Thursday, February 23, 2012

Commitments for progressive candidates


Commitments for progressive candidates
running for office on a progressive platform

Winning elections is important and much good can come of it.  More good will come of it if we keep our values and ethics once in office.  Cesar Chavez refused any outside help to form his farm worker’s union.  We should learn from that union’s history that if the community is to have progressive representation, it is best to develop it from within and have the deep support and trust of the people.  Our ethics and values are as important as our political ideas, if not more.  

Commitment to social solidarity
We advocate universal education, health care, employment, housing etc from a deep sense of community and an understanding that all of us has a responsibility for the health of the community.  We advocate economic justice. 

Commitment to movement solidarity
We see ourselves as part of the larger progressive movement.  We honor, respect and nourish all the other honest efforts that are being made.  We see our campaigns as a way to advocate community solutions to community problems.  We see our own election as part of widening the scope and strengthening the whole of this movement.  

Commitment to having the support of the people
As movement builders, the support of the public is the core of our strength.  Together with the people we find empowerment through shared experiences.  Public support is the only basis for an honest mandate of an elected official.  

Commitment to community service
Running for office, and holding office if elected, is part of an overall personal dedication to be a positive contributor to the community.  We should honor the opportunity to do public service by fully serving to all of the constituents and treating offices held as a public trust.  We commit to doing all jobs honestly, openly, for all of the members of the represented community and above all with care and professionalism.  We are committed to a high quality of governance.  

Commitment to keeping our freedom of action
We keep ourselves free to act on our values and beliefs.  We will be free to act on behalf of the office we hold and the people and government we represent. When there are differences dealing with other levels of government, we should be free to advocate change and reform in how all of us are being treated.  

Commitment to democracy
We believe in having all the voices heard and all the people’s views represented fairly.  We believe in grass roots democracy.  We want a city government close to the people and far from big money politics.  

Commitment to peace
We maintain ourselves as advocates of peace, and as opponents of our current wars.  

Commitment to fighting repression
We stand against police violence.  We stand against any acts to intimidate people from exercising their right to free speech, to protest, to go on strike or any other action of the public to advocate for their rights.  We stand up against all forms of discrimination, be it racial, sexual, sexual orientation, linguistic, religious or any other. 

Commitment to fight corruption
We are opposed to the legal corruption that surrounds our electoral process and do not participate in it.  We will not accept big money, will not leverage influential people or accept the monopoly of the media gate keepers.  We will keep ourselves free of conflict of interest involving any person or business, including non-profit, that accepts government money.  We are not part of money politics and will fight for transparency and public trust. 

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the changes specific for me I see and realize the compromise. Vicente Cruz OUSD candidate peoples district 3

    ReplyDelete