About

Contact

We would love to hear from you!

 

Email:

 

mainegreenindependent [at] gmail [dot] com

 

Phone:

 

207-200-6466

 

Mail: 

 

Maine Green Independent Party

PO Box 10345

Portland ME 04104

 

Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/mainegreens/https://www.facebook.com/mainegreens/

 

Twitter:

 

Maine Green Independent Party

Hall of Fame

 

Maine Green Hall of Fame

 

In 2019, the Maine Green Independent Party's state committee officially opened the Maine Green Hall of Fame. The committee intends that inductions will not necessarily be made annually, but that on occasion, the party will recognize members who have elevated the visibility of the Maine Green Independent Party through their own fame and prestige.

 

On May 19, 2019, the party inducted John Rensenbrink, founder of both the Green Party of the United States and Maine Green Party (now known as Maine Green Independent Party) into our Hall of Fame.

 

Rensenbrink is our first inductee into our Hall of Fame for good cause. Without his efforts, the party, both statewide and nationally, would not have become what it is today.

 

Thank you John!

 

rensenbrink

 

On May 23, 2021, the party inducted Pat LaMarche into the Maine Green Hall of Fame. LaMarche ran twice for governor of Maine, in 1998 and 2006, and in 2004 was the Green Party of the United States nominee for vice president, running with David Cobb for president. LaMarche is a renowned author and tireless advocate for the poor, homeless and other marginalized communities.

Thank you Pat!

 

5f590e8703e05.image

 

On June 4, 2022, the party inducted Jonathan Carter as the third member into our Hall of Fame. Jonathan ran twice for governor, in 1994 and 2002. He also ran for U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. For decades, Carter has fought tirelessly for Maine's woods and environment, not only through electoral activism, but also as the director of the Forest Ecology Network of Maine. Carter helped lead a referendum drive in 1996 to allow Mainers to vote on whether to ban clearcutting. Within the party, he is affectionately praised as our very own Lorax of Maine. The Green Independent Party owes its initial qualification for party status in Maine to Carter's first run for governor. We would not be party we are today if not for the dedication and drive of Jonathan Carter.

Thank you Jonathan! 

 

Carter Home

Goals

mainegreensnow1

 

The goals of the Maine Green Independent Party for 2022-2023 shall be to:

 

1. Rebuild and support municipal and county party infrastructure by increasing the number and activity of municipal and county committees.

2. Increase candidate recruitment efforts, with a target to increase the number of candidates for municipal or state office in every county.

3. Expand signature eligibility requirements for Maine Green Independent candidates, through legislative or legal actions.

4. Pursue utilizing ranked choice voting in all elections in Maine.

Terms of Service

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Here are the Universal Terms of Service for all Maine Green Independent Party web presence. These terms apply to conduct on all official social media sites and forums of the Maine Green Independent Party.

 

UNIVERSAL TERMS of SERVICE

 
Here are the Universal Terms of Service for all Maine Green Independent Party web presence. These terms apply to conduct on all official social media sites and forums of the Maine Green Independent Party.
 
We want people to use our forums in a way that centers our party -- the Maine Green Independent Party and Green Party of the United States -- in our discussions and portrayals to the public.
 
Participants on our forum must strive to relate their topics to the party's platforms, positions, goals, values, pillars, candidates, groups, organizing strategies, or business, or the role the party can serve for the public good or to increase our meaningful political influence in communities.
 
We expect our forum participants to connect their content in some way to the work of the Maine Green Independent Party and Green Party of the United States.  
 
