[External Relations] Kimberly Wilder Suggestions for GPUS Reform

[Mike Heichman]

Hi Everyone:

Thank you Ownen for sharing this?

I can't pretend to be an expert about our national party. However, what I
observed by being in Milwaukee and have learned by watching the national
through the lens of other GRP members who have been far more active leads me
to be very sympathetic to Kimberly's point of view.

What do others think?

Mike Heichmna



on 10/4/04 6:03 PM, Owen Broadhurst at thersites2467 at hotmail.com wrote:

> 
> For those who care (and haven't heard it before) here are some
> things that need to be done:
> 
> 1. A whole grassroots revolution at national where we make sure the
> Steering Committee and Coordinating Committee do not exercise too
> much over-control.
> 
> 2. Create ways for grassroots greens to grieve against national.
> (Right now, the National pretends to be laissez-faire, but tends to
> support a certain clique, much like laissez-faire capitalism
> hypocritically supports the rich.)
> 
> 3. Fix the blaring injustice that Coordinating Committee members
> have carte-blanche to join national committees, but grassroots
> greens wanting to participate must run an obstacle course of
> approvals. (Often, with the national being rude and difficul t as
> greens try to jump through the hoops of membership.)
> 
> 4. Stop having Steering Committee members control all committees.
> Steering Committee members should not also be chairs of committees.
> We are a national party of hundreds of thousands of members. We need
> to spread the work out.
> 
> Also, while the system of Steering Committee members having
> portfolios is still new, I already see some of them using those
> portfolios to control committees.
> 
> 5. Create the groundrules for a convention years ahead of time, so
> the strucuture has a chance o be form somewhat free of candidate
> influence.
> 
> 6. Have a clear way of inviting speakers and planning the convention
> that is open and grassroots and even INVITING of input. Don't allow
> any small groups to hijack the agenda by last minute invites (ie:
> Medea Benjamin invite.)
> 
> 7. Remember that you can find a party somewhere that has all our
> issues. What makes us diffe rent is suppossed to be our process and
> authentic democracy. We must cherish it as much as or pet projects,
> and not give in to people or ideas because they are convenient or
> glamrous or because we feel a sense of urgency.
> 
> ~Kimberly Wilder
> 
> 
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