earlier videos covering topics ranging from hydro-fracking to nukes in Japan to the attacks on Libya can be seen by clicking on the viewer below.

The Green Party of Canada has several ads out for the 41st general election. Take a look and share with your friends!

* Vote Green… For Her Future
* Join One Million Green Voters
* New Green Economy

But the best part of this election is…

* Love Song for Elizabeth May

An excerpt from a blog on The Hartford Courant’s website:

But in the United States the drug reform movement is sharply focused on marijuana and not on drug prohibition as a whole. Unfortunately, this focus ignores three other longstanding and devastating social issues.

• First, drug war policies have needlessly taken potential taxpayers out of the community and spent tax money to keep them in prison.
• Second, twenty million children have been orphaned because one or both parents have been sent to prison on drug related charges.
• Third, in that process of economic and family disintegration, public and higher education have been dramatically shortchanged.

As a result, billions of dollars that could have funded education and health care have been consumed by law enforcement for punishment that has worsened community safety and health. Inner city business investment has been thwarted. We have taken countless young people out of our community on drug charges and wonder why they and their contemporaries no longer have faith in our criminal justice system. Our children are not stupid; they see two forms of justice, one for the well-connected, and one for the poor.  Society will pay for this perception of injustice for decades to come.

WASHINGTON, DC — Green Party leaders today warned that western military intervention, now unfolding with air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi’s forces allegedly to create a no-fly zone, could escalate into a new US/NATO war on a Muslim nation rather than the stated goal of humanitarian protection for Libyan civilians and aid for rebels.

“Libyan rebel leaders have compared their cause to the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and expressed their wish for no military involvement from other countries. The resolution of the conflict in Libya should not be led by foreign powers that have an interest in controlling Libya’s oil — the largest reserves in Africa. The military intervention by the US, UK, and France could easily turn into a situation like Iraq and Afghanistan, in which US bombs cause widespread civilian death and destruction,” said Romi Elnagar, a member of the Louisiana Green Party and a member of the party’s International Committee.

The new Libyan Interim National Transitional Council in Benghazi issued a decree on March 5 stating “we request from the international community to fulfil its obligations to protect the Libyan people from any further genocide and crimes against humanity without any direct military intervention on Libyan soil.”
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Watch GreenStream Wednesday March 16 Nuclear Power in Japan & the US
By US Green Party on LIVESTREAM

Watch GreenStream Wednesday tomorrow night, March 16 at 6pm PT, 9pm ET. We’ll be discussing Japan’s nuclear disaster, US nuclear power plants and the 32rd anniversary of Three Mile Island with special guests, Howie Hawkins and Randall Amster. The show will be hosted by Marian Douglas-Ungaro. Another guest, yet to be confirmed, will also be on the show.

Watch GP-TV at: http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Participate in our live chat room!

Brought to you by the Green Party Livestream Team:

Starlene Rankin, Producer

Craig Seeman, Director

Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator

Bios:

Howie Hawkins is a politician and activist with the Green Party of the United States. He co-founded the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976 and the US Green Party in 1984. In 2010, he ran as the Green Party’s candidate for Governor of New York. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howie_Hawkins

Randall Amster is an author, activist, and educator in areas including peace and ecology, including how nuclear power effects the environment. He lives in Arizona, where he teaches Peace Studies at Prescott College and writes for outlets ranging from academic journals to online news media. His partner is a Co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Amster

Marian Douglas-Ungaro is Co-Chair of Green Party’s International Committee and is a Washington, DC native. She’s a writer, editor, speaker, broadcast journalist and international consultant. Her family are survivors of the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident. That event pushed her to work full-time in the U.S. environmental movement. In 1986, her alma mater, Penn State University, and U.S. Dept of Energy, produced her concept for a national teleconference for nuclear power plant technicians and engineers on the clean-up of the TMI nuclear plant. Marian’s Blog: http://marian.typepad.com/about.html