Proposals for 2007 Summer State Committee Meeting

Proposals for the State Committee meeting can be submitted, revised, and commented on here. The State Committee meeting is on Sunday July 29, 2007. State Committee proceedures say that the last day to submit anything here is Sunday July 15.

Any two members of the State and Administrative Committees or any Green Local may submit a proposal for the State Committee to consider. Proposals are to be sent to working committees for vetting at least three weeks before a StateCom meeting, and posted on the website at least two weeks before a StateCom meeting so they can be mailed to State Committee members, and so that delegates can read them online. No proposals will be accepted at the meeting, except by any StateCom delegates which are elected within 4 weeks of an upcoming scheduled StateCom meeting. If sponsors are bringing a proposal to the meeting for consideration, the sponsors are responsible for bringing enough copies of the proposals for all the delegates to have one.

Proposals should also try to follow the Complete Proposal Guidelines as specified in a separate document. This document contains a template that can be used as the starting point for constructing a proposal for submission.

If you have proposals that are ready to post, do not hesitate as it gives people more of a chance to read it and comment on it ahead of time and possibly improve it.

If you have the proposal already in a word processor document, please attach the document at the bottom of your post to facilitate the process of making the proposal package for the meeting.

Please read them completely so you are prepared for clarifying questions, discussion, and decisionmaking. If you have comments ahead of time, you can post a follow up here and you can contact the sponsors of the proposal.

Remove 2004 Sudan statement from website
Saturday July 28, @12:36PM by John Andrews, Steve Baer, Larry Ely, Dave England, Eva Kerr, Mel King, Merelice, Luc Schuster, Jill Stein, Jeff Turner, Nancy Lee Wood, Elie Yarden, Betts Zisk
from the Statecom and other party members committee.
GRP Non-Consensus on Sudan/Dafur:
The signatories of this statement are asking the GRP Administrative Committee to acknowledge the lack of Party consensus regarding the Party’s current Sudan statement (approved in 2004) and recent statements made on behalf of the GRP based in part on that policy. Given this lack of consensus, we request that the statement be withdrawn from the GRP website pending review, further discussion, and broad agreement.

While we acknowledge the truth of much that is in the current statement, we are uncomfortable with a tone that appears indifferent to the humanitarian crisis. And while the statement is rightfully critical of the US actions in Sudan, we reject its unquestioning endorsement of the Sudanese government. As one GRP state committee member put it, “One could easily read the GRP statement and wrongly think that we are denying that atrocities are taking place or that the Government of Sudan and its armies and militias have no part in that…. Why do we have a statement that would appear to express support for a government instead of compassion for the people of the region?” There is also significant disagreement within the Party at this time about whether economic sanctions are or are not a reasonable tool for bringing pressure to bear to stop the killing in Darfur.

We do not doubt the good intentions of the advocates for the current position. But we feel there are significant problems with the current position statement, and important controversies that need to be resolved before the Party can back a statement on Sudan/Darfur. In addition, we hope that a final statement on Sudan will be more affirmative of Green-Rainbow key values.

To illustrate a different approach to the current crisis in Darfur, we follow this statement with an alternative resolution that some State Com members brought to the last meeting (and which has been further revised). This statement focuses on the current humanitarian crisis, and invokes our engaged, collective humanity as a critical tool in conflict resolution. It purposefully leaves the issues of exploitation and imperialism in US policy towards Africa to a separate dedicated policy statement, to be based on a revision of the current 2004 GRP statement on Sudan.

We look forward to further dialogue, resolution of current internal disagreements, and development of a consensus statement on Sudan and the crisis in Darfur.


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AdCom size change
Saturday July 28, @12:20PM by Merelice, Luc Shuster, Elie Yarden, Jill Stein, Ron Francis
from the StateCom members committee.
Currently, AdCom meets twice a month (once in person and once by teleconference) and conducts almost daily business between meetings. This is a time-consuming commitment that makes it difficult especially for the Membership, Communications, and Fundraising Directors to carry out their committee responsibilities as well as other needed Party activities.

The need for frequent AdCom meetings is partly because AdCom is entrusted with carrying out Party work between StateCom meetings and tends not to delegate its implementation. As a result, much (if not most) of AdCom time is spent on endorsements, position statements, Party strategy, and other policy-related activities that are actually StateCom responsibilities but fall to AdCom. Consequently, these activities
(1) draw time and attention away from the administrative functions that need more support to keep the party healthy,
(2) put such decisions in fewer hands than should be the case, given our Key Value of Decentralization,
(3) seriously overburden the AdCom members and/or pulls them away from participating in and building local chapters and working committees.

