Green Party press release transmitted by OnTheWilderSide:
Green Party leaders said today that Democratic and Republican politicians are pursuing fiscal agenda, including responses to the subprime mortgage crisis, that amount to an “economic war” on Black and Latino/a people across the US.
Greens especially criticized President Obama, whose bailouts for Wall Street firms have done little to provide economic security for those who were among his most enthusiastic supporters in the 2008 election.
Betty Davis speaks at Public Area at Hofstra 10/18/2008
Betty Davis, co-chair of the Green Party Black Caucus (http://www.gpblackcaucus.com/):
Blacks and Latinos were primary targets for lending corporations offering high-interest subprime loans, and were thus disproportionately hit by the subprime mortgage crisis. Blacks were especially vulnerable to such loans because they were denied the equity that whites have long enjoyed, a result of Federal Housing Administration redlining and racial discrimination in the granting of housing loans and mortgages during the mid 20th century. These policies have had profound effects on the finances of Blacks long after discriminatory practices were outlawed. The Center for Responsible Lending has found that, because of the mortgage meltdown, Latinos will have lost between $75 billion and $98 billion and Blacks between $71 billion and $92 billion in home-value wealth. The victims of subprime loans should be first in line for aid that restores financial stability and the ability to keep one’s home
Alfred Molison, Green candidate for Houston City Council and member of the Green Party Black Caucus (http://votealfred.com):
President Obama and other leaders like to preach moral lessons to Black people while slashing the safety net and providing minimal assistance for homeowners and job-seekers. We’re seeing lots of blame on the alleged ‘cultural deficiencies’ of Black people, such as single-mother family statistics and ‘cycles of poverty’ rhetoric that ignores imposed economic factors and a justice system too eager to incarcerate Blacks. Meanwhile, the profits of financial corporations — including those responsible for the current crisis — are now underwritten by US taxpayers to the tune of nearly $24 trillion (http://www.huffingtonpost.com). All Americans are becoming victims of the Democratic-Republican assault on working people and dedication to Wall Street’s economic elites, with Black people and Latinos suffering the worst.
Derek Grigsby, chair of the Detroit Green Party and member of the Green Party Black Caucus (http://www.gpblackcaucus.com/):
The Green Party demands an end to the ‘two party’ economic war on Black people and Latinos and on working and poor Americans of all races. Instead of Wall Street bailouts, we need assistance for those who’ve lost their homes and jobs. Millions of new jobs can be created through public works in conservation, retrofitting and greening houses and infrastructure, and expanded public transportation. We need to cancel the wasteful war on drugs, end racially biased sentencing and other criminal justice system disparities, and abolish private ownership of prisons. Black, Latino, and poor Americans have been made fodder for the private prison industry, which profits by filling up cells. We need reparations for the descendents of slaves, recognizing the hundreds of years of stolen labor and post-slavery exploitation and discrimination. We must immediately call an end to the murderous escapades in Iraq and Afghanistan and bring our sons and daughters home now. These steps would lead to an economic recovery that benefits all Americans, and show the rest of the world that we practice what we preach!
Green Party National Committee delegate from Rhode Island, Latino community activist: “Outside of the Green Party, few politicians want to recognize racial economic disparities and how they’ve been aggravated by the current financial crisis. In September, the unemployment rate for Blacks was 15.7%; the underemployment rate for Blacks was 23.8 percent and for Latinos 25.1%. The poverty rate for Black children is nearly 35%. But Democrats and Republicans in the White House and Congress are resisting the necessary massive public works program necessary to create jobs and reverse such figures, out of deference to corporate lobbies that prefer a desperate labor force. They promise a private sector miracle that isn’t going to happen. This amounts to a vicious bipartisan policy of inaction to help Americans most in need.”
I think that 2010 is a great opportunity. Many Obama voters, including Blacks and Latinos, are being left behind in the worst recession since the Great Depression while the Wall Street crooks who drove our economy into the ground are getting huge bonuses. We need to encourage them to vote Green instead of staying home out of disgust with the Democrats.
“Accountability Mike” Cavlan,
Since you oppose what you call “censorship” in the national Green Party, I want to know if your new political party has Absolute Free Speech, both on its listservs and at its meetings. It would also be good to see you post something that is actually related to the subject of the thread.
from the West Coast!
