This letter was originally posted at the website of Dr. Margaret Flowers.
We write to reaffirm our commitment to building a Green Party that has a radical analysis of the society in which we live, and promotes bold solutions to transform our society and address the root causes of those crises; a Green Party that is independent of the two money-dominated parties.
There is a deep social crisis in the US. This crisis manifests in countless ways. One of its central manifestations is through the political system. People have legitimate concerns about the electoral system, which is manipulated through wholesale voter disenfranchisement, massive voter suppression and the racist and undemocratic historical logic of the Electoral College. In all fifty states, voters from poor and marginalized communities, especially Black people and other communities of color, have their votes suppressed and are excluded from participation through various practices.
The Green Party cannot build the political power necessary for the transformative changes we need by allying with two capitalist parties that serve the interests of the wealthy. That is why it is imperative that the Green Party is independent of those parties. We stay independent to give people an alternative to the corruption of two money-based parties. Greens reject donations from corporations and their political action committees to ensure we are accountable to the people and so that the people’s agenda is not superseded by the corporate agenda.
There are significant electoral reforms needed to make elections more democratic and more representative of the people. While we support electoral reforms, including how the vote is counted, we do not support the current recount being undertaken by Jill Stein.
The decision to pursue a recount was not made in a democratic or a strategic way, nor did it respect the established decision making processes and structures of the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). The recount has created confusion about the relationship between the Green and Democratic parties because the states chosen for the recount are only states in which Hillary Clinton lost. There were close races in other states such as New Hampshire and Minnesota where Clinton won, but which were not part of the recount. And this recount does not address the disenfranchisement of voters; it recounts votes that were already counted rather than restoring the suffrage of voters who were prevented from voting.
As a candidate, Dr. Stein has the right to call for a recount. However, we urge the GPUS to distance itself from any appearance of support for either Democrats or Republicans. We are well aware of the undemocratic actions taken during the primaries by the DNC and the Clinton campaign. Greens cannot be perceived to be allied with such a party.
We remain committed to the Green Party’s four pillars and ten key values, which have at their foundation grassroots democracy. We urge the GPUS to prioritize its efforts on building our party from the bottom up, working and organizing in direct solidarity with our state and local parties and alongside and in defense of the rights of those most affected by the injustices of a capitalist, white supremacist and undemocratic system. This includes support for local efforts to prevent the disenfranchisement of people of color via voter suppression or because of felony convictions and to be more inclusive and participatory in our decision-making processes and work.
Signed,
[Affiliations listed for identification purposes only]
Chris Blankenhorn, Co-Chair of Green Party US, GPUS Youth Caucus, Illinois
Andrea Merida Cuellar, Co-chair of Green Party US, Co-founder GPUS Latinx Caucus, Colorado
Bahram Zandi, Ph.D., Co-chair of Green Party US, Maryland
Janet Martell, Secretary of Green Party US, North Carolina
James Andrews, Youth Director, Stein-Baraka campaign, New York
Adrian Boutureira, Green Party of Texas, Socialist Greens, Jill2016- Field Director- Latinx Outreach Coordinator
David Doonan, IWW, Union #560, former Village Mayor, Greenwich, NY, Upper Hudson Green Party, New York
Grace Lopez, Long Island Volunteer Coordinator Jill Stein for President 2016, Chair, Jim Brown, Nassau County, New York
Dan Pulju, Jill2016 lead volunteer phonebanker, 9013 calls, Pacific Green Party, Oregon
Bruce D. Wilkinson, former Western States Coordinator, Jill Stein campaign, South Sound Green Party, Washington State
Kevin Zeese, Senior Adviser Stein-Baraka campaign, Maryland
Chris Hedges, Stein-Baraka endorser, author, New Jersey
Brandy Baker, National Committee Delegate, Maryland
