LWVUS Public Policy Positions Effectively at the National, State, Local, and Regional Levels
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Impact on Issues 2020-2022 A GUIDE TO PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS Introduction ............................................................ 4 Taking Action: Working Together to Influence Public Policy ............................................................ 5 Principles ............................................................ 10 Summary of Policy Positions ............................................................ 11 REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ............................................................ 17 Voting Rights ............................................................ 23 Citizen’s Right to Vote ............................................................ 23 DC Self-Government and Full Voting Representation ............................................................ 31 The Election Process ............................................................ 34 Apportionment ............................................................ 34 Redistricting ........................................................... 35 Money in Politics (formerly Campaign Finance) ........................................................... 38 Selection of the President ............................................................ 46 Voter Representation/Electoral Systems ............................................................ 47 Citizen Rights ............................................................ 49 Citizen’s Right to Know/Citizen Participation ............................................................ 49 Individual Liberties ............................................................ 51 Evaluating Constitutional Amendment Proposals and Constitutional Conventions ............................. 54 Constitutional Amendment Proposals ............................................................ 54 Constitutional Conventions ............................................................ 55 Public Policy on Reproductive Choices ............................................................ 56 Congress and the Presidency ............................................................ 60 Congress ............................................................ 60 The Presidency ............................................................ 62 Privatization ............................................................ 64 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ............................................................ 66 United Nations ............................................................ 67 Trade ............................................................ 72 Developing Countries ............................................................ 75 Arms Control ............................................................ 80 Military Policy and Defense Spending ............................................................ 82 (Continued on next page) 2 NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................ 85 Resource Management ............................................................ 88 Environmental Protection and Pollution Control ............................................................ 91 Air Quality ............................................................ 92 Water Resources ............................................................ 94 Solid Waste ............................................................ 96 Nuclear Waste ............................................................ 97 Transfer of Federal Public Lands ............................................................ 104 Climate Change ............................................................ 105 Public Participation ............................................................ 107 Agriculture Policies ............................................................ 109 SOCIAL POLICY ............................................................ 113 Equality of Opportunity ............................................................ 115 Employment ............................................................ 116 Fair Housing ............................................................ 117 Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action ............................................................ 117 Pay Equity ............................................................ 119 Equal Rights for Women ............................................................ 119 Same Gender Equality ............................................................ 121 Education ............................................................ 121 Federal Role in Public Education ............................................................ 124 Fiscal Policy ............................................................ 126 Tax Policy ............................................................ 126 Health Care ............................................................ 129 Immigration ............................................................ 134 Meeting Basic Human Needs ............................................................ 136 Income Assistance ............................................................ 137 Housing Supply ............................................................ 139 Transportation ............................................................ 139 Child Care ............................................................ 142 Early Intervention for Children at Risk ............................................................ 143 Violence Prevention ............................................................ 143 Gun Policy ............................................................ 144 Urban Policy ............................................................ 146 Death Penalty ............................................................ 147 Sentencing Policy ............................................................ 148 Human Trafficking ............................................................ 148 3 Introduction Impact on Issues is designed to help League members use LWVUS public policy positions effectively at the national, state, local, and regional levels. The intention is to inspire Leagues to use national positions to act in their own communities. Impact on Issues has been organized so that “Taking Action” is front and center followed by the League Principles. Then, for quick reference, the LWVUS public policy Positions in Brief summarize the more detailed positions in the sections that follow. For each of the major issue areas, the listing gives the full official statements of positions in bold type. The history sections provide background for each position and trace significant actions and achievements. Since 1920, the League of Women Voters has been an activist, grassroots organization whose leaders believed that people should play a critical role in democracy. The League of Women Voters was founded by Carrie Chapman Catt in 1920 just six months before the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified giving women the right to vote. Throughout the years, the League has continued its dual purposes of education and advocacy, engaging in studies on representative government, international relations, natural resources, and social policy. Although our history of advocacy goes back to our beginnings, this version of Impact on Issues covers our advocacy efforts beginning in the 1960s. Impact on Issues is an indispensable resource for League members. A clear understanding of LWVUS positions, how they interrelate, and how they can complement and reinforce state, local, and regional Inter-League Organization (ILO) positions, strengthens the League’s impact on issues at all levels of government. In applying LWVUS positions to national, state, local, and regional issues, each appropriate League board—depending on the level of action—is responsible for determining whether member understanding and agreement exists and whether the action makes sense in terms of timing, need, and effectiveness. 4 Taking Action Working Together to Influence Public Policy In the League, we tend to focus our efforts on influencing legislative measures in the U.S. Congress and state and local legislative bodies by preparing testimony, lobbying legislators, and initiating advocacy campaigns on issues of interest to our members. At the same time, we file lawsuits and amicus briefs in court cases and monitor and comment when regulations are being written for executive branch agencies. The following guidelines apply to all these activities. General Guidelines This section is organized with general guidelines for action, followed by the role of the national office and staff in advocacy, then how to use Impact on Issues to take action at the state and local level, and finally how state and local Leagues can request permission to take national action on non-priority federal issues. The goal is to work collaboratively among the levels of League with consistent messages and strategies. Effective advocacy efforts on national issues depend on a partnership at all League levels—lobbying in Washington and constituent lobbying at home. This one-two punch reinforces the League’s impact in influencing national and state legislation. Working Together to Influence Public Policy. The process used in formulating positions and acting at the grassroots level makes the League unique and sets the League apart from other organizations. The fact that we are members not only of a local League, but of a state League, and of the League of Women Voters of the United States, makes us a powerful force. Speaking with One Voice