Throw in the Towel? Or Fight Back?

Here’s a safe bet: the two major political parties will nominate Presidential candidates from the corporate wings of their parties.

What will that leave us in this election year?

Corporate control as usual.

If this happens, we have two choices – throw in the towel.

Or fight back.

If we choose to fight back, here’s a good option:

Join with a person whose life is one of dedicated service to the public interest.

To help him organize a political campaign in every state against corporate control over our lives.

Luckily, that person – Ralph Nader – is considering such a campaign.

But he will need active and informed citizens in every Congressional district in the country.

He will need volunteers.

He will need funds.

He will need dedication.

That’s why we’ve signed on at Nader’s exploratory web site: http://www.naderexplore08.org/

Check it out.

And spread the word.

In 2008, it’s either sit back and watch the drift.

Or get off the couch and fight back.

Hope you will join us.

Thank you.

The Nader Team

P.S. Hear Ralph On Democracy Now Thursday Morning at 8am: Click on www.democracynow.org to check for local listings or to listen live online.

From Kent Mesplay for President

http://www.mesplay.org/

Sustainability is Security, through local economies, renewable energy, L.E.E.D. architecture, preparing for Global Warming.

Reform Politics through Instant Runoff Voting (I.R.V.), require real debates between all political parties, ban lobbying and its corrupting influence. I.R.V. would have been helpful in determining who actually won in Florida in 2000 since it is a way to determine who has broad and deep support. With I.R.V. people vote their preference and rank their choices. With Nader's first-place votes dropped, the second-place votes would have made a difference. This is a fair way to run elections, as it allows people to vote for candidates they really support. Also, it encourages positive campaigning. This process saves money when one candidate does not receive over 50% of the vote, since an expensive extra runoff election is not necessary, as it is built in to the process. I.R.V. is a solution supported by alternative parties. Also, we work for more proportional representation.

Peace, not just by ending the war in Iraq but by encouraging and promoting sustainable living through green economies elsewhere. The Green policy regarding Iraq is immediate, unconditional withdrawal.

Treaty/Sovereignty Rights and political representation for tribal peoples, especially elders and traditionalists (Mesplay’s background is Blackfoot).

VIDEO, by subject, OF SAN FRANCISCO DEBATE

This is a serious campaign and a protest campaign. Please don't throw away your vote by not voting!

Register Green, Vote Mesplay

Why the Green Party of MN?

Dear Green Party of MN Members, Supporters and resolution makers,~~~We are heading into a new year, an election year, and the Green Party of Minnesota is needed now more than ever.~~~Ecosystems continue to die, species go extinct, and communities are ripped apart, and for what? For quarterly balance sheets, yearly returns, and two year election cycles. Rather than tolerating a planet-killing, war-making, corporatist political system, we need a POLITICAL party to transform the political system; into a system that represents humans and non-humans as well as the true will of the people.~~~Of the the available political parties in Minnesota, the Green Party has the best ideas of how to sustain us on this humble, respectful and beautiful planet. The cream (Vegans add in your favorite nondairy) is supposed to rise to the top, right? ~~~If we work hard to organize and offer voters passionate candidates , the Green Party of Minnesota could become the number one party in the state. (Anything less and we continue to allow the most dangerous people to create the facade of a government "by and for the people" while they accelerate extinction through deception, diversion and denial. )~~~Why does running Greens make a difference? Getting two, five, or, of course, fifty percent of the vote gives us the power to swing elections, force the dominant parties to deal with us, and move the political center. At the same time, we will embolden like-minded people in other parties to go to their leadership and demand that their issues are brought to the floor and passed.~~~The Earth is worthy of an "Earth-aware" party that is the BEST organized party in the world. Let's not let the Green Party become another footnote in history and lost opportunity!~~~I, Ken Pentel Resolve: To become a better organizer and more fierce toward the goal of creating a powerful alternative party that reflects the Ten Key Values (see http://www.mngreens.org/about/tenkey)~~~Are you with me? If so, step up to become a Member, candidate, or volunteer so we can spin some organizing magic.~~~Party needs:~~~1. Become a Member of the Green Party of Minnesota. As a Member you vote on: Constitution, Bylaws and Platform changes. Elect State Coordinating Committee Members . Endorse candidates for office. Help maintain and build the Party. (To become a Member you can fill-out the insert, call the GPMN office (651) 288-2820, or go online to: http://www.mngreens.org/getInvolved )~~~2. Help organize a Caucus* in your Senate District** by contacting the Green Party of MN office at: (651) 288-2820, info@mngreens.org, www.mngreens.org ~~~*GPMN Caucuses are March 4th. **Notify the office by January 30th if you can convene a Caucus. ~~~3. Become a phone-tree caller. You will make ten calls each month and be part of a decentralized organizing effort. Contact me at: kenpentel@yahoo.com, (612) 387-0601~~~4. DONATIONS The Green Party of Minnesota needs your financial help to keep going. We rely on donations from individuals. We take NO money from corporations or Political Action Committees (PACs) and we take no more than $1200 per year from any one individual. ~~~The most effective way to contribute is through the Sustainer monthly withdrawal program, because it allows us to plan a sustainable budget. Also, your first $50 is refundable in 2008 through the state Political Contribution Refund program. (http://www.mngreens.org/donate)~~~ Mobilizing, Ken (612) 387-0601~~~"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up in mine, we can work together." - Lilla Watson

