Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party Presidential Candidate to Deliver Policy Address at Wilkes University

Green Party presidential candidate, Dr. Jill Stein, will be in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, September 21, from 7 - 9 to deliver a policy address regarding her domestic and foreign policy positions. She will be at Wilkes University’s Student Union Ballroom on the second floor, West South Street in Wilkes-Barre. The stop is part of Stein/Baraka campus tour, which has become of staple of the campaign in 2016. Earlier in the day Stein will also appear at the main campus of Penn State University. Media requests may be sent to the contact listed above.

Stein is expected to comment on Green Party of Pennsylvania’s effort to ban fracking, enact state-based single payer healthcare, ballot access reform and efforts to end the drug war. In addition, the campaign is seeking to gain support to be included in the presidential debates. “We have a candidate that is on 46 ballots, and running write-in campaigns in three additional states, yet we continue to be ignored by media and shut of debate,” said Carl Romanelli, Coordinator for Stein/Baraka in Pennsylvania. “We are determined to see a debate with all candidates included, not just the two despised corporate candidates,” he said.

Jill Stein is a physician who has been active in the Green politics for the past 20 years. She was the party’s 2012 candidate for President of the US and she ran against Mitt Romney for Governor of Massachusetts in 2002.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania hailed a new ballot access ruling that immediately cut the required number of signatures to get statewide candidates on the 2016 ballot from over 21,000 to 5,000 signatures.

"This is a game changer," said GPPA Secretary Hillary Kane.  "We have been fighting these unfair ballot access rules in court for almost ten years.  Finally, we have prevailed.  This is welcome relief to the Green Party and all of those who care about equal access to the ballot."  Ms. Kane served as GPPA Chair 2007-2009; during her tenure GPPA joined with other third parties in what would be the first of many law suits.

Presidential Caucus Information & Schedule

How will it work?

One Green, One Vote! If you are a registered Green, you may attend ANY OFFICIAL GPPA CAUCUS LISTED and vote.

You will be permitted to vote one time in total.  

Once you arrive at a caucus location the coordinator will prompt you for ID and provided with a ballot.

Locations & Schedule

Allegheny County:  April 7th, 7pm at Citizen Power 2121 Murray Ave. Pittsburgh contact Robert Piemme <[email protected]>

Bucks County: April 28th, 6PM - 8PM at Tausif Khan's Home (Email Tausif for location information)

https://www.facebook.com/events/1103864442993064/

Centre County: April 2nd, 10-6pm at St John Lutheran Church 216 N McAllister St Bellefonte

Chester County: see Delaware County

Dauphin County: April 30 @ 10 AM - Noon at Harrisburg Friends Meeting 1100 N 6th St, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17102

Delaware County: April 23rd, 1-3 pm at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081

CONTACT Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick · 610-662-4502

Fayette County: TBA

Lackawanna County: April 19th, 7pm at Case Quattro Winery 1521 Main St, Peckville contact Jay Sweeney 570-587-3603

Lehigh County: see Northampton

Luzerne County: April 23rd, 11am-2pm at Wilkes University, Kirby Hall S. River and South Sts

Montgomery County: April 23rd, 1-4 PM.  See details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1739885629580771/

Northampton County: April 13th, 7-9 PM at Northampton Community College - South Side Bethlehem Campus (Fowler Center), 511 E. 3 St, Bethlehem

Philadelphia County: April 16th, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM at Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square

Susquehanna County: April 24th, 12 - 2 PM at Keystone College Miller Library Rm 204 Contact Jay Sweeney 570-587-3603

Wyoming County: April 24th, 12 - 2 PM at Keystone College Miller Library Rm 204 Contact Jay Sweeney 570-587-3603 

FAQ

Q - Can You schedule your own caucus in April?

A - Yes, email [email protected] for information and guidance.   

Q - Where can I find good information on the candidates?

A - http://www.gp.org/the_green_party_recognizes_five_candidates_for_the_green_presidential_nomination

State College, Pa - The Green Party of Pennsylvania calls on the Republican-controlled state legislature and the Democratic Governor Tom Wolf to put aside politics and finally pass a fair and equitable state budget.

Overdue by almost six months, the lack of a state budget is causing food banks to go underfunded, schools to close, and domestic violence services to fail. KDKA political editor Jon Delano reports that School officials from both Greenville Area and Sharpsville School Districts in Mercer County, may not re-open the schools after the winter break. The money is just not there.

"Once again it is up to us to stand up and demand that right be done. The budget must be passed now!" said Neil Haagen, a Green Party member from Centre County.

