Shepherd: M K Merelice, Norfolk County Representative

Co-Sponsor(s): Frank Jackson

Vetting Committees: Platform, AdCom, CDLC (?)

Background: Over the years, the GRP has worked on state legislative bills and warrant articles, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes the effort has been frustrating and has discouraged further involvement. However, the party’s advocacy has also helped legislation pass (e.g. MAAPL bills related to the foreclosure crisis).

As an official political party that hopes to engage directly in state government, there are particular issues that rise to the top of party interest. This proposal is to identify up to a half dozen such issues in which the party might help develop legislation or, minimally, follow legislation and communicate progress and any timely need for lobbying to GRP members.

 Proposal Text: The GRP hereby establishes a Legislation Working Committee. The responsibility of members of the committee will be to select up to a half-dozen issues that require state legislation to address. 

     Once the issues are defined (within the scope of the GRP’s volunteer resources), a volunteer will track the progress of relevant legislation from filing to enacting, keeping GRP members informed and activated. Communications will also be posted on social media.

Implementation: Issues to be considered could include the Community Uplift Initiative introduced by the 2014 statewide candidates and endorsed by the GRP, the continuing foreclosure problem being addressed by the GRP-founded Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending (MAAPL), Instant Runoff (ranked) Voting (IRV), Single-Payer Health Care (Medicare for all), eliminating the Supreme Court decision about corporate personhood and money as free speech, and establishing a State Bank (a goal raised during the campaign for State Treasurer and about to be worked on by party members). If helpful, this committee could work under the auspices of the Platform Committee.

Financial impact: None identified.

Proposal Title:Formation of an Action Working Committee

Proposal Shepherd: Frank Jackson Middlesex

Co-Sponsors: Daphne Stevens, Mike Heichman, Elie Yarden, Danny Factor

Background: Unlike “Traditional” political parties, the Green-Rainbow Party can be organized as both a political movement which elects candidates and a social movement which uses different forms of organizing to establish a more just society. We have a well developed GPUS platform, Green Rainbow Party Agenda, several thousands of members across the state, elected officials in several towns, and candidates in several races each election cycle, features of a “traditional” political party.

Green-Rainbow Party members have often undertook and joined campaigns to better lives in the Commonwealth, be it launching solar farms in our local communities, protecting them from hydro-fracking, or launching a group to prevent predatory lending. We have had elected officials involved in preventing tuition hikes at our universities, and members lobbying to ensure this was not limited only to our “flagship” campuses, but also involved protections for our community colleges.

Different strategies have been used for these successes, such as electing officials, holding meetings with a lot of visibility, making coalitions with other organizations. There have been discussions between members of the party to implement warrant articles in various towns, support statewide legislation which would further the party agenda for a just future, but no group whose goal is specifically to work towards this.

Proposal:

An Implementation Working Committee will be formed with the purpose to strategize, and organize to achieve defined goals in different campaigns.

Limitations: Actions the working group is involved in will be in accordance with the members understanding of the 10 key values.

Role and Actions: The Working Committee will coordinate with the appropriate chapters, elected officials, candidates, and committees to achieve progress on different issues in the Green-Rainbow Party platform and agenda. This can be, but isn't limited to, implementing legislation, warrant articles, holding public meetings, taking direct actions. 

Structure: The working committee will begin by forming subcomittees to address hollistically interconnected issues such as abolishing poverty, and an environmental justice. Membership to the working group will be open to any Green-Rainbow party member interested in implementing elements of the Green-Rainbow platform or agenda in communities in Massachusetts. The working group is empowered to form subcommittees as necessary for the purposes of implementing parts of the party platform.

Responsibilities and Reports:The working group will send a report to the state committee email list which will include the list of campaigns the working group is involved in, and the list of Green-Rainbow Party members involved in each campaign.

 Financial Impact: Unclear.