INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE REPORT – 2009
FROM:
Justine McCabe (Connecticut) / Steve Herrick (Wisconsin) Co-Chairs, GPUS INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
DATE: July 15, 2008
SUBJ: International Committee (IC) Activities since ANM, Chicago, 2008
1.IC-SPONSORED WORKSHOPS (3), ANM CHICAGO, July, 2008 (attached)
2. IC-DELEGATION TO MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF THE GREEN PARTIES OF THE AMERICAS, Quebec, November 2008
(See official minutes, Appendix A)
3. ELECTION OF CO-CHAIRS. The election for Co-Chairs of the International Committee was completed, March 2. There were a total of 24 votes cast; Justine McCabe was elected to the two-year term and Steve Herrick was elected to the one-year term (see Appendix B).
ONGOING PROJECTS:
4. IMPLEMENTING GPUS RESOLUTION 190. We are making progress on a work plan for building international Green support for the boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) against Israel as called for in GPUS Resolution 190 (November 21, 2005). On April 6, by a 29-2-3 vote, the IC approved a statement to begin this campaign (See Appendix C). We are waiting for the SC to review this statement before implementing it. Also, a “Green Paper” for NC review, outlining the background of this initiative is being prepared by Justine McCabe.
5. IC BYLAWS REVISION. Co-chairs Herrick and McCabe coordinated a review and revision of the IC’s RP&P’s that included soliciting input from IC members and drafting changes for submission to the NC. The IC passed that revised version and submitted it to the SC for approval by the NC. We are waiting for the SC to review and pass on to NC for approval.
6. FORUMS AT ANNUAL NATIONAL MEETING (DURHAM 2009). The IC will present a workshop: GPUS and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Movement Against Israel. The intent of this workshop is to educate Greens about the history of the BDS movement, endorsement by GPUS, and the International Committee’s recent Draft Statement calling on international Green Parties to do the same. This workshop will also be a forum for discussing ways to become active in the BDS movement at the state/local level.
7. STATEMENT ON MEXICAN GREENS’ “PENA DE MUERTE”. FPVA delegates Affigne and Willebrand are preparing a draft statement for IC (then NC) review, addressing the Mexican Green Party’s “pena de muerte” (death penalty) initiative; social and political conditions in Mexico; the impacts of U.S. drug markets on Mexico; and the meaning of agreement with the Global Green Charter.
8. SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED FPVA STATEMENT ON THE MILITARY COUP IN HONDURAS (See Appendix D)
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APPENDIX A
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OFFICIAL MINUTES, FPVA Meeting,
Quebec, November 2008
Email to the IC from Tony Affigne (GPUS Delegate to FPVA Meeting,
Quebec/Meeting facilitator), Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:16 AM
IC Colleagues:
The official minutes of last month’s meeting of the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas (FPVA) have now been approved. The English version is appended to this message, and is attached as a Microsoft Word file. Spanish, Portuguese, and French translations are also attached. As you’ll see, this was an important meeting which produced many significant outcomes. Three new Green parties were admitted to provisional, observer status in the Federation, representing Greens in Bolivia, Guatemala, and French Guyana.
In some of the meeting’s most important political decisions, a joint position declaring absolute opposition to the resurgence of nuclear power throughout the Americas was adopted; a Women’s Commission was created; and first steps were taken towards creation of a Federation-affiliated Young Greens of the Americas. A proposed Work Plan for the new Global Green Secretariat was endorsed, with the proviso that the Global Greens must create an ombudsman position to advocate for the hemisphere’s (and the world’s) Indigenous peoples. A proposal to create a Foundation of Green Parties of the Americas, to support the growth of parties in the region, was endorsed.
Addressing concerns about the internal workings of the Federation, delegates held an extended discussion of the Federation’s leadership, bylaws, and future structure; a bylaws committee was established, to consider amendments and bring proposals to the next meeting; plans for a new, independent Federation website (not connected to any particular country) were discussed; the three co-presidents and executive secretary were re-elected; and the next meeting was set for November 2009, to be hosted by the Partido Ecologista de Chile. Please take a few minutes to read the entire document, for details on many other discussions and decisions.
While everyone at the meeting might have wished for more progress in the Federation’s organizational development, or stronger political declarations, or any number of other outcomes, most also believe that we made remarkable progress in a challenging environment. It’s no easy task to organize and conduct a productive international meeting, with representatives from diverse Green party organizations, national cultures and political systems, with participants speaking four languages, lasting more than ten hours!
If you’ll allow me one personal observation, I have learned that it is especially difficult for Greens from the United States, facing all of the potential resentments and misunderstandings “Americans” face around the world — a legacy of our nation’s and our government’s, unhappy history with the world’s people’s and social movements — to function effectively in such an environment. Assertive, proactive leadership by “Americans” can be misunderstood as Yankee arrogance and privilege, while the same actions by others are non-controversial; “American” representatives’ claims about process, and the interpretation of rules, are easily misconstrued as Anglo-American legalism and manipulation; informality and casual banter can be seen as patronizing, disrespectful behavior. Even generosity can be misunderstood, as an attempt to use our comparative affluence to manipulate others; conversely, expecting others to pay our expenses, feed us, house us, and transport us from place to place, is seen as rude at best and at worst, indifference to the global mal-distribution of wealth! Individuals who don’t understand these constraints, are poorly suited to be our Green representatives abroad.
