Statewide convention doings

I'm blogging the convention as it happens: first are reports. A couple of us called in, Soren Wuerth calling out of Chevak and me out of Ester. The connection was good, but faint, so it was hard to hear people in the room unless they were right next to the phone.

The legal report concerns our lawsuits; we won the ballot access case, but the state appealed, it looks like we're going to do okay on that. Activities report: not much. The Anchorage Greens revived: campaign finance reform was an active issue, clean water project (sewage is only given primary treatment before being dumped into Cook Inlet).

The new statewide PO Box is 112947, Anchorage, AK 99511, phone number is 907.745.6962. A new e-mail listserve was created by Tom Macchia for statewide. The Fairbanks-area Greens started a new website and this blog, but lost their legal standing as a political party due to lack of officers and reporting.

Next was the nomination and election of officers. The issue of who is a spokesman for the party came up; this should be the party chair. Sykes has been sort of the public face of the party, which is the role of the co-chair. The two busiest officers are the secretary and the treasurer (in terms of paperwork). Since this is an election year, there is more reporting for the treasurer to do. Judy Moss was nominated and unanimously approved for treasurer.

Soren suggested combining two positions and creating a secretary/treasurer position, but we've not done that before, according to Jim Sykes. Greg Nothstine was nominated but not present yet, so nominations were held open.

Nominations for co-chair were opened, Soren Wuerth and Steve Cleary were nominated. Cleary declined, but nominated Diane Benson. Benson also declined. Tom Macchia was nominated by Wuerth; Shirley Buchholtz was nominated but she declined. So now Soren Wuerth and Tom Macchia are our new co-chairs.

Next on the agenda was the listserve. Tom Macchia is our new listmaster, and those who wish to sign up can contact him at tommacchia [at] yahoo.com to sign up. This discussion segued into outreach using the web and blogs, and going to speak at schools.

Diane Benson spoke; she's considering running for US Congress against Don Young. I hope she does. She's an articulate, principled woman who would be an improvement in any race. There was quite the discussion about running candidates for various offices and strategies being used in other states. We discussed the merits of running lots of candidates in as many offices as possible, versus concentrating on only a few, high-profile races. I prefer the shotgun approach myself, aiming for many small races, as I think that one is more likely to gain a small office and then be able to build on that experience later on for bigger races.

I signed off after this discussion; my poor ear was beginning to hurt after an hour and a half on the phone.

Statewide convention!

The Green Party of Alaska is holding its statewide convention April 1 & 2 on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus in the Rasmuson Building (Business Education), room 220. Events begin at 9 a.m. on the 1st and at 10 a.m. on the 2nd.

Impeach Bush! Win Prizes!

The Merchandising Committee is holding a contest for the best slogan for our new "Impeach Bush" bumper sticker. Deadline is March 18th. Send your best slogans to contest@gp.org. Grand prize winner receives a "Green Party Survival Kit": T-Shirt, Peace Flag, CD, Button & Magnet. First Prize: Green Party T-Shirt. All contestants will receive a "Bring them Home Now!" peace ribbon magnet and 2004 Green Party Platform.

Contact them at contest [ at ]gp.org!

We're back!

One important thing GPAK has been doing is working with the Republican Moderates to ensure fair election laws in this state. Ballot access has been getting jimmied around by the legislature, and so we've had to challenge certain laws in court--but Superior Court Judge Stephanie Joannides can tell folderol from common sense, and this month granted the Green Party a preliminary injunction that will prevent the State of Alaska from denying us ballot access in 2006.

The law requires that to retain ballot access, a party has to get 3% in the governor's race. If there isn't a governor's race, then 3% in the U.S. Senate race; if no senate race, then 3% in the U.S. House race. Stupid, no? in 1998 the governor's race had the fewest number voting of three statewide races, so it's not necessarily the most representative race.

Since we've gotten better than 3% in at least one statewide race every general election since we started up in 1990 (one year we beat the Democrats by a considerable margin), this ruling makes good sense. It's pretty clear that our PrevoRepublican legislative majority passed this law in order to keep the Libertarians and the Republican Moderates from making any headway, but it benefitted the Democrats too, thereby providing them motivation to ignore democratic principles in favor of moving toward the two-headed monster that has become the Republocratic Party of the Lower 48.

