Green Party Watch

A menacing new Washington machine: Can voters stop it?

by Jill Stein and John Andrews

As the smoke clears from the debt ceiling battle in Washington, a menacing new machine has appeared on the skyline of Capital Hill: the new Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a virtual guillotine to which New Deal dreams will be ordered to report. In fact, the first victims have been largely identified during the past two months of negotiating between President Obama and Speaker Boehner. They include senior citizens struggling to survive on Social Security payments, people who can’t pay their medical bills without Medicare, and students trying to stay in school while their education debts soar.

We also know the fortunate ones who will be given a free pass: the super-rich who got big tax breaks under George Bush, the offshore tax dodgers, the weapons companies feasting on the bloated Pentagon budget, the Wall Street financiers, and the overcharging pharmaceutical companies. They will sit in the skyboxes sipping martinis while the blade falls again and again on the dreams of ordinary people.

Adding insult to injury, the bipartisan deal cleverly shields members of Congress from being held accountable for the bloodshed they will cause. By design, a vote for the debt committee’s inevitable attack on Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid will emerge as the only action that can avoid a disastrous “enforcement” mechanism. In the aftermath, incumbents will be able to say “Yes, the cuts are terrible. But don’t blame me. There was no alternative to voting YES.” This effort to prevent voters from holding incumbent politicians accountable is a dangerous end-run around representative democracy.

Neither of the two big parties is standing up for the interests of everyday people, and this is not likely to change. But change may be coming anyway in the form of extraordinary voter unrest spreading across America. Interest is growing in third party political alternatives that are not corrupted by the big money hijacking the two major parties. In many states the number of independent and third party voters now exceeds the total registered in the major parties. Revitalized by a surge of disaffected Democratic Party refugees, nascent progressive third parties offer a path to taking our government back, starting with the simple act of refusing to vote for the big money politicians who have betrayed us.

In changing the political dialogue in the 2012 elections, liberated voters can challenge the debt reduction guillotine and advance essential solutions to the debt crisis – including cutting the bloated Pentagon budget and progressively taxing multimillionaires, Wall Street speculation, and tax-dodging corporations. And we can force attention to the neglected jobs crisis that should have been Washington’s first priority to start with.

In the 2008 election, we were exhorted to ‘believe in’ change. Now, with a third party movement emerging in 2012, we are ready to make change happen.

- – - -

John Andrews and Jill Stein are co-chairs of the Green-Rainbow Party, the Massachusetts affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.

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.

A press release from the Green Party of the United States:

Puerto Rico’s colonial status must be replaced with self-determination and independence, say Greens

Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on ecological sustainability and global warming:http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-ecological.php

WASHINGTON, DC — The Green Party has joined Puerto Ricans protesting a proposal by Gov. Luis Fortuño to construct a huge natural gas pipeline that would endanger Puerto Rico’s communities and ecosystems. Green Party leaders said that the problem of Puerto Rico’s high electric bills and dirty air from burning oil must be resolved through alternative energy instead of burning another fossil fuel.

“Everything about the project is wrong, beginning with Gov. Fortuño’s Orwellian name for the pipeline — the ‘Green Way’ [Via Verde]. A pipeline that threatens people living nearby and damages green mountains is not green, by any stretch. The top contract for the $450 million pipeline has been awarded to a company with no experience constructing pipelines. It’s a corrupt deal to benefit a favored corporation,” said Rosa Clemente, the Green Party’s 2008 nominee for Vice President. Ms. Clemente is Puerto Rican.

The contractor, Gas Natural de Puerto Rico, is also seeking tax exemption, while the bill for the pipeline will be covered by Puerto Rican taxpayers (“Pide exención contributiva al Gobierno,” Perla del Sur, http://www.periodicolaperla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2585:pide-exencion-contributiva-futuro-usuario-del-gasoducto-del-norte&catid=81:locales&Itemid=198).

For more information on the serious risks of the pipeline, see “Casa Pueblo: scientific paper on the pipeline,” RedBetances.com (in Spanish) (http://www.redbetances.com/component/content/article/51-en-portada/390-casa-pueblo-html).