Our forums must primarily be used to:
 
Promote party candidates, campaigns and positions
Plan party events
Organize party activities
Recruit interest and involvement in the party
Discuss political strategies
Share experiences related to Green campaigns
Elevate the party's image, democratic processes and political positions
Celebrate our commonalities
Allow Green-minded people to exchange ideas about the party in a safe and respectful setting
 
We expect people to:
 
Respect others
Engage in meaningful and constructive dialogue
Be sensitive to others' personal beliefs
Respect diversity
Practice nonviolent communication
Take personal responsibility for actions and words
Withdraw from debate when it is clear that continuing brings harm or damage to the party or its members
Be encouraging and supportive of other Greens and their involvement in the party
 
Our public forums will NOT be used to:
 
Make personal attacks
Bully, insult, or intimidate other users
Denigrate the Maine Green Independent Party and/or its membership
Post excessively or to “spam”
Threaten or taunt the party and its members
Perpetuate toxic anger
Divide the party or recruit members away from the party
Distract our audience from the party's work
Promote candidates that are not enrolled Greens, have not been endorsed by the party, or are not seeking or being drafted for the party's nomination or endorsement.
Promote Green candidates that have lost a primary, nomination or endorsement to another Green candidate for the same position.
 
MODERATOR RIGHTS TO KEEP POSITIVE FORUMS FOR PARTY
 
Moderators of the party's forums reserve the right to remove content at any time that does not portray the party positively or is not relevant to the party. Moderators may remove content without issuing a formal warning or notice for lighter violations (but must report removals to the communications committee).
 
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM 
 
Criticism of the party that is constructive and respectful is appreciated, but we reserve the right to remove criticism that insults or demeans the party or its members. Can you say it nicely? Be polite!  
 
LIMITATION OF SPEECH AND INTENT
 
All participants of the party's forums do so at the pleasure of the party. We infer no rights for anyone to use our forums as they wish, saying whatever they wish. We expect our forums to be used for the betterment of the party, to unify, unite and bond our membership and to produce ideas that relate to our party's work. Participation that seeks to fragment, disengage or otherwise agitate our members is not welcome.
 
Our goal in our forums is to lift our members up, not to knock them down.
 
The Maine Green Independent Party's communications committee is responsible for managing the party's forums. For forums that allow moderator approval before posting, the communications committee may decide whether to allow automatic posting or require moderator approval for posting, as it deems appropriate.
 
VIOLATIONS OF OUR TERMS:
 
There are three steps to removal or blocking from party forums:
 
1. Official warning
2. Placed on notice
3. Removed or blocked
 
EXCEPTION TO THREE-STEP PROCESS
 
For severe violations, such as hate speech, threats of violence and spam, moderators reserve the right to delete the content or remove and block the offender immediately and will report such actions to the communications committee.
 
AVERTING DISCIPLINE
 
Moderators will attempt to guide all content to be positive and meaningful for the development and growth of the party.
 
Moderators may offer friendly reminders to users to redirect their interactions toward a positive outcome when it appears that members are participating in discourse that is negatively impacting others or the party.
 
Moderators have no obligation to offer friendly reminders before issuing official warnings or notices. The extent to which a participant cooperates with moderators to redirect discourse toward positive outcomes, the more likely moderators will offer friendly reminders before issuing formal actions. We are not eager to punish good players but are not obliged to tolerate bad players. 
 
Those who, through their own interactions help us improve the quality of our sites will be appreciated.
 
OFFICIAL WARNING/STEP ONE
 
Offenders who agitate or abuse the peaceful assembly of our forums or who participate against the spirit of our terms, may be given an official warning or notice that the offense has been recorded.
 
Users who ignore moderator attempts to redirect a conversation toward productive ends, will likely be given an official warning or notice.
 
Moderators must inform a person when they are being given an official warning.
 
PLACED ON NOTICE/STEP TWO
 
Users who have been given an official warning may be "placed on notice" upon making a second violation. Moderators may offer friendly warnings and reminders to offenders, and attempt to redirect them toward discourse that is constructive and positive for the party, before deciding to place them on notice.
 
Moderators must inform a person when they are being put on notice.
 
REMOVAL OR BLOCKING FROM FORUM/STEP THREE
 
If a user who has been placed on notice offends a third time, they may be removed and blocked from the party's forums.
 
Moderators may offer, at their discretion, friendly warnings to those offenders in an attempt to redirect them toward positive discourse before removing them.
 
Anyone who is removed or blocked from a party forum will be removed for an unspecified period of time, to be determined by the communications committee, that could be days, weeks, months, years or permanent.
 
