by Diane White (diane@dlighten.com)
Registered Greens from Philadelphia and surrounding counties are encouraged to participate in their 2008 Presidential Caucus. Refreshments will be served. A brief General Membership Meeting will follow the caucus on Tuesday April 29, 2008 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at the Philadelphia Ethical Society Building, 1st floor, 1906 South Rittenhouse Square.
Instant runoff voting (irv)<http://www.fairvote.org/?page=2153>, tallied at the state level, to bind Green delegates to their national Presidential Nominating Convention to be held in Chicago July 10 - 14. The presidential candidates include:
Jesse Johnson – http://www.jesse08.org
B
“Our world is filled with exploiters illegally preying upon our most valuable resources. Coalmining companies value short-term gain, limiting profits. Lending institutions don't care who loses their homes…They care about usurious interest rates. Health Insurance companies care that their bottom line is healthy… Every citizen must become a steward of our democratic ideal. We must put ourselves forward to become leaders in the fight to save our nation, environment and each other… let's build a movement.“
Cynthia McKinney – http://www.runcynthiarun.org
B
A courageous voice for the voiceless, unafraid to speak truth to power:
* Consistently opposed funding for bloated military and secret intelligence budgets;
* Introduced Articles of Impeachment for George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Condoleezza Rice;
* Authored a living wage bill in Congress
* Cosponsor of every bill to create a national, single-payer system for universal access to health care.
* Sponsored legislation for ranked choice voting and to restore auditability to Federal elections.
Kat Swift – http://www.bexargreens.org/katforprez
B
Active Green since 1999. Co-Chair GP of TX SEC 2005-7; Co-Spokesperson for National GP Women's Caucus. Ran for San Antonio city council 2007 and received 30% of the vote. Key issues include Education, Capital Punishment, Global Warming, Legalization of Marijuana, proportional representation; affordable single-payer healthcare.
Kent Mesplay – http://www.mesplay.org
B
Registered Green since 1995. California delegate to the Green National Committee; On County Council of the Green Party, San Diego County; Green Party Presidential candidate, 2004; member of Environment California and a strong advocate of alternative energy legislation. His campaign focus on environmental and health care issues, political reform, and US-Mexico relations.
Ralph Nader – http://www.votenader.org
B
Nader is not seeking the Green Party nomination in 2008. He has chosen to seek ballot access in Pennsylvania with the “Populist Party” slogan. Iincluded as a candidate here because many Greens support his candidacy despite his not running as a Green.
No CandidateCaucus attendees may vote ‘No Candidate’ as one of their preferences, supporting the idea that GPUS (or GPPA) ought not to run any Presidential candidate.
Uncommitted
Caucus attendees may vote ‘Uncommitted’ as one of their preferences, supporting the idea that the GPPA delegation to GPUS should be allowed flexibility to vote in whatever way they deem best at the nomination convention in Chicago in July.
Greens can also write-in another choice or vote for "no candidate".
The caucus will start with a short period of socializing and interpersonal lobbying, followed by an introduction, explanation of the process and then by speakers from each candidate's (and "no candidate's") cluster of supporters. Following the brief presentations, participants will be asked to cast their votes, including their second, third and fourth choices to be tallied using an instant runoff voting (irv) process. Participants must have registered "Green" by the close of registration before the primary election (March 24th) in order to vote.
A question will be put to participants asking if they choose for the state to participate in the national Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention and to support the national Green Party nominee; or if they choose for the state to bypass the national convention and to place the winner of the state caucus tally on the November, general election ballot.
A brief Green Party of Philadelphia General Meeting will follow the caucus. The Agenda includes election of 7 members to the City Committee, approval of the GPoP annual budget, and election of 12 representatives to the GPPA State Committee.
Ballot access petitions and materials to support petitioning will be available. Instruction on petitioning and signature verification will also be available along with the opportunity for Greens and their supporters to sign-up to help with petitioning at upcoming events.
The Ethical Society Building is on the Southwest corner of Rittenhouse Square and is a just a few blocks South of the 19th Street stop on the Green Line trolleys. It is about 7 blocks from SEPTA's Suburban Regional Rail Station.
There will be a Montgomery County Presidential Caucus <http://pa.greens.org/montgomery/events.html> on Saturday, May 3rd, 10 am, at the Lansdale Public Library, 301 Vine Street, Lansdale. There will be a Delaware County Presidential Caucus <http://www.delcogreens.org/events.html> on Saturday, May 10th, 1:30 pm, at the Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Avenue, Swarthmore (wheelchair accessible). Area Greens may participate in whichever is most convenient, but may only vote at one caucus.
See the Green Party of PA website
<http://www.gpofpa.org/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=14>
for additional information or for caucuses in other parts of the state.
