Sucks that a candidate like this — by all indications more serious than any of the other gubernatorial contenders (though without the resources that come from being a corporatist candidate) — has to waste her breath saying she should be included in the debates.
But despite the hurdles, Stein lit up Greater Boston last night:
Continue reading Jill Stein lights some sparks on Greater Boston with Emily RooneyGovernor Deval Patrick recently signed a state budget that imposed painful cuts on education, social services, and the environment. But he says it was the best that he could do, so don’t blame him. Jill Stein makes a compelling case that the cuts were – in fact – avoidable, and that the choice of where the pain would fall was deliberate. This is a debate that needs to happen.
Continue reading Stein Says State Budget Shows “Misplaced Priorities”Updated on July 20 with the following good news from Scott Laugenour, candidate for State Legislature from the Berkshire Fourth District–visit his web site for more information:
I am pleased to report that my campaign collected enough signatures for a single payer question – drafted by Mass Care – to be placed on the November ballot. The signatures were sent to Mass Care on July 16. Here is the campaign statement [originally published on GMG on July 7]:
The 4th Berkshire District is on track to have a health care reform question on November’s ballot, specifically promoting a comprehensive public health insurance system similar to what most other democracies in the world have.
Scott’s campaign took the lead in giving voters in the 4th Berkshire District an opportunity to weigh in on the issue.
Continue reading Single Payer Question on 4th Berkshire Ballot–UPDATE!
The Stop Spewing Carbon Ballot Campaign announced today a major victory in the fight against biomass incinerators promoted as “clean energy” and as a result will not put its question on the statewide ballot for November 2010.
“Today Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles issued a letter* saying his agency will change our state laws to bring them in line with current science and public policy requiring biomass incinerators to meet strict standards for forest protection, greenhouse gas emissions, and efficiency,” said Meg Sheehan, Chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon Ballot Campaign. “This is a groundbreaking development that means an end to commercial biomass electric power plants in Massachusetts. Science confirms that the greenhouse gas emissions of burning forests are worse than
coal and there’s no reason to subsidize this form of energy,” Sheehan said.
Secretary Bowles’ letter says that to meet greenhouse targets the state should change “the incentives we provide biomass energy under the Renewable Portfolio Standard.” The Stop Spewing Campaign collected over 120,000 signatures from Massachusetts’ voters to end biomass subsidies. Sheehan said, “this sent a clear message to Governor Patrick. Ending renewable energy credits for dirty incinerators was the central goal of our ballot question and we have won.” The state also announced that construction and
demolition debris incinerators will not get renewable energy credits, another victory for the Campaign.
“Our coalition of social justice, public health, environmental, forestry advocates and fiscal watchdogs have won a victory for the citizens of Massachusetts, the nation, and indeed the planet,” Sheehan said. “Citizens have let government officials know they don’t want their taxpayer and ratepayer money spent on these toxic incinerators disguised as “clean energy.”
“We will continue to work to prevent air pollution impacts from potential smaller biomass projects and for a state wide ban on construction and demolition debris burning. We also intend to pressure the administration to tighten the biomass regulations even further than what was put forth today to prevent all destructive bio-energy schemes and false solutions to climate change. We will *want to make sure that so called “clean energy” projects don’t pollute the air, the water, and destroy our forests,” said Sheehan.
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Contact: Meg Sheehan,Chair,Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign tel. 508-259-9154
meg(at)ecolaw(dot) biz Go to: www.stopspewingcarbon.org
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* Bowles’ letter below:
We in the Green-Rainbow Party are occasionally asked about the ‘Rainbow’ in our name. A few days ago an inquiry came into the party’s e-mail address from a person who suggested dropping the ‘Rainbow’ because including it in the party name might turn off some people. The party’s Treasurer, Merelice, offered reply (A) below. I was copied on her reply and felt a great deal of pride for the party that I affiliate with and whose slate I campaign on as a candidate.
Last month, a different inquiry came to the party from a voter who was concerned that the party did not adequately promote gay/lesbian issues. I wrote the reply (B) which follows (A) in the next section.
Continue reading The Rainbowhttp://holyokesunonline.com/06…
Holyoke Resident Running for Lt. Governor, by Dennis P. Hohenberger (Holyoke Sun, 25 June 2010)
Richard P. “Rick” Purcell, a longtime Holyoke resident and community activist, is making a run for the state’s second highest office as the Green-Rainbow Party’s candidate for Lt. Governor.
