SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE

Greens note victory for the universal health care movement after the White House, in a reversal, invites Single-payer advocates to its March 5 health summit

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Friday, March 6, 2009

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

Issues & Answers for the media on Single-payer universal health care

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders called the White House's reversal on excluding Single-payer advocates from a March 5 health care policy summit a modest but important victory for universal health care.

The Green Party of the United States is one of several organizations supporting Single-payer health care that urged its members and the public to demand an invitation for advocates of Single-payer/Medicare For All, who until Wednesday evening had been barred from the summit (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=188).

"The Obama Administration's reversal proves that if enough Americans speak out for real universal health care, we won't be ignored. Unfortunately, President Obama's welcoming remarks on Thursday showed that he won't stand up to the insurance lobby. He won't admit that the private insurance industry adds nothing of value to our health care system, while greatly increasing health care costs and impeding the delivery of health care," said Mark Dunlea, former chair of Green Party of New York State, currently co-chair of Single Payer New York.

"One of our greatest obstacles is the lack of media coverage for Single-payer, because too many in the media have been subject to pressure by politicians and the HMO-insurance industry, which exercises leverage through advertising contracts and underwriting," added Mr. Dunlea.

On Thursday morning, Green Party members learned that the White House had relented after receiving numerous complaints, and invited two Single-payer advocates: Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program (http://www.pnhp.org) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the author and main sponsor of HR 676, legislation for Single-payer program (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc110/h676_ih.xml).

Until Dr. Fein and Rep. Conyers were invited, the 120 guests at the meeting included lobbyists for the for-profit insurance industry, as well as members of Congress, including Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus, who has declared the Single-payer "off the table." Physicians for a National Health Program, other members of the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care, and the National Single Payer Alliance led the call for President Obama to invite Single-payer leaders.

Issues & Answers for the media: facts about Single-payer national health care (also called Medicare For All)

How Single-payer works:

* Everybody in, nobody out: Single-payer covers every American regardless of employment, income, ability to pay, age, and prior medical condition. Right now, about 48 million Americans have no health coverage at all and millions more have inadequate coverage. Under Single-payer, they will all enjoy guaranteed quality health care, including prescriptions.

* In a Single-payer system, no American will face financial ruin because of illness or injury. Private HMOs and health insurance companies raise their profit margin by denying treatment to people with medical emergencies and by denying coverage to those they consider 'high-risk' because of existing health problems, age, low income, etc. In other words, private health insurance is designed to fail people who need health care the most.

* Single-payer will allow Americans to choose which physician, health care provider, and health care facility will treat them.

* Single-payer will cut national health care costs by as much as a third and reduce what working Americans pay for health coverage. Single-payer will be funded at the federal level and administered at the state level. Americans will pay for Single-payer the way we now pay for Social Security, but the amount working Americans will pay will be far less than for private health coverage, because Single-payer eliminates the profit-making insurance and HMO 'middle-men.'

* Single-payer reduces paperwork for physicians and other health professionals, one reason why thousands of MDs, other people working in the health care industry, and medical students have endorsed Single-payer.

* Under Single-payer, physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers would compete to serve the public, raising the quality of health care. Single-payer is a health insurance payment mechanism, not a health care delivery system.

* Health care rationing? All health care plans ration care to some extent. Under private insurance programs, treatment is rationed according to ability to pay for coverage. Under Single-payer, the insurance company profit motive is removed and health care is rationed according to need, with medical emergencies and serious illnesses receiving top priority.

Single-payer and the economy:

* Single-payer makes economic sense. At 3% administrative cost, Medicare (which would be made universal under Single-payer) is highly efficient compared to the 15-30% administrative costs of for-profit insurance.

* Single-payer will boost the ailing US economy and provide relief for businesses large and small, since it will cancel the high expense and administrative burden of employer-based health care benefits (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=158).

* Single-payer will relieve municipalities and school boards from having to bear the cost of providing health insurance to employees, allowing responsible officials to reduce their budgets and lower local property taxes.

