GPUS-SC Conference Call
27 February 2006
9:00 p.m. EDT
Participants:
Marc Sanson, Holly Hart, Budd Dickinson, Jody Haug, Rebecca Rotzler, Jake Schneider, Brent McMillan, Steve Kramer, Gwen Wages, Emily Citkowski
Facilitators: Jody
Time-keeper: Steve
Abbreviations used:
AC = Accreditation Committee
ANM, ANMC = Annual National Meeting Committee
BAWG = Ballot Access Working Group
BRPP = Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures Committee
BC = Black Caucus
CC = Coordinating Committee
CCC = Coordinated Campaign Committee
CG SC = Campus Greens Steering Committee
ComCom = Communications Committee
DC = Diversity Committee
DIA = Democracy in Action internet service
DRC = Dispute Resolution Committee
FC = Fundraising Committee
FEC = Federal Election Commission
GP = Green Party
IC = International Committee
LC = Lavender Caucus
NPWG = Nominating Process Working Group
NWC = National Women’s Caucus
PEC = Presidential Exploratory Committee
PCSC = Presidential Campaign Support Committee
SC = Steering Committee
SPWG = Strategic Plan Working Group
[Brackets denote editor’s suggested corrections. Some punctuation corrections done with no content change. -ed.]
I. STAFF REPORTS
a. BRENT
POLITICAL DIRECTOR
CCC met last night. March 1 is the deadline for candidates applying for resources, 4 submittals so far, 3-4 campaigns let CCC know they plan to submit.
CCC blog is up, linked to CCC page, will probably do a notice to NC when CCC is ready to make it more formal and ask webmanager create a link on homepage to promote.
CCC voted to ask that CCC co-chairs have administrative access to the blog; reasons given, can only post comments but not topics, at this point. NO DECISION TAKEN.
Discussed establishing political intern at nat’l office, talked about duties; will have draft by next Sunday.
Idaho – ballot agreement with Natural Law Party fell apart; NLP made platform demands which GP-Idaho could not support.
PA convention, waiting for results; MA convention soon, expecting several candidates to be announced.
FUNDRAISING
Re-solicitation from officeholders. Supply problems with printer. [Secretary had to make call, didn’t get gist of rest of this discussion.]
b. EMILY – Office
Amended Logo Proposal. Merchandise Group held call Sunday to discuss logo policy. Agreed that they supported suggestion to encourage states to use their own address along with gp.org address. Appeals process stated the NC could make a decision for using the logo if state party had not allowed it; group agreed that this circumvented state party authority, so struck those sentences. Also addressed the issue of a Green Party in a non-affiliated state. Next 24 hours for discussion, and if there are no further concerns, will send out revised policy.
Executive session – 10:02 p.m. – approx. 10:30 p.m.
(Legal/personnel matters)
II. Treasurer’s Report – Jake
a. Funds are stable. A large debt will be coming in with first quarter of state sharing, up to approx $13,000.
b. Venezuela Solidarity Conference
Question was whether to approve $100 for G-PAX to have a table at this conference; or $100 for G-PAX to have a table and be listed as a co-sponsor of this event. FinCom approved $100 from G-PAX budget, pending SC approval.
SC had requested input from the International Committee. International Committee didn’t comment, but co-chair Julia Willebrand thought this was a worthwhile event to participate in.
PROPOSE – Jody – approve $100 for GPAX tabling. AGREED, Consensus.
PROPOSE – Jody – approve GPAX sponsorship. Gwen – friendly amendment: advise G-PAX of problem, that there is no GPUS policy. Accepted.
Holly – No
Rebecca – Yes
Budd – Yes
Marc – No
Jake – Yes
Gwen – Yes
Steve – Yes
Jody – Yes
Unclear what endorsement, sponsorship and tabling permit means.
Discussion about lack of clarity on policy, what was being proposed.
Steve wants to move on and not re-visit issue.
Gwen would like to change her vote.
PROPOSE – Gwen – to overturn the previous proposal; then, inform G-PAX that they may table, but GPUS has no policy on this and we can make no endorsement.
Discussion:
Rebecca – G-PAX wanted endorsement of this particular event, not comfortable with going back on the vote.
Budd – feels the need for some leeway for something not in platform
Jody – G-PAX endorses, not specifically GPUS.
Marc – G-PAX is not an independent entity, if G-PAX endorses, GPUS endorses. We are advocating policy outside of GPUS process.
Holly – concern about committee or caucus endorsement outside of GPUS policy.
Has not been allowed on caucuses or committees to create new policy.
Gwen – Yes
Steve – No
Jake – No
Marc – Abstain
Budd – No
Rebecca – No
Holly – Yes
Jody – Abstain
Jake objects to Abstentions, not allowed.
Again:
Gwen – Yes
Steve – No
Jake – No
Marc – No, shouldn’t overturn proposal we just passed
Budd – No
Rebecca – No
Holly – Yes
Jody – No, same as Marc
Marc asked this concern be stated for the record:
Neither the SC nor G-PAX have the authority to commit the GPUS to a position outside of the GNC decision making process. Solidarity with the Chavez regime is not in our platform and the GNC has never taken a position on it. This is a policy decision for the GNC to make, not the SC or G-PAX.