MODERATORS TO REPORT ACTIONS
 
Moderators will report all warnings, notices, removals and content deletions to the communications committee.
 
APPEALS/REINSTATEMENT
 
The communications committee may reinstate anyone who has been removed, or remove warnings and notices, as the committee deems is warranted. Users who wish to appeal a warning, notice or removal may do so by emailing the communications committee at mgip-comcom [at] googlegroups [dot] com .
 
FINANCIAL REPORTING/MEMBER FUNDRAISING FOR PARTY
 
Members wishing to use our forums to promote a product for sale, or a service, with the proceeds designated to the party as a donation, must contact us in advance so we can ensure that all financial transactions are documented and reported as necessary.

Wintergreen Dance Party

Wintergreen Dance Party 2018

Wintergreen Dance Party

Franco Center

46 Cedar St - Lewiston, Maine

online tickets www.FrancoCenter.org - or call (207) 783-1585

Saturday February 17, 2018

7:00pm - 11:00pm - Doors open at 6:30

Lobby opens at 6:00pm

Snow Date Sunday February 25, 2018

 

DJ’s / VJ’s Chuck Brown

Bring the House Down

Tickets $12.00

www.FrancoCenter.org

 $15.00 at the Door

Sponsored by the

Maine Green Independent Party

 

School’s Out for Vacation in Lewiston / Auburn

All Ages

History

Maine Greens first logo

 

The Maine Greens and Maine Green Independent Party have a long and storied history, plentiful in electoral successes and significant contributions to the formation and development of a national Green Party. We hope to collect and compile our rich past as a resource to newer members, students, historians and our tenured members who may find nostalgia in recalling the excitement that filled the air in our earliest days, our developing years, and our entrance onto the political stage with members getting elected to office. The energy continues in the present as we build on the successes of our past as the foundation to our empowerment in the future.

 

This section is under development and will be updated throughout the coming months, and years even, as we continue to make future history with the work we do now.

 

Check out Early History of the United States Green Party, by Mike Feinstein and John Rensenbrink.

 

Check back here on occasion to see what gems we dig up to share with you.

 

The Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) was founded in 1984, six months before the establishment of a national Green Party. We are the first and oldest state Green party in the United States of America, and home of John Rensenbrink, principal founder of what is now the Green Party of the United States (GPUS).

We first became a qualified political party in 1994, after independent candidate Jonathan Carter received 32,695 votes, or 6.4% of the total votes cast for governor. We were officially called the Maine Green Party until we were scheduled to become disqualified in 1998 after 1996 presidential candidate Ralph Nader did not garner 5% of the vote in the 1996 presidential election -- a requirement at the time which has since changed. 


In 1998, independent candidate Pat LaMarche for governor with the attribution "Green Independent" on the ballot, to help re-qualify the party. Since the Maine Green Party had appealed to the Maine Supreme Court for an injunction to challenge our disqualification, LaMarche was unable to use the descriptor "Green" as an independent candidate, because technically, the Maine Green Party was still qualified while awaiting judgment -- hence, "Green Independent."

 

For a glimpse into the history of the then-Maine Green Party's legal battle against party disqualification, click this link to a party archive.

Pat Lamarche in 1998, in her first run for governor.
When LaMarche received 28,722 votes, or 6.82% of the votes cast, our party re-qualified as the "Maine Green Independent Party." Although our name change occurred by happenstance, it is an accurate descriptor of who we are. Maine is known for political independence. As Greens, we are independent from corporate control that permeates the major parties, and we assert our independence as a state party to remain focused on issues important to Maine. 

In 2002, Carter ran again for governor, this time as the Green Independent nominee -- our first nominee for governor as a qualified party -- receiving 46,903 votes, or 9.3%.

 

 

In 2004, LaMarche was the Green Party of the United States nominee for vice president, running with David Cobb for president.

 

In 2006, LaMarche, like Carter, ran a second time -- also her first run as a qualified party nominee -- receiving 51,922 votes, or 9.56%. This is the largest number of votes ever received by a Green candidate in Maine. 

