Saturday
Delegates present:
Lisa Stratton (Bell)
Kat Swift (Bexar)
Herb Gonzales (Bexar)
Sheri Allen-Wright (Burleson)
Esther Choi (Dallas)
Adam Jocheson (Dallas)
Sherri Marsh (Dallas)
Alfred Molison (Harris)
David Wager (Harris)
Alán Alán Apurim (Harris)
Christine Morshedi (Harris)
Bonnie Ross (Harris)
Don Cook (Harris)
Phil Snyder (Harris)
David Collins (Harris)
Joel West (Harris)
Doug Reber (Travis)
Bill Holloway (Travis)
Art Browning (Harris)
? 9:00 am - Registration check-in / Breakfast burritos
? 9:30 am - State delegates seated and ready
? 9:30 am - Initial address by co-chairs Doug Reber/ Kat Swift
? 9:35 am - Welcome Address by Former Marfa Mayor David Lanman
David Lanman gave opening remarks welcoming State Greens to Marfa. He talked about how he was a computer activist who listened to NPR before becoming Mayor and facing the political politician world. Local issues like landfill issues were a top priority during his tenure. He fielded questions from Greens regarding his election.
?
? 10:00 am - Keynote speech by Don Dowdey - "West Texas Under Siege"
Sierra Club 10 years old in West Texas and has140 members. and are working on these issues: Air Pollution, Nuclear Waste, Air Force Flyovers, Bentonite (used in Oil wells for lubrication) Crushers, Stealing Water, La Entrada Trucks.
Big Bend is most polluted park in the western US. Used to be the Grand Canyon until they closed the 4 Corners power plant. Listed as one of the most endangered parks. Used to be able to see the entire Pecos area now about five miles only. Coal-burning power plants is the leading reason – sulfur dioxide.. Sulfate Haze from Texas and Eastern US (Mississippi river valley and west ends up in Big Bend) is the largest contributor to the West Texas Haze on worst days. Pollution from Mexico reduces in percentage on these days.
West TX has defeated 7 Nuclear Dumps in the last two decades. Current proposal in Andrews County on NM border for a National Nuclear Disposal Site.
Low-level Flight Training route for b-1 and b52 bombers including dropping bombs, flying over national parks and buzzing farmers on their windmills.
Bentonite clay crusher wanted to operate 24/7/365. 350 people went to TCEQ Public Hearing – status: passed by TCEQ, comes to a county level zoning issue which doesn’t exist in texas, have not completed building.
In 2003, the General Land Office and a private co called Rio Nuevo wanted water leases on 335,000 acres in Culberson, Hudspeth, Presidio, and Jeff Davis counties. Pumping out and shipping the water out of the area. The community was not informed until a Marfa reporter broke the story.
La entrada al pacifico is current issue. Plan is to have shipping from Mexico of mostly Chinese goods to go through Marfa and Alpine to Midland/Odessa. Estimates range from 500-5000 trucks/day. Citizens want alternative routes to avoid Marfa and Alpine. Railroad still exists that belongs to TXDoT and is leased to the largest railroad company in Mexico for 100 years Ferromex and upgrading the railroad would be a better option. Tracks are 1880 rails but can be upgraded for 100 million, but the road upgrades would be 400million. Cleaner and less disruptive to upgrade and used the train route. How to help: Get signatures on petition; go to www.stopthetrucks.org for form letter to send to public officials; wirte or email: Peggy Thurin, P.E. TXDoT, 17111 Preston Rd, Ste 200, Dallas, TX 75248-1232, study hotline: 800-517-4652, email ttp_txdot-leap@dot.state.state.tx.us (she is for the Entrada)
Pecos size of NJ with about 100k ppl, Brewster Co size of CT with 10k ppl.
Lon Trotta
Iraq refinance Bill has a two year moratorium on trucks from Mexico.
