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reprinted with permission
by Steven Stwalley
Wisconsin Greens Step Up; Challenge
Status Quo
by babblemur
The Wisconsin Green Party has been stepping up and challenging the status quo in
Wisconsin politics. Two initiatives in particular, covered below, both ask questions for
Wisconsinites that no other political party seems willing to ask. First, the Wisconsin
Green Party has launched an effort to place an advisory referendum on as many local
ballots as possible in next spring's election asking voters: "Should the United States
begin an immediate, phased withdrawal of its troops from Iraq?" Wow! Ask the
people what they think? What a novel idea!
A second, unrelated challenge has come from Madison Alderman Austin King (G) who
filed a nine page complaint with Attorney General Peggy Lautenschlager against
Governor Doyle (D), Assembly Speaker Gard (R) and Senate Majority Leader Schultz
(R) for felony 'logrolling' violations related to the back room deal struck between the
three regarding local minimum wage laws.
The Wisconsin Green Party is stepping into a noticeable void in state politics left by both the
Democratic Party and the Republican Party, speaking up for Wisconsin Progressives who feel betrayed
by Democratic Governor Doyle's Dirty Air Bill (Jobs Creation Act II), Doyle's gutting of University of
Wisconsin funding, and collaboration with the Republican controlled legislature to deny local
communities self-governance. The Wisconsin Greens are demonstrating of late that they are willing and
able to take a stand and fight for the Progressive positions against the War in Iraq, and against the
special interests that have seized control of the state government through quid pro quo campaign
donations for deregulation and tax breaks by special interest lobbyists.
wrong with this
country here
May 27, 2005
May 23-25, 2005
May 20, 2005
May 19, 2005
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Nat'l Blogs and Babblers
 | Alternet | |
| Common Dreams | |
| Crooks and Liars | |
| Daily Kos | |
| Eschaton |
Wisconsin Commentary
| Vast Dairy State | |
| Conspiracy | ||
| Fightingbob.com | |
| Wisconsin | |
| Democracy Campaign |
Oshkosh News and Blogs
| ABV Army Times | |
| Lake Winneblogo | |
| Eye on Oshkosh | |
| TonyPalmeri.com | |
| Oshblog | |
| Lake Winnebago | |
| Green Party |
Media
| Democracy Now! | |
| Salon.com | |
| Slate.com | |
| Washington Post | |
| New York Times | |
| Milwaukee Journal | |
| Sentinel | ||
| Oshkosh News | |
| Oshkosh | |
| Northwestern |
Referendum on Troop
Withdrawal
-Wisconsin Green Party
The Wisconsin Green Party announced today
that it will work with citizens across the state to
place an advisory referendum on as many local
ballots as possible in next spring’s election asking
voters the question, “Should the United States
begin an immediate, phased withdrawal of its
troops from Iraq?”
Jeff Peterson, of Luck, will coordinate the
various efforts around the state, most of which
will involve convincing county boards to give
their constituents the opportunity to weigh in on
the war. “We intentionally crafted a referendum
that is neutral in its language,” said Peterson.
“We’re not trying to put local elected officials on
the spot by forcing them to take a stand on the
war. We just think that, after two years, it would
be the democratic thing to do to allow average
citizens to weigh in on the Iraq situation.”
Peterson, who was the Green Party’s candidate
for lieutenant governor in 2004, said he expects
the idea of a voter referendum to receive an
enthusiastic response not only from local Green
Party chapters, but also from the informal
network of peace and justice groups that have
sprung up around the state in recent years. They
will also reach out, he said, to families with loved
ones in the military.
Wisconsin law permits statewide referenda of an
advisory nature, but only with the legislature’s
approval. Because that can be difficult, many
referenda questions are submitted at the county
level. In last April’s election, for example, the
Wisconsin Counties Association succeeded in
getting two questions regarding state funding of
court and social service systems on the ballot in
almost every county. Both questions passed
overwhelmingly.
Cities and villages may also vote to put referenda
on their ballots; they are obliged to do so when
presented with petitions containing signatures
totalling 15% of the vote for governor in the last
election.
Wisconsin Green Party Co-Chair Jill Bussiere of
Kewaunee thinks people are ready to have a say
on the war. "We've had countless vigils and
marches and protests," she said, "but too often
they go unreported by the media. I think if the
majority of those voting next April 4 vote in
favor of withdrawing our troops from Iraq, that
will send a strong message to our national elected
representatives in Washington."
