{news} GP RELEASE Greens, at 2007 nat'l meeting, vow to get 51 ballot lines in 2008

Mon Jul 16 11:37:07 EDT 2007

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Sunday, July 15, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org

Greens at national party meeting pledge to seek 51 ballot lines for 2008

. West Virginia's Mountain Party joins the Green Party

. More updates from the Green Party's 2007 meeting in Reading, Pa., July 
12-15

READING, PA. -- The 2007 national meeting of the Green Party of the United 
States <http://www.gp.org/meeting2007> is underway in Reading, Pennsylvania, 
with over 300 state delegates, party leaders, and other Greens from nearly 
every state convening for party business, workshops, and preparations for 
the 2008 national election.

The meeting was hosted by Reading Greens, Berks County Greens 
<http://www.berksgreenparty.org>, and the Green Party of Pennsylvania 
<http://www.greenpartypa.org>.  Jennaro Pullano, Green candidate for Mayor 
of Reading <http://www.pullanoformayor.org>, was on hand to welcome Greens 
from all over the US.

Former Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney will screen the movie 'American 
Blackout' <http://www.americanblackout.com> and take questions from Greens 
on Sunday afternoon at the Green Party's meeting site, the Abraham Lincoln 
Wyndham Historic Hotel, in the Presidential Ballroom at 2:00 pm today 
(Sunday, July 15).  The address of the hotel is 100 North Fifth Street in 
downtown Reading, 877-999-3223 
<http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/RDGHT/main.wnt>.

Highlights of the Green Party meeting:

. The Green Party of the United States announced its goal of 51 ballot lines 
in every state and the District of Columbia in preparation for the 2008 
election, with a pledge to commit party resources for this purpose.  19 
states (including DC) currently have ballot access.  More information: 
<http://www.gp.org/statelist.shtml>

. The West Virginia Mountain Party <http://www.mtparty.org> was admitted to 
the Green Party as a state affiliate.  There are now 46 state parties 
(including the District of Columbia) affiliated with the Green Party of the 
United States.

. On Saturday, July 14, consumer advocate and former presidential candidate 
Ralph Nader and former Green candidate Carl Romanelli, who ran for the US 
Senate in 2006, spoke at a press conference and party rally about 
Pennsylvania's grossly unfair and antidemocratic election laws, and about 
how state Democratic politicians and lawyers have abused the court system to 
block them from running and even penalized them for submitting ballots.  The 
Green Party will post links to video clips of speeches by Mr. Nader and Mr. 
Romanelli, as well as other party events, at the party's web site 
<http://www.gp.org>.

. Dr. Janet Eaton of the Green Party of Canada <http://www.greenparty.ca> 
spoke to US Greens at length on the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of 
North America" (SPP), calling it a secretive deal between Presidents George 
W. Bush (US), Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Canada), and President Vicente 
Fox (Mexico) to create an international trade alliance with no congressional 
oversight or public scrutiny.  Dr. Eaton warned that SPP, which is built on 
the foundation established by NAFTA, is a dire threat to environmental, 
labor, and economic protections and that it would expand global corporate 
power at the expense of democracy.  Dr. Eaton recommended transnational 
Green political opposition to SPP, with a special effort to inform the 
public about the deal, since it has received minimal mainstream media 
coverage, especially in the US.
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/policy/documents/deeper_look_spp
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/policy/spp_FAQ
Green Party International Committee: http://www.gp.org/committees/intl/

. The Green National Committee (GNC) elected new members of the party's 
steering committee: Phil Huckelberry (Illinois), Jason Nabewaniec (New 
York), and Kristen Olsen (Minnesota).  Budd Dickinson (California) was 
reelected, as was secretary Holly Hart (Iowa).  Steering committee members 
who will keep their seats until the 2008 national meeting are Liz Arnone 
(New Jersey), Sarah 'echo' Steiner (Florida), and treasurer Jody Grage 
(Washington).

. On Friday evening, July 13, the Green Party hosted a forum for candidates 
for the Green Party's 2008 presidential nomination.  The following 
candidates spoke:
Jared Ball http://www.voxunion.com
Sheila Bilyeu (web site TBA)
Dan Imperato (web site TBA)
Michael "Jingo" Jingozian http://www.resetamerica.com
Jesse Johnson (web site TBA)
Jerry Kann http://kannforpresident.net
Kent Mesplay http://www.mesplay.org
Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyawaisifza-Curry (for Vice President) (web site 
TBA)
Gail Parker http://www.gailparker.us
Joe Schriner http://www.voteforjoe.com
Kat Swift http://www.prezkat.info

The following candidates did not attend the event, but are still seeking the 
nomination:
Elaine Brown http://www.elainebrown.org
Paul Kangas (web site TBA)
Anita Rios (web site TBA)

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers

'Green for a Change': 2007 Green Party National Meeting in Reading, 
Pennsylvania, July 12-15
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007
http://www.gpanc.org

'Open Letter to Michael Moore' from the Green Party on 'Sicko,' health care 
reform
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_09.shtml
http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0710-03.htm

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