Looking harder than skin-deep at Obama
by Anita Rios, Co-convener of the Green Party of Ohio

As a person of color who has been called a “nigger,” and not in that post eighties way that seeks to emulate “gangsta” culture and implies that “we are tough,” but in that vicious way that is indescribably and deliberately hurtful, I cannot look at Barack Obama and not feel uplifted.

I really did not think America was capable of putting race aside and electing a black man president. Now having Barack Obama serving in that position I want desperately for him to succeed and for the hopes of those who elected him to be realized. I know many people who have never had any faith in the political process registered and voted because of Barack Obama and I think that is a very good first step. But itís only a first step and without knowledgeable follow up, itís a relatively empty gesture. Without innovative policy changes from the Obama administration, the hope and change he championed will be nothing more than good campaign slogans.

Hope is no substitute for vigilance and it is imperative as citizens we remain in≠volved beyond Election Day and become knowledgeable advocates for the changes we know must come.

I will be elated if by the Obama election we realize an American society: where health care is a right, where no child is denied a quality education because of income, where workers are not forced to compete in a race to the bottom, and where we once and for all reject war as a tool for resolving disputes. My investment in politics is an in≠vestment in making our communities, our countries, and our world a better place and I will support any leader who moves us closer to that better world.

I did not support Obama during the presidential campaign because he did not support the changes I feel are both necessary and doable. He did not support universal health care, his education reform policies were vague and inadequate, and his pledge to pull our troops from Iraq was balanced by his pledge to focus Amer≠icaís military might in Afghanistan. As a candidate Obama stated he would be willing to bomb Pakistan and now as President he has done just that. His positions on many issues only sounded good when contrasted with the appalling policies of the Bush administration or those of his Republi≠can opponent John McCain.

In my estimation, Obamaís campaign spoke of change but offered very little substantive change. Obama may very well end some of the most egregious constitutional abuses of the Bush administration and he may close the Guantanamo Bay detention center. But it is doubtful that he will have the objectivity or the political will to clean house on Wall Street, take on the health in≠surance companies, or to reign in the military and prison industrial complexes.

Sadly, on some of the rare occasions that I heard progressive pundits address the shortcomings of the Obama campaign rhetoric, they claimed that he had to take those positions in order to get elected but would do better once he was in office. Some of those so-called progressives also claimed it was necessary to compromise, in particular on health insurance issues, in order to get any movement at all. I cannot believe those so-called progressives will be effective advocates for change with so many of them hoping that Obama was playing politics as usual and not truthfully stating his positions in the campaign, or that he shouldnít even put issues such as universal health care on the table. Some of the most strident and vigilant critics of the Bush administration are far too enamored of Obama to challenge him.

The early actions of the Obama administration, from a progressive point of view, are not very hopeful. He has filled his cabinet with some of the very people who had a hand in crafting our current economic and foreign policies. But this is pretty much consistent with the Obama campaign rhetoric. I am certainly not surprised. Despite being genuinely glad an African Amer≠ican man has been elected president and genuinely respectful of the hopes of the millions of Obama supporters, I will continue to scrutinize the actions of the Obama ad≠ministration with the same vigilance always necessary of any citizen seeking to play a meaningful role in self-governance.

Without innovative policy changes from the Obama administration, the hope and change he championed will be nothing more than good campaign slogans.

by Titus North, Pennsylvania Green Party

In 1971 Richard Nixon famously proclaimed “we are all Keynesians now.” That statement was made in the context of a slowing economy, and Nixon, believing a recession was responsible for his razor-thin loss to John Kennedy in the 1960 election, was ready to give up his traditional fiscal conservatism and engage in deficit spending in order to boost the economy and improve his re-election chances the following year.

Ironically, by 1971 true Keynesianism was already dead in the United States. Defi≠cit spending during recessions is only half of British economist John Maynard Keynesí prescription for fiscal management. The other half is running budget surpluses during times of economic expansions. And it was the Vietnam War that marked the end of Keynesianism, as large-scale deficit spending even during economic expansions be≠came the norm.

Except for the Internet Bubble years of 1999-2000, the federal government has run budget deficits (not including Social Security) every single year since Nixonís statement, and typically quite massive ones. So during almost all the boom years, we ignored Keynesí advice to run surpluses, but now when facing a depression we expect Keynesian stimulus to save us. It wonít work, and donít blame it on Keynes, regardless of what you think of him. He never said “borrow megabucks from China during expansions and then just print money during recessions.” Printing dollars to pay for stimulus will eventually lead to runaway inflation and completely undermine international faith in the dollar. Hyperin≠flation can cause depressions as easily as deflation.

Our economic system can well be de≠scribed as “economic militarism.” By this I mean not just that our economy is oriented towards war making, but also our economy is dependent on military might to allow us to dominate the international system and impose an economic order that in turn finances our military. Not only do we use our military to secure resources and markets, but we also use it to, in effect, bully foreign governments to purchase U.S. treasuries, keep dollars as a reserve currency, and support U.S. dominated international financial institutions.

However, domination is not the same as dictatorial control, and American domination has always required a considerable amount of cooperation from other countries. Furthermore, power has always been shared with markets. Moreover, recent history has shown that there are limits to what can be done with military might. The economic crisis demonstrates Americaís economic dependence on other countries and on markets is quite considerable. The co≠operation required to maintain the current U.S. dominated system cannot be taken for granted.

Therefore, in responding to the economic crisis, what we need is not a further ballooning of our already massive deficit, but rather a reorientation of our priorities. We must recognize that economic militarism is unsustainable. We already depend on funds borrowed from other countries to pay for our wars and overseas bases, but nobody will be willing to loan us real money only to be repaid with newly printed monopoly money. We might as well fold our cards and recognize the militaristic game we have been playing was not worth winning anyway.

