Archive -- 2005
December 21, 2005, Green Party of Michigan Statement on Delphi vs Workers
The Green Party of Michigan condemns the actions of Delphi in its attempts to enrich its executives through new compensation packages, while at the same time demanding that its hourly workforce accept greatly reduced wages and benefits.
For decades, General Motors and Delphi (created by a 1999 General Motors spinoff) have been downsizing and closing manufacturing facilities in the United States, and at the same time buying and building new operations overseas. Now, after years of using profits to ship jobs overseas, Delphi has filed for bankruptcy for its U.S. operations, but claims that its overseas operations are profitable and are not part of the bankruptcy.
August 17, 2005, Guest Editorial/Column -- Green Party of Michigan on CAFTA
Michigan has suffered worse from NAFTA than any other state. That treaty for 'free trade' of the multinationals, by the multinationals, and for the multinationals cost Michigan over 118,000 jobs since 1993. Our net loss of 63,000 jobs is 1.44% of the state's total employment at the end of last year -- almost double the national average. Hard times for small farmers and small businesses throughout Michigan can be traced back to NAFTA.
And as if NAFTA wasn't bad enough, now we're going to hafta suffer through CAFTA, too.
Technically, it's now 'DR-CAFTA', with the Dominican Republic tacked onto the Central American Free Trade Agreement. But, according to the World Bank, that still leaves our new trading partners with a total GDP last year of only $84 billion -- about the economic size of Tampa and its suburbs. Not a lot of disposable income there for people to buy U.S.-made goods . . . and not a lot of support among the people of DR or CA.
August 6, 2005, "Signs and Symbols" Mark Commemoration of Atom-Bomb Attack
Michigan Peace Activists Gather August 6 at Marshall Peace Park; Hang 1,000 Origami Cranes; Officially Kick Off "Unofficial Petition Drive," Discuss Protecting Peace Doves, Students' Right to Privacy from Military Recruiters
Participants from Battle Creek, Albion, Kalamazoo, and Lansing hung paper cranes; handed out unofficial petitions to support U.S. troops by bringing them home from Iraq now; and discussed working to protect mourning doves (Michigan's official bird of peace), and high-school students facing unwanted military recruitment.
[full release & contact info: graphic PDF or plain text] [Petition]
August 3, 2005, Cranes for Peace, Marshall MI, Saturday August 6th
On the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima . . . join us in hanging up 1,000 symbols of peace -- and let's talk about what we can do to hang up on war.
Marshall Peace Park (south side of Michigan Avenue, 1-1/2 blocks east of the fountain) 10am Saturday, August 6
John Anthony La Pietra, Calhoun County coordinator for the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI), will emcee the event. Members of other area groups working for peace have been invited to join in. Individuals who want to work for peace are welcome to attend.
More information and directions can be found at the link below.
June 28, 2005, Michigan Greens Endorse Maureen D. Taylor for Detroit City Council, Expand Calls to End War in Iraq at Quarterly Statewide Meeting
Grassroots Candidate Welcomes State Party's Support; Has Worked with Greens to Help the People on Water, Utilities Issues
GPMI Plans Outreach to Young People on War and the Economy, Billboards and Petition Drives to "Bring the Troops Home Now"
Party Backs Voters' Rights, Supports Pinkney in Benton Harbor Recall Flap
New State Officers Elected; Preparing for GPUS Meeting in July, 2006 Elections
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) endorsed grassroots activist Maureen D. Taylor in her campaign for a seat on Detroit City Council at the party's quarterly state membership meeting Saturday in Dearborn.
Michigan Greens also took several new steps to rally the growing majority of public sentiment against the war in Iraq, supporting petition drives and billboards to let elected officials know the people want them to "Bring the Troops Home Now".
Party volunteers will draft a timely flyer for use in reaching out to young people on the twin problems of the war and the economy. And GPMI representatives will carry the same proposals to a national Green meeting next month in Tulsa.
June 20, 2005, Green Party of Michigan Braces for Moving Day, June 21st
Disillusioned Democrats -- and Republicans -- Welcome to Join Party of Ten Key Values, Meeting Saturday in Dearborn
"Every Day Is Moving Day" for Anyone Who Supports Values
Popular blogger and long-time Democrat Jim Leftwich, writing in his Internet blog JIMWICh, has declared June 21st, 2005 "Moving Day".
