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Issues & Positions

NATIONAL POSITIONS**

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

Promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive.

Voting Rights

Citizens’ Right to Vote.  Protect the right of all citizens to vote; and encourage all citizens to vote .

DC Self-Government and Full Voting Representation. Secure for the citizens of the District of Columbia the rights of self-government and full voting representation in both houses of Congress.

Election Process

Apportionment.  Support apportionment of congressional districts and elected legislative bodies at all levels of government based substantially on population.

Campaign Finance.  Improve methods of financing political campaigns in order to ensure the public’s right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and promote citizen participation in the political process.

Selection of the President.  Promote the election of the President and Vice President by direct popular vote and work to abolish the Electoral College.  Support uniform national voting qualifications and procedures for presidential elections. Support efforts to provide voters with sufficient information about candidates.

Citizens’ Rights

Citizens’ Right to Know/Citizen Participation. Protect the citizen’s right to know and facilitate citizen participation in government decision making.

Individual Liberties.  Oppose major threats to basic constitutional rights.

Public policy on Reproductive Choices.  Protect the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.

Congress and the Presidency

Congress.  Support responsive legislative processes characterized by accountability, representativeness, decision-making capability and effective performance.

The Presidency.  Promote a dynamic balance of power between the executive and legislative branches within the framework set by the Constitution.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Promote peace in an interdependent world by working cooperatively with other nations and strengthening international organizations.

United Nations

Support a strong, effective United Nations to promote international peace and security and to address the social, economic and humanitarian needs of all people.

Trade

Support U.S. trade polices that reduce trade barriers and expand international trade and advance the achievement of humanitarian, environmental and social goals.

U. S. Relations with Developing Countries

Promote U.S. policies that meet long-term social and economic needs of developing countries.

Arms Control

Reduce the risk of war through support of arms control measures.

Military Policy and Defense Spending

Work to limit reliance on military force.  Examine defense spending in the context of total national needs.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest.

Natural Resources

Promote the management of natural resources as interrelated parts of life-supporting ecosystems.

Resource Management

Promote resource conservation, stewardship and long-range planning, with the responsibility for managing natural resources shared by all levels of government.

Environmental Protection and Pollution Control 

Preserve the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the ecosystem, with maximum protection of public health and the environment.

Air Quality.  Promote measures to reduce pollution from mobile and stationary sources.

Energy.  Support environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable resources.

Land Use.  Promote policies that manage land as a finite resource and that incorporate principles of stewardship.

Water Resources.  Support measures to reduce pollution in order to protect surface water, groundwater and drinking water.

Waste Management.  Promote policies to reduce the generation and promote the reuse and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes. 

Nuclear Issues.  Promote the maximum protection of public health and safety and the environment.

Public Participation

Promote public understanding and participation in decision making as essential elements of responsible and responsive management of our natural resources.

Agricultural Policy

Promote adequate supplies of food and fiber at reasonable prices to consumers and support economically viable farms, environmentally sound farm practices and increased reliance on the free market.

SOCIAL POLICY

Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all.  Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all Americans.

Equality of Opportunity

Equal Rights.  Support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and efforts to bring laws into compliance with the goals of the ERA.

Education, Employment, Housing.  Support equal access to education, employment and housing.  

Fiscal Policy

Tax Policy.  Support adequate and flexible funding of federal government programs through an equitable tax system that is progressive overall and that relies primarily on a broad-based income tax.

Federal Deficit.  Promote responsible deficit policies.

Funding of Entitlements.  Support a federal role in providing mandatory, universal, old age, survivors, disability and health insurance.

Health Care

Promote a health care system for the United States that provides access to basic level of quality care for all U. S. residents and controls health care costs.

Meeting Basic Human Needs

Support programs and policies to prevent or reduce poverty and to promote self-sufficiency for individuals and families.

Income Assistance.  Support income assistance programs, based on need, that provide decent, adequate standards for food, clothing and shelter. 

Support Services.  Provide for essential support services.

Housing Supply.  Support policies to provide a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.

Childcare

Support programs and policies to expand the supply of affordable, quality childcare for all who need it.

Early Intervention for Children at Risk

Support polices and programs that promote the well being, development and safety of all children.

Violence Prevention

Support violence prevention programs in communities.

Gun Control

Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.  Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety.

Urban Policy

Promote the economic health of cities and improve the quality of urban life.

Whatever the issue, the League believes that efficient and economical government requires competent personnel, the clear assignment of responsibilities, adequate financing, coordination among levels of government, effective enforcement and well defined channels for citizen input and review.

** For more details look in the LWVUS Impact on Issues.