Green Party (United States)

The political movement that began in 1985 as the decentralized Committees of Correspondence[18] evolved into a more centralized structure by 1990, opening a national clearinghouse and forming governing bodies, bylaws and a platform as the Green Committees of Correspondence (GCoC) and by 1990 simply The Greens. The organization conducted grassroots organizing efforts, educational activities and electoral campaigns.

Internal divisions arose between members who saw electoral politics as ultimately corrupting and supported the notion of an "anti-party party" formed by Petra Kelly and other leaders of the Greens in Germany[19] vs. those who saw electoral strategies as a crucial engine of social change. A struggle for the direction of the organization culminated in a "compromise agreement", ratified in 1990 at the Greens National Congress in Elkins, West Virginia and in which both strategies would be accommodated within the same 527 political organization renamed the Greens/Green Party USA (G/GPUSA). It was recognized by the FEC as a national political party in 1991.

The compromise agreement subsequently collapsed and two Green party organizations co-existed in the United States until 2019 when the Greens/Green Party USA was dissolved. The Green Politics Network was organized in 1990 and the National Association of Statewide Green Parties formed by 1994. Divisions between those pressing to break onto the national political stage and those aiming to grow roots at the local level continued to widen during the 1990s. The Association of State Green Parties (ASGP) encouraged and backed Nader's presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. By 2001, the push to separate electoral activity from the G/GPUSA issue-based organizing led to the Boston Proposal and the subsequent rise of the Green Party of the United States. The G/GPUSA lost most of its affiliates in the next few months and dropped its FEC national party status in the year 2005.

The Green Party of the United States follows the ideals of green politics, which are based on the Four Pillars, namely:

1. Ecological wisdom,
2. Social justice,
3. Grassroots democracy, and
4. Nonviolence.[20]

The Ten Key Values, which expand upon the Four Pillars, are as follows:[5]

1. Grassroots democracy,
2. Social justice and equal opportunity,
3. Ecological wisdom,
4. Nonviolence,
5. Decentralization,
6. Community-based economics,
7. Feminism and gender equality,
8. Respect for diversity,
9. Personal and global responsibility, and
10. Future focus and sustainability.

The Green Party doesn't accept donations from corporations, political action committees (PACs), 527(c) organizations or soft money. The party's platforms and rhetoric harshly criticize corporate influence and control over government, media, and society at large.[21]

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In 2016, the Green Party passed a motion in favor of rejecting both capitalism and state socialism, supporting instead an "alternative economic system based on ecology and decentralization of power".[22] The motion states the change that the party says could be described as promoting "ecological socialism", "communalism", or perhaps the "cooperative commonwealth".[22] The Green Party rejection of both state socialism and capitalism and their promotion of communalism which was created by libertarian socialist Murray Bookchin places the Green Party into the ideology of libertarian socialism.[23] The eco-socialist economy the Green Party of the United States wants to create is similar to the market socialist mutualist economics of Proudhon which consists of a large sector of democratically controlled public enterprises, a large sector of cooperative enterprises, and a smaller sector of small businesses and self-employed.[24][25] Consumer goods and services would be sold to consumers in the market by cooperatives, public enterprises, and small businesses.[24] Services that would be for free include health care, education, child care, and urban mass transit. Goods and services that would be available at low cost would include public housing, power, broadband, and water.[24] The party will also create cooperative banks offering low interest somewhat similar to Proudhon's Mutualist banks.[26] Howie Hawkins who was nominated by the Green Party to run for president of the United States identifies as a libertarian socialist.[27]

The Green Party supports the implementation of a single-payer healthcare system. They have also called for contraception and abortion procedures to be available on demand.[28]

The Green Party calls for providing tuition-free college at public universities and vocational schools, increasing funding for after-school and daycare programs, cancelling all student loan debt, and repealing the No Child Left Behind Act. They are strongly against the dissolution of public schools and the privatization of education.[29]

In 2006, the Green Party developed a Green New Deal that would ultimately serve as a transitional plan to a 100% clean, renewable energy including solar and wind energy by 2030 utilizing a carbon tax, jobs guarantee, tuition-free college, single-payer healthcare and a focus on using public programs.[30][31]

Howie Hawkins focused his gubernatorial campaign on the Green New Deal, which was the first time the policy was introduced. [32] Jill Stein also developed her presidential campaign based on the Green New Deal. [33]

The Green Party favors the abolition of the death penalty, repeal of three-strikes laws, banning of private prisons, legalization of marijuana, and decriminalization of other drugs.[34]