Michael Cavlan RN // Mar 5, 2010:
” …….a happy, cheer leading face while in denial …….. In fact it reinforces mine and others perspective on this. ”
Every moment I have spent with Greens of California has been a complete waste of time and effort. Unfortunately it is also true of reformers, socialists, Libs ……….. Lake
Green party fan. in fact it can be shown no more clearly than by the issue I brought up here..
Nativo Lopez and Green party leader mike Feinstein..
Until the GP has the, lets say testicular fortitude to deal with this whole issue, it remains a waste of time to folks like myself..
Putting on a happy, cheerleading face while in denial of this is not that my friend.
In fact it reinforces mine and others perspective on this.
Green Party fan.
I did.. I was the Green Party candidate for Minnesota House district 44A in 2002 and the US Senate 2006. I was also an official Green Party Observer in Ohio 2004, where the issue of election fraud first really came to light..
I and others had worked our tails off for the Green party, in Minnesota and Nationally..
I have a question for you..
There are very serious allegations of deliberate disenfranchisment of fellow Greens, specifically Nader supporters and their allies by the Green Party.
What have you done to speak on their behalf?
You see, it is the lack of people being willing to stand up for these folks, who were IMHO deliberately targeted and disenfranchised by the GPP leadership that caused people such as myself to leave.
plain and simple..
Michael Cavlan,
Why don’t you get on the ballot as a) a Green Party candidate and advocate the issues you care about…
or
b) as an Independence Party candidate and advocate the issues you care about.
The Green Party needs real candidates on the ballot. Much more than internal power struggles over internal Green Party issues that at the end of the day the average voter never hears about, or cares to know about.
On the ballot as a Green Party candidate you at least get a little media attention, and in that way lift the Green Party banner.
It is ultimately the only real way to have impact in politics is on the ballot for the average person..
Bloomberg news is reporting Germans want the current federal government to dissolve and reform replacing the current coalition partner with the GREEN PARTY..
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=atKM3zbcnOio
Nativo Lopez and Mike Feinstein have both done extraordinary work as Green Party leaders, Green Party office holders, Green Party candidates.
I thank them both for decades of devoted work to the Green Party, their communities, their state – California, and our nation, and in fact through the larger Green Party worldwide.
They have competed within the Green Party – it appears for power. This is a normal, natural, and constant occurance for all of us. It’s politics.
My hope is that they can resolve their political differences within the Green Party, or at least agree to disagree.
Both should focus on the true opposition that is outside the growing, candidate rich Green Party in 2010 and beyond.
“No political explanation of the Nativo Lopez and Mike Feinstein issue.”
I haven’t heard both sides of the story, so I’m not going to offer my opinion on this. Furthermore, it’s not the subject of the thread.
I’m glad to see the GP write this press release. It reminded me of a radio show that I heard just before Christmas where a Black man who called in was denouncing the bailouts and excessive military spending. He said that the duopoly is playing “good cop,bad cop” with us.
BTW folks
Please note..
No political explanation of the Nativo Lopez and Mike Feinstein issue.
Just bickering and name calling..
Just like I said..
Audrey
Should be fun kiddo. Oh and remember, I was a David Cobb supporter in 2004. Was, past tense.
We can go round and round again..
Or not. We are done arguing with you folks Audrey.. We are done.
Carry on, building and organizing a real, honest opposition to the pro-war, corporate corrupted two party system.
“What you call “attacks on weaker” states, we called giving weaker paper states more power, so that the Delegate Apportionment could be stacked to ensure that Nader not get the GP endorsement.”
Ah, still fighting the battle of 2004! The reason why Cobb won in many states was that he actually got out there and busted his ass working to get the Green nomination. He went to the state party conventions and asked for their support. Had Nader sought our nomination and worked for it half as hard as Cobb, he could have easily won twice as many delegates as Cobb did.
So which polls of likely Green primary voters where we using to “stack” the apportionment against Nader? SurveyUSA? Mason-Dixon? Rasmussen? Zogby? Oh, wait! There weren’t any such polls! I give you credit for an active imagination, though.
We actually ended up with an apportionment that shifted power toward California and New York in 2008. It just wasn’t the apportionment that you wanted.
Your use of the terms “endorsement” and “paper states” is telling. The Sierra Club, the UAW, or the NRA “endorse”. Political parties “nominate”. One of the reasons why Nader didn’t win in 2004 was that he sought an endorsement instead of a nomination. The term “paper states” is designed to be pejorative instead of constructive.