Local chapters and working committees most often include StateCom members. By referring policy-related party business to these groups rather than expecting AdCom to handle everything, StateCom members would have a more active hand in decisions between StateCom's own meetings. GRP members particularly interested in some functions that AdCom handles might be attracted to working committees if those functions were appropriately delegated. For example, building coalitions and recommending endorsements of the actions of other organizations could be sent to the External Relations Committee. Position statements could be sent to the Platform Committee, etc. If the committees and locals are not capable of handling activities, the burden should not be borne by AdCom.

A smaller AdCom would result in (1) enabling AdCom to focus on its administrative functions with less distraction and pressure, (2) giving the Membership, Communications, and Fundraising Directors more flexibility to carry out their critically important committee work, (3) drawing fewer members away from being active in local chapters and on working committees, and (4) giving StateCom members more say and participation in policy-related work between meetings through their local chapters and/or working committees.
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THE STATE COMM. WILL DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE DELEGATION
Thursday July 12, @08:26PM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the State Committee committee.
For quite some time, we have had 2 National Committee delegates. Recently, the National Green Party has come up with a new system and we are now entitled to have 8 delegates.

While I’m sure that all of us would like to encourage as much connection to and support of the National Green Party as possible, I’m concerned that at this time with comparatively little involvement with the State Party that we cannot afford for 8 members of our state party to divert their attention to the national party.

At our August 25 Convention, we will elect our delegates to the National Committee.

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2008 Presidential Election
Thursday July 12, @08:22PM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the CDLC committee.
THE GRP SHOULD DECIDE AT OUR JULY 29 STATECOMM. MEETING WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

I haven’ heard any arguments from anyone saying that we shouldn’t participate in this campaign. After all, don’t we have ballot status? (Yes, we do.) Isn’t it true that it is relatively easy for us to get Green candidates on the March 4 presidential primary? (Yes, this is also true.) So, what’s the problem?

The problem is that for most of 2008 the CDLC, as well as many other parts of the party have gone to sleep. At earlier meetings during the year, only a small number participated. Since the last State Comm. meeting, I have called for only one meeting (I sent out the announcement to both the CDLC and to the State Comm.) and the only people to respond were John Andrews and Grace Ross and the 3 of us have other major responsibilities in the party, so I never called the meeting.

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THE GRP SHOULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ENDORSE A CANDIDATE FOR THE US SENATE 2008 ELECTION ASAP
Monday July 09, @10:47PM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the CDLC committee.
Should the GRP endorse a candidate for the US Senate in 2008? My guess is that today there are different opinions right now within the State Committee, the elected statewide leaders of the party.

I believe that all of us would agree to do so would be a major undertaking. And if we decide to undertake such a major project that we should do so with as much lead time as possible.

As of today I know of one member of the party who is actively exploring whether or not to run for the US Senate. His name is Alex Hahn and you can contact him at alex@hahnlawgroup.com and his telephone number is 617-962-6405.

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New Committee Structure-Supercommittees
Friday July 06, @11:36AM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the a whole bunch committee.
Justification: Most of the Committees are dormant or operating with minimal energy
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Roles and Responsibilities of Members of the State Comm.
Friday July 06, @11:31AM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the State Committee committee.
Roles and Responsibilities of Members of the State Comm.
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Improve the Operations of the State Committee
Friday July 06, @11:25AM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk County
from the State Committee committee.
Improve the Operations of the State Comm
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Major Item for July State Comm-Improve the Operations of the State GRP
Friday June 01, @12:05PM by Mike Heichman, Suffolk county
from the State Comm & Working Commitees committee.
1. For most of 2007, the State GRP has been working with very little energy. Some of the reasons for this are structural in nature-how our State Comm. Meetings are run, the dormancy of most of our working committees, etc.
2. For the last few months our state party has been engaged in a process of reflection and planning for the future. While SPWG is the major motor for this focus, it would be productive for members of the State Comm. to reflect on our past practice and to make changes that will improve the operations of the State GRP.

I have introduced these ideas before and I want to thank some members of the State Comm. who have responded to my ideas and shared some of their own.

I am officially making these proposals now (June 1). I’m asking for further discussion and feedback. Later on, after I modify my proposals, I will ask for co-sponsors. I encourage others to make their own proposals to improve the operations of our State GRP.

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