The Green Diamond
e-newsletter - vol. 5-22

June 26, 2005

a publication of
The Green Party of Delaware
(www.gpde.us

greenpartyde@yahoo.com)

Grassroots Democracy - Economic & Social Justice - Nonviolence/Peace - Ecological Wisdom



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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Green Party of the United States

Vision for the Future Survey Open Another Week

Here's the link: http://www.gp.org/survey/

If you get a half hour to spare, take the survey.

Submitted by David McCorquodale, GPDE National Representative to USGP mccorq@comcast.net

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, June 23, 2005

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net

GREENS TO SENATE: REJECT THE McCAIN-LIEBERMAN ACT, WHICH WOULD SUBSIDIZE DANGEROUS NUCLEAR POWER

The bill repeats earlier failed legislation that would combine mandatory caps on carbon dioxide emissions with a credit-trading system modeled after the Clean Air Act, and adds incentives for nuclear development ($6.1 billion in the recently passed House version; $4.3 billion in the Senate bill).

Greens have called market-based solutions to global warming severely inadequate and warn that the dangers of nuclear power are insurmountable.

"Democrats and Republicans have turned the need for sound energy policy into a choice between suffering the effects of catastrophic climate change and the massive accumulation of deadly radioactive waste from nuclear power," said Jody Grage Haug, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "The only rational response to the threat of global warming is a plan that phases out fossil fuel and nuclear power, develops clean, renewable energy sources, and reduces energy consumption."

Greens, while criticizing the Kyoto Protocols' modest measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, have called it an important first step, and continue to urge the U.S. to sign on and expand its goals.

"By ignoring energy conservation and embracing nuclear power, Democrats and Republicans who say they care about global warming have proved themselves only marginally better than President Bush," said David Cobb, the Green Party's 2004 presidential candidate. "Nuclear power is expensive, it would require the addition of 1,500 new plants worldwide to replace fossil fuel energy, it would present an enormous security and public health risk, and the storage of nuclear waste would be a permanent and growing environmental crisis.

"Furthermore, nuclear power does nothing to address the major source of CO2 emissions -- cars, trucks, and airplanes," Mr. Cobb added. "But Congress and the White House have refused to enact and enforce more stringent fuel economy standards, such as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy [CAFE] rules, or introduce consumer incentives to reduce demand, because of industry pressure."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

"Energy: Ignoring the Obvious Fix"
By Thane Peterson, Business Week, June 20, 2005
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jun2005/nf20050620_6725_db045.htm
http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/062105EB.shtml

~ END ~

Submitted by David McCorquodale, GPDE National Representative to GPUS <mccorq@comcast.net>

GPDE Local News

GPDE Coordinating Council

Green Things

U. S. Death Toll from Iraq War is Much Higher than Reported Figures

U.S. Military Personnel who died in German hospitals or en route to German hospitals have not previously been counted. They total about 6,210 as of 1 January, 2005. The ongoing, underreporting of the dead in Iraq, is not accurate. The DoD is deliberately reducing the figures. A review of many foreign news sites show that actual deaths are far higher than the newly reduced ones. Iraqi civilian casualties are never reported but International Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN figures indicate that as of 1 January 2005, the numbers are just under 100,000.

by Brian Harring, Domestic Intelligence Reporter

Note: There is excellent reason to believe that the Department of Defense is deliberately not reporting a significant number of the dead in Iraq. We have received copies of manifests from the MATS that show far more bodies shipped into Dover AFP than are reported officially. The educated rumor is that the actual death toll is in excess of 7,000. Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded, this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 1,400+ now being officially published. When our research is complete, and watertight, we will publish the results along with the sources In addition to the evident falsification of the death rolls, at least 5,500 American military personnel have deserted, most in Ireland but more have escaped to Canada and other European countries, none of whom are inclined to cooperate with vengeful American authorities. (See TBR News of 18 February for full coverage on the mass desertions) This means that of the 158,000 U.S. military shipped to Iraq, 26,000 either deserted, were killed or seriously wounded. The DoD lists currently being very quietly circulated indicate almost 9,000 dead, over 16,000 seriously wounded* (See note below. This figure is now over 24,000 Ed) and a large number of suicides, forced hospitalization for ongoing drug usage and sales, murder of Iraqi civilians and fellow soldiers , rapes, courts martial and so on

For the complete article, go to: http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a1654.htm

Submitted by David McCorquodale mccorq@comcast.net

*

Louisiana Unanimously Votes for Soldiers' DU Testing

Look at this. Louisiana voted 101 - 0 in House of Representatives to give the right to all Louisiana servicemen and women returning from Iraq testing for DU contamination. 101-0. Louisiana. Incredible.

