Get to business at GPUS Annual National Meeting
by Jan Martell, North Carolina Green Party

This year the Green Party Annual National Meeting was held in conjunction with the second U.S. Social Forum (USSF) drawing together activists and people representing often little heard voices from cultures around the world. Held in Detroit this June, there was a strong Green presence at the USSF as Green Party members presented a number of forum workshops.

The Michigan Green Party and Detroit Greens were well represented at the forum, particularly on the first day, which was themed to introduce forum attendees to Detroit, its deep and ongoing economic challenges, and its growing community support networks. Green Party attendees had an opportunity to attend hundreds of workshops, people’s assemblies, actions, and events.

“The USSF, with scores of groups involved, thousands of total attendees, and literally a hundred choices of a workshop to attend every two hours, was just too overwhelming. After one day there, I was content to attend the Green Party events at Wayne State and avoided returning downtown to Cobo Hall,” said David McCorquodale of the Green Party of Delaware.

While social activist groups worldwide were meeting at the forum, Greens nationwide came together to attend to Party business, work on the platform, meet candidates, and network with members from other states. “As at past annual meetings, the most exciting part for me was seeing some of the people who will be candidates for office. It is hopeful to hear articulate, informed Greens who will be representing our views,” McCorquodale said.

The GPUS meeting itself included: workshops on the GPUS budget, designed to allow input from members on budget priorities; a brainstorming session on strategic planning for the party, in which members got a chance to see how strategic planning is done in an overall sense, and to choose some issues to discuss in breakout sessions. There were meetings of some of the caucuses and committees, including the new Southeast-Southwest Caucus; press conferences as well as a mixer event to present Green candidates for office; a session on platform amendments with breakout groups to get input on current amendment proposals; and a panel on healthcare, followed by a fundraising dinner.

Budget ñ GPUS finances are much improved over last year, with all bills associated with the 2008 convention in Chicago paid at this point. Sharing funds are beginning to be distributed to the state parties as money comes in; some loans from members are still unpaid, and earmarked funds for caucuses and committees may still be on hold until our fundraising efforts become stronger. Because the party is legally obligated to pay outstanding bills first, it is unable to distribute contributions that have been marked by donors for specific purposes to the appropriate caucuses and committees until the party can rise above the basic operational funding level. Groups such as the Black Caucus and the International Committee are increasingly frustrated, as they have been owed funds for years.

Platform ñ Platform amendments, which have been posted on the GPUS website since April for commenting by all, enters the voting queue on a rolling basis over the summer. Comments can still be taken up to about a week before the section goes into the discussion phase, allowing the sponsoring states to respond to comments by revising their amendments before submission. Revision for each section will then go to an up or down vote by the National Committee. The new platform will be formatted and launched in September.

Southeast/Southwest Caucus ñ This is not an officially recognized or constituted GPUS Caucus, but an informal alliance of state Green parties from Maryland to Arizona, who share ballot access challenges and consequent under-representation in the Party. National committee member Theresa El-Amin proposed a strategy of “crossing the line” where neighboring states can assist in ballot access petitioning efforts, by crossing state lines to gather signatures. There was discussion of working together toward changing the delegate apportionment formula to one that is fairer to Southern states, for example reverting back to the previous formula.

In addition to the published agenda, Kat Swift made a report on the difficulties in the Texas ballot access drive. Through the services of Free & Equal, run by Sean Haugh and Christina Tobin, Texas Greens succeeded in gaining a ballot line in May. Democrats responded by obtaining a temporary restraining order against Green candidates filing, alleging that the funding of the drive was illegal, though their claim was shaky at best. The TGP sued to have it lifted. It lost on the first round, but won at the state Supreme Court level in time for the candidates to file by the deadline. The story is further complicated by the fact that the petitioning drive was paid for by a contribution from what eventually proved to be a corporate source. This is not a legal issue, but an ethical one for the Party, as it is against its bylaws. It warrants some caution and more transparency in any future relationship state Green Parties may have with Free & Equal.

There was a minor misunderstanding at the meeting when Haugh and Tobin mistakenly signed the plenary session on the roster used for delegate roll call. One of the steering committee members checking the attendance questioned the strange names, at which Tobin claimed to have been thrown out of the meeting, and complained on Internet social media. A lot of buzz and bad feeling followed, complicated as one of the local candidates from Chicago was offended by Tobin’s presence because of his experience with Free & Equal in Chicago races.

