State Green Party Press Release

Vermont Green Party Calls for Withdrawing Troops from Iraq.

Vermont Green Party
www.vermontgreens.org

May 03, 2004

Party Members Select "None of the Above" in Presidential Caucus Voting, Opening the Door for Ralph Nader as the Potential Green Party Presidential Candidate

The Vermont Green Party is the first political party in Vermont to call for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The attendees strongly endorsed this resolution at their spring convention on May 1 in Montpelier.

In addition, the resolution calls for voiding all contracts with U.S. corporations, funding the cleanup of all toxic waste created by the war including depleted uranium, reparations for the Iraqi people, and rejecting pre-emptive war - all based on the Green Party key value of non-violence. The complete text of the resolution can be read on the Vermont Green Party web site www.vermontgreens.org.

Craig Chevrier, Chair of the Vermont Green Party said, "The passage of the resolution shows the resolve that many Vermonters feel in their opposition to the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. The Vermont Green Party encourages similar resolutions from other state political parties, and for our state and national elected officials to make policy decisions to implement the intent or the resolution."

At the meeting attendees used instant runoff voting to reach a majority decision on the state delegation's choice for presidential candidate. The winner was "None of the above", an option which allows for the endorsement of Ralph Nader, who is presently running as an independent. Vermont's eight delegates will take this preference to the national Green Party of the United States Convention in Milwaukee in late June. The attendees found Instant Runoff Voting very easy to use and the Green Party urges that it be adopted in governmental elections to provide for more democratic decision making.

"The caucus vote indicates our members' preference to support the potential endorsement of Ralph Nader's Independent campaign at the Green Party national convention in June rather than nominate a home-grown candidate," said Chevrier. If the voting goes similarly at the national convention in June, it's possible that Ralph Nader could receive an endorsement from the Green Party, and Nader would sit atop the ballot in Vermont as the Green Party Presidential candidate."

"This is a clear expression of Vermont Greens' preference for a nationally-recognizable candidate who can represent the Green position on issues and our vision for the future of politics and government in America in the national debate", Chevrier added.

In other business the attendees elected officers and members of steering committee. Officers elected were Chair, Craig Chevrier of Hinesburg; Vice-Chair, James Svendsen of Monkton; Treasurer, Laura Caratenuto of Hinesburg; Assistant Treasurer, Craig Hill of Montpelier; Secretary, James Robicsek of Westford; and Assistant Secretary, Trisha Novak of Hinesburg and members-at-Large elected were Meg Berlin of Charlotte, Marc Estrin of Burlington, Greg Galanty of Burlington, and Danny Weiss of Burlington.

Following the convention, Executive Director George Plumb of Washington stated, "The Vermont Green Party, formally organized for only two years, has built a solid foundation and demonstrates that there is a growing group of people who realize that Vermont needs to be affiliated with a progressive national third party. The Vermont Green Party will be taking eight votes to the national convention and we will be participating along with delegates from 44 other states' Green parties. It is becoming clearer and clearer that we need a presidential candidate who can articulate views on important issues that differ from the quite similar views of the Democrats and Republicans, especially when it comes to foreign policy and world domination."