Philly Greens Choose Roseanne Barr For Prexy

by Chris Robinson

http://www.phillyrecord.com/daily-2010/PDR-2012-04-30.pdf

On the evening of Apr. 26, Green Party of Philadelphia voters met at the Buzz Café, www.buzzcafephilly.com, in Kensington for a presidential caucus. The local Greens considered three candidates for the Green Party’s nomination to run for President of the U.S.

The reasons for nominating Dr. Jill Stein, www.jillstein.org, were presented by Howie Hawkins, co-chair of the Green Party of New York. Stein is a general practitioner, who ran as the Green Party candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2002.

The reasons for nominating Roseanne Barr, www.roseanneforpresident.com, were presented by Hillary Kane, a member of the steering committee of the Green Party of Pennsylvania. Barr is a well-known actress and author from California , who has long been involved in Green Party politics.

The reasons for nominating Dr. Kent Mesplay, www.mesplay.org, were presented by Esther Croft, a founding member of the Green Party of Philadelphia. Mesplay is an indigenous American (Blackfoot), air-quality inspector and emergency-shelter manager in California , who previously sought the Green Party nomination for President in 2004 and 2008.

After many questions and answers and much discussion, members of the Green Party of Philadelphia cast secret ballots giving 55% of their votes to Barr, 40% to Stein and 5% to Mesplay.

Similar presidential caucuses are scheduled for other Pennsylvania counties in the near future. Philadelphia ’s votes will then be combined with those cast at other county caucuses to determine the proportion of delegates for each candidate elected by Pennsylvania Greens. The final decision on the Green Party’s candidate for President of the U.S. will be made when the elected state delegates meet at the Green Party National Convention[, www.gpconvention2012.com/,] July 12-15, in Baltimore, Md.
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May Day Rally & Celebration

Date:

Tuesday, May 1

Time:

3:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Location:

Elmwood Park Labor Monument

Street:

71st Street and Buist Avenue, Southwest Philadelphia

City State Zip:

Philadelphia, PA 19153

Phone:

215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org

Notes:

On Tuesday, May 1, join the May Day Rally and Celebration at the Elmwood Park Labor Monument , 71st Street and Buist Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia .

Speakers, live music and family fun.

Open to all. No admission charge. Endorsed by the Green Party of Philadelphia , www.gpop.org.

May Day is observed throughout the world as a day to honor working people and their struggle for human rights. Each year, workers around the world hold massive celebrations on May 1st in tribute to the history and honor the struggle for better working conditions.

More information from 215-301-2633 and jimmoran2008@comcast.net.

By Chris Robinson

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Occupy-the-Voting-Booth-by-Chris-Robinson-120422-907.html

Green Night Out, on April 14, welcomed Harris Daniels, press secretary for Diop Olugbala’s Mayor Campaign, www.diop2011.com, who led a discussion of the strategy of an independent, revolutionary, mayoral candidate in Philadelphia . Daniels said that this campaign was a success, which was demonstrated by the more than 6,400 citizens who voted for Diop over the two corporate candidates.

While consuming a delicious meal, the diners watched a clip of Diop’s Comcast interview with Larry Kane, which emphasized the many positive elements of his campaign, which was based on the program of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, www.inpdum.org .

Erica Mines, chair of the Uhuru Movement’s Philadelphia chapter, then explained some of the important highlights of their revolutionary national democratic program, which includes an end to mass incarceration, community control of public education, an elected citizen advisory board with the power to hire and fire police, and use of vacant lots to employ neighborhood gardeners.

After an interesting discussion of the similarities and differences between the Uhuru Movement and the Green Party, the gathered diners decided that each organization should learn from the other through working together on events. Such an exchange of energy and ideas could lead to a more formal relationship.

Green Night Out takes place monthly at Singapore Kosher Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant, www.singaporevegetarian.com, in Philadelphia , PA. Green Night Out is sponsored by the Green Party of Philadelphia, www.gpop.org. For more information about future Green Nights Out, please contact 215-243-7103 [and gpop@gpop.org].

Attendees (12): Vivek Ananthan, Chris Robinson, Carol McLean, Dave Butler, Christina Pié, Miranda Spencer, Dave Houck, Bernadette Cronin, Alex Gillette, Ernest Schulte, Eric Hamell, Esther Croft.

Welcome. The meeting was facilitated by Chris Robinson. Chris noted that the meeting lacked a quorum, as we had only 12 attendees. Miranda Spencer welcomed the gathering to Chestnut Hill Meeting House.

Motions to amend the agenda. Dave Butler asked to discuss the possibility of allowing members to participate in meetings remotely.

