Sponsors: Merelice, Norfolk County, and TBD

Floor Manager: [email protected]

Vetting: Administrative Committee has vetted

Background:
Regional Conventions are currently organized by county and are the source of most StateCom reps. For some counties, attendance is poor to non-existent, and the conventions sometimes provide little excitement or party momentum. Most counties exist only on paper and have no electoral, legislative, or fiscal responsibilities for statecom reps to monitor as a team.

Regional conventions are one of three ways that GRP members can be elected to the State Committee, and this particular method was developed to provide proportional representation of GRP members on the State Committee.

This proposal was originally brought to StateCom in 2009 but postponed until after the 2010 census. It changes the basis of regional elections from counties to

1 - U.S. Congressional Representative districts, OR

2 - State Senatorial Districts.

In either case, GRP members could work together to have possible influence on their common Congressional  Representative or State Senator, providing some electoral glue which does not exist in counties.

With U.S. Congressional districts, this change would maintain the approximate number of regions now defined by counties while giving GRP members the opportunity to work together to monitor and respond to the actions of their Rep. However, recent redistricting has made congressional districts in western Mass. geographically too vast to provide much cohesion among statecom reps and their local chapters.

With State Senate districts, this change would mirror how StateCom delegates are elected every four years as part of the presidential primary election. But with 40 senatorial districts, it would be impractical to implement proportional representation unless several districts were combined.

Changing the basis of defining the regions is a bylaw change and requires 2/3rds approval.

Text :
The bylaws of the Green-Rainbow Party will be changed to redefine the regions which are the basis of regional conventions. Instead of being based on counties, the regions will be based on [language to be made final when StateCom decides whether the basis is U.S. Congressional Representative Districts or State Senatorial districts].

Financial impact: no immediate impact

Implementation: If the change is to U.S. Congressional Districts, it can be immediately incorporated into the bylaws for the next round of elections. If the change is to State Senatorial districts, a request will go to CDLC to make recommendations -- with input from local chapters and GRP members -- regarding the best combination of districts to make the number of districts be around 12 rather than 40.

Title: Short Term Attainable Goals for the GRP

Sponsors: Mike Heichman, Suffolk County and

Contact Info for Floor Manager: [email protected], 617-265-8143

Committees Vetted: Adcom, ComCom, CDLC, Membership & Diversity, & Platform

Background: Our party desperately needs a strategic plan. Unfortunately, it seems that the recent current effort has once again gone limbo. While important work was done, their initial plan proposed goals and timelines that were very unrealistic (opinion of Mike Heichman).

Summary: The June 23rd StateCom meeting will adopt attainable goals for the rest of 2012 and establish a process that will continue to develop attainable goals with a realistic timeline.

Proposal:

I.            Adcom

            A.            At the 6/23 StateCom meeting, the StateCom will fill any current vacancy.

            B.            Adcom will conduct an evaluation of its structure (This is unfinished business that has been on their busy agenda for a while) and come back with a report, including any recommendations, to the Fall StateCom meeting.

            C.            Adcom will come up with a report for the Fall, 2012 StateCom meeting of its major goals for the rest of 2012 and 2013, and include a list of things they will need from other structures of the State Party to accomplish their objectives.

II.            Working Committees

            A.            At the 6/23 StateCom meeting, the StateCom will remove any Director of a Working Committee that is not doing his/her work and seek to find a replacement.

            B.            All Working Committees will come up with a report for the Fall, 2012 StateCom meeting of its major goals for the rest of 2012 and 2013, and include a list of things they will need from other structures of the State Party to accomplish their objectives.

III.            Convention Planning Comm.

            A.            At the 6/23 StateCom meeting, the “Committee” will deliver a report of the progress that they have made in selecting a date and location of the meeting, and any other progress that they will have made.

            B.            At the 6/23 StateCom, at least 4 members will join the committee.

            C.            This committee will work closely with Adcom to plan the convention. A report of their progress will be made at the Fall StateCom meeting.

GRP Involvement in 2012 Ballot Question Campaigns

Sponsors: Mike Heichman, Suffolk County and

Contact Info: [email protected]            617-265-8143

Vetting: Adcom, ComCom, Membership & Diversity, & Fundraising Committees and Local Chapters

Background: This year there are a few of our members who are running for municipal office and one of our members who is running for the State House of Representatives. On November 6, 2012, the Green Party’s candidate for President and Vice-President will be on the ballot.

