Draft GPUS Platform Amendment Community
Proposal: Move planks of 2004 Community section to other parts of the platform and delete stand-alone Community section.
Move to Chapter 3 Ecological Sustainability, Land Use section: Increased public transportation, convenient playgrounds and parks for all sections of cities and small towns, and funding to encourage diverse neighborhoods.
Move to Chapter 1 Grassroots Democracy, Arts section: We support a rich milieu of art, culture, and significant (yet modestly funded) programs such as the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. [See section E.Education and the Arts on page 27 in chapter II]
Move to Chapter 2 Social Justice, Welfare section: We call for social policies to focus on protecting families. The young – our citizens of tomorrow – are increasingly at risk. Programs must ensure that children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, receive basic nutritional, educational, and medical necessities. The Green Party supports and seeks to expand Head Start and Pre- and neo-natal programs. A Children’s Agenda should be put in place to focus attention and concerted action on the future that is our children. [See section A.8. Youth Rights on page 23 in chapter II]
Move to Chapter 1 Grassroots Democracy, Education section: A universal, federally funded childcare program for pre-school and young schoolchildren should be developed.
Move to Chapter 4 Economic Sustainability, Tax Fairness section: Family assistance such as the earned income tax credit, available to working poor families in which the parent supports and lives with the children, should be maintained and increased to offset regressive payroll taxes and growing inequalities in American society. [See section E. True Cost Pricing and Tax Fairness on page 61 in chapter IV]
Move to Chapter 4 Economic Sustainability, Livable Income section: A living family wage is vital to the social health of communities. [See section D. Livable Income on page 61 in chapter IV]
Move to Chapter ???, ??? section: The actuarial protection of social security is essential to the well-being of our seniors, and maintenance of the system’s integrity is an essential part of a healthy community. We oppose privatization of social security, call for the program to remain under the aegis of the Federal Government, and seek to expand its effectiveness. [See section M. National Debt on page 70 in chapter IV]
Move to Chapter 4, Work and the self-employed section: We support the leading-edge work of non-profit public interest groups and those individuals breaking out of “careerism” to pursue non-traditional careers in public service.
Move to Chapter 5, United States section: We must create new opportunities for citizens to serve their communities through non-military community service. Alternative community service to the military should be encouraged.
Move to Chapter ???, ??? section: We advocate the formation of a Civilian Conservation Corps, with national leadership and state and local affiliates, to spearhead efforts to work on the tasks of environmental education, restoration of damaged habitats, reforestation, and cleaning up polluted waterways. Providing land and resource management skills will challenge young people while encouraging social responsibility.
2004 SECTION ON COMMUNITY
Community is the basic unit of green politics because it is personal, value-oriented, and small enough for each member to have an impact. Community involvement is a foundation for public policy.
Social diversity is the well-spring of community life where old and young, rich and poor, and people of all races and beliefs can interact individually and learn to care for each other, and to understand and cooperate. We emphasize a return to local, face-to-face relationships that humans can understand and care about.
Among Greens, our guiding principle is to think globally and act locally. Community needs recognize a diversity of issues, and local control recognizes a variety of approaches to solving problems, ones that tend to be bottom-up not top-down. Green politics does not place its faith in paternalistic big government. Instead, Greens believe face-to-face interactions are essential to productive and meaningful lives for all citizens.
The Green vision includes building communities that nurture families, generate good jobs and housing, and provide public services; creating cities and towns that educate children, encourage recreation, and preserve natural and cultural resources; building local governments that protect people from environmental hazards and crime; and motivating citizens to participate in making decisions.
The Green vision calls for a global community of communities that recognize our immense diversity, respect our personal worth, and share a global perspective. We call for an approach to politics that acknowledges our endangered planet and habitat. Our politics responds to global crises with a new way of seeing our shared international security.
We will conceive a new era of international cooperation and communication that nurtures cultural diversity, recognizes the interconnectedness between communities, and promotes opportunities for cultural exchange and assistance.
1. We call for increased public transportation, convenient playgrounds and parks for all sections of cities and small towns, and funding to encourage diverse neighborhoods. [See section C.Transportation on page 44 in chapter III]
2. We support a rich milieu of art, culture, and significant (yet modestly funded) programs such as the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. [See section E.Education and the Arts on page 27 in chapter II]
Families and Children
3. We call for social policies to focus on protecting families. The young – our citizens of tomorrow – are increasingly at risk. Programs must ensure that children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, receive basic nutritional, educational, and medical necessities. The Green Party supports and seeks to expand Head Start and Pre- and neo-natal programs. A Children’s Agenda should be put in place to focus attention and concerted action on the future that is our children. [See section A.8. Youth Rights on page 23 in chapter II]