Brief announcements.
•DecarceratePA events on April 5
•Green Night Out, April 14. Harris Daniels discussing “A Revolutionary Mayoral Campaign” at Singapore Restaurant, 1006 Race Street in Chinatown .
•Green Party General Membership Meeting, April 26. Buzz Café, www.buzzcafephilly.com, 1800 N. Howard Street in Kensington.

Remote access to meetings. Dave Butler noted that a wheelchair-bound member had requested that GPOP consider providing a way of connecting via telephone or internet to allow members to participate in meetings. Chris said that request came from Don Maddow. Dave suggested that GPOP should research the technology and consider a bylaw change if necessary to allow members to participate remotely in meetings. Alex Gillette said that he thought no bylaw change would be needed if we just want to allow remote participants to listen and speak, but that we would need to define a verification process and amend the bylaws if we want to allow them to vote. Esther said she thought Charles Sherrouse could help with this, as he had set up a web chat for the recent Cheri Honkala fund-raising event hosted by Hilary Kane. Someone suggested that we would need nothing more than a laptop computer with a Skype connection in order to provide remote access.

1. Green Party Presidential Candidate, 2012. Chris reported that the statewide GP is running a petition campaign to secure a ballot slot for a GP candidate for President. Hilary Kane is coordinator of the state campaign. We need volunteers to serve as a coordinator and assistant(s) for a signature-collection campaign in the city, and we need to pick a date between April 21 and May 18 for a Presidential Caucus for Green Party members registered to vote in Philadelphia . Should we caucus at our next General Membership Meeting? We need to gather 40,000 signatures state-wide by August 1 to ensure a spot on the ballot for a GP candidate.

How does the caucus process work in Pennsylvania ? Each county in the state schedules its own caucus. All registered party members are invited to participate. A member speaks on behalf of each candidate and then a vote is taken. Each party member is permitted to caucus in any county in the state, but may participate in only one county.

Eric suggested that GPOP should incorporate some form of preference voting, such as an “instant run-off” system. He said that he had helped to compile results of a past caucus, and felt that on that occasion it would have been helpful if organizers had incorporated preference voting.

Esther volunteered to lead the city’s campaign, and Vivek agreed to co-chair.

[After the meeting, John Gonzalez offered to take on this task and relieve Esther and Vivek of the responsibility.]

Also vying for the nomination, in addition to Jill Stein and Roseanne Barr, is Kent Mesplay .

Chris and Alex described the petition process in detail and offered suggestions. Each petition form must include voters from only one county.

Because each signature must include the date, and because an incorrect date on one signature can invalidate other signatures that appear to be out of chronological sequence, it is critical that the date be entered correctly. Put a sticker on your clipboard that prominently displays the current date – then carefully oversee and prompt each signer to make sure it’s done correctly. Dates written in European (day/month/year) format are acceptable. Some abbreviations, such as “Phila” for ” Philadelphia ,” are acceptable but if in doubt spell it out.

If a mistake is made, cross out the entire signature line and start a new line. Make sure that the signer includes his or her township name as shown on voter registration – make sure signers are aware that registration addresses often differ from mailing addresses. Make sure signers provide proper names matching to match their voter registrations – no nicknames!

Petition gatherers must be registered to vote in Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania law specifies that out-of-state persons may not circulate petitions.

You must get your own petitions notarized. No one else is permitted to do this in your place – only you can certify that you gathered the signatures.

One person suggested that if you need any extra motivation to help gather those 40,000 signatures, just think of all the Democratic Party pols who have gone to jail because of their zeal to boot GP candidates from the ballot – think of this effort as a drive to put more Democratic Party operatives behind bars!

Primary Election Day, April 24, is one of the best times to gather petitions. Grocery store parking lots are good locations, although you might get chased away if you hang out too close to the store entrance.

How to approach people? “Excuse me, are you a registered Pennsylvania voter?” “Would you sign my petition to get a third-party candidate on the ballot?”

How do we describe the GP and its positions? “The Green Party is the environment party.” Check out the Green Party of Pennsylvania web site. Cite the Ten Key Values of the Green Party of the United States .

Since the meeting lacked a quorum, the remaining agenda items were not considered:
•2. Amendments to GPOP Bylaws
•3. GPOP Proposal for Public Schools
•4. Two new GPOP Committees: Outreach, Success

5. Officer Reports. There was no Treasurer’s report, as Belinda Davis was absent, and there were no other Officer Reports.

Minutes were recorded by Dave Butler.

Buzz Cafe, www.buzzcafephilly.com

1800 North Howard Street, Kensington
Philadelphia, PA
215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org

The Green Party of Phila (GPOP), www.gpop.org, has scheduled a presidential caucus at 7:00pm sharp on Thursday, April 26, at the Buzz Café, 1800 North Howard Street in Kensington.

