[announce-gpco] GPCO Newsletter, February 2004 Vol. 1, Issue 1

[Charlie]

GREEN News
e-newsletter for the Colorado Greens
 
Editor’s Message

Welcome to the first issue of GREEN News. 
We are starting this newsletter as an information source for people 
interested in Green Party activities in Colorado. The goal is to 
gather news and share it so party members and others who are 
interested can get more involved or, at least, stay informed.
This issue contains examples of the kinds of news and information 
that will be included in upcoming issues. Now, it is up to YOU – the 
reader – to contribute to future editions.
The Green Party values are a solid foundation for our participation 
in the American political process, but we must participate to make 
any changes. Our country’s current conservative leadership 
demonstrates daily how out of line national and local policies are
with our values. 
I hope this newsletter will help inspire and motivate YOU to take 
positive steps to improve our state and nation and transform our 
lives. 
                           Tanya Ishikawa
                                GREEN News editor

GREEN News   February 2004   Vol. 1, Issue 1
 
To view the entire newsletter, go to
http://www.greens.org/colorado/newsletter/feb04news.html

    To contribute news, ads, corrections or other correspondence, 
send a message to Tanya Ishikawa at buffalotanya@igc.org or by fax to 
303-635-2636.
   To learn more about the Colorado Green Party, visit the Web site 
at http://greens.org/colorado/ or call the following Green Party 
spokespeople.
Scott Chaplin- Sopris: 970- 963-3678, chaplin@sopris.net; Art 
Goodtimes- San Miguel County: office- 970-728-3844, home- 970-327-
4767, goodtimes@independence.net; Sunny Maynard- Denver: 303-758-
7038, AlisMynrd@aol.com; Bill McCormick- Grand Junction: 970-242-
9438, bmccormick522@aol.com
 
Green Party of Colorado
PO Box 13001, Denver, CO 80201
Ecological Wisdom    We recognize that the Earth sustains all life. 
Green ecology understands the common roots of the abuse of nature and 
people. 
Social Justice    Greens want to replace the system of poverty and 
injustice with a world free of oppression based on class, sex, race, 
age or sexual orientation. 
Grassroots Democracy    The powerless suffer the most from 
environmental degradation.
Greens believe in direct participation by all people in the decisions 
that affect their lives. 
Nonviolence    Greens reject violence as a method for settling 
disputes: it is shortsighted, morally wrong, and self-defeating. 
Community-based economics    A healthy measure of self-reliance 
strengthens democracy and prevents distant power brokers from 
dominating a community. 
Decentralization    Power must be restored to local communities 
within an overall framework of grassroots democracy and socially just 
values where all participate in decisions. 
Feminism    Green politics is inspired by feminist values. The ethics 
of cooperation must replace the values of domination and control over 
others. 
Respect for Diversity    We honor the diversity of the Earth, and the 
cultural, sexual, and spiritual diversity of Earth's people. 
Personal & Global Responsibility  Greens demonstrate a commitment to 
justice and global sustainability through political solidarity and 
personal lifestyles based on sufficiency and living lightly on the 
Earth. 
Future Focus    Like the Iroquois, Greens seek a society where the 
interests of the seventh generation are considered equal to the 
interests of the present. 

 
Greening the State: 
news and activities from Green Party chapters around Colorado
 
Task forces tackle party platforms
    The state party organized task forces to develop platforms on the 
Environment, Corporate/Social Reform, the Prison/Drug War Industry 
and Electoral Reform in January.
Tentative position papers from each group will be posted on the Web 
site soon, and comments are invited.  The positions will be discussed 
and put to a vote at the state meeting April 24.
   To participate in a task force, contact Sunny Maynard at 303-758-
7038 or AlisMynrd@aol.com. 
 
Legislative committee reviews 2004 bills
   The Legislative Committee, organized by the state party, has been 
corresponding through e-mails on the most important bills of the 2004 
law-making session. The session started on Jan. 7 and will end in 
May, with more than 300 bills presented.
 The committee formed sub committees to split work on different 
issues including Social, Job/Political and Energy/Water. Several 
bills, such as energy efficiency, the pledge of allegiance and other 
topics, have been reviewed and positions have been created.
     To participate in the committee or get information on positions, 
contact Bruce Field at 303-420-2342 or brfield@hotmail.com. You can 
check out this year’s bills at on the state legislature Web site at  
www.leg.state.co.us
 
Green candidates sought for 2004 election 
   The Green Party seeks candidates to make a difference in 2004. We 
welcome all who desire progressive change to run as a Green, and 
encourage candidates who are underrepresented in elective offices, 
such as women, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian 
Americans, Gays and Lesbians, people with disabilities and young 
people.
    The deadline to register as a Green to be a candidate passed on 
Feb. 24. However, people can still register to vote and register as a 
Green voter until 30 days before the general election.
   People running for office as a Green will need to get the 
endorsement of their local Green chapter, if they live in an area 
covered by a chapter.  Contacts are on the state party Web site, 
www.greens.org/colorado/locals.html.
   If you or someone you know is considering running for a public 
office or just wants to find out what's involved, contact the Denver 
Green Party at 303-575-1631, Bruce Meyer of the Campaign Committee at 
bruce@demandearth.com, or the Poudre Valley Greens, Fort Collins at  
info@pvgreens.org.
State meeting date and site adopted  
   On Feb. 2, the Date(s) of State Meeting and Nominating 
Convention/Assembly were adopted by a vote of 15 yeses, 0 stand-
asides and 16 no responses. The date of the 2004 State Meeting and 
the Nominating Convention will be Saturday, April 24, possibly 
extending into Sunday, April 25. The site, which is handicapped-
accessible, will be the Fort Collins Mennonite Church in downtown 
Fort Collins.  The meeting is open to all Colorado Green Party 
members. For information, contact eric@pvgreens.org.


Green Presidential candidates lining up
   Though the 2000 Green Party Presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, 
will not run on the Green ticket in 2004, six other candidates are 
considering a run. 
   The potential candidates as of the end of February are Peter 
Camejo, David Cobb, Paul Glover, Kent Mesplay, Carol Miller and Lorna 
Salzman.

   Cobb is tentatively scheduled to talk at a reception Friday 
evening, April 23, before the state meeting.
 
Election Strategy voted down by party officials
     Members of the Denver and Boulder chapters of the Colorado Green 
Party defeated the proposed 2004 Green Party Election Strategy. The 
proposal, not nominate a Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate 
this year, had been recommended by the participants of a
January meeting on the 2004 election strategy. A majority at the 
January meeting agreed to concentrate on local and state elections 
and avoid endorsing candidates for the nation’s top two offices, in 
part to help prevent the reelection of Bush and Cheney. The proposal
failed Feb. 22, on a vote of 13 yeses, 12 nos, 1 abstention, 0 stand-
aside, and 4 no responses.
   
Presidential nomination process goes to vote
   The Royal Gorge Green Party proposed the GPCO Presidential 
Nomination Procedure for 2004 for discussion from Feb. 23 to March 1. 
The procedure will be used during the April 24 Green Party state 
primary. Between March 2-8, party members can vote on the proposal. A
decision will be posted after March 8.
 
Do you know of any new or interesting activities happening in your 
chapter of the Green Party? Send details or contact information for 
inclusion in future issues to the editor at buffalotanya@igc.org.

 

Do you know of important historical events in the Green Party? Send 
details for inclusion in future GREEN News issues to the editor at 
buffalotanya@igc.org.