Signed Copies of Wangari Maathai's Memoir, Unbowed, Now Available to Green Party Supporters

Professor and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. Maathai is the founder of the Green Party of Kenya, a Green parliamentarian, and initiator of the Green Belt Movement.
Photo Credit: Mia MacDonald


Even before winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, Dr. Wangari Maathai was well known to Greens around the world. In 1976 she founded the Greenbelt Movement –a program to support the economic empowerment of women through a program to plant trees. The Greenbelt Movement has successfully branched out to other countries in Africa and serves as an exemplar for ecologically sustainable, community driven economic development, providing income to millions of people.

Dr Maathai was a key participant in Kenya's democracy movement in the 1980s and 1990s. She was a vocal critic of President Daniel arap Moi. Dr. Mathaai was elected to parliament in 2002, during the country's first fair elections, and was subsequently appointed to the cabinet as Assistant Minister of the Environment.

In 2003 Dr. Maathai founded the Mazingira Green Party of Kenya. She continues to serve, as a Green, in what is known as Kenya's "Rainbow Coalition" government as the ranking Green woman officeholder in Africa.

Upon awarding Wangari Maathai the Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee said: "She has taken a holistic approach to sustainable development that embraces democracy, human rights and women's rights in particular. She thinks globally and acts locally."



The Green Party is offering a signed copy of Dr. Wangari Maathai's new memoir "Unbowed" to anyone contributing $250 or more. As Greens in the US, we draw inspiration from the work of Dr. Maathai. Think globally, act locally. Build a sustainable, peaceful world by helping the Green Party of the United States build democracy in your community.

donate online

Use your credit card to donate online (secure server) for this special offer and we'll mail you a signed copy of Unbowed, By Wanagari Maathai.

Federal Law requires political committees to use their best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer for each individual whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Contributions from the following individuals and entities are prohibited: corporations, labor organizations, national banks, government contractors, foreign nationals. Contributions to the Green Party are not tax deductible.

Questions: office@gp.org

Host a Screening of American Blackout

Some of you may have had the honor of seeing the movie American Blackout at the High Falls Film Festival. We highly encourage you to check out their website at
www.americanblackout.org. The movie is about election fraud perpetrated on predominantly people of color and centers around the efforts of outgoing Congresswoman Cythia McKinney.



Greens who saw this movie said it was powerful and amazing. Some had the opportunity
to meet the producer of the movie, Anastasia King. Because of the controversial nature of the picture, distribution studios won't touch this movie. So Ms. King has encouraged progressive groups to show the movie. GPoMC has bought a number of copies of American Blackout and are inviting you to host a screening of the movie in your home or within the context of another social group you may be a part of. If you're interested, e-mail Dave Atias at greenpmc34 at yahoo dot com or call (585) 234-6470.

Become a GPoMC Officer!

If you would like to be involved in steering the local Green Party in terms of platform development, candidate recruitment, fundraising, party infrastructure and spreading our vision to the rest of the community, think about running for an officer position. All the officer seats are open - Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary & Treasurer.

Is it a time committment? Yes. But one of the most rewarding and educational ones you can ever invest yourself in. You can see what the responsibilities of each position are here.

The election for party officers is at the January monthly meeting (January 8th). Nominations for these will be taken at the December meeting as well as right up to the election itself. We use Preferred Voting and "None of the Above" is always a choice.

Anyone registered as a Green according to the Monroe County Board of Elections as of October 28, 2006 is eligible to run and vote in the election.

For more information call (585) 234-6470.

Monthly Meetings in New Location

The next GPoMC monthly meeting is Monday, December 11th at 7pm. We now have a NEW meeting place. We will be using the conference room of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley. This is in the Auditorium Building at 875 E. Main Street, 5th Floor. It is handicap accessible and there is ample parking in the back.

At the meeting, we will be planning for 2007 elections, taking nominations for 2007 GPoMC officers (see other posting), and furthering our outreach efforts.

See you there!

Local Greens - Run for Office in 2007!

Are you ready for the 2007 elections? Yes, I know. Seems pretty early, but it's actually not. 2007 is what is known as an "off-year" which means local elections. This has been the cornerstone of the GPoMC's strategy - to participate in national & state elections to help us win locally. This year, our plan is to focus on village and town elections. Recently, we sent out letters to hundreds of Greens in Monroe County calling on them to...yes...run for office.

Town Boards, Village Trustee, School Boards, Highway Superintendents,the works! If you live in one of the County towns or villages, please consider running for public office. It's how we build the party and spread our ideals. Or, if you know of other progressives in your neighborhood who want to run, direct them to us. Village elections
are actually in the spring so we need to get going.

