McReynolds, Green for US Senate, in Rochester on Sun. Oct. 17

 

5 PM - Greet people at Unitarian Church / Metro Justice Dinner - 220 Winton Rd S

 

------------------

 

From July announcement

 

Dave McReynolds Announces for US Senate as Green Party candidate

 

Longtime peace activist David McReynolds announced today that he is running for US Senate from New York as a Green Party candidate.

McReynolds, who was Co-Secretary of the War Resisters League for four decades, made his announcement outside of the Manhattan offices of this incumbent, Charles Schumer.

 

"The overwhelming issue confronting the United States is the militarization of this country," stated McReynolds. "One result of this militarization is that when the nation faces a genuine crisis, as it did on September 11, 2001, the only response that comes to mind is military action - in that case the invasion of Afghanistan. Because of this military mind-set, George Walker Bush was able to gain broad support when he launched an aggressive war against Iraq. Currently tens of billions of dollars of national treasure are being drained in Iraq, the lives of our own troops, and the lives of many Iraqis, are being wasted as a result of this criminal adventure.

 

"Like many Americans, I am appalled that President Bush and our government misled our country and the world about the reasons for the illegal invasion of Iraq. It is equally disturbing to hear Senators Schumer and Clinton, following the release of the Congressional report about the CIA misinformation about weapons of mass destruction, state that they still would have voted for the invasion. I support an immediate withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq," added McReynolds.

 

McReynolds also called upon Senator Schumer and the Bush administration to support a UN resolution requiring the dismantling of the illegal security wall by the Israeli government. The International Court of Justice recently ruled against the wall, stating that the confiscation of Palestinian lands could not be justified by any military emergency.

 

"The Green Party is a party of peace," said Gloria Mattera, Co-chair of the Green Party of New York State. "David McReynolds gives the greens an opportunity to run a candidate who will speak out against war, against the Patriot Act and the curtailment of our civil liberties. The race also provides an opportunity to speak in favor of increased action to curtail global warming, to promote single payer universal health care and to create living wage jobs for all New Yorkers." The state committee of the Green Party of NYS is presently voting upon the endorsement of McReynolds. Greens are helping to collect the 15,000 signatures needed to qualify McReynolds for the ballot.

 

"A Senate race means the chance to talk to people all across this State about the need for an America which will develop a foreign policy designed with the interests of the children of the world in mind, not the interests of the US corporate structure," added McReynolds.

 

Other issues that McReynolds and the Greens will raise in the 2004 Senate race include:

- A program of low and middle income housing to reverse the present trend in -which our large cities - New York City being the prime example - become "Disney lands" for the wealthy to live and play, but places where working people cannot afford to live, from which the poor are excluded.

- Reform of the police and the prison system, so that there are in place civilian review boards to monitor police conduct, and a court system which does not have a double standard for the rich and the poor, for those who are white, and those of color. Our present prison system is a failure which has punished the poor and those of color. An end of the death penalty.

- A tax program which would have as one objective the elimination of the present enormous concentration of wealth in the hands of less than 1% of the population by introducing inheritance taxes that would prevent one generation from passing on its billions of dollars to the next

-  Repeal of the Rockefeller drug laws, and a complete re-examination of present approaches to addictive drugs, looking toward substituting medical treatment of addiction rather than imprisonment, and with the legalization of the use of marijuana

- Defense of a woman's right of choice to abortion - and also to make it possible for women who might want to have children, to feel a genuine safety net of health care and economic support to make that choice an option.

- Repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act, and defense of trade unions in their right to organize and bargain.

 

"The Green Party offers voters an alternative to the failed policies of the two corporate parties," said Ian Wilder, the other Green Party of NYS co-chair. "Green candidates in New York like Mr. McReynolds promote our platform of ecology, nonviolence, justice and grassroots democracy." The Green Party is coordinating the collection of the 15,000 signatures needed to qualify McReynolds for the race.

 

David McReynolds, 74, previously ran for President on the Socialist Party line. He has been arrested a number of times in civil rights, labor, and peace demonstrations. He was one of those active in the Vietnam Peace movement. An open gay, he has lived for many years on the Lower East Side.  He is currently on the Board of the Mutual Housing Association of Cooper Square, and on the Board of the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute.

The Greens are committed to ecology, grassroots democracy, nonviolence and social and economic justice.

 

----------------

 

David McReynolds for U.S. Senate

Green Party

 

Labor Day, 2004

 

Dear Friends.

 

This November, you have an opportunity to cast a vote for peace. For ecology. For justice.

 

It is also an opportunity to vote against a national politician who voted for war and the Patriot Act. A politician who has fought for more corporate welfare. Who opposes same-sex marriage. Who supports the death penalty and the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

 

The old labor song asks, "Which Side Are We On?"  Democrat Charles Schumer is a War Senator and has backed a War President

 

This November, cast a vote for Dave McReynolds, the Green Party candidate for United States Senate against incumbent Chuck Schumer.  McReynolds was co-Secretary of the War Resisters League for 39 years and twice was the Socialist Party candidate for President.