During a lunchtime stroll in West Holyoke on Tuesday, Purcell spoke of his candidacy, the issues that matter most to him and the way the city has shaped him and his political views, which eventually led him to be Jill Stein’s running mate.
While Purcell and members of his party gather the necessary 10,000 signatures needed to be placed on the fall ballot, his campaign, though grassroots and relying on small, individual donations, continues to speak out on affordable healthcare, schools, the environment, gambling, and issues that matter to working class families.
Continue reading Excellent interview with Rick Purcell, GRP 2010 candidate for Lt. Governorgreat op-ed by Max Page and Michael Ash, UMass Amherst:
AMHERST – “Shared sacrifice.” You will hear the governor say it every time he talks about the budget. It is the phrase used by Charles Murphy, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, when he unveiled a budget that cuts local aid – schools, police and fire, libraries, parks – by $234 million, and public higher education by $132 million.
It was echoed by Michael Widmer of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association when he endorsed the House’s budget; “They (cities and towns) need to share in the pain given our fiscal realities.”
“Shared sacrifice” must poll well in focus groups. But it is a lie and a fraud.
Continued at
http://www.gazettenet.com/2010…
Continue reading The myth of shared sacrificeFrom The Boston Globe:
Patrick, displaying a front-runner’s confidence, responded with a call for eight debates, including two in western Massachusetts, though he did not specify they be televised. He also specifically urged that the debates include both Cahill and Baker, underscoring the benefit he believes will come through a three-way race in which Cahill draws from Baker’s potential conservative vote.
…
“The governor hopes that Tim Cahill and Charlie Baker will join him in one debate a week between Labor Day in September and Election Day in November, for a total of eight debates overall,” said a statement from spokesman Alex Goldstein.
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Meanwhile, Stein complained in her statement that movie producers and biotech companies continue to receive breaks amid the national recession while state aid to cities and towns is cut.
She said voters “are looking for some way to end the giveaways” and redirect spending to town budgets.
“Charlie Baker and Deval Patrick are ducking debates already,” Stein said. “Governor Patrick has refused to appear on stage with other candidates on multiple occasions, allowing only forums without cross-candidate dialogue and real challenge. Often Charlie Baker is not showing up at all. Their fear of real debate is telling.”
It’s official, Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker are afraid of real debate, and afraid of the people’s candidate, Jill Stein!
Continue reading Baker & Patrick move for more exclusionary debatesWhile the Herald chooses to ignore Jill Stein’s voice on the issues, the Stein campaign calls out the Governor for protecting Raytheon, Fidelity and biotech while slashing critical services left and right:
Stein Decries State Budget As A “Tragedy Of Misplaced Priorities”
by FRIENDS OF JILL STEIN on JULY 1, 2010
BOSTON – Green-Rainbow gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein decried the Massachusetts state budget signed by Governor Patrick yesterday as a ”tragedy of misplaced priorities, declaring that “This budget signifies Beacon Hill’s accelerating abandonment of critical services that people need now more than ever.”
Stein challenged Governor Patrick’s assertions that the painful cuts were unavoidable. “The Governor cannot duck his responsibility for the cuts or for the tax and fee hikes” according to Stein. “These cuts are there because of deliberate decisions made by the Governor and the Democratic Party leadership. They decided to protect powerful special interests and put the burden of balancing the budget on the backs of those least able to defend themselves. ”
“This budget hits struggling education programs with another $180 million in cuts, including cuts to public schools, and higher education – already cut more in Massachusetts than any other state over the past five years. Programs that provide for our elders, at risk youth, the disabled, the mentally ill, disadvantaged children and distressed families are all under attack. State and municipal workers providing essential services are being fired.”
Continue reading Massachusetts Budget — A Tragedy Of Misplaced PrioritiesIs it possible to replace the “money bomb” with a “Democracy Day?” Can we stem the tide of unjust, profit-driven policy, controlled by big-money corporations and their lobbyists? What would it take in Massachusetts to build a viable political alternative that is NOT beholden to special interests, and is instead truly accountable to the people of the Commonwealth, driven by the needs and desires of ordinary citizens across the state?
As Carl Davidson said at a Majority Agenda Project event, we need to organize our money, our votes, and our ideas. I think one way to do all 3 together is through the Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts.
One mechanism I’ve been working on to help us organize our money is a remix of Ron Paul’s “money bomb.” Hating that term, we’ve been cooking up a more positive spin, called “Democracy Day”:
