National League Position Summary

Whatever the issue, the League believes that government policy, programs and performance must meet these criteria:

• Competent personnel with clear responsibilities
• Coordination among agencies and levels of government
• Adequate financing
• Effective enforcement
• Well defined channels for citizen input and review principles

The League of Women Voters believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States.

The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens and requires that government bodies protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible.

The League of Women Voters believes that every citizen should be protected in the right to vote; that every person should have access to free public education that provides equal opportunity for all; and that no person or group should suffer legal, economic or administrative discrimination.

The League of Women Voters believes that efficient and economical government requires competent personnel, the clear assignment of responsibility, adequate financing, and coordination among the different agencies and levels of government.

The League of Women Voters believes that responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people; that government should maintain an equitable and flexible system of taxation, promote the conservation and development of natural resources in the public interest, share in the solution of economic and social problems that affect the general welfare, promote a sound economy and adopt domestic policies that facilitate the solution of international problems.

The League of Women Voters believes that cooperation with other nations is essential in the search for solutions to world problems and that development of international organization and international law is imperative in the promotion of world peace.

Government

Promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive; that has a fair and adequate fiscal basis; that protects individual liberties established by the Constitution; that assures opportunities for citizen participation in government decision making; that provides sound agricultural policy; and that preserves public health and safety through gun control measures.

Representative Government

Promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive.

Citizens Right to Vote: Protect the right of all citizens to vote; encourage all citizens to vote.

DC Self Government and Voting Rights: Secure for the citizens of the District of Columbia the rights of self-government and full voting representation in both houses of Congress.

Citizen Rights

Citizen�s Right to Know / Citizen Participation: Protect the citizen�s right to know and facilitate citizen participation in government decision making.

Individual Liberties: Oppose major threats to basic constitutional rights.

Public Policy on Reproductive Choices: Protect the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.

Congress and The Presidency

Congress: Support responsive legislative processes characterized by accountability, representation, decision-making capability and effective performance.

Presidency: Promote a dynamic balance of power between the executive and legislative branches within the framework set by the Constitution.

Election Process

Apportionment: Support apportionment of congressional districts and elected legislative bodies at all levels of government based substantially on population.

Campaign Finance Reform: Improve methods of financing political campaigns in order to ensure the public�s right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and promote citizen participation in the political process.

Selection of the President: Promote the election of the President and Vice-President by direct-popular-vote and work to abolish the Electoral College. Support uniform national voting qualifications and procedures for presidential elections. Support efforts to provide voters with sufficient information about candidates.

International Relations

Promote peace in an interdependent world by working cooperatively with other nations and strengthening international organizations.

Arms Control: Reduce the risk of war through support of arms control measures.

Military Policy and Defense Spending: Work to limit reliance on military force. Examine defense spending in the context of total national needs.

Trade: Support U.S. trade policies that reduce trade barriers expand international trade and advance the achievement of humanitarian, environmental and social goals.

United Nations: Support a strong, effective United Nations to promote international peace and security and to address the social, economic and humanitarian needs of all people.

Natural Resources

Promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest.

Natural Resources: Promote the management of natural resources as interrelated parts of life-supporting ecosystems.

Resource Management: Promote resource conservation, stewardship and long-range planning, with the responsibility for managing natural resources shared by all levels of government.

Environmental Protection and Pollution Control

Preserve the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the ecosystem, with maximum protection of public health and the environment.

Air Quality: Promote measures to reduce pollution from mobile and stationary sources.

Energy: Support environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable resources.

Land Use: Promote policies that manage land as a finite resource and that incorporate principles of stewardship.

Water Resources: Support measures to reduce pollution in order to protect surface water, groundwater and drinking water.

Waste Management: Promote policies to reduce the generation and promote the reuse and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes.

Nuclear Issues: Promote the maximum protection of public health and safety and the environment.

Social Policy

Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all Americans.

Child Care: Support programs and policies to expand the supply of affordable, quality child care for all who need it.

Early Intervention for Children at Risk: Support policies and programs that promote the well-being, development and safety of all children.

Equality of Opportunity

Education, Employment and Housing: Support equal access to education, employment and housing.

Equal Rights: Support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and efforts to bring laws into compliance with the goals of the ERA.

Health Care: Promote a health care system for the United States that provides access to a basic level of quality care for all U.S. residents and controls health care costs.

Meeting Basic Human Needs: Support programs and policies to prevent or reduce poverty and to promote self-sufficiency for individuals and families.

Income Assistance: Support income assistance programs, based on need, that provide decent, adequate standards for food, clothing and shelter.

Support Services: Provide for essential support services.

Housing Supply: Support policies to provide a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.

Public Participation: Promote public understanding and participation in decision making as essential elements of responsible and responsive management of our natural resources.

Agricultural Policy: Promote adequate supplies of food and fiber at reasonable prices to consumers and support economically viable farms, environmentally sound farm practices and increased reliance on the free market.

Urban Policy: Promote the economic health of cities and improve the quality of urban life.

Gun Control: Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety.

Violence Prevention: Support violence prevention programs in communities.

Death Penalty: The LWVUS supports the abolition of the death penalty.

Fiscal Policy

Tax Policy: Support adequate and flexible funding of federal government programs through an equitable tax system that is progressive overall and that relies primarily on a broad-based income tax.

Federal Deficit: Promote responsible deficit policies.

Funding of Entitlements: Support a federal role in providing mandatory, universal, old-age survivors, disability and health insurance.