[Platform] BALLOT INITIATIVES UPDATE. Consider putting them towork in your community! Join the ABWG.

[BillCunningham]

My favorite version is "a single step can begin a journey of a thousand miles but very seldom does since several million more steps are required to complete the trip; and if one is going to walk a thousand miles one had better have some idea where one is headed." 

Sorry about that.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Merelice <merelice at gmail.com>
>Sent: Mar 31, 2008 6:37 PM
>To: platform at green-rainbow.org, Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>, candidate development <candidate-development at green-rainbow.org>
>Subject: Re: [Platform] BALLOT INITIATIVES UPDATE. Consider putting them to	work in your community! Join the ABWG.
>
>Thanks, Jill, for a wonderful update and thanks, too, to everyone who
>has been involved so far.
>
>It's good to see what devoted people can accomplish and an inspiration
>to all of us to get more and more people involved. What's the saying
>about a journey starting with a step? This effort is several steps on
>the way to making the GRP relevant to people's lives.
>
>Just curious: It was suggested that all regional conventions put the
>ballot idea on their agendas. Wonder how many remembered to do so.
>Would be interested in any feedback from the various organizers. I've
>shared the results of the Suffolk/Norfolk Convention with some folks
>and will send them to the Platform Committee. The current initiatives
>pretty much reflect what was prioritized among the nine possible
>topics we identified.
>
>Merelice
>
>
>On 3/31/08, Jill Stein <jstein at massmed.org> wrote:
>> Dear Platform, CDLC, Locals, GRPers et al,
>>
>>  This is to update folks on the status of the local ballot question
>>  initiatives, which State Com voted to explore at the last meeting. The
>>  proposal suggested considering what ballot questions would have a base
>>  of support that would make them successful and enhance our presence in
>>  existing issue-oriented networks. Several volunteers, partly based in
>>  subcommittees of Platform, have been exploring this and have reported
>>  exciting progress on four possible initiatives, some of which is
>>  described below. The proposed initiatives thus far (that I'm aware of)
>>  are: Secure Green Future (Green Jobs and Fossil Fuel Phase-Out), Health
>>  Care, Housing Foreclosures, IRV. (Note, you'll have to scroll to the
>>  bottom of the discussion below to get to the health care proposal.)
>>
>>  Platform is also asked in the State Com ballot initiative proposal to
>>  establish an Advisory Ballot Working Group, (ABWG). We encourage anyone
>>  who is, or would like to commit to working on ballot initiatives, to
>>  consider volunteering for the ABWG. Members of locals who are interested
>>  in using one or more initiatives to do issue-based organizing in their
>>  communities are especially encouraged to join. One of ABWG's tasks is to
>>  consider how many such initiatives can be supported by the Party, what
>>  resources are available to do so, and what districts would be most
>>  productive to target.
>>
>>  We'll consider where the various initiatives stand at our next full
>>  platform phone meeting, (TBA). If you are interested in participating in
>>  the ABWG, please let me know and we'll keep you posted on upcoming
>>  meetings.
>>
>>  Thx.
>>  jill
>>
>>  UPDATE ON 4 DRAFT INITIATIVES CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON:
>>
>>  I. IRV - Being explored by Dave England and Eli Beckerman. Potential to
>>  work jointly/co-sponsor with the World Citizens Party which is also
>>  committed to advancing IRV and other likely partners.  Here is rough
>>  draft language for the IRV question. There is an open question at this
>>  point on which offices to include:
>>
>>  Shall the Representative from this district be instructed to vote in
>>  favor of legislation or a Constitutional amendment establishing a system
>>  of ranked choice voting (also know as instant runoff voting) for all
>>  general and primary elections to statewide, state district, or federal
>>  office (including the United States President, Senate, and House of
>>  Representatives, the Governor, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, and
>>  Secretary of the Commonwealth, as well as State Senator, State
>>  Representative, and Governor's Council).
>>
>>
>>  II. HOUSING FORECLOSURES - Spear-headed by Merelice along with members
>>  of the Rainbow Caucus and MAAPL (Chuck, Gary, Grace, Eva etc.).
>>  Legislative language is in the process of being adapted to ballot
>>  question format.
>>
>>  III. SECURE GREEN FUTURE (Green Jobs/Fossil Fuel Phase-Out) - Platform
>>  fossil fuel subcommittee (chaired by John Andrews) is coordinating.
>>  Getting extensive input on draft language from advocacy groups,
>>  especially State Com members fighting the coal plant expansion in Fall
>>  River (Nancy Lee Wood, Dave Dion, Joe Carvalho). Latest draft language:
>>
>>  DRAFT
>>  Secure Green Future
>>  2008 Local Ballot Question
>>  Summary
>>
>>  Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in
>>  favor of legislation that:
>>
>>  1) redirects taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel energy, road and airport
>>  construction, and other carbon-intensive development, to an urgent
>>  carbon-reducing community-based green-jobs initiative, creating jobs in
>>  energy conservation and efficiency, non-nuclear local clean energy
>>  generation, recycling, and local sustainable food production; and
>>
>>  2) phases out existing fossil fuel based power generation facilities in
>>  Massachusetts, beginning with the closure of coal-fed power plants, with
>>  a goal of 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020?
>>
>>  ****************************************
>>  Long Version
>>
>>  Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in
>>  favor of legislation to create a secure green future for the people of
>>  Massachusetts, such legislation to include:
>>
>>  1) An EMERGENCY MOBILIZATION to address the severe triple-threat of job
>>  losses, sky-rocketing fossil fuel and food costs, and climate crisis