* Single-payer gives government (and therefore taxpayers) a stake in preventive medicine and promotion of good health habits to keep costs down.

The politics of Single-payer:

* Polls have demonstrated popular support for a national health care program that guarantees universal coverage (http://www.wpasinglepayer.org/PollResults.html). In 2008, the US Conference of Mayors endorsed Single-payer (http://www.usmayors.org/resolutions/76th_conference/chhs_03.asp).

* The US is the only industrial democracy that does not guarantee every citizen health care. Compared to other nations, America has the best medical technology but poor access to medical treatment. Single-payer will correct this scandal.

* The Center for Responsive Politics has documented the millions in campaign money that the insurance industry has given to Democrats and Republicans to maintain their control over health care (http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=F09), with a total of $46,002,881 in insurance lobby contributions in 2008.

* The Green Party endorses Single-payer in its national platform. The Democratic Party endorsed national health insurance in 1948, but removed it from the Democratic platform during the Clinton Administration. The Democratic and Republican parties continue to embrace failed 'market solutions.'

* Barack Obama, before he launched his bid for president, supported Single-payer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE&feature=player_embedded). Al Gore opposed Single-payer when he ran for president in 2000, but admitted two years later that Single-payer is the best plan (http://www.pnhp.org/news/2002/november/gore_favors_single.php). Dennis Kucinich was the only Democratic presidential candidate in 2008 to support Single-payer.

* "Single-payer health care is socialism!" By the same standard, so are public streets, sidewalks, parks, schools, libraries, fire departments, police forces, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and bailouts for ailing Wall Street firms. The principle behind Single-payer is that health care should be a human right, not a commodity that allows powerful corporations that don't actually provide health care (HMOs and insurance companies) to make money.

See also "Single-Payer FAQ" at the Physicians for a National Health Program web site (http://www.pnhp.org/facts/singlepayer_faq.php).

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Tally of Green election victories http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/election-results.html
Green candidate news http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/candidate-news.php
Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections

"The First 100 Days: What Would a Green Administration Look Like?" (video and text) http://www.gp.org/first100

Green Party information page on Single-Payer http://www.gp.org/organize/sicko.html

"President Obama can either work to enact health care for all Americans or he can support insurance and HMO industry profits, say Greens"
Green Party press release, January 29, 2009
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=174

"An International Perspective on Health Care Reform"
By Connecticut Green Party member John R. Battista, MD
http://www.gp.org/first100/?p=119
(Published on the Green Party's web site as part of "The First 100 Days: What Would a Green Administration Look Like?" http://www.gp.org/first100)

Video clips:
2008 Green presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney speaks on Single-Player health care and racial health care disparities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEHd4lRVUuU
More on health care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEHd4lRVUuU
Health, the environment, and the economy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVNTOa8owQQ

"Talking Points: Why the mandate plans won't work, and why Single-Payer 'Medicare for All' is what we need"
By Len Rodberg, PhD, Physicians for a National Health Program
http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/december/talking_points_why_.php

"Albany Med chief [CEO of the Albany Medical Center] calls for hospital reform and single-payer system"
The Business Review (Albany, New York), September 8, 2006
http://www.pnhp.org/news/2006/september/albany_med_chief_cal.php

Green Pages, Vol. 13, No. 1
The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog

~ END ~

___

Disclaimer: State, local, and candidate press releases made available here represent the opinions of the original source only. Opinions expressed by a state party or candidate do not necessarily represent the views of the Green Party of the United States. State party contact information, when provided with candidate releases, does not imply state party endorsement of the opinions expressed nor of the candidate (prior to gaining formal nomination by the party).
___

Office: PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037
Email: GPHQ--at--gp.org 202-319-7191 or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN

GREENS OFFER SIX BIG STEPS FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Greens Offer Six Big Steps For Economic Recovery

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

Greens support workers occupying a factory in Chicago after layoff: bailout money isn't being used to help working Americans

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders said today that the incoming Obama Administration and Congress should take six major steps to reverse the financial meltdown and restore financial security for Americans.

