December 2020
Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.
PA Green Party 2020 Candidates Light the Way for 2021!
by Tina Olson, Organizer of Lehigh Valley Green Party
What an amazing year to reflect on as the first year of this new decade. From the unprecedented Coronavirus that threatened our society to the absurd and dangerous leans of our country towards greed and apathy. One thing that is more evident after this year is that both grassroots politics and mutual aid have an undeniable and crucial role in the future of our representation and planet. The resilience that the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA) has shown despite the obstacles should be celebrated. Each candidate, volunteer, and voter took a brave stance in listening to their conscience and trusting the values of the Green Party to be a beacon and commonplace for those who maintain the hope for a better world.
The divisiveness of voters in PA was nearly 50/50, but in the distance there is a steady cry for change in the failing two-party system. According to Pennsylvania Elections - Summary Results, each of our statewide candidates sealed above 1% of the vote, which means that we have maintained minor party status in PA. Including the Libertarian Party, 3% of our state stands together to fight back against the duopoly, even during a pandemic-even during the panic of Donald Trump. It makes so much sense that in the state of Birthplace of American Democracy, the tiniest voices held steadfast for the sake of progress. We pushed the fear out and remained courageous and committed in our convictions.
We could not have done any of this without our candidates putting themselves in that spotlight to represent our growing party. We thank them for all that they have done for us and for all of the time that it took. We expect a more concise break-down of votes in the coming weeks, particularly learning the results of the last-minute write-in campaign for Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker.
Olivia Faison of Philadelphia, our 2020 candidate for PA Auditor General, has expressed interest in continuing her everyday fight for us while working with local non-profits. Her voice in the GPPA is a fire that keeps us all reminded to challenge ourselves to take brave steps for the betterment of ourselves and others.
Tim Runkle of Lancaster County, our 2020 candidate for PA Treasurer, continues his role as our state party treasurer and is looking forward to talking with people who are interested in learning the ropes of the Finance Team. He’s also the person to ask about donations and sustainable membership options.
Noel Antonio Rivera of Reading, our 2020 candidate for PA Representative District 127, is looking at running for office again soon.
Garret Wasserman of Allegheny County, our 2020 candidate for PA Representative District 45, continues to lead the GreenWave Team that is already getting busy looking at 2021 elections that are primarily local, municipalities, and judges. If you are interested in running or helping with campaigns for next year, please reach out to him as he has some exciting plans to help support potential candidates.
Jay Ting Walker of Allegheny County, our 2020 candidate for PA Representative District 23, continues his role in the GPPA while also balancing a role in the Green Party Young Ecosocialists, https://www.yesgp.org, and at a national level, and at a national level.
We also look forward to hearing from 2020 candidates like Richard L. Weiss of Allegheny County and Michael Badges-Canning of Venango County, our 2020 candidate for PA Representative District 64.
The GPPA are so grateful for all of the participation this year from everyone and look forward to the expansion developing right now in the inner works of our Party. As always, we would love to hear from you!
GPPA News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
On November 15, GPPA held a virtual meeting of county delegates. There were 29 delegates participating and 19 observers from 17 counties. Delegates heard reports from active county Green Parties, and reports from GPPA’s four teams. Delegates approved by consensus a Reform Proposal, which was sent to the teams for implementation. Delegates were also asked to nominate candidates for the 2021 Green Party leadership election, which will be held on January 10, 2021. The nomination form is here, https://www.gpofpa.org/nominations (show all)
Red, White, Blue, and . . . Green!
by Hana Graybill
Democrat and Republican. Liberal and Conservative. Left and Right. The United States is dominated by a bipartisan system. These two poles vehemently oppose each other, demanding that citizens choose a side. The media perpetuates this bipartisanship, almost exclusively covering these two parties. Yet, more than 60 other political parties are currently active throughout the country. . . .
