9:00 am – Noon
Messaging Work Session
Brent McMillan, Executive Director
George Martin called meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. Brent presnted opening announcements, including notice that the silent auction would close today.
Jill Bussiere and Jason Nabewaniec presented a summary of the SC’s face-to-face strategic planning meeting in February in D.C. The initial plan was to have a strategic planning meeting, but there was more business that had to be addressed. The strategic planning was begun there, and the idea is to have the assembly continue this work today.
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Brent McMillan presented a brief talk on getting our message across to the public, facing media blackout, greenwashing, etc. *[insert LINK TO ARCHIVE OF BRENT’s TALK] Since the ’04 Ohio recount, Greens have been more affected by infiltration and provocation. In 2005, national shared vision survey was taken, available to delegates. It was not followed up on, hope is that today will begin that follow-up.
In terms of what we are up against in terms of language and “framing.” We need to go where others can’t, as a guerilla party. Where are the opportunities? “No Go Zones”
Mentioned themes:
International/Middle East. Illegal wars – “now the Democrats’ wars.” We are up against Israel lobby – “The Israel Project 2009 global language dictionary”
Single-payer health care
Food security/re-locaiization effort throughout US including food production (Monsanto, which owns 90% of the gmo s on the planet is hiring p.r. firms to head off the localization effort) – recommended films are “Food Chain” and “The World According to Monsanto” French, English language version online – not released in this country)
Climate change – global change.gov – study on global warming, current effects, economics, region-by-region analysis, here is what to expect in 50 years.
Marriage equality
Election reform
In 2008, we got more votes for US House candidates than ever before, set individual records for both House & Senate candidates. 2006 biggest mid-term for third parties and indies since 19?? “DC is occupied territory, we need to take our country back.”
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Assembly used post-it notes to state important issues and/or narrow down what main issues should be. Delegates lined up to give one issue and up to a coupel sentences they beleive most important.
Delegates presented a post-it note with AN issue they feel is most important. Over lunch, notes were collated, and it was determined which Issues had the most support, and some which could be subsumed other others. Delegates then moved to parts of the room designated for the three top issues and formed working groups, met in other parts of the building, then reported back. Goal is to have specifics, action plan an implementation plan. [NOTE – this uses the Iowa Caucus method almost verbatim, except no slide rule or calculator were needed!]
I. SOME OF THE ISSUES WERE:
single-payer
advertise new paradigms, 350.org climate change of action; global climate change
drug war, criminal justice reform
global warming. environmental 9-11
change paradigm of how we discuss farm policy, green farm policy
break through media blackout about torture and secret prisons
no more wars; health care – stop the killing
green collar jobs – new green economy and effect all the others
more diverse gp
military spending
wars; legalize marijuana
getting Greens elected to office – priority
local election laws
reparations
single-payer health care
single-payer – if disappointed on nat’l level, can work on state level.
war on Starbucks
II. GROUPINGS
Human rights- war, international policy, public policy; reparations; human rights
Single-Payer
Food & Water; Global Warming/Climate Change
Green Economy
Reparations
Corporate Personhood
Drug War/criminal justice
Electoral Reform
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Each group chose a male and female speaker to speak for the group to explain why they think this issue is paramount.
ELECTION REFORM
Asa Gordon (DC), Anita Stewart (FLA)
Strategic – representation Integrity; access to debates; corporate influence; fair election policy
DRUG WAR
Julia Williebrand (NY); ?
incarceration of people can =- voter suppression
corporate prisons
CORPORATE PERSONHOOD
?, Nick Mellis (NJ?)
REPARATIONS
Hugh Esco (GA); Angela Knox (?)
Show moral leadership in the transformation of this culture
GREEN ECONOMY
Jennifer Sullivan (FLA); ?
Green Jobs
FOOD & WATER/CLIMATE CHANGE
Karen Jennings (MD); Michael Canney (FLA)
It’s in our name, it’s what peopel are looking to us for; needs to be a
primary focus
Building new green energy and transportation grids
SINGLE-PAYER
?; Theresa El-Amin (NC)
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III. THREE top ISSUES IDENTIFIED
FOOD & WATER/CLIMATE CHANGE
SINGLE-PAYER
HUMAN RIGHTS
NOON – more planning to come
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Delegates broke into three groups, to come up with an action plan: discuss complements, action items, persons to take specific responsibilities.
Dave Bosserman – Food & Water
Kat Swift – Human Rights
George Martin – Single Payer
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3:00 p.m. – AnmCom co-chair, Hillary Kane fundraising pitch
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3 Groups reported back
Standing committee meet to discuss these issues, how they inter-relate,
work plans