High Numbers Turn Out For Green Party Annual Meeting

The July 2007 national meeting of the Green Party of the United States in Reading, Pennsylvania, was well attended with over 300 state delegates, party leaders, and other Greens from nearly every state convening for party business, workshops, and preparations for the 2008 national election.

The meeting was hosted by Reading Greens, Berks County Greens and the Green Party of Pennsylvania; with Jennaro Pullano, Green candidate for Mayor of Reading, on hand to welcome Greens from all over the US.

The Green Party of the United States announced its goal of 51 ballot lines in every state and the District of Columbia in preparation for the 2008 election, with a pledge to commit party resources for this purpose. 19 states (including D.C.) currently have ballot access..

The West Virginia Mountain Party was admitted to the Green Party as a state affiliate. There are now 46 state parties (including D. C.) affiliated with the GP-US.

On July 14, consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader and former Green candidate Carl Romanelli, who ran for the US Senate in 2006, spoke at a press conference and party rally about Pennsylvaniaís grossly unfair and antidemocratic election laws. They also spoke about how state Democratic politicians and lawyers have abused the court system to block them from running and even penalized them for submitting ballots. Links to video clips of speeches by Nader and Romanelli and other meeting events are on the GP-US web site: www.gp.org.

Former Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney screened the movie American Blackout and took questions from Greens on the last afternoon.

The Green National Committee elected new members to the partyís steering committee: Phil Huckelberry (Illinois), Jason Nabewaniec (New York), and Kristen Olsen (Minnesota). Jim Coplen (Indiana) and Budd Dickinson (California) were reelected, as was secretary Holly Hart (Iowa). Steering committee members who will keep their seats until the 2008 national meeting are Liz Arnone (New Jersey), Sarah ëechoí Steiner (Florida), and treasurer Jody Grage (Washington).

On Friday evening, July 13, the Green Party hosted a forum for candidates for the Green Partyís 2008 presidential nomination. The following candidates spoke: Jared Ball, Sheila Bilyeu, Dan Imperato, Michael ìJingoî Jingozian, Jesse Johnson, Jerry Kann, Kent Mesplay, Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyawaisifza-Curry (for Vice President), Gail Parker, Joe Schriner, and Kat Swift. Elaine Brown, Paul Kangas, and Anita Rios were candidates who did not attend the event, but are still seeking the nomination. (For more information on the 2008 Green presidential campaign see page 3).

For more information: http://www.gp.org/meeting2007

John Rensenbrink from Maine on left listens to Bill Delp from NYC during Saturday evening festivities.
photos by David Doonan