Ecological Wisdom * Social Justice
Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence
Green Party of Michigan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.MIGreenParty.org
** News Release **
** ------------ **
January 20, 2015
For More Information, Contact:
-----------------------------
Fred Vitale, GPMI Chair
freddetroit@sbcglobal.net
(313) 580-4905
Eric Borregard, GPMI Media Committee
EBorregard@aol.com
Michigan Greens Tie Values to Issues
in 2015 “State of the State” Response
=====================================
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) explains how its Ten Key Values
shape its views of major issues facing the state in a 20-minute video
response to the 2015 “State of the State” speech Governor Snyder is
scheduled to give at the Capitol tonight.
The response is posted on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beW2ZhNJvAA
Appearing in the video are
* Fred Vitale of Detroit, GPMI's state chair and a Wayne County
Commission candidate last year;
* Sherry A. Wells of Ferndale, who was nominated by GPMI last June for a
seat on the State Board of Education and is already running again for
2016; and
* Chris Wahmhoff of Kalamazoo, GPMI's US Senate candidate last year but
better known for his protest of Enbridge's 2010 Kalamazoo River pipeline
spill.
Big Money Link Between Pollution of
Water and Corruption of Government
----------------------------------
To Wahmhoff, the “most glaring issue for Michigan – and quite
honestly, the country right now” – is Line 5, a 61-year-old Enbridge
pipeline across the Mackinac Straits. A pinhole leak in Line 5 near
Manistique last month spilled thousands of gallons of oil in a matter of
minutes.
“By the company's own admission, if that pipeline ruptures, it will
take eight minutes to spill 1.5 million gallons of 'product' – as they
call oil – into the Great Lakes. That will destroy Michigan's economy.”
Chris sees that as a real national-security threat. “I can't think
of anything more dangerous than the US losing the largest supply of
fresh water in the world.”
To Wahmhoff, the 2010 spill is more than just a "devastating"
environmental impact. It shows the systemic corruption of Michigan's
government on behalf of the 1%. He points out that Enbridge was fined
$4.3 million for the incident, but makes $40 million a day – and that
the corporation is still in violation now, but hasn't been brought to
any justice.
"It's the same with the banks," he adds – and with Whirlpool, whose
influence has helped to lock up another Green-supported community
activist, Reverend Edward Pinkney of Benton Harbor.
Chris agrees with the Princeton-Northwestern study which found that
the US is not a democracy, but an oligarchy run by and for the rich.
People need to be encouraged to get up and run, on the local level –
"and set the precedent that we're not going to take big money."
In fact, he says, "We need to boycott [candidates] who are willing
to take money from these big corporations that are showing no
accountability to the people." When that happens, he believes, money
will come back to the people's priorities.
His vision for GPMI is to use the party's ballot access for the
people. "We all see the problems – whether it's roads, environmental
impact, segregation, or class warfare . . . we can all get together on
the local level."
Taking Back Our Government – Starting
with Local Schools and City Halls
---------------------------------
Wells agrees with Wahmhoff on the need for local action, noting
Snyder's "Portfolio District" plan "means taking *our* schools away from
*us*." She notes that when schools were identified as "deficit
schools", money was taken away from them. "And all of a sudden the
schools are failing – imagine that!"
"Grassroots democracy is a Green Party pillar. But grassroots
democracy is not working for us any more – we need to take it back; we
need to take our schools back." In fact, part of her vision for
education is a day when everyone goes to their local schools – and takes
them back.
Sherry knows Michigan "has the biggest number of charter schools –
*for-profit* charter schools – in the country. That is not one of the
#1s I want us to be. . . . Those schools have boards of education –
*appointed* by the corporation that owns the schools. That is not
grassroots democracy." And charter advocates' talk of choice rings
hollow to Wells. "People, especially poorer people, do not have choice.
They don't have the transportation, they don't have the time, they
don't have the funding."
But some problems need a statewide approach, she argues. To Wells,
it can't be a good environment for jobs or business if people can't
read. An adult literacy summit is already part of her 2016 campaign.
Wells is fighting takeaways of women's rights by getting more women
in government as candidates for elective office and appointed board
positions. "We need our 51%!" Here, too, she is already working on
this, identifying qualified women in her own community of Ferndale and
making sure the authorities know about them. She hopes each community
can do the same.
Like Wahmhoff, she is new to Green Party politics, though her
sister has been active in California for 20 years. She looked up GPMI
last year, read about the party's values, and thought, "I could live in
a world like that!" As she tells people, it's not just the environment.
It's about the green in your pocket – and grassroots democracy – and
non-violence . . . which applies to schools, too, she adds; think bullying.
Democracy “Only Really Exists If
We Practice It” -- So Vote Green
--------------------------------
Vitale says current events show the people don't really support the
corporate agenda. "Young black people in particular are mobilizing
regularly against police murders. We've achieved civil-rights victories
for gay people. And we had the biggest demonstration against
human-caused climate change this year."
