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Newsletter of the Green Party of Ohio
April 30, 2005
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The Green Party of Ohio Newsletter is emailed on an irregular basis to
our 2,617 Subscribers (circulation figures as of 4/05).
April 30, 2005
Contents
1. State Party News – A. Local Office Candidates for 2005, B. Notes
from Anita Rios on Election Reform Activities, C. State Coordinating Committee
Update, D. Notes from April Southwest Ohio Green Party meeting, E. Organizing
Notices (Volunteer Needs, Donation Details, Locals’ Meeting Schedule)
2. National Party News –
3. Opinion: A World Without Peace – Editorial by Rick Otten, Treasurer,
Green Party of Ohio
1. State Green Party News
A. Local Office Candidates for 2005
Warner for Cincinnati City Council
The Southwest Ohio Green Party has endorsed Andrew Warner’s campaign
for Cincinnati City Council Contact his campaign at:
322A Mulberry Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
E-Mail: awarner2@cinci.rr.com
Phone: 614-284-8552
www.votewarner.org
Balonek for Toledo City Councl
The Green Party of Ohio has endorsed Mitch Balonek’s campaign for
Toledo City Council. To support his effort, make checks payable to:
"Balonek for City Council"
PO BOX 2841
Toledo, OH 43606
For more: go to www.nwohiogreens.org
B. Notes from Anita Rios about Election Reform Efforts
Toledo Electoral Reform Forum March 26th
On March 26th Bob Fitrakis and Mitch Balonek, (Mitch is the co-chair
of the North West Ohio Green party, and is a candidate for Toledo city
council) met with some of the volunteers who observed the 2004 recount
in various counties in North West Ohio, and other concerned citizens to
discuss what went wrong with the election and how the recount was executed.
Thank you to all those who participated in that forum and in particular
to the recount volunteers who in their willingness to step forward have
provided a valuable service to our American community. This is what democracy
looks like.
As a result of the 3/26 forum on electoral reform the group came up with
the following suggestions for electoral reforms:
* Standardize the process - all 88 Ohio counties should have the same
voting system
* Eliminate or reduce the partisan nature of the Boards of Election and
mandate non-partisan oversight of the election process
* Better Training for poll workers
* Better election day information such as accurate precint maps
* Better election day oversight - Poll watchers
* Voter support integrated into campaigns
* Vote by Mail
* Same Day Voter registration
* Instant Run off Voting
* Transparency in software - Open source Code
Steps to accomplishing reforms:
* Letters to the Editor - To make more people aware of this issue and
keep the pressure on.
* Lawsuits
* Lobby County officials to support more transparent voter friendly voting
systems, and to promote a systen in which each vote counts
* Lobby State officials to support more transparent voter friendly voting
systems, and to promote a systen in which each vote counts
* Supporting the enactment of legislation to ensure that all votes are
counted and that the process is transparent
* Supporting Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s proposal for a voter rights
amendment to the US Constitution
* Continuing to hold discussions on this issue to get better information
and strengthen the ability of citizens to address the shortcomings in
our current voting system and advocate for change in our electoral process
Next steps for the Green Party:
The March 26th forum in Toledo Ohio was the first in a series of Electoral
Reform Forums throughout the state of Ohio which are being facilitatated
by the Green Party of Ohio. Information on additional forums will be forwarded
as those forums are confirmed. In addition to having the discussion on
electoral reforms to refine a Green Party platform on electoral reform,
assuring that this issue remains in the spot light, and lobbying for legislation
to enact reforms, the Green Party of Ohio will link this effort to its
Candidate Campaigns.
Forward comments and questions to:
Anita Rios
429-243-8772
rhannon@toast.net
C. State Coordinating Committee Update
At its March meeting the Coordinating Committee decided to bar distribution
of notes or minutes from its meetings until those minutes are approved
at subsequent meetings. In April the Coordinating Committee failed to
reach a quorum for its meeting so no minutes were presented or approved.
Comment from Editor: I find this annoying.
D. Notes from the April 12, 2005 SWOHGP meetings
Announcements:
CAFTA - Central American Free Trade Agreement = NAFTA Expansion. For
more information see www.tradewatch.org/cafta The Bush Administration
is sponsoring a campaign to accelerate the approval of this NAFTA expansion.