Every voter who is a registered Green Party member in Pennsylvania is invited to participate in the Green Party Presidential Caucus.

There are two presidential candidates who are seeking the Green Party nomination: actress Roseanne Barr and Dr. Jill Stein, www.gp.org/2012/candidates. Other candidates may be nominated during the presidential caucus. Green Party voters may also choose “no candidate” or “uncommitted.”

Roseanne Barr in addition to being an Emmy-award winning actress and New York Times bestselling author has been a tireless advocate for social justice. Please visit her website to find out more about her candidacy, www.roseanneforpresident.com.

Dr. Jill Stein is a physician, long-time teacher of internal medicine, and pioneering environmental-health advocate. She is the co-author of two widely-praised reports, In Harm’s Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development (2000), and Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging (2009). Please visit her website to find out more information about her candidacy, www.jillstein.org.

The Green Party presidential caucus will be open to everyone with no admission charge, but only registered Green Party voters will be permitted to vote. For more information on the Green Party or the presidential caucus, please contact 215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org.

Similar caucuses will be held in other counties of Pennsylvania . For a calendar of Green Party caucuses, please visit www.gpofpa.org.

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grassroots democracy – social justice – nonviolence – ecology

Saturday, April 14

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location:Singapore Kosher Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant,

www.singaporevegetarian.com

Street:

1006 Race Street (in Chinatown )

City State Zip:

Philadelphia, PA

Phone:

215-243-7301 and gpop@gpop.org

Notes:

GREEN NIGHT OUT welcomes Harris Daniels, press secretary for Diop Olugbala’s 2011 mayoral campaign, www.diop2011.com. Daniels will discuss the strategy of an independent, revolutionary, mayoral candidate in Philadelphia .

Enjoy this stimulating discussion and an endless supply of vegetarian, kosher, Chinese food for only $25/person. GREEN NIGHT OUT is open to the public. Please join us at Singapore Restaurant, 1006 Race Street , in Chinatown . RSVP (space is limited) to the Green Party at 215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org.

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grassroots democracy – social justice – nonviolence – ecology

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http://www.greenpartypa.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=402&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Dr. Jill Stein, www.jillstein.org, opened her Pennsylvania campaign for President of the U.S. on Monday, March 19. Campaigning in Center City at the invitation of the Green Party of Philadelphia, www.gpop.org, Stein spoke with 50 people in the ballroom of the William Way Community Center , www.waygay.org.

Wasting no time in getting the undivided attention of this enthusiastic audience, Jill Stein presented a platform which was fiery and gutsy. This was no Romney/Obama fireside chat. A medical doctor by profession, Stein says she has now become a political doctor, because “politics is the mother of all ills.”

“Greed for record profits is what got us into this mess in the first place,” Stein continued. “This is bad for people, bad for the economy, and completely unnecessary. When they say there’s not enough money, they mean there’s not enough money for YOU. We can end the Wall Street bailouts, cut the bloated military and tax the bloated rich.”

One person asked if physicians and healthcare workers are in favor of single payer healthcare, which Jill Stein strongly promotes. “They most certainly are,” she said. “In fact, medical practitioners are looking forward to dollars going directly toward healthcare and not profits for insurance executives. What we have now is a sick care system, but we need to move in the direction of providing real healthcare and a healthy environment.”

The Green New Deal, a novel concept incorporated into Jill Stein’s platform, is an emergency four-part program for moving America quickly out of crisis into the secure green future.

Jill Stein calls these solutions a “Green New Deal” because they are inspired by the New Deal programs that helped people out of the Great Depression of the 1930s. These solutions are Green because they create an economy that will make our communities sustainable and healthy.

The Green New Deal will guarantee the economic rights of all Americans, beginning with the right to a job at a living wage for every American willing and able to work. It will transition the U.S. to a sustainable, green economy for the 21st century, by adopting green technologies and sustainable production.

The financial sector will be rebooted and reprogrammed so that it serves everyday people and our communities, and not the other way around. “When I become President, I will break up the huge corporate banks that are too big to fail and too big to jail.”

Finally, Stein said she would protect these gains by expanding and strengthening our democracy so that our government and our economy finally serve We the People.

“Because of the urgency of these times, we can no longer sit back and wait out the storm,” said Stein. “Our silence will only serve to give the two-party system a mandate to continue business as usual.” Stein asked those present to personally take courage and be willing to believe that these major changes are within our reach. The first step will be collecting 40,000 signatures in Pennsylvania to secure a spot on the ballot for a Green Party candidate for President in the November General Election. For information on how to help, please call 215-243-7103 or email gpop@gpop.org.

