News, Candidates, Information, Events Nationally, Statewide & Locally
Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.
From the Chair
Greetings Fellow Greens and Green Supporters!
I am so excited to tell you that our candidates' campaigns are off and running! Several candidates have received endorsements from some prominent organizations such as Our Revolution and Action Together NEPA. If you want to help our candidates win, we have campaigns throughout the state, in NEPA, SEPA, and Western PA, as well as our three state-wide candidates. You can help with web management, media relations, positions research and writing, video production, candidate scheduling, cold calling, opposition research, relations with the Green Party, driving, printing, endorsement solicitation, relations with labor unions, and as poll workers on Nov 6th. You can sign up through GreenWave at https://www.gpofpa.org/election_day_2018
On September 3rd we celebrate Labor Day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold" (Peter J. McGuire, probable founder of Labor Day). As part of our key values, we stand in solidarity with workers everywhere and celebrate this day. In Philadelphia, Greens will join in the Labor Day parade and festivities. See more info in our calendar if you want to join us.
September 21st marks the United Nations' International Day of Peace. The theme for the International Day of Peace in 2018 is “The Right to Peace - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70”, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations promotes 17 Sustainable development goals to bring about peace. When I read about these, they sounded very familiar. “The Sustainable Goals cover a broad range of issues, including poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social justice.” Doesn’t this sound GREEN to you? Read more and find out what you can do to help promote peace at http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
Sheri Miller, GPPA Chair
Committee Updates
Core Report by Jason Jackson
The Core Team has solved the email spam problem in NationBuilder and the NationBuilder maintenance group is so grateful! The Core Team will be sending out revised Rules to the state Party’s delegates this weekend for review and a final vote of approval at our September 2018 Virtual Meeting on September 16th. This will mark the culmination of the team’s hard work, for more than a year, to ensure that the final document represents members’ views and provides strong guidance to support the Party. The September 16th meeting will also kick off the nominating process for Green Party of Pennsylvania’s officers, Steering Committee, and national representatives to be voted on next January. For more information about the September 2018 Virtual Meeting, visit https://www.gpofpa.org/gpofpa_state_meeting_september_2018_virtual
Communications Report by Sheri Miller
David Ochmanowicz Jr, who has been instrumental in helping us get the Communications Team off the ground, is stepping down from the position of Team Leader to devote more attention to his newly-elected position on the School Board. Dave has juggled family, work, and his commitment to our Party for many years. His tremendous efforts and expertise have strengthened our public relations and communications abilities and helped us to grow. Thank you, Dave, for all you do! Bill Pilkonis, the Co-Leader of the Communications Team, will be flying solo until another Co-Leader is appointed.
Finance Report by Tim Runkle
The Finance Team would like to thank those generous donors and volunteers who offered their support during the Ballot Access Legal Defense Fund drive. With their help we were able to raise $1,420.18 during the fundraiser. Because our petitions were not challenged, we did not need to spend all the funds received, so the remainder is now reserved as part of our Legal Defense Fund for any future need of this kind.
The open comment period for the 2019 Budget Proposal Survey was closed on August 31 and now the Finance Team is moving forward with a conceptual 2019 Budget based on your responses. The conceptual budget will be presented during the next meeting of the GPPA State Committee in September. Find more details on the proposal schedule and process at www.gpofpa.org/2019_budget_process then go one step further and help the Finance Team by attending our bi-weekly meetings. Sign up at www.gpofpa.org/committees_finance
GreenWave Report by Jenny Isaacs
Our 4-month petitioning campaign culminated July 31st when we successfully filed over 8,100 signatures on behalf of our statewide candidates. The combined contributions of nearly 100 volunteers across the state were anchored by the extraordinary collection efforts of Neal, Paul, & Jocolyn, who together were responsible for 1/3 of the total submitted. They have truly earned their place on the ballot! With the help of volunteers collecting on their behalf, our state legislative candidates Darcelle Slappy, Jay Sweeney, and Jay Walker were further responsible for another ¼ of the total signatures. With no legal challenges forthcoming, our candidates were able to focus in August on scheduling campaign events, answering position questionnaires, & seeking endorsements. Notably, Jay Sweeney & Jay Walker have both been endorsed in their races by Our Revolution PA.
The most significant contribution YOU can make to our Green campaigns is to volunteer at the polls on Election Day. Whether you can give an hour or a full day, please sign up today! Election Day Volunteer Sign-up
GreenWave oversees a regional network of support for candidates, campaigns, and new county affiliations. If you'd like to be involved in a state or local campaign, help organize a new local in your county, or apply for an internship, contact Green Wave. It takes hundreds of Greens just like you to make the Green Party work. We are a people-powered party!
