Presidential Candidates’ Stance on Healthcare will be Examined

On Friday, August 8^th, the League of Women Voters will host their monthly “Lunch with the League” at the South Bend Chocolate Café (Rockne Room). This month’s discussion will be on the Presidential Candidates’ healthcare plans, led by fellow LWV member, AARP (Divided We Fail) member, and longtime nursing activist, Pat McQuade. Program begins at 12:00 noon, but attendees are encouraged to come as early as 11:30 to order lunch.

This will be a good opportunity to share the Green Party’s platform on universal health care, which none of the other presidential candidates are including in their rhetoric. I will also have available copies of a July 15^th 2008 Newsweek interview with Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party’s Presidential candidate. In the article, McKinney speaks to many critical issues, including the ongoing war in Iraq and universal health care.

Pass this information along to anyone who may be interested in this important issue. This meeting is open to the public.

There are no words to describe the recurring dismay I feel every time a motorist endangers me or another bicyclist or pedestrian by driving too closely or too quickly or too recklessly. Is there something inherent in the egocentricity of our car culture that breeds such callous disregard for one another?

There are no words to describe the simmering impatience I have with elected city, county and state representatives who lack the foresight to include safe causeways for cyclists and pedestrians in every road project. Is there something inherent in a system that retains incumbents who must be constantly reminded that automobiles need not be our only means of transportation?

There are no words to express the seething frustration at our state laws that dictate only 3% of the monies collected for most speeding tickets stays in the city to pay our police. Where is the incentive to enforce speed limits when more than 70% of a reckless driver’s fine goes to Indianapolis?

There are no words to express the numbing shock at hearing the news that while riding his bike, Patrick Sawyer had been struck by a careless driver who initially, reprehensibly left the scene. Patrick was doing all the right things; he was riding with traffic, as he was legally entitled to do, he was wearing a helmet, he had lights on his bike, he was wearing bright, reflective clothing. These are the things all of us conscientious cyclists do, yet the chilling reality is it isn’t enough in the path of an unchecked, reckless driver on a street built by apathetic officials who consider only the automobile in their dealings with the road-builders.

Patrick Sawyer died as a result of his devastating injuries; there are no words to describe the heartfelt sadness for our community. We all lost a vibrant, energetic, creative and giving member of our fold and we are all the poorer for his passing.

There are no words to describe the deep sorrow I have for Patrick’s family. In the wake of a dreadful moment in time, Patrick leaves behind his beautiful wife, Nancy, and their four young children who will miss him desperately.

My friend Henry sent me an email of Patrick’s passing while I was in Rhode Island. From nearly a thousand miles away, he had forwarded a plea from Nancy for something good to come from Patrick’s death. All I can do is try to find the words to plead: if you are an elected official, please consider everyone’s safety when considering every public project. If you are a police officer, please reign in the reckless drivers. And if you are a driver, please, for the sake of all of us, for god’s sake watch where you are going. Give to all of us, your neighbors in this community, whether we are on foot, in a wheelchair or on a bicycle, the gift kindness and our mutual humanity.

There are no words to express my sadness at the loss of one of our community’s shining stars, Patrick Sawyer. Patrick died of injuries sustained from a hit-and-run accident while he was riding his bike and struck by a car from behind. For more information, please see this website.

My introduction to Patrick was when he spoke to the St Joe Valley Greens several years ago when he first came up with his idea for Paddlefest, an event to encourage the community to embrace our beautiful river as a place for recreation and competition. Patrick’s infectious enthusiasm, creativity and energy guided Paddlefest to become an event that attracted some of the best paddlers from across the country. Patrick was also a loving and dedicated husband and father who was just a few weeks away from completing his degree in nursing. I am so sorry for his loss to his wife, his children, our community and our planet.

There will be a fundraising ride in Pat’s honor next Tuesday night, July 29th. The ride will start from the Northpoint Elementary School in Granger, IN. There will be a prayer at 6 PM immediately preceding the ride.

The ride will take place during the regular Outpost Tuesday Night Ride, but will have the special purpose of generating contributions for the Patrick Sawyer fund. Cash, credit cards and checks (made out to “Benefit of Patrick Sawyer”) will be accepted the night of the event.

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Visitation will be Sunday, July 27th from 1-5pm.