Rather than deficit spending for its own sake, we should spend money on what we really need, like health care, genuine renewable energy, and education, and stop spending it on wars, overseas bases, and endless weapons systems. Economically speaking, we get very little “bang” from these bucks. I know that years of militaristic propaganda have given many Americans a deep psychological attachment to all things military, but we could even link the cut in military spending to cuts in income tax, dollar for dollar. What better way to educate people about how much militarism has been costing them?

There would still be plenty of corporate welfare programs, such as corn-based ethanol, that could be eliminated to make room for more important spending priorities. And do we really need to be sending people into space? Who are we trying to impress? There are a lot of worthy programs included in the Obama stimulus package, but the whole thing is doomed to failure if we go into hyperinflation. Iím not saying we have to balance the budget this year, but letís cut out the massive waste that not just does no good but does us real harm.

Titus North teaches political science at the University of Pittsburgh and is a two-time Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress. His latest novel, Operation Patriotic Toilet Seat, is available through enlightened-pyramid.com.

We must recognize that economic militarism is unsustainable.

by Carl Archambeau, Sr., Michigan Green Party

I have a confession to make. I am guilty of financially supporting Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney in the recent presidential election. My redemption? I did, of course vote for the Green Party (GP) ticket. I supported Nader because everything he says needs saying and I wanted to encourage him. The same thing goes for McKinney, and I voted for her because she was the GP candidate.

In the process of doing the above, a couple of things occurred to me. The first was since GP financial resources are so limited it is important to promote grassroots organization through the use of state chapters. This would give the Party exposure and a voice in community affairs. In my home state of Michigan many, if not most, members are nonaffiliated and do not want to be in a chapter. Many of the things both candidates said made me think that more should be done to develop a constituency among small farmers and businesses, the self-employed, and other left-out groups, the candidates spoke for.

The second apparent observation is based on what I believe but can’t prove. If you add all those who voted for the Democrats because they didn’t wish to waste their vote, to those who voted for Nader and McKinney or any other progressive party, this would create a very large progressive constituency and a potential reservoir for members and campaign contributions. If all these voters could be brought under one progressive coalition party they would constitute a more formable political force. It would also make better use of scarce financial resources. Maybe they could even qualify for state and federal presidential campaign funding. There would not be anything against maintaining individual party identity so long as everyone could agree on a basic platform. The major parties are made up of several factions while a progressive party would be made up of several coalitions. Perhaps the GP could take the initiative in forming a working group among the various progressive parties and organizations and get this process moving ahead in the right direction.

I think it’s time to stop worrying about what the conservatives are doing and start worrying about what the progressives aren’t doing. As the old saying goes, “divided we fall united we stand.”

Arizona tells how they got it done
by Claudia Ellquist, Co-chair of the Arizona Green Party

Citizens concerned about the state of the country and the world have long used blogs, 501c3s, and lobbying groups, to reach politicians from the over-represented parties. But those politicians have under funded good works, ignored good ideas, dismissed citizen demands, and cloned their successors. In the end, when one has done oneís best good deeds, had a say on the Internet, written, called and lobbied recalcitrant lawmakers, and rated the offerings from the over-represented political parties and found them to be more of the same, what does one do? There is only one effective challenge left: organize as a political party and meet the other parties at the ballot box.

Our national candidates have it right: The Green Party is no longer the Alter≠na≠tive. It is the Imperative.

It isnít easy, but it is necessary. As of today, the Green Party can possibly get ballot lines in 38 of the 51 states (including the District of Columbia). Every state has different challenges about getting and maintaining ballot lines, so there is no one-size-fits-all plan for achieving it. But to not seek ballot status is to reduce the Green Party to another chat room. So here are a few words about how Arizona succeeded.

1 > We built capacity in the off time, hosted the GP-US Annual National Meet≠ing, ran local candidates and published critiques of ballot measuresóall to show Greens and potential Greens that a targeted effort could lead somewhere, that we are part of a bigger organization, and that there is a reason to act.

2 > We counted the cost and created a plan: What were the legal requirements? (Look at statutes and ask the Secretary of State and other groups that are petitioning.) How much would it cost to print the petitions? (Get bids from printers.) After the easy signatures, what events could we go to for more signatures? †Who would keep the calendar, the volunteer list, and email the reminders? (It should be one person in each community.) What resistance would we likely encounter, and how would we deal with it? (Donít waste time arguing, have a FAQ sheet for sincere questions. But donít pass stuff outóthose who take lit, do not sign.) How many signatures a week, gathered by steady effort, establish that we are serious, and not wasting peopleís time? (Goal plus cushion, divided by time allotted.) Where to go for allies? (Out-of-town caravans/paid circulators/petitioners for initiatives, or candidates as the ìflip sideî rubber banded to the back of their primary petition.) Who keeps count, and what protocol prevents double-count? (No petition is added in until it is in hand.)

3 > Then a core of us committed to overcoming our societal barriers, approaching strangers, smiling charmingly, and asking for a favor in the name of democracy. The line I found to be quick and persuasive was: ìHi, would you sign our petition so that the Green Party can have our candidatesí names appear on the ballot, and YOU will have MORE CHOICES on ELECTION DAY.î Many signers were frowning their reluctance, until I got to the part about them and their choices. †Working in pairs was best. I set personal weekly goals to get me out the door even if nobody else could go on the night there were long lines at the concert hall. I publicly thanked my colleagues, by name and with numbers every week to keep our pace and feel the progress.

4 > We made shamelessly frequent requests for financial support and for more petitioners. We provided home stays for out-of-town Greens and saw they were hydrated, fed, thanked and made to feel part of a full-push effort. We were right there with them to back them up when they ran into snags and successes. In the end these Greens made the margin of difference and much thanks goes to them.

