FW: [Platform] Platform Comm meeting - How about Sat. Dec. 2,
6-8 PM...& some proposed goals
Mike Heichman
mikeheichman at verizon.net
Wed Nov 29 19:18:28 EST 2006
Jill Stein wrote:
>Hi Mike. This bounced from the platform committee list. Would it be
>possible for you to forward it? Thx. jill
>========================================
>Hi all.
>
>Apologies for not getting in touch by email sooner. (I've been caring
>for my elderly mother.) I've spoken with Mike Heichman, Steve Baer,
>Nancy Lee Wood, Suel Bartone, John Andrews, Nat Fortune, Joyce Palmer,
>Dave Dionne and with a number of others who've expressed interest in a
>revitalized platform (issues) committee. Since many folks can't make the
>meeting date originally proposed for Thursday, Nov. 30, a number of
>people requested the meeting be postponed till Saturday, Dec. 2. Among
>the two time slots suggested (11-1 and 6-8PM), most people seem to be
>able to make the evening time slot.
>
>In the interests of keeping up the momentum, I propose we go ahead with
>a Saturday meeting at 6-8 PM. For those who can't make it but want to be
>involved, material and a draft agenda will follow shortly, so you can
>provide input in advance of the meeting.
>
>Steve Bear has agreed to host the meeting at his home in Shrewsbury
>(just outside Worcester).
>
>A number of folks have expressed interest in refocusing the work of the
>committee to support two goals:
>
>1. SUPPORT POLICY DEVELOPMENT NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL GRP ELECTORAL
>CAMPAIGNS. GRP campaigns have already been doing heavy lifting in
>policy development. But it has been hard for candidates to
>systematically share the fruits of their labor with each other in the
>midst of hectic campaigns. To help in this, the committee will create a
>system for building upon the policy work already done to create a set
>of key issue reports. This will save future campaigns much of the burden
>of re-inventing the wheel on policy development.
>
>2. SERVE AS A POINT OF ENGAGEMENT AND AN OUTREACH RESOURCE for active
>GRPers doing work on a variety of peace, justice and sustainability
>issues at the grassroots level. As such the committee can help activists
>connect with each other around the Commonwealth, and leverage their
>local work to benefit others with similar concerns in their various
>communities. As a clearing house for such work, the committee can help
>make the GRP a critical resource for activists.
>
>An email will follow that contains:
>--A draft proposal to refocus the platform committee on key issues
>(to be discussed at the upcoming meeting)
>
>--A draft meeting agenda
>
>Suggestions on either are welcome.
>Thanks.
>jill
>jstein at massmed.org
>781-674-1377
>================================================================
>================================================================
>-----Original Message-----
>From: platform-bounces at green-rainbow.org
>[mailto:platform-bounces at green-rainbow.org] On Behalf Of Mike Heichman
>Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 5:03 PM
>To: platform at green-rainbow.org
>Subject: [Platform] Platform Comm--steps to prepare for our next meeting
>
>Hi Everyone,
>
>I hope that we will be meeting soon. If I attend, it will be my first
>meeting.
>
>I agree with John's message (below) that we should be communicating with
>
>each other by e-mail if we want to have a successful meeting.
>
>Below are my questions and ideas. I hope that others on this list will
>respond in the next few days.
>
>Mike Heichman
>617-265-8143
>
>Question #1: Will we meet on November 30?
>
>The advantage is that some of us said that we were available for that
>meeting at the 11-11 State Comm. meeting. If we decide not to meet on
>that day, then we will need to find another date, and the holidays and
>winter are coming.
>
>David and John said that they can't make it on that date. I can.
>
>We need to find out how many can make the meeting. I suggest that those
>of you who can, respond in the next few days (How about a deadline of
>this Sunday at 12 PM?) (I realize that there may be some members of the
>Comm. who are already away for the holiday.) Please respond if you can
>make it on 11-30 and if so, where do you live? (The reason for this is
>that (for example) if everybody who can attend lives in the central or
>western part of the state, it does not make sense to meet down the
>Cape.)
>
>Question #2: Where and what time can we meet? Also car pooling
>
>At the State Comm meeting, we said that we would meet at Steve Baer's
>home in Worcester. I hope that Steve can still make it and will respond
>that he can with info on his address and directions.
>
>I will have to drive through significant rush-hour traffic. My
>preference would be to have the meeting from 6:30-8:30. I have a car and
>
>have room for a few more from the Boston area.
>
>Question #3: What is the agenda?
