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April 2005 Newsletter
Green Party of Sonoma County (GPSC) News for April:
1. GPSC - County Council Election on April 21
2. State Plenary Date Change
3. David Cobb Event (4/5): "Everything You Want to Know About the
Ohio Election and Electoral Reform"
4. Ten Questions for Greens
5. No Green Talk in April
6. Calendar of Upcoming Meetings and Events
7. Contact Information
8. Internet Links of the Month
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GPSC - COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT [top]
The Green Party of Sonoma County (GPSC) will hold an election for one
of seven county council seats/positions. The new council member will
complete the remainder of a 2 year term which lasts until the June
2006 primary election. The event will be held on Thursday, April 21,
2005, at The Environmental Center, 404A Mendocino Ave (nearest cross
street is 5th) Santa Rosa, 7-9 PM.
To find out more about the election process, link to
http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/newspaper/0305.shtml#0503_1
If you are interested in becoming a candidate for County Council,
please contact a County Councilor or the Regional Representative.
County Councilors
Email to all councilors: cc@sonomagreenparty.org
Tim Morgan: 707-695-9293 (cell)
Ann Tompkins: 707-542-3037
Regional Representative
Tim Smith: 707-206-0260 or email Rioryon@aol.com
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STATE PLENARY DATE CHANGE [top]
The next Green Party of California (GPCA) State Plenary will be held
in Los Angeles. It is currently scheduled to happen on Saturday, May
21 and Sunday, May 22, 2005. More details next month.
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DAVID COBB EVENT (4/5): "Everything You Want to Know About the Ohio [top]
Election and Electoral Reform"
Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - 7:30 PM
Place: Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma
Tickets: $15.00 (Advance tickets available from Praxis Peace Institute)
The 2004 election saga has not ended, even though news of the ongoing
lawsuit is well below the mainstream radar. No one knows more about
the recount process than David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential
candidate and initiator of the Ohio recount, who is actively working
on election reform.
A native of Texas, David Cobb had a successful law practice there
until early 2000, when he managed the Green Party effort that gained
ballot access for the Texas GP. He serves on the Steering committee of
Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, a citizen's education and
action group. His efforts in the Ohio recount led to congressional
hearings convened by Rep. John Conyers and wide-spread discussion of
electoral reform in the U.S. Congress and Senate.
Tickets are available at the door, or you may reserve them by paying
online (www.praxispeace.org -- click on Events page), or by calling
Praxis Peace Institute at 707-939-2973.
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TEN QUESTIONS FOR GREENS - Things to Consider for the Next Few Years [top]
1. How do we run an aggressive, effective national campaign that
helps the GP grow in a year in which the Dem-Repub contest is so
fierce that the Green nominee is bound to draw a tiny percent,
regardless of our choice of candidate or campaign strategy?
We focus on Issues and Alliances with other third parties, as we
attempted to do with the Libertarians. AND most of all focus on
elections at the city, county and state level that we have a
better chance at winning, which we also did in the last elections
cycle. Having David Cobb visit me in Panama City for my first
campaign rally was extremely beneficial with a very large amount
of local media co verge that I personally would not have received
without his visit. AS we all know, Politics is Local, and that is
where WE are growing the Green Party. My local registered Greens
have grown 400 in the past 4 years, and will continue to grow at
even larger levels, but we must set a positive and uplifting
agenda. No more doom and gloom.
2. How do we appeal to voters who have already made up their minds
to vote for the Democratic (or Republican) presidential candidate,
and urge them at least to vote for Greens running in local & state
races? (And how do we do this without appearing to devalue our
presidential campaign?)
By keeping our messages Local. Deal with local issues that effect
the local voters where the rubber hits the road, in their wallets
and purses. That’s how I got almost 4,000 votes in a very
conservative Republican count. Nader received 842 votes here in
2,000 and Cobb only received 300, yet as a local candidate my
votes were significant and my message was local.
3. How do we stop ourselves from regarding progressive, antiwar,
etc. voters who don't vote Green RIGHT NOW as enemies or traitors
to what we stand for, and instead regard them as potential and
future Greens, i.e., friends?
