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| Vermont Greens Elect New State Party Steering Committee, Endorse Democratic Reforms for National Green Party. |
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Vermont Green Party May 9, 2005 Contact: Annual meeting draws new members to VGP leadership, features consensus on rules changes to promote participation by more Greens. The Vermont Green Party, at its annual statewide meeting on Saturday, May 7 at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, became the second state Green party in the nation to pass a resolution designed to call on the Green Party of the United States to deliberate reforms geared toward "one Green, one vote" democracy. Three proposals, sponsored by 2004-2005 VGP Steering Committee members Laura Carotenuto, Craig Chevrier, Marc Estrin, James Leas, and Danny Weiss, was passed by consensus of all Greens present at the meeting. Similar proposals were recently passed by Green Party of Florida, and will be considered in upcoming state meetings in California and New York. The impetus for the proposals came from a national coalition of Greens called Greens for Democracy and Independence. Peter Miguel Camejo, vice presidential running mate of Ralph Nader in the 2004 Presidential election and a prominent Green from California, introduced the proposals to the Vermont Greens via conference phone. "Vermont has shown again and again its commitment to democracy and decentralization in the Green Party," Camejo said in his brief statement. "Voting in favor of these reform proposals will prove Vermont’s role as a leader in the movement toward democracy and decentralization in the Green Party– the central ideas behindthe founding of the national Green movement." The proposals specifically encourage the national Green Party to move toward proportional representation on the national committee and national convention, binding delegates to states’ decisions on first ballots at national nominating conventions, and mandating independence from major political parties with respect to candidate selection, endorsement, and campaigning. Democracy in the Vermont Green Party The members also passed by consensus several bylaws changes for the VGP that mandate consensus-building for policy decisions, and which reformulate the officer and steering committee to comprise two co-chairs, a vice-chair, treasurer, secretary, assistant treasurer, and four members-at-large. Members also consented to allow a more flexible steering committee election process, where up to ten members and two alternates are elected to leadership posts. Steering committee members must then elect their own officers. New officers for 2005-2006 will be elected at the next steering committee meeting on Saturday, May 21. Committee-elects chosen by VGP members are: a.. Laura Carotenuto, Hinesburg "It is amazing that after our fall convention in 2004, when members were split almost evenly between supporting the national Green Party nominee for President, David Cobb and endorsing Ralph Nader, we were able to reach consensus on so many decisions today," said George Plumb, VGP Executive Director. "This has been perhaps the most productive meeting we’ve had in our four years of existence." Members also voted to endorse conscientious objection against the occupation of Iraq and to support the mission of the National Day of Action for G.I. Resisters, May 10. Vermont action will feature picketing of the federal building at Elmwood and Pearl Streets in Burlington at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Sponsors of theNational Day of Action for G.I. Resisters in Burlington include American Friends Service Committee, Burlington Anti-war Coalition, International Socialist Organization, Burlington Peace and Justice Center, Students Against War, and US Labor Against the War. About The Vermont Green Party The mission of the Vermont Green Party, founded in 2001, is to promote a progressive political agenda in Vermont. Its political platform is founded on the Four Pillars of ecological wisdom, grassroots democracy, social justice, and nonviolence. As an affiliate of the Green Party of the United States, it provides Vermonters with a political resource with national and international perspective. The Vermont Green Party is focused on renewing democracy without the support of corporate donors. The Party will work to counteract the impact of powerful corporate interests that dominate the electoral politics and government to return the political voice to average citizens that has been systematically silenced by the culture of insider politics and lack of accountability of elected officials. The Green Party of the United States is a confederation of state Green Parties. Originally called the Association of State Green Parties, the Green Party was formed after the 1996 national elections. For more information about the Vermont Green Party, visit http://vermontgreens.org. For more about the Green party of the U.S., visit http://gp.org
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