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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	664
Proposal	2012 Platform amendment proposal: Call to Action - WA
Presenter	Platform Committee Sponsored by GP of WashState
Floor Manager	Tamar Yager
Phase	Closed
Discussion	05/08/2012 - 05/20/2012
Voting	05/21/2012 - 05/27/2012
Result	Adopted
Presens Quorum	31 0.6666
Consens Quorum	37 0.6666 of Yes and No Votes

Background

This proposal was modified on May 18 to retain the current Call to
Action and add the new language below that. This proposal had also been modified on May 12
when Paragraph 2 was deleted and first paragraph was changed.

Proposal

To retain the existing language under Call to Action at the beginning of
the Platform, which reads:

The Green Platform presents an eco-social analysis and vision for our
country. In contrast to the major political parties that create their
platforms through back-room deals by insiders and power brokers, we have
created a grassroots process that invites submissions from every local
Green Party and every Green individual. Through democratic process we
arrive at a final draft to present for approval. The Green Platform is
an evolving document, a living work-in-progress that expresses our
commitment to creating wise and enduring change in specific policies and
in the political process itself. The Green Party is committed to
values-based politics, as expressed in our Ten Key Values. These values
guide us in countering and changing a system that extols exploitation,
unsustainable consumption, and destructive competition.

And to add the following language:

The US government is proving incapable of governing or working with other
nations to address current and long-term problems in a time of multiple
global crises. The United States is locked in a vicious circle, in which
it has become increasingly clear that the 'bipartisan' political duopoly
will drift further rightward at an increasing pace without a true
opposition party as a counterweight, as both corporate parties seek to
better serve their 1% masters.

In this century, it is imperative that we find ways to make systemic
changes. It is our responsibility to rebuild the political culture of
the United States in order to stop wars of aggression, short-sighted
ecological destruction, erosion of our rights, and policies that
perpetuate social and economic injustice. In other words, we must
fundamentally change our society’s broken political system.

Throughout American history, independent parties outside the two-party
power establishment have been responsible for introducing
urgently-needed changes, whether the parties themselves won electoral
success (like the anti-slavery Republican Party in the mid-1800s) or
not. The long list of reforms introduced by these parties includes
abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, the eight-hour workday, workers'
rights and protections, and civil rights for all African-Americans. Who
will give voice on the electoral stage to the important ideas of the
21st century?

The Green Party is an established national party, having laid a
foundation for candidates to run for public office at all levels, from
local to national. Greens have succeeded at the onerous task of
achieving ballot access in many states, and have steadily overcome
obstacles put in place by Democratic and Republican party officials to
hinder citizens from exercising their right to run for office. In
contrast to Democrats and Republicans, all Green candidates pledge not
to accept corporate money for their campaigns.

At the heart of the voters' rebellion is our right as voters to choose
whichever candidates best represent our own views and desires, without
being told year after year that we have no choice aside from bad and worse.

Now is the time to build a bridge from the world we have to the better
world we know is possible.

Now is the time to grow a sustainable political force to work for
grassroots democracy, nonviolence, social justice, and ecological wisdom.

Now is the time to discard failed ideologies and political structures,
and join together with the flourishing global grassroots Green movement
to tackle real problems with real solutions.

If not us, who? If not now, when? We are the ones we have been waiting
for. Join us!

Resources

IMPLEMENTATION: Approval of this proposal will amend the 2012 Draft Platform, to be presented for approval at the 2012 Presidential Nominating Convention

CONTACT: Jan Martell, co-chair, 919-682-2472, ninth.st@frontier.com
Bruce Hinkforth, co-chair, 262-569-1370, bhinkforth@milwpc.com
Section editor: David Schwab, david.c.schwab@gmail.com

References

2010 Platform: http://www.gp.org/committees/platform/2010/index.php
Proposition 636: http://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=636

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