The Green Party advocates for "complete and full" reparations to the African American community, as well the removal of the Confederate flag from all government buildings.[35]

The party supports same-sex marriage, the right of access to medical and surgical treatment for transgender and gender-nonconforming people, and withdrawing foreign aid to countries with poor LGBT+ rights records.[35]

The Green Party calls on the United States to join the International Criminal Court, and sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and Non-Proliferation Treaty. Additionally, it supports cutting the defense budget in half, as well as prohibiting all arms sales to foreign countries.[36]

The Green Party supports the 2015 Iran nuclear deal to decrease sanctions while limiting Iran's capacity to make nuclear weapons.[37]

The Green Party advocates for the Palestinian right of return and cutting all U.S. aid to Israel. It has also expressed support for the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.[38]

The Green Party has two national committees recognized by the Federal Election Commission (FEC):

• The Green National Committee (GNC)
• The Green Senatorial Campaign Committee (GSCC)[39]

The GNC is composed of delegates elected by affiliated state parties. The state parties also appoint delegates to serve on the various standing committees of the GNC. The National Committee elects a steering committee of seven co-chairs, a secretary and a treasurer to oversee daily operations. The National Committee performs most of its business online, but it also holds an annual national meeting to conduct business in person.

Five Identity Caucuses have achieved representation on the GNC:

• Black Caucus[40]
• Latinx Caucus[41]
• Lavender Greens Caucus[2] (LGBTQIA+)
• National Women's Caucus[42]
• Young Ecosocialists[43]

Other caucuses have worked toward formal recognition by the GNC:

• Disability Caucus[44]
• Labor Caucus[45]
• Indigenous Caucus[46]
• Elder Caucus[47]

With exception to state legislatures and major city councils, all other legislative bodies included in the following chronological table had/have more than two affiliated members simultaneously serving in office.[67][68]

Years	Government position	Jurisdiction	State	Notes
2001–2022	Minority (1/13 seats) 2001–2005: (2/13 seats)	Minneapolis City Council	Minnesota
2018–2019	Minority (1/141 seats)	Maryland House of Delegates	Maryland
2017–2018	Minority (2/154* seats)[lower-alpha 1]	Maine House of Representatives	Maine
2002–2006	Minority (1/151 seats)
2016–2017	Minority (2/5 seats)	Anoka Water Conservation District	Minnesota
2013–2015	Minority (1/100 seats)	Arkansas House of Representatives	Arkansas
2008–2009	Minority (1/100 seats)
2002–2014	Minority Fluctuated (3–4 out of 9 seats)	Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board	California
2009–2013	Majority (3/5 seats)	Fairfax Town Council	California
2004–2008	Minority (2/5 seats)
1990–2012	Minority Fluctuated (2–5 out of 30 seats)	Douglas County Board of Supervisors	Wisconsin
2001–2009	Minority Fluctuated (2–4 out of 20 seats)	Madison Common Council	Wisconsin
1998–2008	Minority Fluctuated (2–4 out of 39 seats)	Dane County Board of Supervisors	Wisconsin
2004–2008	Minority Fluctuated (3–4 out of 29 seats)	Portage County Board of Supervisors	Wisconsin
2000–2008	Majority (3/5 seats)	Sebastopol City Council	California
2004–2007	Minority Fluctuated (2–4 out of 9 seats)	Portland Board of Education	Maine
2003–2007	Minority (2/7 seats)	Kalamazoo City Commission	Michigan
2004–2006; 1996–1998	Majority (3/5 seats)	Arcata City Council	California
2002–2004; 1998–2000	Minority (2/5 seats)
2002–2006	Majority (3/5 seats)	School Board of Twin Ridges Elementary	California
2003–2004	Majority (3/5 seats)	New Paltz Village Council	New York
2002–2004	Minority (1/80 seats)	New Jersey General Assembly	New Jersey
1998–2004	Minority (2/7 seats)	Santa Monica City Council	California
2001–2003	Minority (2/30 seats)	New Haven Board of Aldermen	Connecticut
2000–2002	Minority (2/8 seats)	Salem City Council	Oregon
2000–2002	Minority (2/8 seats)	Santa Fe City Council	New Mexico
1995–2002	Minority (2/5 seats)	Point Arena Town Council	California
1999	Minority (1/80 seats)	California State Assembly	California
1996–1998	Minority (2/8 seats)	Fayetteville City Council	Arkansas