 

In 2001, Benjamin Meiklejohn became the first Green elected to office in Portland, after which Greens have won 20 more elections in our largest city. Among them, Rep. John Eder (G--Portland) became the highest ranking elected Green in the nation in 2002, serving for four years, including re-election in 2004.

john Eder for State House campaign sign, 2002


With 45,577 enrolled Green Independents, or 4% of total voters as of the 2020 state election, the Maine Green Independent Party is the largest state Green Party per capita in the U.S. The party almost always delivers the highest percentage of votes in the nation to the presidential nominee every four years.

The MGIP is an affiliate of GPUS. We are committed to 10 Key Values (in alphabetical order, all of equal importance):

    Community-based Economics   
    Decentralization

    Ecological Wisdom 
    Feminism and Gender Equality
    Future Focus and Sustainability 
    Grassroots Democracy
    Non-Violence       
    Personal and Global Responsibility
    Respect for Diversity
    Social Justice and Opportunity
 
Collectively, we represents planet, people and peace before profit. 
 
We promote longterm interests of Maine people and aspire to leave Mainers a state that is healthier, safer and more just. As Greens, we believe the quality of our natural environment is intrinsic to a prosperous economy, healthy populous and quality of life for all.

Our goal is to improve democracy toward these ends -- to elect officials who uphold our values, and hold elected officials accountable to our Green vision.

The longstanding alternation between two political parties indebted to corporate interests has served neither people nor environment. We call upon Mainers to break free of attachments to "two-party" democracy and build a democracy where no single interest is afforded majority control of government that should be working for a diverse society.

We welcome you to MGIP! Many of you are Green already, although you may not realize it yet. Those of you who have already affiliated with us, please run for office to advance our ideals or support other Greens who will.

Credits

 

 

This website is designed and formatted, starting in 2017, by the MGIP Communications Committee under the direction of MGIP Secretary Benjamin Meiklejohn, using a modified version of the Joomla 2.5 Forest v5 template design, originated by Webdesign aus Tirol and Joomla 2.5 Templates by pc-didi.at, and Joomla 2.5.14 CMS: predesign by Webdesign PC-DIDI - SEO Suchmaschinenoptimierung SEO - Hundefriseur Irene Hundefriseur

 

MGIP Communications Committee at time of website development:

 

Benjamin Meiklejohn, committee chairman

Alan Brown, Gil Harris, Fred Horch, Sam Smith, and ex-officio members, MGIP Co-Chairs Jon Olsen and Riva O'Rourke

 

 

 

 

Maine Green Independent Party Platform

phead platform

Economic Development

Education

Energy

Health

Natural Resources

Political Democracy

Social Justice

Sustainable Agriculture

 

The Platform of the Maine Green Independent Party envisions a future based on the Ten Key Values of the Green movement.

 

Our vision focuses on a peaceful and prosperous community life characterized by values-based grassroots democracy, equal treatment and access for all people, environmental and economic sustainability, fulfilling and gainful work and leisure, and interdependence of individuals and their environment.

 

This platform is an evolving document, originally envisioned by the Maine Green Party of 1996. The party shall use this document to develop strategies and policies for moving our values forward.

 

This 2020 platform of the Maine Green Independent Party sets forth our vision of a new democracy, one which recognizes ecological balance as a priority for the betterment of humanity.

 

As an affiliated member of the Green Party of the United States, we endorse the national platform as our own, offering this state platform as a specific green vision for the State of Maine. This platform focuses on state issues, deferring to the national platform on issues of national scope. The Maine Green Independent Party reserves the right to differ on particulars of the national platform, and will note such differences if they should occur.


Ten Key Values
   
    Community-based Economics   
    Decentralization

    Ecological Wisdom
    Feminism and Gender Equality
    Future Focus and Sustainability  
    Grassroots Democracy
    Non-Violence       
    Personal and Global Responsibility
    Respect for Diversity
    Social Justice and Opportunity

The Maine Green Independent Party seeks to achieve:

A basic income
Jobs with living wages
Equitable pay for men and women
Health care and housing as human rights
Universal Childcare
Accessible regional/statewide energy-efficient public transportation systems
Nurturing care and stewardship of the environment and natural resource

 

plank economicdevelopment

 

The Maine Green Independent Party realizes that international trade agreements place corporate greed above human needs. We oppose agreements that do not enshrine environmental, labor, and human rights above profits or the rights of corporations.