As of last Wednesday, Reuters reported that "school districts across Pennsylvania have borrowed about $900 million altogether since July 1 to stay open because of the state's budget impasse," quoting State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale.

County Governments in Pennsylvania have exhausted their ability to front the tens of millions of dollars needed to manage promised services to our citizens.

"This is one of the most egregious examples of how the two major parties have failed us," said Hillary Kane, the Secretary of the Green Party of Pennsylvania. "We need new blood in Harrisburg to break this partisan gridlock. The lack of budget is causing real pain for real people across the state."

Lancaster Online reports that Chester County has spent $30 million of its own money to support human services but cannot continue to do so alone. It also added that Allegheny County has paid $10 million of its own money to cover part of the November bill of $35 million for human services. Luzerne County has agreed to borrow $20 million to cover these types of costs. Both Bucks and Chester Counties will be withholding real estate transfer taxes and court fees which normally are transferred to the state instead.

The Allentown Morning Call reported that a recent United Way survey tells that during this nearly 170 days there have been about 700 non-profit employees laid off with countless others working with no pay. Over 500 other employees lost benefits and approximately 300 will receive 30% cuts in pay.

"Poor and working people are bearing the brunt of the failure to sign a timely budget and will be made to suffer more if a regressive sales tax increase is included in the final deal", said Jay Sweeney, Chair of the Green Party of Pennsylvania.

Loans have been taken out to keep the House and Senate open and running – including the salaries of Senators, legislators and staff carry incremental interest rates- one such loan presently is at 3.25% interest and will climb to 4.25% as of January. The long-term cost to taxpayers is huge and will continue to grow.

The budget crisis will not ultimately benefit the citizens of Pennsylvania. It would have been better to have efficiently and effectively placed a fair, completed, budget before the Pennsylvania public nearly 170 days ago. This delay has netted the banks and capital providers a very heavy toll from the taxpayer in interest and fees placed on loans to support schools and local government services.

Haagen has this to add: "Be prepared to open your wallet, not to pay for the needs of your fellow citizens, but to pay the interest on the money borrowed to pay our legislators' salaries."

The Green Party of Pennsylvania is an independent political party that stands in opposition to the two corporate parties. The Green Party of Pennsylvania stands for grassroots democracy, social justice, non violence and ecology.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party has released a statement in response to the mass murder of civilians in Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 12 and in Paris, France, on Nov. 13: "We in the Green Party of the United States express our sorrow and anger over the attacks in Beirut and Paris and deep sympathy for those who lost their lives, for the injured, for their loved ones, and for the people of Lebanon and France.

"We also express sympathy for civilians killed in Syria, Baghdad, Garissa University College in Kenya, the downing of a Russian airliner, and other recent massacres.

GPPA welcomes Pope Francis to Pennsylvania

The Green Party of Pennsylvania welcomes His Holiness Pope Francis to our beloved Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. His much-anticipated visit to Philadelphia is a joy to so many.

In Pope Francis’s recent encyclical about climate change and the environment, Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You), he has shown his passion to live up to his adopted papal name Francis, after the Christian patron saint of animals and the environment.  

“Pope Francis shares many of the The Green Party of Pennsylvania’s values.” said GPPA Chair Jay Sweeney.   “He is outspoken on social justice, environmental and economic issues that our party has been equally outraged over”, Sweeney concluded.

“Pope Francis’s encouraging words and efforts to address climate change, his implicit opposition to fracking, his care and respect for people of all nations and his criticism of the ‘cheerful recklessness’ of pure unregulated capitalism show that we share mutual goals in these important areas”, said GPPA Steering Committee member David Ochmanowicz Jr.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania is an independent political party that stands in opposition to the two corporate parties. The Green Party of Pennsylvania stands for grassroots democracy, social justice, non-violence and ecological wisdom.

Download a copy in .pdf by clicking here

For Immediate Release

July 27, 2015

 

Contacts:

Jay Sweeney 570-587-3603 [email protected]

Hillary Kane  267-971-3559

Carl Romanelli 570 239 3914 [email protected]

 

Green Party Hails Federal Court Ruling Concerning Pennsylvania’s Restrictive Ballot Access

 

The Green Party of Pennsylvania applauds Friday’s Federal Court ruling which has declared Pennsylvania’s restrictive ballot access procedures as unconstitutional. The July 24, Order by US District Judge, Lawrence Stengel takes aim at the restrictive, two-tiered scheme of forcing a disproportionate number of voter signatures, compared to the requirement for major parties; and the threat or imposition of litigation costs and fees on candidates whose nominating petitions are challenged successfully.  In cases where independent candidates prevail in a petition challenge, the legal costs can be as high as $50,000.00, Judge Stengel properly notes.  