5 > Giving back: We recruited local candidates, so everybody would ride the shared coattail. We gave money back to the GP-US Ballot Access Committee to help the next state. We sent a carload of petitioners to Texas and planned to send a crackerjack signature solicitor to Utah.

We did all this because we are more than an alternative. The Green Party is The Imperative.

ARIZONA

The Arizona Green Party is in the Alice-in-Won≠der≠land position of both having and seeking ballot status. It is still technically a ballot status party, which has a pay-off in that folks can check on their state tax returns to have money given to the party, and AGP can still get information from the state/counties, on an equal basis with the other political parties. But the ballot status will expire later this year, on the day when registrations are tallied. So we have begun gathering signatures again, for the 2010 elections and already have nearly 4000 statewide. Weíll offer a free place to stay for anyone who wants to plan now for a “See Sunny Ari≠zona,” signature gathering trip next winter. Contact Claudia Ellquist by leaving a message at 520-798-6169.

CONNECTICUT

New London Greens are taking the lead in promoting the idea of Land Value Tax, a shift to land over buildings for local property taxation. New London Greens have been working to ob≠tain unanimous City Council passage of a resolution to draft a bill for the LVT option in an effort to create a more equitable economy in communities. With a state≠wide coalition of environmentalists, un≠ions, and municipalities, endorsement expectations are high.

Connecticut, like most states, has a highly regressive property tax, which has depressed local economies by taxing building im≠provements, leading to empty buildings and lots, and speculation. Land Value Tax offers a number of benefits well documented by communities around the world. Land is key to conditions of economic justice or in≠justice. LVT works to improve com≠mon wealth, and thus a communityís economic well being.

The state legislature is developing a pilot program, most likely for New London, where the issue first arose. For more information visit: www.re-newlondoncouncil.org and www.urbantools.org.

FLORIDA

Jayne King, Bill Milner, and Bon≠nie Redding are winding up their first year as co-chairs and secretary of the Green Party of Florida (GPF). They have brought to their positions, years of experience in community organizing, working with large governmental and corporate entities, small business ownership, and interaction with the international Green parties.

Florida is a very large state with 67 counties. In order to carry out a statewide outreach campaign, the state was divided into four regions, with a coordinator for each region. Greens have experienced a new wave of interest following the 2008 elections, with two new locals being established and several others in the process of reactivation. Florida Greens across the state have been participating in community festivals, marches, public and private events, and campaigns where Green Values have been promoted.

Gains have been made in public acceptance of the Evergladesí Restoration Project and in medical marijuana benefits. The Green Party has joined with others in promoting the rights of workers and immigrants. As a member of the recently formed Florida Peace Congress, there is an op≠portunity for the FGP to be more influential in the promotion of peace. Workshops in solar power, raw foods, and community gardens have been conducted. Greens have been appointed to county task forces and advisory boards, assisting with public policy development, and utilizing radio and newspaper publicity effectively.

Cara Jennings is now serving her second term on the Lake Worth City Commission, where she and two strong supporters of Green values constitute a majority on the dais. Jennings is providing leadership in this urban, South Florida coastal community, im≠plementing significant Green initiatives and policies in Lake Worth, and providing an example for elected officials and citizens in other cities around the state.

Michael Canney, a past co-chair of the GPF, recently campaigned for Alachua City Com≠mis≠sion, garnering 36 percent of the vote against a long-time in≠cumbent (see article in Elections section).

One present focus of the GPF is to promote a “carbon-free and nuclear-free” energy policy based on investment in renewable en≠ergy technologies. The GPF has joined the Nuclear Resource and Information Service in a petition to intervene in the licensing of two new reactors at Progress Energyís Levy Nuclear Power Plant.

INDIANA

The Indiana Green Party delegates and officers have been meeting monthly via telephone conference calls. Co-chairs are Mary Meyer of Oldenburg and Jim Coplen of LaPorte. National Committee delegates are Sarah Dillon of Terre Haute and Jay Parks of Indiana≠polis.

On April 24 and 25, members of the Duneland Greens local took part in a participatory dem≠ocracy discussion sponsored by Indiana University Northwest at the IU Northwest Gary campus. At least two members of INGP attended a weeklong Democracy for America Campaign Academy at Lafayette, Indiana, in May.

The state party is presently contacting state legislators to urge the easing of ballot access requirements. One Republican state senator has announced the possibility of such discussion by the Sum≠mer Study Committee, and two Democratic representatives have stated their support for such a measure.

The INGP web site will undergo changes after being moved to another server. Meanwhile a blog site, ingreen≠action.blogspot.com, is operational.

MARYLAND

The Maryland GP had its annual as≠sembly in May in Annapolis. Greens from across the state gathered to strategize electoral campaigns for 2010 and discussed responses to regional water and pollution issues. Rosa Clemente, former Green Party vice-presidential candidate, delivered the keynote address.

The MGP also plans to celebrate Michael Cornellís re-election to the Columbia Council and support George Gluckís run for Montgomery County Council (georgegluck.com).

Over the winter, the MGP worked to introduce two bills into the 2009 Maryland General Assembly. SB947 and HB1562 would decrease the signature re≠quirement all minor parties must meet to become ballot-qualified. Both bills found bipartisan sponsorship and made it through an initial hearing. The MGP plans to continue working to improve ballot access through its own legislation and through the efforts of the new Maryland Ballot Access Coalition. Maryland Greens also worked to support new restrictions on the use of Marylandís death penalty, re-regulation of public utilities, and new limits on greenhouse gas emissions.

