[Peace-discussion] WoooT!

Wed, 7 Feb 2007 23:01:16 -0600

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Green Party Seeks FEC Blessing As Big-Time Political Party, Fundraiser 

By Aoife McCarthy

Politico, February 7, 2007

 <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2663.html>
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2663.html

The Green Party is on the verge of making history this week as the nation's
third political party with an FEC-sanctioned senatorial campaign committee.

The Federal Election Commission is scheduled to consider the Green
Senatorial Campaign Committee's request Thursday. If approved, the GSCC can
raise money for senatorial candidates like its Republican and Democratic
counterparts.

The new committee would also have to adhere to the same campaign finance
rules.

"For the Green Party, it creates an avenue for providing support ... that
was not available before," said Dean Myerson, the committee's treasurer. "It
will also help us recruit more and better Senate candidates and to be taken
more seriously."

The party created the GSCC in June 2006, and it's based in Minneapolis. But
without official recognition, the committee had to operate like a political
action committee, which limits donations to $5,000 per candidate. The
fundraising limitations of the committee resulted in giving an average of
$200 to each of the seven official Green Party Senate candidates who ran in
2006, Myerson said. Their performance was strong enough, however, to
encourage the national party to apply for the new status.

To qualify for recognition, the committee must show the FEC that the Green
Party was engaged in party-building activities, such as get-out-the-vote
drives.

Myerson is not expecting an immediate drastic reaction from the Democrats
and Republicans.

"Looking to 2008," he said, "when we actually have candidates in the battle,
this is when they will start to pay attention."

The GSCC won't disclose its 2008 game plan yet, but it plans to target those
senators who are not firmly against the war. Once the FEC recognition is in,
the committee will ask all senators to vote against additional funding of
the U.S.

occupation of Iraq.

"When Democrats in Congress vote for war, their actions have consequences,"
GSCC co-chairman Anita Wessling said in a statement. "One of those
consequences is that the Green Party will oppose them at the ballot box. If
the Democrats vote for more funding, or even promises of more funds, they
are supporting the occupation's continuance, not opposing it."

Myerson stressed the importance of the GSCC's new status. "It feels very
important that there are more than two parties in this system," he said,
adding that that FEC regulations refer to Democratic and Republican
senatorial campaign committees "as if no other party would ever have one."

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Green Party Seeks FEC Blessing As Big-Time Political Party, =
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By Aoife McCarthy
Politico, February 7, 2007
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The Green Party is on the verge of making history this week as the =
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third political party with an FEC-sanctioned senatorial campaign =
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The Federal Election Commission is scheduled to consider the Green =
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Campaign Committee's request Thursday. If approved, the GSCC can raise =
money for=20
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counterparts.
The new committee would also have to adhere to the same campaign =
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"For the Green Party, it creates an avenue for providing support ... =
that was=20
not available before," said Dean Myerson, the committee's treasurer. "It =
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also help us recruit more and better Senate candidates and to be taken =
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seriously."
The party created the GSCC in June 2006, and it's based in =
Minneapolis. But=20
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fundraising limitations of the committee resulted in giving an average =
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Myerson said. Their performance was strong enough, however, to encourage =
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To qualify for recognition, the committee must show the FEC that the =
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Myerson is not expecting an immediate drastic reaction from the =
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"Looking to 2008," he said, "when we actually have candidates in the =
battle,=20
this is when they will start to pay attention."
The GSCC won't disclose its 2008 game plan yet, but it plans to =
target those=20
senators who are not firmly against the war. Once the FEC recognition is =
in, the=20
committee will ask all senators to vote against additional funding of =
the=20
U.S.
occupation of Iraq.
"When Democrats in Congress vote for war, their actions have =
consequences,"=20
GSCC co-chairman Anita Wessling said in a statement. "One of those =
consequences=20
is that the Green Party will oppose them at the ballot box. If the =
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Myerson stressed the importance of the GSCC's new status. "It feels =
very=20
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