The evening mixer, where Green candidates for office in many states made speeches, was a really positive, entertaining and exciting event. A diverse group of strong, energetic candidates showed real ability to communicate and a strong grasp of the issues. It is wonderful to see so much energy and commitment behind these campaigns.

Theresa El-Amin (NC), Julie Jacobson (HI), and Craig Thorsen (CA) were elected to the GPUS Steering Committee. Jeff Turner (HI) is the new Treasurer.

Outrage as state withholds information of qualifying independent candidates
By the Green Party of Michigan

John Anthony La Pietra was nominated as the 2010 Secretary of State candidate for the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) at the party’s 2010 state convention July 31-August 1. But almost a month later, the Michigan Bureau of Elections has not published or posted his name on its authoritative list of candidates for the November 2 general election.

And he’s not alone. The Greens nominated two dozen more candidates for state-level offices the weekend before the deadline date of Primary Election Day, August 3. Independent candidates, those with “no party affiliation,” had to file their petitions by July 15, and reportedly almost two-dozen of them did. Many candidates have been waiting even longer.

The US Taxpayers’ Party of Michigan nominated 29 state-level candidates at its convention two months ago on June 26. The Libertarian Party of Michigan’s convention was May 24, so their 71 state-level candidates have been denied recognition for over three months.

“The voters should already know about all these candidates,” La Pietra said. “Once candidates started qualifying for the general election, the Secretary of State’s office should have started posting each candidate’s name, address, party or independent status, the office they’re running for, and when and how they earned their place on the November 2 ballot.”

“The list couldn’t be final and official until after this weekend’s Democratic and Republican conventions at the earliest. But so what? The Bureau of Elections posts unofficial primary-election candidate lists weeks or months before the mid-May filing deadline. Why? So people considering voting, or running for office themselves, can make informed decisions.”

The delay is unfair to candidates nominated by convention and caucus meeting state requirements, but also, said La Pietra, it is unfair to the voters. “We deserve all the information our government has about all of our voting choices. Those in power now shouldn’t get to pick and choose which candidates aren’t important for us to hear about.”

Also, media outlets and civic organizations that hold public debates and forums, or interview or survey candidates on key issues, tend to rely on the Bureau’s information to tell them which candidates should be invited to participate. “Even a short delay by the Department can wind up denying candidates a fair chance to reach a lot of voters,” La Pietra said.

La Pietra has contacted the Michigan Third Parties Coalition about possibly acting as a clearinghouse to help voters and civic groups connect with convention-nominated candidates in case the Secretary of State’s office continues its silent treatment. He has invited all independent/NPA candidates to work together to inform the public. One of his rivals, Libertarian Scotty Boman, has welcomed the suggestion.

For information or to contact John Anthony La Pietra campaign go to:
http://members.triton.net/jalp/jalp4FBE.html
jalp4FBE@triton.net
or call 269-781-9478.

For a list of 2010 Green Party of Michigan candidates, please visit
http://www.MIGreens.org
or contact GPMI at 548 S Main St; Ann Arbor, MI 48104; 734-663-3555.

By Joe Lombardo, Green Party of New York State and co-organizer for United National Peace Conference

The United National Peace Conference in Albany, New York on July 23 – 25 brought together people from around the country and overseas, with nearly 800 people registered. With an extensive list of speakers including Media Benjamin of Code Pink, Green Party representatives delivered a message of a real political plan for peace.

ìI think that there is a tendency to say ëwell, we are war wearyí but having just returned from Afghanistan and Pakistan and having been in Iraq all through the shock and awe bombings, I think we donít have even a tiny fraction of war weariness that burdens the people who bear the brunt of our warfare. Ö We need one another as a nationwide community of peace activists. Ö The peace movement has been referred to as the worldís only other superpower,î said Kathy Kelly at the conference. Kelly is a founder of Voices in the Wilderness and three-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The conference presented 33 workshops on topics related to war and social justice. Presenters came from a range of perspectives including: faith-based peace groups, immigrantís rights advocates, the Palestinian rights movement, labor groups, active duty GIs, veteranís and many more.

The conference operated democratically, with every person in attendance having a voice and a vote. Out of this process came an Action Proposal and a set of resolutions. The Action Proposal calls for local actions in the fall and bi-coastal demonstrations in New York City and California in the spring. The spring actions will be accompanied by separate and distinct non-violent civil disobedience actions.