Leftwich is calling for his fellow disillusioned Democrats to "on one day and en masse, move to a party that has the set of values and principles that the Democrat party not only used to stand for, but used to successfully fight for, both on the legislative floor AND in the hearts and minds of the American people."
That party, of course, is the Green Party.
June 12, 2005, Michigan Greens Agree with National Party that Downing Street Memo Is Evidence for Bush Impeachment
Call on People to Join Non-Partisan Drive, Sign Petitions by Conyers and Others to Demand Answers, and Show How We Support and Value the Troops -- By Bringing Them Home
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) joins the national Green Party of the United States (GPUS) in citing the "Downing Street memo" as further evidence of the deceit of the Bush administration in its rush to unconstitutional, unjustified, and undeclared war in Iraq -- and as reason for citizens of all parties (or none) to call for the end of the occupation and the impeachment of George W. Bush.
GPMI welcomes the efforts of Michigan's 14th District Congressman John Conyers, Jr. on these issues. Conyers has written to the White House, with the backing of 88 other House members, demanding explanations of the revelations in the memo from a top-level meeting of the British government.
With the help of a wide spectrum of citizens' groups, Conyers and others have collected almost half a million signatures on petitions supporting the demand for the truth.
June 9, 2005, Greens Welcome Success of Petition to Save Doves
Only Statewide Party to Endorse Ban on Shooting Symbol of Peace Will Help Grassroots Campaign to Restore Protections in Nov. '06 Referendum!
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) welcomes the recent certification by the State Board of Canvassers of the petition to restore Michigan's 99-year ban on hunting the mourning dove -- a bird recognized by the state legislature as the Michigan Bird of Peace.
The law that ended that ban is now suspended, and there will be no more shooting of doves in the state until after the people have a chance to vote on the measure in November 2006.
April 23, 2005, Michigan Greens Renew Call to Make Nuclear Waste Safer -- Now!
Vitrification On Site Would Fight Pollution, Proliferation; Create Jobs Locally; and Clarify the True Costs of Nuclear Power
Amid Earth Day celebrations, the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) is renewing its proposal that used nuclear fuel be made safer where it is -- before transporting it anywhere.
The GPMI plan calls for the used fuel to be captured inside glass ingots, a process named "vitrification", to prevent the radioactive material from being scattered on the wind or easily leached into the water supply.
The work could be done on site at each of the country's still-running nuclear plants -- employing hundreds of people at each plant, and linking plants to the cost of cleaning up their nuclear waste.
March 08, 2005, National, Michigan Greens Celebrate International Women's Day
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) and its chair Sylvia Inwood join the national Green Party of the United States (GPUS) in solemn celebration of International Women's Day today -- and re-dedication to the causes of peace, justice, and equal rights.
GPMI and GPUS both recognize March 8 as the day set aside by people worldwide for honoring the sacrifices of women in the past to leave their descendants a just, peaceful, and democratic world. GPUS has issued a call to the nation to make things better for the women of today and tomorrow; GPMI seconds the statement, and joins GPUS in calling for the U.S. to get back on the road to progress.
The March 8 date is the anniversary of several notable actions by women for equal rights (including the right to vote), social justice, and peace. The first March 8 event was a strike by garment workers in New York City in 1857, protesting low wages, twelve-hour workdays, and increased workloads without compensation.
February 28, 2005, Greens Link Global, Local Activism at Quarterly Meeting
Gather in Kalamazoo; Hear from City Commissioner Cooney and Activists Helping Build Peace Coalitions, Rebuild Palestinian Homes, Protect Water Rights, Work for Peace
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) heard from speakers showing the links between peace, social justice, grassroots democracy, and environmental wisdom -- locally and globally -- at its quarterly State Membership Meeting February 19-20 in Kalamazoo.
February 09, 2005, Michigan Greens Skeptical of Granholm's Goals with "State of State"
Members of the Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) had decidedly mixed reactions to yesterday's "State of the State" speech by Governor Granholm. They recognize that some small steps promoted and proposed by Granholm are aimed in the right directions, but they have serious doubts about her ultimate destination on any of the issues she mentioned . . . not to mention the issues she left out.
January 22, 2005, Michigan Greens Call on Congressional Delegation to Reject Bush Privatization Schemes That Would Destroy Social Security
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) is calling on all 17 members of Michigan's Congressional delegation to defend Social Security from the privatization schemes of the Bush administration which would destroy the poverty-fighting program.
