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We start anew.

If it is true that our core belief is that government should be decentralized, then there is plenty for us to do right here.

We have at least one serious flaw in our Montana State Constitution, and we have negligible representation in our state legistlature.

We have time and time will prove that we have need.
We keep going.

What's next? That seems to be the question Green Party chapters all across the country as well as here in Montana are asking. Should the Greens work on building a national presence to counter the two-party stranglehold? Should the Greens concentrate on building strong local movements? There is much argument about that.

Bottom line is -- organizing and building a third-party is brutal work. I haven't been active in this group over the past couple of years since I joined, but I applaud those of you who have busted your asses to make something of it.

From prorev.org

HOW TO TELL
OBAMA & CLINTON APART

HOW CLINTON AND OBAMA ARE ALIKE

Their positions are often barely distinguishable from that of the Republicans

They have built their campaigns around genetic identity rather than on political principles and issues.

Nader to decide soon on possible presidential run Mon Jan 21, 11:58 AM ET

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said on Monday he will decide soon on whether to make a another bid for the White House in 2008, eight years after playing a key role as a third party presidential candidate.

"I'll decide in about a month," he said in an interview broadcast on CBC Radio's Daybreak show in Montreal.

Here's a post I also posted at buzztail today, but I want to bring it up here too:

There was an interesting question brought up in the comments to last night's post on the Green Party. It was asked that now, with no real opposition to Denny Rehberg from the Democrats, wouldn't it be a great time for the Montana Green Party to run a high profile campaign for the US House?

The Sunflower Project

Creating a culture where edible, organic landscaping is the preferred usage of land in urban/suburban areas is an ongoing Green project. Taking the same resource inputs that go into lawn care and transferring them in gardening would allow for less stress on agricultural/wild lands. So far I have planted 16 fruit trees on a city lot in Venice and have converted the front yard into a vegetable/herb/flower garden. No organic material leaves the yard as it is all composted. There are: corn, sunflowers, tomato's, zucchini, tomatillos, radishes, onions, leeks, mustard greens, rosemary, cilantro, sage, lemon balm, sorrel, mint, curry, oregano, and marjoram; to list only a few of the veggies/herbs and a host of flowers right on Venice Boulevard. The neighbors love the yard and

I am always giving away herbs and veggies. Showing by example works and is a pattern to consider.

There are economic consequences to converting to an edible, organic landscape. Import-Substitution is the term for the activity. This usually applies to nations, but can also be used for regions as well. By producing much of my own food I am not buying as much from the grocery store as I have substituted my own produce for what was being imported from the Central Valley and Mexico. Thus, for every dollar I have not spent at the grocery store I have a dollar that I can spend in other ways. And I am eating healthier food that is locally grown. The only input imported is the water. But, instead of using the water for the "perfect monocultured lawn", there is a wide diversity of flora that allows for a diversity of fauna. The pineapple sage attracts humming birds with its red flowers, as one example. The squirrels got real fat off the sunflowers last year, they tore through them, but somehow I did not mind. There are always birds, butterflies and all sorts of insects in the yard, as there are no pesticide to harm them. Yes, the aphids and snails can be a problem at times, but you learn integrated pest management, and by having a diversity of flora do not have the infestations that mono cropping allows. Further, since I am always out weeding, shoveling and engaging in physical activity, my own physical health is better. And my psychological health is improved by the exercise, the sense of connection to the land and the positive interactions with my neighbors.

The Sunflower Project is the promotion of Edible, Organic Landscaping. It is done by example and by promotion. A local church run thrift store is now taking the seedlings I grow in plastic six-packs reused from a local community garden and almost giving them away. I give them to the thrift store and they make them available to a community that has traditional problems, the Oakwood neighborhood of Venice, which was the only place where blacks could live in Venice when it was founded are there were racial deed restrictions.

The Sunflower project could be used by every local to transform its community. Sunflower days could be a fund raiser each spring with seeds and seedlings made available for sale. The Sunflower is the Green Party symbol and is promoted with this marketing. Sunflowers grow fast and make many seeds that have a wide variety of beneficial uses. May every local have its own Sunflower Project!

With the new year now is the time to prepare a new garden.

Do you have room for a Sunflower Project in your residence or worksite?

Peace,

The Sunflower Project
a G.A.R. D.E.N. activity

Will Yeager
Gardenbeekeeper
1407 Venice, CA 90291
Venice, California
(310) 804-9916

From COUNTERPUNCH, December 27, 2004

How Nonprofit Careerism Derailed the "Revolution"

Greens and Greenbacks

By MICHAEL DONNELLY

__
Two recent Horror Stories from the Islamic world.

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

December 1, 2007
Saudi Rape Case Spurs Calls for Reform
By RASHEED ABOU-ALSAMH
JIDDA, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 30 — The case of a 20-year-old woman who was sentenced to be lashed after pressing charges against seven men who raped her and a male companion has provoked a rare and angry public debate in Saudi Arabia, leading to renewed calls for reform of the Saudi judicial system.

Edwards raps Clinton, Romney on Iran By AMY LORENTZEN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 25, 5:06 PM ET

Presidential contender John Edwards criticized Democratic and Republican rivals alike Thursday for threats and a vote against Iran, accusing Hillary Rodham Clinton of helping a GOP march to war.

