Socialist Party U.S.A. presidential ticket

[Tom Condit]

Socialist Party USA Presidential campaign:


On Thu, 23 Nov 1995 Hollis1996 at aol.com wrote:

FROM: Hollis/Chester 1996 Campaign, tel: 201/414-9730, beeper
in NJ/NY/CT: 800-624-7243/PIN#140-6893, fax: 212/691-0776

DISTRIBUTION: general, forward as necessary

CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Mary Cal Hollis, Socialist Party USA
Presidential  candidate announcing start of 1996 Presidential Bid

Boulder, CO, November 20, 1995:

Greetings from Colorado!

I am most honored to accept the nomination to run for President
of the United  States of America, representing the Socialist
Party USA, on this, Norman  Thomas' birthday. Many people have
asked me why I want to do this, and my  answer should be obvious
to those who know me. I am doing this because I care  about
people, especially people who cannot represent themselves.

 After attending last weekend's coalition meeting of Third
Parties '96, I am  pleased to report that the themes familiar to
my comrades in the Party are  becoming better known to the
general population, and accepted as obvious to  those involved in
progressive politics.

 Our government is being run by the wealthy, for their benefit.
Their  attitudes regarding health care, welfare, handicapped
people, teenage  mothers, and more are totally heartless. Such
issues as childcare, public  transportation, pollution, voting
rights and per child equity in school  funding are not being
addressed because these issues do not directly add to  the
profits of the corporations who seemingly control our government.

 What is not being openly acknowledged is that these issues are
not issues,  they are symptoms of a de facto plutocracy:
government of the people, by the   wealthy, and for corporate
welfare.

 What is not being openly acknowledged is that these problems
reflect class  conflict. Our government is working for profits,
not people, and we need to  return the power to the people. We
need to encourage more democracy. Our  capitalist society has run
itself to the perfect example of the worst  case scenario. We
have a heartless, selfish government, and everyone else is  
forced to be selfish and heartless, because we know that there is
no safety  net. We each could be down and out as we see many of
our neighbors, and no one would come to our aid.

 What is not being acknowledged is that what we need has a name
and that name is democratic socialism. It is time we gave it that
name, it is time we  called it as it is. I believe as Martin
Luther King Jr. suggested, that we  need to consider some form of
democratic socialism. I am delighted to  represent the Socialist
Party USA's tradition of working for the people, not   for the
super-wealthy.

 I would like to thank those of you who have helped put me in
this position. I  will do everything in my power  to get the word
out, to educate people, to  help people to empower themselves. I
would appreciate any help we can get as   this will be a large
task. Still, ever the optimist, I am encouraged. I do  believe
the American people are beginning to realize that there is a
grave  problem with the concentration of power in Washington, DC.
While many feel  helpless, we need to remember that the only way
to fight a plutocracy is to  encourage democracy. I truly feel
that a form of democratic socialism can  help our society to
survive. My heart and soul are behind this effort to make  that
happen. Thank you.

 CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Eric Chester, Socialist Party USA
Vice-Presidential  candidate

 Arlington, MA, November 20, 1995:

 The United States stands at a crossroads. Although the Soviet
Union has  collapsed, leaving the United States as the only
global superpower, our  economy continues it's downward spiral. A
third of the workforce is mired in   part-time jobs, receiving
poverty wages and no benefits. The gap between rich  and poor
continues to widen, leaving millions destitute, many of them 
homeless, while a fortunate few feed at the trough. Real wages
have declined   over two decades, as the proportion of the
workforce represented by unions  plunges under the blows of a
relentless employer offensive. Working people  confront the most
desperate crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s,  with
the outlook for economic prosperity bleak at best.

 Unfortunately most Americans remain trapped within the two party
system.  While the Republicans insist on even more drastic cuts
in essential social  services, President Clinton and the
Democrats keep retreating. Both sides  project even deeper
cutbacks, with the Democrats arguing for a slower, more 
prolonged shredding of the safety net than that envisioned by
Gingrich and  his Republican cohorts. Both parties are committed
to the defense of the  global capitalist order, a system that has
already failed, and that can only   bring more misery and
destruction in the future.

 The entire trend of U.S. politics must be reversed. We need full
employment  at fair wages, a doubling of the minimum wage, a
steeply progressive income  tax to redistribute income away from
the wealthy few, socialized medicine  providing high quality
health care for all, quality education available to  all,
including those within the inner cities, and a military budget
that is  immediately slashed by 50%, with more reductions to
follow. We need strong,  militant, democratic unions in every
workplace. We need a dramatic shift in  the power balance, away
from the corporate rich and toward the working class   and the
poor.

 Fundamental social change cannot be achieved through the ballot
box. It can  only be won in the streets, through militant
demonstrations and strikes that   mobilize across industry and
region. Yet elections do serve as a barometer o f  popular
opinion. The hold of the two party system is indicative of the
hold  maintained by the rich and powerful over the consciousness
of working people .  The creation of a viable, left-wing party
would mark a significant victory  for a resurgent Left. The
Hollis-Chester Campaign will contribute to this  ongoing process.
Our campaign will project a clear alternative, one totally 
independent of both mainstream parties. We will be presenting a
radical  vision of cooperation and equality, diametrically
counterposed to the  prevailing ideology of individualistic greed
and xenophobic nationalism.

 Vote for the socialist alternative! For a clean break with the
two party  system!

 -30-


     --- from list marxism at lists.village.virginia.edu ---