Other states need to follow suit. Once testing begins and results start showing positive for uranium poisoning, then parents and loved ones may be finally starting to worry about this aspect of the war. That is why govt doesn't want to pay for the testing - they don't want people knowing how widespread this is. They are still saying a little bit of uranium can't hurt you.

People may start to realize this is the way the government is supporting the troops.

Remember it is still 86% radioactive. It's a killer. I'd rather die with a gunshot wound. Not only do you not have to suffer, but you get to be a hero. If you die with this stuff, the govt doesn't want to pay for your treatment and they keep denying it is even happening. The govt has even fought paying for the testing -- that would mean they would have to admit it is happening on a grand scale that these soldiers are coming home only to become very sick. And of course, their recruitments are already down. It's not glamorous to die of cancer - esp when your govt denies they are responsible while shoving it down our throats that THEY support the troops.

On Tuesday, May 3rd, The Louisiana State House of Representatives passed a bill to give the right to all Louisiana Servicemen and women returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom for testing for depleted uranium contamination. Louisiana is the first state in the nation to have their House pass the bill. The vote was 101 to 0 in favor. The bill has been sent to the Louisiana Senate for their decision pending review. Sponsor of the bill is Rep. Juan La Fonta of District 96 and co-sponsor is Rep. Jalila Jefferson-Bullock of District 91. The legislative session will continue through May 25th. Two veteran s advocates brought the necessity of the bill forward, Viet Nam Green Beret Bob Smith who is a retired Command Sergeant Major from New Orleans, and former infantryman Ward Reilly of Baton Rouge.

For rest of article...click here Louisiana State House of Representatives Passes DU Testing Bill

Submitted by Liz Allen LizSAllen@aol.com

Pacem In Terris Schedules Anti-War Speakers Event 7/10/05

Come to our Summer Series kick-off to hear Norman Solomon and Michael Hoffman. Donations will be accepted for the brave men and women of IVAW. If you are not able to attend and would like to make a contribution to be given to Michael that evening when we show support from Delaware for IVAW, please make a check out to Iraq Veterans against the War and send it to: June Eisley, 27712 Valley Run Drive, Wilmington, DE 19810. No contribution is too small.

Norman Solomon - In his new book, War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death, Norman Solomon, nationally syndicated columnist on media and politics, examines 50 years of press-corps complicity in promoting U.S. military endeavors. From Vietnam to Panama to Iraq, he reveals a consistent strategy of distorting facts, demonizing the enemy and labeling dissent as unpatriotic.

Presently on a trip to Iran, possibly the next U.S. military target, Solomon will give us the critical tools we need to separate real news from propaganda--to help prevent the next repeat performance. Anyone interested in avoiding another costly war cannot afford to miss this program!

Michael Hoffman - Corporal Mike Hoffman knows firsthand why the United States' war in Iraq is the wrong war. Deployed with his Marine Corps unit in February 2003, Hoffman fought in both Tikrit and Baghdad. Though he had his doubts about the war from the start, he saw going to Iraq as a matter of professionalism and loyalty. But it soon became clear to him that the U.S. occupation was doing more harm than good -- to both Iraqis and Americans. "The hardest thing, he says, "is knowing what we ve done to the kids there." -- From MotherJones.com, October 2004.

Mr. Solomon will be signing his new book, which will be on sale at the event. To read more about Norman Solomon and his new book, go to: http://www.warmadeeasy.com

Submitted by June Eisley juneeisley@earthlink.net

Mass Megawatts Wind Power, Inc. recently reported the commercial sale of a $50,000, 25-kilowatt MAT wind power plant to RCM Windpower, LLC.

According to Mass Megawatts, the MAT system is a patented wind energy conversion device capable of generating electricity at less than 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour at an average wind speed of 16 miles per hour. Mass Megawatts noted that the MAT design is based on the deployment of a number of small individual blades mounted vertically on shafts that drive generators located at the base of the turbine.