MINNESOTA

Metro-area (St. Paul and Min≠ne≠a≠polis) Green Par≠ties had a kickoff party for a new watchdog project for local government. A free, home-cooked Indian dinner was served on April 25 at the Dunning Field Recreation Cen≠ter. Cam Gordon, Minnea≠polis City Councilmember, and Annie Young, Minneapolis Parks Board member, spoke about their experiences in local government and enumerated ways residents can build momentum for greener policies at the local level. Shrink≠ing media coverage of local issues may not change soon, but the Green Parties of the 4th and 5th congressional districts (St. Paul and Minneapolis) are launching a new online vehicle to build their own change. The projectís goal is to mobilize a constituency to take action when important local decisions arise. “By building a watchdog website and e-mail/phone campaign for a broad spectrum of local issues, we can push local government toward more innovative, greener, fairer, and more humane policies,” stated Jesse Mortenson, 4th Congressional District co-chair.

The plan is to: 1) establish a website that is a tool for citizens to take action on local issues; 2) hire a savvy activist to keep tabs on local government agendas; 3) connect with advocacy groups; and 4) bring it all to residents through the website. Mortenson said, “The website will feature cutting-edge digital advocacy tools, bringing the techniques and accessibility of sites like moveon.org to matters of local government, for the first time in the Metro.” “Interested citizens can volunteer for the initial editorial board, vote for their choice of names for the new website, or sign up to write about local issues once it is launched,” said Troy Trooien, 4th Congressional District co-chair.

Candidate campaigns are also in the works in Minnesota. So far, Dave Bicking, candidate for Minneapolis city council, is the only one who has launched an organized campaign, but others are expected to follow. The endorsing convention for Min≠ne≠apolis was May 9. This will be the first election where Instant Runoff Voting is the law of the land.

Other activities in which the state party has been involved were the May Day Parade, for which an ad was purchased in the May Day Parade tabloid, and participation in parades for Juneteenth and GLBT Pride.

RHODE ISLAND

The Green Party of Rhode Island held a state meeting on April 18, 2009. Lincoln Chafee, former Republican U.S. Senator from Rhode Island addressed the meeting, announcing his intention to run for the office of Gov≠ernor as an Independent, and seeking GPRI support for his candidacy. He focused on his record while in the U.S. Senate, mentioning his anti-war stance and his pro-environment record in support of the Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts. Prev≠ious to this meeting, Chafee met with Eric Siegel, co-chair of the GPRI Coordinating Committee and Greg Gerritt. GPRI members present at the meeting generally viewed Chafeeís candidacy in a positive light.

Elections were held, and Tony Affigne and Richard Walton were re-affirmed as members of the International Committee. Lynn Schultz was elected as a new GPRI representative to the Interna≠tional Committee to replace Richard Lobban. Liz Marsis was elected to fill a vacancy on the Coordi≠nat≠ing Committee. Eric Siegel was re-elected as co-chair of the GPRI Coordinating Committee. Kathy Rourke, currently serving as secretary of the Coordinating Committee, was elected as the second co-chair. All these elections were unanimous. Rourke will also continue to perform the duties of secretary. Nick Schmader and Paula Moran were also re-elected as members of the GPRI Coord≠inating Committee. Tony Affigne and Nick Schmader were re-affirmed unanimously as GPRI delegates to the National Commit≠tee. Richard Walton was re-af≠firmed as an alternate delegate to the National Committee.

After the business meeting was adjourned, a dinner followed to honor the contributions made by Greg Gerritt to the Green Party of Maine, GPRI, and to GPUS. Richard Walton, Tony Affigne and David Segal, former Providence City Council member (elected as a Green) spoke, ac≠knowl≠edging Gerritt for his many contributions and accomplishments.

TEXAS

On March 30, Rep. Elliott Nai≠sh≠tat read HR680 into the record of the Texas State House of Representatives in recognition of the service the late Bill Holl≠oway, an active Green, gave to the people of Travis County, the state of Texas, his birth state of Oklahoma, and the nation.

Travis County Green Party distributed flyers and inserted questions into the agenda at candidate forums being held throughout Austin, prior to the May city council election. This was in partnership with the Gray Panthers and a local citizensí organization, Austinites Lobbying for Muni≠ci≠pal Accountability. Bill Holloway had initiated these partnerships and sent a letter of inquiry to the local District Attorney requesting an investigation into possible fraud and observed forgery of legal contracts on the part of certain city officials and local contractors in the management of low income home restoration funding. The Green Party is following his leadership by continuing his effort to get the attention of investigative reporters. Report≠ers, in turn, can ask the District Attor≠ney why there has not yet been an investigation.

At the state level, the Green Partyís lobbyist continues his work and is blogging at txgreens.org. In observance of the 10th anni≠versary of GPT, a statewide party is being planned for early fall.

UTAH

Back in Novem≠ber, the Moab Local Green Party (MLGP) collected over 300 signatures to assist the Green Party of Utah (GPUT) in successfully putting Cynthia McKinney on the Utah ballot as an independent candidate for Pres≠ident of the United States. Besides the McKinney petition, the MLGP has been working primarily to address the impacts of energy development on water in the Grand County area including: 1) filing protests regarding the Bureau of Land Managementís December 2008 oil and gas lease parcel sale (resulting in the revocation of the sale by Interior Sec≠retary Ken Salazar); 2) joining other conservation organizations in appealing to the state Depart≠ment of Oil, Gas and Miningís issuance of a permit to the Dan≠ish Flats evaporation waste pit facility in the Cisco Desert (resulting in an agreement between conservationists and the facility that will protect water quality and migratory birds from contamination by the produced water stored there); 3) joining forces with other activists in Moab in temporarily stopping the construction of a luxury development in the area of the famous Slick Rock Bicycle trail in the Sand Flats area of Moab; 4) working with the Grand County council to develop a county watershed management plan; 5) petitioning the County Council to comment on a federal review of oil shale research and development in Utah and the effects oil shale development has on the Colo≠rado River and other water resources; and 6) petitioning the county and city of Moab to adopt a watershed protection ordinance focusing on oil and gas development.