In my experience, there’s no easy way to navigate the baggage we carry to all international meetings, as Greens from the United States. Impatience, anger and resentment, or domineering, assertive discourse, are never appropriate responses, no matter how egregious the offense we believe we’ve suffered. They are also not very “Green” ways of conducting politics. Careful, patient, diplomatic speech and action, with awareness of how the world’s legitimate grievances against the United States shape others’ perceptions of U.S. Greens, and an inclusive willingness to see things through others’ eyes, sometimes produce results very slowly. But for U.S. Greens, they are the only ways to influence results at all. Any other style of politics simply marginalizes us among international Greens, at the very moment in history when we need to be most fully engaged with Greens everywhere.
In light of these realities, I believe it’s especially gratifying that Julia Willebrand was overwhelmingly re-elected to an additional one-year term as one of the Federation’s three Co-Presidents; John Rensenbrinnk was invited to present a report — formally accepted by the Federation — outlining an expanded role for the Global Green Network; Justine McCabe, as co-chair of our IC, was invited to join the official delegates at the table, and was included in numerous private discussions to prepare initiatives. And for my part, the three co-presidents surprised me with a request that I preside over the entire meeting, facilitating a multi-lingual process, framing resolutions, adjudicating process disputes, and maintaining the collegial spirit of the proceedings.
This was a great honor and a humbling experience; I’d be remiss not to thank all of you, my colleagues on the IC, for entrusting me with the responsibility (as your delegate), which made my participation possible. It was certainly one of the highlights of my 35 years of political activism. Thank you!
For a Green future,
Tony Affigne
Green Party of Rhode Island
U.S. Delegate to the Federation
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Meeting of the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas
Federación de Partidos Verdes de las Américas (FPVA)
Quebec City 8th of November, 2008
PARTICIPANTS
FPVA Co-Presidents
Julia Willebrand (United States)
Jorge González Torres (México)
Marco Antonio Mroz (Brasil)
FPVA Member Party Delegates
Julia Willebrand
(United States, Green Party of the United States)
Jorge González Torres
(México, Partido Verde Ecologista de México)
Marco Antonio Mroz
(Brasil, Partido Verde do Brasil)
Leonardo Álvarez Romo
(México, Partido Verde Ecologista de México)
Fabio Mariño Vargas
(Colombia, Partido Verde Oxígeno)
Jean Cloutier
(Canada, Parti Vert du Canada)
Silvaine Zimmermann
(Canada, Green Party of Canada)
Fulvia Monti
(Venezuela, Movimiento Ecológico de Venezuela)
Manuel Diaz Capdevilla
(Venezuela, Movimiento Ecológico de Venezuela)
Manuel Baquedano
(Chile, Partido Verde Ecologista de Chile)
Tony Affigne
(United States, Green Party of the United States)
Roberta Moreno
(Brasil, Partido Verde do Brasil)
FPVA Executive Secretary
Patricia Doneau
(México, Partido Verde Ecologista de México)
FPVA Member Party Delegates Not in Attendance
Flor de Maria Hurtado
(Perú, Partido Ecologista Alternativa Verde del Perú)
Alex Gonzáles Castillo
(Perú, Partido Ecologista Alternativa Verde del Perú)
Edward Salazar Cruz
(Nicaragua, Partido Verde de Nicaragua)
Miguel Ángel Pimentel
(República Dominicana, Partido Verde de la Unidad Democrática)
Juan Manuel Velasco
(Argentina, Partido Iniciativa Verde)
FPVA Observer Party Delegates
Roberto Cáceres
(Partido Verde de Guatemala, FPVA Observer Delegate)
Matilde Baján
(Partido Verde de Guatemala, FPVA Observer Delegate)
Margot Soria Saravia
(Partido Verde de Bolivia, FPVA Observer Delegate)
Michel Dubouillé
(Les Verts-Guyane, FPVA Observer Delegate)
Guests
Margaret Blakers
(Australia, The Greens; Global Green Coordination-Asia/Pacific)
Catherine Grèze
(France, Les Verts; Global Green Coordination/Europe)
Johan Hamels
(Belgium, Groen! Global Green Coordination/Europe)
Adamou Garba
(Niger, Rassemblement pour un Sahel Vert; Global Green Coordination/Africa)
John Rensenbrink
(USA, Green Party of the United States Delegate to Global Green Network)
Justine McCabe
(USA, Green Party of the United States Co-Chair International Committee)
Miluska Aguilar Jeri
(Bolivia, Movimiento los Verdes)
Daniel García Colorado
(Colombia, Partido Verde Opción Centro)
SUMMARY OF MEETING AND DECISIONS BY THE ASSEMBLY
1) Welcome by the Co-Presidents: Co-President Marco Antonio Mroz of Brasil called the Annual Meeting of the Federation’s General Assembly (Asamblea General) to order at 10:20AM. He introduced fellow Co-Presidents Julia Willebrand of the United States and Jorge González Torres of México, and joined them in welcoming delegates to the meeting. Mroz proposed to the Assembly that Delegate Tony Affigne (United States) be appointed presiding officer for the meeting (facilitator). Del. Affigne’s appointment was approved without objection.