4. A universal, federally funded childcare program for pre-school and young schoolchildren should be developed.
5. Family assistance such as the earned income tax credit, available to working poor families in which the parent supports and lives with the children, should be maintained and increased to offset regressive payroll taxes and growing inequalities in American society. [See section E. True Cost Pricing and Tax Fairness on page 61 in chapter IV]
6. A living family wage is vital to the social health of communities. [See section D. Livable Income on page 61 in chapter IV]
7. The actuarial protection of social security is essential to the well-being of our seniors, and maintenance of the system’s integrity is an essential part of a healthy community. We oppose privatization of social security, call for the program to remain under the aegis of the Federal Government, and seek to expand its effectiveness. [See section M. National Debt on page 70 in chapter IV]
8. We support the leading-edge work of non-profit public interest groups and those individuals breaking out of “careerism” to pursue non-traditional careers in public service.
Alternative Community Service
9. We must create new opportunities for citizens to serve their communities through non-military community service. Alternative community service to the military should be encouraged.
10. We advocate the formation of a Civilian Conservation Corps, with national leadership and state and local affiliates, to spearhead efforts to work on the tasks of environmental education, restoration of damaged habitats, reforestation, and cleaning up polluted waterways. Providing land and resource management skills will challenge young people while encouraging social responsibility.
2004 PLATFORM ON COMMUNITY
ommunity is the basic unit of green politics because it is personal, value-oriented, and small enough for each member to have an impact. Community involvement is a foundation for public policy.
Social diversity is the well-spring of community life where old and young, rich and poor, and people of all races and beliefs can interact individually and learn to care for each other, and to understand and cooperate. We emphasize a return to local, face-to-face relationships that humans can understand and care about.
Among Greens, our guiding principle is to think globally and act locally. Community needs recognize a diversity of issues, and local control recognizes a variety of approaches to solving problems, ones that tend to be bottom-up not top-down. Green politics does not place its faith in paternalistic big government. Instead, Greens believe face-to-face interactions are essential to productive and meaningful lives for all citizens.
The Green vision includes building communities that nurture families, generate good jobs and housing, and provide public services; creating cities and towns that educate children, encourage recreation, and preserve natural and cultural resources; building local governments that protect people from environmental hazards and crime; and motivating citizens to participate in making decisions.
The Green vision calls for a global community of communities that recognize our immense diversity, respect our personal worth, and share a global perspective. We call for an approach to politics that acknowledges our endangered planet and habitat. Our politics responds to global crises with a new way of seeing our shared international security.
We will conceive a new era of international cooperation and communication that nurtures cultural diversity, recognizes the interconnectedness between communities, and promotes opportunities for cultural exchange and assistance.
1. We call for increased public transportation, convenient playgrounds and parks for all sections of cities and small towns, and funding to encourage diverse neighborhoods. [See section C.Transportation on page 44 in chapter III]
2. We support a rich milieu of art, culture, and significant (yet modestly funded) programs such as the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. [See section E.Education and the Arts on page 27 in chapter II]
Families and Children
3. We call for social policies to focus on protecting families. The young – our citizens of tomorrow – are increasingly at risk. Programs must ensure that children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, receive basic nutritional, educational, and medical necessities. The Green Party supports and seeks to expand Head Start and Pre- and neo-natal programs. A Children’s Agenda should be put in place to focus attention and concerted action on the future that is our children. [See section A.8. Youth Rights on page 23 in chapter II]
4. A universal, federally funded childcare program for pre-school and young schoolchildren should be developed.
5. Family assistance such as the earned income tax credit, available to working poor families in which the parent supports and lives with the children, should be maintained and increased to offset regressive payroll taxes and growing inequalities in American society. [See section E. True Cost Pricing and Tax Fairness on page 61 in chapter IV]
6. A living family wage is vital to the social health of communities. [See section D. Livable Income on page 61 in chapter IV]
7. The actuarial protection of social security is essential to the well-being of our seniors, and maintenance of the system’s integrity is an essential part of a healthy community. We oppose privatization of social security, call for the program to remain under the aegis of the Federal Government, and seek to expand its effectiveness. [See section M. National Debt on page 70 in chapter IV]
8. We support the leading-edge work of non-profit public interest groups and those individuals breaking out of “careerism” to pursue non-traditional careers in public service.
Alternative Community Service
9. We must create new opportunities for citizens to serve their communities through non-military community service. Alternative community service to the military should be encouraged.
10. We advocate the formation of a Civilian Conservation Corps, with national leadership and state and local affiliates, to spearhead efforts to work on the tasks of environmental education, restoration of damaged habitats, reforestation, and cleaning up polluted waterways. Providing land and resource management skills will challenge young people while encouraging social responsibility.