Hickey Funeral Home

17131 Cleveland Rd

South Bend, IN

Visitation will also be Monday 10-11am at Little Flower Church

54191 Ironwood Rd

South Bend, IN

Funeral at Little Flower Church Monday at 11 am

Luncheon will follow where we will remember Pat. Everyone will have a chance to speak about Pat, to celebrate his life, to give words of remembrance. We encourage all those who have memories and thoughts to share.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the fund which is set up for the children: Danny, Joey, Tommy, and Laura. You can go to any Key Bank branch or send donations to:

Benefit of Patrick Sawyer

Key Bank

South Bend, IN 46601

Chicago’s stately Symphony Hall was the site of the Green Party’s national nominating convention where former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was chosen as their Presidential candidate for this November’s election.   

“I am asking you to vote your conscience,  vote your dreams, vote your future, vote Green,” McKinney told an enthusiastic crowd of over 400 delegates and observers from across the country.   She was joined on-stage by her parents Billy McKinney, her mother Leola ,  son Coy and dozens of other Green Party candidates from across the country seeking public office and re-election. 

McKinney, who reminded the crowd that she and her father were the first father-daughter team in any state legislature, served 12 years in Congress as a Democrat.  Her term in Congress is notable for her consistent votes for environmental protections, voters’ rights and challenges to the Bush administration on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the events surrounding the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. She joined the Green Party after her loss to Republican Bob Barr in 2006.

The Green Party also overwhelmingly accepted hip-hop journalist and activist Rosa Clemente as Ms. McKinney’s running mate.  A graduate of Auburn and Cornell Universities, Ms. Clemente cited the urgency in addressing issues of social justice and environmental degradation, telling supporters, “the Green Party is not an alternative party, the Green Party is the imperative party.”

“McKinney is a very politically experienced and intelligent woman and a great choice,” said Robin Beck, one of the local delegates present at the convention. “ Combined with the youth and energy of Clemente, the Green Party is ready to lead the US into a new era of equality and sustainability.”

Changes to the Green Party platform were also debated and voted on at the convention in Chicago;  passionate opposition to wording on guest worker programs by a strong Latino/Latina caucus sent the draft back for further review.

Cynthia McKinney’s name will appear on the ballot on the Green Party line in nearly 40 states however Hoosier voters will be required to write her name in on the ballot on November 4th.  This is an area of concern for local Greens as St Joe County’s record for counting and certifying write-in votes has been challenged in the last two elections.   “St Joe County actually certified zero votes for our candidate for Secretary of State 2 years ago, thus disenfranchising the hundreds of voters who cast write-in votes the Green Party candidate,” noted Karl Hardy, co-coordinator of the local Greens chapter.  “This trampling of the rights of voters cannot continue and we will be doing what we can to ensure progressive voices are counted at the ballot box.”

For more information:

Cynthia McKinney  http://www.runcynthiarun.org

Rosa Clemente http://www.rosaclemente.com

St Joe Valley Greens http://www.sjvgreens.org

Green Party US http://www.gp.org

Nice to see an article about the Green Party’s nomination of former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the only major newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia and its suburbs.  The AJC reportedly has an on-line and print audience of 2.3 million readers.  Ms. McKinney was elected to lead the Green Party ticket with Rosa Clemente as her running mate at a four-day convention held at the Palmer House and Symphony Hall in Chicago.

C-Span, whose cameras were in the balcony at Symphony Hall, has video footage of Ms. McKinney’s Green Party acceptance speech on their website.  Now if we can only get C-Span, to add Cynthia McKinney to their webpage depicting four other presidential candidates, including one other whose name will likely not appear on all ballots in the U.S.,  so visiting voters can view all their choices.

St Joe Valley Greens sent two delegates and two alternates to the  National Green Party Convention in Chicago.  Several other members of the St Joe Valley Greens were able to attend the Convention allowing delegates the opportunity to caucus with their local before casting their votes. 

On Saturday, the Green Party voted on a platform and elected Cynthia McKinney for their Presidential candidate and Rosa Clemente as her running mate.  This represents the first time a Black woman and a Puerto Rican woman head the ticket for the two highest offices in the Executive branch of the U.S. government!

In addition to electing candidates for the national ticket, Greens from across the country had an opportunity to meet Greens currently holding offices and running for offices in many other states, network with other Greens and attend workshops on building the party.

In her acceptance speech, Ms. McKinney addressed all the key values of the Green Party of social justice, grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom and non-violence.   She spoke of her 12 years of work as a maverick in Congress including her vote against the war in Iraq as well as her efforts to protect the environment, investigate election fraud and voter disenfranchisement, investigate the attacks of September 11th and introduce articles of impeachment against President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice.  To those who would suggest a vote for a Green Party candidate is a “wasted” vote, McKinney responded with this:

 ”the only ‘wasted’ vote is a vote against your conscience.”