GPUT helped to review and comment on the Water Resolu≠tion crafted by the GPUS Eco-Action Committee, calling for governmental agencies to recognize water as a human right, to stop the privatization of water, and to recognize tribal water rights and the impacts of energy development on water resources in the west. The resolution was ultimately adopted by the GPUS as Proposition 380. Utah Greens have endorsed and printed the Eco-Action Committeeís water brochure to be used to promote Green Party water protection events. Finally, the GPUT drafted and endorsed several letters to the Utah Congressional delegation on the impacts of oil and gas, nuclear power, and oil shale development on Utahís unique canyon countryís environment and archeological resources.

Bringing it home with tax cuts for test scores
by Lewis Pollis and Terrence Banks, Green Party of Ohio

For years our country has struggled with education. Once the envy of the world, the United Statesí public education system now leaves its graduates unprepared to enter institutions of higher education or the work force. Many college students waste their first years taking basic English and math courses they should have completed in high school.

Politicians have promised to solve this problem for decades and have come up with several ideas like: extending the school day, lengthening the school year, and most recently the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. NCLB offers financial re≠wards to the schools whose students perform best on standardized tests, which are usually the schools that have the least urgent need for money. While some proposals may have marginally bettered the Amer≠ican schooling experience, it doesnít take a straight-A student to see that by and large, these solutions have failed to significantly improve the system.

With few possible actions left to im≠prove schooling from an administrative standpoint, we must instead turn our attention to the most important proponents of a childís education, his or her parents. A small handful of devoted students will always provide their own motivation to succeed given the opportunity. Unfor≠tu≠nately, for most kids, all the tests, technology, and teachers in the world will be ineffective if the learning experiences of the school day are not reinforced by educational stimulation at home. Such musings are clichÈ and have been repeated ad nauseum at every level of government from local PTA meetings to President Obamaís major speeches.

Yet, while parents nationwide either do not realize the need for their help, intentionally abdicate their responsibilities, or simply lack the time and energy to offer assistance, the government has never put forth a policy to encourage their involvement in their childrenís education. Now is the time to break that streak. We must invest in our children and our future by investing in involved parents.

Instead of using schoolsí overall test re≠sults to allocate resources to the already successful schools which do not need the help, use the in≠dividual studentsí results to reward the parentsógive them a tax break if their child passes each exam.

This is not to say we should implement a pay scale to reward naturally gifted children, nor should we turn the testing process into a game show by handing out cash to the top-performing students. The tax credit would be given on a strict pass/ fail basis.

The tests should be designed so every student has the intelligence to pass and so it will be easy to reward any parent who takes the time to sit down and help with his or her childís homework.

We must invest in†our children and our future by investing in involved parents.

A tax break would create a renewed parental interest in education. Even a slight cut, as small as, three percent would probably be enough to get Mom to spend a minute looking at juniorís homework or for Dad to help him study for a quiz. The tax credit would also allow working single mothers to skip that overtime shift at work in favor of working out math problems with her daughter.

Imagine the improvement in our educational system, just from that small change. A measurable impact would likely be noticed within a year. Imagine if parents save the money from the tax credits to help pay for college tuition, then a better-educated society will lead to a stronger economy. So the investment is not only important for our society, but also logical economically.

Besides simply being a logical solution, an edu≠cational tax credit would exemplify several of the Green Partyís Key Values. In allowing parents of un≠≠derprivileged households take a bit more time off of work to help with their childrenís education, we help create equal opportunities and economic justice. We would en≠courage parents to meet their personal responsibilities, and help ensure future stability.

“GovernmentÖcannot turn off the TV or put away the video games,” President Obama has said. Although he is right that “these are things only a parent can do,” we can certainly offer parents some extra incentive.

Lewis Pollis is a new member of the Green Pages Edit Board. He is entering his senior year in high school and was editor of presidential candidate Cynthia McKinneyís “Power to the People Campaign” Newsletter.

Terrence Banks will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall and plans a double major in Biochemistry and Political Science.

Lewes Pollis & Terrence Banks

by Stephen Luntz, Australian Greens Victoria Elections Analyst
and †Mike Feinstein, International Committee of the Green Party of the United States

For only the second time ever, an Austra≠lian Green has been elected in a single member parliamentary electorate, and the first time ever by finishing with more primary votes than the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate. The victory came in a May 16th by-election (special election), in the Western Australian (WA) lower house electorate of Fremantle, where the ALP had held onto the seat since 1924. This time Green candidate Adele Carles defeated the ALP political machineís handpicked candidate and nine other candidates.

Lower house elections are conducted in Australia by what is called preferential voting and in the United States is called Instant Run-Off Voting. Carles received 45 percent of the primary vote (first preferences) to Laborís 38 percent, and 54 percent to Laborís 46 percent, after the transfer of other preferences.

The electorate centers on the historic port city of Fremantle, located 12 miles southwest of Perth, the state capital, and includes Perthís famous fun spot, Rottnest Island. The electorate features a diverse, multi ethnic population, and an above-average proportion of rented dwellings (43 percent), a broadly mixed-class of professions, combined with high unemployment. Fremantle has long been a stronghold for the Greens, usually returning their highest vote in elections. The suburb of Fremantle itself is known for its arts and culture, and this has made it particularly attractive to Green voters. The electorate also includes a very wealthy section to the northeast, which traditionally votes conservative, and Labor voting areas to the south.

