Registered voters have a party affiliation, but what do those parties actually stand for?
We are just days away from the March 3 Primary and voters will be filling out ballots based on their registered party — be that Democrat or Republican, American Independent or other. Despite Plumas County Clerk Recorder Kathy Williams sharing that information in various ways leading up to the primary, many voters were still surprised that their ballots didn’t feature the presidential candidates that they wanted to vote for. No, being a registered American Independent doesn’t mean that you are independent and can vote for whomever you want.
So what does it mean to be an American Independent or a Libertarian or any of the other parties to which voters belong? It’s actually spelled out on the California Secretary of State’s website and might prove enlightening to some of our readers. Following are the parties’ statements of purpose:
American Independent
The American Independent Party is the party of ordered liberty in a nation under God. We believe in strict adherence to written law. We believe the Constitution is the contract America has with itself. Its willful distortion has led to the violation of our Tenth Amendment guaranteed right to limited government—which inevitably requires oppressive taxation. Its faithful application will lift that burden.
Freed from the lawless oppression of Progressive rule, we may then compassionately and justly use our energy and ingenuity to provide for ourselves and our families. We will then establish truly free and responsible enterprise and reassert the basic human right to property.
We believe in protecting all human life however weak, defenseless, or disheartened; endorse the family as the essential bulwark of liberty, compassion, responsibility, and industry; and declare the family’s right and responsibility to nurture, discipline, and educate their children.
We assert the absolute, concurrent Second Amendment guaranteed individual right to self defense coupled with a strong common defense, a common defense which requires a national sovereignty not damaged by imprudent treaties. We oppose all illegal immigration.
We support secure borders and immigration policies inviting the best of the world to join us in freedom.
Democrat
California Democrats are committed to working for the future Californians deserve, while resisting Washington, D.C.’s assault on progress.
We believe that every person should have a job that lets them provide for themselves and their family, live in safe and affordable housing, and have comprehensive, universal, exceptional healthcare.
We believe in the Labor Movement and collective bargaining rights for workers, and we want to expand education and childcare opportunities for California’s children.
Democrats believe California must lead the fight against the existential threat of Climate Change, and that our Coast must be 100 percent off-limits to oil drilling. We believe everyone has the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water and enjoy pristine natural spaces.
We believe in an inclusive society for all. We strongly support legal protections for Dreamers, and for immigration reform that honors our history as a nation of immigrants. We believe no person should ever be subjected to bullying, harassment, assault or discrimination because of race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, physical disability, economic status or religion.
California Democrats believe in compassion, fiscal responsibility, progress and inclusion. We invite you to join our effort to build the future California deserves.
Republican
The California Republican Party is committed to making California affordable for everyone, not just the rich. Decades of over-taxing, insufficient housing development and an underwhelming economy have made the California Dream just that – a dream. We listen to all Californians to help make the dream a reality.
The high cost of living is harming Californians’ ability to provide the most basic necessities for their families. This is made worse by the unfair and unnecessary gas tax. We want to make California the land of opportunity again, with good-paying jobs, affordable homeownership and safe communities.
Californians have the right to feel safe. While most criminals deserve a shot at redemption, they should not be given the leniency they did not give their victims.
We believe every child deserves a world-class education provided by well-paid, effective teachers, and we strongly oppose anything that weakens Prop 13.
We want a future where hard work leads to better jobs and pay, without the government and powerful special interests determining winners and losers.
Our doors are open to you and we hope you will decide to protect, improve and rebuild this state by joining the California Republican Party. Visit us at cagop.org to learn more.
Green Party
People vote Green because Greens support viable solutions to our greatest challenges from inequality to climate change. Greens’ actions can match their values because Greens refuse corporate contributions. In California, over 70 Greens hold elected office.
Voting Green means:
Economic fairness
Living wages, green jobs, workers’ rights, affordable housing, food security and improved Medicare for all
Public banks to invest in California, not Wall Street
Tuition-free higher education
Reforming Proposition 13 to close corporate loopholes and restore schools and public services
Taxing the super-rich
Action on the climate crisis
Going 100 percent renewable through publicly-owned clean energy and efficiency programs
Switching from fossil fuels to clean electric-powered public transportation
Restoring groundwater and watersheds
Reforestation, restorative agriculture
Human rights
Ending oppression based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or economic status
Defending immigrants from dangerous raids and deportations
Black Lives Matter, police accountability
Gun control/safety
Abolishing the death penalty, ending private prisons, reducing prison populations
Electoral reform
Eliminating corporate money through publicly-financed elections
Proportional representation, ranked choice voting
Overturning the Top Two primary
Vision
Greens early leadership led to recent successes including cannabis legalization and closing California’s last nuclear power plant.
Libertarian
Libertarians stand for something: Respect and Freedom.
Respect for each individual’s life and liberty, without government coercion or force. We strive to reduce the use of force, thus increasing happiness, harmony, and prosperity for all.
We believe that the most peaceful, prosperous, socially fair, and tolerant society is one that solves its problems without government force. We believe that social woes like inaccessible healthcare, inadequate social justice, inadequate housing, economic instability, and racial disparity are caused and perpetuated by officials who would rather increase their power instead of solving problems.
We believe in freedom. For 46 years, the Libertarian Party has been at the forefront of advocating once radical issues like marijuana legalization, marriage equity, school choice, gun rights, transportation competition, and ending mandatory minimum sentences and asset forfeiture laws. We oppose foreign wars and want to bring our troops home from overseas.
We want to stop giving money and power to the same people who have caused the problems we face today.
Peace and Freedom
The Peace and Freedom Party is a working-class party in a country run by and for the wealthy and their corporations. We should not have to sacrifice our health, our livelihoods, and our planet for our bosses’ profits. We can tax the rich, whose wealth is created by workers, to pay for society’s needs.
We favor:
Social justice and equality: Free universal health care for all. Decent jobs and labor rights for all. Free education for everyone, preschool through university. Ending all discrimination. Comprehensive services for disabled people. Marriage equality. Rights for immigrants.
Justice reform: Abolishing the death penalty. Stopping police abuse and prison torture.
Peace: Bringing the troops home now. Ending drone attacks.
Environment: Reversing climate change. Restoring and protecting the environment.
Legislative: Repealing California’s “top two” election law, restoring voters’ general election choices.
Establishing a State Bank: While capitalism puts the wealthy first we will continue to suffer war, police brutality, low wages, unsafe workplaces, and pollution. We advocate socialism, the ownership and democratic control of the economy by working people. By joining together to take back our industries and natural resources, we can make progress for the common good.
