GREEN CAMPAIGN 2006

OUR CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR SEEKS TO BECOME THE ELECTORAL VOICE FOR THE STRUGGLES
FOR PEACE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

Californians are suffering from the corporate takeover of our state that the Democrats and Republicans have engineered. Many Californians are not even aware of the incredible TRANSFER OF WEALTH to the rich, THE  INJUSTICE OF THE TAX SYSTEM, THE UNJUST NATURE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSEM, and the destruction of our public educational system that is underway.

While California's economy has more than doubled in the last 35 years, the average Californian, 90 PERCENT of our people, have had no increase in their income (adjusted for inflation) in that period.  The ADJUSTED minimum wage has dropped from $9.40 to $6.75!

The richest ONE PERCENT has taken almost all the gains while the politicians have lowered their taxes and increased yours. Today the poorest people in California pay in local and state taxes a 57 percent
higher rate of their income than the richest one percent. The average Californian pays a 28 percent higher rate.

Corporate taxes have been cut by 40 PERCENT in the last 20 years. Some 52 percent of profitable corporations pay no taxes AT ALL -- just their annual $800 state registration fee!

Our elementary and secondary education used to receive $600 per student more than the national average per year. Now it has dropped to $600 less per year! California has fallen TO 48TH PLACE AMONG THE 50 STATES in student test scores. It is near the bottom in many other categories, from class size to availability of computers.

For the last three years cut-backs in all kinds of essential programs are taking place in order to keep taxes low for corporations and the rich.

SOLUTIONS

The solutions are simple and common sense. But the Democrats and Republicans that have orchestrated the above situation have no intention of even letting the people know what their choices are.

Our GREEN PARTY slate intends to present a platform that speaks to the real needs of the average person and the future of our state. We have prepared a book titled " CALIFORNIA " that outlines the facts and statistics around many of the critical issues referred to in this article.

AS A FIRST STEP THE Green Party would LOWER TAXES FOR about 60 PERCENT of the people, primarily by reducing the most regressive taxes, and increase taxes on the wealthiest FIVE PERCENT, those with incomes over $200,000 a year, to the PERCENTAGE paid today by the poorest people. This would generate an additional $10 billion a year for our budget.

We would raise the minimum wage back to where it was worth in 1968 in real dollars and protect it with a COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT so it would KEEP UP WITH inflation each year. Doing this would generate over $3 billion more to our state budget.

We would return corporate taxes to what they were 20 years ago, adding approximately another $5 billion to our state revenues.

We would establish universal health care through a single payer system. Such a step would generate about $8 billion more for our state budget.

We would use this money first of all to reverse the cutbacks of essential programs for the needy.  We would begin a massive education reform program to lower class size, improve school facilities, increase the pay of teachers and end the waste in over-paid and over-staffed administrations. We would help modernize the curriculum so all students would get the kind of education that will help them in the complex computerized world will live in. This would include bilingual programs and classes on ecology and personal money management, the true history of the United States and the world, explaining the real role of working peoples, blacks, Latinos, women, and all the oppressed and exploited.

We would launch a massive march towards alternative energy funded in various ways.. We would increase TAXES ON THE OIL, GAS AND COAL GIANTS. Today California is 43rd in the nation for taxes on such carbon-based energy sources. We would add a small incremental charge to fund the research and promotion of alternative renewable energy to carbon-based electricity. We would require banks to offer assumable home equity loans for the installation of SOLAR ENERGY and expand the temporary SUBSIDIES to make home solar energy immediately competitive with PG&E. Such a program would result in a rapid and sharp drop in the cost of solar energy so that the subsidy could be lifted.

We would end the destruction of the remaining FOUR PERCENT of our ancient forestland and take many other steps to assure California will maintain its natural environment for future generations. We will promote affordable housing and establish programs for first time home buyers to make it possible for everyone who wants to become a home owner.

We will provide human rights and full civil liberties as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights of our Constitution for all who live in our state. This includes right to a driver's license FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF THEIR CITIZENSHIP STATUS,  and marriage RIGHTS for GAYS AND LESBIANS. We will live by the slogan of the American Revolution: "No taxation without representation!"

We would alter our elections to make every vote count. If a party gets 20 PERCENT of the vote they get 20 PERCENT of the representation. We would establish instant run-off voting and public financing of campaigns to end the control of lobbyist over our government.

AS OUR CANDIDATE FOR SENATE, TODD CRETIEN, EXPLAINS, WE CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. FORCES FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN .

EVERY FORM OF RACISM WOULD BE A CRIME AND BE VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTED.

WE WOULD RESIST ALL ATTEMPTS TO ROLL BACK ABORTION RIGHTS.

We would end THE BARBARIC AND BIASED DEATH PENALTY and THE UNJUST "THREE STRIKES" LAW.  Drug addiction would be viewed as a health problem, NOT A CRIMINAL ONE.  We would RELEASE those convicted of NON-VIOLENT DRUG CRIMES. Instead of building more prisons, REAL REHABILITATION and REAL JOBS after release would greatly reduce the prison population.

POLICE BRUTALITY AND MISCONDUCT WOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED AND NOT WINKED AT.

WE WOULD LAUNCH A MASSIVE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAM TO REBUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THAT EVERYONE COULD HAVE A JOB.

WE WOULD WIPE OFF THE BOOKS THE STATE ANTI-LABOR LAWS.

DEMOCRATS  AND REPUBLICANS

The Democrats gave George Bush 28 standing ovations during the State of the Union address in January. They are responsible equally with the Republicans for the damage done to our educational system, tax system and the lack of democracy in California .

We want to congratulate Californian Cindy Sheehan for her efforts for peace. Cindy has stated that she voted for John Kerry but now realizes that voting for PRO-war CANDIDATES is wrong. In this spirit she is joined by Barbara Becnel, another Californian running for governor in the Democratic primary who has said people should not vote against what they believe in. We AGREE WITH Cindy and Barbara and urge them and all their supporters to join with us in building an alternative political party that truly stands for peace, against the death penalty and three strikes, and for social justice for all.

SOME Democrats and an occasional Republican will say they are for some of the stands taken by the Greens such as an end to the war. But then they turn around and urge our citizens to vote against peace candidates and for pro-war candidates such as John Kerry and DIANE FEINSTEIN. We believe most if not all of the Democrats who this year claim to be for peace will in 2008 support, work for, and urge a vote for THEIR PARTY'S PRO-WAR CANDIDATE. The Democratic Party is a party of hypocrisy ruled and controlled by the corporate world.

The GREEN PARTY stands in the tradition of the Liberty Party of 1840, when the first abolitionists said they would no longer vote for either of the two pro-slavery parties. They were called irrelevant, fanatical and extremists, yet who today would openly admit they would vote for parties promoting human slavery?

Vote Green vote for a new green and just future for all.