 

Economic measurements must include pollution and the depletion of resources into the full accounting of production costs.

 

If elected, Maine Green Independents will pursue:

 

Regional economic self-sufficiency.
A state bank to hold all deposit dollars of Maine agencies.
Prevention of monopolistic practices and price gouging in essential markets such as heating oil, electricity, and gasoline.
Tax and incentive policies that reward businesses that provide living wages and employ sustainable resource practices.
Creation and retrofitting of industries that create jobs, spare the environment or save energy.
Tax penalties for businesses that create unsafe work places, low wages or increased automation that reduces jobs.
Safe, healthy living and working conditions for migrant laborers.
Employee buy-out and ownership of businesses.
Economic development and tax codes that favor Maine-owned and based businesses and self-employed persons.
Tax penalties for pollution and resource depletion.
Use of renewable and non-polluting heating systems and fuels.
Supporting community based cooperatives including agricultural ventures and daycare centers.
Rural economic development through production and consumption of locally produced organic food and products.
Hemp-based and other alternative-fiber industries; incentivizing the retrofitting and opening of closed paper mills to manufacture alternative-fiber products for an emerging eco-market.
Incentives to convert abandoned farms to produce fibers to supply a transitioning paper industry.
Development of rail and other transportation alternatives to car and truck use.
Purchase of equipment and materials whenever possible from within state of Maine.

 

plank politicaldemocracy

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes that grassroots democracy is the best way to organize a civil and just society. We want:

 

The US Constitution amended to declare that money is not free speech and corporations are not people.

An end to corporate dominance and influence in politics.
A multiplicity of political parties in Maine.
Greater civic participation, especially among women and minorities.
A diverse legislature including women proportionate to their percentage in the population.

 

If elected, Maine Green Independents will pursue:

 

Appointing or electing women in leadership roles
Ranked choice voting for all statewide elections
Banning PAC, corporate and "soft" party contributions to all political campaigns in Maine.
Campaign spending limits.
Protecting the Maine Clean Elections law.
Easier ballot access
Protecting the referendum process.
Election Day in November as a state holiday.
Ratifying a U.S. constitutional amendment to allow national citizen initiatives and referendums.
Prohibiting contributions to initiative and referendum campaigns from entities that are not natural persons.
Amending the Maine Constitution to lower the voting age to seventeen.

 

plank education

 

We expect public education to provide the following to all:

 

A learning environment free of corporate and military advertising.
Awareness of the individual's inherent rights as residents of the state, country and world.
Skills to use the tools and resources required to function in modern society.
Knowledge about the laws that govern communities.
Freedom to explore areas of interest.
A connection to the larger community.
A sense of personal, social and global responsibility.

 

The Maine Green Independent Party is committed to:

 

Alternative healthy eating options in public schools, including vegetarian/vegan, organic and locally grown foods.
Curricula and instruction equal to today's complex challenges.
Putting language on mandatory emergency cards to allow students and parents to opt-out from their contact information being provided to U.S. military forces.
Universal access and equity of education opportunity in a lifelong context.
Detracking school systems; ending the sorting of students based on perceived ability, which results in learners segregated by class and race.
Organizing schools as democratic educational institutions where students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community, share responsibility.
Ending high stakes testing; funding schools based on need.
Community-based decision-making with neighborhood involvement.
Safe and healthy learning environments.
Universal access to state public post-secondary institutions for Maine residents.
Awareness in schools about gender-based societal pressures and their effects upon individuals.
Equitable distribution of public funds among public schools.
55% or more of the cost of elementary and secondary public education to be funded by the state.
Elementary school foreign language education.
Institute diversity, civil rights, and conflict resolution programs at all levels in grades K-12.

Opposing legisltation that bans transgender students from participating in interscholastic sports in Maine's public schools and universities, including intramural sports.

