ACLU's "Safe Voting" Campaign

ACLU's stance on the direction of the next president

The American Civil Liberties Union released its "Actions for Restoring America". This includes a plan for the next president in the first day, first 100 days, and first year of the administration. ACLU describes their action plan as "actions that the new president should take in order to decisively signal a restoration of American values and a rejection of the shameful policies of the past eight years".

A brief overview of their actions include:

Day One:
Stop torture, close Guantanamo, and end extraordinary rendtions

First 100 days:

1. Warrantless spying.
2. Watch lists.
3. Freedom of Information - Ashcroft Doctrine.
4. Monitoring of activists.
5. DOJ's Civil Rights Division.
6. Real ID Act.
7. Abortion gag rule.
8. Ban all workplace discrimination against sexual minorities by the federal government and its contractors.
9. Death penalty.
10. "Faith-based initiatives."

Constitution Voter Campaign in full force

ACLU has furthered its "Constitution Voter" campaign as the presidential election is nearing. While ACLU claims to be a nonpartisan organization, the essence of their campaign aligns more closely to the Democratic party values. In its video campaign of students from the University of Mississippi, the issues the students discussed were being against warrantless spying, not allowing people to worship whatever they please, and treating people the same "no matter who they choose to love".

Voting Rights

One of the main issues ACLU focuses on is voting rights. ACLU is celebrating two court cases in Ohio that ruled in favor of allowing people the right to an absentee vote, even those who are newly registered voters. As it currently stood in Ohio, the forms for absentee voting is due 35 days out and regular voter registration is only 30 days out. This left many voters who registered by the 30 day requirement unable to be eligible for an absentee vote. According to the ACLU news release sent out yesterday, "these decisions enhance civic participation by removing unnecessary and discriminatory barriers to people's access to the ballot."

With the rise in voter registration this election cycle, mostly due to Barack Obama's extensive "Get Out the Vote" efforts, these types of rulings can make a significant impact on the election this cycle. ACLU's commitment to ensuring that voting rights are protected is a core part of its mission as a NGO.

Constitution Voter Campaign

ACLU sent out a press release on September 17th about their new campaign for voters to go into the booths on November 4th and choosing the candidate they believe will uphold the constitution.

Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU said, “The next president will have the power to piece back together our Constitution after eight years in which it has been torn apart. Whoever is elected president must act with energy and conviction to restore our lost liberties, end torture and hold accountable those who have broken the law".

The ACLU claims this Constitutional Voter campaign is a nonpartisan effort, however they have clear attacks on the current Administration and policies that McCain could be likely to continue as a Republican. ACLU gives a list of what the new administration should do in the first 100 days and also attacks the Bush administration's decisions on Guantánamo Bay.

Rights or privileges?

The ACLU has been known to take firm stances on hot issues, and two issues it sent press releases on last Friday are no different. As mentioned in the blog below, ACLU is known for its strong position on protecting rights of citizens. That being said, it is of no surprise that they had a lot to say about the FISA Amendments Act that was signed by President Bush this summer and also the new FBI guidelines to investigations.

ACLU is concerned and actively opposing the FISA Amendments Act due to their belief that it completely infringes on the rights of every American to privacy. They are against the Bush Administrations policy and belief that sometimes privacy must be taken away to ensure safety. ACLU filed a lawsuit against the FISA Acts on behalf of people who have "to engage in sensitive and sometimes privileged telephone and email communications with colleagues, clients, journalistic sources, witnesses, experts, foreign government officials and victims of human rights abuses located outside the United States."

While I do understand this stance that ACLU takes and that their ultimate goal is to protect the rights of citizens, I do believe that sometimes we forget how privileged we are to live in a country where we have so many freedoms. In light of 9/11, I believe our government must take action to protect our citizens, even if it means us forgoing some of our freedoms.

Backgrounder

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) makes up two non-profit organizations. The ACLU Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) which focuses on education and litigation. The ACLU 501 (c) (4) organization actively lobbies legislation.

The ACLU was created in 1917 by Roger Nash Baldwin to protect American's rights to the First Amendment, equal protection laws, due process, and privacy. ACLU has defended those rights espcially on behalf of minority groups or others that have been historically denied rights. These groups include, but are not limited to; Native Americans, African Americans, gays, lesbians, transgender persons, disabled persons, the poor, and women. 

ACLU is a nonpartisan NGO that actively lobbies issues that range from same sex marriage to the death penalty. ACLU's home page on its website lists twenty-one issues on which it advocates positions protecting the rights of Americans.

A hot topic on the CLU current news is arguing for protection of health care, namely birht control. ACLU is heading up a fight against a Department of Health and Human Service's potential regulation allowing individuals and institutions to deny women birth control for religious reasons. The ACLU is taking a strong stance on this issue, arguing that this violates a woman's right to health care.

The ACLU and its foundation receives support and funding from its members in the form of contributions and dues. Additionally, it receives numerous large contributions and grants from foundations and individuals such as Ford, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. In 2004, ACLU received an eight million dollar gift from Peter Lewis, the Chairman of The Progressive Foundation. A substantial amount of this large gift was used to fight against the Bush administration's policies that ACLU believes to violate civil liberties. According to ACLU's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, in 2007 it received $1, 669, 660 in pledges and contributions. This money is spent to educate, litigate, and lobby.