The steps include a Green public works program, aid for state and muncipal governments, expansion of mass transit, Single-Payer health care, a peace dividend gained by ending the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and an end to the wasteful war on drugs.

Green Party candidates running for local, state, and national office in 2008 promoted many of these ideas even before the crisis precipitated. In September, Cynthia McKinney published a ten-point list of solutions and reforms in response to the Wall Street meltdown, titled "Seize the Time" (http://votetruth08.com/index.php/learn/mckinney-messages).

Greens expressed support for United Electrical Workers union members occupying a Republic Windows and Doors plant in Chicago after the plant was shut down and they were laid off with three days' notice and told they had no assurance of receiving severance and unused vacation pay. The company's creditor, Bank of America, received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. Greens said that the bank's actions, including refusal to allow Republic to give workers 60 days notice (as required by law), demonstrates how bailout money isn't being used to assist working Americans facing financial hardship.

Six Green steps for economic recovery:

(1) Enact a massive Green public works program, creating new living-wage jobs in conservation (including weatherization and energy retro-fitting); clean and safe energy technologies to replace fossil fuel and nuclear sources and create a carbon-free economy; repair and improvement of America's deteriorating infrastructure (especially water and sewer systems); and improvement of public schools and Green job training programs.

"The collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis in 2007 was a result of the neglect and starvation of funds for maintaining infrastructure that was built decades ago. The ideology of privatization and hostility to 'big government' is no longer tenable during the financial crisis -- the current White House and Congress conceded as much when they began pushing for bailouts. Public works programs built America, and public works, with hundreds of thousands of new Green jobs, is what America needs now for economic recovery," said Rosa Clemente, the Green Party's 2008 candidate for Vice President (http://www.rosaclemente.com).

"We're encouraged that President-elect Obama intends to launch a public works program along these basic lines, but we hope Congress and his own administration don't undermine and dilute such a program out of traditional Democratic and Republican loyalty to corporate interests and fear of being labeled liberal or socialist. It's time to follow the lead of the Green Jobs For All movement," Ms. Clemente added.

(2) Bail out financially ailing towns, cities, and states before bailing out private corporations: millions of public sector and contractor jobs depend on the fiscal security of municipal and state governments.

Greens noted that municipalities and states are businesses that drive state and local economies throughout the US. They also provide the social safety net that millions of working people need during the current crisis.

(3) Jumpstart our country's mass transit system, giving people an alternative to cars while saving them money and providing jobs.

"Making autos more efficient will only get us part way toward solving our energy and climate challenges. We need to get people out of their cars altogether. Communities need the ability to provide local solutions for mass transprotation: new trains, subways, light rail wherever they fit," said Wes Rolley, co-chair of the Green Party's EcoAction Committee.

(4) Enact a Single-Payer/Medicare For All national health plan, providing every American with coverage and removing the burden of health care from small and large private businesses.

"The skyrocketing cost of health care under our private health care system has created much of the economic instability as businesses struggle to provide workers health benefits. If President Obama and Congress have the political will to resist the power of the insurance, HMO, and pharmaceutical industries that siphon their profits off America's need for health care, the relief that Single-Payer will be a huge economic boost," said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

Single-Payer would cover all Americans regardless of income, employment, residence, age, or prior medical condition, allowing choice of health care provider, and costing working people far less than they now pay for private coverage. In 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article estimating that Single-Payer could cut health care costs by $350 billion annually (http://www.pnhp.org/publications/nejmadmin.pdf). Greens sharply criticized Barack Obama during the election season for rejecting Single-Payer out of concern for health insurance companies.

(5) End the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The staggering expense of the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions and occupations haven't only cost American, Iraqi, and Afghan lives. It also ate up trillions of dollars away that could have been spent on human and environmental needs. If we call home our troops right now, we can divert the money needed for military occupations to Green public works and other programs to jumpstart the economy -- a new peace dividend," said Starlene Rankin, co-chair of the Lavender Green Caucus.

