Author: Mountain Party

contact@mountainpartywv.net

The Mountain Party of West Virginia calls on Senators Joe Manchin (D) and Shelley Moore Capito (R) to work together and propose an amended version of HR1 / S1 that is fair for all political parties and removes any political conflicts of interest.

Known as HR1 / S1, the “For the People Act” is sweeping federal legislation aimed to limit gerrymandering, increase access to the polls, and allegedly improve campaign finance among other changes. While the Mountain Party certainly supports some of the changes such as making Election Day a federal holiday and mandating same-day voter registration, many proposed changes to campaign finance are problematic.

The legislation addresses dark money that currently plagues politics, but it opens the floodgates to allow new dark money to enter the political landscape with a new loophole. Money from big donors can be funneled through a national party committee to candidates at the tune of $100 million. Presently, only $5,000 can be contributed to a presidential candidate by a national party committee. Additionally, the bill will eliminate the limits on donations and expenditures candidates can receive and make. These changes present a political conflict of interest that hinders the success of real reform.

For minor political parties, two other issues have emerged from the proposed legislation. The first problem is the proposed abolishment of general election campaign block grants that political parties may acquire by winning at least 5% of the vote in the previous presidential election. This divisive and unnecessary change is an obvious effort to block the development of multi-party democracy. The second problem is the proposed quintuple increase in the qualifying threshold for federal matching funds. This change creates an unnecessary hurdle for minor party presidential candidates. An easy remedy, or compromise, to have a matching fund system that works for campaigns of all sizes is to have a tiered system, in which candidates could pursue matching funds using either the $5,000 or the $25,000 per state threshold. 

Democrats have proclaimed HR1 / S1 as the new gold standard for election reform, while Republicans fear the legislation is an assault on state’s rights, free speech, and voter integrity. Both claims are false. In the best of light, the legislation makes modest improvements to our elections. However the aforementioned subversive changes to campaign finance and the major blows against minor parties, makes this act toxic to democracy.

A much better proposal to what the gold standard for elections could be in the United States is “The Fair Representation Act” that was introduced in 2018 and 2019. This proposal would establish multi-seat, proportional representation for Congress utilizing ranked-choice voting. This could be complemented by also adopting the Clean Money or Clean Elections model that would have fully-funded, public campaign finance for all federal offices.

While we do not expect the major parties to deliver the gold standard, we demand they improve the current system of elections in a manner that creates transparency and trust between government and the people. 

The Mountain Party is the West Virginia state party affiliate for the Green Party of the United States. Read more here: https://www.gp.org/hr_1

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SALEM, WEST VIRGINIA 一 The Mountain Party of West Virginia condemns right-wing efforts to recall Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant of Socialist Alternative.

Since becoming the first open Socialist to hold office in Seattle in nearly a century in 2013, Sawant has been a champion of the working class. She spearheaded fights for Seattle to become the first major city to pass a $15 minimum wage, secure landmark renters’ rights victories, establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day, ban chemical weapons, and tax Amazon to finance affordable housing and a Green New Deal. In consequence, Sawant has been relentlessly attacked by Seattle’s ruling class since taking office, culminating in a farcical campaign launched last year to have her recalled. This campaign is backed by Seattle’s ultra wealthy in collusion with big business to silence working class and third party voices. They aim to punish Sawant for standing up to the duopoly and its corporate backers such as Amazon.

In order to defeat capitalism and usher in a society based on workers power, working class unity and solidarity is necessary. Socialist Alternative has expressed this solidarity to us, having endorsed our party’s nominee for president every election cycle since 2012, and in the spirit of this solidarity the Mountain Party of West Virginia is proud to endorse Kshama Sawant in her efforts against this right-wing recall campaign.

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CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 一 The Mountain Party supports three election reform bills that have been introduced in the State House and Senate. Senate Bill 229 and House Bills 2215 and 2122, if adopted and signed into law, would each make an incredible improvement to democracy in West Virginia.

SB 229 seeks to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for the election of Justices to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. While the Mountain Party prefers that RCV be implemented for all elections in the state, this modest legislation, if enacted, would familiarize voters with the new voting system.

HB 2215 aims to get West Virginia closer to the gold standard of fair ballot access law. The bill would allow a group to become a recognized political party if the group’s candidate receives one percent of the votes in an election for any one of six statewide offices, including that of Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General or Commissioner of Agriculture. In addition, the bill allows for a group of affiliated voters to become a recognized political party if 5,000 or more individuals have identified as members of the party. Currently, ballot access for a minor political party can only occur by getting one percent of the vote for Governor or through the vigorous task of ballot access petitioning.

HB 2122 would have West Virginia join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which is an agreement among the states to elect the President and Vice President through a national popular vote. Sixteen states, amounting to 196 Electoral Votes (EVs), have signed onto the agreement. Once the number of signatories consists of at least 270 EVs, the electoral college would become obsolete.

With grassroots democracy as a key value of the Mountain Party, we will continue to advocate for legislation that promotes fair and equal elections.

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CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 一 Three years ago, West Virginia education workers set the stage for what would be a series of strikes by teachers and school service personnel across the country. 55 Strong showed the power of solidarity in 2018, striking for a much-deserved raise and the promise of a permanent fix to PEIA, and once again in 2019 over the nefarious omnibus education bill. Now, Republican legislators are putting forward a series of retaliatory bills aimed at breaking this working class movement. Codifying the illegality of public employee strikes, imposing rigid guidelines against “divisive” curricula, reducing the requirements for becoming a certified teacher, and advancing charter school legislation that will drain public resources are how Republican legislators show their appreciation to our educators.