Fortunately Alaska Democrats aren't quite that bad yet...but for how long? At least now the minor parties in this state can keep the major parties honest. Or closer to it, anyway.

Anybody out there recall that one of the tyrannical features of the old Soviet Union was that there was only one political party? Effectively, that's what we're getting on the national scene...

New statewide mailing list

The old discuss list had died a miserable death, apparently, abandoned by the listmaster, who is nowhere to be found. So, a new one, at yahoogroups.com, has been started by Tom Macchia: AlaskaGreens!

Sign up today!

Southcentral Greens hold press conference on reform

The Southcentral Green Bioregion held a press conference on the 1st about campaign finance and lobbying reform. A couple of stories are out there on it right now:

Green Party leader seeks reform in political funding
CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Jim Sykes asks residents to speak up for new laws.
By RICHARD MAUER, Anchorage Daily News, Published: February 2, 2006 (more on the ADN's webpage...)

The leader of Alaska's Green Party said Wednesday the response to the scandals in Washington should go beyond lobbying reform to rewriting the laws on campaign finance.

In a mid-morning news conference in Anchorage, Jim Sykes called on Alaskans to pressure their three-member congressional delegation to strip special-interest money from politics.

Sykes, who rejected out-of-state contributions as a third-party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004, said Congress should make such a ban a permanent feature of American politics. He also called for public financing of elections, free broadcast time for federal candidates, an end to contributions from PACs and organizations, and sharp restrictions on the use of earmarks in legislation.

"Lobbying is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of money in Washington," Sykes said. "The real money is from the lobbyists and special interests that bankroll campaigns. They have made it so that people in Congress may have a closer relationship with a group of lobbyists than they have with their constituents."

Sykes said his suggestions are similar to those made by citizen groups in Washington and around the country. Earmarks and riders have come under heavy criticism of late.

Both techniques are used to create special programs or funnel money to specific causes, often with minimal scrutiny. They are tools most readily employed by committee chairs or legislators with advanced seniority -- a description that includes two-thirds of Alaska's representation, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young.

Political advocate pushes for campaign finance reform
KTUU-TV
Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - by Sean Doogan Anchorage, Alaska -

An Alaska political activist says now is the time to make big changes in Washington, D.C.

Jim Sykes of the Green Party says the Abramoff influence peddling scandal is highlighting the need for campaign finance reform. Sykes, a former candidate for U.S. Senate, says during the 2004 Senate race all of the major candidates received a majority of their campaign funding from Outside donors.

Sykes wants changes made to U.S. code that would require all campaign contributions for federal office to come from within the candidate's home state. But Sykes says his idea will require people to pressure their congressmen.

"The legislators themselves are not interested in making these changes because they got there on the gravy train, and they want to keep the gravy train rolling," said Sykes.

Sykes says he wrote the Alaska delegation in Washington asking them to work on a campaign finance reform bill.

Who will be the peace candidate in 2008?

Who will be the peace candidate in 2008?
Z magazine, Feb. 3, 2006
by Ben Manski and Dean Myerson

Who will be the peace candidate in 2008? In a desperate era, that is the question on many lips. The answer flows from another question: Are anti-war Americans ready to support a peace candidate? In 2004, most did not. Prominent progressives pledged support to a candidate who did not represent them. Now, that choice seems to have left a bad taste.

This week, Molly Ivins declared she'd had enough, warning that she, "will not support Hillary Clinton for president." Arianna Huffington asked, rhetorically and in all caps, "What The Hell Are They Thinking?" And in November, The Nation pledged that it would, "not support any candidate for national office who does not make a speedy end to the war in Iraq a major issue of his or her campaign."