E-mail Dave Atias at greenpmc34 at yahoo dot com or call (585) 234-6470.

Greens Advance on November 7, Prepare for 2008 National Run

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org

Critical advances for Greens on Election Day 2006 lay foundation for 2008

*Greens win ballot status in Illinois, with gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney's 11%, overcoming prohibitive ballot access rules, and in Nevada

*Strong antiwar vote in favor of warhawk Democrats shows a disconnect in U.S. politics; only Greens offered an antiwar platform; Greens warn that Democrats in Congress will do little to reverse Bush's foreign policy

*2006 Green Party election news and results: http://www.gp.org/2006elections

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders called the 2006 midterm election a small but important step forward for the party, preparing Greens for the 2008 presidential campaign.

According to initial returns, Greens won at least 35 races nationwide, with 18 wins in California, on November 7. Among the California victories is Gayle McLaughlin, who defeated the incumbent for Mayor of Richmond, the first city with more than 100,000 residents to have a Green mayor.

"The number of votes gained and the increased percentages in significant races show the party's steady growth," said Rebecca Rotzler, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York. "We maintained ballot access in most states where we already had it, and gained a key state, Illinois, thanks to Rich Whitney, who received 11% in his run for Governor."

Greens warned that antiwar voters may find themselves frustrated by Democrats in Congress during the next two years, especially on the war front.

"Some Green candidates running for Congress probably contributed to the defeat of Republicans," said Jim Coplen, co-chair of the national party. "While Democratic candidates offered weak criticism of Republicans on issues like the war in Iraq, Green candidates sharply criticized the war and other Bush policies. Ironically, outspoken Green criticism may have translated into votes for Democrats among voters who decided it was time to end Republican rule in Congress. Unfortunately, many of the winning Democrats, like Hillary Clinton [N.Y.] and Howard Berman [Calif.], support the war. They will only call for changes in military strategy in Iraq, they'll support President Bush's threats of an attack against Iran, and they'll maintain uncritical endorsement of Israel's murderous and illegal policies in regard to the Palestinian people."

Thumbnail reports on Green campaigns across the U.S.:

Green candidate Rich Whitney drew 11% (325,598 votes) for Governor in Illinois, achieving ballot status for the Green Party in preparation for the 2008 election. This is the first time a national third party has achieved ballot status in Illinois since 1920; Illinois has difficult ballot access rules and Gov. Rod Blagojevich spent $800,000 in taxpayers' money trying to keep Greens off the state ballot. http://www.whitneyforgov.org http://www.ilgp.org

Pat LaMarche, running on a strong universal health care platform, drew nearly 10% in her campaign for Governor of Maine. Ms. LaMarche, who qualified as a 'clean elections' candidate, competed with the incumbent Democrat and a former Democrat who had reregistered as an independent in order to run, as well as a Republican.

Also in Maine, the Green Independent Party won two seats on Portland City Council and maintained four seats on the city's School Committee, according to preliminary results. Maine Greens were disappointed in the defeat of John Eder, two term member of the Maine statehouse.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/061108portland.html

DC Statehood Greens won eight Advisory Neighborhood Commission races and easily kept its ballot line. The Statehood Green Party has replaced the Republican Party as Washington, D.C.'s second party in terms of electoral participation.

Joyce Robinson-Paul finished second out of two, receiving 14,109 votes for 14.7% in her race for D.C.'s U.S. Senate seat ('Shadow Senator'). Keith Ware finished second out of three in his race for U.S. Representative, beating the Republican. He received 12,533 votes for 12.7%.

Green candidate Tom Kelly, running for the U.S. House in Colorado's District 1, has received 25,096 votes for 21%. This is the highest percentage for a Green running for Congress this year.

Green candidate Malachy McCourt, running for Governor of New York, received 40,485 votes, missing the state's requirement of 50,000 votes in a presidential or gubernatorial race for ballot status. However, several other statewide candidates received over 50,000 votes, and New York Greens, led by senatorial candidate Howie Hawkins , are calling for a legal challenge asking for the state to recognize these votes as qualification for Green Party ballot status in 2008:

Malachy McCourt for Governor/Alison Duncan for Lt. Governor: 40,351 votes (0.97%)
Rachel Treichler for Attorney General: 57,564 votes (1.43%)
Julia Willebrand for Comptroller: 108,030 votes (2.82%)
Howie Hawkins for U.S. Senate: 51,538 votes (1.22%)

Green candidate Gayle McLaughlin appears to have won her race against an incumbent for Mayor of Richmond, California, a few miles from Oakland and San Francisco. Ms. McLaughlin, who refused corporate donations and raised about $14,000, was outspent by the incumbent, who raised more than $110,000 from contributors, the biggest of which was Chevron. Gayle first won office two years ago when she ran for Richmond City Council. Richmond, with a population of 103,000, is now the largest city with a Green mayor.