“Puerto Rico’s colonial status makes it especially vulnerable to the kind of corporate influence, official corruption, and disregard for the well-being of residents and the environment in evidence now with the pipeline proposal. Puerto Ricans were also forced to accept weapons testing by the US Navy on the island of Vieques, until widespread protests shut down the firing range in 2003. The Green Party supports the efforts of Puerto Ricans to stop this misnamed gas pipeline, and we support self-determination, independence, and democratic sovereignty for the people of Puerto Rico,” said Michael Canney, Florida Green and member of the Green Party’s International Committee (http://www.gp.org/committees/intl).

Green Party leaders said that the Puerto Rico’s energy problems must be solved by diversifying energy sources (excluding nuclear power), aggressive energy conservation and efficiency, and finding ways to reduce the island’s reliance on expensive fossil fuels. The top priority, in Puerto Rico and throughout the world, must be protection of the health of humans, other living beings, and ecosystems and action to curb the advance of global warming.

On May 9, the Jacksonville office of the US Army Corps of Engineers, in an unprecedented move, removed all documents related to the permitting process for the Via Verde pipeline from the Corps’ San Juan office and transferred jurisdiction to Florida. (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&note_id=118899578193054&id=109915969091415) This decision leaves the San Juan Office, which has spent six months evaluating the project, without jurisdiction. It also distances the people of Puerto Rico from the permitting process. Greens urge the US Army Corps of Engineers to return jurisdiction to its Puerto Rico office, and to decline approval for the project.

“While Gov. Fortuño is promoting Via Verde, President Obama is calling for expanded domestic drilling for oil, with more drilling in Alaska, Atlantic coastal areas, and the Gulf of Mexico. The problem isn’t just dependence on foreign oil, as the President seems to think. The problem is the US’s addiction to fossil fuels regardless of their source, with a US energy policy driven by corporate greed rather than the public interest. Increased drilling and new pipelines are insane in the context of climate change and last year’s BP oil spill disaster,” said Hector Lopez, Connecticut Green and member of the International Committee.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN

In a press release issued today the Green Party of the United States congratulated Canada’s first Green Party member of Parliament, Elizabeth May. Elected on Monday, May has served as the Canadian Green Party’s leader since her election to that post in 2006. The full text of the press release is below the fold. read more »

The Green Party of the United States issued a press release today addressing the killing of Osama bin Laden. The entire text of the press release is below the fold. read more »

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

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.”
read more »

Rochester, NY is holding a special election for Mayor after former Mayor Robert Duffy won election as Lieutenant Governor. In New York, special elections do not have primaries and independents must collect the same number of signatures as in a general election, but have only two weeks to do so instead of six.

New York is one of three states, the others being Illinois and Pennsylvania, where challenging an opponent’s petitions has become a commonplace practice. Politicians find it easier to knock their opponents off the ballot, than to win the favor of voters with ideas.

As happens all too often, all independent nominating petitions were invalidated by challenges. In New York officially recognized parties need to collect zero signatures in a special election, so three candidates will appear on the ballot: Green Party candidate Alex White, Democratic Party candidate Tom Richards, and Working Families Party candidate William Johnson.

Johnson attempted to also secure an independent line, but failed when Nichole Malec, an aide for Tom Richards’ campaign, successfully filed objections to more than 700 signatures on Johnson’s petitions.

Another candidate with strong community support, Ann Lewis, managed to collect almost 1,900 signatures in two weeks in the middle of February. Johnson campaign manager Mitch Rowe filed objections to Lewis’ petitions, leaving her with only 1,009 out of the 1,500 necessary to secure an independent line.

