Pacific Green Party
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Green Party of Oregon (PGP) is a political party in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It is a member of the Green Party of the United States
.
The party first gained widespread public attention during Ralph Nader
's presidential campaign in 2000.
Pacific Green Party candidates have won elected office mostly at the local
level; most winners of public office in Oregon who are considered Greens have won nonpartisan
-ballot elections (that is, elected to positions for which no candidate is listed with any party on the ballot
).
Pacific Greens emphasize grassroots democracy
, social justice
, nonviolence
, environmentalism
, decentralization
and local autonomy, in keeping with the Green parties' endorsement of the Ten Key Values (10KV).
Many of the party's early electoral candidates were also highly involved in the forest protection movement. These included candidate for United States Senate
Lou Gold in 1994; Joe Keating for Congress and Andy Davis for state representative
in 1996; and Blair Bobier for governor
and Karen Moskowitz for U.S. Senate in 1998. Davis and Keating were arrested for civil disobedience at the United States Forest Service
office building in downtown Portland during the campaign, chaining themselves to a desk along with local activist attorney Stu Sugarman. This action was followed by activist Tre Arrow
's ledge-sit at the same building several years later. Moskowitz has been visible at various Earth First!
gatherings and is a well-known economist who proved that the Forest Service sells public timber at less than the public expense of administering timber sales.
Ralph Nader
was the party's nominee for President of the United States
in 1996, and his vice-presidential candidate, Winona LaDuke
, came to Portland and walked a local picket line
in support of raising the minimum wage
. In addition to running candidates for office that year, the Pacific Party helped pass initiatives to raise the state minimum wage and expand the Portland area light rail system.
In 2000, in addition to nominating Ralph Nader for the Presidency, the Green Party nominated environmental activist Tre Arrow
to run for against incumbent Earl Blumenauer
. Arrow had gained prominence in July 2000 by staging a high-profile protest in downtown Portland, Oregon
, when he scaled a United States Forest Service
building and lived on a ledge for 11 days to protest the plan to log Eagle Creek. His protest played an important role in reversing the Forest Service's plans to log the area. Arrow received 15,000 votes in his run for Congress. In 2001 Arrow appeared on the Federal Bureau of Investigation
's "most wanted" list in connection with arson, and other activities of the Earth Liberation Front
. Arrow, who was apprehended in Canada, was sentenced in August 2008 in a Portland, Oregon federal court to 78 months in federal prison for his part in two arson attacks in 2001.
In 2004, Teresa Keane, the Green Party's candidate for the United States Senate
, won 2.4% of the vote – more than any other Green candidate for the U.S. Senate in that year. In 2006 Keane was elected Chair of the newly formed Green Senatorial Campaign Committee
(GSCC), a seven-member committee elected by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States to raise funds for senate candidates.
policies, respect for diversity, peace and nonviolence. The party's platform outlines the following positions and policies:
The PGP is recognized as a statewide political party by the Oregon Secretary of State
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is a member of the Green Party of the United States
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
.
The party first gained widespread public attention during Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
's presidential campaign in 2000.
Pacific Green Party candidates have won elected office mostly at the local
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
level; most winners of public office in Oregon who are considered Greens have won nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
-ballot elections (that is, elected to positions for which no candidate is listed with any party on the ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
).
Pacific Greens emphasize grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
, social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, nonviolence
Nonviolence
Nonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...
, environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, decentralization
Decentralization
__FORCETOC__Decentralization or decentralisation is the process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people and/or citizens. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy,...
and local autonomy, in keeping with the Green parties' endorsement of the Ten Key Values (10KV).
History
The party was founded as the Pacific Party in 1992, largely in response of the failure of the Democratic Party to provide meaningful opposition to the 1991 Gulf War. The name "Pacific" was chosen to reflect both the party's belief in regional decision-making and its commitment to peace. Although the state party always aligned with the international Green movement, including hosting the founding convention of the Association of State Green Parties in Portland in 1998, the word "Green" was not added to the party's name until 1999.Many of the party's early electoral candidates were also highly involved in the forest protection movement. These included candidate for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Lou Gold in 1994; Joe Keating for Congress and Andy Davis for state representative
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
in 1996; and Blair Bobier for governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
and Karen Moskowitz for U.S. Senate in 1998. Davis and Keating were arrested for civil disobedience at the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
office building in downtown Portland during the campaign, chaining themselves to a desk along with local activist attorney Stu Sugarman. This action was followed by activist Tre Arrow
Tre Arrow
Tre Arrow is a green anarchist who gained prominence in the U.S. state of Oregon in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his environmental activism, bid for Congress as a Pacific Green Party candidate, and then for his arrest and later conviction for committing acts of arson on cement and logging...
's ledge-sit at the same building several years later. Moskowitz has been visible at various Earth First!
Earth First!
Earth First! is a radical environmental advocacy group that emerged in the Southwestern United States in 1979. It was co-founded on April 4th, 1980 by Dave Foreman, Mike Roselle, Howie Wolke, and less directly, Bart Koehler and Ron Kezar....
gatherings and is a well-known economist who proved that the Forest Service sells public timber at less than the public expense of administering timber sales.
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
was the party's nominee for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1996, and his vice-presidential candidate, Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke is a Native American activist, environmentalist, economist, and writer. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president as the nominee of the United States Green Party, on a ticket headed by Ralph Nader. In the 2004 election, however, she endorsed one of Nader's opponents, Democratic...