Follow the money

Sharing another good website to follow the corporate money trail into the corporate candidate's pockets:
2008 Presidential Election
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=K02

Radio coverage of SF GP prez debate

If you use dial-up and cannot get videos, here is the KPFA radio broadcast of the San Francisco GP presidential debate:

http://kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=24319

It also includes radio interviews with the candidates.

Presidential videos now on gp.org

The Minnesota and San Francisco presidential meeting/forum/debate videos are now up on www.gp.org. Click "2008 Candidate Videos" or go directly to: http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/presidential-videos.php

Please forward widely!

SWIFT AND JOHNSON VISIT MINNESOTA

1. KFAI Radio Story

2. Jesse Johnson at GPMN Meeting

3. Kat Swift at GPMN Forum

4. Kat Swift at GPMN Meeting

5. Jesse Johnson at GPMN Forum

Kat Swift and Jesse Johnson visited Minnesota Jan. 5 for a meeting and forum. In the morning, they attended the state winter membership meeting in St. Paul, where they visited with GPMN members. Johnson and Swift ate lunch with Lydia Howell from community radio station KFAI. In the afternoon they went back to the meeting and each spoke for about 7 minutes. There were about 100 members there, who received the candidates well.

In the evening, Johnson and Swift attended a presidential candidate forum over in Minneapolis. Danene Provencher said a few words about the Draft Nader campaign, Farheen Hakeem spoke on behalf of the Cynthia McKinney campaign, and David Strand updated the audience on the other candidates who were unable to attend.

Both candidates spoke about addressing the excesses of corporate power, and a range of other issues consistent with the Ten Key Values of the Green Party. Johnson called attention to the issue of mountain removal in Appalachia, saying that coal mining is now occurring at a rate of one mountain per hour. Swift said some of her priorities were repealing NAFTA, pardoning nonviolent drug offenders, a moratorium on the death penalty, and stopping domestic violence.

After the forum, interested Greens had a chance to visit at length with the candidates at a nearby restaurant.

BAIT and SWITCH

What we’re witnessing right now is the same old bait and switch process the American people fall for every four years. Kucinich is the bait. Then Edwards is the bait. Obama is the switch. Then Clinton is the switch.

Until recently, Ed Schultz was bashing Hillary Clinton every day on his liberal talk radio show. Now suddenly he’s kissing up to her, crediting her "genuine" show of emotion just before the New Hampshire primary. People should know by now it’s customary for candidates to have an emotional appeal just before an important election. People seem to have forgotten the issues regarding Hillary: Wal-Mart, Rupert Murdoch, Iraq, Kyl-Lieberman, Single Payer, Habeas Corpus, Illegal wiretapping, Torture, Nuclear Power, Impeachment, etc.

Bill Press, on his radio show, was telling listeners he wasn’t talking about Edwards because he thinks he’s finished. I think it’s because Press is getting corporate money from his TV gigs. That’s not to say I like Edwards.

On the Republican side, I think that Ron Paul is a baby step in the right direction for conservatives. Huckabee may be bait for social conservatives. The switch could be McCain, or, heaven forbid, Guilliani.

I keep hoping that the people will figure all this out and rise up. Within each party, people need to identify who are the populists and who are the corporatists. You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem. In 1912, Republicans walked out of their own convention and formed the Bull Moose Party. That’s what I’d like to see with the Kucinich supporters and the Ron Paul supporters. Together with people who have never voted, we can reach critical mass and create the chain reaction of optimism needed to win.