Also in California, incumbent City Council member Larry Robinson was reelected in Sebastopol, retaining the Council's Green majority, in place since 2000

In U.S. Senate races, Todd Chretien (California) drew over 110,000 votes (some precincts still haven't reported), more than any other Green senatorial candidate. In Pennsylvania's 15th District, Greta Brown drew 31,443 votes, the most of any Green candidate for the U.S. House. 14 Greens ran for the Senate, 42 for the House.

The Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party needed 3% in a statewide vote to maintain ballot status. Dr. Jill Stein, running for Secretary of the Commonwealth, accomplished this by receiving 351,495 votes (the most votes for any Green candidate on November 7) for 18% in a two way race. Jamie O'Keefe, running for State Treasure, also had a high enough vote percentage to accomplish this. He received 16% (322,493 votes).

The following state Green Parties appear to have lost ballot status in the 2006 election: Alaska, Connecticut, and Maryland. However, these parties have sufficient infrastructure to collect petition signatures and place candidates on the ballot in 2008 and are likely to regain ballot status.

8.7 million voters across the U.S. voted for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and for impeachment resolutions on local and state ballots that were promoted or supported by Greens. Troop withdrawal initiatives won in all ten localities in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, and all 11 communities in Illinois, including Chicago. Of 139 cities and towns in Massachusetts voting on the troop withdrawal measures, only a handful voted nay on initiatives demanding that Congress and the White House end the war immediately. In California, San Francisco voters supported a local impeachment measure by 59.41%. In Berkeley, a similar resolution won the support of 68.56% of the electorate. Greens supported and led the initiative campaigns; in April, 24 of 32 communities voted in support of the 'Troops Home Now' resolutions that were promoted by Greens. (More information: )

"Tuesday's vote represents more of a defeat for Republicans and the Bush agenda than a victory for Americans who oppose the war on Iraq," said Liz Arnone, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "Only the Green Party offered a real antiwar platform, calling for immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. The danger now is that Democrats in Congress will ignore the will of the American people, according to numerous polls and voters' initiatives, and keep U.S. troops in Iraq while only criticizing the Bush Administration on strategic grounds. A lot of antiwar votes may prove to have been wasted on November 7."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green campaign listings, news, photos, and web sites http://www.gp.org/2006elections
Database of 2006 Green candidates http://www.greens.org/elections
Video clips of Green candidates http://www.gp.org/2006elections/media.shtml
Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

Democrats Only Need 2 Days to Sell Out

1. They’re going to make Joe Lieberman Chair of the Committee on Homeland Security!


2. Pelosi said she is definitely NOT going to be looking at impeachment for Bush. And John Conyers agrees!


3. So-called "liberal" bloggers are already calling for dems to do…basically nothing.

Every time people who are labelled "liberals" push through legislation (minimum wage increases for example), everyone else cries that the sky is falling. Then when these things are actually enacted and chaos does NOT ensue no one says a word. If you wait until you (hope to) have a bigger majority, the special interests will have time to get a grip on the newbies. Stop throwing around labels and get stuff done. When things actually start to improve, most will just shut up and go with it. This isn't about revenge, this is about doing what is right.

Well, lefties, you've already been sold out. Enjoy your "victory".

WFP—Warmakers For Peace?

Vote Your Values? WFP says "Give Peace a Chance, Vote for War Candidates!"


Vote Green Party Peace Slate


1. WFP—Warmakers For Peace?


The WFP wants to promote peace while asking you to vote for war candidates like Clinton and Spitzer. "I support Howie Hawkins in his campaign against Hillary Clinton and I support Malachy McCourt in his campaign for governor."


The WFP had a chance to endorse Jonathan Tasini, an anti-war Democrat running for US Senate. Instead it gave its support to Hillary Clinton. As Tasini says, "To tell voters to vote for a pro-war Democrat as a way to protest the war...I'm sorry, that is simply ugly."


In fact, the WFP has consistently given its ballot line to pro-war candidates, including Sen. Schumer two years ago.


Green Party candidates Howie Hawkins (Senate) and Malachy McCourt (Governor) are endorsed by Cindy Sheehan. You may have seen the WFP mailer that included Cindy's photograph but in her own words,

All Green Party candidates are opposed to war as a matter of principle. Consistently and unswervingly.


2. The Environment – WFP candidate Hillary Clinton a do-nothing


The Boston Globe has described Clinton as a "no show" on global warming, repeatedly voting against needed action.