 

David McReynolds gives the Greens an opportunity to run a candidate who will speak out against war, against the Patriot Act and the curtailment of our civil liberties. The race also provides an opportunity to speak in favor of increased action to curtail global warming, to promote single payer universal health care and to create living wage jobs for all New Yorkers

 

THE GREEN PARTY IS A PARTY OF PEACE.

 

We need a foreign policy designed with the interests of the children of the world in mind, not the interests of the US corporate structure. 

 

We need to your help to drive home the point that the invasion of Iraq was not only foolish but by any standard also a violation of International Law. Chuck Schumer not only voted for it - he says he would still vote for the invasion even if he had known that the Bush administration was lying about weapons of mass destruction.

 

"The overwhelming issue confronting the United States is the militarization of this country," said McReynolds in announcing his candidacy for Senate. "One result of this militarization is that when the nation faces a genuine crisis, as it did on September 11, 2001, the only response that comes to mind is military action - in that case the invasion of Afghanistan. Like many Americans, I am appalled that President Bush and our  government misled our country and the world about the reasons for the illegal invasion of Iraq. I support an immediate withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq." And the US needs to withdraw its military bases from foreign countries around the world.

 

The war on terrorism has been a disaster. It was used as a pretext for the illegal invasion of Iraq. It has become a war on Muslims. It has increased terrorism, not reduced it. And the dangers of such a war is shown in the recent horrific murders of hundreds of children, teachers and parents in Russia. These murders and callous disregard of life were the unfortunate but easily foreseen byproduct of a decade of Russian bombing into obliteration of their opponents in Chechnya. Ruthless behavior only prompts one's opponent to more war and violence, as the ties to civilized behavior are destroyed on all sides.

 

The only way to peace is peace.

 

The Bush administration, with the support of Chuck Schumer, have used 9/11 as an excuse to accelerate their military drive to enforce a global American Empire.

 

David McReynolds has called for an independent investigation into the murders of three thousand New Yorkers on 9/11. Americans and the world deserve to learn the truth. Family members of the 9/11 victims should lead the commission. We need to determine not only what happened on 9/11, but why it happened. We need answers to the question of the Saudi ruling family and the Pakistani intelligence service played in financing the attacks. We need answers to why the Bush administration failed to respond to the multitude of warnings about such an attack, and why NORAD and the Air Force failed to adequately respond.

 

McReynolds has also called upon Senator Schumer and the Bush administration to support a UN resolution requiring the dismantling of the illegal security wall by the Israeli government. The International Court of Justice recently ruled against the wall, stating that the confiscation of Palestinian lands could not be justified by any military emergency. McReynolds and the Greens support peace, security and economic justice for both Palestinians and Israelis. But peace starts with the end of the military occupation of Palestine and the end of US military aid to all the Middle Eastern countries.

 

The Greens call for a massive cut in the military budget with the savings invested in critical domestic programs such as education, housing and ecology. The Greens oppose the militarization of space and call for nuclear disarmament - the US must get rid of its weapons of mass destructions. The Greens support normalization of relations with Cuba and the end to the use of American military power to promote corporate globalization.

 

DAVID MCREYNOLDS AND THE GREENS SUPPORT A PROGRESSIVE AGENDA

 

It is time to reverse the Democratic and Republican Party tradition of taxing the poor and middle class to pay for tax cuts and giveaways for the wealthy and large corporations. The United States leads the world's industrial democracies in income inequality, and the gap is greatest here in New York. We need to end corporate welfare; we need to make the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes; and we need to invest in sustainable, community-based, environmentally-friendly jobs that will put New Yorkers back to work in our inner city neighborhoods and upstate communities.

 

The media pundits claim that the world changed forever after 9/11. Perhaps the most noticeable change is that the media is drumming louder than ever in support of corporate America. The Greens support community owned, community controlled media.

 

The McReynolds for Senate agenda includes:

 

- Quality, affordable housing. We need to reverse the trend of our large cities - New York City being the prime example - becoming "Disney lands" for the wealthy to live and play, but places where working people cannot afford to live, from which the poor are excluded. Support increased investment in public housing; rent control and tenants'rights; land trusts; and, ecovillages. Green principles such as solar energy, community control air quality and conservation need to incorporated into buildings and planning decisions. Stop the Big Box Stores; support local businesspeople and halt urban sprawl.

 

- Criminal Justice reform. McReynolds supports civilian review boards to monitor police conduct, and a court system which does not have a double standard for the rich and the poor, for those who are white, and those of color. Our present prison system is a failure which has punished the poor and those of color. An end of the death penalty. End the war on drugs, starting with repeal of Rockefeller Drug Law, investment in treatment and prevention, and legalization of marijuana. Free Mumia and Peltier.

