[SFGP] SF Green Party Weekly

[announce at sfgreens.org]

SFGP WEEKLY
For The Week of 8/25/05 - 9/1/05
This Week:
**********************************************************
**************************************************
News:
8/23: Mid-Market eyed for unusual projects
8/24: Commentary On the Roberts Sup Court Nomination
8/24: Greens Support Cindy Sheehan's Protest Vigil
**********************************************************
Events:
8/27: Day Labor Program 15th Anniversary
8/28: TIC Open House Picket
8/28: Sweatfree Victory Party
8/29: MUNI Fare Strike Press Conference & Speak Out
**********************************************************
Announcements:
Joke of the Week
Become A Sustainer!
**********************************************************
**********************************************************
News
*****************************************
*******************************************************
Mid-Market eyed for unusual projects
By Emily Fancher
Staff Writer

Some look at Market Street between Fifth and 10th streets and see mostly
boarded-up and vacant buildings, drug dealing and trash-strewn streets.
Yet others believe that Mid-Market is a place to dream about unusual
development possibilities.
Developers and nonprofits are considering ideas for the area that range
from a headquarters for the green economy to mini-condominiums with shared
dining rooms and kitchens.
"Because this area is in such need of change, there's more openness to
building something out of the box," said David Addington, a developer who
owns the Warfield Theater and another building in the area.
Late this year or early next year, a redevelopment plan for the area will
likely go to the Board of Supervisor for approval, but many aren't waiting
for its passage to work on projects.
Nonprofit Global Exchange is actively searching for a building to house
itself along with 30 or 40 environmental and social justice nonprofits in
the Mid-Market area.
Kevin Danaher is spearheading the project, called Global Citizens Center,
which he said will include a green store selling everything from organic
cotton clothing to solar panels and an events space for lectures and
music.
Read more at: www.sfexaminer.com
*******************************************************
Commentary On the Roberts Sup Court Nomination
Time for a fresh look at life terms on the Supreme Court
By Steven Hill
Denver Post
guest commentary

Should U.S. Supreme Court justices serve life terms? This is a question
that is raised whenever there is a vacancy on the Court.  At 50 years of
age, Judge John Roberts, President Bush's Supreme Court nominee, could
serve for decades.

Perhaps more than any single factor, this "until death do we part"
constitutional requirement has been responsible for bruising
confirmation battles. On the partisan chessboard, nailing down one of
nine Supreme Court spots is a major victory.

But a survey of judicial appointment practices in other democracies
suggests there may be better methods for selecting the U.S. Supreme
Court. For instance, some democracies employ judicial term limits.  High
court justices in Germany are limited to a 12-year term, and in France,
Italy and Spain a 9-year term. There's American precedent for judicial
term limits, with judges on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims limited to
15-year terms. Also, members of the Federal Reserve Board, shielded from
politics because they oversee the nation's economy, serve 14 year terms,
with their Chairman Alan Greenspan appointed for a four-year term.

Some nations require that high court justices retire at a certain age.
In Israel and Australia that age is 70, in Canada it's 75. A few
American states also have established a retirement age for judges, 70
years in Minnesota and Missouri. If applied to the current Supreme
Court, three justices would have retired already with two more stepping
down next year.
Read more at: http://www.denverpost.com/guestcommentary/ci_2934280
*******************************************************
GREENS SUPPORT CINDY SHEEHAN'S PROTEST VIGIL IN CRAWFORD, TEXAS.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Peace Action Committee of the Green Party of the United States (GPAX) 
has issued a statement of support for Cindy Sheehan, co-founder of Gold Star 
Families For Peace, in her vigil near the vacation home of President George 
W.Bush in Crawford, Texas. The text of the statement follows below.
Ms. Sheehan is the mother of Casey Sheehan, who was killed in combat in Sadr 
City in 2004, a few days after arriving in Iraq. Over 1,800 U.S. troops and 
tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed in the U.S. invasion 
and occupation.  Greens called Ms. Sheehan's protest a unique challenge to 
all Americans to speak out against the Bush Administration's betrayal of the 
trust of the American people and reckless disregard for American and Iraqi 
lives.
"The Bush Administration betrayed the trust of the American people, 
especially those serving in the armed forces in Iraq, when it launched a war 
based on fraudulent premises: WMDs that didn't exist, forged evidence of 
nuclear weapons deals, deceptive claims that Saddam Hussein colluded with 
al-Qaeda," said Jody Grage Haug, Peace Action Committee member and co-chair 
of the Green Party of the United States. "We must also hold Democrats 
responsible, since many of them supported the war and who joined with 
Republicans in surrendering Congress's constitutional power to declare war 
to the White House in October, 2002."
Read more at: http://www.gp.org
*******************************************************
*************************************
Events
*************************************
Day Labor Program 15th Anniversary
Saturday, August 27th
10am- 3pm
(see message for location details)