He also noted that active citizens in Detroit have opposed all
actions related to the city's bankruptcy, which Snyder claims as a
"signature accomplishment". The real causes of that crisis, he argues,
are decades of institutional, systemic racism and financial austerity –
not local mismanagement. He pointed out that emergency manager Kevyn
Orr has admitted 90% of the bankruptcy's proposed "savings" come from
"balancing the budget on the backs of city workers and pensions" –
nothing about banks and their predatory loans, or the state's cut-off of
promised revenue-sharing funds.
To Fred, Republicans and Democrats both fail to provide a clear
vision of a better life for all – one reason, he feels, for the
polarization in this country. But Greens have a different vision of the
world – shaped by the party's shared values, particularly the Four
Pillars: grassroots democracy, social justice, ecological wisdom, and
non-violence.
Vitale believes that all the Green values bring benefits to the
people. But, he asks, where do people really learn about democracy?
"You don't – not in this society. It only really exists if we practice
it." And GPMI's values, he said, will be urging the people to practice
direct democracy and join the party in supporting two likely upcoming
statewide ballot questions – banning hydraulic fracking and legalizing
marijuana.
Other Michigan Greens reinforce the value-based messages of the
response. Enbridge is not the only energy corporation threatening
Michigan's environment, notes Candace Caveny, GPMI's 2014 candidate for
lieutenant governor. “Energy Transfer of Texas is even now seeking
approval for a 42-inch shale-gas pipeline to cross seven Michigan
counties and go through Sutherland Preserve.” The preserve's protection
for a variety of species of plants and animals could also be at risk if
the new Legislature passes legislation such as the anti-biodiversity
Casperson bill SB 78, rushed through in the lame-duck session.
Greens have been challenging major-party candidates at the local
level since the party earned its spot on the ballot in 2000. Tom Mair
of Traverse City is a prime example; he got 44% of the vote last fall as
GPMI's candidate for a seat on the Grand Traverse County Board. "When
you vote in the next election," Mair urges, "make a clear choice for
positive change by voting for Green Party candidates who are entirely
independent of the major parties." He adds, "The Great Lakes can't be
replaced, but major-party elected officials can – and should be! Vote
Green."
For more information about GPMI and its values, visit
http://www.MIGreenParty.org/
You can also “like” the Green Party of Michigan US Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/migreens
and follow GPMI's Twitter feed @MIGreenParty
https://twitter.com/migreenparty
# # # created/distributed using donated labor
Green Party of Michigan * PO Box 504; Warren, MI 48090 *
313-815-2025 * www.MIGreenParty.org
Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence
Green Party of Michigan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.MIGreenParty.org
** News Release **
** ------------ **
January 20, 2015
For More Information, Contact:
-----------------------------
Fred Vitale, GPMI Chair
freddetroit@sbcglobal.net
(313) 580-4905
Eric Borregard, GPMI Media Committee
EBorregard@aol.com
Michigan Greens Tie Values to Issues
in 2015 “State of the State” Response
=====================================
The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) explains how its Ten Key Values
shape its views of major issues facing the state in a 20-minute video
response to the 2015 “State of the State” speech Governor Snyder is
scheduled to give at the Capitol tonight.
The response is posted on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beW2ZhNJvAA
Appearing in the video are
* Fred Vitale of Detroit, GPMI's state chair and a Wayne County
Commission candidate last year;
* Sherry A. Wells of Ferndale, who was nominated by GPMI last June for a
seat on the State Board of Education and is already running again for
2016; and
* Chris Wahmhoff of Kalamazoo, GPMI's US Senate candidate last year but
better known for his protest of Enbridge's 2010 Kalamazoo River pipeline
spill.
Big Money Link Between Pollution of
Water and Corruption of Government
----------------------------------
To Wahmhoff, the “most glaring issue for Michigan – and quite
honestly, the country right now” – is Line 5, a 61-year-old Enbridge
pipeline across the Mackinac Straits. A pinhole leak in Line 5 near
Manistique last month spilled thousands of gallons of oil in a matter of
minutes.
“By the company's own admission, if that pipeline ruptures, it will
take eight minutes to spill 1.5 million gallons of 'product' – as they
call oil – into the Great Lakes. That will destroy Michigan's economy.”
Chris sees that as a real national-security threat. “I can't think
of anything more dangerous than the US losing the largest supply of
fresh water in the world.”
To Wahmhoff, the 2010 spill is more than just a "devastating"
environmental impact. It shows the systemic corruption of Michigan's
government on behalf of the 1%. He points out that Enbridge was fined
$4.3 million for the incident, but makes $40 million a day – and that
the corporation is still in violation now, but hasn't been brought to
any justice.
"It's the same with the banks," he adds – and with Whirlpool, whose
influence has helped to lock up another Green-supported community
activist, Reverend Edward Pinkney of Benton Harbor.
Chris agrees with the Princeton-Northwestern study which found that
the US is not a democracy, but an oligarchy run by and for the rich.
People need to be encouraged to get up and run, on the local level –
"and set the precedent that we're not going to take big money."