Steven Ballard, Massachusetts Delegate to National Convention (Jill Stein Supporter)
Jim Brash, Green National Committee, New Jersey; Green Party of New Jersey Green Council
Joseph A. Calhoun, Green Party candidate U.S. Congress 2004 / 2006, Colorado
Tim Casebolt, Secretary, Lavender Green Caucus
Michael Goldbeck, Member of the California Green Party Coordinating Committee
Paul Homeniuk, Treasurer, Green Party of Michigan
Pia Jensen, Former Cotati City Council member & Vice Mayor, California
Sharon LeMay Green National Committee delegate and Anoka County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, District 5 (January 2017), Minnesota
Gini Lester, Lavender Greens Caucus, Illinois
Steven Linnerooth, GPUS National Committee Delegate, Minnesota
Cynthia McKinney, 2008 Presidential candidate, Georgia
Rosa Clemente, 2008 Green Party Vice-Presidential candidate, New York
Lauren Besanko, former Green Party candidate for State Legislature, Maine
Owen R. Broadhurst, 2006 candidate and former member of Green-Rainbow Party’s Administrative Committee, Massachusetts
Eric Brooks, Coordinating Committee Member, Green Party Of California
Dylan Calewarts, 2016 Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, Michigan’s 12th District
Alfred Clayton, Chairperson Green Party of Ocean County, New Jersey
Michael Cornell, Green, Former Member and Chair of the Columbia Council, Maryland
Don DeBar, past Green Party Candidate, New York
John Eder, (G) Portland Board of Education, Maine
Margaret Flowers, former Green Party candidate for US Senate, Maryland
Sean Friend, Green Party of Colorado Secretary, Young Greens Caucus Secretary
Mike Goldbeck, member of Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of California, San Diego Green Party
Tyler Henderson, Alabama Green Party Chair
Myles Hoenig, former Green Party candidate for Congress, Maryland
Tarik Kanaana, GPUS National Committee, GPCA Coordinating Committee
Daniel Kogoj, Former Green Party Rep on Leichhardt Council, Port Jackson Greens, New South Wales, Australia
LuAnne Kozma, Green Party National Committee delegate, Michigan and former Michigan coordinator, Stein/Baraka campaign
Steve Kramer, former Co-Chair, Green Party of the United States, Howard County Green Party, Maryland
Mark A. Lause, former state committee Green Party, Ohio
Michael Leonardi, co-founder Green Party of Ohio
Carl Lundgren, Chair, Bronx County Green Party/Verdes del Bronx, New York
Joe Manchik, former Green Party candidate for Congress, Ohio
Carlos Martinez, Viva Jill Stein, Texas
Joel A. Mayer, Green Party of Texas Presidential Elector, Bexar County Green Party
Sarah Morken, Coordinating Committee member, Green Party of Pierce County, Washington State
Brendan Phillips, Interim Co-chair, Green Party of Utah
Aaron Renaud, Co-chair, Green Party of Texas
Rose S. Roby, Co-chair Pinellas Green Party Local, Florida
Phil Schrader, Coordinator for Green Party of St Johns County, Florida
Holly Seeliger, Green Party Elect, Portland, Maine Board of Education Representative since 2012
Cindy Sheehan, Political and social activist, media
Tony Smith, Chairman of the Indianapolis Green Party, Indiana
Zontise Springer, Wayne County Volunteer Coordinator, Michigan
Paul Stephens, Green activist since 1980 – Barry Commoner campaign. NC member 2004-2009-Delegate to NomConv 2004, CasCoGreens, Montana
Richard Stone, San Francisco Green Party County Council, California
Paul Street, author and activist, Johnson County Green Party, Iowa
Amanda Trujillo, Denver Green Party Co-Chair
Gary Swing, 2016 independent Green candidate for US Senate (Arizona); 2010/2012/2014 Colorado Green Party nominee for US Representative; 1996 Green Party nominee for State Representative (Denver, CO)
Julia Williams, former Green Party candidate for Congress, Michigan
Ajagbe Adewole-Ogunade
Melissa Aguilar, concerned Green Party supporter, Broward County Green Party, Florida
Michael Ahern
Billy Akin
Kali Akuno, Supporter, Mississippi
Sheila Albertson
William Aldridge, Green party supporter, Virginia
Robert Alft, Green Party, Capitol District, Albany, New York
Yousef al-Khattab
Jon Anderson
Patricia Ashlock
Astrid, Georgia Green Party
Bernie August, Green Party, Delaware
Angel Ayala, Green Party member
Kristina Bacon
Dr. Jared Ball, Green Party member, Maryland
Bob Ballard, Party Organizer, Ventura County Green Party, California
Julie Banuelos, Denver Green Party, Colorado
Manuel Barrera, PhD, Associate Professor of Urban Education, Metropolitan State University, Minnesota
Rev. Majadi Baruti, Green Party of Birmingham, Alabama
Laura Basso
Dale Baum, Green Party of Alameda County, California
Basil Benjamin Jr.