The company said construction is scheduled to begin in July of this year in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, with the level of electricity generated by the MAT, based upon wind speed, to be guaranteed by the company.

Contact: Mass Megawatts Wind Power, website.

2.5 cents/kWh is impressive....especially at such a relatively low wind velocity. The guys in the Coal industry won't like this news very much.....Coal-fired power plants generate electricty in the 3 to 5 cent/kWh range. (Someone at work informed me that solar has come down to as low as 6 cents from much higher numbers a few years ago).

Wind power still has a long way to go. It must do two things:

1) overcome the high cost of distribution or get wind generation stations closer to "market" and

2) solve the problem of bird and bat kills, the numbers of which are alarming in some places (West Virginia and the Dakotas to name just two places with huge wind turbine bat kills).

The new patented wind turbine may go a long way toward addressing the first issue, because the need to have wind turbine farms in often remote places with high wind velocity may no longer be necessary (like the wind farm along I-25 near the Colo/Wyo border). Imagine for a moment, wind turbines going up near downtowns or on the stacks at power plants once powered with coal.

I know... DREAM ON! Even if the technical stuff could be worked out there would be a ton of political obstacles. But this invention sounds like a big step in that direction.

Pete

Submitted by Pete Simon
quiljazz@nilenet.com

Greens Feel Shift Against War in Iraq

Peace!

Published on Monday, June 20, 2005 by CommonDreams.org June 2005: Phase II of the Anti-War Movement by Medea Benjamin

For the history books, mark down June 2005 as the moment the US movement against the occupation of Iraq got its second wind. In June, the US public became solidly anti-war, Bush's approval rating took a nosedive, and a significant number of Congresspeople started to call for an exit strategy. This marks a seismic shift from just one month ago, when Congress overwhelmingly passed another $82 billion for war-with only 44 members of the House and not one Senator dissenting.

The continued violence in Iraq, the daily deaths of US soldiers, and the non-stop drain of financial resources has finally moved the anti-war sentiment from a much-maligned minority position to a mainstream one. A Gallup poll June 6-8 found that 6 in 10 Americans advocated a partial or full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and for the first time, a majority said they would be upset with the president if he decided to send more troops. An Associated Press poll showed only 41% approved of Bush's handling of Iraq. With such negative perceptions of the war and 2006 midterm elections approaching, an increasing number of elected officials have finally started to listen to the public and push for an exit strategy.

Thursday, June 16 was a snapshot of just how much the ground has shifted. The day started off with a press conference of strange bedfellows announcing the first bipartisan Congressional resolution calling for an exit strategy. Appearing together before the press were two liberal Democrats-Dennis Kucinich from Ohio and Neil Abercrombie from Hawaii-with Republican libertarian Ron Paul from Texas and even more astonishing, conservative Republican Walter Jones from North Carolina-the very same congressman who pushed the House cafeterias to scrap "French fries" from the menu and serve up "freedom fries."

Medea Benjamin (medea@globalexchange.org), cofounder of CODEPINK and Global Exchange, is co-editor of the new book Stop the Next War Now. (and a prominent Green Party Activist! -ja)

* (or in Newark at Main ∓ College...)

Judy Butler
hbutler15@comcast.net

Submitted by John Atkeison, Chair, GPDE Coordinating Council.
john@atkeison.org
For the full article go to http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0620-20.htm

Codey to Army: Turnpike is off Limits for Transport of Nerve Agent Waste

(TRENTON) - Acting Governor Richard J. Codey today sent a letter to U.S. Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey advising him that New Jersey will use every means available to block the Army from using the New Jersey Turnpike to transport nerve agent waste.

Codey directed the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to coordinate with the New Jersey State Police and other relevant state and local authorities to take any and all necessary actions to block the proposed transport.

The text of the letter is attached:

June 22, 2005
The Honorable Francis J. Harvey
Secretary of the United States Army
United States Department of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20310

Dear Secretary Harvey:

I am writing regarding newly published reports that the U.S. Army is pursuing plans to utilize the New Jersey Turnpike as a possible route for the transport by truck of wastewater from neutralized VX nerve gas agents from Newport, Indiana to a proposed treatment facility in southern New Jersey. I have previously conveyed my strong objections to the Army's transport plan by letter dated May 20, 2005 (attached).

The proposed route would carry thousands of truckloads containing millions of gallons of this hazardous material through the center of the most densely populated state in the nation.

