Newsletter

Green Mountain News: September-October 2022

GREEN MOUNTAIN NEWS
The Mountain Party of West Virginia’s latest news and views.

Issue No. 5 — September – October 2022
PRESS CLIPPING: Three Vie For West Virginia House of Delegates District 7 Seat – WTOV
October 19, 2022  —  WTOV  —  Excerpt covering Dylan Parsons, the Mountain Party’s only recognized candidate nominated at its May 14, 2022 State Convention.

The House of Delegates District 7 race features three parties — Republican, Democrat and the Mountain Party.

First up is incumbent Democrat Lisa Zukoff, a Marshall County native who is a John Marshall and WVU graduate and has worked with a fortune 500 company in public finance, owns [a] small business in Moundsville, and has been a delegate for four years.

“We have many shortages in West Virginia. We need to increase some pay,” Zukoff said.”We need a qualified workforce here. We have to have people to fill jobs for companies to come to West Virginia. It is a major issue in our community and our state”



Sheedy has a strong military background and has worked with the state division of highways for 3 decades.



And challenging Zukoff and Sheedy is Mountain Party candidate Dylan Parsons.He is from New Martinsville, graduated from Magnolia and [West Liberty University] and says he is running for the working class.”

I want to give teachers a raise of $20,000, I want to legalize cannabis, and I want to create 70,000 union energy jobs in the state. I want to end the right to work, and I want to give the working class representation.” □

Original Article: https://wtov9.com/news/local/three-vie-for-west-virginia-house-of-delegates-district-7-seat
Mountain Party Reiterates Commitment To Labor Movement
September 4, 2022  —  Excerpt From Mountain Party Press Release

From Starbucks to Amazon, workers across the country are banding together to win better pay and benefits and a greater say in their workplace.

As a party, we fight to ensure that progressive policy measures can be enacted which will benefit the working class. This includes raising the minimum wage to a living wage, supporting the right for public employees in West Virginia to engage in collective bargaining, and to combat wage theft by employers.

None of these policies will become law, however, without a reinvigorated, fighting union movement. We encourage everyone to reach out to your local, trade, or industrial union and begin the process of organizing your workplace. We must all be responsible for building the labor movement we wish to see. □
No More War In Ukraine
October 21, 2022  —  Green Party of the United States

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) views the war in Ukraine with great concern. As the US party of peace, we emphatically oppose the recourse to war as a means of inter-state dispute resolution and, accordingly, condemn the present violence in Ukraine by all sides. With respect to the US and Western response, we express specific concerns regarding:

1. The militaristic approach of indefinitely arming Ukraine. This strategy is demonstrably flawed. Ukraine is losing the war (despite heavy Western military assistance) and protracting the conflict through further armament will only lead to more death and destruction in Ukraine – not to a Ukrainian victory. This approach does not reflect a sincere interest in the well-being of the Ukrainian people, but rather the geopolitical and financial interests of Western elites.

2. The misbegotten approach of imposing inefficacious and self-destructive sanctions on Russia. This strategy is empirically flawed. In keeping with the long track record of previous failures of punitive sanctions regimes, the current sanctions on Russia have not altered its behavior in Ukraine. Instead, they have increased its energy revenues and strengthened the Ruble, while damaging the Western European economy and undermining confidence in the US financial system. Aggravating international tensions through economic warfare will not bring peace to Ukraine.

3. The unwillingness to engage in diplomacy. A ceasefire, and subsequent negotiated peace, is the only realistic way to end the war shy of the utter ruination of Ukraine. Adoption of a realistic negotiating position and willingness to make concessions is essential to the initiation of genuine peace talks, but the U.S. has failed to pursue a diplomatic solution.

4. The dishonest portrayal of developments in Ukraine. Russian aggression is rightfully covered and denounced. However, sole attribution of blame to Russia whitewashes an extended history of inimical US interference in Ukraine, contributing to current hostilities. Additionally, depiction of the Zelensky Government as a democratic force representative of the Ukrainian people and selective coverage of Ukrainian military successes deceitfully engender popular support for the failing strategy of continued military aid. The West proudly lauds its freedom of speech and press. We encourage Western media to make use of this right in accurately and critically covering events in Ukraine.

GPUS calls for cessation of unconditional military aid to Ukraine, lifting of counter-productive sanctions regimes, and initiation of genuine negotiations toward a ceasefire and sustainable peace framework! We implore the Biden Administration to use its position of influence to facilitate peace by encouraging peace talks and engaging with Russia to de-escalate tensions – not to fuel war by further arming Ukraine and prolonging a terrible conflict. □


Abortion Rights Are Human Rights!
September 14, 2022  —  Excerpt From Mountain Party Statement

Have West Virginians finally had enough with Conservative Democrats? Minority Whip Sen. Woelfel, along with several other Democrats, who voted for the abortion ban alongside Republicans will likely face no consequences from their party.

Republicans wrote the bill, and several Democrats backed it. It’s time for real opposition with West Virginia’s Greens.

This will not stop with abortion. Reproductive rights, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and more face threats in the Mountain State. The Democratic Party cannot provide effective opposition when their own representatives are clearly divided on these fundamental, common-sense issues of equality, liberty, and justice. □
Upcoming Events:

October 26 – First Day of Early Voting
November 5 – Last Day of Early Voting
November 8 – Election Day
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Our ability to reach West Virginians with progressive ideas, to keep us on the ballot in future elections, and to fund the critical work of building our movement relies entirely on the grassroots donations of people like you.

We will put your money to work expanding our organizing efforts and infrastructure. It also allows us to better support our candidates and enable us the option to hire part time staff.

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Why The Mountain Party?

Read: The Case For An Independent Left Party In West Virginia

(Op-Ed originally published by The West Virginia Holler)