La Raza Centro Legal, The Day Labor Program , and The Women’s Collective
invite you to celebrate with us the 15 year anniversary of the Day Labor
Program and the opening of our new Worker’s Center Saturday, August 27th,
2005.  This center will be a dignified space for Day Laborers and Domestic
Workers, to preserve and improve economic and human rights for all workers.

PROGRAM of EVENTS

10:00 am:  We will met at the trailers in Franklin Square Park (at 17th &
Hampshire Streets).  There will be a ceremony to say goodbye to the site
and from there we are going to march to our new location (3358 Cesar Chávez)
11:00 am: Inauguration ceremony, with a blessing of our new site.
11:00 am – 3:00 pm: ¡PARTY!  We’re going to close a block on Capp Street,
between Cesar Chavez and 26th Street to have our celebration outside.
With LIVE MUSIC, speakers, food, and activities for everyone in the family!
Please email me or call me at 415-321-0296 for more information and to talk
about ways your organization would like to participate.
Con un abrazo,
kristen Petroshius
on behalf of Reneé Saucedo
*******************************************************
TIC Open House Picket
Sunday, August 28
2:00pm
838 Potrero (between 20th and 21st; the
33 bus stops right outside as does the 9, or take any of the 16th or 24th St
buses to Potrero).

Help continue the SF Tenants Union campaign to close down TIC Open Houses at
buildings where tenants have been evicted! This campaign has been very
successful, to the point where realtors are avoiding holding open houses at
buildings with eviction histories. Only ONE building with evictions has an
open house this weekend and you have to go through the realtor to get the
address!
Seniors and a tenant with AIDS were Ellis evicted from this 5 unit building
by Chetcuti & Associates in 2004. We picketed this building before and it's
a very effective location. Potential buyers tend to drive by first and when
they see the picketers they drive away! Neighbors remember the tenants and
are also very supportive. Since our last picket, they've dropped the price
of these units and are offering extra incentives--clearly they're having
trouble selling buildings with eviction histories.

For info on the building
http://www.sfarmls.com/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=Sanfrancisco&PRGNAME=MLS
PropertyDetail&ARGUMENTS=-N291687,-N11458492,-N780122895,-AS,-N1
***********************************************************
SWEATFREE VICTORY PARTY!!!!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
4:00pm – 8:00pm
Project Artaud Theater
450 Florida Street, SF
(between 17th St. and Mariposa)

Join Global Exchange
and the Sweatfree Bay Area Coalition to celebrate:
€ the passage of the nation’s strongest sweatshop-free law, prohibiting
the SF city government from purchasing goods from sweatshops
and the adoption of Fair Trade and Organic Certified purchasing resolutions
Support our work to make other communities sweatfree!
Donate now at www.globalexchange.org/sweatfreevictory
Live entertainment from:
ALBINO! 14-piece all-star Afrobeat ensemble  |  ZONK  |  The Labor Chorus
Reverend Billy  |  Valerie Orth
Sweatfree fashion show from local designers, food, drink, raffle, sweatfree
apparel and more!
$10-$20 sliding scale (includes raffle ticket).
No one turned away for lack of funds.
All ages welcome.
Wheelchair accessible. Buses 22, 33, 27.
Sponsored by:
New College of California  |  Project Artaud  |  Harrington Investments
MarketPlace: Handwork of India  |  No Sweat Apparel  |  Nueva Vida
Cooperative  |  The Onion
For more info visit www.globalexchange.org/sweatfreebayarea
or contact 415-575-5541, sweatfree at globalexchange.org
All donations are fully tax-deductible
***********************************************************
MUNI Fare Strike Press Conference & Speak Out
Monday, August 29
12:00 noon
Mission and 24th Streets

