Proposal: Everyone shares their dues

Shepherd: Elie Yarden, National Committee Alternate, Statecome Middlesex Member

Co-Sponsor: Frank Jackson, Co-Chair

Vetting Committees and Officers Requested: AdCom, Membership, Fundraising, CDLC, Party Treasurer

Background:

The Democratic and Republican parties are almost exclusively funded by corporations, and wealthy donors such as the Koch brothers pledged to spend one billion dollars this next election. Organizations such as ALEC wield huge amounts of influence on our state legislatures. 

It would be impossible for the Democratic and Republican Parties to be effective as corporate puppets, promoting the ALEC and SuperPAC agenda, if they were dependent on their members payment of dues, even though they would be able to sustain a much larger organization.

As the Green-Rainbow Party attempts to be an effective political opposition we need a way to challenge the duopoly and speak truth to power, or, as Merelice would say, speak truth from power.

A National Green Party with a budget of $7,000,0000 per year would be able to support its candidates and make them competitive to win seats from the start. It would be able to hire organizers to register more members in every state, prepare professional literature, and finance advertising to improve name recognition.

The French, English and Welsh, Scottish, German Green Parties all have been successful at gaining seats in legislatures. They all set dues for party membership. The French at 0.8%, the German at 1% of someone's income, and the UK Greens have set their dues at 31 pounds or $60. 

This proposal requests that the Green Party of the United States use its already established dues with suggested contributions much lower than European green parties.

Proposal Text:

The State Committee of the Green-Rainbow Party, the Massachusetts Green Party of the United States Affiliate formed from the merger of the Massachusetts Green and Rainbow Coalition Parties, requests that the Green Party of the United States take steps to collect dues from every Green Party member in the United States.

According to Ben Manski, a proposal passed in the early 2000 established a unified dues structure, where 25% would go to the International Greens, 25% to the Green Party of the United States, 25% to the State Party, and 25% to the Local. 

The Green-Rainbow Party suggests that all Green Party members be asked to contribute dues to the Green Party, Annually through a mailing.

State Green Parties would be asked to provide a list of registered Green voters in their state, and donors to their state party, and when applicable any non-registered members who they think might consider contributing dues (ie presidential primary voters, or non members attending meetings)

Suggested dues shall be set at the following amount based on income. Members shall not be asked to report their income as these levels are suggestions.

$200/year for individuals earning $100,000 or more per year

$100/year for individuals earning $50,000-$100,000 per year

$50/year for individuals earning $20,000-$50,000 per year

$10/year for individuals earning less than $20,000 per year

We recognize that there are upwards of 250,000 members to the Green Party of the United States, and this effort would require considerable funds. The Green-Rainbow Party would be willing to provide the required startup funds to contact 500 members in Massachusetts, and encourage other states to do the same. 

We suggest it could be phased in progressively to remain at a net positive for the Party, until every member is contacted. The Party would subsequently contact members every year to  renew their dues.

The proper implementation of this could raise upwards of $2.5 million dollars ($12.5 million assuming median income) to be split between all levels of our party for people, planet and peace.