[John Rensenbrink Speech to MA Green-Rainbow Party Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts, November 15, 2014]



Thank you Roni.

Greetings, very excited to be here with you. One piece of excitement: last Sunday the Maine Green Independent Party’s Steering Committee unanimously endorsed the Green Alliance to Stop the Pipeline. GASP! Indeed! That’s good news: “As Maine Goes ….!”

When Roni asked me to give the keynote, I was delighted to be invited and asked her what she and the Planning Committee had in mind for my speech. She said the Committee suggested the theme of  “The Big Tent.”

My speech, accordingly, centers on the rainbow as a Big Tent model for the vision and accompanying strategy of the Green Party.

For contrast and critical comparison to the rainbow model, I begin by commenting on a Big Tent strategy promoted by Ralph Nader and others.

I will then go on to describe how and why the rainbow is the model of choice. Thereafter, I will finish by outlining two strategies that fit in with the rainbow model: a versatile strategy and a jolt strategy.