? 10:40 am - Tales from the Campaign Trails - 2006/2007 Candidates recap
? 11:20 am -GPTX mission statement, objectives review
? 11:50 pm - Box Lunch provided / social
? 1:00 pm - 2006/2007 GPTX accomplishments in review
(including committee accomplishments)
? 1:30 pm - County accomplishments and future plans
? 2:00 pm - 2006/2007 National Committee recap
? 2:30 pm - 2006/2007 strategy review
? 2:45 pm - 2007/2008 strategy planning
- Round table on strategies already proposed
- Developing revised mission, objectives, and milestones as needed
- Develop metrics for success and proposed infrastructure
- Committee breakouts and plans to achieve GPTX overall plans
- Ballot access plan if approved by delegation
? 4:30 pm - Discussion of open positions and elections
? 5:30 pm - New logo choices / call for volunteers
? 6:10 pm - Meeting adjourns for Diner/Social
? 7:40 pm - Music and fundraising social at AmVets hall
Sunday
? 9:30 - State delegates seated and ready
? 9:30 - Platform and by-laws change updates
10:50 am: Business Begins, Kat Swift and Doug Reber facilitating, David Collins taking minutes. Coordination by Jane Elioseff, Art Browning, Christine Morshedi.
Christine Morshedi proposed, due to severe time restrictions, moving the ballot access discussion to earlier, since almost everything else the Party does strategically will depend on whether and how the Party will pursue 2008 statewide ballot access. Also suggested posting the SEC and other positions available now so that delegates may consider nominations for those positions:
SEC (State Executive Committee) Positions Available: Female co-chair, secretary, treasurer, two at-large members.
11:00 am: Tales from the Campaign Trails
November 2006 General Election: Charles Waterbury for TX Supreme Court got 0.3% as a write in, close to 10,000 total votes—not 0.7% as reported because of the miscount in Galveston County.
Special municipal elections on May 12, 2007: Alfred Molison in Houston, Angela Phillips in Dallas, and Kat Swift in San Antonio were candidates in non-partisan races. Kat Swift managed a 29.5% write-in polling against a high-profile candidate (Mary Alice Cisneros, wife of Henry) in District 1.
Each of the candidates present (or a representative) gave short summaries of the candidacy experience, lessons learned, successes and failures. Noteworthy: Angela turned 18, minimum age for Council, the day after the election. Requirement for ballot access in Dallas: 35 signatures. Runoff candidates are courting the endorsements of our Green candidates and adopting their positions on the issues.
Kat Swift needed 49 signatures to get on the ballot, got 66. Walked blocks, spoke to groups, especially on the west side. Issue: HUD deregulation. Knowing the issues, and expressing them articulately, is helpful (also getting on TV & radio when possible).
Future and Potential Candidates: Alfred in District C Houston, general election November 2007; Kat for Prez 2008, Tanya Winters Austin CC 2008. Possibly Doug Reber, David van Os, Charles Waterbury for positions (statewide?) as yet undetermined. Kat may switch to another local election if groups continue to request it.
11:35 GPTX Mission Statement & Objective Review, 2006-08
“The GPTX must become the nexus for political reform in Texas, in line with the Ten Key Values. We must get candidates elected and legislation passed while creating a streamlined, sustainable infrastructure for the Party.”
This is as originally presented, more or less, and it is open for wordsmithing later. It represents the mission for this election cycle, not for the entire existence of GPTX.
Some dispute over the word “must” occurred: David Wager proposed changing it to “shall.” Esther Choi proposed that this be put off until a wordsmithing session Sunday.
Objectives:
? Strengthen local GPs by helping to double the number of active members and foster creation of Greens in at least 5 new counties.
? Strengthen SEC. Document practices and processes for voting. Implement one-pagers for all committees and review progress at every meeting. Help with candidate elections.
? Strengthen connection to National Committee and draw from successes of other GPs and other parties as much as possible.
Joel West expressed the hope that 5 counties means 5 net gain counties, along with prevention of party organizations folding.
Alex Dunn emphasized that people need a centralized place to go to find what ideas and visions the GP provides that no other political organization does.
11:50 am County Accomplishments
Lost county organizations: Bowie, Collin, El Paso, Denton, Grayson, Hays, Hidalgo, Jeff Davis, Kleberg, Lubbock, McLennan, Montgomery, Orange, Pecos, Randell, Tarrant, Taylor, Tom Green, Van Zandt, Walker, Wichita, Williamson.
Where are the above counties, and why can GPTX not find them? The website still lists them only because we have not officially disaffiliated them. Some of these counties have active Greens, but no official organization and no activity.
Burleson: Well, there’s Sheri Allen-Wright keeping the Brazos Valley area informed via radio & newsletter.