I have directed the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to coordinate with the New Jersey State Police and other relevant state and local authorities to take any and all necessary actions to block the proposed transport of this nerve agent waste on the Turnpike.

The proposed treatment facility in New Jersey is not permitted by the State's Department of Environmental Protection to process these nerve agents. My directive will stay in effect until we are satisfied -- after full public hearings, a review of all relevant scientific data and the gathering of a full record and until there are complete and sound answers to the serious questions raised by the April 6, 2005 report issued by the Centers for Disease Control -- that the transport and treatment of these hazardous materials is safe.

This issue is of extreme importance to New Jersey, and I will continue to fight to do what is best for the residents of this great State.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Codey
Acting Governor

Enclosure
CC: Hon. Ruth Ann Minner
Hon. Joseph Simunovich, Chairman, New Jersey Turnpike Authority
Hon. Peter C. Harvey, Attorney General
Hon. Bradley M. Campbell, DEP Commissioner
Hon. John F. Lettiere, Jr., DOT Commissioner
Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, State Police Superintendent
Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, Adjutant Gen., Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs

Submitted by John Kearney, Environmentalist for Truth
eft@envirotruth.com

Green Action

Founding the First State Committee to Impeach Bush/Cheney

As you know the Downing Street Memos prove that Bush and Cheney lied and deceived the Congress, the United Nations and the citizens of the United States. He has committed "high crimes and misdemeanors," the evidence is overwhelming, and is documentary evidence. If you watched the Conyers hearings, you know as was testified to...that Bush and Cheney and others in their administration have more than met the bar for impeachable offenses.

I am linked up with the National Committee to Impeach, who will inform us every step of the way, what is necessary to complete this constitutional goal.

Years ago, I and Professor Joseph Hutmacher and others began the Delaware First State to impeach Richard Nixon. We had many concerned citizens who actively supported the group.

If you believe as I do, the only way we can get back the image of our country, stop the daily building of more terrorists, stop the illegal invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation, if you believe that George Bush and his regime have attacked our own citizens and our constitution, through the "Patriot Act," has erased the environmental protection laws, has lied and deceived the citizens on a host of issues, please join us to begin our Statewide Coalition to Impeach.

FYI: I do not expect that this ad hoc group will hold meetings, we can do correspondence over email. We need to build our core group, so when Senator John Conyers, head the Judiciary Committee is ready to proceed, we will have a very large group here in Delaware to support him.

Your names need not be public, as email communications will be sent to an "undisclosed recipient list" Please respond by return email, if you are on board.

Submitted by Liz Allen LizSAllen@aol.com

Editor's note: The Green Party of the United States press release dated 6/9/05 reiterated the party's July 2003 call for impeachment of Bush, and called on all Americans outraged by the Bush Administration's list of deceptions, violations of the U.S. Constitution, the disastrous Iraq occupation, and policies that have disgraced the U.S. to demand that Congress begin the impeachment process.

Let Me Know What You Think

From the Office of Senator Harris B. McDowell, III
Senate Majority Leader
Chair, Energy and Transit Committee

June 16, 2005

Dear Friend,

I would like to seek your support for an initiative that I am currently undertaking.

As you may already know, there is much talk in Delaware these days about decreasing or eliminating the gross receipts tax (GRT) on businesses. I believe that this is a rare opportunity for us to move forward in the environmental and energy arenas.

Currently, we have two options: 1) to cut the tax, or 2) to do nothing.

I am proposing a compromise to these two that will allow Delaware businesses to undertake environmentally positive actions and in return receive a credit or cut in their gross receipts tax while also seeing internal rates of return above 20%.

In summary, I propose is to allow Delaware corporations to claim a tax credit against their GRT equal to up to one-half of their GRT in any given tax period to be used for the purchase and installation of an operational solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

Should this business invest in a PV system for five consecutive years they will have their GRT reduced by up to one-half of their total GRT over the next ten years (years six through fifteen).

The potential PV installation in our state is astounding. As much as 115 Megawatts may be installed, offsetting as much as 438,000,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, 2,900,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide per year, and 780,000 pounds of nitrous oxide per year.

This impact this could have on our air pollution and our ability to meet the State Implemented Program goals for federal air emissions standards cannot be reached in any other way this effectively.

Please contact Dominique.Baron@state.de.us or call my office in Dover 302-744-4129 find receive a study conducted by me, my staff and the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Delaware.

