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The Reform
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News and Events
Knight Ridder NewspapersWASHINGTON - Q: Ralph Nader, who is running for president
as an independent, will be listed on the ballot in November as:
a) the Reform Party candidate
b) the Green Party candidate
c) an independent
d) all of the above.
The answer is likely to be "d." Nader has made it clear that he will
use whatever tactic helps him get on state ballots, and he has lots of options.
In 2000, Nader was the Green Party candidate and won 2.7 percent of the popular
vote while on the ballot in only 43 states. In Florida and New Hampshire, if
only a small number of Nader voters had gone to Democrat Al Gore, he would have
defeated Republican George W. Bush. Democrats fear a repeat this year.
An Associated Press poll released Friday put Nader's support at 6 percent nationally,
with Democratic candidate John Kerry in a virtual tie with Bush. The poll, taken
March 1-3, was of 771 registered voters and had an error margin of 3.5 percentage
points.
Nader's independent, anti-corporate, populist campaign starts its uphill effort
to get on the ballot in all 50 states this week in Texas. And there are signs
that he may end up as the nominee of both the Reform Party and the Green Party,
which are strange bedfellows ideologically.
Texas has one of the toughest standards for ballot qualification in the nation.
Starting Wednesday, any minor candidate has 60 days to get more than 60,000
signatures. Complicating the task is that anyone who votes in Tuesday's Texas
primary can't sign the petition.
But it's easier for a third party to get listed on the Texas ballot than an
individual; a third party needs only 40,000 voter signatures collected in a
75-day period starting Wednesday. As a result, Nader is engaged in an unlikely
flirtation with the Reform Party.
The Reform Party, founded by Dallas billionaire Ross Perot in the fiery spirit
of his anti-deficit, anti-free-trade 1992 presidential candidacy, all but disappeared
after the 2000 campaign, when it split between followers of Perot and conservative
commentator Pat Buchanan, the party's nominee four years ago.
Nader met with Reform Party officials recently during a three-day Texas swing.
The party has voted to collect the signatures needed to put Nader's name on
the ballot as its candidate in Texas.
"Everybody's thrilled to death to have Nader run on our line," said
Beverly Kennedy, the Reform Party's Dallas County chair.
The Nader campaign also plans to get him on the Texas ballot as an independent.
"We're gearing up for an independent run," said Nader spokesman Kevin
Zeese. The campaign Web site is seeking $20,000 to help.
The national Reform Party has maintained ballot lines in seven states that are
pretty much Nader's for the asking.
Meanwhile, the pro-environment Green Party, which backed Nader in 2000, has
a vigorous Draft Nader movement under way, with Nader stand-ins running for
delegates to the party's June convention.
In California, Nader ally Peter Camejo won the Green Party's presidential nomination
in last week's state primary, collecting 74 percent support. But Camejo says
he won't run for president. "I think it's very important for Greens to
endorse Ralph Nader. Nader's campaign is a factor in the election now,"
Camejo said.
Greens are trying to determine if Nader would accept a draft and have asked
him to make his intentions clear. Nader declared in December that he wouldn't
seek the Green Party's nomination because he didn't want his candidacy to be
constrained by Green Party rules, but that's not the same as renouncing Green
Party support.
Zeese said Nader would soon issue a "statement of intent" regarding
the Green Party. It has ballot lines in 21 states and is organizing to get on
ballots in about 20 more.
Would Nader accept a Green Party draft? "We'll see," said Zeese. "We
get a lot of calls from Greens who want him to run. The Reform Party is also
calling. He's not seeking the Reform Party nomination, either."
Zeese noted that in 2000, Nader's name was on the ballot in 13 different incarnations,
including as the nominee of the Progressive Party in Vermont and the Mountain
Party in West Virginia. Nader was clear when announcing that he would run again
this year that he would be on ballots under different party names.
"Fifty states - that's definitely what the goal is," said Zeese.
On the Web:
For more info, go to www.VoteNader.org
Press Release from the Reform Party of Texas
For immediate release
March 5, 2003
Reform Party Endorses"Show Us the Money" Coalition
(Houston, Texas) The Reform Party of TexasExecutive Committee endorsed the Show Us The Money Coalition. Byunanimous vote, they passed resolutions supporting the stateelectoral reform lobby and an additional Texas electoral reform.
Show Us The Money is a coalition of Texaspolitical groups whose goal is the enactment of several campaignfinance reforms by the Texas 78th Legislature this year. Texascandidate campaign contribution and expenditure disclosurereforms and enforcement reforms are presently being lobbied inthe State Capitol by the coalition.
In addition to the coalition resolution, theReform Party of Texas passed a resolution empowering the TexasEthics Commission with a state campaign finance law enforcementcapacity.
"We are delighted to join with the Campaignfor People's coalition to push for meaningful Election Law andEthics reform", says Reform Party of Texas Chair CharlesFoster. "Public Policy is a Public Trust, not a commodity tobe bought and sold. But, sadly, what we've always had in Texas isan obvious condition in which access to, and influence over ourlawmakers is far too easily measured in dollar increments. Ourcurrent laws have proven to be inadequate at best and Texas islong overdue for some relief."
Foster adds: "The most disturbing thingabout this situation is not simply that it exists, but ratherthat people seem to be moving toward acceptance of it. With theEthics Commission headed for Sunset Review in the currentlegislative session we can't afford to be complacent. Texas'voters could end up with an oversight mechanism even lessmeaningful than is available now if they don't weigh in on thisfight."
For more information, please contact CharlesFoster at chairman@texasreformparty.org.
Charles Foster, Chair
Alan Schmidt, Vice-Chair
David Collison, Secretary-Treasurer
Reform Party of Texas - http://texasreformparty.org
Posted Sept. 15, 2002
Reform Party Turns Backthe Clock, Returns to Its Roots
The 2002 National Convention was agreat success. In addition to removing all changes to thePlatform made since Dearborn, new officers were elected with thepromise of more accurately serving the desires of the membershipand returning to the principles on which the Party was originallyfounded. A full press release to come or contact the StateChair for more information.
Posted July 31st, 2002
Texas to Participatein 2002 Reform Party National Convention
The Reform Party of Texas iscurrently seeking additional delegates to participate in the 2002National Convention, to be held September 6-8 in Denver,Colorado. The 2002 State Convention empowered the State ExecutiveCommittee to fill vacant delegate positions. If you are a currentor prospective Reform Party of Texas member, please contact the StateChair for more information.
Posted July 20th, 2002
Texas Reform Partyholds State Executive Meeting
to Determine National Committee Members
The Reform Party of Texas held aspecial Executive Committee Meeting Saturday, July 13, 2002 todiscuss the upcoming National Convention and to elect NationalCommittee Members. All three National Committee Member slots werefilled.
Posted July 20th, 2002
2002 StateConvention a Success!
The Reform Party of Texas held its2002 State Convention on June 8, 2002 in Ft. Worth, Texas.Highlights of the convention included:
Revised rules governing Party Officers, National Committee Members, and National Convention Delegates
Election of State Officers
Nomination of National Committee Members, with elections to be held by the State Executive Committee at its next meeting.
The full minutes of the Conventionare available here: 2002 Texas State ConventionMinutes
The Rules of the Texas ReformParty including revisions adopted are available here: TexasState Rules