California

AMERICAN
REFORM
PARTY

NEWS from the AMERICAN REFORM PARTY of CALIFORNIA

May 9, 2001

The American Reform Party (California) has been focusing since Election 2000 on "voting method reform" - in particular, Instant Runoff Voting.

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is a simple voting method used to guarantee majority rule when there are 3 or more candidates. IRV produces a majority winner in ONE election instead of two and a winner with more broadbased support.

The American Reform Party in California has joined the California Instant Runoff Voting Coalition - along with other political parties, public interest groups, legislators, and election officials to implement IRV in all of California's statewide single-winner elections.

As a coalition group, we have successfully brought legislation to the State Assembly, AB 1515, a bill which would permit IRV to be used for special elections to fill vacancies in Congress, State Assembly or State Senate. Under the current system, taxpayers often have to pay for two special elections - a general special election and a runoff. The bill was recently "held over" but is still under consideration. We are working to bring the bill back in the near future to the State Assembly Elections, Appropriations, and Reapportionment Committee. We held a very successful and well attended Conference at Stanford University in early March on electoral reform (with emphasis on instant runoff voting.)

The American Reform Party in California has kept ties with supporters of Ralph Nader, many of whom are interested in continuing political action and are working on political and economic reform issues.

A Clean Money Campaign (public funding of elections) is beginning to organize in California, and the expectation is that by 2004 an initiative for public funding can be placed on the California state ballot. Undoubtedly, members of the ARP in California will want to join this effort as it progresses.

If you are interested in working on these reform issues and learning more about the American Reform Party in California, please contact me at couperus@mindspring.com

We are actively building a state organization and encourage those interested to contact any one of us.

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 Connecticut 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.

SIGN ME UP

Yes I want to change this darned political system and make our country better for all Americans, especially for our kids. My main political concerns are  listed below --------------(Please include any other special concerns).

I’d like to help build a new party and elect public officials who are not captured by big-money special interests, but owe their allegiance to the American people.

$20—individual/family membership includes annual subscription.        $10- student membership/subscription

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