2) Procedural Rules: The presiding officer proposed discussion rules allowing open discussion among voting delegates and official observers; recognizing speakers from the chair only as necessary to permit orderly speaking queues; and empowering delegates to request translations among Spanish, English and French. Without objection, the procedures were adopted.
3) Official Record of the Meeting: For an official record of the meeting, Silvaine Zimmermann, delegate from Canada, agreed to note all decisions taken by the group, and to distribute those minutes to all delegates for review, before public distribution. Adopting a proposal by Co-President González, without objection the meeting asked guest Michael Feinstein (United States) to cease videotaping the proceedings.
4) Approval of Agenda: On behalf of the Co-Presidents, from recommendations by delegates, the presiding officer presented the Co-Presidents’ draft agenda, including the following items:
i) Roll Call of Green Parties: Introduction of Voting Delegates.
ii) Discussion regarding acceptance into the Federation, with Observer Status, of Green Parties from Bolivia, Guatemala, and French Guyana.
iii) Discussion of proposal for creation of a Foundation of Green Parties of the Americas.
iv) Discussion of election of Italian Greens living in North and South America, to the Italian and European Parliaments.
v) Discussion of election, by country, of Green representatives to the 2010 MercoSur Parliament.
vi) Discussion of recommendation for a joint Federation position, for Global Green participation at the World Social Forum (in Belém, Brasil, 27-31 January 2009).
vii) Discussion of Young Greens participation in the Federation.
viii) Discussion of formation of a Women’s Commission in the Federation.
ix) Development of position of the Federation, with respect to the creation of a Global Green Secretariat, and the proposed work plan for the Global Greens, as agreed under documents adopted at the Green Congress in Sao Paulo.
x) Discussion of position of the Federation, with respect to the role of the Global Green Network (GGN) in the proposed Secretariat.
xi) Discussion of Executive Committee members’ duties and rights.
xii) Election of Executive Committee members.
xiii) Discussion of the FPVA List Serve/Web Site.
xiv) Discussion of Federation bylaws (estatutos).
xv) Presentation by guests from Green organizations in Colombia and Bolivia.
xvi) Discussion of where/when the next FPVA meeting will be held, and who will organize it.
xvii) Approval of closing political declaration, by the Asamblea General. The proposed agenda, with amendments, was adopted unanimously, and appropriate time allowances for debate on each item were agreed. It was also agreed that the meeting would recess for 90 minutes, at 2:00PM (1400h).
5) New Observer Parties from Guatemala, Bolivia, and French Guyana
Delegates agreed by consensus, that the Partido Verde de Guatemala (PVG) is approved for Observer Status in the Federation. To achieve voting membership, the party will provide full statutes and other documentation, for distribution to the Asamblea General, no later than one month prior to the next FPVA Annual Meeting. Del. Baquedano (Chile) will be the contact person, for receipt and review of the final PVG application for membership.
Delegates agreed by consensus, that these same procedures will be applied to the Bolivian and French Guyanese parties, also seeking approval for Observer Status.
Delegates agreed by consensus, that the Partido Verde de Bolivia is approved for Observer Status in the Federation.
Delegates agreed by consensus, that Les Verts-Guyane are approved for Observer Status in the Federation; and also agreed the Federation will consider creating a special status of “Permanent Observer” for their case (and others, perhaps Puerto Rico and Québec) when we review and develop new statutes.
Following approval of their Observer Status applications, representatives of the Guatemalan, Bolivian, and French Guyanese parties were welcomed to sit among the Assembly, report on their parties’ activities and political situations, and participate in the remainder of the meeting as our newest provisional member parties.
6) Creation of a “Foundation of Green Parties in the Americas”
After hearing an exploratory committee report by Co-President Mroz (Brasil), and Dels. Manuel Diaz Capdevilla (Venezuela) and Manuel Baquedano (Chile), the General Assembly agreed by consensus, to endorse in principle, creation of a non-governmental organization, a Green Foundation, to promote the growth of Green parties in the Americas; learned that Eva Goës of the Green Forum (Sweden) has endorsed formation of this American foundation; agreed by consensus to allow the exploratory committee some discretion in developing plans for the Foundation, with Del. Baquedano serving as point person for this effort; agreed by consensus that for each participating country, a point person for legal matters should be designated; agreed by consensus that draft statutes for the Foundation, currently available only in Spanish, should be translated into English and distributed to all delegates as soon as possible, with commentary to be submitted by all delegates within one month of that distribution; and agreed by consensus that a final proposal for the Foundation will be distributed to all FPVA member parties, no later than one month prior to the next Annual Meeting of the Federation.
