{news} Fw: Green Line October 2005

Fri Oct 28 20:53:19 EDT 2005

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Green Party of the United States 
To: capeconn at comcast.net 
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 8:47 PM
Subject: Green Line October 2005


            October 2005
           
           
            News Headline
           

            Green Party Candidate Gloria Mattera Makes Brooklyn History 


            Representatives of Gloria Mattera's Green Party Campaign for Brooklyn Borough President announced that contributions to the campaign have exceeded the threshold for 4 to 1 matching funds from New York City's Campaign Finance program. 
            "I am proud to be the first Green Party candidate eligible for matching funds for this office," said Mattera. "This demonstrates tremendous support for our campaign from city residents who are tired of watching [the incumbent] Marty Markowitz act as a doormat for Bruce Ratner and other developers who want to take over our city. The Campaign Finance Program levels the playing field for candidates such as myself who do not accept corporate campaign contributions, and is a wonderful tool in support of grass roots democracy." 

                  Mattera and other Brooklyn Greens have been working with local activists in the Don't Destroy Brooklyn Coalition to head off an attempt by billionaire developer Bruce Ratner to seize homes and businesses to build a sports arena and luxury condominiums. Mattera is challenging the plan and has publicly exposed the secret sweetheart deals between current president, Markowitz and Ratner. Mattera calls for a moratorium on big scale development of high rises and big box stores until developers agree to involve the community in decision-making and commit to maintaining the integrity of existing neighborhoods.

                  To qualify, program participants running for Brooklyn Borough President must receive a total of $49,307 from at least 100 eligible contributors with a maximum amount of $250 applying toward matching funds, which will be at least $200,000 for the Mattera Campaign.
                  

            NY Green Robyn Sklar running for New York City Council in Queens also qualified matching funds of apx. $27,000 - a first for a Green running in NY.


            For more information on the Mattera campaign http://www.electgloria.org/


            Greens Pay Tribute to Rosa Parks 

                 We mourn the passing of Rosa Parks, and encourage Americans to recognize that the struggle for human rights and freedoms -- of which Ms. Parks remains a towering symbol -- is far from over.

                  "The best way to remember Rosa Parks' courage in 1955 is to rededicate ourselves to civil rights in 2005," said Rick Tingling-Clemmons, Black Caucus delegate to the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States. "Ms. Parks' act of civil disobedience on a bus led to passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which enforced the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law. The obstruction and manipulation of votes in the 2000 and 2004 elections -- especially African American votes -- demonstrate that the civil rights movement isn't over, that we're still fighting for the right to vote for all Americans."

                  To read the entire press release go to: http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2005_10_26.sh tml  

            Voters Choose IRV

            According to a new study commissioned by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and conducted by San Francisco State University, voters who have had the opportunity to use Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), (also called Instant Runoff Voting, or IRV), prefer it to the old system. 61% of polling place voters and 77% of absentee voters preferred the system where the voter can rank candidates according to choice and have their second or third choice counted if their first or second choice is eliminated. (If your first choice is for someone who does not receive a predetermined minimum percentage of votes, then all those votes are eliminated and your second choice is then counted and so on.) 46% of voters polled (versus the 3% with the traditional system) felt with Ranked Choice Voting they will be more likely to vote for their preferred candidate rather than choose between the "lesser of two evils". Almost all of the voters polled (87%) felt that they understood how Ranked Choice Voting works, indicating that it would be easy to adapt in other communities. Ross Mirkarimi, a Green Party member, currently holds office on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the body which commissioned the study.

            The complete report is availabel here:
            http://pri.sfsu.ed u/reports/SFSU-PRI_RCV_final_report_June_30.pdf 
            Green Party Vows Support as Elaine Brown Fights Disqualification

            WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders pledged support for Elaine Brown, Green candidate for Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia, after the Glynn County Board of Elections announced that Ms. Brown was disqualified from participating in the November 8 election. "It's obvious that Elaine was seen as a significant threat to powerful wealthy interests who wanted her removed from the race," said Rev. Zach Lyde, a member of the Glynn County Green Party. "We believe these same interests influenced the Glynn County Board of Elections." 