, came to Portland and walked a local picket line
Picket line
A picket line is a horizontal rope, along which horses are tied at intervals. The rope can be on the ground, at chest height , or overhead. The overhead form usually is called a high line....
in support of raising the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
. In addition to running candidates for office that year, the Pacific Party helped pass initiatives to raise the state minimum wage and expand the Portland area light rail system.
In 2000, in addition to nominating Ralph Nader for the Presidency, the Green Party nominated environmental activist Tre Arrow
Tre Arrow
Tre Arrow is a green anarchist who gained prominence in the U.S. state of Oregon in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his environmental activism, bid for Congress as a Pacific Green Party candidate, and then for his arrest and later conviction for committing acts of arson on cement and logging...
to run for against incumbent Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. A native of Portland, he previously spent over 20 years as a public official representing the city.-Early...
. Arrow had gained prominence in July 2000 by staging a high-profile protest in downtown Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, when he scaled a United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
building and lived on a ledge for 11 days to protest the plan to log Eagle Creek. His protest played an important role in reversing the Forest Service's plans to log the area. Arrow received 15,000 votes in his run for Congress. In 2001 Arrow appeared on the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
's "most wanted" list in connection with arson, and other activities of the Earth Liberation Front
Earth Liberation Front
The Earth Liberation Front , also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment".The ELF was founded...
. Arrow, who was apprehended in Canada, was sentenced in August 2008 in a Portland, Oregon federal court to 78 months in federal prison for his part in two arson attacks in 2001.
In 2004, Teresa Keane, the Green Party's candidate for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, won 2.4% of the vote – more than any other Green candidate for the U.S. Senate in that year. In 2006 Keane was elected Chair of the newly formed Green Senatorial Campaign Committee
Green Senatorial Campaign Committee
The Green Senatorial Campaign Committee is the Green Party committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Greens to that body. The GSCC filed with the FEC for official recognition in September 2006, it was received in February 2007...
(GSCC), a seven-member committee elected by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States to raise funds for senate candidates.
Platform
The party's platform emphasizes environmentalism, social justice, social democraticSocial democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
policies, respect for diversity, peace and nonviolence. The party's platform outlines the following positions and policies:
- Repeal of the USA PATRIOT ActUSA PATRIOT ActThe USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
- Immediate end to the U.S. military occupation of Iraq
- Public campaign financing for all campaigns for public office and strict limits on political campaign contributions
- Supports net neutrality
- Supports instant run-off voting, proportional representationProportional representationProportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in the Oregon State Legislature, and proportional allocation of Oregon's Electoral College (United States) votes by Congressional district with the end goal of electing the President solely by the popular vote with the abolishment of the Electoral College (United States) - Voting rights for prisoners
- Passage of a Single-payer health careSingle-payer health careSingle-payer health care is medical care funded from a single insurance pool, run by the state. Under a single-payer system, universal health care for an entire population can be financed from a pool to which many parties employees, employers, and the state have contributed...
system - Protection of a women's right to abortionPro-choiceSupport for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
and supportive of legal physician-assisted suicide - Supports legal same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
including gay adoption - Establishment of carbon taxes to promote use of renewable energyRenewable energyRenewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
- Opposed to nuclear weapons and to using nuclear power to generate electricity
- Supports legalization and cultivation of hempHempHemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
and marijuana - Supports a ban on patent claims on naturally originating organisms and plants
- Supports the establishment of a federal Department of Peace
- Reduce the military budget of the United StatesMilitary budget of the United StatesThe military budget is that portion of the United States discretionary federal budget that is allocated to the Department of Defense, or more broadly, the portion of the budget that goes to any defense-related expenditures...
to less than $150 billion annually - Supports emphasizing prevention and rehabilitation over incarceration and repealing the Oregon Ballot Measure 11 (1994)Oregon Ballot Measure 11 (1994)Measure 11 was a citizens' initiative passed in 1994 in the U.S. State of Oregon. This statutory enactment established mandatory minimum sentencing for several crimes...
that established mandatory minimum sentences - Wants to release every person who was convicted of only nonviolent, victimless drug crimes from prison
- Opposed to private prisons
- Abolish the death penalty
- Abolish the state's lotteryOregon LotteryThe Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
Elected officials
There are currently six elected Green officeholders in the state of Oregon.- Michael Beilstein, City Council, CorvallisCorvallis, OregonCorvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
- Richard Hervey, City Council, CorvallisCorvallis, OregonCorvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
- Mark Camara, City Council, ToledoToledo, OregonToledo is a city located on the Yaquina River and along U.S. Route 20 in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,472...
- Matt Donohue, School Board, CorvallisCorvallis, OregonCorvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
- John Jones, Board Member, Myrtle Point Health District
- James Nicita, City Commissioner, Oregon CityOregon CityOregon City is a city in Oregon.Oregon City may also refer to:*Oregon City, California, an unincorporated area*The USS Oregon City , a United States Navy heavy cruiser in commission from 1946 to 1947...
Structure and composition
The Pacific Green Party has one central 'Coordinating Committee' composed of seven members elected to one and two year terms.The PGP is recognized as a statewide political party by the Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
.
See also
- Green Party (United States)Green Party (United States)The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
- List of political parties in the United States
- California Green ArchivesCalifornia Green ArchivesThe California Green Archives and special collections was formally established in 2000. Its goal is to identify, collect, preserve, and make available records of the Green movement and Green party to green activists, scholars, writers, historians, and journalists, and for posterity...
- Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
External links
- Official web site
- Green Party of the United States (GPUS)
- Green Party Ballot Status and Voter Registration Totals
- Green Bloggers