[pf] FW: December 18th - Democracy Now!

by Bill Ellis

05 December 2000 21:16 UTC

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<URGENT ACTION!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
     Dec 18th at Your State Capitol Building
     Let the Electoral College Know We Want
     DEMOCRACY NOW! Clean It! Fix It! Build It!

     Dear Friends,

Please join us in a call to hold rallies/press conferences in state
capitols around the country on  Monday, December 18, when members of the
Electoral College will gather in the 50 state capitols to cast their
ballots for the President of the United States. The theme of protests
will be Democracy Now! Clean It, Fix It, Build It.

It is very likely that the electors voting on December 18 will select
the candidate who did not receive the most votes. This illogical
outcome, the result of a constitutional anachronism, is just the tip of
the iceberg in
terms of the flaws in our electoral system. Others include: the
legalized bribery that constitutes our campaign finance system, the
disenfranchisement of ex-felons in many states, the institutional
obstacles facing third parties, the unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles
placed before voters, and the partisan control of institutions that
determine electoral rules.

The changes needed to remedy these ills are well known--clean money
elections, voting rights for ex-felons, open debates, truly non-partisan
and independent electoral commissions, and new voter registration. The
heightened attention on our electoral systems offer a
once-in-a-generation opportunity to gain greater public support for
these reforms.

Letıs start our call for a more democratic political system on December
18. Will your organization endorse this action? Will you help organize a
protest/press conference in your state capitol? As time is of the
essence, weıd appreciate hearing back from you as soon as possible. To
respond or request more information, contact Nick Suplina at
nick@globalexchange.org or 415-255-7296.

Best regards,
Medea Benjamin
Global Exchange