                  "Elaine Brown was running a people's campaign, defending Brunswick's majority African American and poor population against 'Blueprint Brunswick', a development plan according to which the city will evict thousands from their homes, using sweeping powers of eminent domain," Rev. Lyde added. "This was a Republican hatchet job against a strong, credible candidate seen as a viable threat. We will assist in whatever way we can with Elaine's legal challenge in Glynn County Superior Court."
                  

            Ms. Brown has asserted that her residency was sufficiently established by November 5, 2004, when she registered to vote in Brunswick, in accord with the one-year residency requirement for a candidate to appear on the ballot on November 8, 2005. Ms. Brown has cited a Georgia Supreme Court decision confirming that registration in time for the election in which a candidate seeks to participate is sufficient for the purpose of seeking local office. 

            Green Parties throughout the U.S. have fought to overturn restrictive ballot access laws. Greens noted in September, 2004, that while Democrats attempted to disqualify independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader in Florida on technicalities, a 'gentlemen's agreement' between Democrats and Republicans allowed the state of Florida to ignore the fact that George W. Bush's campaign had missed the September 1 filing deadline to place Mr. Bush on the ballot. Greens have faced similar double standards in numerous races . 

            Ms. Brown challenged the decision at a Glynn County Superior Court hearing on Thursday. Supporters of her campaign held a rally before and after the hearing. A decision is expected on Monday, October 31, 2005. 

            MORE INFORMATION: 
            http://www.gp.org/
            http://www.greens.org/georgia/
            http://www.elainebrown.org


            Green Party online shopping just got easier! To Order: online store. 

                        Make your friends GREEN with envy. Become a card-carrying Green today!


                              Buy Your Green Party Card Online
                              (or download a PDF order form).
                             
                        The latest, coolest item in the wallets of progressives is the personalized Green Party Card. For $36.00 a year* you can be a card-carrying Green. When you become an active supporter of the Green Party of the United States, you'll receive our spanking-new card, which shows the world that you stand committed to time-honored progressive values like liberty, equality, democracy, social justice, personal responsibility and focus on the future. In addition, you will receive a Green Party button and bumper sticker, a one-year subscription to Green Pages, plus all of the information you need to get involved and active as a Green. Half of your contribution will be shared with your state's Green Party. The Future is Green!

                        Order Your Green Party Card Online Today

                        -------------
                        Federal law requires political committees to use their best effort to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Contributions form the following individuals and entities are prohibited: corporations, labor organizations, national banks, government contractors, people under 18 years of age, and foreign nationals.

                        *$36.00 is roughly equivalent to the $1.00 paid for a one-year membership in the Populist Party of the 1890s. The Populist Party was a multiracial, progressive, grassroots third party of working people which agitated for many popular progressive reforms. The Green Party of the 21st century continues the Populist's fight for citizen empowerment and progressive reforms at all levels today.
                       

                  Register Green. Vote Green. Give Green. 
                  The Green Party does not accept corporate donations. We depend entirely on donations from people who are committed to building a powerful and progressive alternative to the two corporate parties. 

                  We ask you to challenge corporate influence in politics by supporting the Green Party of the United States! Show your resistance to the status quo by enabling us to continue organizing and mobilizing for real change. Please help us get out our positive, progressive values to new communities, and to deepen our involvement where we're already anchored.

                  Support us today and please consider becoming a sustainer (look for the recurring donation option).

                  Green Party online shopping just got easier! Visit our improved online store.
                 
                  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
                  DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL
                  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
                  All comments, feedback and content suggestions should be sent to:
                  office at gp.org.

                  You've been reading Green Line, the monthly e-newsletter of the Green Party of the United States. Subscribe for free at gp.org.

                  Click here to unsubscribe.

                  Paid for by the Green Party of the United States
                 
           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/150 - Release Date: 10/27/2005
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist10.pair.net/mailman/private/ctgp-news/attachments/20051028/056c4770/attachment.html>