News from our Campaigns
Paul Glover for Governor
Paul has been a very active candidate, making and distributing campaign posters, learning about state problems and proposing policy remedies, writing and sending press releases, answering candidate questionnaires, and posting frequently to Facebook and Twitter. Paul's messages are not just rants about the state of the world we live in, but offer practical, people-friendly, state-specific policy alternatives to fracking, mass incarceration, job loss, environmental destruction, and corporate domination. To follow Paul's social media, and become part of the conversation, visit his Facebook page at Glover for Governor of Pennsylvania
Paul is founder of more than a dozen organizations and campaigns dedicated to ecology and social justice, including Ithaca HOURS local currency, Health Democracy, the Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP), Citizen Planners of Los Angeles, and the League of Uninsured Voters (LUV). He is author of six books on grassroots economies, and a former professor of urban studies at Temple University. He serves as a community consultant through GreenPlanners Consultancy. To learn more, donate, or volunteer, visit Glover for Governor.
Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick for Lt. Governor
Jocolyn has been busy arranging and attending community forums, interviews and events. She is currently planning a tour of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline at the request of the Uwchlan Safety Coalition. Some of Jocolyn's top concerns are vigorously protecting the economic, social and political rights of women, racial minorities, believers of any faith and those of any gender identity or sexual orientation; making sure everyone has healthy, safe and affordable housing; increasing the minimum wage to at least $15/hour and facilitating other benefits for workers; bringing a government-funded universal health care system for PA; alleviating the tax burden on low and middle income residents and shifting the burden to wealthy corporations and individuals; banning fracking for oil and gas and eliminating our use of all fossil fuels and their infrastructure while becoming more energy efficient and eventually 100% reliant on clean and renewable energy sources to save money, improve our health and dramatically increase green jobs. Adopting these changes on taxes and energy use will improve public transit and free up funds to improve K-12 education in our struggling school districts; and eliminating corruption in all levels of government and our criminal justice system will help end mass incarceration. Find out more about Jocolyn's campaign at Jocolyn for PA Lt. Governor
Neal Gale for US Senate
Neal has been campaigning by being there. He has attended nearly every prominent Green-promoted event this spring and summer, getting out among the people, shaking hands, and listening. His campaign slogan is "One family, many voices!" and he is committed to bringing people together around the issues of peace and climate change to pursue a safe and healthy future for our families. Neal is an eloquent spokesperson representing our party and our values to the public. If you would like to meet him, he has several events scheduled for September.
To see his calendar or to volunteer or donate for his campaign, visit his website at Neal Gale for US Senate
John Jay Sweeney for State Senate, District 20
Jay is off to a great start after already having a team of volunteers organized during petitioning. Because there is not a Democratic Party candidate on the ballot, Jay also has the support of progressive Democrats in his area. Jay is actively seeking endorsements from those organizations whose values he represents. He has received endorsements from Our Revolution PA and Action Together NEPA, with others pending. Jay stands for healthy community through healthy democracy and supports independent redistricting, open primaries, verifiable voting and instant runoff or ranked choice voting. If elected, Jay would make the fracking ban in the Delaware River Basin permanent. He opposes raising the wage tax to reduce property tax, preferring to use combined reporting to capture corporate income tax that is currently being avoided through dodges such as the Delaware Loophole. Jay believes that public schools should be funded 100% through the General Fund and schools should be funded equitably.
In coming weeks, Jay will be participating in meet and greet events in Wayne and Pike Counties and an education forum in Susquehanna County. He also plans to table with the Democrats at the Wyoming County Fair. Jay's website is in progress and will be up soon. Jay has been building his website and it should be active soon. Watch our GPPA state website for links to his content when available.
Darcelle Slappy for State Representative, District 10
Darcelle is currently an elected Green School Board Director in Beaver Falls. Education, healthcare for all, and job creation are her priorities in her run for State Representative. She took part in the Beaver County Community Candidate Forum held at Aquippa High School on August 10th, sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America with co-sponsors Beaver County Voice for Change, Moral Monday Coalition, NAACP, Beaver County United, Southwest Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, and USW Local 1211. Darcelle joined several other candidates, including John Fetterman, to answer questions from the community and the audience. Darcelle has pulled together a team and is working on setting up her campaign.
Jay Walker for State Representative, District 23
Jay's campaign (Allegheny County) is off to a running start with a new website, Facebook page and a team of volunteers. Jay is trialing a new software tool that uses voter data to create a target audience of people for canvassing and phone-banking. The tool uses a mobile app that creates maps and updates the status in real time, keeping track of who was contacted. Jays volunteers are gearing up to start as soon as possible, to make the most of the 10 weeks before election day. Jay's primary goals are to end gerrymandering in PA, get money out of politics, advocate for a healthy environment, and provide healthcare as a human right to all Pennsylvanians,
Jay has been endorsed by the Green Party of Pennsylvania, Green Party of Allegheny County, and Our Revolution Pennsylvania. To volunteer or donate, visit Jay Walker for State Representative
Brianna Johnston, Special Election for US Congress, District 7
Brianna was endorsed at the Summer Retreat to run as our Green Party of Pennsylvaina candidate for the US Congressional District 7 special election. Her nomination papers were filed on August 27th. Although she does not yet have a campaign team, Chester County, which is the county that endorsed her locally, is very active and is working with her to get started. Over the next few weeks, Brianna will be pulling her team together and creating an internet presence. Watch our GPPA state website for the links to her content when available.