The vote is expected in the next month. If you want to call your Representative
and Senators to express your concerns over this proposal, you can use
the AFL-CIO sponsored number 1-888-355-3588 to reach these Congressional
offices in Washington, DC. Call this week.
Earth Day: Andrew Warner and his campaign is sponsoring a park (on Vine
Street south of McMillian) clean up on Earth Day afternoon, Friday April
22nd. Campaign Fundraiser: Andrew is organizing a fundraiser on Friday,
May 6th - more details to follow.
Main Topic of our meeting -
What do we expect from our endorsed candidates.
This, and a link to Andrew’s web page www.votewarner.org/ will be
added to our web page this weekend. Here is what we agreed to:
For all candidates that we endorse, we would expect them to organize
their own campaign and get their own campaign treasurer and plan to obtain
their own petition signatures. They should expect that we would announce
their candidacy and contact information so that Greens who are interested
could help support their campaign. When possible the SWOHGP would pay
the filing fee for the candidate. We would also make a point of organizing
at least one SWOHGP Fund Raiser for the candidate. Party can help with
Platform Development and Campaign Strategy.
1st choice: endorse candidates who were already active Greens before
they ran for office. (We would expect these candidates to plan to and
do what we expect of all of our candidates.)
2nd choice: A) see how they specifically respond to the Green’s
10 Values (point by point); B) We expect to see them advertise their Green
endorsement on their web page. C) We expect them to include mention of
their Green Party endorsement in their 3-5 minute speech at the Community
Council election forums. D) We expect them to include mention of their
Green Party endorsement in their campaign literature. E) We are willing
to co endorse candidates who have other third party endorsements but are
not willing to co endorse candidates who publicly call themselves either
independent Democrats or independent Republicans. In this case of another
third party endorsement, we would expect at least “equal billing”
with the third party. F) We expect our candidates to support the Green
Party policy of not accepting corporate type donations.
E. Donations - Volunteer Needs – Locals’ Meetings
1) Donations to support our efforts and candidates can be made via Paypal
at www.ohiogreens.org or mailed to:
The Green Party of Ohio Political Action Fund
PO Box 754
New Albany, OH 43054
Include your name and address.
2) Regularly Scheduled Locals’ Meetings
Central Ohio Green Party (Columbus & Vicinity): First Tuesday of
every month, 7 PM – May Meeting Location: Residence of Kai Hammermeister
329 west second avenue
columbus ohio 43201
614 424 6865
East Central Ohio Green Party: Last Thursday of every month, 6:30 PM,
Room 145 of the County Services Building on South 7th Street, Coshocton.
See www.3rivergreens.org
Northeast Ohio - Right now, there are not regularly-scheduled meetings
up
here in Northeast Ohio, but we will be meeting some time soon. For information,
contact David Berenson, dbberenson@yahoo.com
Summit Greens meet the First Tuesday of each month @ 7:00 PM (locations
TBA). Right now, it is through meetup.com, where it is known as the Akron
Green Party Meetup Group. For more details - green.meetup.com/31/
Southwest Ohio Green Party (Cincinnati & Vicinity): Second Tuesday
of every month, 7:30 PM (6:30 for dinner), 1417 Bercliff (in Northside).
www.swohgp.org for details.
West Virginia Green Party - I would like to invite anyone from the GPO
who lives near Wheeling to join us at the River City Ale Works at 1400
Main Street in Wheeling at 7:00 PM for our Bi-Monthly meeting. Any advice,
comments,
or help that anyone from another state Green Party has to offer us would
be greatly appreciated. Chad Edwards, GPWV State Coordinator, Pleasants
County, West Virginia 304-684-2452
2. National Party News
Green Party of California Mourns the Loss of "Activist's Activist"
in Iraq
On a somber note, Greens expressed deep sorrow in the loss of longtime
human rights activist and Green Party member Marla Ruzicka, who died tragically
in Iraq Saturday in a car bomb blast.
Ruzicka, who was from Lakeport, California, was the founder of Campaign
for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), which negotiated with the U.S.
government for monies for civilian victims of the war in Iraq.
