Date: Sun, 3 Mar 1996 20:37:59 -0800
From: iwp.ilo-AT-ix.netcom.com (CEP )
Subject: Left/Community/Labor Electoral Front in San Francisco formed


    A PRESS RELEASE WILL BE PREPARED SOMETIMES THIS WEEk

    Yesterday, Saturday 2, 1996, representatives of the Immigrant       
    Rights Movement (MDI), Peace and Freedom Party (P&FP) -- a          
    coalition, socialist party with ballot status in California --
    the Green Party -- also with ballot status in California -
    Socialist Organizer; Nicaraguans in Exile; Freedom Socialist Party;
    Left Opposition Magazine and others met to form an electoral        
    coalition to run for as many open seats in the 1996 local           
    elections as possible.

    (In the November, 1996 elections the following offices are up for   
    grabs in San Francisco: 6 seats at the Board Of Supervisors; 4      
    seats for the Board of Education and 4 seats for the College Board 


    Agreement was found around a basic anti-capitalist platform         
    stressing the needs of immigrants, people of color,oppressed        
    communities, environmental justice and labor.  A committee was
    form to  come up with a final draft in two weeks. The coalition
    agreed to explicitly state that it is organized as an electoral
    coalition independent of both the Democrats and Republicans, their
    candidates and organizations.

    A written political agreement is being circulated and discussed
    and eventually to be signed by all organizations and candidates
    that will set the responsabilities and rights of all members of
    the coalition.  Final draft of that agreement will be discussed
    in two weeks.

    An outreach committee was formed to reach out to other left, labor
    and community organizations.  There are at least 14 other           
    organizations from the Asian community, labor, Latino community and
    the gay and lesbian community that contacted the MDI expressing
    interest in discussing their integration into this coalition/front.
    The Outreach Committee will also work towards meeting African       
    American organizations.
    
    The MDI is meeting with many non-profit organizations that had      
    supported it in other campaigns (Immigrant Pride Day, Community
    and labor organizing drives, etc) -- they are about 200 -- and is
    discussing with them additional support for the electoral           
    coalition.

    Non-profits cannot officially participate in electoral campaigns    
    but their members are encouraged to form "committees of employees
    of such and such non-profit" to support the coalition.

    Timeline:1) A meeting in two weeks will decide on the final draft
    of the platform 2)Electoral, written, formal agreement will be
    discussed and signed; 3) In two weeks, organizations will proceed
    to democratically elect their candidates and 4) in a Month will be
    a public meeting called upon by the coalition to present and        
    discuss and publicly vote on the platform; 5) The Coalition will
    start gathering signatures, organizing fundraising and start
    the electoral campaign towards the November elections.

    If you, or your organization is interested to contact the           
    coalition, please send E-Mail to:  iwp.ilo-AT-ix.netcom.com and I
    will certainly fordward the information to the Outreach Committee
    to formally get in touch with you.

    Comradely,
    Carlos












 


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