By supporting the issues that are common to their lives and the
lives of their families which the Green Party does champion, i.e.
health care, jobs, alternative transportation, and countless other
issues that affect them every day. They are all Greens at heart.
They just need a positive message and a comfort zone within that
message, which we as Greens possess.
4. How do we deal with the fact that, for at least the next decade
or two, many registered Greens will decide to re-register Democrat
in a presidential election year in order to vote in the Dem
primary? How do we persuade them to rejoin the GP after they've
done this? (YES, we want them back in the Green Party. NO, we do
not reject, rebuke, or punish them.)
This, unfortunately, will continue to happen until we as Greens
have a stronger base of support and stronger, better known, more
viable candidates for President. Converting a few very well known
Dems to Greens could be the answer. Meanwhile, locally my few
Greens that switched to Dems for the vote have switched back and
brought several other Dems to the Greens. WE must be more
understanding and more flexible in our long term VIEWS of how to
make the Green Party a viable alternative, and that means using a
more Positive message.
5. How do we deal with the fact that a lot of registered Greens,
like registered Democrats & registered Republicans, will sometimes
decide to vote for candidates outside the party, and that this may
happen more, not less, as the GP grows? (It might even be a sign
of our success.)
This is not a problem, especially when you consider that many
Greens don't even have a Green on the ballot. WE vote for the best
possible candidate, or we don't vote at all. We can only grow the
Green Party by our level of participation in the political
process, whether we are bringing Dems or Reps or Independents into
the Green Party, we must bring a positive message with us if we
ever expect to grow and truly become a viable alternative.
6. How do we prevent our participation in the spectacle of the
presidential election every four years from eclipsing all our
state & local Green campaigns? (I.e., how do we keep ourselves
from talking and acting as if the future of the GP depended on a
single race in a single year?)
By using the National Elections to shed light on the campaigns of
local Green candidates and keeping the 10 key values and the way
they translate into local politics at the forefront of our
campaign messages. AS I was able to do locally with David Cobb's
presence as the Green Party National candidate. His campaign
helped boost many a local Greens candidacy, and helped get some
Greens elected.
7. How do we persuade voters who share our political agenda that,
although we probably won't see a Green president in the next few
decades, it's quite possible that we can get a few Greens into
Congress, a lot more Greens into state legislatures, and a Green
into a large city's mayor's office (as Matt Gonzalez proved)
during the next dozen years? How do we assert this as a major
goal, not just among Greens, but for all progressives,
independents, etc.?
By forming alliances, coalitions and participating locally as
Greens so that the voting citizens see a positive result from our
efforts. The Quality of people’s lives is vitally important and
the Green agenda, if practiced whole heartedly can accomplish that
goal. WE can't simply be the constant complainers and whiners. WE
must have a positive message and a Vision that translates into
Action, not slimly words.
8. How do we keep the GP in the news, in front of people's faces,
in people's political conversations, etc. permanently, even when
we're not running candidates for office? (Insufficient answers:
participating in other organizations' demonstrations; sending out
GP press releases; holding endless party & committee meetings;
having endless chitchat on internal GP discussion lists.)
Speaking out on Legislative Bills that affect us all. Ballot
access. Felons Rights. Health care reform. Election reform.
Hosting events as Greens that provide us that opportunity. Earth
Day is an excellent example. Labor Day is another. WE must have a
visible presence at regularly held events as well. Locally we must
be constantly visible. But we need to host our own events as
mentioned above.
9. How do we stop believing that the GP is something people should
join just because they agree with our platform & 10 Key Values,
and make the GP something people want to join because they enjoy
our company?
We Have FUN doing what we do, and are not simply seen as radical
whiners. WE host events that are FUN, uplifting and an experience
for the entire family. That's what the Republicans have been doing
here in Bay County for years, and we need to learn what works and
what doesn't work through this observation.
10. Every significant political movement has also had a social or
cultural component. The Populist Party spread among farmers
through useful lectures on the latest agricultural methods. The
Civil Rights Movement spread through churches. The protest
movement against the Vietnam War percolated in rock & folk
concerts and on campus. Gay liberation came out of gay bars, and
women's liberation out of coffee houses & consciousness-raising
groups. Republican think-tanks emerged from cocktail parties &
trips to strip clubs. What is the GP's cultural expression? What
will be the social catalyst for the GP?