The Mountain Party opposes in the strongest possible terms these anti-education bills. They do nothing to advance the cause of equitable education in West Virginia, nor do they provide the tools necessary for retaining qualified educators. Instead, these bills will simply provide the impetus for veteran teachers to flee the state, opening the doors to further privatization and decimation of public schools.

We believe that all public employees should have the right to engage in collective bargaining, and must retain the right to engage in collective action where needed.

We believe that our teachers know our students best, and can devise engaging lessons without the imposing oversight of those who have never been in their position.

We believe that education certification should not be so brazenly loosened, as teaching is a highly-skilled profession and should attract those with the knowledge and pedagogy to work in that field.

Furthermore, we believe that charter schools and educational savings accounts unnecessarily drain funds away from public schools and place them in the hands of private corporations. The Mountain Party unequivocally supports West Virginia’s teachers and school service personnel in their opposition to these reactive bills. 55 Strong began during a time of deep crisis in our state. Their perseverance and courage rang out from the hills and ignited a revolution nationwide. Now, with the eyes of the country set yet again on West Virginia, Republicans are showing how they truly wish to govern when no opposition is given to them. Undoubtedly, our educators are worn out from having to fight this fight year after year. Only true solidarity with our educators from all working class people in West Virginia can stop these attacks on our education system.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 7, 2021

SALEM, WEST VIRGINIA 一 The West Virginia Mountain Party condemns the outrageous and ridiculous action of breaking into the United States Capitol Building, in which Delegate Derrick Evans, a Republican from the 19^th District, joined the mob in a show of hostility. As a new member of the House of Delegates, Evans swore to support the constitution of the United States. Apparently he does not.

According to WV Metro News, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw (R) stated, “What occurred today is unpatriotic, un-American and I condemn it in the strongest terms possible.”

The strongest terms possible would be to demand the resignation of Evans and any other WV legislator who participated in the insurrection at the Capitol.

No election was stolen in 2020. If the fringe elements of the Republican Party really are concerned with election fairness they would be part of the growing movement for electoral reform. Of course this is not the case, as real democracy is not compatible with the far-right’s vision of fascism for America.

The Mountain Party, per our platform, is committed to non-violence. We believe the best avenue to create change is through peaceful organizing.

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The recent decision of President Trump to seek the designation of “Antifa” as a terrorist organization is alarming. “Antifa” is not an organization; it has no leaders, no membership, no meetings, and no structure. “Antifa” is simply a contraction of the term “anti-fascist.” And what are the goals of anti-fascists? As our friends in the Green Party of California stated in their recent statement: “AntiFa defends and supports the right of oppressed and marginalized people to protest, march, and engage in civil disobedience in pursuit of justice. While it is never our intent to engage in violent or destructive behavior, we cannot and will not take responsibility for telling people how they are allowed to be righteously outraged. We prefer and encourage non-violent action. We also understand that some people aren’t feeling that nice anymore. Their feelings are entirely justified, and it is neither our role nor our privilege to tell them otherwise.”

If pushed forward, the designation of “Antifa” as a terrorist organization would give the Trump administration and future administrations free reign to target, harass, arrest, and neutralize anybody who dares to openly oppose fascism, especially those who consider themselves progressives, socialists, anarchists, or communists. Indeed, we have already witnessed such antagonistic state behavior from the former FBI COINTELPRO program in the 20th century, and we are witnessing already the President’s calls for lethal force against those who are standing up against state violence, who are mostly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This is unacceptable.

Fascism is capitalism in decay. It is an attempt by capitalist state and corporate forces to tighten their grip by actively opposing a society in which all people are guaranteed the basic necessities of life. A society in which there are no longer oppressive social strata which divide people by class, race, nationality, or creed. A society in which all people are treated equally — this is the demand of anti-fascists and it is the demand of the Mountain Party. In the words of the late great James Connolly: We only want the earth.

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The Mountain Party proposes a Green New Deal for West Virginia, to create high paying, secure jobs to build the future economic infrastructure based in clean, renewable energy. Our goal is a 100% clean energy system by 2030, in addition to reconstructing all economic sectors for ecological sustainability, from agriculture and manufacturing to housing and transportation.

The Green New Deal for West Virginia must include an Economic Bill of Rights, a concept introduced by President Roosevelt in 1944 to develop programs to secure basic economic human rights for all. Additionally, it must include a Green Economy Reconstruction Program, to reinvigorate rural communities, create living wage jobs, and protect the environment.

Once feedback from the public is gathered, the Mountain Party will devise specific policies to address

Our detailed Economic Bill of Rights will include the following:

• Job Guarantee
• Basic Income Guarantee
• Housing and Transportation For All
• Medicare For All / National Health Service 
• Lifelong Free Public Education
• A Secure Retirement

Our Green Economy Reconstruction Program will include the following:

• Interstate Renewable Electricity System
  • West Virginia’s Geothermal potential alone could power the Eastern Seaboard
• Public Power Utilities
• Public-ownership of fossil fuels (to be phased out)
• Investment in Public Transit
• Energy Efficient Buildings with Rooftop Solar
• Publicly Owned High-Speed Internet System
• Infrastructure Reconstruction
• Green Manufacturing
• Agriculture and Rural Reconstruction
• Civilian Conservation Corps
• Zero-Waste Recycling

In order to achieve these goals, we can no longer continue to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Therefore, the West Virginia Mountain Party opposes the creation of the Appalachian Storage Hub petrochemical complex, a short-sighted, boondoggle that will only further exacerbate climate change and increase the likelihood of an environmental disaster.

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