Free Falling Economy

The US economy is in free-fall, Obama & McCain have sided with Wall Street, US elections are in danger of being stolen again, and the Green Party's message is still waiting to be heard by millions of voters. What are we going to do about it?

If you haven't written your 'Action Week' letter to the editor yet, please do so! We've received copies of several letters already, but we still haven't seen the flood of letters, op-eds, and article submissions to newspapers and news web sites that could potentially reach a few million voters. Visit this site for assistance in getting your letter written and submitted to a local newspaper.
http://www.democracyinaction.com/dia/organizationsCOM/Greens/pickMedia.jsp?letter_KEY=32

Another way to circumvent the media "white-out" is to post the articles below on websites and blogs everywhere. If you can't post the entire articles, post the links and an encouragement to read them.

"Where's Kenny Rogers When You Need Him? The Big Boys Got Their Bailout, But the Elected Leadership and the Voters Meet at the Election Day Showdown" By Cynthia McKinney, OpEdNews.com, Oct. 7, 2008
http://www.opednews.com/articles/-Where-s-Kenny-Rogers-When-by-Cynthia-McKinney-081007-748.html

"Open the Debates! Why antiwar and anti-bailout voters should demand an invitation for Cynthia McKinney" By Scott McLarty, OpEdNews.com, Oct. 6, 2008
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Open-the-Debates--Why-ant-by-Scott-McLarty-081006-132.html

Please post or link these articles on your own e-mail lists, web sites, and blogs, too. Don't forget to include a link to www.gp.org. And it helps to click on the links yourself and 'digg' the articles, which promotes them in front of the media.

It's really important that Greens everywhere follow through on these actions. Don't leave them for other Greens to take care of. The financial meltdown, the bipartisan $700 bailout for corporations (endorsed by both McCain and Obama) that does nothing for ordinary Americans, and the threat of another stolen election are serious crises, but they're also opportunities for the Green Party to offer Green solutions.

*Please forward this message*

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Office:
PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037 202-319-7191 or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN

>> Send a Letter to Your Member of Congress

Send a Letter to Your Member of Congress

No War with Iran!

Recently the US Congress approved a $30 billion military aid package to Israel which, combined with the approved Lieberman-Kyl amendment to the Congressional military appropriations bill, has moved the US closer to war with Iran. After failing to find WMD's in Iraq, President Bush seems poised to repeat history and lead us into another illegal war.

With increased world tensions and a loss of American credibility, we cannot allow bipartisan support to continue for another war. Many prominent Democrats have refused to take an attack on Iran off the table. This could be the third bipartisan military disaster in the Middle East since our attack on Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq.

The Green Party remains the only major national party committed to peace at home and abroad. Please join us by sending an automated letter to your Congresspersons.

>> Send a Letter to Your Member of Congress

Support Medicare for All

We need the US Congress to follow San Francisco's example (SF has implemented Medicare For All coverage) and provide quality health care coverage for every American, regardless of income, residence, age or prior medical condition. National health insurance would accomplish this, and would cost working Americans far less than they now pay for private coverage.

Support the Green Party efforts to enact a Medicare For All system. Send a letter to your Representative.

>> Send a Letter to Your Member of Congress

DC Statehood Now Petition

Washington, D.C. is the capital of the richest country in the world,the United States, which has fought many wars in the name of democracy. But the residents of our nation's capital remain disenfranchised and undemocratically, unjustly governed by Congress instead of enjoying the same democratic rights as every other U.S.citizen. We invite you to join us in our struggle to win democracy and human rights in our nation's capital, by supporting this initiative by signing our Petition and urging others to do the same.

>> Sign the Statehood Now! petition.

End the War in Iraq.

Send a letter to the editor to almost any newspaper or news organization in the United States.  Choose from a list of items to use in your letter or customize your message.
>> Send Letter to the Editor

A Living Wage is a Fair Wage!

The Green Party stands for fair wages for all - wages that enable employees to support both themselves and their families. Ordinances are being passed across the country; however, more needs to be done. The Green Party urges the US Congress to pass a living wage for all Americans.  

• Tell your Congress members YOU support a living wage.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper supporting the passage of a national living wage
• Sign our petition calling for a national living wage

The Voters Have the Right to Hear All Candidates in Debates!