 

- Progressive tax reform. Our tax system provides huge tax breaks for the wealthy and special interests while overtaxing low and moderate income families. We need a tax program which helps eliminate the enormous concentration of wealth in the hands of less than 1% of the population, such as by inheritance taxes that would prevent one generation from passing on its billions of dollars to the next. End corporate welfare and tax loopholes. We need ecotaxes that combats pollution and make the culprits pay their true ecological costs of their actions.

 

- Reproductive Freedom. The Greens defend a woman's right of choice to abortion - and also to make it possible for women who might want to have children, to feel a genuine safety net of health care and economic support to make that choice an option. Increased funding of other reproductive services such as contraception.

 

- Civil liberties. Stop racial profiling, including targeting Muslims as part of Bush's "war on terrorism". Repeal the Patriot Act. Enact the Equal Rights Amendment. Support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights, including: same-sex marriage, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act; and passage of a transgender inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

 

- Sustainable agriculture. Promote organics, not pesticides. Protect biodiversity, halt genetic engineering. Promote Community Supported Agriculture. Create geen spaces. Preserve wilderness and coastal areas. End nuclear power. Humans don't have a right to exploit the planet and kill other species.

 

DAVID MCREYNOLDS SUPPORTS LABOR ACTIVISM

 

The Greens and McReynolds are strong supporters of Fair Trade, not the corporate globalization agenda of free trade, low wages and environmental exploitation.

 

The labor movement is clearly turning against Bush's war in Iraq.  In recent weeks large unions like the Service Employees (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the Communication Workers of America (CWA) have adopted strong antiwar resolutions.  Trade  unionists involved with New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW) were a critical presence at the peace rallies at the Republican National Convention.

 

Thousands of innocent civilians and now more than 1,000 U.S. troops have perished due the illegal invasion of Iraq that Schumer voted for.   Pro-war Democrats like Schumer have helped Bush present himself as a "War President" fighting the forces of evil.  Schumer is thus helping to re-elect Bush and does not deserve the support of the labor movement.

 

David McReynolds has been democratic socialist all his life and stands for a world where human need will one day be considered more important than private profit.  McReynolds wholeheartedly supports the Employee Free Choice Act and the effort to restore the right of workers rights to organize and bargain collectively. McReynolds is running as a Green because it has consistently supported candidates who are free of corporate influence. 

 

In recent decades, Corporate America has systematically destroyed millions of decent paying jobs for working people. Politicians from both major parties have given hundreds of billions of dollars in corporate welfare to their corporate campaign contributors while CEO's have awarded themselves with obscene compensation packages as they slash jobs for Americans workers through mergers, runaway investments, subcontracting and outsourcing to third world countries. We just witnessed the first so-called economic recovery that did not result in an increase of jobs - and many of the jobs that do exist pay poverty level wages or are part-time, without benefits such as health care.

 

We need to create a green economy that embraces ecological principles. We support creating millions of green living-wage jobs through public investment in infrastructure restoration, public works and services, and conversion from nuclear and fossil fuels to renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass. It's time to stop pretending that another tax cut for the corporate rich is a jobs program, whether its Bush's cuts in personal income taxes or Kerry's cuts in corporate income taxes. This decades-old trickle-down approach to job creation is a proven failure. Private jobs are good, but public jobs are necessary to create decent jobs for everyone willing and able to work..

 

VOTE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE - VOTE MCREYNOLDS AND GREEN

 

Help David McReynolds make a statement this November that New Yorkers reject war and corporate globalization.  Join the campaign for true grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and economic and social justice. Vote for Mother Earth on November 2nd

 

We need your help. We need to talk to your friends, coworkers, and neighbors about David McReynolds of US Senate. Help organize your local green party group. Help build a different world. Call today to volunteer.

 

Corporate America isn't going to fund the green revolution. David McReynolds needs your contribution today to pay for literature, mailings, phone banks and the other outreach needed to build a progressive grassroots movement. To volunteer, call Gloria Mattera at 718 369-2998 or 917 886-4538.

 

David McReynolds, 74, previously ran for President as the candidate of the Socialist Party USA. He has been arrested a number of times in civil rights, labor, and peace demonstrations. He was one of those active in the Vietnam Peace movement. An openly gay man, he has lived for many years with his two Simanese cats on the Lower East Side. He is currently on the Board of the Mutual Housing Association of Cooper Square, and on the Board of the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute.

 

Yours for a green tomorrow,

                           

 

Gloria Mattera

Mark Dunlea

 

P.S. Please make your checks payable to McReynolds for Senate. Mail donations to James Lane, 269 12th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215. Or donate through our website at www.mcreynoldsforsenate.org