The Green Party has been active internationally since 1972, but it was not officially established in the U.S. until 2001. The party now has members in more than 90 countries, and in the U.S., membership includes more than 150 elected Greens and almost 200 running in 2020. Most states have a Green Party, but whether those state parties are officially recognized or not depend on state laws. A grassroots organization that stands for the health of the planet and future generations, the Greens base all their actions on four pillars: peace, ecology, social justice, and democracy. These pillars relate to their 10 key values, including decentralization, respect for social justice, and feminism and gender equity. They aim to end the country’s two-party system and the control by the one percent. (show all)
“PA Legislators Self Deal,” says Green Party Candidate
by Michael Badges-Canning
Michael Bagdes-Canning is the Green Party candidate for PA House District 64, and he is a man of the people. “For too long the politicians who govern us have promised us the world, only to sell it to the highest corporate bidder,” said Michael. . . . On October 8, Bagdes-Canning, with members of Oil Region DSA and students from Cranberry High School, paid a visit to Representative R. Lee James’ office with a “silver platter special” -- three platters of anti-corruption legislation that are overwhelmingly supported by PA voters: a gift ban, an end to the per diem, and an end to partisan gerrymandering. (show all)
PA Greens Push for an End to Fracking
by Matt Nemeth, North Hills Coordinator, Green Party of Allegheny County
Public opinion about fracking among PA voters is completely split down the middle. Yet when it comes to government representation, half of the Pennsylvanian electorate has virtually no one to turn to. The Green Party of PA (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) believes our citizens deserve politicians committed to guarding public and environmental health, unencumbered by lies that fracking is safe and economic devastation is the only alternative.(show all)
PA Greens Warn of Rule by Corporate Club
by GPPA Co-chair Alan Smith
With a 5-2 Democratic majority, the PA Supreme Court ruled on 9/17 that Green Party Presidential Candidate Howie Hawkins, would be taken off the PA ballot for the General Election. This overturned a previous ruling by the PA Commonwealth Court. In response to this loss, by the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org), Co-chair Alan Smith (Chester) lamented, "All the hard work we did, being forced to petition during a pandemic, risking our lives and the lives of others, over 30 volunteers painstakingly reviewing our petitions line by line, thousands of dollars spent in lawyers fees, and the courts still manage to kick two of our candidates off the ballot, one of them a queer, working class Black woman.” (show all)
GPPA Will End Housing Insecurity
by Justin Bell
The elected leaders of Philadelphia, PA, are debating how to deal with three encampments of people who have no permanent homes. There have been several threats to remove the unhoused citizens using police force, and some of these threats have been reversed by the courts. As a Green Party of PA (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) leader, I do not approve of evicting the encampments. This would endanger those living in them and get us further from a resolution. In today’s climate we can not ask the police force to do anything responsibly or expect any accountability from them for the damage done in the process. However the encampments are really just the surface of the core issue. How do we end housing insecurities? (show all)
Team Updates
Finance Team by Tim Runkle
The Finance Team establishes the Green Party budget; plans events, meetings, and fundraising initiatives; promotes membership options; and manages merchandise. Please join the Finance Team hereHERE.
GreenWave Team by Garret Wassermann
Green Wave thanks all of our candidates this year, as well as our volunteers. Thanks to your hard work, the Green Party has maintained minor political party status, which is beneficial to help the party grow and run more candidates in the future. To prepare for those candidates in 2021, we’re holding a Re-Organizing Meeting on 12/3 at 8 pm to discuss what needs to be done in our counties to grow our Green Wave network. All Green Wave county or regional coordinators are invited to join us, even if you haven’t been active in a while. We invite anyone thinking about running for office or interested in assisting a campaign to join the discussion. RSVP and receive the Zoom call information at https://www.gpofpa.org/green_wave_2020_12
To join the Green Wave Team and get invited to future organizing calls, please visit HERE to receive call info or email for more information!
Communications Team by Tina Olson
The ComTeam is asking for you to get involved in writing op-eds in local newspapers and for our monthly GREEN STAR newsletter. We would like to expand our media team to be more inclusive for members from the Black Caucus, Latinx Caucus, National Women’s Caucus and Lavender Greens to help us highlight the diversity in our Party. Please contact Chris Robinson or Tina Olson with your ideas! To join our team, please volunteer at https://www.gpofpa.org/, or to join online, sign up HERE.
Core Team by Charles Sherrouse
On November 16 the State Committee referred an organizational reform proposal to the Core team. This brought a resurgence of interest in the Core Team. The Team decided to implement several changes to the GPofPA slack platform. The next focus of discussion will be on Core functions, with a focus on volunteer integration and access to party resources. To join the Core Team, please visit If you are interested in helping, sign up HERE.