 

plank health

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes that the health of all people is both a personal and community responsibility. Human health is affected by our physical environment and personal behavior. It is the community's responsibility to support health maintenance for all and promote healthy behavioral patterns and preventative health practices. If elected, Maine Green Independents will pursue:

 

A state-funded single payer health care system with comprehensive healthcare for all, including vision, hearing, mental and dental health, regardless of ability to pay.
Financial support for public health, with an emphasis on community-based and preventive health care.
Eliminating toxins emissions and pollution.
Nutrition education.
Elimination of herbicide use.
Access to medical marijuana.
Dental services in rural areas.
A woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion; the availability of free abortion services.
Access to a broad range of services and complimentary therapies.
Supporting the training and services of alternative health care practitioners.
Individual access to regular monitoring of health, especially for individuals in high risk groups.
Mandatory labeling of all foods that have been genetically-engineered, irradiated, or to which chemical pesticides have been applied.
Access to prescription drugs, regardless of ability to pay.
Funding research into cause, prevention and treatment of disease, including the ways by which toxic chemicals cause disease.
The right to death with dignity.
Making Narcan and Narcan administration training freely available to save lives
Legalization of all drugs; making addiction treatment freely available without cost at point of service.
Free and comprehensive elder care services, including nursing care, death and dying counseling, physical and occupational therapies, orthotic care, and medical equipment and assistive devices

 

plank energy

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes in energy use that does not waste resources or cause environmental harm. In a world of finite natural resources, we cannot consume them without regard for conservation and sustainability. Individuals, communities, government and industry share the responsibility for making these changes. We believe in a no-waste policy of energy production and use. If elected, Maine Green Independents will pursue:

 

Preventing the construction of the Central Maine Power transmission line through the state from Canada to Massachusetts.
Standards for energy efficient buildings and appliance technology in new construction and retrofitting.
Primary reliance on renewable energy use in all public buildings.
Replacing the state fleet and public transport with hybrid, electric or fuel-efficient vehicles.
Incentives for homeowners and businesses who follow energy conservation practices and invest in new and retrofitted use of renewable energy sources.
Incentives for the purchase and use of fuel-efficient and fossil-fuel alternative vehicles.
Use of non-toxic materials, natural lighting in commercial and public buildings, and siting for optimum solar gain.
Alternative energy technologies, including active and passive solar, hydrogen, wind, low-head hydropower, alcohol, tidal, geothermal, bio-energy, methane and fuel cells.
Municipal access to Gulf of Maine wind energy turbines,
Ending subsidies for fossil fuel use and production.
Research efforts for increased efficiencies in wood and fossil fuel burning technologies.
Public transportation development and accessible and strategically arranged bike and walking paths.
Zero pollution, a healing ecosystem and clean and efficient renewable energy.

Development of publicly-owned infrastructure for energy delivery.

 

plank naturalresources

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes we must reassert our authority over what is allowed into our air and water. No individuals or companies should be allowed to destroy and poison our natural resources for any form or gain. We encourage stewardship of the Earth. The Maine Green Independent Party believes the following actions must be taken:

 

Eliminate toxic chemical emissions and solid waste pollution.
Develop ZERO TOXIC EMISSIONS for all businesses and forms of transportation.
Eliminate the production and use of pesticides.
Recycle all recyclable materials including batteries, compost all compostables, and forbid the importation of radioactive waste.
Manage wildlife and plant species based on biodiversity and the overall health of Maine's woods and waters, not on the pressures of special interests.
Phase out dragging, drift-netting and gill-netting.
Conserve and protect common fish-breeding and fishing grounds from coastal development.
Encourage training and hiring of out-of-work fisherman to patrol our shores and inland waterways for sources of pollution and illegal fishing.
Require accountable waste disposal from contained salmon farms.
Encourage sustainable, labor-intensive and chemical-free forestry practices.
Recognize Maine's offshore marine environment as a precious and threatened natural resource, and consider the risks imposed upon it by human development.
Publicly purchase available lands for the purpose of conserving it in perpetuity as an undeveloped natural resource.
Create a Maine Woods National Park and expand eco-tourism opportunities throughout the state.
Protect and conserve Maine's groundwater resources; regulate for-profit water extraction to prevent unsustainable depletion of groundwater.
Support access to clean water as a human right; support democratic control over decision-making on water control by local officials.
End all non-sustainable forest practices.