ìThere are good reasons†why more and more people are voting Green, and yesterday we received a renewed mandate.î
~ Senator Rachel Siewert

Greens vs. Labor

With the conservative Liberals declining to contest the seat, the election in 2009 became a contest between the Greens and the ALP. Voters clearly chose the Greens. On election night Carles said the ALP had moved too far to the right. “This is a victory for the people of Fremantle and for democracy” she declared. “We have forever shattered the two-party myth in Australia. People have dared to look beyond the old parties that have continually let us down. What has happened in Fremantle makes history but it is also the shape of the future.”

Bob Brown, Australian Green Senator from Tasmania since 1996, was quick to suggest this could be a trend elsewhere in Australia, with voters seeing the Greens as the true alternative. Others across the political spectrum agree. According to a post-election editorial by conservative daily, The Australian, the Green victory in Fremantle “will terrify state and federal Labor MPs in inner-city and sea-change seats all over the country. Seats as varied as ALP Finance Minister Lindsay Tannerís inner-urban electorate of Melbourne and Cunningham on the coast south of Syd≠ney.” Up to eight seats in eastern states could be in play for the Greens as states hold their next elections (Australian state elections are not synchronized).

However, some commentators have suggested the result is not really an endorsement of the Greens, claiming that Liberal voters simply chose to vote for anyone other than their traditional enemy. But this claim is contradicted by the fact that nine other candidates secured less than 20 percent between them, despite two presenting themselves as “Indepen≠dent Liberals,” with one having a significant local profile. Moreover, analysis of the vote by poll≠ing centre shows the Greens made up as much ground in areas where the Liberal vote is minimal, as in the parts where it has historically been strong. Conse≠quently it seems the new Green voters included as many disaffected Labor votes as homeless Liberals.

Green Agenda

During her campaign, Carles talked about what a Green victory would mean: “If the Greens win this seat, it will be an opportunity to introduce more sustainable legislation into this State.

We have bills and policy prepared that will make it more affordable for all people to install solar panels on their roofsóat no extra cost to governmentóas well as other measures that will enable people to make their homes more energy-efficient, starting with those who can least afford it on their own.

“If I win this seat, I will also be moving to ensure development around Fremantle is sustainable, which means saying no to Dubai-style island developments that will threaten the future of our working port and ëyesí to good planning for development on the land.

“I will be pushing for better transport planning in Perth and Fremantle, including for the extra 100,000 people who are predicted to be adding to the existing suburbs south of Fremantle in the next 15 years, and urban pressures generally in the metropolitan area and beyond.”

Carlesí victory brings the Australian Greens up to 26 parliamentarians (5 federal, 17 state, 4 territory) of these 15 are women. With Carles joining four Green members of WAís Upper House (Giz Watson, Robin Chapple, Alison Xamon and Lynn Mac≠Laren) the Greens now hope to be awarded official party status on the state level, which would en≠≠title them to vastly increased staff and other resources. On the federal there are also two WA Green senators, Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam, giving WA the most elected Green parliamentarians in Australia.

The success of the WA Greens surprises many people, since the state is generally considered one of the most conservative in Australia. In part it reflects the fact that the Labor and Liberal parties, other than for a brief period under former premier Geoff Gallop, were generally to the right of those in other states.

However, the Greens strength is also partly the result of a historical accident. In 1984 the Nuclear Disarmament Party (NDP) ran a strong senate campaign across Australia, winning 7.2 percent. In WA the partyís 6.7 percent was below the large eastern states, but the order of elimination of candidates saw the NDPís candidate Jo Valentine elected, while in other states the party missed out.

Soon afterwards the NDP collapsed as a result of internal divisions. Itís highest profile member, rock star Peter Garrett eventually joined the ALP and as environment minister has recently approved a host of environmentally disastrous projects, including the expansion of uranium mining within the Kakadu National Park.

Valentine, on the other hand, established a profile for herself and was re-elected first as an independent, then later in 1990 with the newly formed WA Greens. Her strong performance in parliament gave the Greens a face they lacked in the eastern states until Brownís election, and was a critical factor in the growth of the Greens in WA.

At a May 17th post-election press conference on the steps of parliament, Siewert said, “There are good reasons why more and more people are voting Green, and yesterday we received a renewed mandate. Both the WA and federal governments should hear this message from the people of Western Australia. It is time both Liberal and Labor spent less time being led by big business and more time overcoming our biggest challenges such as climate change, economic recession and building the green economy.”

Watson added that the Greens holding ëbalance of powerí in WAís Upper House had led to better decision-making. “It has broken the Liberal-Labor monopoly and improved the level of debate in our democracy,” Watson said. “We work with government when its efforts can be improved, and we are not afraid to voice strong opposition when necessary.”

Balance of Power

What does ëbalance of powerí mean? In Australia, members of parliament almost always vote with their parties. A party is considered to be in ëbalance of powerí if the government needs their votes to get legislation through the parliament without having to rely on the major opposition party. The WA Greens were in joint or sole balance of power in the Upper House from 1996 until 2008 when, despite increasing their parliamentary representation at the last election shifts between the other parties cost the Greens the balance of power in the newly elected Upper House.

While holding balance of power, the Greens were able to block a number of socially and environmentally negative bills under the Liberals power. After the change of government Greens amended Labor legislation to bring it closer to Green values. The Greens also used their parliamentary status to have a key role in a major campaign that led to the defeat of an environmentally disastrous proposal for the 280 kilometer-long Ningaloo Reef, Aus≠traliaís largest fringing coral reef, after it initially appeared likely it would proceed.

For more information: www.wa.greens.org.au

by Mike Feinstein, International Committee of the Green Party of the United States

“Can ecology save Africa?” and “What role will African Green Parties play?” These themes brought to≠gether more than 50 regional Green representatives from Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Niger, Mali and Guinea-Conarky to Rabat, Morocco for the First African Green University, March 27th-29th. †Foreign Embassies in Morocco from Gunea Bissao and Democratic Republic of Congo were also represented.