GREEN PARTY OF PHILADELPHIA, http://www.gpop.org

http://www.gp.org/press/pr-state.php?ID=488

At Green Night Out on March 10, History Professor Heather Thompson of Temple University discussed “Why Mass Incarceration Matters.” Speaking in Philadelphia ‘s Chinatown, Thompson explained to the gathered diners that “there are now more black men in Detroit ‘s prisons than there are black men working in the auto industry. There are now more black men in the U.S. prison system than there were black men in slavery before the Civil War.”

Green Night Out takes place monthly at Singapore Kosher Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant, www.singaporevegetarian.com. in Philadelphia , PA. Green Night Out is sponsored by the Green Party of Philadelphia, www.gpop.org. For more information about future Green Nights Out, please contact 215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org.

Join the Green Party in welcoming Dr. Jill Stein.
Hear about Jill’s New Green Deal and
her position on issues you care about.
There will be a question-and-answer session after Jill Stein’s informative presentation, as well as music and light refreshments.

William Way Community Center

1315 Spruce Street, Center City
7:00pm to 9:00pm

This event is endorsed by:
Linda Beckman*, Health Care for All Phila. http://www.phillyhealth.org,
Cheri Honkala*, Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, http://www.econimichumanrights.org,
Paul Kerstetter, Retired University Administrator
Elizabeth Leonard*, Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia, www.grannypeacebrigadephiladelphia.org/,
Carol McLean*, Northwest Greens, www.groups.yahoo.com/group/nwgreens/,
Jasmine Rivera*, Action United, www.actionunited.org/,
Chris Robinson*, UFCW Local 1776,
Miranda Spencer*, Red Panda Communications, www.redpandacommunications.com,
Walter Tsou*, Health Care for All PA, www.healthcare4allpa.org/, and
Deborah “Z” Zubow, Code Pink Philly, www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?list=type&type=315.
(*organization for identification only)

This event is free and open to the public.
Bring your family and friends.
Donations are gratefully appreciated.

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On the same date:
Brunch with Jill Stein
Monday, March 19 at 11:00am
Crossroads Coffeehouse
www.crossroadsrox.com
6156 Ridge Ave., Roxborough
Phila., PA 19128

Enjoy a delicious, full-line brunch while hearing about Jill’s platform and her plans to revitalize this country.
Cost: $20 at the door. Seating is limited.
This event is open to the public.

Visit Jill’s website at www.jillstein.org.

For more information about these events and to RSVP,
please call: 215-243-7103 or email: gpop@gpop.org.

By Chris Robinson.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Philadelphia-Greens-Elect-by-Chris-Robinson-120229-792.html

The members of the Green Party of Philadelphia, PA (GPOP, www.gpop.org ) met on the evening of February 23 to elect their new leadership.

The meeting, which was held at Calvary Center for Culture and Community, www.calvary-center.org/, was greeted by Milan Marvelous, a West Philadelphia Green. Marvelous urged those present to build the Green Party in their own neighborhood as he has done in Ward 46, which now has the second highest Green registration in the city.

Charles Sherrouse, a Green from Oxford Circle (Ward 54), chaired the meeting and explained that the GPOP City Committee has four officers and three members-at-large. After a brief explanation of the duties of each office, Sherrouse opened the nominations and conducted the election.

For the next year, the Green Party will have the following elected officials:

• Chair Vivek Ananthan (incumbent) is a founder of GPOP and the treasurer of the Green Party of Pennsylvania, www.gpofpa.org . A resident of Northern Liberties (Ward 5), Vivek has retired from health-food merchandising.
• Treasurer Belinda Davis (incumbent) is a history professor who lives in Chestnut Hill (Ward 9).
• Membership Secretary Carol McLean (incumbent) is an accounts-receivable specialist for an in-home health service program. She lives in Germantown (Ward 59).
• Recording Secretary Dave Butler is a grant writer and computer consultant from Roxborough (Ward 21).
• At-Large Member Hugh Giordano (incumbent) is a union organizer from Roxborough (Ward 21).
• At-Large Member John Gonzalez is an accountant from Fairhill (Ward 19).
• At-Large Member Chris Robinson (incumbent) is a grocery clerk from Germantown (Ward 59).

Following the City Committee election, the Greens discussed the primary contest for President of the U.S. Right now, Dr. Jill Stein, www.jillstein.org, and actress Roseanne Barr, www.roseanneforpresident.com, are seeking the Green Party nomination. Dr. Stein will be campaigning in Philadelphia on March 19.

For more information on the Green Party of Philadelphia, please telephone 215-243-7103 and gpop@gpop.org.
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This
article also appeared in a slightly edited version in Philadelphia Public Record, Thursday, March 1, 2012, page 11.

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