We must learn from these examples, and take our message to all of
these venues and more. Hosting Green Gatherings, Music festivals,
Democracy Now events, in churches, on college campuses, in the
bars and coffee houses. Greens are accepting and social enough to
take our message whenever and wherever it needs to be taken. BE
Creative but be knowledgeable of your surroundings enough to know
what works for you and your local Green movement.
Henry N. Lawrence III, Co-Chair
Green Party of Bay County www.baygreens.org
1725 Palmetto Av.
Panama City, Fl. 32401
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NOTICE: NO GREEN TALK IN APRIL [top]
No Green Talk is scheduled for April. Please check the May
newsletter for information on the next talk.
Green Talks are informal meetings hosted by the Green Party of Sonoma
County on the first Thursday of each month. Admission is free, but any
donation is welcome. To get more information, suggest future topics,
or join the Green Talk Working Group, please email
greentalk@sonomagreenparty.org.
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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS [top]
*NOTE* To check for new events and schedule changes, visit our home
page at http://www.sonomagreenparty.org
April --------------------------------------------------------
11 (Mon) GREEN TALKS/OUTREACH WORKING GROUP MEETING
Email greentalk@sonomagreenparty.org
12 (Tue) BYLAWS WORKING GROUP MEETING
7 PM. Contact: bylaws@sonomagreenparty.org or 542-3037
20 (Wed) DEADLINE FOR GPSC NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS FOR MAY
If you have a Green-related article or event that you want
included in the next GPSC e-newsletter, email your draft or
completed submission to pc@sonomagreenparty.org by 4/20. If you
email a draft, please submit the completed article by Monday,
4/25.
21 (Thu) GENERAL BUSINESS MEETING
7-9 PM, Environmental Center, 404A Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa
The general meeting is held every 3rd Thursday of the month. All
interested Greens are welcome to attend!
Info: info@sonomagreenparty.org
22 (Fri) EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
The students at Sonoma State University are inviting Green Party
members to attend their Earth Day celebration on campus and join
in an Earth Day Peace March.
Activities are planned throughout the week and on Friday, April
22nd, there will be a student band from 12-1, tablers (the Sonoma
County Green Party and many others), speakers from 1-3:30, a sign
making party and the Peace March starting at 4:00pm. The march
will go from the SSU campus to the Cotati Hub and back (about an
hour).
The event is free (there is a charge for parking on campus).
For more information, e-mail grogan@sonoma.edu or phone Rick at
795-2723
25 (Mon) IT/PC WORKING GROUP MEETING
7-9 PM, Aroma Roasters Coffee Company, Railroad Square, Santa
Rosa. All interested Greens are welcome to attend!
Info: it@sonomagreenparty.org or pc@sonomagreenparty.org
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CONTACT INFORMATION [top]
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WORKING GROUPS (WG)
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Bylaws WG
Info: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/pages/gi_bylaws.shtml
Contact: bylaws@sonomagreenparty.org
Green Talk and Outreach WG
Info: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/pages/gi_greentalk.shtml
Contact: greentalk@sonomagreenparty.org or 542-3037
IT (Information Technologies) WG
Info: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/pages/gi_it.shtml
Contact: it@sonomagreenparty.org
PC (Public Communications) WG
Info: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/pages/gi_pc.shtml
Contact: pc@sonomagreenparty.org
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LOCALS
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Campus Greens - Sonoma State University Chapter
Contact: jaredl@sbcglobal.net
Listserve: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/sonomacampusgreens
(Interested in starting a SRJC chapter? Email
jswingaling@hotmail.com)
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THE GREEN PARTY of Sonoma County
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(707) 524-8818
info@sonomagreenparty.org
http://www.sonomagreenparty.org
PO Box 15073 Santa Rosa, CA 95402
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INTERNET LINKS OF THE MONTH [top]
http://www.cagreens.org/grow/main.html
The California Green Party GROW organization helps the Green Party
grow by providing resources and training and by coordinating local
organizers and groups.
http://www.avocadoeducationproject.org/
The Avocado Education Project, formed by a group of Greens including
Peter Camejo, educates about the history of struggles for democracy
in the United States and their relationship to a multi-party
political system.
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