AMERICAN REFORM PARTY of
MINNESOTA CONVENTIONAL WISDOM FAILSThere was much said in the media and elsewhere about the elections just concluded. We heard that the electorate was complacent and satisfied, that the economy was doing well, that there would be a low turnout. Well, there was a low turnout, which doesn't, of course, necessarily mean the root causes were those most observers adduced. However, in all that midden of partisan rhetoric and voter apathy, one race stood out as a beacon of hope for those among us who hope not only to spark a flourishing third party movement but to rekindle interest on the part of our nation's citizens in their democracy. That beacon of hope was the gubernatorial race in Minnesota. As a scant 36 to 37 percent of the nation's voters bothered to exercise their franchise, bought in the blood and tears of our revolution 200 years ago, in the physical abuse and degradation suffered by those who struggled for women's suffrage a hundred years ago, and in the murder and mayhem of the civil rights struggle half a century ago, a whopping 60 percent plus of Minnesota's electorate turned out to enjoy their democracy, and in the process they turned conventional wisdom on its head, and demonstrated once again the power of an idea whose time has come. For Jesse Ventura didn't have big bucks; he did not have the respect of the media; he did not even have the support of the billionaire on behalf of whose party he sought the highest constitutional office of the state. What he had was more important, -- common sense, honesty, political courage, and that most precious of qualities to so many bitter and disillusioned Americans, the status of non-professional politician. Tuesday was not devoid of other developments encouraging to those who fight for a strong third-party reform movement. Revision 11, a bold and forward-looking electoral reform proposal on the ballot in the state of Florida, won. Tom Golisano, the Independence Party candidate for Governor of the state of New York, doubled his previous percentage four years ago with 300000 votes, easily maintaining that party's line on the state's ballot. Our very own Don Torgersen, Reform Party candidate for Senate in the state of Illinois, received almost 100000 votes, which would be impressive enough to earn a permanent place on the ballot for his party in many states. But the most important message to the country from the third-party movement on Tuesday was that you CAN vote for the candidate you really prefer; you do NOT have to compromise. How many times have we heard the argument not to vote for one's real first choice because your favorite candidate cannot win? How many times have we been told that to vote for anyone but a Republicrat was a wasted vote? Well, we now know that those arguments are self-perpetuating lies. We now know that the overwhelming force of common sense and hope can overcome within days, perhaps within hours, the stultifying intimidation of prognisticators and pundits, however accurate their judgements may be at the precise moment they are issued. We now know that at best the experts can describe current reality but cannot predict future reality. We now know that, where the third-party reform movement is concerned, we do not have to surrender to current reality; we can make our own future reality. Anything is possible in America; we have forgotten that for too long. On Tuesday, in Minnesota, we were reminded of that forcefully once again. I am confident that those of us active in the third-party reform movement will not forget that simple fact again. ~~~ By Charles H. Riggs, III - Email: criggs@pipeline.com
For More Info on the ARP of
MN:
Yes America Needs a Strong Third Party
The Republican and Democratic parties
have monopolized the political system by capturing the money that runs elections,
preventing worthy challengers and third parties from fair access to the ballot,
and blocking open political debate. This has debased our democratic institutions
and degraded the quality of politicians who seek to hold public
office.
The former independent Governor of
FLORIDA and three term U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker wrote, “The two-party
system owes its continued existence to the self-aggrandizement of Republicans
and Democrats and to many in the news media who look upon change as expensive
logistically. The public is miles ahead of the politicians and the press
in seeing the irrationality of the
present {duopoly}
system.”
The
Last Straw
When our elected officials made bribery
legal by calling it campaign contributions and declaring money to be free
speech, that was more than we The people could, or would, take. Citizen distaste
for the two parties is a long established fact. The natural consequence of
such distaste, logically thinking should be the creation of a third major
political party, a party that is centrist, addresses the broad spectrum of
issues and produces true competition and superior
government.