The Green Party opposed both wars from the beginning and has criticized Mr. Obama's plans for delayed and partial troop withdrawal from Iraq and for sending more troops to Afghanistan.

(6) End the war on drugs, which wastes billions annually, hasn't curbed drug use, and ruins lives by incarcerating nonviolent offenders (mostly young, African American, Latino, and poor white) at further government expense.

"The war on drugs is America's longest and costliest war. With Afghanistan providing the world's world's biggest poppy crop, it's one of the main reasons the US is fighting a war there," said Cliff Thornton, co-chair of the Green Party and co-founder of Efficacy, Inc. (http://www.efficacy-online.org), which promotes major reforms in drug policy.

Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron has estimated that legalizing cannabis would save federal, state, and local governments $44 billion a year in enforcement costs (http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/mironreport.html). Governments could collect another $33 billion in revenues by taxing cannabis as heavily as alcohol and tobacco.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

RESULTS

Cynthia McKinney received 152,811 or .02% of the votes and was #6
Ralph Nader received 698,798 or 1% of the votes and was #3

Results from cbsnews.com

WRITE IN MCKINNEY FOR PRESIDENT

Cynthia McKinney has filed and been accepted to run as a write-in candidate for President in Montana. She was nominated as the candidate for President for the Green Party of the United States at their convention last July. Her running mate is Rosa Clemente.

Even though the Montana Green Party was unable to regain ballot access, Cynthia has made it possible for Greens in Montana to vote for one Green candidate. At the end of the list of Presidential candidates, print Cynthia McKinney. Rosa Clemente is also filed as a Vice Presidential candidate, so you may also vote for her below Cynthia McKinney. Be sure to print clearly.

GO GREENS!

CYNTHIA MCKINNEY FOR PRESIDENT

CYNTHIA MCKINNEY FOR PRESIDENT

The Green Party of the United States nominated Cynthia McKinney to run for the office of President of the United States at their convention in Chicago last July. She chose Rosa Clemente as her running mate. Below are some comparisons on issues between McKinney/Clemente and Obama/Biden. This information was obtained from the GPUS website, www.gp.org

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

McKinney/Clemente

* call for US troops to be brought home safe and sound, with an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all US military and contracted personnel from Iraq. The Green Party and Green candidates opposed the invasion and occupation since the Bush Administration announced its intention to wage war on Iraq.

* have urged Congress to cut off funding for the war.

* would hold the Bush Administration responsible for deceiving the public with false claims that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs, posed a threat to the US and to Iraq's own neighbors, had conspired with al Qaeda, and played a role in the 9/11 attacks.

* have opposed 'benchmarks' that would allow US and UK corporations to take control over most Iraqi oil resources.

* support an end to the US occupation of Afghanistan.

Video: Cynthia McKinney speaks on economics and war spending http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOFb_I6xpzI
Rep. McKinney grills Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld on the FY 2006 defense budget (May 2005) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eootfzAhAoU

Obama/Biden

* offer a delayed timetable for partial troop withdrawal, and would leave private US military personnel and tens of thousands of troops in Iraq to protect "American interests"(Iraqi oil resources), as well as expand US combat forces in surrounding nations. The Democratic Party leadership supported the Iraq War from the beginning, believing Bush Administration deceptions, and voted with Republicans to surrender Congress's war power to the White House.

* continued to vote for President Bush's requests for more war funding. Democrats, including Mr. Obama, approved all war funding bills after gaining control of Congress in 2006, despite their claim of opposition to the Iraq War.

* have supported 'benchmarks' giving US and UK corporations control over Iraqi oil, which would require continued US troop presence in Iraq to protect corporate interests. In recent campaign ads, Mr. Obama's language about US access to Iraqi oil confirms the Democrats' occupation-for-oil agenda.

* support continued US occupation and war on Afghanistan: Mr. Obama called for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan.

Foreign and Military Policy

McKinney/Clemente

* would slash the US military budget, reducing it to the amount needed for defense of US, and redirect the savings to human needs.

* strongly oppose President Bush's threats to attack Iran.