Dallas County still exists, but their phone number and e-mail box get no replies.
Fannin County has a small, faithful group.
Bexar, Travis, Harris, Hays, and Nacogdoches Counties are still going strong.
Kat: GPTX needs to decide what is an active county for delegate-counting and financial reasons. How many active members are required? Would it have to be on file with county government?
Christine: No good reason to disaffiliate yet. Frustration with Outreach Committee work from SEC to those county organizations over a period of 6 months. Good news is, the instructions for organizing a county party are on the website and fairly explicit. Committees need to do what they’re charged with doing in this election cycle.
Joel: There are Greens in Fort Bend & Brazoria Counties, but no party org. there. Some of these outlying metro counties’ personnel feel abandoned, need someone at the state level keeping continuous contact with them, preferably a paid state admin.
Adam Jochelson gave the Dallas County update: several outreach efforts including Earth Day celebration in Oak Cliff, campus outreach workgroups, and a Meetup group; electoral campaigns, ballot access savings account, new website.
Buckley (who lives in Rusk County) sent e-mail for Nacogdoches County: It has “gone underground.” Members are active in various programs, but not as overt Greens.
Bill Holloway gave the Travis County update: Major presence at Camp Casey, working with Code Pink, World Can’t Wait on peace & impeachment activity. Elaine Brown, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich to make visits in the next year. Greens & Gray Panthers opposing land-taking moves in East Austin (minority communities) and West Austin (continued development in natural habitat on the aquifer). Housing bonds going to fat-cat developers who don’t build affordable housing as the bonds are intended. Population is discovering the Democrats are not on their dfside on many issues, 3rd force needed, and they’re turning to Greens. Doug has worked hard on the verifiable voting initiative and removing the primary screenout provision for ballot access petitions. John Eder campaign school, Tanya Walters citizen lobbying training provided in the past year.
New term, transpartisanship: Finding and expanding your base among independent voters.
Alfred gave the Harris County update: Disaffected Democrats are everywhere, esp. thanks to the continued war funding. Accomplishment include Stop the Coal Rush actions locally and in Austin; Cinco de Mayo and Art Car parade presence had people cheering for the Greens, Pride coming up; Freeway Blogging with other orgs. Including World Can’t Wait and Veterans for Peace, on US59 is getting lots of approving honks. Don Cook is now the county Party’s paid administrator, 10 hours a week. Christine added that GreenwatchTV is still on, though Houston Media Source is in trouble. Don added that HCGP co-sponsored the impeachment forum at Metropolitan Community Church April 9, with Cindy Sheehan, Diane Wilson, et al. County has $15K in the bank, ready to convert into petition signatures in 2008.
Kat gave the Bexar County update: Membership meetings, lobbying efforts, coalition-building with Libertarian, Reform, and Constitution Parties to change ballot access laws. Kat ran for SA Council and did quite well (see above). Kat plans to “infiltrate” the Southern Baptist Convention’s assembly in SA. Major issue areas include environment, corporate welfare. Herb Gonzales added that Kat scares establishment people because she’s clearly intelligent, articulate, able to improvise (unlike Mary Alice Cisneros, the eventual winner).
12:30 Lunch: Mediterranean cuisine, which was yummy.
1:40 pm Doug and Kat presented GPTX Updates
A dozen or so major points were listed on the slide, consisting of legislative activism and lobbying, coalition building and outreach, press releases. Upshot of lobbying efforts: For alliances with parties in the lege, talk to the party organizations (or caucuses), not members, because the members are often beholden to their party lines—even those we may think of as allies.
Bill gave some deeper details about lobbying for verifiable voting (paper ballots or open-source software for voting machines).
The Drupal website: editable by members’ contributions. To contribute, follow the link to it on txgreens.org and get a login profile.
Big problem: fraudulent credit card charges happened via the GPTX online donation page, resulting in money that was never actually received, cost thousands to get it fixed. The system was not verifying address info, and multiple charges were from the same address or a series of names and random addresses of real people. It now checks ZIP code and the CBB numbers (back of the card).
Coming up: Austin Impeach Now Forum July 7, co-sponsored with Code Pink & World Can’t Wait, will feature several speakers from out of town (at some cost to the Party).
