GPNJ Annual Convention
Writing by Tim on Sunday, 13 of April , 2008 at 9:49 pm
So much for weekly writing… Anyway.
Saturday, March 29th was the date of the annual Green Party of New Jersey (GPNJ) Convention. I was there. Chances are you weren’t.
In fact only about thirty people showed up, representing a little over half the counties. As it is nationwide, the Green Party suffers from a general lack of participation and funds, but in spite of that, has become a large state presence and is considered to be the largest “opposition” party. That is, not Democrat or Republican.
The convention itself was pretty boring, but without the rock concert budget (and these days, approach) the two major parties utilize, all things of this nature would be. One question raised was an immediate addressing of the states financial crisis (for those of who you are unaware, NJ is broke), but the committee deemed that this matter was too complex to be dealt with in a single convention where so much was already on the docket, and dismissed it. The Bergen County Greens, filers of the idea, still got their plan out: a tax on all stocks, bonds, and investments that would go into general state revenue. Not a bad idea, but the issue is somewhat more complex than that.
After going over minutes and proposals, one of the Green Party’s presidential candidates, Jesse Johnson (not to be confused with Jesse Jackson) spoke. While I give the guy credit for being able to deliver a speech - a talent which most people lack these days - his impassioned talk of his accomplishments in environmentalism in native West Virginia and outline for new efficient energy production (methane engines included; cue the fart jokes, frat boys) failed to impress. His speech, in the end, was the same lofty yet ultimately meaningless dialogue that leaks from the mouth of the average cable news anchor. At least he had a Q&A session afterward. At least, that would have meant something if he didn’t utterly blow it. When asked about violence and funding in relation to urban schools, he very obviously dodged the question, taking the Jack Thompson road of blaming television and video games for school shootings (try parents?) and flat out admitting he didn’t know anything about how schools were funded in NJ. He did mention that the provision in No Child Left Behind that allows for Marine recruiters to be permanently stationed in high schools is pretty fucked (my words, not his, just to be clear, but I’d have like those to have been his words, but that’s just me), it came across as too little, too late. For those of you who are turned off to the Green Party from this: don’t let him fool you. It gets better. I promise.
After Johnson’s speech came the amendments to GPNJ rules. While this was pretty grating to listen to and took far too long, it was interesting to see some political debate in action. One amendment raised was to throw out the standard rulebook for debate proceedings, Robert’s Rules, and have a rule set that was less published and more “We make this shit up as we go along.” Now, I’m all for free-thinking, but that is just asinine. Throwing out almost a thousand pages of rules is not free-thinking, it’s attempting to force free-thinking by eliminating all bases and foundations. The entire system would need to be rebuilt, and as I mentioned before, the Green Party is already slowed due to lack of manpower. This is one of many problems I have with the thinking types these days. “Free-thinkers” just want to throw out the rules and think that everything will fall in place is we put our minds to it (and wish very, very hard), while “intellectuals” just turn off their brains and shove their grubby little noses in a book. Mentioned during the almost hour long debate was the idea of a hybrid system of using rules only as a reference, but taking problems on a case-by-case basis, and also conducting study groups and recording not only what the decisions are, but how they are reached. If you ask me, this should be have implemented long ago.
After the convention proper, we went to see another presidential candidate who was a hell of a lot better than Jesse Jackson. Johnson. Sorry.
Cynthia McKinney is an ex-democrat who was one of the first members of congress to question Bush et al. about some of the mysteries regarding 9/11. For example, why certain members of the House of Saud were allowed to leave the country when planes were grounded nationally and national security was canvassing for Middle-Eastern terrorists. Note that my goal is not to turn this into a 9/11 debate - Christ knows I don’t want to get people started on that - I’m just giving a factual example. So shut up.
McKinney talked for a little while after we saw part of a documentary featuring her: American Blackout. It was a basic outline with good evidence of how the 2000 vote was manipulated, particularly the black vote. Once again, I’m not trying to turn this into a debate. It was a movie and I watched it, and now I’m telling you about it, and if you have questions, look it up. So, again, shut up.
I did not get a chance to speak to McKinney (I did introduce myself) because I suppose there were more interesting people in the room besides some scummy-looking college kid. But overall, McKinny is an impressive candidate. Plus, she’s great for all you new-agers out there who either want a woman or a black president. Voting for McKinney gets you a black woman president: twice the social scandal in one convenient package!
Oh yeah, I met some of Malcolm X’s relatives. See, politics is cool.
Some links:
McKinney’s presidental run page.
Wiki entry on McKinney; actually has some good information.
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