Holly noted: several past NC decisions stipulate that committees and caucuses are not allowed to create GPUS policy outside of platform and NC resolution process. Committees do not have the ability to create new policy for GPUS.
III. SC Co-chair Elections Working Group – Steve, WG Rep.
Ask about work session/conference call on BRPP paper
No response, yet. Steve and Holly asked on list for someone to be on call, but no response. Steve will make phone calls. Jody will help track down phone numbers.
PROPOSE – Marc – to ask WG to submit, in writing, a revised timeline, progress report, and confirmation of their participation from each member, to the SC by Friday, March 10. If no response is forthcoming, the SC will discuss making replacement appointments to the working group on our 3/13 conference call.
AGREED
IV. VOTING QUEUE – Holly
ADOPTED
Nothing New
FAILED
#201 – GPs of ILL/MO/RI/ARK/OK/ME/WI
Bylaw Amendment – Steering Committee Recall
Filed, 2/20/06
– After consultation over various concerns, proposal has been amended and re-submitted, see below
DISCUSSION
#207 – SC: Policy for State Party and Local Chapter Use of GPUS Earthflower Logo
Discussion through 3/5/06
Voting period: 3/6/06 – 3/12/06
Haug// 2/3
NOTE: Merchandise group held a conference call Sunday (2/26/06); plan to offer an amendment.
#208 – SC: Delegate Apportionment Committee Election
Discussion through 3/5/06
Voting period: 3/6/06 – 3/12/06
Haug// STV election for 8 seats
#209 – SC: Delay DAC Election and Amendment of Proposal #175 to Include GPUS Caucuses
Discussion through 2/26/06
Voting period: 2/27/06 – 3/5/06
Sanson// 1/2
NOTE: If adopted, more candidates may be added to the current list; if not adopted, DAC election (Proposal #208) continues as it was.
RECEIVED for VOTING QUEUE
received, 2/22/06; PCSC – GPUS PCSC Mission and Objectives
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
Floor manager: Marc// 1/2
received, 2/26/06; GPs of ILL/RI/WI – Proposed Bylaws Amendment – Steering Committee Recall
–after consulting over various concerns, the failed proposal #201 was amendment and is now re-submitted.
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
Floor manager: Budd// 2/3
will be received by 2/26/06; 4 SC members – SC impeachment – vote to remove 5 SC members
Floor Manager: Steve// 2/3 vote to remove
Steve will write explanation of what Yes and No votes means to add to the proposal.
OLD BUSINESS
V. Black Caucus – Gwen
Brent – liked Jody’s recent question on “census” and if there is a date at which the count is set. Speaking as a former member of the AC, maybe it’s time to take a look at this. Maybe we need to look at how this is configured, say every two years a “census” for states and caucuses.
Marc – suggests, in anticipation of Delegate Apportionment Committee needs, we consider asking AC to contact all states and caucuses to confirm and report the number of delegates each state/caucus is entitled to.
Jody – need directive from SC. SC needs proposal to NC to put forward.
PROPOSE – SC will write a proposal to the NC for SC to direct AC to ask states and caucuses to report on their numbers and Congressional District activity every 2 years. Jody and Gwen will work on proposal to run by SC before sending out.
PROPOSE – Marc – that until otherwise decided, we recognize BC chairs and delegates.
PROPOSAL WITHDRAWN. Will discuss in next call two weeks from now. Have an SC resolution put forward to NC. Rebecca will also bring to DivCom, see if they will put in official complaint.
Executive session 11:15 p.m. – 11:33 p.m.
(Legal/personnel matter)
VI. MOU w/ Workers’ Party of Pakistan – Gwen
International Committee will be giving input. Question of working w/ WPP and info on GP-PAK
Marc asks for deadline to get response back to AMA.
Secretary will send note to Dr Saeed that, without an agreement from GP-Pak, we cannot establish a MOU with WPP.
Gwen – would like IC to have that formal opportunity to discuss. Two weeks for IC to discuss, get info back.
VII. Legal Team – Steve
Contacted Sally Stix, Marakay Rogers, Mark Miller. Calling some on list Holly had provided.
Executive session. 11:45 p.m. – 11:46 p.m.
(Legal matters)
VIII. Forum Managers
They now have a listserv they requested.
2 issues suggested to be brought to them: 1) person who sent an email directed at Budd Dickinson has resigned, issue now moot; 2) racist message some received was not sent to the national lists.
IX. SC listserv observers. No action until clarified by NC.
TABLED ‘TIL NEXT CALL
-Committee activity and accounting will be the first item on next agenda after staff and treasury reports.
-Proposal on Proposals, from 2001.
NEXT CALL: March 13, 2006. 9:00 p.m. ET
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
2/27/06
Minimally edited and HTML formatted by Charlie Green