I've been reading lbo-talk for a little over a month now and tried to enter the discussion once before (a racism thread); as I've read both threads on ParEcon, i have found the discussion on the utopian question most enlightening.
I have been surprised to see no mention of the Fairness Agenda in the time I've been reading, so thought that I would forward it to the list along with an invitation to sign on.
Please endorse the Fairness Agenda for America by sending to Wade Hudson <whudson at igc.org> the following message:
I endorse the Fairness Agenda for America and authorize the Progressive Challenge to publish my name and city/town of residence (but not my email address). [insert full name and city/town and state of residence]
The Fairness Agenda for America was developed by the Institute for Policy Studies, working closely with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a number of progressive organizations. Wade Hudson is Coordinator of the Economic Security Project which is convening the San Francisco Progressive Challenge. The Economic Security Project is circulating a printed petition for individuals to sign and will be publishing the names of signators to both the printed and the Internet petition on its website <www.igc.org/esp>, to which the Progressive Challenge's official website (www.netprogress.org> will link.
The Fairness Agenda for America reads as follows:
***************** July 15, 1998 The Fairness Agenda for America
The challenges facing the world today are to provide economic security for all, reverse discrimination, achieve a sustainable environment, and above all, build a society that values and embraces all its members. The Fairness Agenda for America is based on these principles that are supported by over 100 progressive organizations, along with many members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. It is a vital, living document that reflects the needs and desires of a global society. Please use this agenda in your city councils, state legislatures, town meeting halls, candidate forums, spiritual centers, etc. For more information, call 202-234-9382, or on the world wide web, www.netprogress.org.
PRINCIPLES: Dignified Work; Environmental Justice; Economic Redistribution; Democratic Participation; Community Empowerment; Global Non-Violence; Social Justice, including Racial and Gender
1. Enact a Fairness Budget for America. America's abundant resources must be used to build a decent society. We propose cutting military spending and corporate giveaways and reinstating progressive taxation, while redirecting revenues to invest in human resources, such as schools and health clinics, and in infrastructure, such as mass transit.
2. Ensure Jobs, Living Wages, Benefits & Worker Rights for All. Our nation depends on a vigorous and innovative workforce that is assured basic rights. We propose government job creation, especially in areas of high unemployment, laws requiring profitable companies to compensate workers and communities affected by job cuts, elimination of tax breaks for companies that provide excessive executive compensation, and stronger protections against labor rights violations and all forms of discrimination.
3. Ensure Equality for All. Despite recent progress, there is still widespread discrimination in this country based on race, gender, disabilities, age and sexual orientation. Wage gaps by sex and race and de facto segregation still exist. Two means of addressing these problems include sufficient funding for agencies that administer anti-discrimination laws and reinforcing affirmative action, while exploring the integration of class-based criteria into such programs.
4. Promote a Just and Sustainable Global Economy. Free trade agreements and World Bank/IMF structural adjustment programs have increased inequalities at home and abroad. We propose an international dialogue to develop alternative trade and development initiatives that encompass the protection of worker and women's rights, environmental standards, and food security, and oppose the MAI, and tackles the issues of immigration and the need to reduce inequalities.
5. Support Demilitarization, Human Rights & a New Internationalism. Cutting military expenditures; negotiating to eliminate all nuclear weapons; shifting R&D priorities toward pressing domestic needs; stopping NATO expansion; banning landmines; ending subsidies for arms exporters and arms transfers for dictators; banning covert operations; shifting from unilateral military aid and peacekeeping missions abroad to multilateral responses; and promoting real human rights abroad, which include political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
6. Guarantee Sustainable Communities & Environmental Justice. Distribution of more no-strings federal funds, especially to poor communities; revisions in trade agreements to allow communities to enact strong environmental and labor laws; and re-targeting federal insurance, subsidies, and loans for community development; promoting the right to a clean environment and replacing subsidies for polluters with subsidies for ecologically sound products and services. We also support a shift to more sustainable agriculture that supports rural communities and a safe food supply.
7. Provide Adequate Social Investment. Preserving social security and protecting it from privatization; remaking economic security structures to address the needs of the poor; offering universal access to affordable quality healthcare, protecting and expanding Medicare eligibility to people of all ages and income; creating a bill of rights to protect health care consumers; increasing funds for low-income housing assistance; and providing adequate funding for quality public education.
