November 2021

Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.

Become a Rising Star in the Green Party

by Co-chair Beth Scroggin, Green Party of PA

October marked five years since I joined the Green Party. After having worked on the Bernie Sanders campaign for nearly a year and seeing my efforts undermined by the Democratic Party, I knew that I needed to invest my future efforts into a party that represented my values AND had the courage and integrity to support grassroots efforts. My involvement with the Green Party escalated quickly after the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) leaders informed me that my county had no local chapter. Shortly thereafter, I became the co-founder and co-chair of the Chester County Green Party. . . .

I tell you of this because the Green Party of Pennsylvania is currently looking for new leaders. In 2022, we will have several open positions on our Steering Committee, as well as open spots for national delegates to the Green Party of the U.S. and its many sub-committees. Additionally, we are always delighted to see people start a new local chapter in PA. If you live in Pennsylvania and have a passion for our Four Pillars (Ecological Wisdom, Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Nonviolence), I urge you to email me at [email protected].

Our next state meeting will be on Sunday, November 14, and you may take that opportunity to nominate yourself for a leadership position in the Green Party. If you don’t already know us, I can promise that we are a friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable group who will support you in your efforts to become a leader in the only party which does not accept corporate contributions and which seeks to represent the people. If you do already know the Green Party, you know that we love to see rising stars in our party, and that it doesn’t take long to jump into a leadership position and start enacting real change. . . . (show all)

GPPA News Highlights   

  edited by Chris Robinson 

Green Party Supports Call for Reparations in Philadelphia

The Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP, www.gpop.org) endorsed the March for Reparations on October 16 in Clark Park, University City, Philadelphia. This was not a difficult endorsement because the Green Party holds that the national problem of white supremacy can only be resolved through reparations. From the Green Party point of view, reparations should be offered for three types of white supremacy: the forced slavery of kidnapped Africans beginning in the colonial era; the resulting violence and discrimination against citizens of color since the formal end of chattel slavery in 1865; and the continuing punishment of people of color by “the ideology of white supremacy which permeates our institutions today.” (show all)

Hearing the Planes

by Bob Small

First

I thought maybe it was what a Blitz sounded like

in Iraq or London

so close . . .

not knowing

sleep had been split

and could not be mended

It felt next

like the start of a Doctor Who episode

but, at the end of that,

you knew all would be right

at the end of that

the Alien Life forms

would be gone, gone, gone

Finally we were awake enough to know

it was just a low flying plane

that would neither affect our property

or its value

only our peace and time

so I decided to put away

for now

my anti-aircraft words

Bob Small is a former chair of the Green Party of Delaware County and a past delegate to the Green Party of Pennsylvania. His blog may be found here, https://robertthesmall.wordpress.com

Green‌ ‌Party‌ ‌Opposes‌ ‌Fracking‌ ‌Brine‌ ‌on‌ ‌Rural‌ ‌PA‌ ‌Roads‌

Falls Township Auditor Jay Sweeney of Wyoming County, had requested the Green Party to take such action. Sweeney said, “I submitted the request for GPPA to sign on to the letter demanding an end to the spread of radioactive frack wastewater on our PA roads because this industry continues to be the biggest threat to the environment of rural PA and worldwide. The Green Party holds environmental wisdom as one of its Four Green Pillars. . . . Using the wastewater for dust control and deicing of roads is another disposal method that introduces radiation and other dangerous elements into our environment. In addition, fracking results in the release of methane into the atmosphere, a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and climate change. Fracking needs to stop!” (show all)

Campaign Updates   

  edited by Chris Robinson  

Connor Mulvaney Endorsed by Sierra Club for Pittsburg City Council

The 24,000 member state affiliate of the national Sierra Club works to help the public explore, enjoy, and protect our state's many environmental resources and fight for safe and livable communities. Our team is grateful for their support as we fight to make a Pittsburgh City Council that prioritizes making our air and water clean while taking serious action to curb our contributions to the climate crisis. For more information visit his website (Show All)

Lorianne Burgess for Mayor of Ambridge, PA

The Green Party of Pennsylvania endorsed Lorianne Burgess for Mayor of Ambridge Boro, PA. . . . Here are the answers which Lorianne Burgess gave to some voter questions:

Q. -- What sets you apart from the other candidates for Mayor?

A. Lorianne Burgess -- I view myself as a very socially liberal person. I believe in equality. I pride myself in being a very caring person, without being naive. I have earned the trust of many of the pillars of the Ambridge community. I am approachable for young and old alike. I am always working on my conflict resolution skills, and I really want to bring “being neighborly” back! (See More)

SEIU Healthcare PA Endorses Kearni Warren for Chester City Council

On September 24, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania endorsed Green Party candidate Kearni Warren, who is running for Chester City Council. SEIU Healthcare PA said on Facebook, "Pennsylvania healthcare workers are proud to support Kearni Warren for Chester City Council At-Large. As a home care worker, union member, and leader in SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Kearni will fight for caregivers, working families, and good union jobs."(See more)

GENERAL ELECTION, November 2

The following ten Green Party candidates will appear on the 2021 General Election ballot.

Lorianne Burgess for Mayor of Ambridge Borough, Beaver County

Connor Mulvaney for Pittsburgh City Council District 4, Allegheny County

Kearni Warren for Chester City Council, Delaware County

Ward Allebach for Bradford Woods Borough Council, Allegheny County

Steven Martinez for Dormont Borough Council, Allegheny County

Jay Sweeney for Auditor of Falls Township, Wyoming County

Abigail “Abi” Hunter for Judge of Elections, Ward 7, District 8, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

Andrew Moses Yanez Oliva for Judge of Elections , Ward 15, District 6, City of Reading, Berks County

Matthew Reitenauer for Brandywine Heights School Board, Berks County

Jay T. Walker for Judge of Elections, Ward 7, District 6, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

SPECIAL ELECTION, November 2

The following two Green Party candidates were nominated to run for election to offices which recently became vacant. They will appear on the 2021 General Election ballot.