Earlier in the day, the Bush administration announced new sanctions against Iran and Republican candidate Mitt Romney said he would consider a military blockade or "bombardment of some kind" to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon.

Dear Draft Nader supporters,

We are gearing up the organizing efforts for the Draft Nader campaign and we wanted to update you on the various efforts and what you can do now to help out.

1. If you can help with petitioning efforts in Illinois through November 5th, contact Clint Coppernoll at 505-699-2422 or clint.ican2@gmail.com.
2. Download the Draft Nader petition in the attachment below and mail back to the address on the bottom of the petition by mid November.
3. Ask others to join in our efforts by signing the Draft Nader petition on the
http://www.draftnader.org web site.
4. Join us on a conference call on Monday, October 29th at the request from Peter Camejo, 2004 VP candidate of the Nader/Camejo campaign. We will discuss the various organizing opportunities in your state and are seeking Draft Nader State coordinators. Below is a copy of the letter from Peter with the details of time and phone number and an outline of the State Coordinator responsibilities.

JOIN A PRO NADER CONFERENCE CALL

FROM: Peter Camejo, Nader’s 2004 Vice Presidential Candidate

The 2008 elections are just 13 months away. If Ralph Nader decides to run again should we support him? I think we should. Below I explain why. If you are a Green and a Nader supporter or are considering supporting Nader please join the conference call at 8PM New York time that is 5 PM California time Monday October 29th.

The conference call number is: 1-712-432-2000 code 58485.

If you receive this email please send it out to all your friends and lists in the Green Party.

WHY NADER?

Ralph Nader understands the issues confronting us. He has gotten more legislation passed defending our people than any other person in the last 50 years if not throughout our nation s history. He is an historic figure in his own life time and has the respect of people all over the world.

Ralph Nader was attacked for daring to run and tell the truth unlike any person ever in our nation s history. Ralph Nader s running is itself a statement in defense of democracy and the right of those who dissent from the pro Corporate two party dictatorship to speak out.

No one has helped build the Green Party and defended the right of our people to hear other points of view more than Ralph Nader. He has held more fund raisers, gotten more media and won new supporters for our party than any other person in our history.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO

Some Greens have already begun working in support of Nader even though he has not yet announced.

We have a web site, http://www. DraftNader.org where you can sign up as a supporter. Two leading Greens, Howie Hawkins from New York and Danene Provencher from Minnesota have been proposed as co-chairs of a national draft Nader committee.

Pro Nader Greens have already begun organizing to set up a national committee and to make sure all Greens hear Why Nader. In doing this we do not want to show any disrespect for the other candidates running for our national nomination. Quite the contrary we need to show respect for and try to help all candidates views get heard. Truth can only be ascertained through the conflict of ideas. All our candidates are our friends and working to help build our party. Having debates, discussion, and differences on issues is all part of building a democratic party. Showing respect for all candidates is also part of maintaining internal democracy.

I will be proposing on the conference call that we set up a national committee of State coordinators. Each States Draft Nader Committee should elect one or two people to represent their state. We need to make sure that at every nominating State convention pro Nader Greens have representation and can present Why Nader. We should consider expanding the co-chairs to possibly six people to get racial and geographic representation and maintain a 50/50 gender composition

CALIFORNIA INCLUDES NADER

At our most recent State conference in California 82% of our delegates voted to place Nader’s name on the State primary ballot. This was an important victory for democracy in our party and to let all points of view be heard. Let us build on this important victory to make sure that unlike 2004 Nader gets a genuine hearing at all levels in the nomination process. In 2004 we failed to organize to get our views before our State conferences. Let s not let that happen again. Let s win the primary in California and all states, let s win each State convention. That will send a message to the Democrats that we will fight for democracy and free elections in our nation. That we will not let their spoiler system be used to silence those who favor peace, social justice and the saving of our planet. We need to send a message to all the progressives who capitulated in 2004 and supported a pro war, pro corporate, anti-environmental candidate that this is the time to return to the values they claim to support.

In 2008 it is almost certain the Democrats will be back in power. Once again everyone will see their true nature. The pro corporate party that voted just a few years ago for Unequivocal support for George Bush’s conduct of the war in Iraq , that gave Bush 39 standing ovations at the State of the Union speech in 2005, and that supported the Patriot Act. A new potential for the growth of our party, the struggle for free elections and social justice will develop as people realize the Democrats are not the answer.

Let us continue the heritage of the abolitionist Liberty Party, the Greenback Labor Party, the great populist rebellion of the Populist Party, the Debsian socialists and the heroic Women’s Party whose leaders were imprisoned and tortured as they fought for the right to vote. Let s fight for building a party that truly represents the interest of our people.

PS Please email either Howie Hawkins at hhawkins@IGC.org or Danene Provencher pro826@aol.com as I will be out of the country until just prior to the conference call.

Feel free to forward to any Green Party listservs and individual Greens who are interested in supporting the Draft Nader for ’08 campaign,

Peace, Justice, Ecology and Democracy,

Danene Provencher, MN

Howie Hawkins, NY