Green-Rainbow Party Press Releases
BALLOT SET FOR GREEN-RAINBOW PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
In the March 6, 2012 presidential primary, Massachusetts voters will have a choice of three candidates running for President of the United States on the Green Party ticket. The three candidates will be Kent Mesplay, Harley Mikkelson, and Jill Stein. Delegates to the Green Party nominating convention will be awarded in proportion to the vote each candidate wins in the primary. The Green-Rainbow Party is the state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.
The ballot list was officially submitted to the Secretary of the Commonwealth on December 28.
As some Occupy Movement participants turn to electoral activism, the Green Party sends them an invitation
WASHINGTON, DC -- As some participants in the Occupy Movement across the US begin to turn towards involvement in elections, Green Party leaders are inviting them to run for office as Greens and to support Green candidates. "The Green Party encourages those Occupiers who want to have an effect on the 2012 elections to help us build a permanent alternative party that represents the interests of We The People -- the 99 percent -- instead of banks, oil companies, arms manufacturers, insurance firms, and other powerful lobbies. The Green Party accepts no money from corporate PACs. Our platform reflects the values and demands of Occupy Wall Street," said Kent Mesplay, candidate for the Green Party's 2012 presidential nomination (http://www.mesplay.org).
Breaking News: Greens condemned the police clearance of the Occupy Oakland encampment and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's order for police to evict the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park on November 15. New York Greens are offering assistance in the form of emergency housing, arrest support, and food and expressed hope that the court order obtained by the National Lawyers Guild would allow the encampment to continue. Greens noted that the clearances and other police actions in various cities will swell the November 17 Day of Action (http://occupywallst.org/action/november-17th). (See "Eviction of Wall Street Occupation Exposes Mayor's Corporate Collusion, Says NY Green Party," Green Party of New York State press release, Nov. 15, http://www.gp.org/press/pr-state.php?ID=459)
Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein calls for Investigation of Federal Role in Brutal Occupy Wall Street Crackdowns
Responding to reports that security officials within the Obama Administration held meetings with local authorities that led to a brutal national police crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street protests - including flagrant violations of freedom of the press - the Green Party’s Jill Stein called for a full investigation of the federal role. She urged that new federal guidelines be established to "prevent the lethal power of post-9/11 militarized security from being turned against the American people."
According to news reports, officials of the FBI and Homeland Security Agency advised mayors and other municipal officials regarding the use of harsh, military-style techniques against people in the OWS encampments. The Federal officials reportedly tutored the municipal officials on ways to find legal excuses for closing down the encampments, on the use of riot police and advanced weaponry, and on techniques for interfering with press coverage of the evictions.
Stein, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for President of the United States, issued the following statement:
“Militarization of crowd control and the employment of brutal tactics against unarmed civilians and press are strategies worthy of dictators, not representative government. These actions violate the constitutional right of citizens to assemble freely, speak freely, and be informed by a free press. In combination with the Patriot Act, these policies seriously threaten civil liberties that are the beating heart of American democracy"
Presidential Candidate Stein Condemns Police Assaults on Occupy Movement
Today Presidential Candidate Jill Stein of the Green Party released the following statement condemning recent police actions against the Occupy Wall Street movement:
The aggressive, needless police actions across the country against Occupy Wall Street (OWS) are an assault on civil liberties and an effort to suppress a much needed movement for economic justice and democracy. The courageous protesters who have stood up to intimidation by lethal force are standing up for us all.
KEEP HANDS OFF PROTESTERS, SAYS GREEN-RAINBOW PARTY
KEEP HANDS OFF PROTESTERS SAYS GREEN-RAINBOW PARTY
BOSTON - In response to the arrest of over 120 people early Tuesday morning, the Green-Rainbow Party (GRP) called for the City of Boston to find ways to accommodate the Occupy Boston demonstrators who have been gathering in the Dewey Square area of the City. In response to the reported roughing up of members of the Veterans for Peace brigade, the GRP condemned any excessive use of force against peaceful protesters.
A MENACING NEW WASHINGTON MACHINE: CAN VOTERS STOP IT?
As the smoke clears from the debt ceiling battle in Washington, an menacing new machine has appeared on the skyline of Capital Hill: the new Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a virtual guillotine to which New Deal dreams will be ordered to report. In fact, the first victims have been largely identified during the past two months of negotiating between President Obama and Speaker Boehner.
WARNING: WASHINGTON IS NOT ON OUR SIDE
The following op-ed was written by the Green-Rainbow Party Co-chairs, John Andrews and Jill Stein.
The shameful debt ceiling flap that has embroiled Washington in recent weeks has left the American people wondering if they can trust any of their current political leaders to do the right thing. The immediate cause of this manufactured crisis lies with the Republicans holding the American economy hostage to a threatened default if their anti-government demands were not met. President Obama is fully justified in rejecting those proposals which would do enormous harm to essential functions of government.
Berkshire Greens Appeal Exclusion
Both Berkshire Greens and Berkshire Conservatives should be allowed to participate in Pittsfield civic event
Berkshire Greens Political Action Committee is appealing the decision of the Office of Cultural Development and the Third Thursday Committee to deny an application to participate in this year's Third Thursday celebrations.
On May 26, Berkshire Greens was verbally notified that 'political' groups would no longer be allowed to participate in Third Thursday. This decision affected both the application that Berkshire Greens had made on May 9 as well as the previously-approved application by Berkshire Conservatives. Both groups had been active in previous years' Third Thursday festivities.
Bipartisan Budget Agreement Reveals Beacon Hill's Misplaced Priorities
5 May 2011 Press Release
BOSTON - This year’s state budget has revealed a yawning gap between the priorities of state legislature and the priorities of the people of Massachusetts, according to Nat Fortune, who will testify today as a Green-Rainbow Party representative at a State House hearing on budget measures. Fortune noted that while schools, health care, social services, and environmental protection are being severely cut this year, legislators have seen fit to largely protect tax giveaways to businesses with strong lobbying presence on Beacon Hill.
No Endorsements in Lenox Select Committee Race
Candidate Event Provides an Engaging Departure from Other Forums
We at Berkshire Greens Political Action Committee extend our appreciation to all four candidates to the Lenox Select Board who placed their names on the ballot for the town election on May 9 and participated in last night’s forum.