National Green News
edited by Hal Brown
Green, 26-Year-Old Mayor Elected in Baldwin Park, CA; Plus 10 Other Green Candidate Victories So Far
WASHINGTON — Overcoming immense challenges including “anyone but Trump”, pandemic campaigning conditions, nationwide panic about election integrity and four years of smears from the corporate oligarchy, the Green Party emerged from Election Day with 11 wins in the state of California and Oregon, and achievements elsewhere. (show all)
Global Green News
edited by Hal Brown
Green Politics is Class Politics
“I’ve seen several tweets recently by socialist activists on Twitter that I have a lot of time for, bemoan the fact that Labour are being outflanked on a variety of issues by the Green Party, despite the Greens having ‘no class analysis’. Or, as one tweet read, ‘The Greens think a class analysis has something to do with Ofsted.’ Which is a funny line, but simply not true. The Greens absolutely do have a class analysis, but it’s different and more expansive than that of Labour and the traditional left, and rarely theorised.” (show all)
Rwanda Elects Green Senator to Parliament!
“Members of the National Consultative Forum of Political Organisations in Rwanda September 24, 2020, elected both Mr. Alexis Mugisha and Ms. Mukakarangwa Clotilde to the Rwandan Senate as stipulated by the Rwandan Constitution. Both were confirmed yesterday by the Supreme Court. Mugisha, is the Commissioner General of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and has been a party member since its inception in 2009.” (show all)
GPPA Coming Events
edited by Chris Robinson
Green Party events are in GREEN. Other Movement events are in RED.
December 5
Green Party of Wayne County Meeting
Zoom contact and more information from: [email protected]
December 5, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
Westmoreland County PNC.
More information from: [email protected]
December 5, 3:30 PM
What’s Next? It’s Up to Us
Discussion host, Reclaim Philadelphia.
https://www.facebook.com/events/419533739045008
December 8, 7:00 pm
GPPA New Year Event
With live entertainment online.
More information from: [email protected]
December 9, 1:00 pm
Rails to Trails Conservancy
Redefining Safety on Trails Webinar.
Information and RSVP,
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1243962577612268048
December 10, 7:00 pm
Human Rights Film Festival Keynote Address
By Syrus Marcus Ware of Black Lives Matter.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1049101258869368
December 14, 7:30 pm
Green Party of Lackawanna County Virtual Meeting
Green Party of Lackawanna County Virtual Meeting. More information from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/984757668700127
December 16, 5:30 pm
Philly Jobs with Justice Celebration
More information from: [email protected]
RSVP to https://actionnetwork.org/events/philly-jwj-end-of-year-celebration
December 19, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
Squirrel Hill PNC.
More information from: [email protected]
December 21, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Montgomery County Virtual Meeting
Virtual business meeting.
Please Email: [email protected]
December 22, 7:30 pm
Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) Virtual Meeting
More information from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/260828888556403/
January 6, 6:00 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual General Assembly
Zoom contact and more information from: [email protected]
GPPA Meeting Dates for 2021:
- January 10 Winter Committee Web Conference (officer elections & candidate selection), noon.
- March 14 Spring State Committee Web Conference, noon
- June 13 Summer State Committee Web conference, noon
Web Conferences are online - RSVP to get connection information. The locations for in-person conferences are to be determined. In-person conferences can be hosted by counties, county groups or regions. These events are fundraisers. When hosted locally, the host group receives back half of the revenue after expenses. To apply for hosting, submit your info to our Application for Local Hosting of GPPA State Meetings or GPPA-Sponsored Events. We strive for geographic diversity in reviewing applications, however, all submissions are considered.
Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media Committee
Issue Credits:
EDITORS: Chris Robinson, Hal Brown, and Tina Olson
CONTRIBUTORS: Justin Bell, Hal Brown, Michael Badges Canning, Matt Nemeth, Tina Olson, Chris Robinson, Charles Sherrouse, and Alan Smith
LAYOUT: Hal Brown, Sherri Miller, and Tina Olson
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson
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The Green Star is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2020
