MGP COORDINATOR TOM ELPEL HAS INVITED THE GROUP TO MEET AT THE NEW PASSIVE SOLAR STONE HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT FOR THE GREEN UNIVERSITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN SILVER STAR, MT. SILVER STAR IS 17 MILES SOUTH OF WHITEHALL.

ALL INTERESTED PEOPLE ARE WELCOME.

THE AGENDA IS BEING DISCUSSED ON THE MGP LISTSERV. ANYONE WANTING TO JOIN THE MGP AND THE LISTSERV SHOULD CLICK ON "JOIN US" AND FILL IN THEIR INFORMATION. THEY WILL RECEIVE A WELCOME EMAIL AND AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE LISTSERV.

AGENDA DETAILS WILL BE POSTED AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

From the MGP Coordinator:

Possible Agenda:

- Elections: I hope we have enough participants and volunteers to fill the
posts.

- Bylaws & Platform: Do we need to update the bylaws and platform?

- Looking Forward: I propose that we skip the 2010 elections and focus
immediately on the 2012 elections. Who is interested in running? We need to start planning now, not in 2012.

- Radical Strategies to Get Noticed: We are not going to make any progress
if we run the same kind of campaigns as the Democrats and Republicans, but with a whole lot less money. We have to distinguish ourselves as different.

Is anyone familiar with the book Guerrilla Gardening: A Manualfesto? It
is about people taking personal responsibility for their environment and making it better--even if they do not have permission to do so. For example, sometimes people go out at night and secretly plant trees in vacant lots, city parks, neighbors yards, or street right-of-ways. If tastefully done, then people most often appreciate these random acts of kindness and proceed to care for the trees. This is a strategy that would definitely get media attention.

Another idea, although less practical, is to get permission from the owner
of an ugly cinderblock building along a main street, to paint a free mural to beautify the city, along with permission to hang a temporary banner taking
credit for the effort to beautify the city.

In other words, if we are going to distinguish ourselves from the other
parties, then we must get beyond words and convey our message through actions. People will believe that.

What other innovative ideas can you think of to put the Montana Green Party
on the map? Bring your ideas to the annual meeting and let's see where it goes.

- Focusing our Message: In politics, as in business, we must provide what
the customer wants. What we seek as Greens is irrelevant to getting elected. I am not suggesting that we compromise our ideals, but rather that we identify what the customer wants, and suggest a Green path to provide it. Issues that are important to Greens, but not to the average voter, are irrelevant in the campaign. They can always be dealt with later. Let's focus the message.

These are my initial thoughts for the Annual Meeting Agenda. Please
suggest additional or alternative items for the
agenda.

We will also offer a tour of the passive solar stone house we built for our
Green University, LLC internship program, and have a potluck. Please invite your friends.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Elpel
http://www.hollowtop.com