Jubalyn ExWilliams for Director of Schools, City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County

Richard L. Weiss, Esq. for Common Pleas Court Judge, Allegheny County

Team Updates   

Edited by Henry Conoly.

Finance Team By Tre Schumacher.

To join the Finance Team, please visit:

https://www.gpofpa.org/team_finance_join.

GreenWave Team By Tina Olson

To join the Green Wave Team and get invited to future organizing calls, please visit HERE to receive call info or email for more information!

Communications Team By Chris Robinson

How is your county Green Party celebrating the holidays? What has your local Green Party done to recruit candidates for 2022? Please send your thoughts to me at [email protected]. To join our team, please volunteer at https://www.gpofpa.org/, or to join online, sign up HERE..

Core Team By Sheri Miller and Kelly Kuzemchak.

To join the Core Team, please visit:

https://www.gpofpa.org/team_core_join. .

National Green News   

  Edited by Noah Alter.

Green Party candidates push for equal pay, universal basic income, and fair taxation to jumpstart the economy

. . . . Green Party candidates and leaders around the country are relentlessly fighting for issues, which are relevant to all Americans, regardless of political alignment. The Green Party stands firm in promoting equal pay, universal basic income, and fair taxation to address the economic failures of both major parties in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Green Party supports instituting a wealth tax, cutting tax loopholes, blocking the use of tax havens, and imposing a financial transaction tax on stock and bond trades to finance a universal basic income. Greens say their economic program is needed now to protect working class families.

The current plans of Washington and Harrisburg, those of the two-party system, have only further anathematized the working class. Meanwhile, those at the very top, like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, have profited immensely from one of the darkest and deadliest moments in recorded history, that has killed so many and thrown the rest (the working class) into economic turmoil. Moreover, the loss of unemployment benefits for 7.5 million workers — combined with rising food and housing costs — have endangered the health and well-being of millions of people, with a disproportionate impact on women who have had to leave the workforce to care for children and elders.

“We need to take money from the billionaires who exploited workers during this pandemic . . . and give it back to people in the form of direct stimulus payments,” said Edwin DeJesus, Jr., Green Party candidate for New York City Council District 22, who supports a 25% wealth tax on billionaires who profiteered during COVID.

(show all)

Global Green News   

  edited by Hal Brown

Rwanda: Green Party calls for increase in number of Members of Parliament

The president of the Green Democratic Party in Rwanda, Dr Frank Habineza, during a dialogue within his party, suggested that the number of MPs in parliament be increased from 80 to 100 . . . . “We are approaching local elections where women must reach at least 30% of local elected officials . . . . We want local elected officials at cell and sector level to also include at least 30% of elected officials from other political parties. Local elected officials should not belong to a single party in power. We need the participation of elected officials from other parties, and it must be a principle like the one that requires at least 30% of women elected at all levels. Of course, the interests of the population must be privileged. But also that the ideas of other parties are visible at the local level. It is respect for the principle of power-sharing and multi-partyism even at the local level,” declared the president of the Greens. (show all)

German Elections: Greens Earn 14.8% of vote in Historic Performance

Traditionally a fringe party in Germany, the Greens, led by 40 year old Annalena Baerbock, had exceptional success this election cycle. While the Green Party has had elected representatives serving in Germany for years now, changes in the party’s previously combative rhetoric, along with increasing awareness of climate change among the German population helped make this 2021 election campaign their most successful yet. . . . Experts believe that this is only the beginning of a highly increased presence in the political sphere for the German Greens. With the election results being so close, talks of the formation of a coalition government are underway in Germany. In an interesting twist for Green Party supporters, according to director of Europe at Eurasia Group Naz Masraff, “developments […] suggests stars are aligning for a ‘traffic light’ coalition between the SDP, the Greens and the FDP.” (show all)

The price of being a Green Activist in Latin America 

India’s Greens Party (IGP) has called for a total elimination of nuclear weapons across the world. The IGP says the eradication of nuclear arsenals will lead to lasting peace and sustainability in the world. . . . The IGP‘s president, Suresh Nautiyal, expressed concerns over the ignorance of nuclear armed countries towards elimination of such weaponry. “It is a sad story that the countries possessing nuclear weapons have not taken concrete steps to eliminate these despite the fact that achieving global nuclear disarmament was one of the oldest goals of the United Nations,” said Nautiyal. (show all)

GPPA Meeting Dates for 2021:

2021 Meetings will be held the second Sundays of: January, March, June, September, November. The November 2021 State Committee of the Green Party of Pennsylvania will be an online web conference held on Zoom. The meeting will be held between noon and 4 pm. Please RSVP to receive the log-in information. You may now register for the November meeting here, https://www.gpofpa.org/2021_11_conf .

• Sunday, November 14, 2021

• Sunday, January 9, 2022
• Sunday, March 13, 2022
• Sunday, June 12, 2022
• Sunday, September 11, 2022
• Sunday, November 13, 2022 

Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media Committee 

Issue Credits:

EDITORS: Noah Alter, Hal Brown, and Chris Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS: Lorianne Burgess, Connor Mulvaney, Beth Scroggin, Bob Small and Kearni Warren
LAYOUT: Tina Olson & Sheri Miller 
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson 

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The Green Star is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2021