Green Party vows to get 51 ballot lines in 2008
Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org
Monday, July 16, 2007
Originally Released Sunday, July 15, 2007
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org
Greens at national party meeting pledge to seek 51 ballot lines for 2008
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West Virginia's Mountain Party joins the Green Party
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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
2007 Green Party National 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). Jim Coplen
(Indiana) and Budd Dickinson (California) were 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
1711 18th Street NW
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