The Green Party has some excellent candidates: Jared Ball, Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift, along with draft candidate Ralph Nader. We have a GP debate in San Francisco January 13. You’re either with the corporatists, or you’re checking it out at www.gp.org.

Minnesota Presidential Forum Jan. 5

We had a successful candidate forum in Minnesota Jan. 5 with Kat Swift and Jesse Johnson. David Strand and I took them to the state meeting in St. Paul, where they visited with GPMN members. We ate lunch with Lydia Howell from community radio station KFAI. Lydia plans to interview each of the candidates soon by phone. In the afternoon we went back to the meeting and the candidates each spoke for about 7 minutes. There were about 100 members there, who received the candidates well.

There were about 30 in attendance at the forum over in Minneapolis. Danene Provencher said a few words about the Draft Nader campaign, Farheen Hakeem spoke on behalf of the Cynthia McKinney campaign, and David Strand updated us on the other candidates who were unable to attend.

For the forum, we just let the candidates talk and kept track of total accumulated time for each candidate. This tended to result in longer responses, which may have slowed the pace, but allowed the candidates to cover subjects in more depth. A couple things were not anticipated. One was whether to stop the timer if a candidate asks a question of an audience member. Another thing was what to do when one candidate has run out of time and an audience member addresses a question to both candidates. No one seemed to mind that we were a little flexible on time at the end. Jesse spoke for roughly 40 minutes and Kat for 30.

After the forum we stayed in the Midtown Global Market and had some food and drinks at A La Salsa, where interested Greens visited at length with the candidates.

I am currently in contact with the videographer and a photographer to see if we can get the videos up to the web. I cc'd Ian Wilder and Scotty of the GPUS.

Tom Cleland
PCSC-MN

Jan. 5th Green Party Presidential Forum & Campaign Fair

We are pleased to invite you to join the Green Party of Minnesota this Saturday Jan. 5th for the Green Party Presidential Forum and Campaign Fair. Candidates Kat Swift and Jesse Johnson are confirmed attendees as of this writing (there may be more candidates) and there will be materials available on all 6 of the official Green Party Presidential Candidates, Draft Candidates and their campaigns. For more on the Candidates and Draft Candidates please visit the site of the GPUS Presidential CampaignSupport Committee at http://www.gp.org/committees/pcsc/index.shtml

The forum and fair are being held from 5pm to 7pm in the event space behind the curtains in the northeast corner of the Midtown Global Market at 920 E. Lake Street in Minneapolis. Parking in the ramp next to the market on 10th Avenue is free for three hours with any purchase in the market. Don't forget to get your parking pass stamped if you are driving!

If you are biking, the Midtown Global Market is just off the Midtown Greenway. If you are busing, the Midtown Global Market is reachable by bus routes 5, 39 & 21 as well as others very close by.

We encourage folks to buy their dinner or a snack or beverages to eat and drink during the candidate and campaign presentations and question and answer period and support the many small local community businesses which comprise the global market by eating some of their great and unique food offerings.

Organic and local meats, fruits, and other items are available.

Many of you may know the Midtown Global Market as the old Sears building on Lake Street in South Minneapolis. For more on the market and directions please visit http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org/

There is no charge for attending but please be prepared to contribute to candidates or campaigns if you so feel inclined. Our guests will need to raise some additional funds to cover their travel expenses.

Note: There is no flyering of the market space allowed outside the event space as requested by the nonprofit which runs the Global Market. Thanks for your cooperation with respecting this request.

Please email davidstrand@mngreens.org if you are in need of ASL services or if you can provide ASL services or other language translation on an as needed basis.

Candidates at the fair will also be attending our state party meeting at Hamline University in St. Paul this Saturday. Here is a reminder. Come and enjoy the many workshops and participate in the party's decision making processes.

GPMN Winter Membership Meeting
Start: Jan 5 2008 - 9:00am
End: Jan 5 2008 - 4:00pm
Please join together with Greens to talk, find out what is happening across the state and learn more at green workshops.

Location: Hamline University, 1536 Hewitt Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55104, 651-523-2800; http://www.hamline.edu/

We will be meeting at the Klas Center, 1537 Taylor Ave, in the Kay Fredericks Ballroom. Parking is available in all lots, (except Lot H).

Thanks, hope to see you at one or both of these events!