>>  with a green jobs initiative and a green energy transition plan, as
>>  described below, with a goal of ensuring full-employment and an 80%
>>  reduction in CO2 emissions by as early as 2020;
>>
>>  2) A GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE redirecting taxpayer subsidies for fossil
>>  fuel energy production, over-development and corporate welfare
>>  (including subsidies for gambling casinos, dog-tracks, high-end housing,
>>  weapons manufacturing, road and airport construction and expansion and
>>  pharmaceutical companies) to the urgent development of energy-efficient
>>  local businesses and cooperatives that provide jobs which protect the
>>  environment and create a secure green economy, increasing jobs in
>>
>>  --local energy-conserving businesses (including home and business
>>  insulation, energy efficiency, and recycling)
>>
>>  --local renewable, clean, energy sources, (including wind, solar,
>>  geothermal and wave energy, but excluding nuclear, LNG and all other
>>  fossil fuel-based technologies), and
>>
>>  --local sustainable food production (including CSAs [Community Supported
>>  Agriculture], community gardens, food cooperatives, school and workplace
>>  gardens), and
>>
>>  --green community education to assist citizens of the Commonwealth in
>>  actualizing personal, household, neighborhood and community changes
>>  toward a sustainable future through public media campaigns, educational
>>  extension services and citizen information-sharing networks.
>>
>>  3) A GREEN ENERGY TRANSITION PLAN for phased closure of existing fossil
>>  fuel based power generation facilities in the Commonwealth of
>>  Massachusetts, beginning with the closure of coal-fed power plants, in
>>  order to achieve the 80% CO2 reduction by 2020.
>>
>>
>>
>>  IV. HEALTH CARE EMERGENCY BALLOT INITIATIVE - The language and content
>>  are still very much in flux. Members of several health care advocacy
>>  groups promoting single payer and fighting the mandate, are providing
>>  input and strategic advice, including MassCare and the
>>  Franklin/Hampshire Health Care Committee and an informal group of
>>  mandate opponents. Two prototype proposals being considered follow.
>>
>>  FIRST PROTOTYPE HC EMERGENCY BALLOT INITIATIVE
>>
>>  DRAFT 3/17
>>
>>  Ballot Initiative: An Emergency Plan For A Healthy Massachusetts
>>
>>  Possible Summary for the ballot
>>  Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in
>>  favor of a Healthy Massachusetts Plan consisting of :
>>  1)      the URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASS. HEALTH CARE TRUST (MHCT)
>>  - a streamlined Medicare-like "single-payer" insurance system that
>>  provides comprehensive affordable health care for all without the costly
>>  overhead, bureaucracy, care gaps and inequities of the current system of
>>  private insurance - and
>>  2)      the simultaneous PHASE-OUT OF THE MASS. HEALTH MANDATE (CHAPTER
>>  58), a health plan with unsustainable sky-rocketing costs and an unjust
>>  mandate that forces working and middle-income families to pay
>>  unaffordable premiums for stripped-down coverage which does not protect
>>  health or financial security.
>>
>>  Full Text
>>  Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in
>>  favor of the emergency passage of the Healthy Massachusetts Plan
>>  consisting of:
>>
>>  --The URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASS. HEALTH CARE TRUST (MHCT) - a
>>  streamlined Medicare-like "single-payer" insurance system that provides
>>  comprehensive affordable health care for all without the costly
>>  overhead, bureaucracy, care gaps and inequities of the current system of
>>  private insurance. The MHCT eliminates wasteful administrative expense
>>  and consolidates health care costs into one tax-based charge
>>  proportional to income. [accurate?] The plan controls cost inflation,
>>  ensures comprehensive coverage, and extends insurance to all without
>>  increasing current costs, as demonstrated in the actual performance of
>>  such systems in developed countries around the world, and affirmed by
>>  analyses of the Congressional Budget Office, the US General Accounting
>>  Office, and others.
>>
>>  --The simultaneous PHASE-OUT OF THE MASS. HEALTH MANDATE (CHAPTER 58), a
>>  health plan with unsustainable sky-rocketing costs, including
>>  multimillion dollar CEO pay. It is predicted to bring a $400 million
>>  overrun next year alone. Chapter 58 also includes an unjust mandate that
>>  forces working and middle-income families to pay unaffordable premiums
>>  for stripped-down coverage that fails to provide protection for health
>>  or financial security. Under the proposed "Emergency Plan For A Healthy
>>  Massachusetts", this complex, costly and inadequate plan will be phased
>>  out as comprehensive, universal insurance becomes operational under the
>>  Mass. Health Care Trust.
>>
>>
>>  SECOND PROTOTYPE BALLOT HC EMERGENCY BALLOT INITIATIVE
>>  >From Ben Day, MassCare. An abbreviated version of this (appropriate for
>>  appearing on the ballot) is under development.
>>
>>  "WHEREAS access to health care should be a right for all residents of
>>  Massachusetts and should be provided as a public good by the
>>  Commonwealth Massachusetts; and
>>
>>  WHEREAS health care sold as a commodity leads to unaffordable health
>>  care costs and high levels of discrimination in access to care based on
>>  one's place of residence, income, race, gender, age, and other social
>>  identities; and
>>
>>  WHEREAS it is unfair to penalize the uninsured for the failings of the
>>  current health care system, or to tie the health care crisis to the
>>  responsibility of individuals;
>>
>>  WE INSTRUCT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS DISTRICT to support the
>>  implementation of a single payer health care system for Massachusetts,
>>  and to repeal individual mandates for Massachusetts residents."
>>
>>
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  Platform mailing list
>>  Platform at green-rainbow.org
>>  http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
>>
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Bill Cunningham