Howie Hawkins is the Green Party candidate for US Senate. Former marine Hawkins supports cutting the military budget by $300 billion and investing the savings in a worldwide program to halt climate change through energy conservation and renewable energy.


The Green Party is the party of the environment.


3. Corruption, Corporate Control over Politics, – WFP looks the other way


The WFP endorsed Eliot Spitzer, a candidate who has taken enormous donations from Wall Street lobbyists and investment firms from around the country.


The WFP has also endorsed Alan Hevesi, the current comptroller, who has spent public funds for personal use.


Two years ago the WFP helped keep the State Senate in Republican hands, delivering several thousand votes to the third-ranking Republican, Nick Spano, enabling him to defeat a progressive African American woman, Andrea Stewart-Cousins in Westchester by only 18 votes.


The Greens will never accept corporate money and will never tolerate corruption.


McCourt, a well-known author and actor, worked as a longshoreman, a truck driver and dishwasher. McCourt, when asked about the death penalty, said, "My son is a police officer and I am proud of him. But if he were killed, it would give us no consolation to have his killer put to death."


4. WFP says pull the lever for Death Penalty Dems


Mr. Spitzer is for the death penalty. So is Clinton. The WFP supposedly endorses criminal justice reform. Why endorse a candidate who will open the door to re-instating the death penalty by applying it in certain situations. Malachy McCourt is unequivocally opposed to the death penalty - ALWAYS.


5. WFP's Spitzer thwarts same-sex marriage efforts. Green party mayor marries same-sex couples, risks jail.



When Mr. Spitzer had the opportunity to embrace same-sex marriage, he instead issued a formal opinion opposing the courageous action taken by Green Party New Paltz Mayor Jason West in recognizing same-sex marriage. While the Chief Judge of New York State disagreed with the Spitzer opinion, the rest of the Court of Appeals sadly ruled against same-sex marriage. Mr. Spitzer thus helped kill the best chance we had to legalize same-sex marriage in NYS — and to help promote it nationwide. While Mr. Spitzer says he supports legislative action, that's unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled State Senate.


6. WFP silent on Bruce Ratner's threat to use of eminent domain. Greens oppose Atlantic Yards mega-development.


McCourt is also opposed to the Forest City Ratner Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn which if built as planned, will be the densest residential development in the country. McCourt believes this project is completely out of scale for the neighborhood and criticizes the closed-door deal and state takeover that excluded the community from the process. Unlike Spitzer's enthusiasm for the project and support for the use of eminent domain, McCourt is opposed to even one home being taken for the benefit of a private developer's profit.


The billions of dollars in city and state subsidies waiting to be poured into Ratner's sports arena could be used to fund our schools, parks and public transportation. The WFP has been silent on this developer's drive to abuse eminent domain and ignore the communities most affected by this mega-development. Could it be because WFP leader and ACORN Executive Director Bertha Lewis has brokered a deal with Bruce Ratner to manage the affordable housing component of the project, which realistically falls far short of the housing needs of most Brooklyn residents?


Last year the WFP endorsed Ratner cheerleader Marty Markowitz for Borough President. Green Party candidate Gloria Mattera opposed Markowitz and registered the biggest Green vote ever in the communities threatened by the project.


7. WFP undercuts health care reform


The WFP says it wants health care for all. Yet it has refused to fight for it in the legislature. Instead, the WFP undercuts the movement for universal single-payer health care by pushing for a limited employer mandate bill that its Assembly Democratic friends refused to move — and which their gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer campaigned against. The WFP's US Senate candidate, Hillary Clinton, continues to oppose a single-payer health system — just as she did in 1993 when she promoted the growth of HMOs. Now Clinton wants to mandate that individual consumers must buy private health insurance. Clinton is so opposed to real health care reform that only one politician in the country receives more in donations than she does from the health care industry.


The Green Party candidates advocate for a publicly funded, publicly administered national health insurance program. While Hawkins will champion a move to cover all US residents through a national health program with support for HR 676, McCourt will spearhead a statewide initiative to cover all New Yorkers by immediately setting up a legislative commission to determine the most effective way of providing statewide universal health coverage.


8. Real progressive alternatives


Why vote for pro-war, corporate-backed candidates in a party that SAYS it holds progressive values when those values are often not championed by the candidates? Besides McCourt for governor and Hawkins for US Senate, the Green Party is running candidates for lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller.


Lt. Governor candidate Alison Duncan is a trade union and LGBT activist who puts fully funded, quality education and access to quality health care as her priorities.


