2007 GPUS Annual National Meeting – Sunday

Agenda For Plenary Session – 2007 Annual National Meeting
Sunday morning – 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
July 15, 2007

Facilitators: Lynne Serpe, Julia Willebrand

9:00 am – Opening and Roll Call
Lynne Serpe opened the meeting.
Quorum not met, but consensus of group to move forward; delegates trickled in quickly as the meeting was starting. We note here, who was on time!

22 states/caucuses present out of 48.
ALA
ASK
AZ
ARK
Black Caucus
CA
CO – 1 delegate
CT – 1 (of 5) delegate
DC – 2 delegates
DE – 1 delegate, 1 proxy
FLA – 3 (of 4) delegates
GA -2 d
HI –
ID
IL –
IN – 1d, 1p
IA – 2d
KS
Lavender Caucus –
LA
ME
MD – 2d
MA
MI – 1 (out of 6) delegate
MO –
MN – 1d, 1p
MS
MT – 1d
NE
NV
NJ – 1d (out of 3_
NMex
NY – 2d (out of 10)
NC – 2d
OK
OH
OR
PA – 2d (out of 6)
RI – 1 d, 2p
SC
TN – 2d
TX – 3d
UT – 2d
VT
VA – 1d (out of 2)
WA
WVA
WI
WY
National Women’s Caucus – 1d

Agenda Approval

9:05 am – State and Caucus Reports
Nan Garret , GA – GA has started earlier than ever before this year to get signatures for ballot access. 2 new campus greens chapters. Call for petiioning help – “if your’e vacationing in GA, help us out.”

Romney Philpott , CO – had a good state meeting in Carbondale; Tom Kelly, former co-chair and others in Veterans Against the War have participated in anti-war events

Mary Stone, HI – Jim Brewer & Rene joined the Green Party last summer, ran as Independents, but ran as Green for gov/lt gov. There are 200 Greens in HI. An earthquake occurred, disrupting TV debate. They mounted a legal issue in terms of in-kind money spent on debate. They lost ballot access. They are energized about growing, focusing on ballot.

Drew Johnson, Disability Caucus – hovering around the 100 members needed for accreditation, working through P&P’s. Discussion of some incidents where disabled people were taken advantage of, getting involved in advocacy. Interested in being inolved in planning for these conventions to advise on access, put a priority on caring for disabled people.

John Miglietta, TN – several active locals in TN, looking to grow esp. in west Tn and rural counties; ran 4 candidates for federal office, including Howard Switzer for governer. Their US Senate candidate was the only anti-war candidate. Radio Free Nashville (7 p, CDT Sundays – www.raduiofreenashvile.org). Campaign school August 24-26. Spending a lot of time on ballot access, process of filing papers to challenge TN ballot access law.

Deanna Taylor, UT – in middle of ballot access petition drive. Only need 2000 signatures, but could use volunteers. Ran 6 candidates in 2006. At the forefront of Stop the Divine Strake, which was successful of getting the test stopped through direct action, public input and sessions.

Elie Yarden, MA: Green Party andRainbow Party form coalition of Mass. Green party. Recovered ballot status through successful slate of candidates run (gov, lt gove, sos, treasurer), in some places getting 18% of the vote. Seeking a candidate to run against John Kerry, important in terms of international politics. Formed a strategic planning work group to build the party.

Liz Arnone, NJ: lawsuit w/ Libertarians against NJ ballot access restrictions, optimistc. 18 candidates currently running for office, about 22 locals. Issues include Oyster Creek Nuke Plant, road privatization, Wal-Mart.

Bill Oldfather, MN – IRV passed in Minneapolis, the Green Party was instrumental in getting that through. WIll be voted on this year in St Paul. A number of candidates, about 5 winners.

Tm McKee, CT – most Greens elected to office was in New Haven in the ’80’s – uit’s time for the rest to start catching up. Introduces Cliff Thornton (war on drugs), Charlie Pillbsury Gary Trudeau’s roommate – the original Doonesbury). New terrible ballot access laws, they are in court.

Kat Swift, NWC – completed a candidate endorsement process, endorsed Katey Culver (Congress, TN) & Rae Vogler (Senate, WI). ? number of women out of 66 Green winners in the 2006 elections. Gail McLaughlin became Mayor of Richmond, CA. Kat got 30% of vote for San Antonio city council, running against Mary Cisneros,

Sanda Everett, CA – Ran a full slate. Successful legislation passed by Greens in office (eliminating plastic bags in San Franscisco). 47% of the vote for a Green candidate in Oakland, leading to run-off. There is now interest in IRV in that city.