These statements are understandable. The Democratic leadership has been nothing if not consistent. They abandoned their voters a month after the 2000 elections; they held out for just six hours in 2004. They voted for the "PATRIOT Act." They voted for the invasion of Iraq. They voted for John Roberts. They voted additional funds for the occupation of Iraq, and against an immediate withdrawal. They knew of Bush's wiretapping, and did nothing. They have undercut efforts to filibuster Alito. And they have stalled the drive for impeachment.

Millions of American progressives knew better, know better. A few dozen members of Congress knew better, know better. And what's worse, recent developments within the Democratic Party all but guarantee that it will not back anti-war candidates in 2006 or 2008. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is withholding support from local and state-level ant-war candidates. The D-triple-C would rather support a losing pro-war Democrat than a winning peace candidate. No wonder there is a shift within the progressive community.

Backing peace candidates is a matter of principle. It is also a matter of practicality. Rodham Clinton this week called for sanctions, and possible preemptive strikes, against Iran. The failed politics of "Anybody But Bush" have produced a Democratic presidential frontrunner running to Bush's right. No wonder progressives are pining to get their surrendered
independence back. No wonder so many have vowed to reclaim it.

Having vowed their independence, some in 2008 may yet look to a candidate running in the Democratic presidential primaries, the theory being that what failed for Kucinich in 2004 may yet work for Feingold in 2008. Reasonable people, however, will remember the history of the Democratic presidential primaries, littered with the gravestones of Jackson, Harkin, Sharpton, Dean, and Kucinich, among others. Reasonable people will expect that after the primaries, the pressure to close ranks will come to bear; the once insurgent candidate will become the party loyalist and back the pro-war nominee. Will those now vowing their independence do the reasonable thing? Will they make their anti-war pledge matter?

In the wake of over 100,000 Iraqi dead, 2,200 American dead, nearly 20,000 walking wounded, and $2 trillion on route to the dump, a majority of Americans are in the anti-war camp. And according to Zogby International, 52% say Bush's warrantless wiretapping is grounds for impeachment. With the Democratic leadership demonstrating that once again, it is an obstacle to popular sentiment, anti-war Americans must look elsewhere. And what alternative will there be, but that offered by the Green Party?

The Green Party is the only significant progressive party that is united against the war and for immediate withdrawal. The Green Party need not make any pledges to back only anti-war candidates; running anti-war candidates is the party's bread and butter.

But if the Green Party is to run a strong anti-war presidential candidate, an end-the-war candidate, it must have the support of the broader anti-war movement. The Greens may not be a party of the political establishment, but they field state party organizations in most every state, hundreds of elected officials, and hard-won experience with restrictive ballot access laws. There is no need for the anti-war movement to start from scratch.

There is not yet a clear standard bearer for the Green presidential nomination, but party activists are committed to recruiting a candidate. Support from the anti-war movement will make that recruitment effort much more likely to succeed. The Greens are a base for organizing; but it will be up to the broader anti-war movement to call forth a serious anti-war candidate.

Anti-war activists are recognizing that they cannot again back a pro-war candidate. But being against something is not enough. There must be an alternative for there to be an effective opposition. Light a fire, spread the word, begin to beat the drum for a peace campaign. Pledge not only to withhold your vote. Let those who could potentially top that peace ticket know that if they build it, you will come.

Ben Manski is a former Co-Chair of the Green Party of the United States. He currently serves as a Fellow with the Liberty Tree Foundation for the Democratic Revolution.

Dean Myerson is a former Political Director of the Green Party of the United States. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Green Institute.

Green speakers

A note from the Outreach Committee of the GPUS:

Have you ever watched a Green speaker who was so inspiring it made you think, "If only more people heard this message..."

Well, you can help make it happen.

The ad-hoc Outreach committee is working on developing a Green Speakers Bureau, and we are looking for enthusiastic, articulate Greens who can inspire audiences and represent the Green Party and its platform to diverse audiences. Maybe you know of a Green who would be a perfect for the speaker's bureau, or maybe you would like to volunteer yourself.

Just send your info to: speakers@gp.org

If you are nominating another individual, please send us the sugested speaker's name and as much contact information as you can. Also, any additional information you find helpful would be wonderful.

