Missouri Greens View Unity.

• Author: Fitz, Don
• Position: Statistical Data Included

The way you word a question has a lot to do with how people answer it. If forced to choose between accepting or rejecting the "Boston Proposal," Greens might well accept it. But if given options of renegotiating it or seeking unity with a broad range of groups, Greens could prefer the latter choices by a 10 to 1 margin. These are conclusions from a recent poll of Missouri Green Party members.

The May 2000 Congress of the Greens/Green Party USA (GPUSA) developed a 10 part "Proposal for Genuine Unity" which was to be the basis for negotiating merger with the splinter Association of State Green Parties (ASGP). But in October 2000, representatives from the two organizations ignored the Genuine Unity concept and wrote the rival "Boston Proposal," which would create a Green Party narrowly focussed on elections. Greens have been debating the relative merits of the proposals ever since.

The first attempt to poll GPUSA members was carried out in Missouri. In March, a set of "Questions on Green Unity" was mailed to the 127 Missouri Greens whose names appeared on the February 2001 membership list from the GPUSA Clearinghouse. In April an additional mailing went to all GPUSA members on the Clearinghouse list. A total of 32 were received for Missouri members: 29 from the first mailing or at meetings; and, 3 from the national mailing. (1)

In response to Question 1, "Have you read the Proposal for Genuine Unity passed by the Green Congress in May, 2000?" 74.2% of the 31 who answered said "yes." The identical result occurred for Question 2, "Have you read the Boston Proposal which was negotiated in October, 2000?"

The critical third part was "For the following, please write 'first choice' by what you would MOST LIKE the GPUSA to do and 'second choice' by your second preference for what the GPUSA should do." Of the 27 who gave first choices,

* 7.4% chose (a) "Accept the Boston Proposal with no changes,"

* 0.0% chose (b) "Reject the Boston Proposal and cease negotiating with the ASGP;"

* 40.7% chose (c) "Re-negotiate the content of the Boston Proposal;" and,

* 51.9% chose (d) "Seek unity with a broad range of progressive groups in addition to the ASGP."

More Greens wanted to "accept" than "reject" the BP. But five times as many wanted to "renegotiate." And an absolute majority favored "unity with a broad range." The 21 second choices were 0.0% for (a), 9.5% for (b), 42.9% for (c), and 46.7% for (d).

Examination of how many of the 28 providing rankings gave...