David Berenson, Anita Rios, OH – ran 3 statewide candidates in 200; very difficult to get signatures, can’t even use Green name. Rios/ Fitrakis for gov/lt gov, Kettler for sec of state. Ohio got rid of Kenneth Blackwell.!

Glen Hopkins, Lavender Caucus – reminds people the caucus exists, is active doing things. Asks delegates – “If it walks liek a duck and talks like a duck, it may be a duck” – to invite people to join.

Gray Newman, NC – got local option IRV this part year; 4 largest towns will be using it for their local elections. Got same-day voter registration. Gray waas re-elected to soil and water conservation board with 57,000 votes.

Gloria Mattera, NY: 23,000 registered Greens, 5 officeholders, ran full slate in 2006; didn’t achieve ballot status, but did well, including comptroller candidate Julia Willebrand with 118,000 votes – highest ever. In 2007, elected Edgar Rodqiguez, trustee, Romacelli, Brighton to Boards of Education. Running several candidates, currently. Green Fest in western NY in August. Alison Duncan last year for lt gov, the first ever openly gay candidate in NYState.

Phil Huckelberry, IL – Rich Whitney (2006 candidate for gov) is likely to run again in 2010; ran a number of other candidates in 2006; currently have 5 declared candidates for Congress. Are now a major party in Illinois, and have an informal goal of beating NY and having 108 candidates in 2008.

Holly Hart, IA – Greens involved in pushing successful verified voting legislation. Green-Libertarian party registration lawsuit -successful – the Sec of State settled out of court; Greens are an integral part of events, films and readings, work with peace activists. Libris Fidelis signs can be found through a google search.

9:30 am – SC Election Results and Certification – Election Tabulation Committee;
Tony Affigne, Alfred Mollison, Esther Choi, Kai Scchwandes, Mike Gilllis

Pursuant to Proposal #222,adopted June 18, 2006, Rules 7 Procedures,
Section C.1, results were:

Co-chair: Phil Huckelberry (IL), Jason Nabewaniec (NY); Kristen Olson (MN), Budd Dickinson (CA)

Secretary: Holly Hart (IA)

Report included a tabulation; the committee conducted a verification of all ballots, photocopied. The original copies sealed and signed by the 5 members of the committee. Facsimile will be posted online. Copies of tabulation print-outs are available.

9:40 am – Thanks to Outgoing SC Co-chairs
Thanks and commemorative plaques were presented to Steve Kramer, Rebecca Rotzler and Katey Culver.

Announcements and more State Reports
Maine Raffle winner – Celeste McCourt???

MerchCom, Jon Olsen – record sales of merchandise this week. A record of $1300 yesterday, also had a donation of $1200. About 3500 for the weekend. Have bulk orders available here. Now offering tabling kits.

Calls for help with ballot petitioning in AZ and TX.

10:00 am – Catherine Austin Fitts presentation
The former Bush administration economist advisor presented 6 sections about how money works in government and communities that would inform a political party building an economic base, including one that will support them. She presented a riveting talk on the centralization of financial resources, and aggregate negative return on investment. We are funding our enemies (whether corporatins or foreign entities). Who knew economics was this intriguing! Check out her website:
http://www.solari.com/

12:00 noon – 2008 Convention Bid Presentations (MN & MI)
Detroit, Michigan – Presenter, Lou Novak
http://www.detroitgreens.org/anm08/

Minneapolis, Minnesota – Presenters, Annie Young and Cam Gordon
http://www.gpus2008.mngreens.org/

Announcements
Treasurer Jody Grage, and fundraising committee members Leslie Bonnet and Zool challenged and signed up new sustainers.

12:36 pm – Closing remarks
Jody thanked Ruth Weill, AnmCom chair, and gave her a mostly-finished knitted commemorative ceremonial green hat knitted by Jody. Jody asked for and got a standing ovation for Ruth Weill. She issued an invitation for delegates to join the AnmCom.

Ruth Weill thanked the local and state party, GPPA:

Hilary Aisenstein, Isabelle Buononcore, Randi Peters, Dave Kurzweg, Jenarro Pullano, Jessica Ashman, Mercedes ?, Diane White, Marakay Rogers, Jay Sweeney, Vivek Ananthan, Charles Sherrouse, Alexander Gillett, Titus North, Bob Small.

Special thanks to Emily Citkowski, GPUS operations Director. Thanks to Intrnr, Jess Powerman.

[ADDITIONALLY – MANY THANKS TO THOSE WHO RECORDED AND VIDEOTAPED MANY OF THE MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND OTHER EVENTS! WE HOPE GREENS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SERVICE BY CHECKING OUT THEIR WORK ON THE WEBSITE AT http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/ – ]

George Martin led closing chant, “green and growing!”

12:40 pm – Adjourn

 

7/15/07
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS