Navigation |
2003 - U.S. Green Year in Review, January to February
January 4: First Green Candidate of the Year Comes on Maui Hawai'i began the New Year in Green fashion as Nick Nikhilanada, a long-time party organizer on the island of Maui, became the first U.S. Green to run for office in 2003. Nikhilananda finished 16th out of 44 candidates and was the highest placing third party candidate. The top three candidates - all Democrats - received 81% of the vote in this overwhelmingly Democratic district. Nikhilananda previously sought local elective office as a Green for Maui County Council and in 1992, was part of the successful founding ballot drive of the Hawaii Green Party.
In a
Gonzalez succeeded
San Francisco is now the largest U.S. city or county (pop. 776,000) to have its legislative body headed by a Green. Also impressive was that it Gonzalez credited his election to his non-partisan commitment to openness and honesty in government. "At the end of the day, people want city services, accountability and an honorable debate by elected officials who don't abuse the public process to gain ideological advantage." Illustrating this point, Gonzalez was nominated by Tony Hall, the Board's most conservative member, who said "Gonzalez is a man of integrity and intelligence, who will carry out his responsibilities fairly and impartially." January 24th: New Jersey State Legislator Switches to Green In a historic move, New Jersey State Assembly member Matt Ahearn (D-38) became the first sitting state legislator to change his/her party affiliation to Green. Elected in 2001, Ahearn became increasingly uncomfortable once in office about big money influencing his fellow legislators, especially his fellow Democrats. He also felt pressured to forgo his principles on issues of policy, and was asked by the state Democratic leadership to raise money from individuals and companies with business before the state. According to Ahearn, the staffer stood over him while he made a few calls. But Ahearn wasn't comfortable with this, and soon told the staffer he wanted no part of the scheme. "It was pay-to-play." Democrats called Ahearn ‘uncooperative' and privately planned to remove him from office even before he switched to Green. In June, Ahearn introduced a Clean Money bill to provide for public financing for elections to the state legislature. Entitled "The Not surprisingly, Democrats and Republicans did not embrace the Clean Money bill. However, Ahern did have 13 pieces of legislation passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. They dealt with Green issues such as labor rights, conservation and opposition to predatory lending. Many observers predicted Ahearn would have trouble moving legislation after he changed to Green, and because of his criticism of his former Democratic colleagues In November the Democrats exacted payback, as Ahearn was defeated in a five-way race for two seats. Pre-election polls showed he had a good chance of being re-elected when identified directly in phone calls. But on Election Day he received only 5% of the vote. Many Greens concluded this demonstrated the critical role that a familiar partisan ballot line plays for voters who are unfamiliar with ‘downticket' candidates like Ahearn.
January 24th-27th: World Social Forum Conceived as an alternative vision to the World Economic Forum, the WSF has become a global meeting place for groups and movements of civil society seeking alternatives to the dominant neo-liberal agenda. Opening ceremonies featured over 100,000 people marching through the streets of Porto Alegre in a March por La Paz, led by newly elected President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, The march also featured members of the new Brazilian cabinet - including newly appointed Minister of Culture, Brazilian Green cultural icon Gilberto Gil. The Brazilian Greens also co-sponsored a Global Mural project, which was unveiled at a high-profile ceremony in downtown Porto Alegre as an official event of the WSF. Organized by Porto Alegre Greens Patricia Dorneles and Walter de Oliveira, the mural was a depiction of the negative results of globalization and an attempt to provoke discussions upon the themes promoted in Agenda 21. The mural gave the Porto Alegre Greens national visibility and served as a model for other political/environmental projects in Brazil.
A WSF co-convenor, Frassoni saw the opportunity for Greens and other parliamentarians to build strategic alliances with key social movements. "Porto Alegre has developed into the most important international meeting of the social movements and NGOs, who want to have an impact on decision making at global level." On January 26th, the Second Green World Social Forum was hosted by the Goethe Institute, providing Greens from around the globe the chance to meet and exchange ideas. The meeting generated a tour of Europe by Green Minister Gil. Many Greens also participated in demonstrations for Peace and against the ALCA (Free Trade Area of the Americas).
February 1: Year's First Elected Green Comes in California's Antelope Valley
In Los Angeles County, Town Councils set community standards and advise County Board of Supervisors on issues relating to their community, which would otherwise be superceded by county-wide decisions. Bolema ran on a platform of conservation and inclusive politics. In all, ten California Greens sit on such county or municipal advisory bodies. February 15: Greens Play Important Role in Anti-War Movement From the streets of New York City to the California Pacific sands- and many points in between - Greens participated in anti-war demonstrations across the nation, joining millions across the planet in protesting the anticipated invasion of Iraq by the Bush Administration. U.S. Greens were the nation's ‘peace party', on this national and international day of solidarity and protest. Greens helped organize many of the rallies, and were featured as speakers in many of them as well.
In California, Santa Monica Mayor Pro-Tem Kevin McKeown spoke at the Peace at the Beach Rally, reminding attendees about the Green Party's fundamental commitment to non-violence. In the days before the rallies, Greens challenged U.S. General Colin Powell's speech to the United Nations. The day before the rallies, the Green Party of the United States held an anti-war press conference in Harlem.
Across the nation in 2003, Green elected officials on city councils, school boards and county board of supervisors successfully induced 25 resolutions against the war and 22 resolutions against the USAPATRIOT Act. In this, they were joined by Greens around the planet. Pictured on the right, the Greens of Andalusia, Spain say Their voice was also echoed by the New Zealand Greens, pictured below at a February 15th demonstration in Wellington.
On the planetary level, the Global Greens
February 21: Green Rainbow Rising in Massachusetts Signaling an historic coming together of the Green and Rainbow Coalition parties in Massachusetts, state Green co-chairs Grace Ross and Gary Hicks submitted official papers to Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, to change their party's name to the Green-Rainbow Party. Their action culminated a three-year process to align two groups that have been at the forefront of the fight for social and economic justice in Massachusetts. Press conferences and celebrations were held the next day across the state - in eastern Massachusetts at the Middle East Restaurant, Central Square, Cambridge, and in western Massachusetts at Bart's Ice Cream Shop in Northampton.
"The goals of the Green Party are the goals of the Rainbow Coalition Party," said King. "Unity is the key to our success. Together, we can change politics in Massachusetts so that everyone has a voice." Those who were registered Green previously automatically became registered quot; Green-Rainbow". Rainbow Coalition Party members were asked to reregister as Green-Rainbow.
In November, Turner was re-elected in Boston's District 7 with 98% of the vote. By the end of 2003, Green-Rainbow voter registration stood at 8,588. February 21-23: Historic Green Officeholders Gathering
The Network's purpose - as stated in the Founding Declaration drafted in Santa Monica and ultimately signed by 57 elected Greens across the nation by April 1st - is to "help network Green elected officials among themselves, The Network contemplates regional and national Green officeholder gatherings, as well as an interactive Web site for officeholders to share resolutions and legislative experiences. Green officeholders will also participate in campaign schools and candidate trainings across the country. Organizing for meetings like the League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayor would also be coordinated. While the organizing of the Green Officeholders Network occurred mostly on Sunday, the Conference's first two days focused on issues and strategies of being a Green in office, as well as how Green officeholders viewed the party's strategy in 2004. Friday
Saturday afternoon featured breakout sessions into types of offices held, with City Councilmembers in one group and School Board/College Boardmembers in another. This was followed by a sunset reception on Santa Monica's beautiful Will Rogers Beach, at the foot of Palisades Park. Invited national Green Party pre presenting during this session included national Green co-chair Ben Manski (WI), who spoke about the local relationship in Madison between the Greens, Progressive Dane (a municipal progressive party) and the officials they helped elect; and Juscha Robinson (MI/WI) who spoke about coordination between officeholders and the GPUS Coordinated Campaign Committee. The first Conference of Green Officeholders was also held in Santa Monica, in February 1998, and was organized by Feinstein and Lynne Serpe. It was the first time that a large number of elected Greens in the U.S. had come together to discuss policy and share experiences. For more information on Green Officeholders: * Greens Holding Elected Office * Green * Most Years Holding Elected Office as a Green * Most Greens Holding Office at the Same Time on a Legislative Body * Most Consecutive Years with at Least One Green Holding Elected Office on the Same Legislative Body * Greens Holding Elected Office Around the Globe February 21-23: Historic Green Officeholders Gathering Greens and others from across South Florida came together at the Sunset Tavern in South Miami, to celebrate the state's newest Green officeholder - Dan McCrea. Elected in November 2002 as an independent, McCrea joined the Green Party in early January 2003 after mailing in a new voter registration card to the Secretary of State's office in Tallahassee, the state capital. "The Green Party thinks globally and nurtures our common humanity. Green foreign and domestic policies embrace the realities of sharing the planet and the Green Party is the only party to welcome this global reality and advocate policies to deal successfully with it. From town planning to foreign relations, the Green Party's principles set healthy systems into motion, that enrich our long-term security and prosperity. " Joining the celebration was surprise guest 1980 Presidential candidate John Anderson. A Founder and Director of the Washington-based Center for Voting and Democracy, Anderson spoke of the necessity for electoral reform through voting systems such as Instant Runoff Voting and Proportional Representation.
Later in July, McCrea made headlines with his McCrea's successful resolution before the South Miami City Commission on July 28th to "bring integrity to the election process by requiring a paper record of every ballot cast no later than the 2004 presidential election" was the first by a municipality in the nation. It was soon followed by two other municipalities in Miami-Dade County - Miami Beach and Bay Harbor Islands - after McCrea advocated for the issue at the Miami-Dade League of Cities. McCrea also joined the efforts of the Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition (MDERC) as its Municipal Advisor. MDERC came together after the Miami premiere of the film "Unprecedented", which was about the various mechanical and political irregularities in the Florida 2000 presidential elections, and which was co-produced by California Green Joan Sekler.
MDERC was also responsible for getting outside observers for the 2002 election in Miami, and for denouncing voting machine contract irregularities in Miami-Dade County. Additionally, MDERC has done ground-breaking work bridging the need for election security with increasing accessibility for visually-impaired voters - issues which sometimes have appeared at odds. MDERC has also worked restore voting rights to people with felony convictions - another notorious issue from the Florida 2000 election.. ( categories: )
|
Green Parties The Americas Asia-Pacific Europe Observers |
In 2004, Green incumbent 
Board President is the second-most powerful political position in city government after Mayor, with the ability to set agendas, determine committee memberships, and otherwise affect legislation.
In conjunction with the WSF, On January 22nd-24th, a 
Los Angeles County resident Tom Bolema became the first Green elected in 2003, winning a seat on the seven member Junniper Hills Town Council, in North Los Angeles County in the High Desert Antelope Valley.
In New York City's
New Haven (CT) Alderman 
Greens continued to 
From the streets to the 'halls of power', New Zealand Green MP and Foreign Policy Spokesperson 
Long time Rainbow Coalition leaders Mel King (MIT) and Boston City Councilor 
The newly united progressive party held its first state convention in June in Worcester, and devoted most of its time to organizing and training. It also elected a diverse state Administrative Committee and national Green delegation.
More than 50 Green officeholders and other party leaders came to Santa Monica, California to attend the second-ever 
with the rest of the Green Party and with the public at-large, and promote Green policies and the organizational development of the Green Party."
Saturday morning featured a full-group session on policy and "being Green in government." Attendees presented success stories on housing, land use/development, energy, affordable housing, stormwater run-off, pedestrian/bicycle orientation, food security and elimination of pesticides/alternatives to toxins.
Of his decision to ‘go Green', McCrea said "This is about believing in the platform and viability of a relatively new party that has chosen to put fairness, ethics and sustainability at the head of its program."
Other speakers included Eric Fricker, vice-mayor of Cocoa Beach (and the first elected Green in Florida) and Steven Schmidt (St. Petersburg), one of the principal framers of the 2000 
MDERC has focused promoting secure elections in general, and the security of new touch screen voting machines in particular, including associated necessary oversight, laws, rules, and procedures - with paper records as just one tool in ensuring that security.