Rosemary Bensko, Berkeley, California
Michael Evan Bertoni, Poudre Valley Greens, Colorado
David Bielut
Pete Bobb
Steven Bray
Sharon Briscoe, Green Party of Fresno County, California
Peter Bronson
Rick Brown, concerned Green Party member and worker, Green Party of Taos, New Mexico
Austin Tyler Bryan, future Green Party candidate for Congress, Ohio
Elizabeth Buck
Troy Buckner-Nkrumah, Green Party voter and financial contributor, Alaska
Harold Burbank, Green Party of Connecticut
Rebecca Burr
Laura Bryon, frustrated democrat since ’92, Alameda County, California
D L Byrum, Green Party Volunteer Coordinator for Volusia County, FL
Cindy
Jenny Cain
Guillermo Calvo Mahé
Blair Campbell, Metro-East Green Party, Illinois
Carolyn Cannafax, Green Party of San Diego County, California
Andrea Carney, Denver, Colorado
Amy Cassada
Diana Castillo, Stein-Baraka supporter
Timothy Castle, Pennsylvania
Katherine Catinella
Brandon Cawley, Green Party/Jill Stein 2016 Supporter
Lisa Chakan, Green Party, New York
Ray Chambers, Green Party of San Diego County, California
Calvin Chase, Contra Costa County, California
Steve Claassen, Fresno County Green Party, California
Selby Coffin
James Collins, Green Party, Delaware
Kenneth Collins, Sussex County, New Jersey Green Party
Bernie Corace
Michael Crawford
Elena Daniel
Linda Danz
Kevin Daugherty, Green Party member, Pennsylvania
Brian Delafayette, Green Party, San Diego, California
Cristi Demnowicz, Green organizer, Baltimore County Local, Maryland
Nadia Dennis
Trane DePriest, Franklin County Green Party,
Ash Di
Shane Doolittle
Jackie L. Douglas, Green Party member, AR
Katina Dunn, California
Esmeralda, Washington, State
Kenneth C. Eidel, St. Petersburg Green Party, Florida
Romi W. Elnagar, Green Party of Louisiana
Po-Tau Fan
Samuel Day Fassbinder, Pomona Valley Greens, California
Kevin Fatica
Chris Felice, Green Party supporter
Kenosha Ferrell, Green Party member, Miami-Dade, Florida
Joseph Fiacher
Anne Field, Green Party of Butte County, California
Linda Ford, Green campaign organizer, Madison County, New York
Erin Fox, Vehicle City Greens, Flint, Michigan
Rachel Francis, Collin County Green Party, Texas
Felice Freiwald, Independent
Lucas Frye, Virginia
Michael Furci
Maria Furmato
Eric Galati
Nekita Gandy, Green Party member, Mississippi
Marcia Ganeles
Kelley Garcia, Green/Independent
Erin Garcia-Luckey
Juan Garibay, Green Party member
Ann Garrison, Alameda County Green Party, California
David Gaskey, Independent
Jerad Geier, Green Party activist, Wisconsin
Bill Gerhard
Amy Gibbens
Jean Giblette, Green Party of New York State
Robert M. Goetz, Green Party of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Andres Gonzalez, San Antonio Green Party, Texas
Damian Gonzales, community organizer, Adams County Green Party, Pennsylvania
Craig Gordon, Green Party member, Florida
Michael Gottlieb
Gail Gouveia, Massachusetts
John Gowen
Margaret Graney, Green Party at Lexington Area Greens, Kentucky
Casandra Grecu
Dr. Ed and Harriet Griffith, Green Party, Washington State
Cynthia Hall
Irving Wesley Hall, Green Party member, Retired teacher and political novelist
Chuck Hamilton, Green Party of Tennessee
Vicci Hamlin, Green Party voter, Ohio
Melissa Harris, Green Party member, Ocean County, New Jersey
Chris Herz, Green Party, Maryland
Argie Hill, Green Party at Berkeley, California
Carey Hix
Andrew Hudson, Green Party of Sonoma County, California
Eric Hudson, Chicago Green Party, Illinois
Jude Hudson, Potter County Green Party, Pennsylvania
Angela Humphrey, Green Party member, Denver, Colorado
Jacques Huoff
Mark Iozzo
Jamhar M. James
Linda Jansen, Green Party member
Leith B. Jasinowski-Kahl, Longshoreman, Labor and Racial Justice Activist, Green, Washington State
Judea Johnson, Green Party of Alameda County, California
Deb K.