You guys were the ones who were going to rescue the Green Party from us, but you had no plans for building the weaker state parties, just a bunch of accusations and insults. “You suck! Gimme power!” is not a program for reform. It is simply a demand for power, and your faction showed no interest in taking on the responsibility that goes hand in hand with the power that wanted.
“As an aside, I noted that you all will probably be in Detroit. So will we.. ”
Looking forward to seeing you there, darlin’. Save the last dance for me.
I may have had something to do with it.
But is it not also true that I have no power to make anyone do what they are not willing to do themselves?
Or, more to the point, to not do what they are willing to?
Why hello Satan
Thought you were behing the slowness of IPR
LOL
June 24-28th (I believe) inn Detroit will be the
US Social Forum, where tens of thousands of activists os all types will gather.
What’s happening in detroit?
And why is IPR so slow the last couple of days?
-your favorite palin-drome
BTW, as an aside..
Odd that. The whole Nativo Lopez and Mike Feinstein thing almost got lost.
You can bet your last dollar that it will not be addressed..
Ah well hello Audrey..
Should have known you would show up.
we have gone around this over and over, haven’t we?
What you call “attacks on weaker” states, we called giving weaker paper states more power, so that the Delegate Apportionment could be stacked to ensure that Nader not get the GP endorsement.
I could go into a days long process of rebut, counter rebut but what is the point?
Many Nader folks and friends and allies of them, like myself have seen thru the charade..
That is why we left.
Please do tell all those Green folks that we said hello.
As an aside, I noted that you all will probably be in Detroit. So will we.. See you there sweetie…
//:-D>————-
#10 Ralph Nader refuses to join any political party because of a promise that he made to his father. I’m happy to hear constructive criticism of the Green Party. I have criticisms of the party myself.
What I have a problem with is the attacks on weaker state Green Parties instead of trying to build them. I have a problem with attacks on hard-core Greens like Phil Huckelberry as “Demo-Greens.”
Paulie and All
It should be noted that just as when “dissidents” call on the actions of the Democrats, they are either ignored and/or smeared (example, ignore Cynthia McKinney and call Ralph Nader an “egoist”)
So it is the same when the GP are called on their actions by dissidents.. Ignore and when you get effective, you get the answer of political name calling.. Not answering the issue or answering politically.
Just for the record..
This is one of the central reasons that a.. Ralph Nader would not join the GP and b. why so many of us left the GP.
So, does this mean that the Green Party is calling for an end to minimum wage laws, as well?
This sounds like something that would come out of the PSL.
Paulie
Are you asking me?
here is the story I am talking about..
Nativo Lopez is an activist from southern California, helping organize Latinos, both documented (legal) and non documented (illegal) Nativo was at that time active in the Green Party as well as Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo supporter.
Mike Feinstein is a California and National GP leader.. He contacted the local police and wanted Nativo Lopez arrested for his illegal” activity..
California radio station KPFA did an interview with him on it.. It was quite a telling interview.
I also do not expect any green party folks to address it.. Which is in fact making it’s own statement.
What’s up with that?
So
Just out of idle curiosity.
What is the position of these folks on the controversy with Nativo Lopez and Green Party California and National GP leader Mike Feinstein?
Do they even know about this?
Green Party in Sweden ready to form coalition with conservatives to re take power in national Swedish elections in the fall..
“The Green Party last week raised the possibility of retaining the (federal tax) system but on Sunday agreed to sign up to conservative opposition demands to abolish it if they gain power after the autumn election.”
http://www.thelocal.se/25316/20100303/
At the Atlantic Sentinel reports on Green Party performance in local elections in Dutch Elections.
The Green Party doubled it’s vote.
That’s right the Green Party got twice as many votes in local Dutch elections today as in the last cycle!!!
Go Green Party…
here’s the story..
http://atlanticsentinel.com/2010/03/right-wing-on-the-rise-in-dutch-elections/
Green Party Rises…
Over at GreenPartyWatch..
an excellent article from Brent Mac…
http://www.greenpartywatch.org/
A Green Party vision for the midterm election: “Stage is set for Green breakthrough”
Posted by Dave Schwab at March 3rd, 2010
Thanks for this great Green Party story!
Applause for
Betty Davis
Derek Grigsby
Alfred Molison, Green candidate for Houston City Council and member of the Green Party Black Caucus
Encourage Betty, and Derek to do as Alfred Molison is doing. Lift your positive Green Party message on the ballot as a Green Party candidate in 2010!
Thank you for your courage, and important Green Party work..