Well, the November mid-term elections have come and gone as has my initiation into grassroots politics.  I ran for State Representative of the southern hilltowns of the Berkshires out in the most-Western part of the state. My campaign focused on truth and transparency and called to question the practice of unrecorded votes in the Statehouse. While that is an important topic and worthy of representation it was not a klaxon call to action for the electorate. Combine that with a twenty-year incumbent with a $200,000 war chest who put billboards up all over the county, it was a hard-fought campaign and I  garnered 10% of the vote in a two-person race. Before election day I was hoping for between 8-15% and would consider that a showing of interest in a “third-party” GRP candidate. So I am hopeful in the end, that I can run again and/or another GRP candidate can run in my place.  Continue reading

Noting that Massachusetts is in the middle of a worsening housing crisis for renters,  Gloria Caballero-Roca, Green-Rainbow candidate for State Auditor, has issued a call for a thorough audit of state programs that are intended to assist renters in finding acceptable rental units and avoiding evictions. “Our state assistance programs need to be thoroughly revamped to give renters a chance of surviving punishing rent inflation and continuing shortages of rental units for lower-income families” Caballero-Roca asserted. Continue reading

Peace groups again rallied on the Boston Commons on October 22nd to oppose the disastrous war machine and the US-led role of NATO.  Several representatives of the Green-Rainbow Party spoke to the audience.  Mike Heichman, a founding member of the GRP delivered our co-Chairs' statement: "We strongly support this mobilization against injustice and war and for “People, Planet and Peace”.  Our Party knows that NATO wars and sanctions are causing more misery and death across the globe while denying its own people economic and ecological sustainability at home. No to NATO!

At 94 years of age (born Oct. 20, 1928,) King has made a lifetime of gifts to justice in Boston and to the Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts. In addition to his widely acclaimed community organizing in Boston and his tenure as State Representative of Suffolk, Mel King helped to form the Rainbow Coalition Party and subsequently in 2002, to merge it with the Green Party, resulting in a unique organization that not only advocates for social justice and equity, but also offers a path to political representation.  Many happy returns, Mel!