Whereas co-housing communities have been successfully attempted many times in the Nordic countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands,
Whereas co-housing communities promote communal values such as sharing resources and responsibilities and democracy,
Whereas co-housing communities foster close bonds between diverse groups of people,
Whereas co-housing communities offer an affordable solution for low-income families who are in need of sustainable housing,
Be it enacted by the Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) that the following be added to the MGIP platform under the economic development plank, "Funding for the creation of co-housing communities for groups of low-income families that apply to live in such communities (25-35 families per community)."
(for more information regarding co-housing communities, please visit http://www.cohousing.org/)
Whereas no one should be able to privatize, much less profit from, the knowledge of humanity,
Whereas monetary restrictions to accessing scientific research and literature hinder the education of students, the creation of an informed public, and the advancement of scientific progress,
Be it enacted by the Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) that the following shall be added to the MGIP platform under the education plank, "Prohibiting the publishing of scientific literature by private companies, and instead creating a public institution that reviews and publishes scientific literature and distributes it freely to the public via the internet and public libraries."
The Maine Green Independent Party believes that a healthy economy provides the following:
- Low unemployment.
- Jobs with living wages, equitable pay for men and women, and health care benefits.
- Accessible and affordable quality childcare
- Decent, affordable housing.
- Businesses that produce goods for local and regional markets.
- Strict pollution standards, with the goal of "zero pollution," a healing ecosystem, and clean and efficient renewable energy, and a thriving community of small and micro businesses and self-employed persons.
The Maine Green Independent Party beleives that economies exist to serve the needs of people, not the other way around. To that end, we take the stand that a civilized society should provide:
- A Full Employment Economy
- Jobs with living wages
- Equal Pay for Equal Work
- Protection of employment for all, regardless of gender identity, sex, race, religion or philosophy.
- Healthcare for All
- Childcare for working parents
- Safe Housing, Healthy Food, and Clean Water as human rights
- A healthy ecosystem in which life can not just survive but thrive.
The Maine Green Independent Party recommends economic development through:
- The creation of accessible regional and statewide energy-efficient public transportation systems.
- Nurturing care and stewardship of the environment and natural resources.
- Assistance for low-income Mainers to move into a new economic mainstream.
Countering the influences of the powerful global economy.
The Maine Green Independent Party recommends economic development through the implementation of a World War 2 style mobilization that would implement a Green New Deal that would provide living wage jobs to transform our economy from one that is destroying our ecosystem and quality of life, into one that puts human needs above corporate greed.