The "Purpose" language contained in Article I of current GPUS
Bylaws is the same text as in the bylaws of the Association of State
Green Parties from November, 1996, before there was a GPUS, and does
not accurately describe or reflect current GPUS practice. In addition
GPUS Bylaws do not currently incorporate a mission statement for the
GPUS federation.
Insofar as a mission statement is critical to accomplishing an
organization's purpose and GPUS Bylaws lack a mission statement., GPVA
proposes in Part I of this proposal to amend GPUS Bylaws to include
the following Mission: "The purpose of the Green Party of the United
States is transform government and public policy at all levels by
running, electing and supporting Green Party candidates and
officeholders and engaging in other electoral and advocacy efforts,
consistent with the Party's Four Pillars of ecological wisdom, social
justice, grassroots democracy and non-violence."
In addition to this Mission Statement, this proposal would:
- remove outdated and factually inaccurate content in Article I that
goes back to the Association of State Green Parties
- establish a Primary Functions section, which contains some aspects
that could arguably be included in a Mission Statement, but instead
are placed into a separate section to make the Mission Statement
shorter and to the point, and to make clear which functions are
clearly the province of the national party;
- establish a short administrative sub-section that clarifies the
hierarchy of authority of the party's governing documents, that is
currently lacking in the GPUS bylaws and fits well in an
organizational section; and
- in Part II of this proposal, direct the GPUS Steering Committee to
place the following proposal before the National Committee for a three
week discussion followed by a one week vote, with discussion starting
on Monday, January 3rd: "Amendment to GPUS Bylaws Article I,
Caucuses", Proposal: "That sub-section 1-1.2 of Article I of the GPUS
bylaws be amended to read "The GPUS is a legally structured national
Green Party federation of state Green parties and caucuses". Putting
this proposal before the National Committee would give the National
Committee the ability to debate the addition of caucuses to Article I
as a stand-alone question, debated upon its own merits.