Hobby Women’s Prison water issue: successful effort in getting the water quality there fixed.
2:00 pm GPTX Committee Updates
IT: Bill gave the update: txgreens.org has a new web host, and Drupal has been added (see above). IT is still seeking a way to link county sites directly to it, esp. linking state & county databases.
Media: Kat & Art gave a brief summary of the Media Committee. This committee has been steadily sending out press releases, has an established process. Most recently, “Texas Green Party Calls for a Different Direction in Immigration Reform.” Sheri also continues with Touchstone Radio in Somerville/Brazos Valley, Art et al. with GreenwatchTV in Houston. Direct correspondence to media-contact@txgreens.org. Proposed to the committee that there should be a public link on the txgreens site to all the committees, esp. Media.
Outreach: Kat again—this committee takes the list of new card-carrying Greens in Texas from the GPUS list and puts them in contact with nearest local Green organizations.
2:07 pm Treasurer’s Report
Joy V-Glatz has resigned in the wake of the credit card fiasco. Kay Pils has stepped in. Fines from Texas Ethics Commission, resulting from the credit card problem and missed filing deadlines, are the responsibility of the treasurer. Kay is serving on an interim basis, so her position is open for election, and she will not be running. Christine recommended sending Kay some token of gratitude (in compliance with TEC rules, of course).
Current balance: $7,352.29. There are no delinquencies in filing of financials or candidate support. The slide listed income and expenditures.
2:15 pm National Committee Recap
1. Resolicitation mailing brought in over $12K in May 2007, second best month ever. Some money will go to repay contributors to the Red Sun Loan, among others.
2. $25K contribution has been received, to be used for quarterly sharing with counties; purchasing t-shirts; platform summaries for the national meeting July 2007 in Reading PA.
Christine mentioned something problematic, but I did not catch the gist.
Joel asked about how National got to be on the verge of bankruptcy. Kat replied that many long-time donors and sustainers have pulled out.
David Wager asked what the cap on donations is: to our knowledge, it is $25K.
Voting records: The numbers of total votes listed are a bit misleading due to individual delegates’ histories and length of service on the NC. List of all votes taken 6/1/06 to 1/20/07 appeared on the next slide. Voting history 1/20-6/6/07 slide was blank (history not yet compiled).
Bill Holloway mentioned that there are about three positions available on GPAX (Peace Action Committee).
2:25 pm Mention was made of the Delegate Apportionment Committee (DAC) proposal to decrease the delegation of Texas. Alfred and Christine asked to redirect discussion toward that.
Kat provided some history: Greens for Democracy and Independence (GDI) moved actively to get delegation formula based more on number of Greens in the state, via principle of “One Green, One Vote.” This is partly a response to 2004 National Convention, in which the California delegation mostly supported either Peter Camejo or no nominee in favor of endorsing Ralph Nader’s independent candidacy; David Cobb was nominated that year, to California’s consternation. Proposal 272 passed by two votes over 2/3 majority required, but retrospection has led some of its supporters to conclude that it was not the best solution. 12 states’ delegations would increase handsomely; the others would decrease, and Texas’s would decrease tremendously as a raw number and percentage of total delegates.
Don and Alfred provided some clarifications and questions. According to Doug, Texas delegates at national have never voted in favor of the new formula. Abstentions have been registered in recognition of the idea that even if a proposal like 272 is voted down, another similar proposal will surface—and in light of the proposed 4-year sunset clause.
Joel: At what point would these delegate spots be lost?
Kat: Rather long and complicated response about how Texas can justify its current number of delegates based on active Greens not organized into county orgs esp. in rural areas. Currently, we are under the old apportioning system, so for Reading we will not lose our 7 delegates out of 120 total.
Christine opined that Doug and Bill were mistaken in abstaining, wished that the state NC delegation had fought the move harder. Also, new delegates like Alfred have attracted ugly e-mail asking essentially, Who are you, as a novice, to even comment on this issue?
Kat’s position is that even in light of 272, GPTX should not vote to dis-affiliate from GPUS. Caucus system (women’s, black, lavender) enters into this, with some NC members insisting that these caucuses should not exist.
David W. as timekeeper indicated this discussion was way over time allotment.
