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Hey Green Mass Group,

I’ve heard a fair amount of talk about how Deval Patrick has been a big disappointment, and how he foreshadowed Obama by promising big change, then delivering more of the same.

My question is: what beef do progressive Bay Staters have with Deval Patrick? I’m writing about Jill Stein’s challenge to politics as usual, and some specifics about the incumbent’s failings would be useful.

Sadly, it’s not easy to do this kind of research on one’s own, since most media outlets like to sum up the progressive viewpoint with one-liners like “The far left has complained that the serious centrist governor is not far enough to the left.”

So what can you give me?

Continue reading So, how about that Deval Patrick fella?
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Got the following email and thought I’d pass it on in case somebody here might be interested:

Do you want to know more about green building? Do you know a student who might want to earn college credit to learn about green building?

My name is Ryan Harb. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a finishing graduate student from UMass and in May I will become the first person in the country to receive a MS in Green Building. I have a strong interest in ecological design and for 4 years I have been transforming my single-family home in Amherst, a college rental property, into a model sustainable residence. One project I’m working on now is a front yard transformation – creating a 5000 s.f. highly productive, food producing, permaculture garden at my home. Designing sustainable (food and other) systems is one of many aspects of green building.

This summer I will be co-teaching a 3-week Sustainable Design and Construction course at Sirius Community in Shutesbury, MA – a model educational and sustainable ecovillage in scenic western Massachusetts. This is one of the few opportunities in the country to receive college credit while learning experientially about sustainable design and construction. All students will receive natural building certification upon completion of this course.

Continue reading Green Building Course
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As we enter political fund-raising season, Speaker DeLeo and Governor Patrick are pushing hard to bring government sponsored predatory gambling into Massachusetts. If they succeed, it will be a BIG WIN for casino lobbyists and a BIG LOSS for the people of our Commonwealth.

Disturbingly, Speaker DeLeo has declared there will be no public hearings on his bill – shielding this latest boondoggle from desperately needed public scrutiny and debate.

They claim casinos will create jobs. But the facts show that casinos are jobs killers and community-busters. We need a secure green economy, not more of the failed predatory casino economy of the past.

Continue reading URGENT PETITION- Boycott casinos. Promote small businesses & green jobs.
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The incumbent State Representative whom I am challenging in the 4th Berkshire District, William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D) – joined five other members of the Economic Development Committee in not casting a vote either FOR or AGAINST the casino bill today, according to the State House News Service.  The 12-2-5-1 vote advances the bill with a “favorable recommendation” from the committee.

I am against casinos.  So is the Berkshire Eagle, according to an editorial today:

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/…

I would have voted against the bill.  I look forward to hearing my opponent’s reason for being mum on this issue when votes were cast today.

 

Continue reading Casinos – Inaction by an Incumbent

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Hey everyone,

I had an idea the other day, and I’m going to put it together.  Basically, I’m creating a map of people all over the nation who are willing to donate something – their home, some food, some time, etc – to resistance to war, big business’ greed, and other injustices.  Google Maps makes this surprisingly easy, and although I’m not entirely sure how to do it, I’m sure I’ll figure it out as I go.

All I need now is names.  If you’re interested in being listed so that people can contact you if they need some help in your area, please email me at rossmlevin at gmail dot com.  Or just put the info in the comments, if you want.  What I need is:

Your name

What you’re willing to provide

Your contact info (email and phone are preferred, but whatever you want to put is OK)

Your zip code

I don’t want to get too specific, because we all know how snoopy the CIA is 😉

Seriously, though, if this comes together I think it could be a useful tool for activists all over the place.  Say you’re traveling to Philadelphia to help out the striking nurses at Temple University and you need a place to stay for a few days – you could check the map and see that, hey, rossl lives near Philadelphia.  Then you could call me up and see if it’s all right if you crash at my place for a few days while you’re helping these nurses.

In short, if this works out, it could potentially make organizing these things easier.  In a best case scenario, that would mean more action is taken.

Continue reading Help me create democratic infrastructure with google maps
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From: Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts

April 2, 2010: For Immediate Release

Contact: office@green-rainbow.org

Green-Rainbow Party Regional Conventions provide a great opportunity to meet fellow Party members and supporters in your community, share your ideas, discover ways to support action on your key issues by working with others…

…and to get involved playing an important role in an important, high-profile campaign! This year’s slate of six regional conventions will feature appearances by gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein; Rick Purcell, candidate for Lieutenant Governor; Nat Fortune, running for Auditor of Massachusetts; and other candidates for local legislative offices. Our conventions serve as intimate forums in which to meet Jill and to hear her unique and inspiring message:

Continue reading GRP 2010 Regional Conventions to Feature Appearances by State, Legislative, and Local Candidates

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Update: June edition of We, The Media has been posted.

Update: May edition of We, The Media has been posted.

Green Mass Group is proud and humbled to have entered the emerging  arena of people-powered media. We have big designs on a grassroots, decentralized, and democratized truth-telling apparatus working in synergy and solidarity with other institutions of the same nature. We see a variety of important institutions in existence that need to be supported and nourished, and we dream of a slew of other institutions that do not yet exist. We hope to play a small part in organizing the voices of the people of the Commonwealth and beyond into a beautiful and powerful chorus that reflects and articulates our deepest desires so that they may become reality.

Continue reading We, The Media
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Email from Jill Stein, 4/2/10:

Dear friends and supporters,

Please join me in welcoming Rick Purcell as my Lieutenant Governor running mate! As my lieutenant governor, Rick will mobilize grassroots support across the state for our campaign for a healthy, secure green future. He’ll also galvanize opposition to the corrupt status quo at the root of the many crises we currently face. We’ll be joining Rick in his hometown of Holyoke this Saturday for an official announcement. See below for biographical information on Rick. Saturday’s event will also mark the kickoff of our signature gathering campaign. For those who have been anxious to get involved, now is the time! See below for details on the lieutenant Governor/signature drive kickoff event, including ways to get involved in signature collection if you can’t come on Saturday.

In other news, our campaign is eligible to receive public financing from the state this year. As you may know, public financing loosens the grip of wealthy special interests on our political system, and makes it possible for people powered campaigns like ours to compete statewide without being hijacked by deep-pocketed special interests. As a longtime advocate of public financing for political campaigns, it’s an honor to be asking you to help us qualify for matching funds. If our campaign raises the minimum required to qualify ($125,000), the state will match that amount and everything we raise over it DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR!! So if we can raise $250,000, we will be able to mount a half million dollar campaign! And Massachusetts politics will never be the same. Please be as generous as you can, and give today so that we can take advantage of yet another amazing opportunity.

Upwards,

Jill

Continue reading Stein campaign announces Rick Purcell as Lt. Gov. running mate
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