LWVUS DEMOCRACY AGENDA
February 14, 2005, Washington, D.C. - The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) has announced a Democracy Agenda to guide the organization's work. Launched on the 85th anniversary of the League's founding, it is an advocacy and public education effort to strengthen and renew the basic tenets of American democracy.
"The occasion of our 85th birthday provides an opportunity to look back and to the future," stated Kay J. Maxwell, LWVUS President. "Since our founding in 1920 we've come a long way, but much still needs to be done. The Democracy Agenda focuses on the most important foundations of our government and nation," added Maxwell.
"Years of band-aid solutions and neglect have allowed the mechanisms of many of our government systems to become weak and in some cases break down completely. The Democracy Agenda presents viable solutions to help overcome these persistent weaknesses and educate communities nationwide on how to make things better," Maxwell said.
"We will move the Democracy Agenda forward through the work of our members and supporters, community organizations, elected and government officials and the people of this nation," stated Maxwell. This effort seeks to protect our electoral processes through election reform and campaign finance reform, advance our representative government through nonpartisan redistricting, and preserve our constitutional rights by safeguarding civil liberties. The League will work to tackle these issues and others in related areas on behalf of all citizens.
"Now is the time to get to work," said Maxwell. "Democracy is at risk when long lines and faulty voting processes keep Americans from voting and having their votes counted. Democracy is at risk when partisan gerrymandering ensures that elections are over before the people even vote. Democracy is at risk when government actions threaten basic civil liberties. And, democracy is at risk when special interests pay for election campaigns. We must renew and repair our democracy so that it truly works for all citizens," Maxwell concluded.
