Proposal sponsor/shepherd: David Keil

Floor manager: David Keil

Co-sponsor: Elizabeth Humphrey; Mike Heichman

Contact info for floor manager: [email protected]

Summary:

The Green-Rainbow Party must stand with teachers and with health workers for public-health measures to counter the Covid pandemic. The pandemic is real.

Background:

The Trump administration and various other misinformation sources have campaigned against public-health measures. Teachers and other workers are fighting for their health, the health of school children, and of the public. False claims that the pandemic is a hoax have entered the public space in a dangerous way.

Text of Proposal:

The GRP supports children and their families who may be subjected to unsafe environments. The GRP also supports teachers, other “front line” and essential workers who have the human right to demand safe working conditions and cautious re openings during this Covid pandemic. We support safety regulations such as mask wearing and social distancing and following the advice of nationally and globally recognized health and science experts.

We demand the government take action and provide a moratorium on evictions and on rent and mortgages until at least 6 months after a safe reopening of the country can happen.

We demand a bailout for the people for the accumulated debt from unpaid rent, mortgages and healthcare due to testing positive for Covid 19.

We demand assistance and a bailout to small and local businesses and farms. The GRP recognizes the importance of small & local businesses and farms in resisting corporate and big money control and deem them essential in community economic independence, autonomy and the hard work ahead to adapt and insulate our communicates from the worsening climate crisis that only increases the threat from the Covid 19 pandemic.

We condemn the financial blackmail from the White House against public school systems. The POTUS has threatened to defund federal monetary investment in public schools that do not reopen upon his demand.

We condemn misinformation campaigns that deny the existence and danger of this pandemic and that oppose basic science and public-health measures. We urge investigation of Big Corporate and unfettered Capitalist ties to these efforts of putting profit before people to massive increases of wealth at the expense of the health and well being of our U.S. and global citizenry.

Determination of public-health policy needs to rely on verifiable scientific evidence and expertise as embodied in our brave and indispensable health-care workers and our nationally and globally recognized scientific community.

We condemn corporate and billionaire sponsored reopening actions that included armed intimidation of state authorities (https://www.npr.org/2020/05/14/855918852/heavily-armed-protesters-gather-again-at-michigans-capitol-denouncing-home-order; https://systemicdisorder.wordpress.com/2020/06/10/corporate-origins-reopen-demonstrations/).

The harm of the pandemic falls most heavily on the most oppressed and disenfranchised communities and people of color. Our work should include public information, in at least English and Spanish, such as the following: https://www.gp.org/covid_19_afecta_de_forma_desproporcionada_el_empleo_de_latinas_y_latinos_de_ee_uu

Implementation:

Publication of public-health information and exposure of misinformation.

Publish how the Green New Deal and the 10 key values will contribute to strengthening our health and our communities that ultimately are essential to overcome the setbacks to public health and safety due to the lack of a comprehensive and responsible response from the oligarchic duopoly, bought and paid for by big money and big pharma.

Seek out movements, unions and other organizations who are already aligned and working towards the implementation of the goals and implantation in this proposal and offer our help.

Financial Implications: none