* support cutoff of military aid to Israel, and demand US pressure on Israel to end the brutal occupation of Palestine and suppression of Palestinian and Israeli Arab human rights, in accord with international law and UN directives.

* oppose manipulation by the Bush Administration and NATO of the Russia-Georgia conflict in order to isolate Russia and jump-start a new Cold War, citing White House approval and assistance for Georgia's invasion of Ossetia.

* seek an end to the US embargo of Cuba

* favor nonviolent solutions to international conflict.

Obama/Biden

* support a huge military budget, voted for increases in military funding.

* have signed on to President Bush's threat to attack Iran, repeating White House misinformation about Iran's nuclear capabilities and embracing Bush-Cheney doctrine of preemptive warfare.

* avoid criticizing Israel and dismiss international law and UN directives on Israeli apartheid and occupation of Palestinian lands; would maintain a foreign policy that conforms to Israel's regional military objectives.

* endorse most of the Bush Administration line on the Russia-Georgia conflict.

* favor a continued US embargo of Cuba.

Global Warming, Energy, and the Environment

McKinney/Clemente

* call for far-reaching short-term and long-term cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and favor major conservation programs to cut US energy consumption

* seek widespread economic reorganization and millions of new jobs in conservation and conversion to safe, clean energy sources.

* oppose nuclear energy, which creates huge amounts of toxic waste and multiple security risks, and off-shore drilling, and favor a ban on new coal fired-power plants and all mountaintop coal removal.

* oppose widespread conversion to biofuels that require agricultural land needed for food production.

Video: Ms. McKinney on health, the environment, and economics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVNTOa8owQQ
Press release: http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=86

Obama/Biden

* favor modest long-term cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and ineffective corporate polluter-friendly carbon emissions trading schemes ('cap and trade').

* don't talk about cuts in consumption.

* support nuclear energy, biofuel production, and 'clean coal', and have dropped opposition to off-shore drilling: Sen. Obama receives major campaign contributions from nuclear and ethanol industries and supports their goals.

Impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney

McKinney/Clemente

* endorse impeachment of Bush and Cheney for high crimes and misdemeanors: deception and manipulation of intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq; cover-ups of information about impending 9/11 attacks; use of torture; denial of habeas corpus and due process; warrantless surveillance of US citizens; hundreds of 'signing statements' to exempt the President from executing over 1,000 federal laws; censoring and tampering with scientific research to conceal the seriousness of global warming; responsibility for the deaths of as many as one million Iraqi civilians and over 4,000 US servicemembers. Ms. McKinney was the first member of Congress to introduce a motion for impeachment, in 2006.

* opposed the 'telecomm immunity' bill blocking prosecution of telecommunications companies that allowed warrantless spying on US citizens.

* call for a new investigation of the 9/11 attacks.

* support establishment of an International Criminal Court to prosecute war crimes.

Obama/Biden

* oppose motions for impeachment, despite Bush Administration's numerous crimes and abuses of power. The Democratic Party leadership has blocked efforts to pursue impeachment.

* voted for the telecomm immunity bill.

* do not support a new, independent investigation of the 9/11 attacks.

* are silent on establishing an International Criminal Court.

The War on Drugs

McKinney/Clemente

* oppose the War on Drugs, calling it a war on African American, Latino, poor, and young people. They favor legalization of marijuana and medical treatment for drug use and abuse instead of prosecution.

Obama/Biden

* support the War on Drugs. Mr. Obama will continue the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, which has funded US assistance for repressive police and military forces in seven South American countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela) since 2001.

The Justice System

McKinney/Clemente

* have spoken out strongly against police and court abuses, including the Sean Bell case, the Jena Six, and the Mumia Abu Jamal case.

* oppose privatization of prisons, which has created a new industry demanding increasing numbers of inmates for corporate profits. As a result of the Prison-Industrial Complex, the US incarcerates more citizens than any other country in the world.

* call for abolition of the death penalty.

Obama/Biden

* remain silent or have equivocated on many cases of police and court abuses.

