Remember to click your browser's "refresh" button on each of these convention pages so you get the latest revision.
Health Care Reform for the US ( www.hcr4us.org )
wants to get LWVUS to update materials and educate on health care. Read their webpage. You may contact them at: HCR4US@yahoo.com
At its March Board meeting the LWVUS Board recommended a Health Care program to educate members and communities in order to be better prepared to do health care advocacy as needed. This recommended program item will be voted on at convention by the delegates.
Does your League have leaflets or sheets about universal single payer that you find effective? Perhaps something particular to your state plan or efforts? HCR4US is putting together a notebook of local and state materials to pass on to LWV-US after convention. Please email materials to XCR4US@yahoo.com [replace the X with H] or, if you want to send a paper copy email Joan Rabin: Xrabin@external.umass.edu [replace the X with j]for her address And please send by May 12 so that we have time to prepare the binder. At convention we need people to help staff our table of materials and pass out information to people as they enter the convention area. If you are coming to convention or know someone who will be at convention who is willing to help please e-mail your contact information and the dates you will be at convention to Irene Fortune at: XCR4US@yahoo.com. [replace the X with H]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A Proposal to Review the LWVUS Position on Health Care: Submitted by the LWV of Bloomington-Monroe County, Indiana.. Contact Lee Strickholm, chair, state position review committee on health care, leeXtrick@aol.com [replace the X with s]
As part of a statewide review of LWVIN positions, the League of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County, Indiana, has reviewed the LWVUS position on health care. Adopted in 1993, the statement needs to be updated in light of developments in health care and changing public attitudes toward this vital issue. While procedures of LWVUS limit position review proposals to the naming of titles, without explanatory material, this proposal includes details of amendment and rationale. By this step, the submitting League hopes to limit work and expense at the national level. In this case, the cost of a review should not be a reason for denial.
Current Text, with Changes Marked
Rationale for changes is inserted in italics. This version of the text is followed by one with changes carried out.
GOALS: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that a basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all U.S. residents. Other U.S. health care policy goals should include the equitable distribution of services, efficient and economical delivery of care, advancement of medical research and technology, and a reasonable total national expenditure level for health care.
BASIC LEVEL OF QUALITY CARE: Every U.S. resident should have access to a basic level of care that includes the prevention of disease, health promotion and education, primary care including prenatal and reproductive health, acute care, chronic care, and mental health care, dental, vision and hearing care, (also are important but lower in priority) and medications. The League believes that under any system of health care reform, consumers/patients recipients should be permitted to purchase services or insurance coverage beyond the basic level.
Chronic care, mental health care, dental, vision and hearing care are critical components of comprehensive health care and deserve parity with the other aspects of health care enumerated here. Dental care lowers the risk of heart disease. Regular vision examinations often uncover early symptoms of diabetes and hypertension. Inadequate service to persons with mental illness has significant implications for public health, as attested by the high rates of mental illness among the homeless. It is vital to provide appropriate medications once diagnosis has been established. Again, failure to cover the cost of medications has critical implications for public health, as in the case of inadequately treated tuberculosis. Persons diagnosed with diabetes, AIDS or other chronic conditions may be excluded from the labor force if they lack the means to obtain needed pharmaceuticals.
FINANCING AND ADMINISTRATION: The League favors a national health insurance plan financed through general taxes in place of individual insurance premiums. The League opposes a private, market-based model of financing the basic health care system.
We suggest that "Financing" and "Administration" appear as two separate sections in the document and that the individual sentences be reordered as shown.
ADMINISTRATION: As the United States moves toward a national health insurance plan, an employer-based system of health care reform that provides universal access is acceptable to the League. The League supports administration of the U.S. health care system either by a combination of the private and public sectors or by a combination of federal, state and/or regional government agencies. The League is opposed to a strictly private market-based model of financing the health care system. The League also is opposed to opposes the administration of the health care system solely by the private sector or by the states.
TAXES: The League supports increased taxes to finance a basic level of health care for all U. S. residents, provided health care reforms contain effective cost control strategies.