Green Party candidates are being systematically shut out of debates all over the country. When this happens, democracy loses. Voters have a right to know which candidate best represents their values. When debate sponsors bar candidates, they violate this right. Recent polls show that the majority of Americans believe the war in Iraq was wrong and want to bring our troops home now. The majority of Americans support the right for everyone to have healthcare, living wages, and renewable energy choices. Americans are disgusted by the influence of corporations in politics and want a change to politics as usual. Democratic and Republican candidates all across US take millions in corporate campaign contributions. The public has a right to hear from candidates like Greens who represent WE THE PEOPLE over big business interest. Please tell your local media that it is undemocratic to exclude Green Party candidates from debates.  Take Action now to support fair and open debates.

Electronic Voting Machines Threaten to Destroy Democracy

Across the country, traditional voting machines are being replaced by electronic voting machines. These machines provide no way for the voter to know whether their vote was recorded accurately, and no way to verify that the vote will be counted. The software for electronic voting machines is proprietary, leaving no way to independently review accuracy. On top of that, the machines are easily hacked, as shown by a recent investigation at the Princeton University.

Voters must have confidence that the vote they cast will be recorded accurately and counted. Implementing paper ballots over electronic voting machines goes a long way towards doing this. Tell your Senator and US Rep. to support the “Confidence in Voting Act of 2006”, introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer (D) and Christopher Dodd (D); and by Rep. Rush Holt in the House. The "Confidence in Voting Act of 2006".

URGENT. It is crucial that you TAKE ACTION TODAY before Congress leaves in a few days for the election recess. Please ask your friends and family to help make sure our votes are counted accurately.

San Francisco Leads the Way: It's Time for Health Care for All Americans

08.16.2006 -- In July, San Francisco made history by becoming the first jurisdiction in the nation to provide universal health insurance to each uninsured man, woman and child regardless of income or pre-existing conditions. It is no secret that each year more and more Americans go without health care. 11 million children and 35 million adults have no medical insurance, up six million from six years ago while our health care system ranks only 37th in performance worldwide, outranked by Morocco and Costa Rica. 

That's why the Green Party and Green candidates have consistently called for universal health insurance. Big drug manufacturers and insurance firms have killed all attempts to have America join the rest of the industrial world and provide health care to all Americans. Too many Washington politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, have been bought off by their big corporate checks while millions more Americas lose all hope of ever being able to afford quality health care.  \

According to San Francisco supervisor and Green Party member Ross Mirikami, "This nation needs a complete overhaul in its ability to provide for universal health care."  

"This is not a left or right proposal. This is a populist proposal. It's based on the decency of protecting Americans so.that while the health insurance system is collapsing ordinary people are no longer the victims." 

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors deserves our support for bucking the powerful corporate HMO's and providing a basic human right to their constituents. When will our representatives in Congress show the same vision and courage and follow their example?  

So help us spread the word.

Send a LETTER to the EDITOR of your local newspaper and voice YOUR SUPPORT for REAL Health Care Reform.

Publicly Funded Elections Must Be Fair!

HR4694 ("Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act") is sponsored by eight Democrats in the House of Representatives, and it is an insult to our democratic values. This bill is a scheme to eliminate third party and independent candidates from congressional races, disguised as a public campaign financing bill.

HR 4694 would grant full public funding to nominees of parties (i.e., Democrats and Republicans) that had averaged 25% of the vote for House races in a given district in the last two elections.

All others (third party and independent candidates) would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the last vote cast for partial funding, and 20% petitions for full funding. Candidates who don't qualify for funding would be barred from spending privately raised money on their campaigns.

In some districts, 10% or 20% can mean 35,000 or 70,000 or more signatures -- numbers far too high for any candidate to collect.

A wide range of choices on the ballot gives us the power to vote for the candidate who best represents our interests and ideals. Reducing the field to a choice between Democrat and Republican is an assault on our rights as voters.

Thanks to everyone who took action on this imporant issue, HR4694 does not appear to be have the necessary support to get out of committee.

Election Reforms

Send a letter to the editor to almost any newspaper or news organization in the United States.
Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) eliminates the "spoiler" effect.
Americans want third party candidates included in the presidential debates.

Ask your elected representatives to support electoral reform, including IRV.
Support Instant Runoff Voting
Proportional Allocation of Electoral Votes

Get Involved:

• Call, fax, write a letter, or pay a visit
  Contact information: Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
  US House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
  US Senate: http://www.senate.gov
• Write a letter to the editor, a guest op-ed column, essay, or article.