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A BRIEF HISTORY AND PLATFORM of THE LIBERAL PARTY

The Liberal Party of New York State is the longest existing third party in the history of the United States. It was founded in 1944 as an alternative to a state Democratic Party dominated by local party machines rife with corruption and a Republican Party controlled by special interests.

The Liberal Party has a history of nominating candidates on the basis of merit, independence, and progressive viewpoints, regardless of party affiliations. Past Liberal Party nominees have included such distinguished public servants as Governors Averell Harriman, Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo, United States Senators Robert Wagner, Sr., Herbert Lehman, Jacob Javits, Robert Kennedy and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and New York City Mayors Fiorello LaGuardia, Robert Wagner and John Lindsay.

The Liberal Party provided key support in Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 victory in New York State. In 1960, the party's 406,000 votes for John F. Kennedy provided his margin of victory in New York State, and the state's 43 electoral college votes ultimately provided his national margin of victory.

In the '40's and '50's, the Liberal Party pioneered rent control and consumer protection legislation for the state. In the 1960's the party initiated the suit in the United States Supreme Court for congressional reapportionment, one immediate result of which was the election of Shirley Chisholm, the nation's first African-American congresswoman.

Today, the Liberal Party remains an influential force in New York politics, and is continuing in its tradition of supporting aspirants for office who are both progressive in their ideas and capable of meeting the challenge of providing good government

Reproductive Freedom

The Liberal Party supports a woman's right to choose abortion and rejects all measures to restrict this basic civil right. Women should have access to information on all the alternatives available to them so that they are able to make informed decisions. Abortions, birth control measures and decent pre- and neo-natal health care should be available to all women, regardless of their ability to pay. We support the expansion of programs which provide for sex education and availability of condoms to young people as a means to promote responsible sexual behavior, prevent against the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and reduce teen pregnancy.

Health Care

The Liberal Party believes that access to affordable, decent health care for all is the mark of a civilized society and supports universal health insurance. No American should die because of a lack of financial resources. In addition, health care dollars must be spent more efficiently. Non-emergency patients currently forced to use expensive hospital emergency rooms should instead have access to community-based primary medical facilities and preventative programs. Alternative cost-effective care, including at-home and hospice care should be made available to those not requiring hospitalization.

Education

The Liberal Party believes that a quality public school system is essential for equality of opportunity for all Americans, regardless of economic circumstances. We have consistently opposed all measures, including tuition tax credits, to fund private and parochial schools with taxpayer dollars. These proposals can only serve to destroy the viability of our public school system and raise serious constitutional questions regarding the separation of church and state. All students who have the desire and ability to pursue higher education should be able to do so and should be financially assisted, when necessary, so as to enable them to fully realize their potential.

Crime

Government's first responsibility is to protect its citizens from harm; the right to safety is the most basic civil right. Individuals who commit crimes must be held responsible for their actions. The Liberal Party supports life imprisonment without parole legislation and is opposed to the death penalty. Capital punishment has never been a deterrent to crime and the state ought not resort to this ultimate brutality.

Civic Responsibility

The Liberal Party believes it is a privilege to be an American citizen. Those who reap the benefits of our enduring democracy, the freedoms we enjoy and our economic system have a duty and obligation to give back something positive to the nation. We believe all citizens must partake in the electoral process. There is no greater threat to the survival of our democracy than the apathy of the people.

The Environment

New York, the United States, and the world are in the grip of an environmental crisis. This crisis not only threatens the survival of endangered species and habitats, it threatens the health and well-being of the human population as well. We can no longer ignore the long-term effects of human activities on the environment. It is essential that environmental considerations and costs be fully taken into account by government and business alike.

Civil Rights

Certain groups within our society have historically suffered discrimination due to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and economic class. The Liberal Party supports comprehensive civil rights legislation to ensure that members of such groups are not discriminated against, either in or outside of the workplace.