Archive -- 2003
Dec 4, 2003, GPMI Applauds Plaque Honoring Peace Activist Rebecca Shelley
Greens Across Michigan Join in Spirit with PeaceWays Friends, Heritage Battle Creek, and Other Area Groups
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) yesterday lent its voice to the chorus praising peace activist Rebecca Shelley, who will be honored with the placing of a bronze plaque in Battle Creek's Quaker Park on Sunday.
[full release & contact info]
Nov 26, 2003, Greens Thankful for Court Ruling Protecting Michigan Water
Judge Decides in Favor of MCWC, Families; Orders Nestlé to Stop Extracting Water from Mecosta County Within 21 Days
[full release & contact info]
Nov 21, 2003, Greens Vote NO on Hunting Michigan's Bird of Peace
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) voted this week to oppose a bill currently in the state Legislature, House Bill 5029, which aims to open a hunting season on the mourning dove -- a bird the House has designated the Michigan Bird of Peace.
[full release & contact info]
Nov 16, 2003, Green Candidates win two seats in Kalamazoo, one in Ferndale
Greens Support Boycott of Borders, Yearlong Nurses' Strike; Rev. Pinkney Gives Benton Harbor Update: "It's Our Time"
Timeline Set for Selecting National Delegates to Green Presidential Convention: June 24-27 in Milwaukee
At the party's fall state membership meeting Michigan Greens unanimously passed resolutions supporting unionized workers picketing Borders in Ann Arbor for closer-to-living wages, and honoring the one-year anniversary of the nurses' strike at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey.
At the meeting, held in Lawrence and hosted by the new Van Buren County Chapter, Greens also voted to support the Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizations after hearing guest speaker and BANCO's executive director, the Reverend Edward Pinkney, give an energetic report on the situation in Benton Harbor.
[full report from State Membership Meeting]
Nov 8, 2003, Greens Win Election in Kalamazoo, Ferndale
Strong Showing in Other Cities, Races Across Michigan; Member Activism Helps Other Progressive Candidates Win, Too
Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) members won three seats this week in non-partisan elections in Kalamazoo and Ferndale, and made strong showings in several other cities across Michigan.
[full release & contact info]
Green Candidates in Nov 4 Elections (partial list)
Kalamazoo: 3 City Commission candidates:
Don Cooney, running for re-election -- Campaign Manager Sarah Porter (cooneycampaign@yahoo.com, 269-267-5351),
Cooney for Kalamazoo, 1221 Vassar Dr., Kalamazoo, MI 49001;
David Juarez -- Campaign Manager Boone Shear (booneshear1@msn.com, 269-375-6525),
Committee to Elect David Juarez, 1710 Lay Blvd., Kalamazoo, MI 49001;
Elizabeth Forest -- (269-383-0596) Committee to Elect Elizabeth Forest, c/o James Wilber, 5498 Toms Place, Kalamazoo, MI 49009.
Traverse City: 1 City Commission candidate:
Ann Rogers, running for re-election in non-partisan race. To help call or email Tom Shea (231-946-3693, shea@traverse.com).
Ferndale:
Green Party Member, City Craig Covey, running for re-election in non-partisan race.
August 2003, Greens in Ann Arbor Nominate Three for City Council Race
Largest slate ever for city chapter of Greens
The City Caucus of the Washtenaw County Green Party nominated three candidates for City Council in Ann Arbor: Rob Haug, 1st Ward; Scott Trudeau, 4th Ward; and Adrianna Buonarroti, 5th Ward.
Aug 25, 2003, Outcomes of State Membership Meeting
Greens Vote to Preserve Post Offices for Small Communities, Living Wages for Postal Workers at Statewide Meeting; GPMI Calls for Repeal of Library Internet Filtering Law; Party Renews Support for Vigorous Presidential Campaign in 2004
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) expressed unanimous support for preserving the living-wage jobs of postal workers, and the quality of life in small local communities across the state and the nation, at the party's membership meeting Saturday at the East Lansing Public Library.
GPMI adopted a resolution offered by Paul Felton of Detroit, a member of the American Postal Workers' Union (APWU), opposing the recommendations of what he described as a "union-busting" Postal Commission appointed by the Bush administration.
