re public hearings on ballot access vote fraud and other issues in article apr dsd es com bob waldrop f n z fidonet org bob waldrop writes announcing announcing announcing announcing public hearings on the compliance by the united states government and the governments of the states of florida louisiana arkansas missouri west virginia north carolina indiana maryland oklahoma nevada wyoming georgia and maine with certain international agreements signed by the united states government in particular the international covenant on civil and political rights signed october and the document of the copenhagen meeting of the conference on the human dimension of the conference on security and cooperation in europe june a democracy project of celebrate liberty the libertarian national convention and political expo sept salt palace convention center marriott hotel salt lake city utah these hearings will investigate charges that the governments referenced above routinely violate the political and democratic rights of political minority parties persons interested in testifying at these hearings or in submitting written or documentary evidence should contact bob waldrop p o box salt lake city ut bob waldrop f n z fidonet org examples of possible information of interest includes evidence and testimony regarding unfair or unequal treatment of political minorities physical assaults on volunteers candidates or members of minority parties arrests of minority party petitioners candidates or members while engaged in political activity structural barriers to organizing third parties and or running for office as anything other than a democrat or republican e g signature totals required for petitions to put new parties and candidates on ballots requirements for third parties that democrats and republicans are not required to meet etc taxpayer subsidies of democratic and republican candidates that are denied or not available to third parties fraudulent or non reporting of minority party vote totals e g stating totals for democratic and republican party candidates as equal to of the vote refusals by state legislatures governors and courts to hear petitions for redress of grievances from third parties and or unfavorable rulings laws discriminating against third parties refusal to allow registration as a member of a third party when registering to vote in states where partisan voter registration is optional or required vote fraud stuffing ballot boxes losing ballots fixing elections threatening candidates ballot printing errors machine voting irregularities dishonest corrupt election officials refusal to register third party voters or allow filing by third party candidates failure to print third party registration options on official voter registration documents intimidation of third party voters and or candidates and or any other criminal acts by local county state or federal election officials exclusion of third party candidates from debate forums sponsored by public schools state colleges and universities and governments including events carried on television and radio stations owned and or subsidized by governments any other information relevant to the topic information is solicited about incidents relating to all non democratic and non republican political parties such as libertarian new alliance socialist workers party natural law party taxpayers populist consumer green american communist etc as well as independent candidates such as john anderson ross perot eugene mccarthy barry commoner etc representatives of the governments referenced above will be invited to respond to any allegations relevant sections of the document of the copenhagen meeting referenced above the participating states recognize that pluralistic democracy and the rule of law are essential for ensuring respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms they therefore welcome the commitment expressed by all participating states to the ideals of democracy and political pluralism the participating states express their conviction that full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the development of societies based on pluralistic democracy are prerequisites for progress in setting up the lasting order of peace security justice and co operation they therefore reaffirm their commitment to implement fully all provisions of the final act and of the other csce documents relating to the human dimension in order to strengthen respect for and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms to develop human contacts and to resolve issues of a related humanitarian character the participating states agree on the following they consider that the rule of law does not mean merely a formal legality which assures regularity and consistency in the achievement and enforcement of democratic order but justice based on the recognition and full acceptance of the supreme value of the human personality and guaranteed by institutions providing a framework for its fullest expression they reaffirm that democracy is an inherent element of the rule of law they recognize the importance of pluralism with regard to political organizations they confirm that they will respect each other s right freely to choose and develop in accordance with international human rights standards their political social economic and cultural systems in exercising this right they will ensure that their laws regulations practices and policies conform with their obligations under international law and are brought into harmony with the provisions of the declaration on principles and other csce commitments they solemnly declare that among those elements of justice which are essential to the full expression of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all human beings are the following a clear separation between the state and political parties in particular political parties will not be merged with the state to ensure that the will of the people serves as the basis of the authority of government the participating states will ensure that votes are counted and reported honestly with the official results made public respect the right of citizens to seek political or public office individually or as representatives of political parties or organizations without discrimination relevant sections of the international covenant of october referenced above the states parties to the present covenant recognizing that the ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his civil and political rights as well as his economic social and cultural rights considering the obligation of states under the charter of the united nations to promote universal respect for and observance of human rights and freedoms agree upon the following articles article each state party to the present covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present covenant without distinction of any kind such as race colour sex language religion political or other opinion national or social origin property birth or other status where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures each state party to the present covenant undertakes to take the necessary steps in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present covenant to adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present covenant article the states parties to the present covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present covenant article every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity without any of the distinctions mentioned in article and without unreasonable restrictions a to take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives b to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors c to have access on general terms of equality to public service in his country article all persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law in this respect the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground such as race colour sex language religion political or other opinion national or social origin property birth or other status there will be no peace without freedom think globally act locally resist much obey little question authority comments from bob waldrop are the responsibility of bob waldrop for a good time call e mail bob waldrop f n z fidonet org snail mail p o box salt lake city utah united states of america voice phone don t blame me i voted libertarian disclaimer i speak for myself except as noted copyright rich thomson uucp uunet dsd es com rthomson rich thomson internet rthomson dsd es com irc rich pext programmer david matthew deane deane binah cc brandeis edu when the words fold open it means the death of doors even casement windows sense the danger amon liner
