Local Green Party picks nominee for president
Luzerne County faction chooses former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as choice.
http://www.timesleader.com/news/20080511_11_green_ART.html
May 11
JOHN BALOGA Times Leader Correspondent
WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County’s Green Party on Saturday nominated former six-term Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as the party’s choice for president.
The vote of support came at the local party’s caucus, held at the Northeastern Pennsylvania Organizing Center on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.
During the caucus, Carl Romanelli, the county Green Party chairman, refuted the Green’s status as a protest party.
“There is a lot of greenness of thought out there,” Romanelli said. “We support anything that will advance the issues and want to be part of the debate with the other parties ... Our goal is to get 5 percent of the national vote, which will enable the party to receive matching funds.”
Romanelli said he was encouraged by some recent accomplishments locally, such as the districting in Wilkes-Barre and the push to remove gerrymandered districts.
“Our fight to remove legal fees following petition movements and the successful effort as part of a coalition that led to the county developing the Seven Tubs Recreation Area were other successes,” he said.
The group has been busy on a wider stage as well with candidates in 91 countries. With Wangari Maathai of the Kenyan Green Belt Movement receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, 17 representatives elected to European national parliaments, and numerous state representatives, mayors and other local officials serving in the United States, Romanelli predicted “greener days ahead.”
The party has achieved major party status in 20 states. The party has candidates who have narrowly missed election in mayoral and school board contests. There are 300,000 registered Green voters. Locally, there are 407 Green voters in Luzerne County, down from a high-water mark of 535.
Richard Aston, writer and college teacher of energy policy, attended the caucus because he feels the Greens see many environmental and economic ideas converging as issues, and he believes the transition from fossil fuels to alternative fuels will be a difficult transition. He added that the major parties’ endorsement of ethanol as a fuel source was a gross mistake because it will affect the food supply.
The original Green Party dealt with agricultural issues when it formed in the 1970s. The current issue pillars of the Green Party are: peace and justice; environment; grassroots activism; economics, and decentralization.
The Luzerne County Green Party meets at Pete’s Place, South Street, Wilkes-Barre, on the first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m.
Further information is available by calling 824-9442 or writing to 308 Spring Street, Hanover Township, Pa. 18706.
The party has achieved major party status in 20 states. The party has candidates who have narrowly missed election in mayoral and school board contests. Locally, there are 407 Green voters in Luzerne County, down from a high-water mark of 535.