Alex Kantrowitz, Member Illinois Green Party, 2000-2010
Naim Karim
Sarah Kenny
Joy Kingsley, Green Party member, South Carolina
Janet Kobren, Alameda County Green Party, California
Stephen Kramny
Jennifer V. Kurland, Metro Detroit Greens, Michigan
Phillip Kwik, Detroit Green Party, Michigan
Brett L., Green Vermont Coop
Rodney Latstetter
Mark Lause
David Lee
David Leonard, Green Party member, Maine
Dakotah Lilly
James Joseph Madigan, Baltimore Green Party, Maryland
James Mahoney IV, Green Party of Northwest Indiana
Susan Manak, Wisconsin Progressive Voter, Green Party of Vernon County
Steve Mann, Missouri Green Party’s Heart of America Chapter
Claudia Martinez. Green Party of Louisiana
Sunny Maynard
Ann McCoy, Green Party member, Brooklyn, New York
Greg McDonald, Green Party voter
Shane McDonnell, Mesa County Green Party, Colorado
Ciaran Mc Clean, Green Party Northern Ireland
Liz Meave
Gail Mello, Arizona
Jeremy Menard
Eric Millard
Evan Miller, Los Angeles, California
Frederick B. Mills, PhD, Green Party Member, Philosopher, Montgomery County, Maryland
Jose A. Monzon, Jill Stein 2012 & 2016 voter, Green supporter
Kelly Moore, Washington State
Chip Molter
Max Monclair, Green Party member, Colorado
Linda Moran
Marjan Moshayedi
Bob Mueller, DuPage County Green Party, Illinois
Catherine Mugianis
David Ngo
Rael Nidess, M.D., Green Party of Texas
Will Noble, Pacific Green Party, Oregon
Mike Nyland, Independent voter
Bruce Oatway
Brian O’Connor
T. Oliver, Pacific Green Party member, Oregon
Melanie Oringer, MoCo4Bernie Core Group Leader, Maryland for Bernie Co-chair
Ted Orr
Robert Ouellette, Green Party, New Hampshire
Benjamin Palmer, Green Party, North Carolina
Anne Patterson, Left the Dems for Greens this year, Metropolitan Albuquerque Area Green Party, New Mexico
Jason Patti, California
Christy Penleric
Matt Peppe, Green Party member, Maryland
Perri
Joanna Perry
Keith Perry
Dave Petrovich, watermelon Green Party Member Monmouth County, New Jersey
Dan Plaat, Upper Hudson Green Party, New York
Diane Poland
Barbara Pollick
Cynthia Ramon, Pacific Green Party of Oregon
Brian Reynolds, Green Party member, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Scott Richardson, Independent
Emma Ridener, Green Party supporter
David J Rienhart
Peggy Robertson, Green, former public school teacher, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Joseph Robinson, Green Party supporter, Baltimore, Maryland
Jeff Roby, Editor, St. Petersburg Independents, Florida
Barbara Rock
Derrick Romero
Annette Rondano, Green Party member, Minnesota
Randy Rupley
Adrian Rush, concerned Green Party supporter
Hannah Rush
C. Russell
David Carlos Salaverry, San Francisco Green Party, California
Anthony Saleyar
Lisa Sanders, Temporary Chair Grayson County Green Party, Texas
Lynne Sandoval, San Diego Green Party, California
Dan Scanlan, Nevada County Green Party, California
Ralph Scenic
Willie Schatz, Washington, DC
Natalia Schuurman, Green Party member
April Schutte
Anita Seeling, recovering Democrat
Rob Seimetz
Stephen T. Semienick
Jesse Shaffer, Travis County Green Party, Texas
Amy Shea
David Sheridan
Julian Shermis
Heidi Sholtis, Green Party, South Carolina
Jase Short, solidarity member, Green Party, Tennessee
Robert Showalter, Colorado
David Simowitz, Green Party of New York
Michael Sirbola
Geoffrey Small
Steve Snyder
David Soumis, Independent Green
Paul Spitz, Green Party member, Florida
Chelsey Sprengeler, Green Party, Illinois
Haruhuani Spruce
Roy Stanley
Louis Steffen
Lorna Stein
Connie Stopmer, Green
Thom Taylor, Green Party, Charleston, South Carolina
Albert L. Terry, III, Green Party member, Alabama
Dean Thompson, Green Party Voter since 2000
Jodi Thompson , Sanders supporter who voted for Stein
Scott M. Thompson, Green Party voter
Jake Tibbetts, Youth activist
Lucy Tierney
Ellen Tieszen, Green Party, Collin County, Texas
Jens Tinjum
Kathleen Tirpak. Tennessee
Ann Tulintseff, Green Party member, Colorado
Pancho Valdez, Former GP member. San Antonio, TX
Face Valyou, Lyricist & Producer in Built To Write, Organizer for 15 Now Roanoke, Virginia
Brandon Villa, San Bernardino Green Party, California
Mari Vina, Independent who voted Green
Mike W., Green Party of Florida
M Waller, Los Angeles Green Party, California
MR Waller, Los Angeles Green Party, California
John and Susan Walsh, Maricopa County Green Party, Arizona
Rachel Watkins
Patricia Weinmunson
Robert “Bison” Whittenberg, Green Party Activist
Brian Wiles, Former Longshoreman, Haiti Solidarity Activist, Racial Justice Organizer, Metro Detroit Green Party, Michigan
A. Wilkins, Alameda County, California
JJ Wills
Jessica Wilson, Stanislaus County Green Party, California
Skyler Wind
Patricia Wisneski
Jeremy M Wolfe, Young Greens US, Utah Green Party
Lee Wood
Giovanna X (aka “Liviana”), Co-Owner, “Berners for Jill Stein” at Google Plus