COST CONTROL: The League believes that efficient and economical delivery of care can be enhanced by such cost control methods as:
In general, we suggest that LWVUS positions should emphasize principles, avoiding overly detailed enumeration of specifics. This approach will help to prevent positions from being overtaken by events and rendered obsolete. In view of ever-shrinking reimbursements, we prefer to describe levels of reimbursement as "reasonable," which also permits regional adjustment to reflect geographic variations in the cost of care. Prevention and wellness play a critical role in cost control and should be emphasized here. Experience accumulated over the last 15 years has revealed the shortcomings of managed care, including limiting or delaying patients' access to appropriate services. Medical facilities are already conducting utilization reviews, which serve their interests, eliminating the need for that measure. Mandatory second opinions may add unnecessary costs of treatment, and deductibles and co-payments will not be needed in a single payer universal health care system.
EQUITY ISSUES: The League believes that health care services could be more equitably distributed by:
The statement about a patient's ability to pay has been moved here, from the section that follows. The last three bulleted measures will not be needed if a single payer universal health care system is implemented.
ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO INDIVIDUALS: The League believes that the ability of a patient to pay for services should not be a consideration in the allocation of health care resources. Limited resources should be allocated based on the following criteria considered together: the urgency of the medical condition, the life expectancy of the patient, the expected outcome of the treatment, the cost of the procedure, the duration of care, the quality of life of the patient after treatment, and the wishes of the patient and the family.
We suggest that this statement be eliminated because it addresses end-of-life issues and other ethical questions that are not germane to the endorsement of a single payer universal health care system.
GOALS: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that a basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all U.S. residents. Other U.S. health care policy goals should include the equitable distribution of services, efficient and economical delivery of care, advancement of medical research and technology, and a reasonable total national expenditure level for health care.
BASIC LEVEL OF QUALITY CARE: Every U.S. resident should have access to a basic level of care that includes the prevention of disease, health promotion and education, primary care including prenatal and reproductive health, acute care, chronic care, mental health care, dental, vision and hearing care, and medications. The League believes that under any system of health care reform, recipients should be permitted to purchase services or insurance coverage beyond the basic level.
FINANCING: The League favors a national health insurance plan financed through general taxes in place of individual insurance premiums. The League opposes a private, market-based model of financing the basic health care system.
ADMINISTRATION: As the United States moves toward a national health insurance plan, an employer-based system of health care reform that provides universal access is acceptable to the League. The League supports administration of the U.S. health care system by a combination of federal, state and/or regional government agencies. The League opposes the administration of the health care system by the private sector.
TAXES: The League supports increased taxes to finance a basic level of health care for all U. S. residents, provided health care reforms contain effective cost control strategies.
COST CONTROL: The League believes that efficient and economical delivery of care can be enhanced by such cost control methods as:
EQUITY: The League believes that health care services could be more equitably distributed by:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
National Popular Vote - electing the President by popular vote ( www.lwvny.org/npv.html )
LWV New York State is proposing a National Study entitled: "The Advisability of Using the National Popular Vote Compact among the
States as a Method for Electing the President." Read their webpage. For more information you may contact: Lori Dawson, LWV Saratoga NY, lddaXson@skidmore.edu (replace the X with w), 518-580-0547; or Carol Mellor, LWV Hamptons, NY, Xamellor@aol.com (replace the X with c)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Resolution re State Action on the National Popular Vote Plan
LWV Arizona is presenting the following resolution regarding the National Popular Vote (NPV) compact at the 2008 convention. We would like to share it with all Leagues and delegates previous to that time.
In keeping with the spirit of the LWVUS position on abolishing the Electoral College, LWVUS resolves to allow each state League to support, oppose or stay neutral on the National Popular Vote compact for handling the Electoral College within their state. LWVUS maintains its resolve to ultimately abolish the Electoral College.