The proposal also calls for support and collaboration in building mobilizations these include demonstrations planned for Washington and Detroit on August 28 and a large October 2nd demonstration being organized by SEIU/1199, AFL-CIO, the NAACP, and others. The action proposal includes a strong stand in support of Palestinian rights and against the threats directed at Iran.

The Action Proposal also calls for coordinated teach-ins, lobbying efforts, and campaigns to pass city, town, and village resolutions on the issue of war spending and its impacts on the economy. The proposal can be read here.

The Albany area Sanctuary for Independent Media provided live-streaming of major segments of the conference on the Internet, and provided a place for people to upload pictures, tweets and posted major presentations on Youtube. The day after the conference, the Youtube videos got over 17,000 hits, making them the most viewed videos from a non-profit organization for that day.

The core leaders of the anti-war movement were all there, including Benjamin, Kelly, and Col. Ann Wright, who resigned in protest from the State Department and has been outspoken against the war ever since. Noam Chomsky spoke via video. Followed by Donna Dewitt, president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, and leading member or the National Assembly and U.S. Labor Against the War.

Also there was Ethan McCord, former soldier and seen on the first wikileaks video. He spoke out publicly for the first time at the conference. War resisters, GIs who have refused to deploy, spoke via the computer from Canada since they could not be there in person.

Giving rousing speeches were leaders of the movement against intervention in Iran, Columbia, Honduras, and Haiti and student leaders like Blanca Missa, who was key to the recent student protests on the Berkeley campus against Californiaís cuts to education.

Mumia Abu-Jamal, death-row prisoner for 30 years spoke from an audio taped message from his prison cell, as did Imam Aref, one of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims from Albany, New York. Ralph Poynter, husband of imprisoned civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, read her message to those assembled. Stewart was a member of the administrative body of the National Assembly to End U.S. Wars and Occupations, the group that had initiated the conference. She was also a founding member of Project Salam, one of the other 31 co-sponsoring groups.

Many of the participants at the conference came representing different groups active in the peace movement. Many from across the country were members of the Green Party, some of whom were key organizers to the event. New York State Greens had a strong presence at the conference, with a table and representatives to let participants learn how the Green Party has never wavered on its stance against the war and other peace issues. As well as letting people know how activism can and must take place in the political arena.

Howie Hawkins, who is the Green Party candidate for governor in New York, presented at a workshop at the peace conference on electoral strategies against militarism, war and imperialism.

One theme running throughout the conference was the connection between the anti-war movement and the Muslim solidarity movement. The wars have been called preemptive wars, and the prosecutions of Muslims have been labeled preemptive prosecution and both are part of a phony war on terror. The government uses these concepts as theoretical justifications for the wars going on at home and abroad. The Muslim solidarity issue was highlighted at a poignant and symbolic march from the peace conference to the Masjid-Al Salam mosque where the imprisoned Albany Muslims used to worship. At the Mosque, a rally was held where family members and supporters of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims spoke about the tragedy that had befallen their families and democracy.

There was strong and positive local media coverage of the event including five articles by the Times Union newspaper of Albany. However, outside of some alternative media, the conference was not covered by the national media, in stark contrast to the coverage of the Tea Party convention which, despite having fewer in attendance, was given prime time live coverage by CNN and other outlets.

At times unity was tested at the conference, the most significant one being around the issue of Palestine. Important leaders of the Palestinian movement were in attendance, and a caucus was formed by Palestinian rights activists to discuss how best to integrate the Palestinian issues with the broader peace issues. They put together a resolution and an amendment to the Action Proposal on Palestine, which passed by a large majority. However, some felt that the wording was too strong and there was serious disagreement. Pulling together a unified conference with 31 different groups, each with its own perspective on how to bring about peace was a real achievement.

The conference was the right thing to do at the right time; it came to a close literally hours before the explosive Afghan War Diaries were published by Wikileaks and right before Congress voted for additional funding for the perpetual U.S. wars and occupations. The conference gave the peace movement a powerful voice at a critical time. It also succeeded in bringing together 31 peace groups with diverse perspectives. It also brought together the peace movement with leaders of other movements that have mobilized millions in their own right. In doing so, it was a step forward not only for peace, but also for human rights and justice in general.

For more information on the conference go to: www.nationalpeaceconference.org

To view speeches, lectures and other video of the conference go to: mediasanctuary.tv/crows/

ìThe peace movement has been referred to as the worldís only other superpowerî Peace Activist Kathy Kelly