7) Support for Italian Greens, Seeking Election to European and Italian Parliaments
Delegates agreed by consensus, to recommend that our individual Green Parties prepare to organize their Italian expatriate constituents, to help elect Greens to the European Parliament, in elections scheduled for June 7th, 2009; also agreed that Co-President Mroz will provide needed legal details and background information.
8) Green Party Participation in 2010 Mercosur Elections
Delegates agreed by consensus, to support our Green Parties in the Mercosur/Mercosul countries – Argentina, Brasil, and Venezuela (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Perú are Mercosur associate members) – in their efforts to organize Green candidacies for the Mercosur Parliament, to be elected in 2010; also agreed to recommend that the “Mercosur region” Green parties form a working committee, to discuss joint preparations for participation in those elections.
9) Federation position, for Global Green participation at the World Social Forum
Upon request by our Federation representatives to the Global Green Coordination (GGC), Co-Presidents Marco Antonio Mroz (Brasil), Jorge González Torres (México), and Julia Willebrand (United States), and a formal request by GGC members Catherine Grèze (France), Margaret Blakers (Australia), Adamou Garba (Niger), and Johan Hamels (Belgium), the Asamblea General discussed the importance of a global Green policy, to be advanced by Greens from all countries, who attend the World Social Forum in Belém, Brasil, 27-31 January 2009 and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, 28 January – 1 February 2009; the Assembly agreed unanimously to oppose the resurgence of nuclear energy development throughout the world, to condemn the use of food crops in the production of ethanol, to strongly endorse accelerated development of solar, wind, and other renewable, sustainable energy sources, and to explain our Global Green policy to the world’s publics in its crucial ecological, as well as its positive economic dimensions; also agreed to request that our GGC representatives present the approved Federation position to the full Global Green Coordination, for further discussion and coordinated action.
10) Establishing the “Federación de los Jóvenes Verdes de las Américas”
The Asamblea General heard a report by Del. Roberta Moreno (Brasil), with draft statutes, requesting support for the creation of a Federation of Young Greens of the Americas, arising from discussions at the May 2008 Global Green Congress in Sao Paulo, Brasil; delegates agreed by consensus that we support the Young Greens proposal; that within the next 11 months, the Federation and FPVA member Parties should review and amend their statues to enable the participation of Young Greens, not just in parallel organizations but as meaningfully participating members; that within 11 months the Young Greens will distribute to the General Assembly their final proposed statutes, for review at our next Annual Meeting; and that the Federation Members will support the Young Greens of the Americas, so they will be well prepared to participate in the next meeting of Young Greens of the world in Graz, Austria, 30 August – 06 September 2009.
11) Establishing a Women’s Commission in the Federation
After hearing a report from Del. Fulvia Monti (Venezuela), delegates voted by a show of hands (11-0-1), to endorse creation of a Women’s Committee for the Federation; and to recommend amendments to our Federation statutes to incorporate a Women’s Commission.
12) Global Green Secretariat, and Proposed Work Plan for the Global Greens
Guest Margaret Blakers (Australia) and other members of the Global Green Coordination presented a GGC proposal to establish a Global Green Secretariat, and to approve a Work Plan for the Global Greens, to serve as the Secretariat’s mandate, until the next Global Green Congress in 2012 or 2013.
Overarching design and functions of the Secretariat (GGS) are proposed to include:
*Facilitate Global Green networking and cooperation
*Develop common views and campaigns
*Facilitate Green presence at global events
*Liaise with the Global Green Network (GGN)
*Support Greens by exchanging Skills and Support
*Promote our values and help implement Global Green Charter
*Situated in Australia
*Governed by the Global Green Coordination (GGC)
*Budget about 100 000 Euros/year
GGC requests that Federation member parties:
*Distribute the Work Plan for discussion by our national parties
*Respond with comments, within 1 month of receiving final Plan from GGC
*Authorize FPVA to ratify the Plan, towards its approval by all 4 Federations
*Authorize FPVA to review the Plan’s progress, after 2 years
*Develop a process to finance the Secretariat’s work (including 1% financing as requested)
Delegates agreed by consensus to approve in principle the Global Green Work Plan, and Secretariat proposal; to request that the Global Green Coordination incorporate into the next version of the working document, language to incorporate an ombudsman function, whose purpose is to uphold our respect for the diversity, traditions, customs, histories and social conditions of each people, especially Indigenous people, from all nations and communities of the world.
13) Report on Global Green Network
The Asamblea General heard a report and Advisory from GGN Del. John Rensenbrink (United States), about the Global Green Network (GGN), explaining how GGN was formed, and its role in the new Global Green Work Plan and Secretariat; and the Assembly agreed by acclamation to thank John Rensenbrink for the work he has done to help the Global Green Coordination incorporate the Advisory’s recommendations into the Work Plan for the Global Green Secretariat’s design and functions.
