While May 1st is insignificant to many Americans, the approaching date reminded the Ithaca College Greens  that many key Continue reading

There is no better way to be involved in the political process than to run for office. Participation in a democratic Continue reading

by E. J. Sieyes This week those in the movement fifty years ago have suffered a loss, a prophet of the 60’s, the closest person we had to a patron saint of the Hudson Valley, and a true spokes-person for the interests of all the people. It is so ironic that coincident with Seeger’s death we also saw a State Of The Union address by someone who many of us hoped and believed would be the one president most likely to turn Seeger’s vision into reality. Yet now we see a president who most Americans believe to be the worst since Herbert Hoover. When we see what this president has and has not done, is there any wonder approval ratings are abysmal. No matter what someone felt about Harry Truman, people all admired his principle that he alone was accountable. Instead, today, we have a president who, rather than unite the people, ran the most divisive political campaign since Lyndon. No “Buck Stops Here” plaque on his desk – instead we see “Blame Congress” and “He Did It Too” excuses. Continue reading

Divestment, Not Shareholder ResolutionsOp/Ed by Howie HawkinsWed, Jan 22, 2014 (originally appear in CNY Vision)Fossil fuel divestment by the NYS Continue reading

Cuomo Talks Left but Walks Right by Howie Hawkins Howie Hawkins was the Green candidate for NY Governor in 2010. Continue reading

by E. J. Sieyes Over the past fifty years a number of green organizations have become increasingly aware of and taken proactive measures to combat invasive foreign species. The progression of African bees and Fire Ants occasionally receives media attention. Bamboo is now widely visible along the commuter train right of way outside Washington, D.C., and this weed is beginning to invade old growth forests in central and western Maryland and Virginia. The Asian Clam began appearing in Florida waters over fifty years ago, and the proliferation of exotic tropical reptiles like the Burmese Python receives occasional press notice. Other invasive species can be found all over the nation. The US Department of Agriculture maintains an information resource describing invasive species and control measures of the states and federal government. Continue reading

Green Party goes to Albany! Join the Green Party and thousands of other activists in Albany to tell Governor Cuomo and Continue reading

On Tuesday Jan. 7 is the 24th annual People's State of the State rally at 11:45 AM at the State Capitol (State St. entrance)Addressing income Continue reading

On Tuesday Jan. 7 is the 24th annual People's State of the State rally at 11:45 AM at the State Capitol (State St. entrance)Addressing income Continue reading

by E. J. Sieyes During the past year 60 Minutes aired several program segments dealing with political abuse and corruption. Most recently on October 20th they revealed the open secret about the abuse of campaign funds by both Republican and Democrat elected officials. Why are we surprised? More so, why do we accept such behavior? After all are our elected officials, our Senators and Congressmen, supposed to be virtuous and set examples for the rest of us? Instead they exploit their election to office for political greed and personal financial gain. Continue reading

By E. J. Sieyes Compared to last year, this election season has been relatively quiet. Campaign rhetoric has been tame and a recent campaign ad, “restore trust and integrity in your government – vote Democratic”, brought howls of laughter when aired in public. The only Green candidate on the local ballot was a machine Democrat. We need a more broadly-based and intensive outreach effort to field more real Green candidates. Grass roots democracy fails if our message doesn’t find a home. Continue reading

Howie Hawkins sent a message to Green lists last night, thanking them for putting their hearts into a stellar campaign Continue reading

Across NY state and the country, Greens are running campaigns for Grassroots Democracy, Ecological Wisdom, Nonviolence and Social Justice. Continue reading

by E. J. Sieyes There was a time when we trusted both our government and the press. A time when everyone liked Ike, and we believed Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow. A time when over half the nation’s population was under 21 and in the innocence of youth many of us saw where change was needed. We lived it. We were the catalyst for change. We ended a war. We drove off a corrupt president. We began the march for social equity and sexual freedom. But not everyone was a do-er. We had dead weight, straphangers, the poser who would go to an action only for the chance to smoke some dope and get laid. Their contribution to the mass was hardly worth the drag they placed on the movement. Continue reading