There will be up to 4 statewide ballot initiative petitions that will be on the November ballot. Ballot questions provide us with electoral opportunities to create, build or strengthen ties with allied organizations, and to communicate with our members and the public about important public policy questions that the voters will decide on Election Day.

Proposal:

1. On June 23, the StateCom will …

            a. Endorse our support for the Medical Marijuana Initiative and opposition to the Stand Question.

            b. Give brief feedback to the draft GRP leaflet and authorize a process to approve the final leaflet. That process will be:

               i. ComCom will create a proposed leaflet and send toAdcom.

               ii. Adcom will approve the final leaflet by at least a 2/3 vote.

            c. ComCom and the Membership and Diversity Committee will work together to communicate our position and distribute our leaflet to our membership and to the public.

            d. This will be a bilingual leaflet (English on one side and Spanish on the other).

2. Budget: $2000. The State Party will contribute $500. The Fundraising Committee will raise $1500 from local chapters and GRP members 

------------------                                   

THE GREEN-RAINBOW PARTY (GRP) ENCOURAGES YOU TO CAST AN INFORMED VOTE ON 2 BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT

WILL BE ON OUR STATEWIDE BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY 

2^ND Draft of GRP Leaflet by Mike Heichman

5/28/12 

I.               Initiative Petition for a law for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana

The Green Party of the US (GPUS) supports the legalization of marijuana. We believe that drug abuse is a serious health problem that infects our communities and more resources should be spent on treatment. The bipartisan  “War on Drugs” is an attack on our communities and our civil rights. Billions of dollars are wasted and our prisons are crowded with people who need medical treatment. Drug use, by itself, should not be a crime. This initiative would license (“register”) the use of marijuana for those having “debilitating medical condition”. If passed, this would change state (but not federal) law for a small number of people with severe medical issues. 

The GRP urges you to vote “YES” in support of a small, but important step in the right direction, towards a healthier Commonwealth.

This initiative will allow people with a terminal illness, who are receiving medical advice that they will die within six months, to choose, under medical supervision, to self-administer a drug that will end their life. This is a totally voluntary program for the patients, their physicians and medical facilities.

The GRP urges you to vote YES because ….  (I NEED SOME HELP-1-3 SENTENCES)

II.             An Act Promoting Excellence in Public Schools

Most people in our state deeply want to care for and educate all of our children. The so-called organization, Stand for Children, with it so-called “An Act Promoting Excellence in Public Schools” should be condemned for its efforts to manipulate public opinion. The people in our Commonwealth want “great schools” and “great teachers”. There is NOTHING in the Stand Initiative that will bring us closer to this objective.

Almost all of the funding for this campaign comes from those who have great wealth (both from inside and outside our state). This initiative is designed to create greater control over our schools and the lives of our children by corporate interests. 

The Green-Rainbow Party believes that all of our children should be educated to become responsible, effective and productive citizens. We believe that our schools must be transformed in order for us to accomplish this objective.

Instead of schools being run to benefit the interests of corporations and the super-rich, the GRP believes that our schools should be run by educators, parents, and students and by people who live in the community. 

Instead of the disinvestment in education and in resources for our youth, the GRP believes that resources for our youth should be our highest priority.

The GRP condemns the current bipartisan policies of privatization, austerity, union busting and the scapegoat of our teachers. 

The GRP urges you to vote “NO” on this initiative.

On the bottom would be brief information about the GRP (who we are, what we believe in, how to contact us, etc.)

GRP Involvement in 2012 Ballot Question Campaigns

Sponsors: Mike Heichman, Suffolk County and

Contact Info: [email protected]            617-265-8143

Vetting: Adcom, ComCom, Membership & Diversity, & Fundraising Committees and Local Chapters

Background: This year there are a few of our members who are running for municipal office and one of our members who is running for the State House of Representatives. On November 6, 2012, the Green Party’s candidate for President and Vice-President will be on the ballot.

There will be up to 4 statewide ballot initiative petitions that will be on the November ballot. Ballot questions provide us with electoral opportunities to create, build or strengthen ties with allied organizations, and to communicate with our members and the public about important public policy questions that the voters will decide on Election Day.