 

“The restrictions placed on third party candidates is equivalent to a modern day poll tax. Judge Stengel’s decision has made it clear that limiting access to the ballot is an unacceptable infringement on the citizen’s rights to self-determination and their ability to elect candidates that truly represent the citizen’s views and desire for change,” said Hillary Kane, Secretary,  Green Party of Pennsylvania.

 

The initiating suit was filed in 2012 on behalf of Green, Libertarian and Constitution Parties of Pennsylvania, as well as various individuals from the three parties.  All three parties have long held the notion that Pennsylvania’s treatment of third party and independent candidates blatantly violates not only the US Constitution, but also the Pennsylvania Constitution, which states that “elections must be free and equal.”  The Greens have been plaintiffs in several actions during the past 15 years, and have won some minor victories, but see Judge Stengel’s Order as the most resounding, by far.

 

Since the Pennsylvania Courts imposed over $80,000.00 in costs and penalties on Ralph Nader (2004) and Carl Romanelli (2006), many candidates from third parties have simply withdrawn from the ballot due to the concern over life ruining fees being imposed on them.  That has led to a conspicuous absence of third party candidates on Pennsylvania ballots in subsequent years.

In July of 2008, following the “bonusgate” indictments, it was learned that in both the Nader and Romanelli cases the original challenge was only possible through the unlawful use of taxpayer resources and Democratic personnel of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

 

Carl Romanelli offered, “We have seen that the excessive number of signatures independent candidates must obtain is so obscene that even the very wealthy Democratic Party cannot bring a challenge without employing vast criminality. Even worse is the total disinterest on the part of the Pennsylvania Courts in correcting the situation.  Thankfully the Federal Court gets it, and has responded appropriately.”

 

Jay Sweeney, Chairperson of the Greens in Pennsylvania expressed his appreciation for the representation the party has in Attorney Oliver Hall, “First of all, the Green Party of Pennsylvania would like to thank Oliver Hall, from the Center for Competitive Democracy, for his superlative effort in presenting this case.”  He also is calling on the General Assembly to act at once in amending Pennsylvania law at once, as there is legislation pending in the Pennsylvania Senate which would bring Pennsylvania into Constitutional compliance.

“This decision proves what the Green party of Pennsylvania has known all along, elections in Pennsylvania are not open, free and fair. It means that it is now time to move Senator Mike Folmer's Voter's Choice Act, SB 495, through the General Assembly in order to correct this situation,” he suggested.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania is an independent political party that stands in opposition to the two corporate parties.  The Green Party of Pennsylvania stands for grassroots democracy, social justice, non violence and ecology.

Friday May 1, 2015

Green Party of Pennsylvania supports May Day USA march and rally

May 1, May Day, is an internationally recognized celebration of labor.  The date was chosen to commemorate the Haymarket Riot.  The riot was a result of police action against laborers organized to obtain an 8 hour work day and a bomb thrown by one of the protesters.

While some countries around the world celebrate May Day as Labor Day, efforts to do so in the U.S. have been unsuccessful.  The Green Party of Pa endorses the May Day USA march, rally and celebration in Philadelphia.

"Eighty countries have a public holiday on May Day, but, not the United States, where the 8 hour work day originated", said Vivek Ananthan member of both the Green Party of PA Steering Committee and the International Committee of the Green Party of the United States.  Ananthan initiated a proposal, which was unanimously accepted by the May Day Committee, to ask Philadelphia City Council to declare May Day a public holiday.

Governor Wolf’s tax plan negatively impacts working and low income people in Pennsylvania. Already considered one of the “Terrible Ten” states with the most regressive tax systems, Wolf’s plan does little to address the problem.  Property tax is a major Pennsylvania issue, but Wolf offsets cuts with significant increases in regressive sales and income taxes.

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release: Monday, February 16, 2015
This release is online at http://www.gp.org/newsroom/press-releases/details/4/778

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-904-7614, [email protected]
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, [email protected]


Green Party opposes U.S. military aid for Ukraine

• Washington is using Ukraine to provoke a NATO vs. Russia face-off in a new Cold War, say Greens

• View and download Green Party responses to the 2015 State of the Union: http://tinyurl.com/greenplaylist-2015sotu


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party opposes proposed plans to provide Ukraine's armed forces military aid to fight rebels who are allegedly receiving assistance from Russia and urges President Obama to reject the advice of warhawk advisors and Congress members.

Read and download the complete Green Star here ....