8. Limit Private Money in Politics. Public outrage is increasing over the abuse of campaign finance loopholes, influence-peddling, and political favors granted to special interests. Candidates who reject contributions from private sources, accept spending limits, and run shorter campaigns should have the option of receiving clean, disinterested money for their elections. Such a voluntary system would provide an alternative to private fundraising, create a financially level playing field, and tighten loopholes.
***************
FAIRNESS AGENDA ENDORSERS - July 13, 1998
20/20 Vision 50 Years is Enough: US Network for Global Economic Justice Advocates for Youth Alliance for Democracy, National (MA) Alliance for Justice Network Alternative Communications (OH) Americans for Democratic Action Assoc. of State Green Parties Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (NY) Bay Area Homelessness Program (CA) Boston/Cambridge Alliance for Democracy (MA) Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (CA) California Coalition of Hispanic Organizations (CA) Campaign for America's Future Campaign for Migrant Workers Campaign to Abolish Poverty (CA) Carolina Interfaith Task Force on Central America (NC) Center for Campus Organizing (MA) Center for Advancement of Public Policy Center of Concern Center for Visionary Leadership Chicago Jobs with Justice (IL) Chicago Religious Leadership Network (IL) Citizens for Participation in Political Action (MA) Coalition for Consumer Justice (RI) Columban Fathers' Justice & Peace Office Committee for New Priorities (IL) Committees of Correspondence (NY) Community Action & Social Justice/Kay Spiritual Life Center CWA LOCAL 1087 (NJ) DC Metro Alliance for Democracy (MD) Demilitarization for Democracy Democratic Socialists of America, National Democrats Abroad-Munich American Peace Committee Development GAP Economic Security Project (CA) Environmental Policy Unlimited (LA) Family Farm Defenders (WI) Foreign Policy in Focus Fund for New Priorities in America (NY) Global Economy Program, Institute for Policy Studies Global Exchange (CA) Grassroots Environmental Org., Parkland High School (PA) Gray Panthers of Greenbelt (MD) Gray Panthers of Sacramento (CA) Gray Panthers, National Organization Great Cities Institute (IL) Green Party of DC Green Party USA (NY) Guatemala Human Rights Commission Hawaii Green Party (HI) ICA Japan Independent Progressive Politics Network (NY) Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO Institute for Food & Development Policy (CA) Interconnect: US/Latin America Solidarity Newsletter (NY) Interhemispheric Resource Center (NM) International Labor Rights Fund Jobs with Justice, Chicago Chapter Korea Information Project (VA) Long Island Progressive Coalition (NY) Main Peace Action Committee (ME) Medical Mission Sisters of Mercy Mercer County Peace Coalition/WILPF (WV) Methodist Federation for Social Action, Virginia Chapter (VA) Mid Atlantic Region Alliance for Democracy Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation (MD) Minuteman Media (CT) National Association of Social Workers - Illinois Chapter National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (NY) National Jobs For All Coalition (NY) National Lawyers Guild National Low Income Housing Coalition National Priorities Project (MA) National Rural Housing Coalition National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981 (NY) Neighbor to Neighbor NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby New Jersey Jobs with Justice (NJ) Organization for Sensible and Effective Prison Policy Outreach Committee, Wellington Ave United Church of Christ (IL) Peace Action Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine (ME) Peace and Security Project, Institute for Policy Studies Preamble Center for Public Policy Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (NV) Progressive Populist Magazine Public Trust Campaign, Institute for Policy Studies Queers for Racial & Economic Justice (NY) Questioning the Undebated Ascent of the Corporation (NY) Rochester Chapter, Alliance for Democracy (NY) San Fernando Valley-Alliance for Democracy (CA) Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Institute Justice Team (IL) Stakeholder Alliance Sustainable North Bay (CA) Sustainable Systems International (NM) The Bertha Capens Reynolds Society (Nat'l Social Workers) (NY) Third Unitarian Church, Social Action Committee (IL) Treasure Coast WILPF, Florida (FL) Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations UNITE Local 1997 Atlanta Distribution Center (GA) United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (VA) United for a Fair Economy (MA) Veterans for Peace Virginia Alliance for Democracy (VA) Voice of the Environment (CA) Washington Feminist Faxnet Washington Office on Africa West Coast Contra Costa Conservation League (CA) Women Strike for Peace Women's and Gender Resource Center Inc. (DC) Women's Int'l League for Peace and Freedom (PA)
Hope this engenders sign-ons as well as some discussion/response. Michael Shaughnessy