Herb had a final question on the motivation of the 272 group: Is this really even in the interest of the Party? Could further proposals of this type, apparent power-grabs possibly detrimental to the national party (especially alienating states like Texas), be forthcoming? Also, on a rational (not emotional) level, why are we fighting this?
Christine: DAC was operating on good reliable information from California (number of registered Greens) which is hard to measure equivalent of in Texas. However, the 272 proponents’ approach and behavior has not been beneficial to the Party as a whole: disruption, personal attacks. Bill added that the most disruptive among them are now out of the picture, so further moves of this type are less likely. Also, there is a large chunk of California state activists who are not on that side (David Cobb among them). Is this all about not losing a nomination battle again like in 2004? No proof, but it has that appearance to those who have participated up close.
Don asked to clarify that the formula is for national meeting, not Presidential nominating convention. That leads one to believe that it is meant to apply to 2007, or else the formula would not be implemented until 2009.
Doug asked if there is an action to be taken, short of the informally proposed dis-affiliation (which Keith Lyons is not present to defend). Sheri asked what reasons Keith has for offering that proposal, and Kat replied. Keith believes that energy and money should be focused on building local & state orgs rather than buttressing the national. Bill urged NC members to vote No when the DAC policies & procedures proposal comes up for a vote.
David W.: To strengthen our position, would it be beneficial to get signatures on cards and become a membership-based org to determine how many Greens we have in Texas?
Kat: Membership unfortunately would by law expire at the end of the election cycle, and we’d have to do it all again. Possible substitution for ballot access: Precinct Conventions! Find the members ahead of time and hold conventions instead on Primary Election Day. Need 45,000 attendees in precincts statwide.
(David Collins sez, Hmmmmmmm…)
Joel had concerns about the membership basis question.
Don presented the Harris County Steering Committee’s conclusion that GPTX energy should not be expended struggling with National. Possibility of bad press, headlines of a rift within GPUS, not good; if GP gets coverage, it’s rarely favorable.
Christine added that NC is not the only avenue of communication/relationship with GPUS. Keep thinking about what other strategies we have available.
3:00 pm Onward to Keith’s proposal, as presented by Kat.
National org. is there really for one purpose, the Presidential election. Everything else it does supports that, or is fluff (PR). Current apportionment is a remnant of Association of State Green Parties model after merger formed GPUS. California wants to change the system, and some of the members have been most un-Green in their methods and tones. Some GDI “members” visibly snubbed non-GDI at Tucson. Keith would like to dissociate from the GDI “coup,” a way of demonstrating that we have no part in that.
Clarifying questions: Don asked if Keith would be supportive of organizing underrepresented states as a bloc in lieu of disaffiliation. Kat responded that he had indeed said as much.
Doug jumped in to remind the membership of the limited time, and that ballot access discussion would be truncated if the disaffiliation topic continued.
Joel proposed waiting until Reading, seeing whether our presumed 7 (or 6 or 5) delegates are not seated, before deciding to disaffiliate (and if not we definitely should).
3:10 pm MOTION: Doug presented a motion to elect 6 delegates plus some alternates for Reading, abiding by the current system of apportionment, recognizing that we would certainly have lost at least one national delegate even under the current formula.
Discussion, responses, clarifications, crosstalk, etc.
Motion was seconded.
Further discussion.
Herb asked why vote on something that we would ordinarily do anyway. Doug replied that this would a) give a chance for delegates at Marfa to speak in opposition to the decrease or even insist that we do not deserve that many delegates, and b) “set in stone” our current plan.
David W. asked about clarification of the system. How are we supposed to know what our apportionment is under the current system?
Motion adopted by consensus.
Joel re-stated his proposal, with friendly amendment offered above: If delegates arrive at Reading and the apportionment rules have changed, delegation would be instructed to abstain as a bloc, not disaffiliate or walk out. The group would serve as a “shadow delegation” that may have the effect of not establishing a quorum.
Art disagreed with the notion of abstaining, especially on votes that may benefit GPTX. Christine mentioned that abstention, should it occur, would be registered verbally as an objection to premature adoption of Proposal 272.
Bill worried about factionalism and disruption for no apparent benefit; this would be too similar to GDI tactics, but also result in lost influence with National. The whole “coup” could fall apart on its own; let’s be unifiers, not dividers. Alán Alán brought up the notion again of working in concert with other states adversely affected. Alfred also noted that no decision should be made on this until Reading. Don said something along the same lines.
