Reform Party of New York State
Encyclopedia
The Reform Party of New York State (also known as the New York State Reform Party) is the state party organization for New York State of the Reform Party of the United States of America
.
The reorganized Reform Party of New York State shares the National party's current platform as set forth by the Reform Party USA
Bill Merrell has been appointed by the National Executive Committee of the Reform Party USA as the National Executive Director for 2011-2012
The Reform Party of New York State has been granted National Affiliation with the Reform Party USA, The Reform Party National Committee held its annual in-person meeting on October 22, 2010 in Irving.
"We are also excited to announce the temporary affiliation of the Reform Party of New York. Temporary affiliation allows the state party to participate in Reform Party activities until the next national convention is able to vote on full affiliation. The Reform Party USA has not had an affiliate in New York State since the Independence Party of New York disaffiliated in 2000"(Direct Quote)
NYS Vice Chair: Len Ungar,
Suffolk County Committee: H. Ward Michaelson,
Nassau County Committee: Eric Wind
A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been what are termed social issues
, including abortion and gay rights. Reform Party representatives had long stated beliefs that their party could bring together people from both sides of these issues, which they consider divisive, to address what they considered to be more vital concerns as expressed in their platform. The idea was to form a large coalition of moderates; that intention was overridden in 2001 by the Buchanan takeover which rewrote the RPUSA Constitution to specifically include platform planks opposed to any form of abortion. The Buchananists, in turn, were overridden by the 2002 Convention which specifically reverted the Constitution to its 1996 version and the party's original stated goals.
New York State Chair, Bill Merrell has been actively involved in recruiting those who wish to become New York State Reform members. The Reform Party of New York State has hosted informal gatherings, and is planning to hold Reform Party of New York State meetings in every County in New York State throughout 2011 & 2012, to create the needed membership and committee of volunteers. This will allow the Reform Party of New York State to grow and achieve ballot access to effect positive change and further the New York State and National Reform Party Platform
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
.
Reform Party USA Logo
The Reform Party of New York State is duly authorized to use the Reform Party USA Logo as the Reform Party New York State is authorized by the National Executive Committee as verified by Reform Party USAModern Party
In 2010 it was announced by the Reform Party National Committee that the New York State was permitted to reorganized as a State Chapter of the Reform Party USA.The reorganized Reform Party of New York State shares the National party's current platform as set forth by the Reform Party USA
Leadership
The 2010-2011 Chairperson of the Reform Party of New York State is Bill C. Merrell. The 2010-2011 Vice Chairperson is Len Ungar.The 2010-2011 Executive Committee is listed at http://www.reformpartyny.orgBill Merrell has been appointed by the National Executive Committee of the Reform Party USA as the National Executive Director for 2011-2012
Focus of New York State Party
The New York State Chair, Bill Merrell, Vice-Chair Len Ungar and the Committee established to reorganize the Reform Party in New York State is working towards New York State ballot Access, which is, by NYS Election Law obtained during Governor Races, in which the Reform Party of New York State candidate must achieve 50,000 votes for Governor.The Reform Party of New York State has been granted National Affiliation with the Reform Party USA, The Reform Party National Committee held its annual in-person meeting on October 22, 2010 in Irving.
"We are also excited to announce the temporary affiliation of the Reform Party of New York. Temporary affiliation allows the state party to participate in Reform Party activities until the next national convention is able to vote on full affiliation. The Reform Party USA has not had an affiliate in New York State since the Independence Party of New York disaffiliated in 2000"(Direct Quote)
National Committee Members/Delegates
New York State Chair: Bill Merrell,NYS Vice Chair: Len Ungar,
Suffolk County Committee: H. Ward Michaelson,
Nassau County Committee: Eric Wind
External links
- Official Reform Party of New York State Web Site
- NYS REFORM PARTY ~ 1461-16 Lakeland Avenue, Bohemia, NY 11716
- Telephone Number: 631-563-7720; Fax: 631-563-7719
- Official Reform Party of New Jersey Website
- -Additional Reform Party New York State Site
Reform Party National Presidential tickets
- 1996 – Ross PerotRoss PerotHenry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
and Pat ChoatePat ChoatePatrick Choate is an American economist who is perhaps most known for being the 1996 Reform Party Vice President candidate, the running-mate of H. Ross Perot...
- 8,085,402 votes - 2000 – Pat BuchananPat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
and Ezola B. FosterEzola B. FosterEzola Broussard Foster is an American activist, writer, and politician. She is president of Black Americans for Family Values, authored the book What's Right for All Americans, and was the Reform Party candidate for Vice President in the U.S. presidential election of 2000...
- 448,895 votes - 2004 – Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
and Peter Miguel Camejo - 465,650 votes - 2008– Candidates did not appear in NYS ballot
- 2012- To be determined at the 2011 National Convention
Reform Party Platform
The Reform Party platform includes the following:- Maintaining a balanced budget, ensured by passing a Balanced Budget AmendmentBalanced Budget AmendmentA balanced-budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring that the state cannot spend more than its income. It requires a balance between the projected receipts and expenditures of the government....
and changing budgeting practices, and paying down the federal debt. - Campaign finance reformCampaign finance reformCampaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns....
, including strict limits on campaign contributions and the outlawing of the Political action committeePolitical action committeeIn the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a... - Enforcement of existing immigrationImmigrationImmigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
laws - Opposition to free tradeFree tradeUnder a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreements like the North American Free Trade AgreementNorth American Free Trade AgreementThe North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
and Central America Free Trade Agreement, and a call for withdrawal from the World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
. - Term limits on U.S. RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and SenatorsUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. - Direct election of the United States President by popular vote.
A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been what are termed social issues
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
, including abortion and gay rights. Reform Party representatives had long stated beliefs that their party could bring together people from both sides of these issues, which they consider divisive, to address what they considered to be more vital concerns as expressed in their platform. The idea was to form a large coalition of moderates; that intention was overridden in 2001 by the Buchanan takeover which rewrote the RPUSA Constitution to specifically include platform planks opposed to any form of abortion. The Buchananists, in turn, were overridden by the 2002 Convention which specifically reverted the Constitution to its 1996 version and the party's original stated goals.
Future Goals of the New York State Reform Party
With our Reform Party volunteers in New York State, and our National Affiliation with the Reform Party USA,the NYS State Committee is working with local, regional, statewide and future National elections to effect changeNew York State Chair, Bill Merrell has been actively involved in recruiting those who wish to become New York State Reform members. The Reform Party of New York State has hosted informal gatherings, and is planning to hold Reform Party of New York State meetings in every County in New York State throughout 2011 & 2012, to create the needed membership and committee of volunteers. This will allow the Reform Party of New York State to grow and achieve ballot access to effect positive change and further the New York State and National Reform Party Platform