Alex White, who was knocked off the ballot for Mayor in 2009, leaving the race uncontested, did not challenge anyone and offered to help Lewis defend her petitions. When asked why he chose to do so, White said: “If my experience in this election has proven anything, it is that more voices produce better elections. To unnecessarily restrict people’s choices in elections grievously hurts our society.” read more »

Miami-Dade Green Party via On The Wilder Side:

The Miami-Dade Green Party adds its voice to the growing coalition of groups and individuals standing in opposition to anti-immigrant bills that have been recently introduced in the Florida legislature. These bills–modeled after Arizona’s racist SB 1070 law—allow for racial profiling and if passed, will result in the separation of families while threatening to turn Florida into a pariah state.

We enthusiastically endorse the March 17, 2011 Rally in Tallahassee organized by the “We Are Florida!” coalition of community groups to oppose these bills including SB 2040 which is currently before the Florida Senate coming out of the Judiciary Committee. According to the coalition, “This bill forces local police to question the immigration status of any person arrested, even for minor offenses, and turn them over to U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) without ever being convicted of any crime.”

“By deputizing police officers to carry out the functions of ICE, this measure would only serve to undermine public safety by dividing our diverse community and creating an atmosphere of fear. This measure will lead to racial and ethnic profiling on a scale that our state, whose economy depends upon tourism, cannot afford. Racial profiling undermines public safety, instills fear in our communities, scares away tourists, and is simply unjust,” said Muhammed Malik, Co-Chair of the Miami-Dade Green Party.

In fact, it is seldom noted by the corporate media in framing this debate that undocumented immigrants actually add more to the economy through tax revenue and their productive labor. The vast majority come to the U.S. to improve their lives and those of their children after finding their home country economies devastated by anti-worker agreements like NAFTA and other “free trade” pacts which promote a race to the bottom that hurts working people in all countries.

“These racist bills only serve to divide working people when we need unity more than ever given the wave of anti-worker attacks taking place in Wisconsin, Florida and all over the country,” said Paul Lefrak, Co-Chair of the Miami-Dade Green Party. “But just like the working class in Wisconsin and Ohio are beginning to fight back, we need to bring that fight to the Sunshine State and extend it to defend immigrant workers as well.”

Governor Scott and the Florida legislature devise means to slash much-needed social services and attempt to divide and conquer by blaming immigrant workers, while billionaire bankers receive bailouts and tax breaks. The Miami-Dade Green Party stands by the old motto that “an attack on one is an attack on all!” We cannot and will not let racial profiling and scape-goating tactics prevail.

H/T to Frank Habineza of the Rwanda Green Party, and to the Sri Lanka Green Alliance.

The press release can be viewed or downloaded in PDF format here, or the text can be read here.

Asia Pacific Greens Statement on Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disasters

On the afternoon of March 11, 2011 a major earthquake occurred in North-East Japan, destroying and severely damaging many cities and towns on the Pacific Coast.

Currently more than several tens of thousands of people are dead or unaccounted for.

This catastrophe caused a cut off-off of cooling water into several reactors of nuclear power plants located in Fukushima. As a result of reduced water, the nuclear reactors may face a melt-down. If this occurs, it could be the worst case of nuclear accidents all over the world.

At present, the Japanese government and electric company specialists are attempting to prevent radioactive leaks from the reactors, but they are not disclosing information such as potential size of accidents, possibility of radioactive exposure etc.

The Asia Pacific Greens Network calls upon the Japanese government: read more »

GP of NY press release from March 10 (h/t TPID):

The Green Party of New York said today that state Democratic and Republican Parties have become an organized crime family at the State Capitol.

“Rather than starting the legislation session with the pledge of allegiance, state legislators and the Governor should submit to a lie detector test as to whether or not they have solicited any bribes or kickbacks that day. The indictment rate of state legislators exceeds that of the mafia, but instead of hearing lawmakers demand investigations and reforms to clean up the corruption, they make poor people get fingerprinted to get a few crumbs,” said Howie Hawkins, the recent Green Party candidate for Governor.

Hawkins noted that with today’s criminal indictment of Senator Carl Kruger, three of the four so-called Amigos who threw the State Senate into chaos over the last year have been criminally indicted. Assemblymember Boyland was also indicted today. Krueger is the second corruption case involving State Senators in the last three months, following former Senator Leibell who pled guilty to corruption.