>
>Here are my ideas. (Again, this is my first meeting, so please forgive
>me if I'm off the wall.)
>
>1. Updating the exiting platform
>
>2. How can our platform assist out party (including current GRP office
>holders and future candidates)?
>
> a. Different kinds of "platforms" (generic municipal, congressional,
>
>state legislative, statewide offices)
>
> b. John Andrew's proposal to develop "Outreach Issue Reports"
>
>3. Bureaucratic (Division of responsibilities for the committee, future
>meetings, etc.)
>
>
>John Andrews wrote:
>
>
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I have a problem with Nov 30 because I'm taking off to help my wife
>>through a medical procedure. Whether I could come will depend on how
>>she is feeling that evening. I'm a little overbooked with meetings
>>anyway, so don't worry about accommodating my schedule.
>>
>>It does seems to me that the Platform Committee should be doing some
>>work by email beforehand in order to make the meeting productive. (To
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>be honest, if no preparation is done ahead of time, I wonder if the
>>meeting is worthwhile.)
>>
>>We also need to build up the participation if we are going to take on
>>some significant work.
>>
>>One proposal that was discussed at the last State Committee meeting is
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>to produce a series of Outreach Issue Reports that would be directly
>>useful to GRP candidates. The Platform Committee could decide to
>>start working on a few of these without State Comm instructions if we
>>thought they would be useful. A first step is to pick the possible
>>topics and get concurrence from other branches of the Party that they
>>are the most needed topics.
>>
>>In this regard, I'd like to note the following poll results that
>>indicate topics that were important in this year's state election.
>>I'd like to see the GRP prepare its candidates to address the topics
>>near the top of this list:
>>
>>-------------------------
>>State House News Public Opinion Poll
>>November 2006
>>
>>Q12. What is the most important issue in deciding how you will vote
>>for governor?
>>
>>Taxes 14.3%
>>Education 14.0%
>>The economy 8.9%
>>Honesty / Trust / Integrity / Truthfulness 6.0%
>>Healthcare/health insurance/health plan 4.2%
>>Immigration 4.2%
>>Unemployment/jobs/joblessness 3.5%
>>Party affiliation / Views similar to my own 2.8%
>>Crime / Corruption 2.8%
>>The state government fiscal situation/budget deficit 2.2%
>>Kerry Healey and/or the way she ran her campaign 2.1%
>>Deval Patrick and/or the way he ran his campaign 2.0%
>>The person who is best for the state / Take the job seriously 2.0%
>>Dealing with Big Dig/Central Artery construction/tolls 1.5%
>>War/security against terrorism 1.4%
>>Change 1.4%
>>Assistance for elderly 1.2%
>>Gay marriage/civil unions 1.2%
>>Affordable housing 1.1%
>>Against a one party government 1.1%
>>Abortion 1.1%
>>Style / The way they conduct themselves 0.9%
>>Social services 0.9%
>>Environment 0.9%
>>Stem Cell Research 0.8%
>>Welfare reform 0.6%
>>Leadership 0.6%
>>Homelessness 0.3%
>>Don't know 8.5%
>>Refused 0.7%
>>Other 6.8%
>>-------------------------------------
>>
>>Of course, there are a few additional topics that we might add to
>>pursue a particular constituency that we view as important to Party
>>growth.
>>
>>- John Andrews
>>jwa at alum.mit.edu
>>
>>-----
>>
>>
>>David Rolde wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>At the Statecom meeting we decided to meet on Nov 30 at 6 or 6:30 PM
>>>at Steve Baer's house in Worcester.
>>>
>>>This actually now is a bad time for me because there is a pro-war
>>>forum at MIT at that time that I would like to go speak out at. So
>>>I'm not sure if I would come to the meeting at that time or not. Is
>>>Nov 30 still the best time for everyone else?
>>>
>>>- David
>>>
>>>On Nov 21, 2006, at 11:24 AM, Mike Heichman wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi Platform Comm Members,
>>>>
>>>>At the 11-11 State Comm meeting, we spent some time (brief) meeting
>>>>in Committees.
>>>>
>>>>At that meeting, we set our next Platform meeting to be on Thursday,
>>>>
>>>>
>
>
>
>>>>November 30.
>>>>
>>>>I haven't heard anything since. Who is coordinating the details?
>>>>
>>>>Mike Heichman
>>>>617-265-8143
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>Platform mailing list
>>>>Platform at green-rainbow.org
>>>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
>>>>
>>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Platform mailing list
>>>Platform at green-rainbow.org
>>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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