* are silent on the privatization of the prison system.

* support the death penalty.

Human Rights

McKinney/Clemente

* would repeal the USA Patriot Act, Secret Evidence Act, and Military Commissions Act.

* have spoken out for the rights of survivors of Katrina in 2005. Ms. McKinney was directly involved in efforts on behalf of people in New Orleans and has criticized bipartisan policies that have displaced thousands of poor and African American residents in the wake of the hurricane (http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=94). She joined the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina, disobeying Democratic leadership's call for Democrats to boycott the committee.

* support full and equal recognition for same-sex marriage.

* support full reproductive rights.

* support reparations for the descendents of African American slaves in the US.

* support statehood for the District of Columbia, with self-determination and full representation in Congress equal to other states (http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org).

Obama/Biden

* support the USA Patriot Act (Mr. Obama voted for reauthorization).

* were not involved in assistance for Gulf Coast residents in Katrina aftermath.

* favor limited and unequal recognition for same-sex couples.

* would allow states to restrict late-term 'partial birth' abortion.

* do not support reparations for the descendents of slaves.

* favor the 'DC Vote': a single voting seat in the US House for DC. Statehood for DC was removed from the Democratic Party's national platform in 2004.

Democracy and Election Integrity

McKinney/Clemente

* take no money from corporate contributors.

* have spoken out against the Republican theft of the 2000 and 2004 elections: see Ms. McKinney's documentary 'American Blackout' (http://www.americanblackout.com). Greens led effort to expose Republican obstruction of African American and young voters and manipulation of votes in Ohio and New Mexico in 2004 (http://www.iwantmyvote.com).

* seek public financing of elections, free time on public airwaves for all candidates, repeal of ballot access laws restricting third party and independent candidates.

* support instant runoff voting, proportional representation, and other reforms to ensure democracy in US elections.

Obama/Biden

* have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate contributors (http://www.opensecrets.org).

* have not responded to election irregularities in Ohio in 2004 or to the Conyers Commission's evidence that the 2004 election may have been stolen.

* are silent on many needed election reforms. Democrats and Republicans have together worked to pass laws limiting third party and independent participation in elections.

Health Care Reform

McKinney/Clemente

* support Single-Payer National Health Care (Medicare For All: see http://www.pnhp.org), which would provide all Americans with quality health care regardless of ability to pay, employment, age, or prior medical condition. Single-Payer will remove HMOs and insurance firms from control over health care, give Americans choice of health care provider, provide no-cost or low-cost prescriptions based on need, and ease the burden on physicians and other health care providers. Under Single-Payer, working people will pay for less for coverage, and no American will go bankrupt because of health care costs.

Video clips: Cynthia McKinney speaks on Single-Player health care and racial health care disparities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEHd4lRVUuU
More on health care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEHd4lRVUuU
Health, the environment, and the economy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVNTOa8owQQ

Obama/Biden

* reject Single-Payer. They favor reforms that fall short of universal care, fail to reduce the high costs that Americans pay for health care compared to the rest of the world, and leave HMOs and insurance firms in control over health care. The HMO and insurance industry profits by excluding people from coverage and limiting treatment for those who are covered. Mr. Obama has taken major contributions from corporate HMO, insurance, and pharmaceutical contributors (http://www.opensecrets.org).

Labor & Economic Justice

McKinney/Clemente

* oppose 'free trade' agreements and unelected international trade authorities (NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, GATT, 'Fast Track', etc.) that give corporate power and profit priority over labor rights and environmental protections; Ms. McKinney has voted against these agreements and advocates withdrawal.

* support democratic workplaces and repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act (restrictions on union organizing).

* support human rights protections and amnesty for undocumented immigrants, an end to raids, and tearing down the border wall. They call the flood of new immigrants a result of economic policies and agreements (e.g., NAFTA) that impoverish people and drive them across borders.