Political and Economic
Objectives:
·
Restore
trust and integrity in government
·
Reduce
government spending and size
·
Increase
disposable income for families
·
Institute
long-term fiscal policies
·
To
insure intergenerational
equity
Campaign Finance Reform:
·
Reduce
the influence of money and special
·
Interest
in campaigns
·
Establish
public funding options for clean elections
·
Shorten
election cycles.
·
Eliminate
soft money from corporations, unions and wealthy
individuals.
·
Prompt
Internet disclosure of campaign contributions and voting
records.
·
Lobbyists
provide information, not money.
Election/Electoral Reforms:
·
States
must grant fair ballot access for third party candidates and
independents.
·
TV
and Radio debates and forums must include ballot-qualified third- party and
independent candidates.
·
Publish
uniform statewide voters guides.
·
Term
limits for elected officials, legislative leaders and committee
chairs.
·
Proportional
representation; require courts, not political parties, to construct equal
legislative voting districts.
·
Open
primaries: a single unified ballot so voters can choose candidates of any
party.
·
Cumulative
voting options, instant runoff.
·
NOTA
(none of the above) on the ballot line as a voters
choice.
·
Recall
vote to remove legislators.
·
Replace
Electoral College with popular vote.
·
Citizen
initiative and referendum laws in all states and also as national
advisories.
Foreign Affairs:
·
Keep
our United Nations dues current, meet international obligations and humanitarian
needs and stay engaged in world affairs as a political and economic leader
of the free world.
·
Restore
normal relations with
Cuba.
Trade Policies and Jobs:
·
Eliminate
the trade deficit, pursue fair trade policies and reestablish the nations
creditor status.
·
End
fast track passage of trade agreements and require congressional
accountability.
·
Require
trading partners to meet standards in human rights, workers rights, labor
laws and environmental laws.
·
Retain
U.S. manufacturing capacity and keep high paying technical jobs at
home.
Immigration Policies:
·
Keep
a record of all Visa holders and foreign visitors and send them home when
their visa runs out.
·
Establish
a firm cap of 200,000 immigrants per year until the current wave of mass
immigration is assimilated.
·
Limit
family reunification to spouses and minor children of legal
immigrants.
·
Ban
future amnesties for illegal immigrants and review political asylum
claims.
·
Enforce
job eligibility verification as well as all immigration laws and
regulations.
National Health Care:
·
Establish
a universal, single-payer health program across the States and
Nation.
Environment/Conservation:
It
is the responsibility of the American people to be stewards of the earth
down to the seventh generation. We therefore support policies for clean air,
clean water, endangered species, land and water conservation and stabilization
of U.S. and world population growth.
·
Conserve
open spaces for human enjoyment and natural habitats for wildlife, safeguard
state and national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, rivers, lakes,
seashores, wetlands, wilderness areas and
fisheries.
·
Eliminate
subsidies to companies that pollute natural resources and threaten public
health (mining, energy, grazing and timber). Prevent dumping of toxic waste
and chemicals into oceans and waterways.
·
Negotiate
agreements with other nations to protect the global
environment.
Our purpose in joining together to form this party
is to initiate a process of American renewal under the constitution of the
United States of America and to attract to this cause others who share our
concerns. We intend to engage in the public debate in a manner that emphasizes
the contrast between the future and the politics of the
past. We shall contribute to the intellectual foundation of a new American Political Force which will build community, create sustainable economic growth, preserve our natural resources, remove barriers of discrimination, unify our society and restore integrity and decency to public life and governance. ****************************************************************************************
Yes I want to change this darned political
system For Comments, Questions or More Information About the ARP - Contact Us:
Bettyjean Kling -
bj@pondarama.com -
PARTY SECRETARY
AMERICAN REFORM PARTY - Changing Our Present for the
Future
|
|
©1998-2006:
American Reform Party
Website Designed, Updated,
Maintained & Hosted by ON IT
Industries