[full release] (includes other announcements)
GPMI State Membership Meeting in E. Lansing Aug 23, 2003
Saturday, Aug 23rd, 10:00am - 5:00pm
East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823
Map: http://www.elpl.org/hours.htm
This meeting will cover the recent GPUS and IPPN national summits and begin the preparation for the 2004 elections. Meeting is open to members, guests, press, and anyone interested in finding out more about the Green Party.
[full announcement/registration/etc.]
Aug 6, 2003, Greens Call for Making N-Waste Safer -- Now!
Vitrification On Site Would Fight Pollution, Proliferation
As the world remembers Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Michigan's Congressional delegation is in bi-partisan retreat from environmental clean-up and energy efficiency, the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) is proposing that spent nuclear fuel be made safer where it is -- before transporting it anywhere.
July 29, 2003, Ferndale Council Unanimous for Including IRV in Election Plan
5-0 Vote on Resolution, Introduced by New Green Covey; M-FORE Success Encourages a Dozen Local Groups Across State to Build Interest in, Support for Advanced Voting Systems
The Ferndale City Council voted 5-0 on Monday to pass a resolution urging that a state election-reform plan include the advanced voting method known as instant-runoff voting (IRV). The resolution, introduced by Councilman Craig Covey, notes the "many thousands of letters" of public comments supporting IRV and other reforms.
July 25, 2003, Greens Welcome Ferndale School Board, Council Members to Party
Candidate Workshop, Welcoming Celebration Sunday Night at Green House
The Green House is sponsoring a "How to Win as a Green" workshop for aspiring Green Party candidates for public office at 6:30pm on Sunday, July 27 in Suite 210, 22757 Woodward (at 9 Mile Road) in Ferndale. The event will feature Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) member Melissa Hohauser-Thatcher and her campaign team.
July 21, 2003, Greens Keep Busy as Election-Plan Comment Period Extended
NAACP Leader to Speak at Green House Wednesday in "IRV Strategy Session" on How to Achieve Advanced Voting Methods, Fairer Election Process
July 17, 2003, Greens Endorse NAACP Improvements to State Election Plan
Reformers Join in Urging Secretary of State, Members of HAVA Plan Advisory Committee to Fix Plan Before Sending It to Washington
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) has endorsed the recommendations of the Michigan State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to improve Michigan's plan for implementing the Federal "Help America Vote Act".
July 15, 2003, McKinney Speech Highlight of Progressive Summit
Possible Green Presidential Candidate Decries Bush Administration's "Long Train of Abuses and Usurpations"; Urges Action on Causes of "Mini-Intifada" in Benton Harbor
For her keynote speech at the 6th annual National Summit of the Independent Progressive Politics Network (IPPN) this weekend in Ann Arbor hosted by the Greens, Cynthia McKinney received three standing ovations -- and a standing invitation: to run for the Presidential nomination of the Green Party of the United States (GPUS).
The summit, titled "Building Unity During Urgent Times", brought together over 100 progressive activists representing 50 member groups and 19 states across the country to discuss and help create a united strategy for 2004.
[full release & pictures] [full text of speech]
Two from Green House Ticket to Be Sworn In as New Members of Ferndale School Board at Annual Business Meeting July 1
Hohauser-Thatcher Win Boosts Greens' Elected Official Count in State to 3; Ticket-Mate Beth D'Anna Is Top Vote-Getter
Independent Progressives from Around the Country to Gather at University of Michigan July 11-13
Representatives of scores of organizations from around the country will be coming to the University of Michigan over the weekend of July 11-13 to discuss the role of the progressive third-party movement over the next year and a half leading up to the 2004 elections.
A highlight of the weekend will be a keynote address Saturday afternoon by former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney of Georgia.
There will be a concert Saturday evening with Matt Jones, founder of the SNCC Freedom Singers of the 1960s civil-rights movement; David Rovics, internationally-known folksinger; and the inspiring duo of Pat Humphries and Sandy O., just returned from a trip to South Korea.
The conference is being organized by the Independent Progressive Politics Network (IPPN), a national organization with 50 affiliated groups.
June 22, 2003, Greens Speak Out Again, Push for Advanced Voting Methods
Vendor Admits "Much, Much Less Expensive" to Enable IRV on New Voting Machines; Elections Bureau Concedes Legality of Preferential Balloting
Members of State Election Plan Committee, Public Commenters Also Support Changes in Draft Plan -- Call for Flexible, Capable, Accessible Equipment and Voting Processes
June 15, 2003, Ziarno Says State Plan Should Include Advanced Voting Methods
Elections Chief Cancels Public Comment Time at Meeting, Misleads HAVA Committee Members About IRV Cost, Legal Status
Ray Ziarno, Secretary of State candidate for the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) in 2002, emphasized Wednesday to a committee appointed by Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land the need to allow for advanced voting methods in its plan for implementing last year's Federal "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA) and spending the Federal funds available to make the required improvements.