LWVUS has asked that we include their opposition stance (which serves as a 'con' to this resolution) as we notify members of our intentions. "LWVUS believes that this is a departure from our stated position and we have no way of measuring our membership's understanding and agreement with the National Popular Vote proposal. It is not a simple proposal and despite the timetable that seems to be on a fast track, we cannot assume that our membership as a whole either understands or agrees with the concepts of this proposal to allow us take action in the near term. Clearly, a resolution that leaves it up to each individual state to support, oppose or remain neutral would create confusion and erosion of the LWV's reputation for our process of study, consensus and development of a position."
AZ rational on the National Popular Vote Resolution (the 'pros' to this resolution in a nutshell) :
The League of Women Voters-US (LWV-US) has been an eloquent and persuasive voice for establishing a national popular vote for president. Its preferred mechanism to achieve this goal has been through abolishing the Electoral College. Following are quotes from League presidents about the particular value of a direct national election for president.
Kay Maxwell, President of LWV-US, 2002-2006
"The current system violates the one-person, one-vote rule. It's essential to representative government to get it changed.'"
- Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 14, 2004
Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, LWV-US President, 1998-2002
“The course of American history has been an inexorable trend toward greater fairness, uniformity and inclusiveness in our democracy. Yet, the systems for electing the most important representative of the American people are stuck in a time warp. The Electoral College, a curious vestige of the 18th century, violates the principle of one-person, one-vote. The time has come to abolish it. It's time to bring our elections into the 21st century. It's time to streamline the confusing patchwork system that undermines voter's faith in their government. It's time to ensure that the President of the United States is directly elected by the people he or she will represent. It's time to guarantee that, across the country, every person's vote counts - and counts the same.”
- News release from LWV-US, Nov. 9, 2000
Becky Cain, LWV-US President, 1992-1998
Picture if you will a future national election in which a presidential candidate receives a majority of the popular vote, but is denied the 270 votes necessary for election by the Electoral College. This has already happened once in our nation's history, when, in 1888, Grover Cleveland out-polled Benjamin Harrison in the popular vote but lost the electoral college vote by 233 to 168. It caused a public furor then, when political office was often gained through back-room deals and closed-door maneuvering. Imagine the public outcry today, after a long primary campaign and a grueling race for the Presidency. Imagine the public's rage at being denied their candidate of choice….
The system is also unfair because a citizen's individual vote has more weight if the percentage of voter participation in the state is low. For example, if only half of all people in Alaska vote, then each electoral vote is equivalent to roughly 56,000 people. Moreover, the electoral vote does not reflect the volume of voter participation within a state. If only a few voters go to the polls, all the electoral votes of the state are still cast….
For all these reasons, the League believes that the presidential election method should incorporate the one-person, one-vote principle. The President should be directly elected by the people he or she will represent, just as the other federally elected officials are in this country. Direct election is the most representative system. It is the only system that guarantees the President will have received the most popular votes. It also encourages voter participation by giving voters a direct and equal role in the election of the President.
- Testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution on "Proposals for Electoral College Reform: H.J. Res. 28 and H.J. Res. 43": Sept. 4, 1997
Ruth Clusen, LWV-US President, 1974-1978
The League is convinced that channeling of the people's votes for President and Vice President through a state-related system of electoral votes is archaic and unnecessary. The League believes that the presidential election method should incorporate the one-man, one-vote principle. The President and Vice President are the only elected officials with national constituencies, yet they are not elected by their constituents. All other elected officials in this country, including United States Senators, are chosen directly. Direct election works well for members of Congress, governors, state legislators, mayors, city councilmen, school boards etc. Why should it not work for President and Vice President?
The League also believes that the one-man, one-vote principle best accommodates our mobile population whose identities are national rather than regional or state-oriented. Moreover, our members consider the direct popular vote method more responsive to the will of the people because it encourages increased voter participation.
The worst defect of any system other than direct popular election is the possibility that a President and Vice President can be elected who have not received the most popular votes--who are not the choice of the people. Other serious defects eliminated by the direct election method supported by the League are the winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes with its attendant injustices, the office of elector and the possibility of the "faithless elector," and the congressional contingent election system.
- Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee on Electoral College reform, April 17, 1970
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Study of The Federal Government and Public Education: Contact Doris Petersen, Pres., LWV Palo Alto, CA: Xetersendoris@earthlink.net (replace the X with p)
What role should the federal government play to support a public education system that provides opportunity for all to reach their highest potential and develop patterns of life-long learning and responsible citizenship.
Why do we need a study on education? The federal government has been involved in public education since the early days of our nation. In the past the LWVUS has been able to advocate based on our existing Social Policy Position. Our current positions allow us to advocate at the federal level for equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in education. The LWVUS in 1972 supported Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal aid. At the national level the League also worked to oppose anti-busing/anti desegregation initiatives in Congress. In 1974-76 LWVUS program added the phrase “equal access to . . . quality education,” reflecting League recognition that “equality” and “quality” ultimately are inseparable.”
In 2002, Congress passed NCLB—amending existing law—in an effort to increase educational achievement and make schools accountable through assessments and sanctions. The law requires reauthorizatrion every five years and LWVUS has no position that would allow us to have a voice in this debate—on accountability, curriculum, teacher qualifications, governance etc.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LWV Portland, OR: Study the status of public infrastructure in the US: contact: Marnie Lonsdale: : lonsXale9066@comcast.net [replace the X with d]
Rationale:
These are just a few examples of the problems the United States faces with aging infrastructure. In fact, the America Society of Civil Engineers in its 2005 Infrastructure Report Card gave the United States and overall rating of “D” for the physical infrastructure. Both water and sewer had grades of D- and the highest rating of B- went to solid waste. The US is headed in to a disaster. It is time to speak up and recognize the need to put both money and people power into our infrastructure before we fall in to a hole in the ground. The League as both an effective lobbying and educational organization should be taking the lead in the problem. Basic to LWV concerns with the health and welfare of our citizens is clean water, electrical power, safe roads, dams and buildings.
It has long been tradition to approach governmental budgeting with a priority on big new projects and minimum or no money for preventive maintenance. In many cases the limited funds assigned to maintenance tends to be borrowed to “fight fires”. It is time to change our budget practices and take and intense look at our infrastructure prioritize what needs to be done and do it. In our own lives we know that if we ignore day to day chores and responsibilities ultimately we pay. Although maintenance and improvements in infrastructure are not “sexy”, they are the tools that make our country work. Let’s fix them up.
Questions that need to be asked:
Where in the league program do these needs fit?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Study the desirability of a U.S. 'Department of Peace' under Representative Government by analyzing existing studies of actual or conceptual national peace agencies wherever found: their functions, resources, effectiveness, and applicability for the U.S.
This analysis may suggest which approaches could be effective for the U.S. in various circumstances, their strengths and weaknesses, and their
compatibility with League goals and principles. Support for a U.S. Department of Peace dates back to the founding of our Nation when founding father Benjamin Rush proposed that an Office of Peace be created. Today over more than 60 Democrats in Congress have co-sponsored the idea's latest incarnation, a bill to create a Department of Peace and Non-Violence. Twenty U.S. communities have endorsed this suggestion.
Our National League supports efforts for Peace. It has strong stands, as cited in our current positions:
Military Policy and Defense Spending: The League believes that military force should be used as a tool of last resort and that military spending should be assessed in the context of total
national needs.
Ellen Fisher, President, Kitsap [Washington] League of Women Voters: "Jean Moehring"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Redistricting Concurrence
The revised LWV position with the addition of these principles is shown below.
Arguments that support a redistricting position:
Arguments that oppose a redistricting position:
Rationale for using Convention concurrence to adopt this position:
Concurrence at Convention is a valid method of developing new League positions and has been used in the past. Because of the need to have a position in place to support or oppose plans for redistricting after the 2010 census, there is inadequate time for a two year (and expensive) LWVUS study on the issue. The proposed position reflects principles that the LWVUS has already recognized in its participation in Redistricting Reform efforts and the Supreme Court case of Lulac v. Perry.
