| 1. How do you personally define socialism? |
Socialism begins with worker and community control of the means of production, decentralized planning, grass-roots democracy and total equality of income. Yet this can only provide a starting point. A democratic socialist society would have to challenge every form of oppression and hierarchy, in particular gender inequality, homophobia and ethnic bigotry. Ultimately, to succeed, socialism would have to rapidly move beyond the creation of a genuine workers' state to a society where the state fades away and social classes no longer exist. None of this can be done within national boundaries. Socialism is inherently international. |
| 2. Do you plan on running on the Socialist Party platform and the principles embodied in Socialism as Radical Democracy (including social ownership, worker control, and production for use -- not profit)? Is there anything in the Socialist Party Platform or Statement of Principles with which you disagree? |
I believe that the Statement of Principles is an excellent summary of socialist principles, and I would certainly adhere to these principles as a candidate. I also agree with the great majority of the platform. |
| 3. If you take any positions that differ from those of the Socialist Party, are you willing to make clear at all times that your views differ from those of the Party? |
I am in entire agreement with the Statement of Principles. I agree with most of the positions taken by the Party, and where I disagree I would state my views and that of the Party as well. |
| 4. In what way will your campaign take a working-class orientation? How will it differ from mainstream appeals to the working class? |
As a candidate, I would advocate the repeal of various laws that restrict workers' rights, such as the Taft-Hartley Act. I would also push for legislation that would harshly penalize corporations that fire workers for union activity. More importantly, I would stress the need for international solidarity, that working people need to view workers in other countries as their allies and not their competitors, and that only an international movement of the working class can move us toward a democratic socialist society. |
| 5. What would be the top three issues you would address in your campaign and why? |
- The total and immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and adamant opposition to an attack on Iran. This issue dominates political debate. Instead of ending the war by cutting funding, Congressional Democrats are developing a plan to maintain the occupation indefinitely by making it more palatable to the U.S. public.
- A drastic reduction in the military budget, starting with an immediate cut of 50%, and the reallocation of these funds for vital social services such as education, health care, mass transit and low-cost housing.
- The institution of a steeply graduated income and inheritance tax to dramatically reduce the immense inequalities that characterize a market economy. By taxing the rich, we can properly fund the services we all need.
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| 6. Please describe your position on the following issues. |
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| 6a. Do you support a woman's right to choose? |
I strongly support the right of women to choose to have an abortion, and I oppose all laws that restrict this fundamental right. I would call for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment so that abortions are available to women with low incomes. |
| 6b. Do you support Affirmative Action? |
I support affirmative action and other programs to bring equal rights to people of color and oppose ethnic and religious bigotry. We need to break down the ghettoization of U.S. society and to fully integrate our workplaces, schools and neighborhoods. |
| 6c. Do you support equal rights for non-heterosexuals? |
I support equal rights for gays, lesbians and the transgendered. Same sex couples should have the right to marry or enter into civil unions as they choose. |
| 6d. Do you support equal rights for non-citizens? |
I believe that everyone, including non-citizens, has certain fundamental rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights. This only begins to answer the many questions relevant to immigration. The Socialist Party needs to develop a comprehensive program on this issue. I would suggest two starting points:
- The enormous disparities generated by global capitalism are driving many people to leave their home countries to find jobs in the United States. Only a large-scale transfer of resources from industrialized to industrializing countries can provide the basis for a true solution to this problem;
- The Bush-Kennedy bill now stalled in Congress moves us in the wrong direction and should be opposed. The Socialist Party opposes 'guest worker' programs, taxing those seeking amnesty, forcing those who have lived and worked here for some time to leave and then apply for amnesty in their previous homeland. The United States should accept applications from those seeking citizenship on the basis of uniting families and political asylum, rather than seeking to skim off the most skilled workers from poor countries that desperately need those skills.
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| 6e. To what extent do you support establishing a socialized healthcare system? |
I strongly support a system of universal health care based on socialized medicine, that is publicly funded health care at no cost provided by doctors and health care professionals paid on a salary basis. This would be paid for by a steeply graduated income tax, and a drastic reduction in military spending. |
| 6f. How do you envision a socialist solution to the most common problems in the public school system (i.e., funding, assessment, and integration)? |
The current policy that subjects students to an unending series of standardized tests is disastrous. We need a school system that encourages critical thinking and does not emphasize rote memorization. We need to reduce class sizes so that no classroom in the K-12 system has more than fifteen students. We need a public higher education system that is free, and has the resources to hire full-time faculty to teach small classes. This will require taxing the rich. |
| 6g. How do you intend to address living wages and affordable housing? |
I don't like the slogan of a 'living wage'. The Socialist Party stands for fair wages starting with a $15 minimum wage. We need a vast increase in low-cost publicly funded housing, with the apartment buildings being controlled by residents. In a socialist society, housing would not be sold on a market but would be allocated on an equal basis by local community councils. |
| 6h. How do you propose to address the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? |
The United States should immediately withdraw all troops and military advisors from Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to fundamentally change our policy in the Middle East. The recent decision to furnish billions of dollars in sophisticated weapon systems to Saudi Arabia, a theocratic dictatorship, and Israel will only bring greater instability to the region. We need to work toward making the Middle East a nuclear free zone, the mutual disarmament of every country in the region, and a just resolution of the Israel-Palestinian impasse starting with the total withdrawal of all Israeli settlements from the West Bank. |
| 7. Do you have any experience running for and/or holding public office? For what office(s) have you run? Have you ever run before as a Socialist? |
I was the vice-presidential candidate of the Socialist Party in 1996. I also sought to become a candidate for Congress in western Massachusetts in 2002 and 2006, although I did not get on the ballot either time. |
| 8. Do you satisfy the Constitutional requirements for being elected president of the United States (e.g., you are a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years of age, and have at least 14 years of U.S. residency [foreign military service notwithstanding])? |
I am sixty-four years old and born in the United States, so I meet the constitutional requirements. |
| 9. To what extent are you willing/able to travel while campaigning? Do you have any personal commitments that would significantly limit the amount of time you can dedicate to campaigning (i.e., family, school, work, etc.)? |
Being a national candidate requires a great deal of travel. I am a writer, so I have a flexible schedule. I will be able to devote a considerable amount of time to being a candidate during the last weeks of the campaign, when it is most required. |
| 10. What strategies and/or methods do you think would be most effective in promoting your campaign? Do you have access to any community resources that might aid in publicizing your candidacy? |
My experience in 1996 suggests that you need to go to communities around the country, especially in states where we can get on the ballot. There are usually opportunities to speak to schools and community groups as well as appear on local and alternative radio programs. Massachusetts is a difficult state to get on the ballot, but I would hope to be interviewed by local media, and to speak on local campuses. |
| 11. Are you comfortable writing campaign statements, speaking to large audiences (including the media), and participating in debates when opportunities arise? |
I have considerable experience in dealing with the media and speaking before large audiences. I enjoy participating in debates. |
| 12. What resources (financial, skills, etc.) do you bring to the SP Presidential campaign? And what resources would you request or need from the Socialist Party USA? |
I can bring my experience to the campaign, but I do not have the financial resources to fund it. The Party would have to raise money for travel expenses so that the two of us on the presidential ticket could take advantage of the opportunities that arise during the campaign. |