This study provides an overview of the economic impacts of this plan as well as the environmental benefits. I am proposing a tax cut for some with a benefit to every person living in Delaware.

We will see environmental gains and economic gains of enormous value.

I hope you will join me in my efforts to bring all the people of Delaware a higher standard of living and a lower tax rate on our businesses.

When in the future will we be able to experience such a win-win situation?

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to call me at 302-744-4129 or my email my staffer at Dominique.Baron@state.de.usdirectly.

We must move swiftly, and I look forward to hearing from you in coming days.

Sincerely, /s/ Harris B. McDowell, III

Submitted by John Flaherty
JDF0000@aol.com

Eyes Wide Open

Sadly, since last July the number of U.S. casualties has more than doubled (from 860 to 1729) and during the past year we learned that as many as 100,000 Iraqis have died in the conflict. At each stop of the exhibit, AFSC and our local partners have encouraged visitors to speak out and to take action to end this war and we have gradually seen public opinion turn our way.

This year, Eyes Wide Open will include a film premiere, a panel presentation, workshops, noontime programs, and a Sunday evening candlelight vigil. We hope you can attend many of these events. (Details below.)

Volunteers needed
We need your help! There are many volunteer opportunities available, from advance leafletting... to setting up and breaking down the boots and shoes (a massive but rewarding task)... to staffing the exhibit and other events. We particularly need extra help on Saturday during the Live 8 concert to staff tables and to hand out Eyes Wide Open cards and AFSC s Life Over Debt material.

To sign up, you can use our online form, or send an email to volunteer@afsc.org, or call (215)241-7199.

Help us get out the word
Please forward this message to your friends and family and to any list serves you feel are appropriate. We want as many people as possible to see the exhibit. You can also send your friends an e-card invitation from our web site.

Letters to the Editor and Editorials

Green Speaks Out Against Nuclear Power

In his column on June 20th (Wilmington News Journal) Harry F Themal tries to tell us that nuclear power is still an option. The proposal to build another 50 nuclear reactors is the dream of this administrations, secretly composed Energy Policy which has yet to be passed by congress. Of course they will not discuss openly the true economics of nuclear power . When fully analyzed, the cost of uranium enrichment, the enormous expense in the transportation and storage of radioactive waste for a quarter of a million years, the massive liability involved in a nuclear accident, decommissioning of all existing and new plants and so forth.

Each typical 1.000 - megawatt nuclear reactor manufactures 33 tons of thermally hot intensely radioactive waste per year. More then 80.000 tons of this waste sits in cooling pools next to the 103 US nuclear power plants awaiting transportation to a facility yet to be found. A recent study by the National Academy of Sciences shows that the cooling pools at nuclear rectors, which store 10 to 30 times more radioactive material then that contained in the reactor core are easy target by international terrorists. After spending 5 Billion Dollars on the Yucca Mountain facility its safety is now seriously questioned, due to falsification of records by the industry and, even if finally approved, the capacity for future waste is totally inadequate.

But the Achilles Heel of the nuclear Industry is the Price Anderson Act. which must be renewed this year. The exclusion clause in your Home owners policy "Not applicable in a nuclear power accident" was the incentive given to the Industry almost 50 years ago without which they claimed they could not build a plant, since no Insurance company in the world would insure them.

Several studies on the result of a serious accident by the NRC were commissioned over the years in the hopes of finding better results to report to the public. The last study in 1982 "Consequences of Reactor Accident Report" know as CRAC-2 report by NRC and Sandia Laboratories lists Salem NJ 's consequences in case of a severe accident as follow:

Early peak fatalities
Salem 1, 100,000
Salem 2, 200,000
Early injuries
Salem 1, 70,000
Salem 2, 75,000
Cancer deaths
Salem 1, 40,000
Salem 2, 40,000

Property damage
Salem 1, $135 Billion Dollars
Salem 2, $150 Billion Dollars

Belgium, Germany, Spain and Sweden have decided to phase out their operating nuclear reactors. It is time we do the same.

Sincerely

Frieda Berryhill
2610 Grendon Drive
Heritage Park
Wilmington, DE 19808
Tel 302 994 1342
frieda302@comcast.net

Share your ideas and your actions for a better community and world. Submit your letters to the editor at jcannon11@comcast.net

*

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