Organized by the Moroccan Greens and the Maghreb Forum for Environment and Development, the three-day conference featured workshops on topics from climate change, good governance and democracy, to the effect of the global financial crisis on Africa.

Participants at the African Green University, Rabat, Morocco, March 27-29, 2009

The Green University was conceived in April 2008 as an organizing tool for African Greens, coming out of discussions at the African Greens Conference held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, immediately preceding the Global Greens Second Congress. There it was agreed that sub-regional Green Party federations would be established across Africa for the next two years, followed by an African-wide Green Congress, which has now been scheduled for March 2010 in Kenya. The Green University in Rabat was a step towards building a sub-regional federation in the north of Africa.

On the day’s opening session, Fatima Alaoui, general secretary of the Morocco Greens, shared the challenges of Green organizing in her country. The Green Party there was founded in June 1992 and is officially known today as Le Parti des Verts pour le DÈveloppementóthe Party of Greens for Development.

In 2002 and again in 2006 the Greens submitted their party statutes and other required registration documents to become an official national party, but the Interior Ministry that handles elections refused to issue them ëreceipts’ (official recognition) in other than a few localities. In response, Green University delegates passed the following “Rabat Declaration” (see box). If the Greens gain national party status, they hope to win seats for the first time in the 325-member Assembly of Representa≠tives in 2012.

Others making presentations about the status of Green politics in Africa and beyond included two of Africa’s three representatives on the Global Green Coord≠i≠nationóAdamou Garba (Niger) and Frank Habineza (Rwanda), both whom proceeded afterward to Tunisia on a fact finding mission about Green parties there. On the final day a panel discussion focused on the issue of chemical weapons used by the Israeli army against civilian populations and children in Gaza; and Alaoui received an award in recognition of her work in support of children there.

Greens win regional seats in Senegal

On March 22nd, Greens known as the FÈdÈration DÈmocratique des Ecologistes du SÈnÈgal (FEDES) won approximately 100 seats in local elections across Sene≠gal, concentrated in the suburbs of the capital city Dakar, as well as in other regions.

Perhaps the biggest victory was that of Haidar El Ali, who was elected second vice-president on the Dakar Regional Coun≠cil. The Dakar rÈgion encompasses the city of Dakar and all its suburbs along the Cape Verde Peninsula; and the Regional Council has extensive powers to manage economic development, transportation and environmental protection issues at the regional level, and thus, to coordinate the actions of the communes below them. A long-time defender of the marine environment, El Ali will be vice-president in charge of environmental affairs.

Elsewhere, a Professor of Interna≠tional Law at UniversitÈ Gaston Berger in Saint Louis and a well-known Green organizer Papa Meissa Dieng was elected to a position inside the mayoral office in Diurbel, a city of 100,000 about 145 kilometers east of Dakar.

First Town Hall run by Greens in Mali

On April 26th, the Parti Ecologiste du Mali (Ecologiste Party of Mali) group from the Mali-URD (Union pour la RÈpublique et la DÈmocratie or Union for the Republic and Democracy) won nine seats out of 11 in Tienfala, a town of about 4,200 on the Niger River in the south-west of Mali, about 30 kilometers from the capital city of Bamako. Among these nine, four Green municipal candidates were elected, including the mayor.

According to the party President, Diallo Fadimata Bintou Toure, †”Tienfala is the first local government district to be run on Greens ideas, positions and means. Because of this, and given the geographical position of our country, we intend to make Tienfala the general headquarters of the Party and a meeting place for Greens in West Africa.”

The significance of this choice cannot be overstated because in some ways, Tienfala is a microcosm of environmental issues facing Mali and much of Africa. One of the poorest nations in the world, Mali ranks 175 out of 177 in the United Nations Development Report 2006. Two thirds of the country is covered in desert and this harsh environment is deteriorating further as rainfall is decreasing. Sixty percent of Mali’s population lives below the poverty line and only between 30 per≠cent to 50 percent have access to clean water. As a result, water-related diseases are common and child mortality is very high.

At one point, the situation in Tienfala was so bad more than 5,000 people left the village to escape the blinding effects of trachoma and river blindness resulting from contaminated water, leaving it virtually deserted. Even government representatives were unwilling to be posted there because of these diseases. Now the Greens hope to be part of the ecological and social rejuvenation of the town and the region.

Greens politics to save Africa – Invitation to the First African Green University

University in Morocco will allow the scientific community to discuss the current state of ecological knowledge on saving Africa and identify major research needs for future projects, in order to coordinate African Greens’ collective action to establish a South-South cooperation and an egalitarian partnership with the North.

Currently Africa is a continent where neo-liberal globalization has had very dramatic consequences: famines, epidemics, civil wars, deforestation and desertification, human rights infringements, relocation of polluting industries, toxic waste dumping etc.

What alternative Green politics can we offer to save Africa and stop the rest of the world pillaging Africa’s human and natural resources? How will African Greens Parties and non-governmental organizations view proposals of good governance and democracy and true participative and sustainable development? This meeting aimed to bring together international, Eur≠opean and Maghreb expertise to perfect technological progress in environment and ecology. Researchers and professionals had an opportunity to establish an agenda of scientific and cultural exchange.

Attendees at the African Green University

Approved by Consensus by the regional Green representatives from seven countries at the African Green University, March 27th, 2009

Demand that the government of Morocco:

• Authorizes the Moroccan Green Party for Development for the whole country including provinces and prefectures
• Recognizes the party and allows the members of the party to participate in electoral campaigns
• Allows the party to publicize its electoral campaign over state radio and television as other parties do
• Allows it to be brought to national attention that the modified constitutional statutes of the party were submitted for registration on time according to the Sheriffís dahir of the 14th February 2006 03-29.