While their proposed referendum may be worded
in neutral language, the Green Party is anything
but neutral on issues of war and peace. One of
what they call their “key values” is nonviolence,
and Greens were among the earliest and most
outspoken critics of the Bush administration’s
decision to invade Iraq. And while theirs may
have been the minority view two years ago,
Bussiere says she thinks people are growing
weary of a war that appears as if it has no end.
“There are still some people who think that, to
support the troops, you have to support the
war, too,” she said. “I think the best way to
show support for our troops is to make every
effort to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Schultz, Doyle, and others for
felony logrolling violations
Wisconsin Green Party calls for a
thorough investigation and
punishment
-Wisconsin Green Party
(Madison) - Madison Ald. Austin King today
filed the attached nine-page complaint with
Attorney General Peggy Lautenschlager, along
with a mountain of evidence described in the
letter. The letter accuses Assembly Speaker
Gard, Senate Majority Leader Schultz, and
Governor Doyle of having a quid pro quo
agreement whereby Governor Doyle would sign
the municipal minimum wage preemption bill, AB
49, in exchange for legislative acceptance of a
DWD rule increasing the state minimum wage.
Such backroom dealing is a direct violation of
Wisconsin State Statutes 13.06, which classifies
the commission of such an act as a Class I
Felony. The Wisconsin Green Party supports
Ald. King's actions, and is calling for a thorough
investigation of his allegations, along with the
effective punishment of any state elected officials
who broke the law.
"The deal worked out between Doyle, Gard, and
Schultz isn't just bad for low-wage workers, it's
illegal. It's clear that Wisconsin Manufacturers
and Commerce brokered a deal between the
Governor and the Republican leadership, and it's
time for Wisconsin's Attorney General to clean
house," said Jill Busierre, Co-Chair of the
Wisconsin Green Party.
Wisconsin's anti-logrolling statutes were the work
of the progressive leadership in the 1911
Wisconsin State Legislature, which also passed
the first workers' compensation law in this
country, the first workable income tax in the
country, a state life insurance program, legislation
that aided farm cooperatives and agricultural
education, and a corrupt practices act that was
designed to clean up political activity, among
other things. Wisconsin's heralded Home Rule
statutes and constitutional amendments soon
followed. The Wisconsin Green Party, as a direct
descendent of the independent progressive
political movements of the teens, twenties, and
thirties, calls for the enforcement of Wisconsin's
progressive-era clean government laws.
"The State Capitol, Fighting Bob LaFollette's
'Temple of Democracy,' needs a cleaning once
again," said Ben Manski, a longtime Wisconsin
Green Party activist. "The burden is on the
Attorney General to take up that charge and work
with reformers to make Wisconsin government
transparent and accountable once again."
Ald. King is one of three Greens serving on the
Madison Common Council, and one of eighteen
Greens serving in elected office in Wisconsin
today.
The Wisconsin Green Party is affiliated with the
Green Party of the United States, and stands on
the four pillars of Social & Economic Justice,
Grassroots Democracy, Nonviolence, and
Ecological Wisdom.
For more information, visit
http://www.wisconsingreenparty.org . The
Green Party of the United States' website is
http://www.gp.org .
Hardy Family joins 139
U.S. Mayors and 141
Nations to Sign on to
Kyoto Protocol
by babblemur
The Hardy Family of Oshkosh, WI
has unanimously decided to sign on
to the Climate Protection Agreement
along with the Mayors of Madison,
LaCrosse, Wauwatosa and
Greenfield, WI. "The cause is just,
and we just want to do our small
part to help," said Ronald Hardy.
The Treaty calls for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions to 7%
below 1990 levels by 2012. Cities
are attempting to do this through a
variety of methods, but the Hardy
Family has found a simple solution
for meeting their targets. "We're
getting a new furnace." stated Amy
Hardy. "Our piece of junk is 50
years old, it operates at 40%
efficiency. The new one should
reduce our energy consumption by
half."
George Bush cited potential job loss
as the reason the United States held
out from signing on to the Kyoto
Protocol, but the Hardys disagree.
"In fact," said Ron, "It will result in a
job increase, because Amy is going
to have to get a second job in order
to pay for the furnace."
Three year old Ella Hardy added, "I
like blueberries!"
| MEET THE GREENS! |
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|
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| Green??? Meet John Eder, State Representative in the Maine Legislature, representing Portland, ME! The popular 33 year old local activist had broad support from republicans, democrats, and independents. Eder campaigned on single payer healthcare, education funding, and affordable housing. Eder also served as a Representative on the Portland Tenants’ Union, Co-Founder of the Portland Pesticide Watch, and Co- Chair of the Portland Green Independent Committee. |