Rachel Treichler, attorney general candidate, is committed to protecting the rights of all New Yorkers — by protecting civil liberties, ensuring fair elections and stopping greedy developers from demolishing our communities.


Comptroller candidate Julia Willebrand will make sure that the $140 billion in state pension funds is invested in companies that protect the environment, will deal honestly with consumers and give working people a fair shake.


The WFP wants to change the two corporate parties by endorsing their candidates.


The Green Party wants to create an alternative, a genuine opposition that stands up to corporate power and advocates for the majority. The only chance to realize our hopes and ideals is to vote for those candidates who support them.


Vote for peace

Vote for democracy

Vote for the earth

Vote for honesty

Vote Green — Row F

www.gpnys.org

votemalachymccourt.org

hawkinsforsenate.org

alisonduncan.org

voterachel.org

Juliaforcomptroller.org

PEACE ACTIVIST CINDY SHEEHAN REITERATES ENDORSEMENTS OF GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES HAWKINS AND MCCOURT

PEACE ACTIVIST CINDY SHEEHAN REITERATES ENDORSEMENTS OF GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES HAWKINS AND MCCOURT IN NEW YORK RACES. SLAMS 'RUBBER STAMP' DEMOCRAT HILLARY CLINTON ON EVE OF ELECTION.

=======================================
Windows Media Video
http://thirdplanetvideo.com/Movies/MalachyResponse.wmv

Flash Video on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvpZla_rPuM


Sheehan reiterates her endorsement of McCourt and Hawkins.
http://syracusegreens.wordpress.com/2006/11/05/cindy-sheehan-reiterates-her-endorsements-of-howie-hawkins-and-malachy-mccourt/

Sheehan's endorsement of Malachy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B6jFzKthsY

Sheehan's endorsement of Hawkins
http://syracusegreens.wordpress.com/2006/10/24/cindy-sheehan-endorses-howie-hawkins/
===========================================

For Immediate Release:
Sunday, November 5, 2006

Contact:
Alex Montanez, Media Coordinator
Malachy McCourt for Governor
310.650.7481
montanez.alex@gmail.com


Working Family Party (WFP) Accused of Misleading New York Anti-War Voters with 11th Hour Mailer. Anti-War Candidates Demand Retraction.


NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- A mailer from the Working Families Party that arrived in thousands of voters' mailboxes on Friday and Saturday depicts Cindy Sheehan, along with Pete Seeger and Michael Moore, urging voters to support bringing the troops home by voting for Democrats running on the Working Families Party line.

Sheehan immediately issued the following clarification of her position:

"I support a lot of the work of the Working Families Party and especially Mr. Pete Seeger who has been an amazing warrior for peace. However, I cannot support the candidacy of Hillary Clinton who is ensconced in the all-Democratic slate. She is not pro-peace, or even anti-war and has been a rubber stamp for George Bush's war of terror. Many of the candidates that the WFP supports are worthy of support, but certainly not Senator Clinton."

"I support Howie Hawkins in his campaign against Hillary Clinton and I support Malachy McCourt in his campaign for governor."

Last month, Cindy Sheehan had endorsed the Green Party candidates Howie Hawkins for US Senator and Malachy McCourt for Governor. McCourt issued the following statement Sunday:

"Cindy Sheehan does not support pro-war candidates like Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton and I challenge the WFP, a subsidiary of the Democratic party, to prove otherwise."

Hawkins issued the following statement:

"WFP should issue a retraction. It is absurd to claim that a vote for Spitzer or Clinton is a vote against the war. The Green candidates have remained clear about our opposition to George Bush and the Iraq war and that's where anti-war votes should go."

Jonathan Tasini, Ms. Clinton's opponent in the Democratic Primary, posted the following statement:

"To tell voters to vote for a pro-war Democrat as a way to protest the war is simply ugly. It is entirely disrespectful of the tens of thousands of people who were killed in this war."

Mr Tasini received a surprising 17% of the vote in his bid to upset the Senator.

The Working Families Party endorsed all the Democrats running for statewide office. These Democratic candidates also appear on the Working Families Party line on Row E. The Green Party's candidates appear on the next line, Row F.

Have You Moved This Year?

Hello Democracy Fans!

If you've moved since the last election and filed a change of address form with the Post Office, BUT did not change your voter registration, you have been dropped from registered voter list.

What happens is that in August, the Board of Elections sends everyone a letter telling them where their polling place is. The envelopes say "do not forward". So if your letter is sent back to the BOE, you are unregistered to vote.

This is what you do...

Go to your NEW polling place and ask for an affidavit ballot. It's a paper ballot that will get checked by the BOE before it's counted. To find out where that is, go to http://www.monroecounty.gov/apps/voterapp.php