14) Discussion of Executive Committee Members’ Duties and Rights
The Asamblea General discussed the question of elections to the Comité Ejecutivo; five members of the Assembly who participated in statutes revisions at the FPVA meeting in Santo Domingo, 2002 – (Baquedano, Mroz, Torres, Willebrand, Affigne) – gave diverse interpretations of what they were; after discussion and several informal polls, the Assembly agreed by consensus to retain the existing structure of three co-presidents, with an elected executive secretary.
15) Election of Executive Committee and Executive Secretary
Delegates voted by a show of hands (9-0-3), to elect Julia Willebrand (United States), Jorge González Torres (México), and Marco Antonio Mroz (Brasil) as Co-Presidents, to serve until the next meeting of the FPVA; and agreed by consensus to appoint Patricia Doneau (México) as FPVA Executive Secretary, for administrative duties under the direction of the co-presidents and the General Assembly, until the next FPVA meeting.
16) Federation Listserve and Website
The Assembly heard a report from Executive Secretary Patricia Doneau, identifying the “Federation” side of the website – links to the left, and the individual “Parties” side – links to the right; received instructions that documents and revisions to the Party areas should be sent to Exec. Sec. Doneau, for submission to the webmaster; and was informed that a new Federation domain at <www.verdesamericagreens.org> is currently linked to the original site at <www.fpva.org.mx>, but will soon become the exclusive Internet location for our Federation.
17) Estatutos (By-Laws) of the Federation
Delegates agreed by acclamation to create a Statutes and Bylaws Committee, to review concerns and suggestions for statute revisions, and report those proposed revisions to the Assembly, no later than one month prior to the next Annual Meeting; voted unanimously to elect to this Committee, Delegates Silvaine Zimmermann and Jean Cloutier (Canada), Manuel Diaz Capdevilla (Venezuela), Manuel Baquedano (Chile), Leonardo Álvarez (México), and Fabio Mariño (Colombia); and agreed by consensus that the Committee will choose its own point person/coordinator.
18) Presentation by Partido Verde Opción Centro (Colombia)
The Assembly heard a report by Daniel García Colorado, Secretary General of the Partido Verde Opción Centro (PVOC) in Colombia, who explained the history and political program of the organization; Co-President Mroz accepted PVOC’s documents for further review.
19) Presentation by Movimiento los Verdes (Bolivia)
The Assembly heard a report by Miluska Aguilar Jeri of the Movimiento los Verdes in Cochabamba, Bolivia, who explained the history, publications, and political program of the group, and invited delegates to attend the “World Social Ecological Forum” at Komunidad Janajpacha in Cochabamba, 28-30 November 2008; Co-President Mroz accepted the group’s documents for further review.
20) Guest Intervention
The Assembly heard a statement by guest Johan Hamels (Belgium), expressing concerns and asking the Federation to take action, regarding the political initiative of the Partido Verde Ecologista de México, which would reinstate capital punishment in México, a position which is proscribed in the Global Green Charter; Del. Álvarez of México responded with an explanation of PVEM’s position and rationale; delegates agreed by consensus to consider Hamel’s request via the Federation listserve, and to request that the Partido Verde Ecologista de México submit the exact wording of their capital punishment initiative for distribution to the FPVA membership, which the Partido Verde Ecologista de México agreed to do.
21) Next Meeting of the Federation
The Assembly heard Del. Baquedano’s proposal to host the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Asamblea General in Chile; by acclamation the delegates approved the Chilean proposal.
22) Political Declaration
Del. Silvaine Zimmermann (Canada) offered to coordinate the drafting of a political declaration from the meeting, in consultation with Del. Fabino Mariño (Colombia); and to distribute the draft to delegates via e-mail, seeking quick approval; Zimmermann’s offer was accepted by the Assembly, by acclamation.
23) ADJOURNMENT
Having reached the end of the agenda, Del. Affigne thanked the Assembly for a long day of cooperative work on many difficult agenda items; the Co-Presidents thanked Del. Affigne for his facilitation of the meeting; the meeting adjourned at 8:05PM (2005h).
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APPENDIX B
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REPORT OF THE ELECTIONS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
03/04/09 — The elections for Co-Chair of the International Committee closed Monday, March 2. There were a total of 24 votes cast and the result of the election is that Justine McCabe is elected to the two-year term and Steve Herrick is elected to the one-year term.
In an effort to be transparent, we have provided a detailed report at the end of this message on the method of determining the winners of the election. We recognize that the election was complicated by the withdrawal of Marnie Glickman after voting had begun. This may have influenced some of the ballots. However, as the Election Committee, our job is to count the votes cast and this is all we have attempted to do.
As members of the Election Committee (two of whom were drafted into the process after it was underway), we have made our best faith effort to bring this election to as fair a conclusion as possible. We strongly recommend that the International Committee adopt a more detailed election procedure before the next election.