Proposal:

1. On June 23, the StateCom will …

            a. Endorse our support for the Medical Marijuana Initiative and opposition to the Stand Question.

            b. Give brief feedback to the draft GRP leaflet and authorize a process to approve the final leaflet. That process will be:

               i. ComCom will create a proposed leaflet and send toAdcom.

               ii. Adcom will approve the final leaflet by at least a 2/3 vote.

            c. ComCom and the Membership and Diversity Committee will work together to communicate our position and distribute our leaflet to our membership and to the public.

            d. This will be a bilingual leaflet (English on one side and Spanish on the other).

2. Budget: $2000. The State Party will contribute $500. The Fundraising Committee will raise $1500 from local chapters and GRP members 

------------------                                   

THE GREEN-RAINBOW PARTY (GRP) ENCOURAGES YOU TO CAST AN INFORMED VOTE ON 2 BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT

WILL BE ON OUR STATEWIDE BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY 

2^ND Draft of GRP Leaflet by Mike Heichman

5/28/12 

I.               Initiative Petition for a law for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana

The Green Party of the US (GPUS) supports the legalization of marijuana. We believe that drug abuse is a serious health problem that infects our communities and more resources should be spent on treatment. The bipartisan  “War on Drugs” is an attack on our communities and our civil rights. Billions of dollars are wasted and our prisons are crowded with people who need medical treatment. Drug use, by itself, should not be a crime. This initiative would license (“register”) the use of marijuana for those having “debilitating medical condition”. If passed, this would change state (but not federal) law for a small number of people with severe medical issues. 

The GRP urges you to vote “YES” in support of a small, but important step in the right direction, towards a healthier Commonwealth.

This initiative will allow people with a terminal illness, who are receiving medical advice that they will die within six months, to choose, under medical supervision, to self-administer a drug that will end their life. This is a totally voluntary program for the patients, their physicians and medical facilities.

The GRP urges you to vote YES because ….  (I NEED SOME HELP-1-3 SENTENCES)

II.             An Act Promoting Excellence in Public Schools

Most people in our state deeply want to care for and educate all of our children. The so-called organization, Stand for Children, with it so-called “An Act Promoting Excellence in Public Schools” should be condemned for its efforts to manipulate public opinion. The people in our Commonwealth want “great schools” and “great teachers”. There is NOTHING in the Stand Initiative that will bring us closer to this objective.

Almost all of the funding for this campaign comes from those who have great wealth (both from inside and outside our state). This initiative is designed to create greater control over our schools and the lives of our children by corporate interests. 

The Green-Rainbow Party believes that all of our children should be educated to become responsible, effective and productive citizens. We believe that our schools must be transformed in order for us to accomplish this objective.

Instead of schools being run to benefit the interests of corporations and the super-rich, the GRP believes that our schools should be run by educators, parents, and students and by people who live in the community. 

Instead of the disinvestment in education and in resources for our youth, the GRP believes that resources for our youth should be our highest priority.

The GRP condemns the current bipartisan policies of privatization, austerity, union busting and the scapegoat of our teachers. 

The GRP urges you to vote “NO” on this initiative.

On the bottom would be brief information about the GRP (who we are, what we believe in, how to contact us, etc.)

Sponsors:  Anthony Barrows (Suffolk County), Scott Laugenour (Berkshire Hampshire Franklin & Hampden District), Merelice (Norfolk County), Elie Yarden (Middlesex County)

Floor Manager:  Anthony Barrows

Committee Vetting:  CDLC

Background:  The GRP has standing procedures for considering the nomination and endorsement of candidates in elections.  Nominations can be extended to those candidates who are registered GRP.  Endorsements can be extended for Independent/Unenrolled candidates.  The proposal affirms that the party is separate from a campaign organization, although individual party members can choose on their own to work on any individual campaign that they wish.

Proposal Summary:  This proposal establishes a policy that confirms the party's neutrality in an election until after a contested primary election or, if there is no contested primary, until after the filing deadline.

Proposal:  The State Committee adopts a policy to take no action of endorsing or nominating a candidate for public office until after the filing deadline established by the Commonwealth for seeking that office.  In the case of a contested GRP primary it will indicate no preference and will respect the choice of primary voters.

Financial Impact:  none

Implementation:  CDLC will advise prospective candidates of this policy as appropriate.