In fact, he says, "We need to boycott [candidates] who are willing
to take money from these big corporations that are showing no
accountability to the people." When that happens, he believes, money
will come back to the people's priorities.
His vision for GPMI is to use the party's ballot access for the
people. "We all see the problems – whether it's roads, environmental
impact, segregation, or class warfare . . . we can all get together on
the local level."
Taking Back Our Government – Starting
with Local Schools and City Halls
---------------------------------
Wells agrees with Wahmhoff on the need for local action, noting
Snyder's "Portfolio District" plan "means taking *our* schools away from
*us*." She notes that when schools were identified as "deficit
schools", money was taken away from them. "And all of a sudden the
schools are failing – imagine that!"
"Grassroots democracy is a Green Party pillar. But grassroots
democracy is not working for us any more – we need to take it back; we
need to take our schools back." In fact, part of her vision for
education is a day when everyone goes to their local schools – and takes
them back.
Sherry knows Michigan "has the biggest number of charter schools –
*for-profit* charter schools – in the country. That is not one of the
#1s I want us to be. . . . Those schools have boards of education –
*appointed* by the corporation that owns the schools. That is not
grassroots democracy." And charter advocates' talk of choice rings
hollow to Wells. "People, especially poorer people, do not have choice.
They don't have the transportation, they don't have the time, they
don't have the funding."
But some problems need a statewide approach, she argues. To Wells,
it can't be a good environment for jobs or business if people can't
read. An adult literacy summit is already part of her 2016 campaign.
Wells is fighting takeaways of women's rights by getting more women
in government as candidates for elective office and appointed board
positions. "We need our 51%!" Here, too, she is already working on
this, identifying qualified women in her own community of Ferndale and
making sure the authorities know about them. She hopes each community
can do the same.
Like Wahmhoff, she is new to Green Party politics, though her
sister has been active in California for 20 years. She looked up GPMI
last year, read about the party's values, and thought, "I could live in
a world like that!" As she tells people, it's not just the environment.
It's about the green in your pocket – and grassroots democracy – and
non-violence . . . which applies to schools, too, she adds; think bullying.
Democracy “Only Really Exists If
We Practice It” -- So Vote Green
--------------------------------
Vitale says current events show the people don't really support the
corporate agenda. "Young black people in particular are mobilizing
regularly against police murders. We've achieved civil-rights victories
for gay people. And we had the biggest demonstration against
human-caused climate change this year."
He also noted that active citizens in Detroit have opposed all
actions related to the city's bankruptcy, which Snyder claims as a
"signature accomplishment". The real causes of that crisis, he argues,
are decades of institutional, systemic racism and financial austerity –
not local mismanagement. He pointed out that emergency manager Kevyn
Orr has admitted 90% of the bankruptcy's proposed "savings" come from
"balancing the budget on the backs of city workers and pensions" –
nothing about banks and their predatory loans, or the state's cut-off of
promised revenue-sharing funds.
To Fred, Republicans and Democrats both fail to provide a clear
vision of a better life for all – one reason, he feels, for the
polarization in this country. But Greens have a different vision of the
world – shaped by the party's shared values, particularly the Four
Pillars: grassroots democracy, social justice, ecological wisdom, and
non-violence.
Vitale believes that all the Green values bring benefits to the
people. But, he asks, where do people really learn about democracy?
"You don't – not in this society. It only really exists if we practice
it." And GPMI's values, he said, will be urging the people to practice
direct democracy and join the party in supporting two likely upcoming
statewide ballot questions – banning hydraulic fracking and legalizing
marijuana.
Other Michigan Greens reinforce the value-based messages of the
response. Enbridge is not the only energy corporation threatening
Michigan's environment, notes Candace Caveny, GPMI's 2014 candidate for
lieutenant governor. “Energy Transfer of Texas is even now seeking
approval for a 42-inch shale-gas pipeline to cross seven Michigan
counties and go through Sutherland Preserve.” The preserve's protection
for a variety of species of plants and animals could also be at risk if
the new Legislature passes legislation such as the anti-biodiversity
Casperson bill SB 78, rushed through in the lame-duck session.
Greens have been challenging major-party candidates at the local
level since the party earned its spot on the ballot in 2000. Tom Mair
of Traverse City is a prime example; he got 44% of the vote last fall as
GPMI's candidate for a seat on the Grand Traverse County Board. "When
you vote in the next election," Mair urges, "make a clear choice for
positive change by voting for Green Party candidates who are entirely
independent of the major parties." He adds, "The Great Lakes can't be
replaced, but major-party elected officials can – and should be! Vote
Green."
For more information about GPMI and its values, visit
http://www.MIGreenParty.org/
You can also “like” the Green Party of Michigan US Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/migreens
and follow GPMI's Twitter feed @MIGreenParty
https://twitter.com/migreenparty
# # # created/distributed using donated labor
Green Party of Michigan * PO Box 504; Warren, MI 48090 *
313-815-2025 * www.MIGreenParty.org