* favor a strong safety net for middle- and low-income working people and families, with support for Main Street (small businesses and local economies) instead of Wall Street, and a massive transfer of federal funding from military contract and war spending to human needs.
Video: Cynthia McKinney on labor and corporations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meyaVgkWV2g
Ms. McKinney on the economy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQJaj5hyFH0

Obama/Biden

* support amended 'free trade' agreements and unelected international trade authorities; Mr. Biden voted for many such agreements and for 'Fast Track' presidential trade authority.

* are silent on Taft-Hartley. The Democratic Party has failed to deliver for working people despite Election Year endorsements from unions.

* Favor immigration reform but Mr. Obama voted yes on the border wall and more border policing and surveillance.

* support many economic policies that favor the wealthy, major corporations, and Wall Street, with limited aid for poor and middle-income Americans. Mr. Obama has praised the 1996 Welfare Reform Act signed by Bill Clinton, which severely hurt millions of Americans, especially women, during the recent economic downturn, and supports Bush-agenda 'faith-based' initiatives. Mr. Biden helped draft the 2005 bankruptcy bill that gave credit-card companies and other financial institutions greater power over Americans facing economic difficulties. See "Obama is flat-out kicking McCain's ass when it comes to Wall Street contributions" ("Candidates for Sale" by Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone, August 21, 2008, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/22210615/candidates_for_sale)

GREEN PRIMARY RESULTS

GREEN PRIMARY RESULTS

These are the current results in the states where the Green Party had primaries:

Candidate........% of votes

Arkansas

Jared Ball.......10.55
Cynthia McKinney.20.32
Kent Mesplay.....8.05
Kat Swift........5.8

Uncommitted......55.28

California

Jared Ball.......1.6
Elaine Brown.....4.6
Jesse Johnson....1.8
Cynthia McKinney.25.9
Kent Mesplay.....2.0
Ralph Nader......61.1
Kat Swift........3.0

Illinois

Jared Ball.......12
Howie Hawkins....17
(stand-in for Ralph Nader)
Cynthia McKinney.57
Kent Mesplay.....14

Massachusetts

Not yet available

FIRST 2008 GP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

FIRST 2008 GP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

from acgreens.org)

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!!

It was a brilliant event! 800 attendees, nearly a full house, in one of the nicest venues in San Francisco, the historic Herbst. All the candidates appeared at their best, and were exceptional on stage. All great spokespersons, and fine examples of the Green movement. The Great Green Debate made the local TV news and newspapers, and will be shown in part on Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now this coming week. Thanks to Mike Feinstein’s crew, it will soon (in one or two days) be available in documentary format on YouTube. And KPFA radio’s full 3-hour taping of the event, with Green MC Aimee Allison and political analyst Larry Bensky will air Tuesday night, 7 pm (Pacific Time), on 94.1 FM in the Bay Area, and live streaming for the world online at www.kpfa.org . Listen in and see for yourself what the Green Party can look like, in the proper setting. Superb!

For more information go to http://www.acgreens.org/debate

The debate was sponsored by the Green Party of Alameda County, the San Francisco Green Party, the Sacramento County Green Party and endorsed by the Green Party of San Mateo County.

Videos of the debates are at:

http://www.gp.org/2008-elections/presidential-videos.php

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GREENS RESPOND TO RALPH NADER'S DECISION

Press Release of the GPUS

Greens respond to Ralph Nader's decision not to seek the Green Party nomination

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

Friday, February 29, 2008

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org

Party leaders wish Mr. Nader well in his campaign, affirm that the Green Party will choose nominees at the Green National Convention in Chicago, July 10-13

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders expressed their disappointment in Ralph Nader's decision, announced on Thursday, not to seek the 2008 Green presidential nomination.

"A lot of Greens have supported Mr. Nader and wanted him to win the party's nomination. There has been an active effort by many Green leaders to 'draft' Mr. Nader as a Green candidate, and his success in recent Green primaries demonstrates that he remains a very popular figure within the Green Party. There is widespread disappointment among Greens that he chose to go a different route," said Phil Huckelberry, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

Four candidates are seeking the Green nomination, which will be decided at the Green Party's National Convention in Chicago, July 10-13. Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift are touring the US and meeting Greens and other voters.