"Those of us who knew Marla personally, and there are many of those,
will never forget this incredible woman, or the remarkable effect she
had on all our lives in the short time that she was among us," said
Michael Wyman, state Green Party treasurer. "Marla was an activist's
activist, impressing us all with her energy and forcing us all to work
that much harder just to keep up with her."
FUNDRAISING SUCCESS Brent McMillan, national political director of the
Green Party, sends this report on the growing success of the party's Direct
Mail Program: "Under the current fundraising plan, the Fundraising
Committee
(Fun Com) has the goal to produce one direct mail per month. Fun Com
currently operates on a rhythm of two prospect mailings followed by a
re-solicitation mailing each quarter. We have learned from experience
that
the best fundraising is project-driven, so we're working to link the goals
and issues of the party more directly to this effort.
"For example, the January mailing was sent to those who contributed
to the
Cobb/LaMarche Campaign before the Ohio Recount but had not contributed
to
the national party before. An appeal letter from David Cobb summarized
recent accomplishments and described upcoming regional campaign schools
in
2005. So far, it has made 50% more than it cost and it's still producing.
Our February mailing was a product of the Coordinated Campaign Committee
and presented the CCC's ballot access and candidate recruitment goals
for the
next two years. The online version of the appeal paid for the entire
mailing in two days before we even received the first snail mail reply.
"Our March letter is from our officeholders and talks about the
good work
that they are doing. The March mailing at 12,730 pieces is the largest
direct mail and re-solicitation that the party has ever done. In April
we
will target the Ohio Recount list, making it the largest prospect mailing
to
my knowledge in the party's history. In May the theme is 'Building the
Green Economy' and will target those involved in sustainable agriculture
and
green buildings, highlighting the amazing work that some of us are doing
to
build a sustainable economy.
CALIFORNIA Aimee Allison, Green candidate for Oakland City Council, spoke
at the ACLU's annual Youth Rights Conference Wednesday at UC Berkeley
on
opposing to the military draft and countering military recruitment on
high
school campuses on April 6. Allison has become the target of a recent
whisper campaign by Democrats and need lots of Green support from around
the
US. On, April 8, the Sierra Club and the Oakland Teachers Association
both
announced they are endorsing Aimee Allison’s campaign for Oakland
City
Council in District 2. Send a check, or visit Oakland to help out on the
campaign. www.aimeeallison.org
ILLINOIS Over 45,000 voters voted for a Green in Illinois's general
election on April 5, 2005. Seven candidates ran for office all over the
state. Both Scott Summers, an attorney from Harvard, Illinois, and Anna
Lempart, a student from Urbana, Illinois won their elections. Scott was
elected to the McHenry County Community College District Board of Trustees
and Anna was elected to the Champaign-Ford Regional Board of School
Trustees. These were competitive races in very large districts. If you'd
like to congratulate Scott, e-mail him at <summerslaw@att.net>.
If you'd
like to congratulate Anna, e-mail her at <Savepeace@sbcglobal.net>.
www.ilgp.org/
NEBRASKA The Nebraska Green Party has gained ballot status in Congressional
District 1 (Lincoln and surrounding areas), as Nebraska allows for parties
by district. Nebraska Greens still have to get signatures for Districts
2
and 3, which is in process but should get up and running in the summer.
www.nebraska.greens.org/
www.greensforgreens.org
OHIO Bob Fitrakis and three other lawyers who represented Ohio voters
in
their challenge to the certification of the Ohio ballots in the 2004 presidential
election are currently being threatened with sanctions for having brought
the lawsuit during the Ohio recount, which was initiated by Green presidential
candidate David Cobb. If Fitrakis and the three other lawyers are sanctioned,
it'll intimidate voters and lawyers from acting on future evidence of
election manipulation and vote obstruction. www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2005/1102
Contributions for legal support freepress.org/store.php
GREENS DEFEND CRITICAL MASS AND BICYCLES AGAINST MASS ARRESTS
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green leaders spoke out against efforts by law enforcement
to target Critical Mass, defending cyclists' right to assemble.
