PGP Media Report

PGP Media report for February 8

I’m happy to report that I have recruited two great new members to our PGP media team. Wes Brain, a professor at SOC and a media expert specializing in public access, has joined the team, as has Gerry Cavanaugh who was referred to me by Irene. She says “Gerry is a retired professor, having taught at both Columbia and UC Berkeley, is one of our community’s leading activists, and is extremely knowledgeable.” I’d like to send out more and more timely press releases, especially as the election year progresses, so these two experts should be a great help. I am hoping for innovative ideas about how to reach the public. Wes, for example, sent along a link to an audio clip of a talk Harry Lonsdale gave called “Gaining Political Power in Oregon,” for a meeting of Money is Not Democracy. See

http://www.PhilosopherSeed.org/audio.htm.He says it is about 22 minutes long.

I wrote a notice about the convention (below) which Peter posted to he website for me, and I also sent it around to my (recovered!) state media contact list:

Green Party hosts annual business convention

The Pacific Green Party of Oregon will convene its Annual Business Convention on Saturday, February 21, at 8:45 A.M., with registration beginning at 8 A.M. The agenda will include a presentation on the candidacy of David Cobb, a leading contender for the presidential nomination of the Green Party of the United States. In addition to considering proposals for changes in the PGP Bylaws and Constitution, the convention will host presentations on the urgent need for universal health care and campaign finance reform. An open discussion of strategy for the 2004 elections will take place during the afternoon session.

The convention location is at the intersection of 23rd Street and Monroe, 101 NW 23rd St in Corvallis. Convention-goers will share a potluck luncheon, and child care is available. For more information, consult our website: http://www.pacificgreens.org. PGP conventions are free and open to everyone, although only supporting members who have attended at least one prior convention can vote.

I will be sending an ad to the Portland Mercury later today. (Matt had suggested Willamette Week, but their smallest display ad is $145, as compared to $34 at the Mercury.) Since this is not an actual nominating convention, I think I can get by with that. I’ll try to get some free political notices in as well.

I also wrote a press release having to do with the White Paper on the Oregon Progress Forum’s proposal for a New Oregon (non-partisan) Primary. I’m still holding it, however, as there is disagreement as to whether and when it should go out. Copy below:

Greens concerned about New Oregon Primary proposal

Members of the Pacific Green Party of Oregon are expressing concerns about the New Oregon Primary proposed in a recent “White Paper” published by the Oregon Progress Forum. Blair Bobier, a founder of the Oregon Greens, puts it bluntly: “This is an awful idea which would effectively end ‘minor’ party participation in general elections. It favors money and the ‘major’ parties, not the voters. The candidates with the most money would win in May.”

The premise of the proposal is that voters would be better served if ballots for key state and federal offices in the Oregon primaries were non-partisan, listed all candidates, were mailed to every voter, and voters could choose from any candidates listed regardless of party affiliation. (See _ HYPERLINK http://www.oregonprogressforum.org __www.oregonprogressforum.org_ for a one-page description of the full White Paper.)

While at first glance the proposal seems to offer some advantage to minor parties in allowing any and all candidates to be listed on the ballot, Greens remain skeptical. Jeff Cropp, Co-Chair of the Portland Metro Chapter and Elections Coordinator of the state party, believes “holding partisan elections focuses public attention on how candidates choose to label themselves — Green, Republican, whatever — and on whether the people who most identify with that label accept the candidate as one of their own. This provides crucial examination and disclosure, even in such a restricted party system as the one that exists in the US. Nonpartisan elections make it easier for candidates to be vague about what they stand for.”

“[In a non-partisan race], Republicans and Libertarians will win every election,” adds Dan Meek, PGP legislative spokesperson and chief petitioner for Campaign Finance Reform Initiative #53. “Why? The corporations will know whom to back, and those candidates will win due to name recognition generated from paid advertising funded by the corporations.”

“A better solution,” concludes Bobier, “would be to implement instant runoff voting in primaries and the general election. Other urgent reforms include proportional representation and campaign finance reform. ”

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In addition, I’ve been doing PGP Announcements almost every week (when there is something to announce), and I forward the national press releases that come my way, as well as some of the more interesting and relevant state press releases that come over the states media network. (Ours get posted to them as well.)

Joanne Cvar,

Media Coordinator