The revised LWV apportionment and redistricting position with the addition (in italics) of the principles from the LWV-VA redistricting would read:
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that congressional districts and government legislative bodies should be apportioned substantially on population. The League is convinced that this standard, established by the Supreme Court, should be maintained and that the U.S. Constitution should not be amended to allow for consideration of factors other than population in apportionment. ("Impact on Issues")
The League believes that redistricting plans for congressional districts and government legislative bodies should be prepared by politically balanced and independent commissions that are established in law and are bi-partisan, composed of individuals who are not elected officials, representative of the geographical distribution and demographic diversity of the state, and consist of an uneven number of members.
The League believes that redistricting plans should meet the following requirements and principles: Comply with the Constitutional and Voting Rights Act requirements regarding equal population and protection of the voting strength of minority groups; be composed of contiguous and compact districts; respect natural geographical boundaries and communities of interest; and promote competitiveness.
The League further believes that redistricting should occur only once each decade, following the decennial census.
Additional Information on this issue, including the complete LWV-VA position and links to the report of the June 2005 Redistricting Reform Conference.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Process:
If you want your program proposal adopted at convention you must convince local Leagues to put your proposal on their program planning forms. The national Board will recommend the proposals that get the most number of "votes" from local Leagues. Going to convention as a recommended program proposal is a big advantage. Please remember that some Leagues have program planning meetings as early as December. If you want Leagues to get behind your proposal please get your information out early. Send me the URL and I will link to your program proposal webpages.
LWVUS has an email discussion list for program planning. You can subscribe by going to the LWVUS webpage.
The deadline for submitting proposals is March 1. The national Board will formulate the Proposed Program at its April board meeting based on recommendations submitted by local Leagues. The Proposed Program will appear in the Convention Workbook due to be mailed to LLs in early May. See the LWVUS webpage for more information. National Board members on the Program Planning Committee are listed on the LWVUS webpage.
See the Budget section of this webpage if your proposal will require funding.
There is an interesting look at program planning through the years on the LWVUS webpage. The Oct. 2007 issue of the national Voter had an article on program planning
Permission granted for LWV members to reprint for LWV purposes with attribution so long as you clearly state that the material is unofficial.
Barbara Wardenburg - barbward@pacbell.net
The five Leagues of Santa Clara County in California urge you to consider a recommendation to LWVUS at your program planning meetings to have a national study on education.
We suggest you put the following words in the "scope" section on your program planning form:
Study the status of public infrastructure in the US including the need
for a comprehensive policy to fund and implement maintenance programs
and update facilities to meet future needs.
In 2005 the levees broke and New Orleans flooded resulting in significant loss of life and over $80 billion in damage. If proper maintenance and improvement of known weaknesses to the levee system had been done for several billion dollars the entire disaster might have been avoided or minimized. In 2007, a bridge collapsed in Minnesota once again with loss of life and significant cost for replacement. After this disaster many questions were raised about maintenance and updating of bridges across the country. On a smaller scale, in 2006, a 50 ton hydraulic rod truck being used to repair a sewer break in Portland fell through a hole in the road. Elsewhere, the State of California has repeatedly had problems with providing adequate electrical power to meet demands each summer when temperatures rise. Periodically power has had to be rationed. The flow of oil from Alaska stopped in 2006 when“unexpectedly severe corrosion” of the oil pipeline was discovered. Much of our school and park structure is crumbling and on all government levels funding is cut for the repairs and maintenance. A proposal to reestablish the wetlands, near New Orleans was funded at approximately $½ billion when $14 billion is needed.
Whether this is a new study or an item for review and emphasis in existing programs?
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
United Nations: The League supports UN efforts to promote international peace and security. The League has worked for greater use and the strengthening of the UN peacekeeping machinery.
At Convention 2008 in Portland, the League of Women Voters of Virginia and the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area will propose that the League of Women Voters concur with the principles reflected in the LWV-VA position on redistricting. The following information is being sent in compliance with LWVUS bylaws (Article XII, Sec. 2, c):
The principles reflected in the LWV-VA redistricting position are:
At convention delegates may vote to:
a member of the League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mtn. View Area, CA
Feb 19, 2008, revised 8 May 2008