Dear Friend,

This month’s Sustainer Saturday feature is about Laura Wells! Laura is running for Controller of California, and has previously run for Governor of California and U.S. Congress.

Green Party US Treasurer Hillary Kane sat down with Laura last week to learn more about her history with the party and why she is a monthly sustainer at the local, state and national level.

From Laura:

I’ve always run on the platform of “tax the rich.” Today, I was out in Oakland getting signatures to put a city measure on the ballot for November that would tax larger corporations at higher rates than small, mom-and-pop businesses. San Francisco and Berkeley both have a progressive business tax but Oakland does not.

The worst part of this is the imbalance of wealth that, because of the flood of money in politics, leads to an imbalance of power. Political power accumulates in so few hands. Of course, we also need the money for services, but I’m beginning to think the power consolidation is the worst.

Our stance on corporate money is what drew me to, and keeps me in, the Green Party. I started out because a friend of mine said, “I had a dream you were in politics.” I replied, “I hate politics,” and he said “try the Green Party.” I stay with the Green Party because it has exactly what this country needs — a commitment to peace, ecology, and real democracy. Knowing that these problems are interrelated and the solutions are interrelated. And we don’t take corporate money. I’m totally willing to stay with it despite our internal struggles, which all organizations have, even the PTA.

Emma Goldman said, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be any part of your revolution.” About 15 years ago I learned to ballroom dance and I love it!  Swing, cha-cha, Viennese — all of it. Emma had it right. You need to do things that put a smile on your face and re-charge yourself. For me, giving money to the Green Party as a monthly sustainer puts a smile on my face because I know I’m helping to re-charge our organization.

Thank you, Laura, for your organizing and solidarity! 

Michael O'Neil
Communications Manager
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org/