If you haven't already, RSVP on Facebook now if you can attend this Friday's Lynne Serpe For Council fundraiser Continue reading

Contemplations By E. J. Sieyes #1. Our Economy or the Environment? A criticism raised by industrialists and labor is that our environmental initiatives constrain the economy and as a result cost American jobs. In some ways this is a legitimate complaint. Many of our past initiatives do have an adverse impact on the economy, costing jobs and raising the prices of American-made products. Yet a choice between jobs and the environment is not our only option – we can have both. In fact our efforts to protect the environment can strengthen American industry, add jobs, and bolster our economy. For this to happen we must recognize that we live in a world where the environment is global while our economy is local. Wind and water have no national boundaries. What affects the environment in one nation eventually impacts all nations world-wide. Satellite images show a huge cloud of air pollution over Asia, pollution that did not exist just a few decades ago. Samples of ocean fish taken close to the estuaries of major Asian rivers are starting to show measurable amounts of organic toxins and heavy metals, again to the extent not seen decades ago. This pollution would not exist if measures well-known at the time were taken to prevent pollution as we grew Asian industry. Industrialists argue against the environment based on cost of pollution abatement. Yet the cost of such measures as would effectively reduce or eliminate this added burden of World pollution would have been economical to incorporate at the time of creating this Asian industrial capacity. Why did industrialists and business magnates not accept their responsibility to the larger World civilization? Did they fear it would cut into profits and the amount of wealth they could amass? Do they intend to pass on this burden to their descendents while reaping immediate profits exploiting nations unable or unwilling to protect their environment? Consider the impact on the environment if the cost of environmental protection was mandatory in the total economic analysis for producing products and delivering services. We can compel this total cost of production by one simple national measure: prohibit the import of all goods produced in-whole or in-part in nations that do not enforce environmental protection provisions equivalent to or better than those in the United States. Consider the benefit to the environment as nations build-in environmental protection as they industrialize. Consider how manufacturing jobs will be brought back to the United States as companies find it is more economical to produce goods where environmental protection already exists. Are our major political parties considering such measures? Despite all their claims, all their posturing, all their platform statements, the answer is a resounding NO! Big money control of both major parties will continue to exploit the environment in the quest for ever greater wealth at the expense of the have-nots of the World and our future generations.

Not only does the Occupy movement have a rich past and dynamic present, but regardless of being now ignored by the media, it has a potential future. (Based on a presentation given to the Peace And Justice Group of Bath, New York in October of 2012.) The Occupy movement is more than one year old, and much has happened in the world. Inspired by these years of worldwide revolution, people have decided to come together to offer a new dialogue and a new vision for the country and the world. Not only is there the resistance to income inequality, corporate power, and austerity but the creation of new political and economic forms that offer a brighter promise of the future. This is despite the increased repression of peaceful demonstrations by the police, who in this context are clearly agents of the state rather than protectors of the public. The depiction of this police brutality through the lens of a reluctant and corporate controlled media has made a demarcation between the haves and the have nots much more clear and specific. The world is now fully aware of the conflict between the 99% and the 1% which has been a product of the policies of the past 30 years. The 99% were those who have been most affected by the economic crisis, while the 1% were those who have survived the crisis unscathed due to their inordinate wealth and power. As time passes, and to further cement this awareness, there needs to be a history of the movement to understand where it can go next. This history not only details what happened, but also how and why it happened. The people of the world can never go back to what was before, and so a new topology must be mapped out so that the past mistakes and crimes can never be repeated. The potential for change is strong if the understanding of the movement is strong. Continue reading

Greens turned out on July 24 to support the NYC Transit Forward rally to restore MTA services Continue reading

Flagrant transparency evasions and fundraising corruption puts Governor Cuomo on Citizen for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington's ignominious list. Continue reading

The Green Party criticized Governor Cuomo today for his flawed efforts to reduce public corruption in New York State.The Green Continue reading

From the Green Shadow Cabinet website: The Green Shadow Cabinet said today that while President Obama's call for Continue reading