 

plank sustainable agricultu

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes in supporting the use of locally grown food and supporting those small family farmers who provide us with this basic necessity of life. To that end we propose:

 

Supporting small family farms and eliminating bureaucratic paper work whenever possible.
Developing financial incentives to support the transition of farms from traditional farming to organic agriculture.
Legislating high end Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Markedly reducing the use of pesticides with mandated sales reports from the State Board of Pesticide Control.
Regulation and notification regarding the use of pesticides inside buildings, especially in rental properties and public buildings.
Outlawing the labeling of toxic industrial waste as "fertilizer"; authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection to craft regulations on this subject.
Right-to-know labeling for all GMO containing food.
Banning persistent herbicides in fertilizer and compost.
Legislating a better system for chain of custody of those components of commercial compost.
Promoting agricultural diversification.

Supporting and defending Maine's constitutional right to food.

 

plank socialjustice

 

The Maine Green Independent Party believes in the equitable, respectful, and humane treatment of all people. The following actions must be taken:

 

Ensure meaningful access to the courts for low-income individuals; increase the availability of free and affordable legal representation, advice, and information materials.
Improve the response to child abuse and overhaul the foster care system.
Continue to oppose the death penalty in Maine.
Eliminate racial profiling.
Strengthen and enforce laws against hate crimes of all types, domestic violence and child abuse.
Create support systems that provide basic needs to the people of Maine.
Oppose prejudice and discrimination in all its forms and increase the awareness of, and sensitivity to, differences among people.
End discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities.
Support the sovereignty of the indigenous people of Maine, including the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Nations and work with them to provide viable, cooperative economic ventures.
Advocate for the demilitarization of police and the implementation of citizen review or democratic oversight of police forces.
Support community policing and rapid response social work programs to replace traditional police use wherever possible.
Oppose the use of state National Guard forces being used in illegal foreign military operations according to international law, so that they can be available for emergencies.
Oppose the use of state National Guard forces being used against citizens exercising peaceful protests and freedom of assembly.

10 Key Values

values

 

COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
It is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity and a "living wage" that reflects the real value of a person's work.

Economic development must protect the environment and workers' rights, provide for broad citizen participation in planning and enhance of our "quality of life."

 

DECENTRALIZATION
Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. We support restructuring social, political and economic institutions toward more democratic systems representative of entire communities. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.

 

ECOLOGICAL WISDOM
Human societies must operate as part of the natural environment, not separate from it.  We must maintain an ecological balance and live within resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in a way in which future generations will benefit from the practices of our generation. To this end, we must practice agriculture which replenishes soil, innovate an energy-efficient economy and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

 

FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY
We have inherited a society based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as the outcome we want to achieve.


FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of, or recycling our waste, while developing sustainable economics that do not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counter the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations.

 

GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
Every human being deserves a say in decisions that affect their lives. We work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our representatives are accountable to the people who elect them. We work to create new political associations that expand participatory democracy to include citizens in the decision-making process.

 

NON-VIOLENCE
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's patterns of violence. We work to demilitarize and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments.  We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

 

PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
We encourage individuals to work to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.

 

RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines. The diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally denied leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms and the preservation of biodiversity.


SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
All persons have the rights and opportunities to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

There is no authoritative version of the Ten Key Values of the Greens.  The Ten Key Values are guiding principles that are adapted and defined by each state and local chapter, as perceived through the the lens of their communities.

About

 

 

The Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) was founded in 1984, six months before the establishment of a national Green Party -- the first and oldest state Green party in the United States of America, and home of John Rensenbrink, principal founder of what is now the Green Party of the United States (GPUS).

Browse our site, explore our history, platform, issues, elected officeholders, candidates, organization and goals for your future.

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