3:30 MOTION: Joel’s proposal was made as a motion: to instruct the delegates to votes Abstain if at Reading it is discovered that the apportionment rules have been changed in accordance with 272.
Principled Objection presented by Bill Holloway, with Art Browning’s concurrence.
Vote cast: 2 in favor, 14 opposed, 3 abstentions. Motion did not pass.
3:45 pm GPTX 2006-07 Strategy Review
Summary of last year’s SEC plan: What was proposed, what was accomplished. Results? Mixed, about 30% of goals actually accomplished, 50% with little or no progress, the rest with expectations determined to be unrealistic.
What to do next—strategy ideas.
1. Hire a paid state organizer
2. Energize grassroots
3. Reach out to black community
4. Education public through panel discussions, esp. on issues of immigrant rights & racism
5. Community Green banks, Green investing
6. Health care cooperatives like in Seattle
7. Open meetings with introductions
8. Don’t let process stifle real dialog
9. Precinct organizing or PUD-level in Austin
10. Teach effective meeting facilitation
11. Be genuinely working in the community
12. $10 from 10K campaign to collect $100K for petition drive
Suggestions.
1. Community work
2. Focus on “lower” offices for elections to get Greens elected
3. IRV bill
4. Work w/ other groups & parties to get legislation passed
5. Work for public financing of elections
6. Flash animation
7. Lottery to conduct petition drives
8. Substantial cash prizes for top 10 petitioners
9. and a few others
Bill presented some additional points toward a successful 2008 ballot access drive: 10 from 10K, 10 to Texas from all over the US. There will be deadlines and milestones established in 2007 Signature collection rate will average 1K per day statewide. Travis County will take responsibility for 25%. Petitioners will not, should not, work for nothing; all-volunteer effort will not do. We cannot fail three times in a row.
Don offered his insights from years of working on these drives. We did not effectively turn the money we had into signatures, partly because the incentive wasn’t there even for long-time members to collect.
Sheri asked about focusing on local races instead of statewide. Alfred replied that we should do both; both are vital.
Adam mentioned that there should be one high-profile candidate instead of just a party with some ideas, though we won’t have nominees until after the petition drive. It’s easier to sell a person than a party with complicated ideas. Kat’s experience was different. Alex presented her own grassroots perspective.
Joel asked about the lottery idea: Every signature is an entry in the raffle, so more signatures = more chances. This was a Harris County Green’s way of demonstrating how ridiculous the requirements are.
Christine mentioned that the deadlines could be motivational (or scary); wants to apply the many things we learned from 2006.
Bill brought the issue of local vs. statewide races back up, with the story of lack of ballot access volunteers in Travis County (7 volunteered, 2 actually worked). For local races, yes, listen to John Eder: get elected, go into the community and earn respect from neighbors, fight for minorities’ important causes instead of just saying “we’re on your side”—it’s what you do, not what you say.
Bonnie Ross on the issue of paying petitioners agreed that $100K or so would be required. Fund-raising idea: forums on health care in conjunction with Michael Moore’s new film Sicko.
Don: With ballot access, need to make sure to have one candidate assured of getting 5%, best chance in statewide judicial races. We have to do it all, including local/county races; let people follow their bliss; but don’t expect GPTX to support all local candidates with our limited resources.
Kat brought it back to SEC: What do you want/expect your State Executive Committee to do? Major goals: Database, Communication. The membership database must be current, reliable, accessible, and secure. Communication within that list is an important function, with county organizations and individuals who have no county org.
Doug pointed out that the disappointing success rate in the strategy list is without a ballot access drive.
Adam: Charles Waterbury will not file for a statewide office if there is no likelihood of success in ballot access; the write-in was instructive, but not worth repeating.
Christine: (Sorry, missed it)
Alfred reiterated the necessity of names & faces in the statewide election. Let’s put the names of those who have filed out there.
David W.: The fact that we are discussing this at the state meeting is very encouraging. We have to make sure that the work starts immediately after we adjourn. We have a golden opportunity, with people upset with Democrats in Congress, etc. Get out on the street, ask for $10. Go with a positive attitude, learn from the previous experience.