Hawkins said the skyrocketing rate of criminal indictments and convictions of state lawmakers was just the tip of the iceberg. “Lawmakers like convicted felon Senator Bruno rival Wall Street in their embrace of greed. They believe that their position entitles them to enrich themselves and their friends at taxpayer expense. As Grandpa Al Lewis always helpfully spelled out for the media, campaign contributions are really just legalized B-R-I-B-E-S. We need an independent organized crime task force to root out the corruption in our political system. We need public campaign financing so that the rich and Wall Street can’t just buy politicians. And we need to clean up the legally and ethically challenged U.S. Supreme Court,” added Hawkins, a co-chair of the state Green Party.

“How can the public possibly trust state lawmakers at this point? We have an organized crime family basically running the state legislature while making decisions about a $130 billion budget that cuts the welfare grant and slashes funding for schools and human services in order to pay for tax cuts to the rich and a $14 billion rebate to Wall Street speculators. When state lawmakers are not running extortion schemes they are out raising campaign contributions in exchange for kickbacks to special interests. When Cuomo and other legislative leaders push for a $5 billion tax cut for the richest New Yorkers, are they doing it because they believe it is the best for the state or because they are rewarding campaign contributors?” asked Peter LaVenia, the other party co-chair.

In addition to the more than a dozen state legislators who have been indicted and convicted in recent years, former State Comptroller Hevesi plead guilty to corruption involving the state pension fund, Governor Spitzer resigned over his involvement with prostitution and money laundering, and Governor Paterson has paid fines and is being criminally investigated related to lying under oath over demanding free tickets to a Yankee game.

The Green Party noted that the political corruption in New York State extended to the minor parties that live off of the two major parties. The Independence Party is facing a number of criminal investigations in NYS, as well as their role with billionaire Mayor Bloomberg and the so-called theft of $1.1 million by John Haggerty during the recent Mayoral campaign. A judge in that case yesterday declined to lift an order freezing the funds of the New York State Independence Party. Prosecutors have accused the party of helping to cover up the theft of the funds by Haggerty.

In a statement issued at the Green Party of the United States detailed website, Green Party leaders called for a moratorium on nuclear plants.

Green Party leaders call for a moratorium on nuclear plants, insist that the Fukushima catastrophe quashes the myth that nuclear energy is a safe alternative

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES

http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

US Greens send a message of sympathy and solidarity to the Japanese Green Party, urge monitoring of radiation in the US and availability of potassium iodide pills for young people in Hawaii, Alaska, and the west coast in the event of a radiation plume from Japan

GreenStream Wednesday, March 16: discussion of Japan’s nuclear disaster and the 32rd anniversary of Three Mile Island, 10 pm ET, 7 pm PT on the Green Party’s Livestream channel: http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on nuclear energy, foreign policy, and related topics: http://www.gp.org/speakers/subjects.php

read more »

Previously posted at IPR:

Augusta, March 9 – Governor LePage and legislative leaders were invited to meet with representatives of Maine’s Bring Our War $$ Home campaign via letters sent by certified mail in February. As no responses have been received, a second copy of the letter will go out this week.

The meetings were requested in preparation for a news conference on April 4 at 11am in the Hall of Flags.

The text of the letters is as follows:

Dear Governor, Speaker of the House, Senate President, and House Floor Majority Leader:

On behalf of the Bring Our War $$ Home coalition in Maine, I am writing to request a meeting with you in order to discuss our urgent concerns about the fiscal situation of our state.

As your leadership threatens massive cuts to essential services and programs for the neediest in our state, we work to bring pressure to cut war spending as a key alternative to destroying social progress.

As of today Maine taxpayers have paid $3.4 billion since 2001 as our share of spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (source: nationalpriorities.org). Imagine how those dollars could have been used to fund education, health care, or infrastructure maintenance in our state. We call upon all elected officials in Maine – local, state, and federal – to join us in speaking out now, calling upon President Obama and Congress to make the connection between wasteful spending abroad, and budget cuts at home.

