Peace in the Precincts Platform Item: Support Pro-Democracy Legislation

In the agenda for peace, the Pro-Democracy Legislation Task Force wants to preserve the civil liberties and constitutional protections afforded us under the United States Constitution. We also support legislation that protects and strengthens democracy and promotes economic justice.

Bill of Rights:

To further the effort we support the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and urge the St. Paul City Council to pass the Bill of Rights Resolution.

The St. Paul Bill of Rights: The Saint Paul Bill of Rights Defense Committee is a group of Saint Paul citizens concerned with preserving civil liberties and constitutional protections. They have organized for the purpose of urging the Saint Paul city council to pass the Bill of Rights Defense Resolution. (http://www.stpaulbordc.org/) in response to the Patriot Act, which deprives U.S. residents of their constitutional rights.

Three states and 197 cities, towns, and counties (including Minneapolis and Duluth, but not St. Paul) have passed resolutions or ordinances protecting the civil liberties of their 25,502,303 residents. (See http://www.bordc.org/)

We want a Bill of Rights resolution to be introduced in the State of Minnesota.

National Bill of Rights Legislation:

Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act HR 3171
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced the Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act HR 3171 "To provide for an appropriate review of recently enacted legislation relating to terrorism to assure that powers granted in it do not inappropriately undermine civil liberties. ," which will repeal sections of the Patriot Act, restoring attorney-client privilege and revoking FOIA secrecy orders The bill has 20 other co-sponsors and support from the ACLU, NAACP and CAIR. You can contact Congress at visi.com Read the bill: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.03171:

Preservation of Civil Rights Protections Act of 2001
Congressman Kucinich introduced a major civil rights bill, HR 2282 , the "Preservation of Civil Rights Protections Act of 2001," to reverse a significant assault on the rights of employees. The bill, which is cosponsored by 38 members of Congress, reverses the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Circuit City v Saint Clair Adams. That decision allows employers to require potential workers to waive their right to legally enforce their civil rights and accept mandatory, binding arbitration instead as a condition of employment. Read the bill: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.02282:

Defending Constitutional Rights
Congressman Kucinich is a cosponsor of legislation that would prohibit the use of "secret evidence" in trials conducted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Kucinich believes that the cornerstone of our judicial system is that evidence cannot be used against someone unless he or she has the chance to confront it. Congressman Kucinich strives to ensure the rights of all citizens regardless of race, religion, creed, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities or age

TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON NATIONAL ISSUES
White House Comment Line - (202) 456-1111
White House Fax Line - (202) 456-2461
President George W. Bush's e-mail - president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Dick Cheney's e-mail - vice-president@whitehouse.gov
White House Address - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20500
US Capitol Switchboard - (202) 224-3121
To contact your senators - http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
To contact your representative - http://www.house.gov/writerep
Contact the Congress at http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

State Legislation for Clean Elections, Corporate Transformation and Earth Charter Principles:

To further protect and strengthen democracy and promote economic justice we support the following legislation:

1. FACE: Fair and Clean Elections SF#998 &HF#1382. More at http://www.lwvmn.org/FACE/.
2. C4CR: Code for Corporate Responsibility: Transforms the legal purpose of corporation to include responsibility to the environment, health, human rights, dignity of workers, community. SF#1529 & HF#1534 More at http://www.c4cr.org
3. MN Constitutional Amendment: Person means Natural Person. SF#1403 & HF#1397
4. MN version of Wellstone bill: No business with offshore corporations. SF#755 & HF#914
5. We want a resolution whereby the State of Minnesota endorses the Earth Charter. (http://www.earthcharter-minnesota.org/)

Contact Minnesota Senators at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/alphalist.shtml
And Minnesota Representatives at http://ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us/maillist/mailinglist.asp

We believe the risks of not taking action include:

A total loss of democracy and the inability to effect government.
Government controlled by monied special interests.
Diminished privacy and protection in our homes.
Loss of freedom of speech and movement.
Global environmental degradation.
The perpetuation of wealthism whereby those with money and property count the most and those without are discriminated against.

Is the work I am doing now sustainable for 7 generations?