David C.: More on the issue of having a “name/face” candidate.
Sheri: The issue more frequently in her area was, “Is there a Democrat running?” Also, a Presidential candidate might scare people, thinking we’ll wind up giving the race to another GWB by drawing votes from the Democratic nominee.
Joel: Additional challenges for donors to supplement 10 for 10K: matching donations, etc.
Don: More on the “visible candidate” issue.
Alex: Environment—we represent what you want, not the Democrats, if you are concerned about ecology.
Alán: For county meetings, get copies of everyone’s contact info, jot down any idea that springs from the meeting and communicate to the other attendees. Also, represent the Party in favor of positive solutions, not just against what we don’t like: Use the military for positive purposes such as disaster relief domestically and internationally.
Christine: Many good ideas, good suggestions; let’s make sure those who spoke volunteer. Good slogan needed: How about “Add Greens for a Healthy Texas”?
4:45 MOTION: Doug’s proposal that we have people appointed for Ballot Access Drive coordination, to determine milestones for the drive, at or after this convention.
Kat: How about forming a committee to work on milestones tonight & Sunday? Nobody is leaving before end of convention (Sunday noon).
Motion adopted by consensus.
4:52 pm SEC Elections
Positions available: female co-chair, secretary (if by-law changed approved Sunday), treasurer, three at-large members.
Current composition: co-chairs Kat Swift & Doug Reber, treasurer Kay Pils, at-large members Art Browning, Sheri Allen-Wright, Diane Wood, Michael Grant, Christine Morshedi.
Nominees for co-chair: Kat will not accept a nomination. Christine Morshedi, Esther (hell no) Choi declined. Lisa Stratton (accepted).
Nominees for treasurer: David Wager (accepted)
Nominees for at-large: A.A. Apurim (accepted), Christine Morshedi (incumbent, accepted), Adam Jochelson (accepted), Phil Snyder (accepted)
Election results:
Lisa Stratton defeated None of the Above for co-chair.
David Wager defeated None of the Above for treasurer.
At-large representatives, term expiring June 2009: Christine Morshedi, Adam Jochelson, Phil Snyder.
5:35 pm National Committee Elections
Current delegation: Esther Choi, Earl Gerhard, Deanna Hayes, Bill Holloway (all expiring), Keith Lyons, Alfred Molison, George Reiter (expiring 2008). Alternates: Mac McKaskle, Christine Morshedi, Doug Reber.
Nominees: Esther Choi (incumbent, accepted), Bonnie Ross (accepted), Don Cook (accepted), Joel West (accepted), A.A. Apurim (declined).
Alternate Nominees: Marian Ávalos, Kat Swift, Doug Reber, Christine Morshedi (all accepted).
Delegates and alternates approved by acclimation (None of the Above withdrew her name).
Discussion of new logo and Future Focus tabled until Sunday. Meeting in recess until 9:30 am Sunday.
Sunday
9:30 to 10:00 am Green Party of Texas logo adopted from a choice of 12 sunflower-with-Lone-Star samples, plus the Texas Greens deputy badge design from Flynn Wright. County orgs may use the logo in their websites, correspondence, and fund raising items, but not for commercial purposes.
10:05 am Discussion of campaign strategy for 2008 (including ballot access, and actually running for offices), drawing from experience in previous even-year elections. It is generally agreed that candidates should be available for all qualified statewide positions. What does this imply in terms of monies needed for paying petitioners? Estimates offered: $40-60K.
Discussion followed concerning forming a ballot access planning committee, Bill proposing, with at least one member from each of the various organized counties volunteering. The committee will have its first meeting between June 21 and 30. Deadline for completing its planning work will be July 13, before the national meeting in Reading, but with contingency for a second meeting in the event that events in Reading affect the plans, necessitating changes. SEC will be empowered to approve or disapprove the plan, including budgeting.
Kat mentioned that having a plan in place may help persuade national to provide assistance with the ballot access drive. Herb pointed out that going to Reading in a conflict mode with another state organization (or subgroup thereof) may make it difficult to ask or aid. Christine noted, however, that GPTX does not intend to attend the national meeting with a posture of conflict as of Saturday’s discussion.
Motion adopted by consensus.
Committee members: Sheri, Herb, Don, Christine, Lisa, Bill, and a Dallas County representative TBD. Also, contact will be attempted with Nacogdoches and Fannin Counties.