"The Green Party intends to run a ticket of Green nominees, and we're working hard to get their names on the ballot lines of every state and the District of Columbia. We look forward to party unity behind our nominees. We wish Ralph Nader and [running mate] Matt Gonzalez well in their independent campaign," said Clifford Thornton, also a co-chair of the Green Party.

Currently, 21 state Green Parties hold ballot access within their respective states, and Greens anticipate adding Arizona to the list soon. Five state Green Parties have participated in primaries; other Green Parties are measuring preference for presidential candidates through caucuses and statewide meetings.

Mr. Nader ran as the Green nominee in 1996 and 2000. In 2004, David Cobb won the Green nomination, while Mr. Nader ran as an independent.

DENNIS KUCHINICH IS TOO SHORT

DENNIS KUCHINICH IS TOO SHORT

by Parris ja Young

Why gather signatures?

What, exactly, is wrong?

Putting it shortly, the repugnicans are great with party loyalty and political arts, even at the cost of honesty and ethics. They fail to behave with spiritual values, integrity, sympathy for public welfare or the will of the People. They have had absolute power for seven years.

The democracks — AKA the "Corps of Co-opters” — say the right social words, but lack cohesiveness (AKA leadership), courage and political savvy. They have yet to figure out that simply standing tall and firm against repugnican values would win them a platform with some form and substance. We must conclude this party is nearly as plutocratic as the other. They have had no political traction for seven years and have yet to figure out why.

The dems are offering small choice for the future. First there is Barack Obama, who is the opposite of a scape goat — carrying all the hopes of conventional folks — has shown, the few times he has been put to the test, a glimmer of efficacy, but not that much promise. Hillary Clinton, the other best choice, co-opted herself out of consideration by favoring the war in Iraq early on when it was clear even to the most casual observer that the war was an act of empire-building imperialism.

The one democrat that has been right from the start and sticks to his guns is Dennis Kucinich. But he is too short to be President, isn't he?

In other words, both parties have failed us.

What can we do? The only way to have a party that serves the people is to have a party of the people.

And who is that? It is us.

It's up to us. It's going to be a long and arduous climb, but we can achieve our ends one step at a time.

Let's start with this: gather signatures.

The first thing that will do is convince you that people are sympathetic to our cause. Some years ago I went out stumping for Ralph Nader. Nearly every household in Mineral County favored the Green Party, but few were going to vote Green because it didn't look “politically realistic”.

The more we are out there, the more we present a unified front, the more folks will give us the nod.

Let's.

STATE REPORT FOR MONTANA GREEN PARTY 2007

This is the report sent to the Green Pages, which is published by the GPUS. It should be in the Summer edition. Below is the new MGP Logo, drawn by Steve Kelly. Thank you very much, Steve.

STATE REPORT FOR MONTANA GREEN PARTY

It's been a busy Spring out here in Montana. We are very happy to have been accredited by the GPUS this year. It will be great to have representation on the GNC.

We had our Annual Meeting in Bozeman on April 21st. We took a break to join the Bozeman Peace Seekers in their regular Saturday Peace event. Then we returned to the library and continued our discussions while eating lunch.

The main focus of our meeting was our signature drive to get back on the ballot. We need 5000 signatures, which doesn't sound like much, but we have less than a million people in Montana. Too bad cows can't sign.

Steve Kelly, our co-ordinator and an artist, drew a logo for us. It will be on a brochure that we will give out when collecting signatures. The brochure will also contain the Ten Key Values, a short history of the MGP, the website address, and a form for people to join the party and to give money.

We also identified three issues that would be important for Montana, and that would be good for candidates to talk about:
Single Payor Health Care
Energy efficiency - what individuals can do, including more
energy effecient houses
Fast Track

We discussed candidates, but we need to get our signatures in before making final decisions.
MGP Logo Color Version

Montana Green Party Annual Meeting 2007

2007 MONTANA GREEN PARTY ANNUAL MEETING