Transportation/Sprawl

The Montgomery Greens believe in protecting and improving the quality of our air, water and the general environment. We further believe that land use and transportation planning can have a large impact on the quality of the environment in our county and state, including the Chesapeake Bay, and such planning should be sustainable in nature.

Because building new roads and highways contributes to urban sprawl, and is likely to be unsustainable, we support the more holistic planning approach put forward by the Citizens Alliance for Responsible Transportation and its ‘Solutions Not Sprawl’campaign and endorse their efforts.

For more about the MC Green's position on transportation, see:

• Comments given by Dan Kulpinski at the Park and Planning Commission Hearings on their Transportation Policy Task Force Report.
• Diane Cameron's Whitepaper comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
• Kenneth Ingham's ICC testimony
• Joseph Horgan's editorial
  

Other resources:

• Watch an inspiring presentation by the Coalition for Smarter Growth This is an informative vision of a humane metro region that reflects the kind of community we value.  You will learn how we can improve our quality of life, urban and suburban areas, reduce traffic, preserve greenspaces, and save money.
• Citizens Alliance for Responsible Transportation
• Eyes of Paint Branch
• Montgomery Intercounty Connector Coalition
• Save our Communities
  Does your delegates or senator support the ICC? Ask them to change their position!

Universal Health Care

The Montgomery Greens believe that access to affordable, decent health care is a basic human right that should be available to all people. We further believe that a Single-Payer Health Care system similar to that used in Canada is the best means of providing universal health insurance for a whole host of reasons (such as cost effectiveness, doctor choice, returning medical decision to doctors and patients), and will work to realize Single-Payer Universal Health Insurance in both Maryland and the United States.

We will further explore proposals short of Single-Payer Universal Health Insurance that improve the ability of those without health insurance to obtain affordable coverage and decent health care.

In that spirit, the Montgomery Greens sign on to the "Health Care for All" initiative put forth by the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative. In doing so, we will encourage that Single-Payer Universal Health Insurance be part of the agenda. However, because the details of the final proposal of the Health Care for All initiative have yet to be released, this endorsement is conditional and we reserve the right to withdraw our endorsement.

Ballot Access

Access to the ballot, not only for the voter but also for the candidate, is essential if democracy is to work effectively. Maryland is one of the most difficult states for a third party to achieve ballot status. During the Nader/LaDuke campaign we gathered 17,000 signatures on a petition to get on the ballot, far in excess of the 10,000 required. Signing a petition is one thing, registering as a Green is something else. Yet in order to achieve permanant party status we must persuade more than 26,000 voters (1% of the state's total) to register as Green. Until that happens, we are forced to conduct a petition drive every two years. We must also collect a separate set of signatures for each and every candidate that we run for office. The Demicans and Republicats have arranged it so that those who desire to form a third party must spend most of their time, energy and meager resources on signature-gathering efforts! We will work to open the system, making it easier to get on the ballot and therefore more democratic.

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)

Montgomery Greens advocate instant runoff voting as a way of enriching the electoral process. Instant runoff voting encourages wider voter participation by accommodating multiple candidates in single seat races and assuring that a "spoiler"-effect will not result in undemocratic outcomes. Instant runoff voting allows all voters to vote for their favorite candidate without fear of helping elect their least favorite candidate, and it ensures that the winner enjoys true support from a majority of the voters.

Instead of voting for only one candidate for single seat offices, voters rank candidates according to their preference. After the first choice votes have been counted, if nobody receives a majority of the vote, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the votes are tallied again. If your first choice was the one eliminated, your second choice becomes your first choice. The process is continued until a candidate receives a majority.

For more details about IRV and to get involved in the move to implement this approach, go to Center for Voting and Democracy

Campaign Finance Reform

Greens not only demand campaign finance reform but are already practicing on a voluntary basis some fundamental principles that would be part of any meaningful reform. Namely, candidates in MD do not accept donations from any corporation or political action committee. The Green Party itself will accept up to $1000 from an individual but again, nothing from corporations or PAC's. We are practicing what we preach.

According to a recent report by Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman, convicted Corporate Criminals gave $9.3 million in campaign contributions during the 2002 election cycle. For the full report, go to www.corporatecrimereporter.com/ccrreport.pdf

To learn about the financial influence and negative behavior in the 2002 elections for the Montgomery County Council, read The Best County Council Developer Dollars Can Buy , by Neighbors for a Better Montgomery .

Prison Reform
Build Schools Not Prisons
see Feb 24,2003 press release -

Living Wages & Affordable Housing

We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a “living wage” which reflects the real value of a person’s work.

Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our “quality of life.” We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.

• Communications Workers of America Videos
  • Watch the video on the Verizon treatment of labor

Ecological Wisdom

Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

• Listen to 27 minute talk by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the environment and corporate handouts, pollution as a form of corporate subsidy that subverts free market capitalism and the relationship to media and the squandering national resources in favor of quick profits.