10:30 am Phil Snyder & Joel West have each donated $1,000 to the ballot access effort.
Bill Holloway’s proposal: make the odd-numbered state meetings optional, owing to the expense, amending Article (?).
Kat’s question: Won’t this result in changing how SEC is elected? We will not be able to vote in person for SEC & NC members with staggered terms ending in those odd years when we do not have the convention.
Don raised a principled objection: These gatherings are important to the party. Christine agreed. Joel added the hypothetical situation of a new member joining soon after the even-year convention and having to wait two years before a chance to go to state. Alfred agreed, esp. in light of the discovery that some state committees are non-functioning.
Kat noted that the intent is not to eliminate the odd-year conventions, but to give the SEC a chance to cancel or postpone when money or scheduling prevents convening at the regular time (2nd weekend in June). In other words, it gains the SEC flexibility.
Bill pointed out that the meeting is still recommended, recognizing the importance of these meetings. Also, SEC F2F can be combined with the state conventions.
Art brought up a recommendation that odd-year conventions should possibly be held in rural locations, while the even-year conventions would take place in the major cities.
Christine offered an amendment to change the may after Bill’s final insertion to will. There will still be odd-numbered conventions, but not necessarily on the standard June weekend.
Bill asked again for principled objections to the amendment as amended. None remained.
Adopted by consensus.
10:45 Bill Holloway also proposed changing the bylaws to remove the provision that the candidate be a member of or registered with a Green Party organization, as long as that person is not affiliated with any other party. It would also not permit “fusion” candidates who have a ballot line with another third party. This would allow a Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney (assuming she leaves the Democratic Party) to be on the Presidential or VP ballot line in Texas.
Phil noted that McKinney might not fit in the language proposed, since she has been an office-holder as a Democrat.
Art asked for context. Bill provided a summary of the bylaw language surrounding this one to be amended (Article XI). There is also ambiguity about what constitutes party membership (of any party) in the Texas Election Code, versus what the Greens consider to constitute membership.
Don noted that the text indicates that there is no need to be a Green, and yet there are so many other restrictions. The language may also limit GPTX’s strategic options, thus leading Don to a principled objection to this amendment.
Christine, Don, and Bill formed the possibility that GPTX could include language that honors the decision of the nominating convention to place the nominees on the Pres. & VP ballot lines. Christine did not object in principle, but wants to keep the provision that candidates should be able to claim the Green Party as their own. Joel added that the restriction has a history, in light of Ralph Nader’s past candidacies. This would seem to reverse our course four years after changing the rules to favor home-grown Green candidates. Kat interpreted the language differently.
Don returned to fusion candidates: He would like the option to remain available, as it has been used in New York State. It is an effective tool with a long history, though it is illegal as of now in Texas.
Also, somewhere the words having been were changed to while being. I missed that part.
Straw poll by approval voting (thus more than 19 votes cast): Three different positions were identified: candidates should be Greens in their state (7 proponents); candidates should at least be an independent if not a Green (8); candidate can be from another party, whomever we choose (10).
Joel proposed tabling the proposal until next year, rather than caucusing, owing to limited time and lack of consensus on the languages as presented and amended.
Bill withdrew the proposal, and modified it to just striking the bracketed portion and thus removing the restrictions that Presidential candidate must be Green. It was put to a vote due to lack of consensus. With 10 votes in favor, 8 opposed, and 1 abstention, the modified proposal filed to reach 2/3 majority.
Proposal from the SEC in general: A Secretary position to be added to the SEC, the first one to be chosen from the current SEC membership. Duties would include taking and web-posting of minutes, as well as certain filings with the State of Texas not currently assigned to the co-chairs.
No discussion or objections; adopted by consensus.
Another bylaw update involving odd-year conventions was rolled into the one discussed and passed previously.
Proposal:
Add language:
Counties are empowered to select their Delegates to Statewide Meetings in Odd Number years.
Adopted by Consensus
For future consideration:
Need to address in bylaws how to determine disaffiliation or inactivity with relation to county party affiliation with the state party.
Quarterly meetings and phone/email
In state bylaws now: Bylaws followed and chair & treasurer by state law.
11:25 am Adjournment!