If you are volunteering yourself, please send the following information: name, contact info, areas of expertise, travel limitations or requirements, fee or fee structure requested (if any), and other pertinent information regarding scheduling or speaking.

Thanks for helping us build the Green Party.

Peace,
Ad Hoc Outreach Committee

P.S. Please remember to send all correspondence regarding the Speakers Bureau to speakers@gp.org

The Green 'Rush Limbaugh'?

Whoa. Gregg Jocoy, self-professed Gonzo writer, South Carolinian, wrote an article for the American Chronicle in which he says "the Green Party has something to say to Limbaugh's listeners." He says:

This is the essential lesson of the Green Party. America. The America that believes in love, not in torture. The America that believes women hold up half the sky. The America that makes your throat swell even when its President lets you down...again. The America that we are proud of. Not the America of Coke vs Pepsi, but the America of the powerful defending the weak. Not the America of “Do you want fries with that?” but the America of real promise.

Yeah!

draft state logo?

Greens, please leave comments. I know the hooves on the caribou look a little funny...too many colors on him, too, but those things can be fixed.

Green Pages Editorial Board

Green Pages is seeking volunteers to serve on the editorial board, as well as Green Party photographers and writers who might wish to submit something but aren't ready to serve on a national committee. To apply for membership to the board, you need to provide an application to greenpages [at] greens.org. An important note: Please contact your state/caucus (you can call toll-free 866-41GREEN, too) PRIOR to submitting your application to the Green Pages editorial board to get approval from your party to serve on the editorial board. Please include details in your application about whom you contacted (name, position) from your state or caucus to obtain approval to the editorial board; when contact was made; phone/e-mail contact info; and any info you have about the status of your request.

EcoAction Committee seeking volunteers

Local to worldwide, the Green Party has a tradition and deep roots in Ecological and Environmental wisdom and justice. Unique from other political parties in this way, we understand that humanity is not separate from nature, and we are not separate from each other. We understand the necessity of living in concert with nature and that we must minimize our negative impact, and indeed, maximize our positive impact on the human and natural environment. Ecological Wisdom is a pillar and key value of our party.

In this spirit, the GPUS National Committee recently approved the formation of the GPUS Eco Action Committee. This will be a standing committee of the GPUS. Our focus will be Ecological Wisdom and Environmental Justice. Our purpose will be to facilitate the planning and achievement of eco-justice action proposals adopted by the Green Party, to support and promote the Green Party's candidates, eco-justice platform and agenda, and to promote and lobby for responsible government stewardship of the Earth and its inhabitants.

United States citizens are concerned with environmental and ecological degradation, and the negative effects of the poor environmental practices employed by the government and corporations. What is missing is political pressure and action towards restoring our natural resources and quality of life. The GPUS Eco Action Committee intends to provide education, action, support for local candidates, and, political pressure, as well as being instrumental in forming and promoting environmentally sustainable and wise ecological policy.

As a standing committee of the Green Party of the United States, each state or caucus is entitled to name representatives to this committee. We hope to have representatives from each state and caucus join us to employ the broad range of talent, passion, and vision that Greens in this country share. To connect communities nationwide, that we may have a broad view of environmental concerns, and the ability to help one another in having a positive impact on our environment. Much of the work on this committee will be done over e-mail and by teleconference meetings.

Examples of how committee members might contribute to these goals could be to contribute or organize research on political aspects of environmental problems, guide local green party candidates to committee developed resources that can benefit their campaigns, bring national party attention to local environmental issues such as relaxing environmental standards where communities are already weakened by social injustice, or helping to organize mass protests on environmental issues.

We expect the work to be fairly intense given the magnitude of the ecological imbalance we face and the uniqueness of the Green Party in holding Ecological Wisdom as a Key Value. This is really an invitation to try to accomplish what seems an impossibly large task: to bring our whole country into harmony with its environment. A'ohe hana nui ka alu'ia: No task is too big when done together.

If this letter resonates with you, please consider contacting your state party or caucus about joining the committee. Further information about the committee can be had from the committee contact person:
Kristen Olson at 651-210-0789, or kristenolson@mngreens.org