Report from the Berlin Congress
by Phil Hill, German Greens

The second Party congress of the Ger≠man Greens this year was the result of the crowded electoral calendar. After the first party congress in Dortmund in January, at which candidates for the June 4thís European Parliamentary election were nominated, the Greens gathered again in Berlin from May 8 through 10 to pass the program for this Septemberís federal elections. After four years out of power, the party that brought Germanyís epoch-making energy turn-around from nuclear to renewablesóand did much to pass the Kyoto Climate Protocol, wants to get back to work implementing green policies.

German Greens hold up their vote at the Congress gathering in Berlin. photo by Tobi Specht

The candidates for September have already been nominated at state party conventions, and also already nominated were the “lead candidates” at the federal for the campaignóformer Environment Minister J¸rgen Trittin from Lower Saxony and former Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Minister Renate K¸nast of Berlin. These nominations carry no official weight, but do tell the voting public whom they can expect to see in the cabinet if the Greens become part of a coalition government: people with experience.

Between 1998 and 2005, when Trittin was Environmental Minister during the Red/Green coalition government with the Social Democrats (SPD), he was responsible for the countryís nuclear-power phase-out, scheduled to be completed in 2020, and was one of the key players worldwide in brokering the difficult Kyoto Protocol negotiations. Now he seems slated for the foreign ministry position, formerly held by Green Joschka Fisher, if the voters give their okay.

In her prior role, K¸nast restructured what had been a purely “agribusiness min≠≠istry” into a modern administration that promoted organic farming and upgraded consumer rights to the cabinet level. In a co≠alition government that includes the Greens, she could resume her former position.

A miracle could yet happen and the Greens could find themselves back in power come September.

A Green New Deal

At the Congress, the approximately 700 Green delegates also broke out of these “traditional” areas of expertise and tackled thorny economic and social policy issues. Central was the demand for a Green New Deal, with which the economy could be revitalized by investment in Green production, particularly in the energy area. While that may sound like an echo of Obamaís campaignóand the Greens were happy to make that connection themselves óthe fact is that federal policy in the United States has a long way to go to catch up with the accomplishments just of the last Red-Green government. An American visitor, David Foster, director of the Blue Green Alliance (“blue for blue-collar, a labor-environmental group) addressed the congress at length, saying a green economy and a unionized economy would necessarily go hand-in-hand.

In social policy, with teachers being an important long-time party constituency, the Greens emphasized that education is one of the key elements of a new green social policy, which is based on drawing marginalized people back into society, rather than simply putting them on welfare. After the political and policy disaster of the welfare cuts imposed by the Schrˆder government (with Green participation) in 2003, the Greens have back-pedaled and are demanding increases in the level of welfare benefits, as well as removal of some co-payment provisions in the health-care system.

In foreign policy, the goal will be strengthening international law in order to push back violence as a conflict-resolution tool. As a result of the Kosova War, the party has moved largely towards a consensus on supporting the doctrine of the international communityís “responsibility to protect” people who are endangered by dictatorial oppression and violence, as long as it is under a UN mandate. Thatís a shift away from the pacifist position the party held for many years. In Afghanistan the Greens support German involvement, which has opposed the “bomb first, ask later” approach of the US., emphasizing productive efforts, such as decreasing violence through promoting local development and alternatives to the poppy trade. There is hope among many German Greens Obama will change from this approachóas there is hope for him generallyóbut, of course, the jury is still out.

Ekin Deligˆz is a German Green of Turkish origin and currently serves as a member of the German Bundestag. photo by Tobi Specht

Greens in Coalition Government?

At a meeting of the leftist caucus, one of the partyís two major wings, there was hardly any controversy, since all the groupís demands seemed to be accepted by the party as a whole. The biggest issue going into the convention was which coalition partners to approach after the electionói.e., how to put the program into practice. Due to the entrenchment of a five-party system since reunification 19 years ago, it has been increasingly difficult to put together a viable coalition here, since the “Left Party,” as the former East German Com≠mu≠nist Party now calls itself, is an unacceptable coalition partner for all except the Greens. This means even a left-of-center majority, which has existed for the past ten years, (the Greens, the Left, plus the large SPD), does not yield a governing majority, since the SPD and the “Left” wonít work together.

The leftist caucus within the Greens wants to change that. But the trouble is that they arenít the ones who can do it. This issue must be worked out between the Left Party and the SPD. The more moderate “Realo” caucus wants to explore possibilities of a coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkelís ruling conservative Christian Demo≠cratic Union (CDU), or the smaller free-market-liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

The compromise reached was that the Greens issued no statement in favor of any particular coalition. They absolutely excluded only a coalition of the CDU, FPD and Greens, but would consider a three-party leftist coalition, a “traffic-light coalition” with the SPD and the FDP (whose party color is yellow), or even a two-way coalition with the CDUótheoretically. But all these combinations are un≠likely given the current party positions on the issues.

The most likely possibility for greening the government is still a two-party “Red/Green” coalition with the SPD. Still the polls, which have improved slightly of late, show that would require about a ten-point shift of support away from the CDU, the FDP and the “Left.” This is not likely, considering Germanyís traditionally stable voter behavior, but this year may be different, thanks to the world economic crisis. If some major earthquake strikes, if the current internal crisis of the “Left” party deepens, and if support for Merkel is seen as eroding in the European election and in several state elections, which will precede the federal vote, a miracle could yet happen and the Greens could find themselves back in power come September.

Tarek Al-Wazir, Green Party Co-Chair and parliamentarian in the State of Hesse. photo by Tobi Specht

Phil Hill is a former Green organizer from the United States who now makes his home in Berlin, Germany and is an active member of the German Greens.