For a Green Future, Ruth Lee (Missouri), Aimee Smith (Michigan) & Richard Walton (Rhode Island) Ad Hoc Elections Subcommittee
DETAILED REPORT OF RESULTS
The Election Committee used a commonly accepted method of counting ballots when there is preferential voting and there are multiple seats to be filled. The first place winner is the one who receives the most first choice votes, providing they exceed the required threshold as a percentage of the total votes cast. The threshold would be one more vote than 1/(1+n) where n=the number of seats to be filled. In this case where there are two offices, 1/(1+2) = 33.3%. 33% times 24 votes = 8 + 1 = a threshold of 9. This would be the minimum number of first choice votes required to determine the winner of the two-year term.
The tally of first choice votes is:
Justine McCabe – 12
Steve Herrick – 8
Marnie Glickman – 4
abstentions – 1
JUSTINE MCCABE CROSSES THE THRESHOLD WITH 12 VOTES AND THUS WINS THE TWO-YEAR TERM.
There could be three ways to determine the winner of the second position:
1. Marnie has indicated that she withdrew, so Steve Herrick wins the second position by default.
2. When the total votes cast for the winner of the first position exceed the threshold, then the number by which their tally exceeds the threshold are considered “extra” votes. The second choices on that number of ballots are then tallied and added to the total first choice votes cast for the remaining candidates. While there are different methods of determining which are the “extra” ballots whose second choices should be tallied, in this election, there was an easy solution. Only one of the ballots with Justine McCabe as first choice indicated Marnie Glickman as second choice. Therefore, no matter what method is used to select the three “extra” ballots to be counted, the most “extra” votes that could be cast for Marnie would be one, leaving two for Steve. Thus the result of the second tally would be:
Steve Herrick – 8 first choice votes + 2 second choice votes = 10
Marnie Glickman – 4 first choice votes + 1 second choice vote = 5
Thus Steve crosses the threshold of 9 and wins the second position.
3. If we consider second choice votes (as was somewhat implied in
the original instructions) the tally is:
Steve Herrick – 14 second choice votes
Marnie Glickman – 1 second choice vote
THUS BY THREE POSSIBLE METHODS, STEVE HERRICK WINS THE ONE-YEAR TERM.
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APPENDIX C
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DRAFT STATEMENT ON ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT APPROVED BY IC 04/06/09
PROPOSAL: Draft Statement on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Call for BDS endorsement by International Green Parties. In keeping with Prop 190, and in response to the three-week Israeli assault on Gaza beginning in December 2008, the International Committee considered a draft statement to be circulated among international Green Parties urging them to join our party in endorsing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. The vote took place on the IC list beginning Tuesday, March 31, 2009, and ending Monday, April 6, 2009 at 10 PDT. We had 34 out of 43 people participate, which is 79%. “Yes” votes were 85% of total participation, and 67% of the whole committee.
YES
1. Justine McCabe (Connecticut)
2. Richard Z. Duffee (Connecticut)
3. Dean Andrew Murville (District of Columbia)
4. David Schwartzman (District of Columbia)
5. Hector Sabelli (Illinois)
6. Jack Ailey (Illinois)
7. Rocky Neptun (Lavender Greens)
8. Romi Elnagar (Louisiana)
9. Bahram Zandi (Maryland)
10. Gretchen Klotz (Massachusetts)
11. Julianna Saad (Massachusetts)
12. Alan Kaufman (Michigan)
13. Derek Grigsby (Michigan)
14. Aimee Smith (Michigan)
15. Ruth Lee (Missouri)
16. Julia Willebrand (New York)
17. Tony Gronowicz (New York)
18. Carl Arnold (New York)
19. Vivek Ananthan (Pennsylvania)
20. Ceci Wheeler (Pennsylvania)
21. Tony Affigne (Rhode Island)
22. Richard Walton (Rhode Island)
23. Jill Bussiere (Wisconsin)
24. Steve Herrick (Wisconsin)
25. W. Michael Slattery (Wisconsin)
26. Michael Sonnleitner (Oregon)
27. Carl J. Romanelli (Pennsylvania)
28. John Rensenbrink (Maine)
29. Michael Canney (Florida)
NO
30. Amy Vas Nunes (Connecticut)
31. Jay R.S. Parks (Lavender Greens)
Declined to vote:
32. Sanda Everette (California)
33. Mike Feinstein (California)
Abstaining:
34. Marnie Glickman (California)
PROPOSAL: Draft Statement on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Call for BDS endorsement by International Green Parties
PRESENTER: International Committee, GPUS
CONTACT: Justine McCabe [email protected]
SUBJECT: DRAFT Green Party Statement on Gaza Crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Call for Boycott, Divestment Sanctions Against Israel
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Implementation of the GPUS International Committee’s mission as directed by GPUS Prop 190 of November 21, 2005, “The GPUS National Committee directs the International Committee to work with our sister Green parties around the world in implementing an international boycott.” http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2005_11_28.shtml
In keeping with Prop 190, and in response to the three-week Israeli assault on Gaza beginning in December 2008, the International Committee considered a draft statement to be circulated among international Green Parties urging them to join our party in endorsing the Boycott, Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. That statement was discussed at length among IC members and a straw poll revealed majority support for it. This proposal is an opportunity for the IC to formally endorse the statement with the intention of circulating it among international Green Parties for endorsement of the BDS campaign as directed by GPUS Prop 190. If this proposal passes, it would go to the GPUS Steering Committee (SC) for review.