We request a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss these urgent matters. This request is made by me on behalf of the BOW$H coalition co-sponsors listed below.

Sincerely,
Lisa Savage
CODEPINK Maine Local Coordinator
207-643-2356

Co-sponsors: Americans Who Tell the Truth, CODEPINK Maine, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, The Kennebunks Peace Department, Maine Green Independent Party, Maine War Tax Resistance Resource Center, Maine Veterans for Peace, Midcoast Peace & Justice, Military Families Speak Out – Maine Chapter, Pax Christi Maine, Peace Action Maine, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, PeaceWorks, Peninsula Peace and Justice (Blue Hill), Resources for Organizing and Social Change, Union of Maine Visual Artists, and Waterville Area Bridges for Peace & Justice.

For more information: www.bringourwardollarshome.org.

Press release from Georgia Greens:

Fukushima Radioactive Release Should Serve as Warning Greens Urge
Obama to Withdraw Loan Guarantees for Nukes

“We are horrified, but not at all surprised by this latest nuclear
accident,” said Denice Traina, a health-care worker residing in
Augusta Georgia and former co-chair of the Georgia Green Party.
“Fukushima has now joined Chernobyl and Three Mile Island as beacons
to the human folly of boiling water with nuclear fission.”

News agencies from around the world are reporting on a Saturday
explosion at a nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan which destroyed the
containment building housing a nuclear power reactor, triggering a
radiation leak. The disaster was set off by an earthquake which hit
8.9 on the Richter scale and the resultant tsunami. The explosion and
resulting fire were caught on video and have been published to
youtube.

In 2010, the Obama Administration announced tax-payer financed loan
guarantees for the construction of two new nuclear reactors at Plant
Vogtle in Burke County, Georgia.

“Greens in Georgia and elsewhere urge the administration to reverse
itself on the insanity of using public assets to finance a new round
of nuclear construction,” said Adam Shapiro, Co-Chair of the Georgia
Green Party, resident of Atlanta and a radio show host. “Private
capital has known for years what a poor investment nuclear power is.
If not for these taxpayer backed loan guarantees and the immunity from
liability provided by the ill-advised Congressional Price-Anderson
Act, the nuclear industry would have long ago succumbed to market
forces.”

Engineering firms and bond financiers still stand to make tremendous
profits from the industry, if public tax dollars can be found to
underwrite the failed technology. Heralding a new generation of safe
nuclear reactors, fission is being sold as a ‘carbon-free energy’.
That can only be said if one ignores the tremendous carbon footprint
of the nuclear fuel cycle. Greens urge investments instead in solar,
wind and geothermal technologies which would harness the Earth’s solar
income, rather than tapping its fossile fuel savings.

“While Fukushima underscores the insanity of the Yucca proposal to
store nuclear wastes over a fault line, the 1986 explosion in the
Ukraine shows us you don’t have to build a reactor on a fault line to
incur these risks,” said Traina, whose kids and grandchild all live
within thirty miles of Plant Vogtle. Studies have documented nearly a
million radiation-related deaths since the April 26th, 1986 Chernobyl
disaster, which led to nuclear fallout and raised background radiation
levels throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

GPNYS via On The Wilder Side via IPR:

Green Party Calls for State Lawmakers to Reject Cuomo’s Austerity Budget

A Green New Deal would invest in jobs, education, fair taxes

Image by ucloccupation via Flickr

Green Party of NY State leaders today called Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget an attack on working and middle class New Yorkers that should be rejected by state lawmakers.

“Cuomo’s budget is not about shared sacrifice. The people are forced to sacrifice. The richest 3% get more tax breaks. Cuomo is just recycling failed conservative policies of spending cuts and layoffs and tax cuts for the rich. It’s for Wall Street and it will deepen the economic hardships on Main Street . Cuomo’s budget is another version of the attacks on working families and unions that have given rise to massive protests in Wisconsin . We need similar protests here,” said Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for governor in 2010.

read more »