Local Greens serve as delegates to Presidential Nominating Convention
National Green Party gathering takes place July 11-14

Several members of the St. Joe Valley Greens will be traveling to Chicago
this weekend to attend the Green Party US’s National Convention where Green
delegates from across the country will adopt a national party platform and
nominate the Green presidential candidate.

Former South Bend City Common Council candidate Kathleen Petitjean and
current IUSB political science student Robin Beck, both of the St. Joe
Valley Greens, were elected delegates and will be among hundreds of
delegates from around the country who will cast votes to decide the Greens’
presidential candidate.

“It’s very exciting to be a part of the largest national gathering of Greens
since 2004. I’m honored to represent Greens from North Central Indiana and
to cast a vote to nominate a Green candidate for president,” said Petitjean
who collected 23% of the vote in her 2007 bid for office. “I’m looking
forward to having a true progressive alternative to the corporate-friendly
policies of McCain and Obama.”

Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney currently holds a significant
lead in pledged delegates though three other candidates remain on the
ballot.  After serving 4 terms in the US House of Representatives as a
Democrat, McKinney left the Democratic Party in September 2007 and formally
joined the Green Party the following month. Ralph Nader, who ran as the
Greens’ presidential nominee in 2000 and received nearly 2.9 million votes,
will not run for the Greens’ nomination having opted for an independent
candidacy.

The eventual Green Party presidential candidate’s name will not appear on
the Indiana ballot later this fall because the Green Party does not have
ballot access in this state. Citizens interested in voting Green will have
to write in the candidate’s.  Ballot access experts assert that Indiana’s
ballot access laws are among the most restrictive in the country. No Green
candidate has ever appeared on a statewide Hoosier ballot and Indiana is one
of only five states where Nader did not achieve ballot access in either his
2000 or 2004 campaigns.

“Keeping Greens off the ballot in Indiana only serves to limit the public
discussion on important issues including environmental protections,
sustainable energy alternatives, the erosion of the middle class, and the
role of corporations in our society,” said Beck, co-founder of the GLBT
Resource Center of Michiana. “Third parties give voters a choice–what is so
wrong with that?”

“If There Were Windows on the River, I Would See…”

How’s this for an idea to garner support for the hydro generator and viewing chamber on the dam at Century Center: enlist the South Bend Tribune to co-sponsor an art contest for kids titled “If There Were Windows on the River, I Would See…” Kids could submit any type of media with an entry fee of 25 cents (this could be waived on request). The entry fee could go towards a fund to help build the project and members of the South Bend Common Council and Mayor Luecke could be the judges for the contest. Prizes for different age groups could be donated by local businesses.

I spoke with Jim Rider, from the South Bend Tribune who thought this was a great idea and gave me a couple of contacts at the Tribune for this project.

In the meantime, I am going to contact Jim Mazurek, Notre Dame’s new Director of Sustainability to determine if he would be interested in meeting with myself and other individuals including members of the Sierra Club, to try to help build community support and search for funding sources for this project.

By popular demand, the Power Point presentation: The Sustaining Waters of the Sagwa is now available on this blogsite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuCzanEMpZ8

This is a brief history of the river we know as the St. Joseph (called “Sagwa” by Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans) and her contribution to the growth of the city via hydro power. This also gives a brief introduction to South Bend’s proposed hydroelectric generator on the dam at Century Center.

At the June 18th meeting of the Community Forum for Economic Development, I shared with Gary Gilot, South Bend’s Director of Public Works the brochure on the hydroelectric generator project I’d compiled to present to the Building Trades Council. I’d included the idea to christen the viewing chamber portion of the design after the name Native Americans had given the river as an homage to the people who were here before us. Mr. Gilot commented he was deferring to me on the history of the river’s name.

To confirm what I’d learned from various sources about the river’s Native American moniker, I contacted Travis Childs, Director of Education at the Center for History in South Bend. Mr. Childs noted there were four tribes of Native Americans, the Miami, Potawatomi, Fox and Sauk living in and near this area when Europeans encroached upon the land. Depending upon the person transcribing the Native American language, the various tribes had slightly differing pronunciations and thus “English” spellings for the name of the river. Interestingly, all of these names translated to mean “Mystery River”. (One source I’d found suggested the name referred to a mysterious apparition that would appear on the river’s edge, however Mr. Childs noted that this story could not be substantiated).

According to Mr. Childs, the closest approximation and “amalgamation” of the names all the native peoples gave to the river as well as the European settlers’ transcription of the native name for this mystery river was “Sagwa”.

In deference to Mr. Child’s knowledge of the history of the river, I’m going with his suggestion that the simpler version “Sagwa” be proposed for the viewing chamber.

Thus, I suggest The Sagwa Viewing Chamber at the Dam at Century Center. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?