FULL PROPOSAL: Draft statement is below
TIME LINE: Voting: beginning Monday, March 30, 2009 ending Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 10 pm PDT
RESOURCES: Lobbying efforts by members of GPUS International Committee
REFERENCES:
http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/democracy.html#310677;
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2005_11_28.shtml;
http://www.gp.org/committees/intl/response_on_palestine.html
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DRAFT
Green Party Statement On Gaza Crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict:
A Call for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Against Israel
Although Green Parties represent different countries and regions of the world, we share common principles essential to understanding and resolving this conflict. Among these principles are non-violence, including consistent enforcement of international law; ecological wisdom and sustainability, including reducing the negative impact of humankind on the natural environment; and social justice, thereby rejecting discrimination based on gender, class or ethnicity.
These principles guide our response to the recent crisis in Gaza that began on December 27, 2008 in which we condemn the killing of civilians, condemn the excessive and disproportionate force used by Israel, the Occupying Power in Gaza, call for a full and continuing ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas government in Gaza, and a complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces with the opening of all border crossings in Gaza
As of January 18, the Gaza crisis resulted in displacement of thousands of Palestine, the injury of more than 5,300, and the killing of over 1,300, mostly civilians. It has also caused the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, including demolition of hundreds of homes and attacks on UN schools and on the UNRWA warehouse, which is the source of basic necessities, such as food, fuel and medicines. According to a 1/15/09 UN press release: “One in every 250 people in Gaza is either now dead or significantly injured . . . This number is comparable to 33,000 people in New York City or 1.2 million people in the United States.”
read original source for above
Furthermore, we are greatly distressed by the continuing decoupling of these recent hostilities from their historic context, which encourages, inter alia, the following obstacles to peace:
. Demonization of Palestinians as inherently anti-Semitic, hateful terrorists;
. Delegitimization of lawful resistance by Palestinians to Israeli violations of their human and legal rights;
. Propounding the myth of balance between the two peoples despite the patently disproportionate military and political power between them: an occupying power, Israel – nuclear-armed with the fourth largest military in the world, backed by a superpower – and Palestinians, an effectively disarmed, impoverished and occupied people;
. Jettisoning of international law in favor of bilateral negotiations between two actors of such grossly unequal power, a course begun with the Madrid /Oslo process;
. Distortions of human security needs of Israelis in favor of Israeli state security and regional domination;
. Conflation of criticism of Israeli policies with anti-Semitism, which promotes regressive elements on both sides for political gain, trivializes the historic prejudice against Jews, and inhibits the expression of sympathy Palestinians do have for Jewish suffering, especially the Nazi holocaust.
As a consequence we call for a redirection of international attention to the root causes of past and ongoing hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians, i.e., Palestinian dispossession and ethnic cleansing by Israel since 1948, and the establishment of an apartheid-like system in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) that discriminates against non-Jews.*
THEREFORE:
Recalling the historic examples of apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany that a just, enduring peace, and reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis depend on acknowledgement of wrongdoing and restitution and;
Recalling that Europeans, not Palestinians, were responsible for the Nazi holocaust; we believe that individual European Green Parties, especially those with elected representatives in their governments, and in the EU parliament in their capacity to influence the European Union’s relation to Israel, have a special duty to ensure that Palestinians no longer bear the blame for historic European transgressions against Jews; and
Recalling that the Green Party of the United States has a particular obligation in relation to this conflict as the US government is Israel’s closest ally:
. That Israel receives more than $5 billion annually in military and financial aid; that as current hostilities in Gaza illustrate, Israel’s use of this military aid often violates American laws in that the Arms Export Control Act stipulates that US-supplied weapons be used only for “legitimate self-defense” and that the US Foreign Assistance Act prohibits military assistance to any country “which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights” and that the Proxmire Amendment bans military assistance to any government that refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to allow inspection of its nuclear facilities, as Israel refuses to do;
. That the United States government, including both its major parties, has not been an impartial peace broker in this conflict but continues to provide political cover and protection to Israel internationally, particularly at the United Nations, where it has vetoed scores of Security Council Resolutions opposing Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights and international law, thereby undermining the central purpose of the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security;
. That US support for Israeli violations against the Palestinian people is a main source of antipathy to the US and the West among the world’s formerly colonized peoples who identify with Palestinians; that this US support not only decreases US/Western national security, but also contributes to Middle East and international instability; and
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41982
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/world/14clash.html
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/65b122b6-e8c0-11dd-a4d0-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
Recognizing that this conflict continues to have a devastating ecological impact on Israel/Palestine, especially water sources, thereby decreasing security for the whole region; and
