Proposals to create new US government departments:
Dept. of Engagement (combines State & Defense Depts.):  Medea Benjamin
Dept. of Human Rights:  Medea Benjamin
Dept. of Democracy:  Jamin Raskin, Lani Guinier
Dept. of Native & Ethnic Partnerships:  Winona LaDuke, Kwasi Mfume, Julian Bond
Dept. of Food Not Bombs
Dept of Unamerican Activities


DECISIONS & PROCESS
The Committee decided to work on creating a Cabinet and not to fill the roles of President and Vice President.  We decided to focus on filling the established Cabinet positions but to elevate the EPA to Cabinet status.  We also agreed that certain sub-cabinet positions, such as Forest Service Chief and the FCC Chair, were positions worthy of filling.  After much debate, we decided to contact people without declaring a specific post for them, though for many potential nominees it would be obvious.  The Committee also has decided to aim for a cabinet with a predominance of registered Greens but we will also consider certain kinds of nominees who are not officially “Green.”  We intend to recommend a cabinet that is gender balanced and ethnically diverse. In evaluating potential nominees, we agreed to consider:--Whether they are Green or Green-friendly (willing to support our platform and lend name to our cause)
--Background in field
--Record of accomplishments
--Public speaking ability --Leadership credibility
--Skill in human relations, not argumentative or obstructionist
--Time availability
--Access to media
--Willingness to work in concert with others
--Commitment to grassroots activism
--Potential to help raise funds

CONTACTING POTENTIAL NOMINEES
The Committee contacted the following individuals, by letter when possible, or by email or other means when not, to ascertain their interest in serving in the Cabinet.  Our communication was not an invitation to join the Cabinet—that needs to be determined by the GP-US representatives for whom the Committee will prepare recommendations—but an invitation to discuss the matter further and have the individuals be considered. Noam Chomsky, Ron Forthofer, Howard Zinn, John Rensenbrink, Anne Goeke, Cynthia McKinney, Francine Cronshaw, Ron Dellums, Helen Caldicott, Colman McCarthy, Winona LaDuke, Tony Affigne, Delores Huerta, Manning Marable, Michael Parenti, William Greider, Michael Westerfield, Barbara Ehrenreich, John Battista, Medea Benjamin, Paul Hawken, Jim Hightower, Greg Gerritt, Michael Moore, Hunter & Amory Lovins, Ronnie Cummins, Wes Jackson, Wendell Berry, Gail Dixon, Jonathan Kozol, Mel King, Allen Thein Durning, Lester Brown, Ron Daniels, Lani Guinier, Jocelyn Elders, Juliet Schor, David Korten, Lori Wallach, Gary Wolf, Robert McChesney, Nicholas Johnson, Jamin Raskin, Kweisi Mfume, Julian Bond, Joseph Stiglitz, Jeff Gates, Karyn Moscowitz, Robert Reich, Tony Mazzochi, Gar Alperovitz, David Morris, Mike Feinstein, Tim Hermach, Deb Katz.  Ron Forthofer, who is running for office in Colorado, withdrew his name post-selection. To date, the following people have agreed to serve in the Cabinet:  John Rensenbrink, Anne Goeke, Helen Caldicott, Michael Westerfield, John Battista, Medea Benjamin, Greg Gerrit, Ronnie Cummins, Gail Dixon, Gary Wolf, Deb Katz, Karyn Moscowitz, Tim Hermach.  In addition, George Britton submitted his name to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Francine Cronshaw is interested in serving in a more limited role, i.e., not as a Cabinet Secretary.  Representative Cynthia McKinney reportedly expressed interest in serving in the Cabinet to D.C.-based Greens but she has not answered the letter or fax sent to her by the Committee.  Robert McChesney expressed some interest in serving as the FCC Chair but indicated that he was already over-committed and has not responded to more recent communication. A number of people, in declining to serve (most because they are over-committed), had kind words of support for the Cabinet, including:  Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Lani Guinier, David Korten, Paul Hawken and William Greider.  Michael Parenti expressed interested in serving on an Advisory Board.   Hunter & Amory Lovins sent word via an assistant they that didn’t agree with Green Party actions past and current.  David Morris declined to serve citing the Minnesota Greens’ challenging of Paul Wellstone.  Julian Bond declined citing the NAACP’s nonprofit and nonpartisan status.  Lester Brown and Wendell Berry also declined to serve.  We are still awaiting responses from everyone else who has been contacted.  

APPENDIX Goals for the Green Cabinet include:
1.  To provide leadership and opposition to existing cabinet by monitoring and critiquing agency actions and presenting alternative proposals.  By the same token, to demonstrate ineffectiveness of Democratic "opposition" and generate a public dialogue that moves the fulcrum of debate in our direction.

2.  To tap into existing Green resources, link them, and use them effectively in the political realm (instead of "re-inventing the wheel").

3.  To build coalitions with constituencies not necessarily considered "Green," such as ethnic groups and labor.

4.  To provide a way to link, energize, and heighten visibility of grassroots Green projects.

5.  To enhance Green Party credibility and increase membership by fostering organizing efforts, public speaking, and media appearances.

6.  To identify progressive leadership and recruit it for the Green cause and the Green Party.

7.  To groom Greens for leadership roles and potential candidacies and highlight the work of Green activists and elected officials.

8) To demonstrate our readiness to govern, and to nurture that readiness.

9)  To prove that ordinary people can and should become active in political leadership.

Implementation:  To carry out these goals, the committee proposes to institute as much of  the following as resources permit:

--Agency monitoring & presentation of alternative, Green proposals
--Speaker's bureau, public speaking engagements
--Press releases & press conferences, meetings with editorial boards, reporters and other media
--Interactive website featuring cabinet views, issue backgrounders, chat room, Green registration info, fund appeal, state contacts, and sign-up option (so new people can be brought in & their names funneled back to states).
--Campus work
--Use of alternative media
--Organizing packet for using the program to build party at the grassroots, with suggestions for linking local projects and creating new ones, including city and state Shadow Cabinets.
--Coordinate all of the above with the appropriate GP-US committees (e.g., Media).

Further tasks:

--Develop detailed organizing plan.
--Use goals and qualifications criteria to continue evaluating nominees and hone down to viable candidates and top choices.
--Create job description for posts and accountability/empowerment guidelines for cabinet officials.
--Query potential candidates to determine their aptness and interest, providing our job description, platform, etc., and ascertain their support for the Green platform, their willingness to work in an accountable grassroots fashion, and their goals and plans for serving on the Shadow Cabinet.
--Present list of potential cabinet officials to the GP-US CC for a vote, using IRV with a "None of the Above" option.
--In accord with the results of this vote, invite chosen cabinet officials and confirm their commitments.
--Set up website.
--Draft organizing packet for locals.
--Begin serious fundraising.

WE ARE SEEKING NEW MEMBERS  FOR THE GREEN CABINET COMMITTEE.

PLEASE CONTACT:  Glenn Hopkins,   Acting Chair,