The City Committee of the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP, www.gpop.org) approves of the cancellation of the sale of the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) to UIL Holdings. The Green Party is also looking forward to a new plan for Philadelphia to become a hub of sustainable energy.

View or download the .pdf version of the GPPA Green Star here

Green Party leaders and candidates strongly condemned the Supreme Court's Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores ruling, and said that the decision should motivate more people to demand single-payer national health care and abolition of corporate "personhood."

Save the date!  The Green Party of Pa State Committee will meet on Saturday June 7, from 11am to 3pm, at Bloomsburg University.  Exact location to be determined.  All supporters of the party are welcome to attend.

Greens call McCutcheon v. FEC "a victory for plutocrats," urge public protest over the selling of publ ic office to the highest bidder, demand passage of amendment abolishing corporate personhood

WASHINGTON, DC -- Candidates and other members of the Green Party of the United States sharply criticized a Supreme Court decision declaring limits on the total amount of money contributors may give to all candidates, committees, and political parties to be unconstitutional, which was announced on April 2.

The City Committee of the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP, www.gpop.org) has endorsed the May Day Rally and Family Celebration which will be held at the Elmwood Park Labor Monument in Southwest Philadelphia on the afternoon of Saturday, May 3. GPOP has traditionally endorsed and actively participated in this celebration since it began in 2007.

Originally, May Day (also known as International Workers' Day) was a commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in 1886 in Chicago. During the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s, celebrations on the first day of May were suppressed, especially because of May Day’s international appeal.

Dr Wendy Lynne Lee, prominent opponent of extreme fossil fuel extraction, has been selected as the Green Party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Lee is professor of philosophy at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania specializing in philosophy of language, philosophy of animal cognition, environmental and feminist theory.

The author of "Contemporary Feminist Theory and Activism," Lee also writes a regular blog called The Wrench http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com, and is a founding executive member of the Shale Justice Coalitionhttp://shalejustice.org/. Lee is a stalwart warrior in the resistance to the criminalizing of nonviolent dissent. "Sometimes in order to stand up for what is right, one must sit down with one's fellow citizens and lock arms," she said.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Greens elect new leaders in Philadelphia

Looking for a Green Party Volunteer to help man the Green Party voter registration table at the Bucks County Community College voter registration drive March 12th & 13th.

We have table space for the 4 sessions on Wednesday & Thursday
10AM - 2PM & 5PM - 7PM each day

Greens email [email protected]

This Tuesday was Election Day for over a hundred Green Party candidates in local elections across the country. Here are some Green Party members who were elected and are now serving their communities with Green values in mind:  

In California, 16 Greens were elected to local office this week - a record number for a local election year, with 90% of incumbent Green officeholders winning re-election. Several Green Party members were elected for the first time. Click here for a complete list of Green victories in California.  

For a list of all 2013 Green candidates, see the party's election web pages (http://www.gp.org/index.php/2013-candidates.html and http://www.gp.org/elections/candidates/index.php). For contact information, see the candidates' web sites.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders spoke out today about the budget impasse, government shutdown, bipartisan plans to scale back Social Security and Medicare, and looming negotiations on the debt ceiling.

Greens emphasized that the Affordable Care Act, which remains at the center of the stalemate between Democrats, traditional Republicans, and extremist Tea Party Republicans, must be replaced with a single-payer national health care system ("Medicare For All").

Green Party opposes threats of U.S. intervention in Syria
and Obama’s ‘blank check’ abuse of military power

• Greens cite conflicting accounts regarding which side used chemical weapons and U.S. attempt to stymie the U.N. probe

WASHINGTON, DC — The Green Party of the United States opposes threats by the Obama Administration to launch an attack on Syria and said that an order to attack would be a serious abuse of presidential power. Greens called for repeal of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) passed by Congress on September 18, 2001, which the two most recent presidential administrations have used to justify attacks on other nations.

Green Party backs restoration of Glass-Steagall protections, but calls proposed Warren-McCain legislation only a first step

WASHINGTON, DC — Green Party leaders are calling for passage of legislation to reinstate the protections of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933.

But Greens are calling such legislation, which has been proposed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), a modest first step towards reining in the power of major financial corporations whose fraud and recklessness led to the 2008 economic meltdown.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) supports Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes for issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.  In doing so, Hanes is defying Pennsylvania’s backward and discriminating Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996, a law which the Green Party has always maintained is inconsistent with their social justice policies.  Emily Cook, chair of the Green Party of Montgomery County said, “Any official actively challenging DOMA is commended by the Green Party, no matter their political affiliation.”