Press Release Archive: July 2008
MIGLIETTA TO HAVE CHESS MEET-UP EVENT
John Miglietta, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress (TN-05) will be having a chess meetup where people can meet, talk politics with the candidate and play a game of chess against him. The event will take place at Bongo Java, 2700 Belmont Boulevard on Saturday August 2 between 11:30-1:00 PM. Miglietta states, "Chess sharpens the mind and builds critical thinking skills. It is especially good for children to learn the game although it is fun for all ages." Miglietta was President of his high school chess club and played the game throughout college and graduate school. He is a member of the U.S. Chess Federation and has played regularly in local tournaments in Davidson and Rutherford counties.
MIGLIETTA FILES FEC REPORT
John Miglietta, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress (TN-05), filed his quarterly Federal Election Commission Report on Wednesday July 9, 2008. Miglietta reported approximately $860 in contributions for the reporting period. These were all contributions from individual donors. The largest was $150. Miglietta and the Green Party believe in grassroots democracy. An important issue for John Miglietta's campaign is electoral reform. He believes that corporate money must be taken out of politics. Campaigns must focus on issues. Miglietta and the Green Party call for the public financing of elections and an end to corporate special interest funding of elections. Candidates should have equal access to the media and all candidates for an office should be included in all debates and public forums in order to give voters as broad of a choice as possible in an election. On Tuesday July 15, 2008 John Miglietta participated with other candidates for federal, local, and state offices in a candidate forum sponsored by the Edgefield Neighborhood Association at the East Park Community Center in East Nashville. Those in attendance heard from each candidate individually and had the opportunity to ask questions. This was an ideal forum to allow voters to judge candidates for office and make an informed choice.
MIGLIETTA AT GREEN PARTY NATIONAL MEETING
John Miglietta, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress (TN-05), attended the Green Party national convention in Chicago, Illinois July 10-13, 2008. Miglietta was part of Tennessee's eight-member delegation which included Greens from across the state. Other delegates from Tennessee are Mike Bascom, John Croxton, Elizabeth Dachowski, Norris Dryer, Donald "Free" Land, and Martin Pleasant. Katey Culver, 2006 Green Party candidate for Congress (TN-07), could not attend but was represented by a proxy vote. The delegation cast five votes for Cynthia McKinney, and one each for Jesse Johnson, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift. As recorder for Tennessee, Miglietta announced Tennessee's votes after introducing the state with these words, "Greetings from Tennessee the Volunteer State. Tennessee is called the volunteer state because in the nineteenth century Tennesseans volunteered for the Mexican War in larger numbers than any other state. In the twenty-first century Tennesseans are still volunteering but this time for peace. That's why Chris Lugo volunteered to run for US Senate and I volunteered to run for US House." The Green Party of the United States nominated the Honorable Cynthia McKinney, former congresswomen from Georgia, as its presidential candidate. Ms. Rosa Clemente (NY), was selected as the Green Party's vice-presidential candidate.
Miglietta was active at the convention. He participated in a press conference on Friday July 11, 2008 featured Green Party House and Senate candidates from around the country. Miglietta also attended meetings of the Green Party National Committee where he is a delegate from TN. He is also a member of the Presidential Campaign Support Committee and the International Committee of the Green Party of the United States and attended several meetings of those bodies.
On Sunday morning July 13, 2008 Miglietta and Bahram Zandi co-led a workshop at the convention entitled "The History of US-Iranian Relations and Its Impact on Current Tensions Regarding Iranian Nuclear Power". Miglietta examined the history of US-Iranian Relations from World War II to the present with an emphasis on the political, strategic, and economic interests of both countries. The workshop also examined how the relationship between the two countries has affected internal politics in Iran and that country's nuclear policy. John Miglietta, earned a Ph.D. in Politics from New York University, and is a specialist on American foreign policy as well as Middle East politics. Miglietta supports dialogue between the United States and Iran and strongly opposes a military strike on Iran that some are advocating. Miglietta also opposes the attempts by the Bush administration to destabilize Iran through covert operations. He believes that these policies run the risk of getting the United States involved in yet another military conflict in the Middle East while jeopardizing American relations with other nations.
MIGLIETTA TO ATTEND GREEN PARTY NATIONAL CONVENTION
John Miglietta, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress (TN-05), will attend the Green Party national convention in Chicago, Illinois July 10-13, 2008. Miglietta will be part of Tennessee’s eight-member delegation which includes Greens from across the state. Other delegates from Tennessee are Mike Bascom, John Croxton, Elizabeth Dachowski, Norris Dryer, Donald “Free” Land, and Martin Pleasant. Katey Culver, 2006 Green Party candidate for Congress (TN-07), cannot attend but will be represented by a proxy vote. The Green Party of the United States will nominate a presidential and a vice-presidential candidate on July 12, 2008. Based on the results of Tennessee’s May 2008 nominating convention, the delegation is pledged to give 5 votes to Cynthia McKinney and 1 vote each to Kat Swift and Kent Mesplay, with 1 delegate going to the convention uncommitted. Tennessee Green Party rules require delegates to vote as pledged during the first round of voting. Miglietta and Land will also serve as Tennessee’s two representatives to the Green Party National Committee, the governing body of the Green Party of the United States.
Miglietta will be joining Greens from across the country as they come together at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates and agree on a new party platform. The Green Party chose Chicago as the convention site due to the strong growth of the Illinois Green Party. In 2006 the Green Party of Illinois concluded a petition campaign to gain major party status, and the party’s candidate for governor, Rich Whitney, got over 10% of the vote in November 2006.
The convention will offer attendees an opportunity to participate in various workshops on diverse subjects such as campaigning, human rights, the peace movement, political reform, dismantling prejudice, and international issues. Miglietta will be joining other members of the Green Party’s International Committee to lead a workshop on “The History of U.S.-Iranian Relations and Its Impact on Current Tensions Regarding Iranian Nuclear Power,” Sunday morning, July 13, 2008. Miglietta will examine the history of U.S.-Iranian Relations from World War II to the present with an emphasis on the political, strategic, and economic interests of both countries, as well as how the relationship between the two has affected internal politics in Iran and Iran’s nuclear policy. Miglietta, who earned a Ph.D. in Politics from New York University, will draw on his expertise in Middle East politics. Miglietta supports dialogue between the United States and Iran and strongly opposes a military strike on Iran that some are advocating. Miglietta also opposes the attempts by the Bush administration to destabilize Iran through covert operations. He believes that these policies run the risk of getting the United States involved in yet another military conflict in the Middle East while jeopardizing American relations with other nations. A full list of workshops is on the convention web site, www.greenparty2008.org.