THE MUNI FARE STRIKE STARTS SEPTEMBER 1.
WE ARE NOT PAYING MORE TO WAIT LONGER.
While politicians pick the pockets of MUNI riders, cut service and layoff 
drivers, they give away millions to downtown corporations and the rich. 
Basta!
Press Conference speakers will include the following:

Maria Christina Tapia
Mujeres Unidas*

Renee Saucedo
La Raza Centro Legal*

Bob Planthold
Disabled Transit Advocate

Michael Lyon
Gray Panthers*

Tiny Grey-Garcia
Poor News Network*

Riva Enteen
National Lawyers Guild*

Guillermina Castellanos
Women's Collective*

Jose Alfaro
San Francisco Day Labor Program*
And speakers from:
POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights)*
Social Strike
MUNI Fare Strike
(*Organizations listed for identification only.)

The microphone will then be open to all who want to speak in solidarity with 
the fare strike.

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

MUNI plans to:
Raise the adult fare from $1.25 to $1.50.
This is the second increase in three years, and more are planned.
Raise the Youth, Senior and Disabled fare from 35¢ to 50¢.
Layoff up to 200 drivers and CUT RUNS, including the J, K, L, M and N; the 
14-Mission and the 38-Geary; and the 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 
19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31, 35, 36, 37, 39, 41, 43, 47, 49, 52, 54, 
66, 67, 71 and 82.
***********************************************************
*****************************************
Announcements:
**********************
************************************************************
Joke of the Week
Improving the Great Outdoors

(Actual comments received in 1996 from the Bridger Wilderness registration 
sheets and comment cards.)

*Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.

*Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to 
reduce worldwide population growth to limit the number of visitors to 
wilderness.

*Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more 
likely to chase animals.

*All the mile markers are missing this year.

*Found a smoldering cigarette left by a horse.

*Trail needs to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go 
uphill.

*Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spiderwebs. Please spray the 
wilderness to rid the area of these pests.

*Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow during the winter.

*Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views 
without having to hike to them.

*The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please 
eradicate these annoying animals.

*A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way 
I can get reimbursed?

*Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet, so people can hike at 
night with flashlights.

*Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.

*Need more signs to keep area pristine.

*A McDonalds would be nice at the trailhead.

*The places where trails do not exist are not well marked.

*I brought lots of sandwich makings, but forgot bread. If you have extra 
bread, leave it in the yellow tent at V Lake.

*Too many rocks in the mountains.
************************************************************
Become a Green Party Sustainer!

As you may know, the SFGP is supported by our wonderful sustaining donors --
175 and growing.  In the next 12 months we hope to double that figure, and
you can help us achieve our goal by signing up to make a regular
contribution to the Green Party.

Our sustainer program nearly pays all of our basic monthly operating
expenses, including rent and utilities on the office, and drastically
reduces the amount of work needed to raise money.  Our sustainers free us up
to do what we're really here for - to pursue Green values through the
democratic system. Sustainers also ensure that we are able to keep our
office, which has hosted numerous campaigns' headquarters including the
successful Prop A, Instant Runoff Voting initiative.

Becoming a Green Party sustainer is easy, fun, and secure!

Online: http://www.sfgreenparty.org/makeadonation/makeadonation.html

Phone: 415-701-7090
************************************************************
For more info on our activities, please see our website,
http://www.sfgreenparty.org. You can also email us questions at
info at sfgreens.org.  To send us news items (short blurb please, plain
text only) for possible inclusion in the newsletter, email
news at sfgreens.org.  Please don't put these addresses on mailing lists;
messages not specifically addressed to us won't go through.
Submissions for Joke of the Week, or comments and questions on the
content of the newsletter are welcomed by the editor at
ladypest at hotmail.com