Issues and Platform

Key Issues of the Green Party of Seattle

Here are some key issues that the Green Party of Seattle is focusing on this year. These are not the only issues of importance to local Greens - many others could be added regarding labor rights, environmental protection, racial justice, affordable housing, globalization, etc. - but these represent a selection of important Green priorities where we believe the current corporate-dominated two-party duopoly is failing public and planetary interests.

National Priorities

Corporate Accountability

GPoS joins other organizations around the country in endorsing a 10-point "Unity Platform on Corporate Accountability":

Separate the corporation and the state
Re-regulate utility markets
Redefine financial accountability
Press corporations to pay their proper share of taxes
Establish and strengthen legal liability
Strengthen labor and environmental obligations
Make overseas operations more accountable
Eliminate international corporate welfare
Control speculative investment
Renegotiate trade rules

Countering Terrorism: Peacful Responses That Protect Civil Liberties

GPoS opposes the Bush administration's war on terrorism (and specifically the planned pre-emptive attack on Iraq); instead we advocate an approach that protects civil liberties-especially those of ethnic and religious minorities-and promotes international cooperation and justice instead of war.

Forest Protection

GPoS calls for an end to logging of old-growth forests on public lands.

State Priorities

Election Reform/Open Elections

GPoS advocates the use of instant runoff voting (in which each voter gets to rank the candidates) for single-winner elections, proportional representation for representative bodies, and public funding of candidate campaigns.

State Reform Tax

GPoS calls upon the State Legislature to reform Washington's extremely regressive tax system to ensure funding of vital public needs. The state can increase overall tax revenue while reducing taxes for the majority of citizens by implementing a state income tax, reducing state sales tax, and reducing "corporate welfare" tax exemptions.

Clean Energy Development

GPoS calls for reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, the largest source of greenhouse gases. Washington State can make a contribution that significantly aids the growth of global clean energy production by:

Mandating development of 10,000 megawatts of wind energy
Making a major solar panel purchase
Converting public fleets to biodiesel fuel
Developing Green Energy Business Parks
Mandating that all fossil-fired power plants offset 100% of greenhouse emissions

Universal Healthcare

GPoS calls for universal health care at state and federal levels

Local Control

GPoS calls upon the State Legislature to allow Seattle to write its own laws regarding rent regulation, transportation funding, drug control, the voting system, and public financing of local campaigns.

Local Priorities

Police Accountability

GPoS calls upon the Seattle City Council to create a strong, independent, and accountable civilian police review board and take steps to prevent racial profiling by Seattle police.

Smart Transportation

GPoS calls for a transpo rtation system that effectively connects people, places, goods, and services. We support a commercial parking tax to fund transportation choices such as transit. We oppose investments that serve the single-occupancy automobile; the capacity of highways should not be expanded to increase the volume of car traffic entering Seattle. We support better land use planning so people can get what they need close to home. (Note: GPoS endorsed the monorail and opposed state Ref. 51.)

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