Recognizing that despite 61 years of continuous diplomatic attempts by the international community, it has failed to bring about Israel’s compliance with international law or respect for basic Palestinian human rights; and
Recognizing that, despite abundant condemnation of Israel’s policies by the UN, International Court of Justice, and all relevant international conventions, the international community of nations has failed to stop violations by Israel of Palestinian human rights in Israel and the OPT, while Israeli crimes continue with impunity, as the recent assault on Gaza illustrates; and
Recalling that ending institutionalized racism (apartheid) in South Africa demanded an unusual, cooperative action by the entire international community in the form of a boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against apartheid South Africa, and that BDS can become the most effective nonviolent means for achieving justice and genuine peace between Palestinians and Israelis, and in the region, through concerted international pressure as applied to apartheid South Africa; and
Recognizing that Palestinian resistance to ongoing dispossession has mainly been nonviolent, including its most basic form – remaining in their homes, on their land; and that while Palestinian armed resistance is legitimate under international law when directed at non-civilian targets, we believe that only nonviolent resistance will maintain the humanity of Palestinian society, elicit the greatest solidarity from others, and maximize the chance for future reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians; and
Recognizing, however, that our appeal to Palestinians to continue to resist nonviolently in the face of ongoing existential threats from Israel is hypocritical unless accompanied by substantial acts of international support; and
Recalling that in 2005, Palestinian Civil Society appealed to the international community to support a BDS campaign against Israel; and
Recalling that in response, at least two Green Parties have passed resolutions supporting this BDS campaign:
Green Party of the United States in 2005
http://www.gpus.org/press/pr_2005_11_28.shtml
Green Party of England and Wales in 2008
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=1733;
We, international Green parties:
Call publicly for the implementation of boycott and divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era; and
Agree to pressure our respective governments to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel; and
Support maintaining these nonviolent punitive measures until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by:
1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Palestinian lands and dismantling the Wall in the West Bank;
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
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APPENDIX D
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SUPPORT FOR PROPOSED FPVA STATEMENT ON HONDURAN COUP
30 June 2009
Federation Co-Presidents Mroz, Gonzalez, and Willebrand;
Green Party Friends and Colleagues in the Americas:
The International Committee of the Green Party of the United States approves the proposal by the Green Party of Nicaragua, for our Federation to denounce the coup in Honduras, and the threat to democracy in the region which the coup represents. We agree with our Green colleagues in Brasil, Argentina, Chile, and Guatemala, that the Nicaraguan proposal should be the basis for a statement by the Federation.
Therefore, on behalf of the Green Party of the United States, we join withyou in the following:
1. We categorically condemn the attack on democracy and public institutions of the Republic of Honduras.
2. We demand restoration of constitutional order and democratic institutions.
3. We demand the return of the Constitutional President Manuel Zelaya.
4. We demand full respect for the human and political rights of the people of Honduras.
5. We encourage the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas, the Central American Integration System, the Group of Rio, the European Union, the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, the Global Greens and other sister nations and international bodies, to maintain their firm rejection of the coup in Honduras.
Members of our International Committee are preparing a more extensive statement about this crisis, for distribution within the United States. When it is finished, we will share this statement with you.
We thank Edward Salazar Cruz and the Green Party of Nicaragua, for their initiative to propose a Federation statement.
For a Green future,
Tony Affigne
Delegado, FPVA
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org/committees/intl/
At 5:40 PM -0300 6/29/09, Edward Martin Salazar Cruz wrote:
Estimados Colegas V erdes
Es de conocimiento publico el golpe militar de estado en la hermana Republica de Honduras,
les envio con todo respeto una propuesta de carta – pronunciamiento la cual considero que
podemos juntos mejorarla y enviarla a traves de la secretaria a las organizaciones, gobiernos
e instancias nacionales e internacionales en donde los verdes podamos incidir positivamente
por el restablecimiento del Estado de Derecho en nuestra nacion hermana de Honduras.
Les envio mis saludos
Edward
COMUNICADO DE LA FEDERACION DE PARTIDOS VERDES DE LAS AMERICAS SOBRE EL GOLPE MILITAR DE ESTADO EN HONDURAS
Managua, 29 de Junio del 2009
Ante el Golpe de Estado militar contra el Presidente Constitucional Manuel Zelaya en la República de Honduras y el rompimiento del Estado de Derecho en este soberano País, la Federación de Partidos Verdes de las Américas y sus miembros declaran:
1. Condenamos de forma categórica este atentado contra la democracia y la institucionalidad de la República de Honduras.
2. Demandamos el restablecimiento del orden constitucional y la institucionalidad democrática.
3. Demandamos la restitución del Presidente Constitucional Manuel Zelaya.
4. Demandamos el irrestricto respeto a los Derechos Humanos y los Derechos Políticos de los Ciudadanos y del pueblo de Honduras.
5. Animamos a la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, la Organización de Estados Americanos, la Alianza Bolivariana de las Américas, al Sistema de Integración Centroamericana, al Grupo de Rio, la Unión Europa, los Estados Unidos de América, Canadá y México, la Global Green y otras instancias internacional y naciones hermanas a mantener firme su rechazo al golpe de Estado en Honduras y al gobierno de facto nacido del golpe militar.
Nuestra solidaridad con el pueblo de Honduras y con su Presidente Legitimo
Don Manuel Zelaya.