Critical Mass, which holds mass bicycle rides to celebrate the bicycle
as a healthy alternative to the automobile, has been the target of recent
mass arrests and confiscation of bicycles.
"Police could easily allow Critical Mass rides to proceed without
incident, instead of disrupting them and arresting riders," said
Henry Lawrence, past President of the Florida Bicycle Association and
Florida Green Party candidate for Bay County Commissioner in 2004. "Cities
should make every attempt to accommodate bikes. Cities face increasing
traffic demands, the effects of car exhaust such as asthma epidemics among
children, and global warming. Bicycles represent one of the best hopes
for clean urban transportation."
At least 37 Critical Mass participants were arrested in New York City
on Friday, March 25; riders claim frequent harassment by police and city
officials in New York and other cities.
"If bikers need a permit in order to gather in a public space, why
isn't a similar permit required for cars?", asked Hank Chapot, archivist
for the Green Party of California who has participated in Critical Mass
rides in San Francisco, Berkeley, and London. "The permit requirement
allows arbitrary arrest of bicyclists, including those who aren't involved
in Critical Mass events but happen to be nearby."
Greens called the suppression of Critical Mass and a recent New York
City lawsuit to gag Times Up, a nonprofit organization that has mentored
Critical Mass, part of a larger campaign to criminalize protest.
3. Opinion
A World Without Peace
Rick Otten - Spring 2005
What would it be like to live in a world without peace?
The other day my 5 year old daughter and I were listening to the Jim
Cosgrove song "Peace to the Children" when she spoke up "Daddy,
I don't like this song. What if the other kids don't like peas?"
"Not peas", I replied, "Peace."
"What's that?" she asked.
A world without peace.
Peace and Quiet. So often they are bundled together in one phrase that
I was tempted to give her a definition for quiet, instead.
How do you explain to someone who has known no violence, not yet seen
the fires swirling within and around us? Is it possible to describe the
concept of "peace" without first opening the pandora's box of
violence?
I've been pondering this question for the several weeks that have past
since she asked me. One of the Green Party's 10 key values is "Non-Violence".
Why can't it be "peace"? Are we so caught up in the violence
paradigm that we can only describe the alternatives as the negative of
violence?
There are times; early in the morning, with the mist still not clear,
with birds singing, and a stillness, that one can really feel a sense
of peace.
Or maybe late at night, after the world is asleep, with a bright moon
and twinkling stars, when the TV's are off and the streets are free from
their daytime bustle.
Or maybe at a concert, when time seems to just stand still and the music
carries you away.
Glimpses of peace. Something different than simply quiet.
Someone said not too long ago that there is nothing like the peace after
a bomb has gone off. Quiet? Definitely. Cathartic? Maybe. Peace? I'm not
so sure.
If you had a world without violence, would you have a world without peace?
Is that all it would take?
If you had only innocence, would that be peace?
Within each of us is a capacity for finding peace, even if it is only
briefly. Why are those rare moments almost impossible to recognize until
after they've passed?
Spring is upon us. We live in a world full of peace, let’s keep
an eye out for it and try to nourish that beauty wherever we find it.
Publication Details
The Green Party of Ohio Newsletter is published by the Green Party of
Ohio. www.ohiogreens.org The Mission of the Newsletter is to aggressively
promote citizen involvement in making real the Green dream for Ohio and
America as stated in the GPOH Platform, the USGP Platform and those parties’
formal policy positions.
The Mission of the Green Party of Ohio is to focus the political power
of the people to:
1. preserve and restore viable ecosystems,
2. establish social justice and equity,
3. foster participatory democracy,
4. promote and practice nonviolence as a means of conflict resolution,
and
5. ensure the rights of a community-based economic system for all people.
Letters to the editor are accepted but please keep them brief and the
Editor reserves the right to publish or not publish any such letter and
edit them to fit the newsletter format. The Green Party of Ohio Newsletter
does not represent official GPOH policy unless specifically stated. The
Green Party of Ohio Newsletter operates under the guidance of the State
Coordinating Committee Media Committee, which can be contacted through
the State Party Website. Paid for by the Green Party of Ohio Political
Action Fund (OH1066) PO Box 754 New Albany, OH 43054
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