Before the adjournment, as the members and staff representatives of the committee were winding up their discussion, Ziarno raised his hand and asked for time to present evidence contradicting claims by Thomas attacking the popular advanced voting method known as instant-runoff voting (IRV).
June 9, 2003, Election: Greens Win Two Seats on Ferndale Board of Education (non-partisan)
Four-year term (2 seats):
* Beth D'Anna: 795 (Green House slate, ELECTED)
* Melissa Hohauser-Thatcher: 750 (Green House slate, ELECTED)
Jim Moll: 667
Marie Haener-Patti: 612
And a third Green came in a close second for the one-year term:
Wedge: 164 (elected)
* Karen Ballard: 156 (Green House slate, did not win)
Warnick: 99
Murphy: 77
June 8, 2003, Green Party Blasts Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office, Demands Bogus Charges Against FAIR's Bill Riney Be Dropped
Community, Environmental Activist Proclaims Innocence; New GPMI Attorneys' Group to Track Case
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) condemned the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's office for filing politically motivated charges against Ypsilanti Township environmental activist and recall leader Bill Riney, and called on prosecutor Brian L. Mackie to drop the charges.
An attorneys' group inside GPMI, established to keep Michigan Greens well-informed about legal issues that arise, will be tracking the progress of Riney's case and keeping the party informed.
Riney spearheads an effort called Families Against Incinerator Risk (FAIR), which has worked to remove three officials who supported the building of an incinerator in the township -- a proposal opposed by the public. FAIR is asking that higher authorities investigate potential corruption of Ypsilanti Township officials, as well as apparent misconduct by state police.
Michigan Greens do Radio on the Web
* "Green Party Radio" at www.live365.com/stations/300569, also...
* "A Quest Called Truth" on www.a3radio.com/A3Radio/ scroll down to the News and Views channel. Show airs at 12:00 am/pm, 4:00 am/pm, and 8:00 am/pm EST.
May 18, 2003, Outcomes of the State Membership Meeting
GPMI Backs Running Presidential Ticket in 2004
Greens Campaign Across 65th District for Richard Wunsch, State House Candidate in Special Election Tuesday
Party Supports Veterans, Environment; Opposes Exemption for Military Bases from Clean-Up of Toxic Substances; Elects Officers Using IRV, Other Reform Voting Methods
May 4, 2003, GPMI Backs Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation: Greens Call on Granholm to Stop "Theft" of Michigan Water
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) is renewing its support for Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) as that group takes its fight to keep Michigan water from being extracted and bottled by the Nestle/Perrier conglomerate to a long-delayed court hearing.
April 16, 2003, Green Party enters 65th District race: Wunsch to face two challengers in special election May 20
The Green Party of Michigan is thrilled to announce and support the candidacy of long-time Green activist Richard Wunsch for 65th District State Representative. Wunsch is running in the Tuesday, May 20 special election to fill the State House seat left vacant by the death of freshman representative Jerry Kratz. Offering a fresh perspective, Wunsch pledges to run on a platform of peace, labor rights, equality, universal health care, and a clean environment.
Mar 23, 2003, Greens Continue to Oppose, Protest Attack Against the Iraqi People
As the United States continues its slaughter of the Iraqi people, the Green Party remains the only party to actively oppose the ongoing attacks.
Mar 18, 2003, Green Party of Michigan Refuses President's 'Call to War'
Feb 16, 2003, Green Party Marches Across Michigan, Supporting Peace -- and Justice
The Green Party of Michigan was out in full force this weekend, partaking in all of the major peace events in the state. Peace events were held all over the world, with millions marching in the streets, supporting peace and protesting war against Iraq.
In Lansing, an estimated 4,000-5,000 people marched in support of peace. GPMI Chair Marc Reichardt spoke on behalf of peace and the Greens' long history of supporting peace and justice for all.
Greens marching behind the Detroit local party banner joined a crowd of some 5,000 people braving the bitter cold to march down Woodward Avenue to Cobo Hall.