GPPA News Highlights
Brianna Johnston from Chester County Obtains Ballot Access as the Green Candidate for US Congress in the 7th District Special Election.
Brianna Johnston, the Green Party of Pennsylvania endorsed candidate for US Congress in the District 7 Special Election, filed her Nomination Certificate in Harrisburg on August 27th. Because we are a minor party in PA, she did not have to collect signatures to get on the ballot in the special election. This is a huge benefit of minor party status and one of the reasons we will be calling on all of our supporters to help us get the 2% needed in November to keep our minor party status.
Franklin & Marshall College Poll Includes Pennsylvania Green Party Candidates
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll released in June includes Green Party candidates Glover and Gale. Results show our candidates polling at 1-2% across the state and in some specific areas, up to 8%. The demographics of people polled tended to be white, older, educated, middle class Pennsylvanians in Central and South Central PA. The poll analyzes various factors regarding motivations and intentions and can provide a great tool for insight when planning campaigns. Download a copy of the poll HERE
GPPA Upcoming Events
2018 Labor Day Parade in Philly
Monday, September 3rd from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM: Let's Celebrate Labor Day together! Greens will gather with banners at the kickoff rally beginning at 8:30 am at the starting location, Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Union Hall at 1301 South Columbus Blvd, South Philadelphia. We will be joined by Neal Gale, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate, and Paul Glover, Green Party candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania. An AFL-CIO Family Celebration (food, live music, kids’ activities) awaits at Penns Landing, the parade destination. #BeSeenBeingGreen
Climate, Jobs & Justice March in Philly
Saturday, September 8th at 09:45 AM: Greens will join Rise for Climate Action, an international mobilization on September 8 for a fast & just transition to 100% clean and renewable energy for all. We will have a banner and distribute literature for our statewide candidates. The Philadelphia event will begin with a gathering at LOVE Park (15th and Arch St) at 9:45 am for a 10:00 am welcome and introduction. Then there will be a march through SEPTA's Suburban Station in support of the Fossil Free SEPTA campaign. The march will end at 11 am at the First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut Street), with a Rise For Climate, Jobs and Justice teach-in and town hall.
Campaign Kickoff Party for Paul Glover
Saturday, September 15th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM: Your hosts the Green Party of Philadelphia invite area Greens & friends to party with our gubernatorial candidate Paul Glover & kick off his campaign at the William Way LGBT Community Center at 1315 Spruce St, Philadelphia! William Way is wheelchair accessible. The party will be open to the public with no admission charge. Organizations are welcome to table at the event for a small fee.
2018 September Virtual Meeting
Saturday, September 16th from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM: The September 2018 meeting of the Green Party of Pennsylvania will be a virtual meeting held online! All interested members of the public may attend to learn more about the Green Party of Pennsylvania and Party operations. Only delegates of the Green Party of Pennsylvania may vote. You must register in advance for this event.
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News and Highlights from Green Party of the US
Green Wave Telethon Held in August
The first Green Wave Telethon, co-hosted by the Coordinated Campaign Committee and the Media Committee, was held in August with several Green Party of Pennsylvania candidates participating in the national fundraising event. Dozens of Green supporters, candidates, and leaders from many states video-taped their appeals to donors and voters.
"We want voters to know the Green Party doesn't take donations from corporations, Political Action Committees or special interests. Therefore, we are not beholden to big money interests and their wealthy backers." said Holly Hart, Co-Chair of the Coordinated Campaign Committee. "Instead, we are people-powered and rely on the individual contributions of voters to fund our candidates' campaigns. We are funded by the people and that's who our candidates will answer to when in office." Donations to the GPUS Coordinated Campaign Committee provide funding for campaigns of strong Green candidates across the country. For more information visit GPUS.
This is our year. See who's running in your state and vote Green in 2018! http://www.gp.org/2018_candidates
Harris County Green Party Person of Color Caucus Endorses Nationwide Prison Strike
The Harris County Green Party Person of Color Caucus (Houston, TX) endorsed the nationwide prison strike that began on August 21st across the nation. The strike began on August 21st, following a deadly riot in April at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina, during which 7 inmates were killed and 22 others were injured. The Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee, an activist group dedicated to advocate for the rights of incarcerated workers, are demanding humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform, voting access, and the end of modern day slavery. The prisoners are doing work strikes, peaceful sit-ins, hunger strikes, and boycotts from spending. The strike will continue through September 9th. For more information or to get involved, visit the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee site or the HCGP POC Caucus Endorsement Page.
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Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications & Media Committee
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Issue Credits: Sheri Miller, Lon Diffenderfer
Additional resources from the Green Party of the United States
Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
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Green Papers http://www.greenpapers.net/
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Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the United States http://gp.org/greenpages-blog
