In the American Center Party’s opinion these issues receive far more attention in the election process today than is justified. This is not to minimize their importance in a free society, such as the United States. However, because they are part of the national dialogue the American Center Party does not hesitate to state its position on these issues.

Let us say at the outset the American Center Party rejects the terms pro-life and pro-choice to describe the decision on abortion. A woman’s decision to control her reproductive system by deciding to have or not have an abortion, thus ending or continuing a pregnancy, is a personal, emotional and difficult decision. Such a decision can’t be described by terms devised by Madison Avenue advertising types and political consultants to be used as sound bites or by spin control doctors. Pro-life suggests if you’re not for it you’re for death, which is absurd. No one is pro death. However, to use the term pro-choice is to suggest it’s like a flip of the coin, which it isn’t. Women deserve to be respected for what they deal with in this difficult decision and we all need to recognize its importance.

SUGGESTED POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

1. As stated earlier, the greatest gift our forefathers gave us was our freedom. Freedom to live our lives to the fullest, and freedom from an overzealous executive branch of our government and an overreaching legislative branch. That is one reason why to the American Center Party the issue isn’t abortion or gay marriage, but something far more important and fundamental. To the American Center Party, the issue is freedom, individual liberty and civil rights on the one hand and the size of government and the role of government in the most personal aspects of our individual lives on the other.
2. This is not about what’s a liberal position or what’s a conservative position because the issue is individual freedom and the right of each individual to control the most personal aspects of his/her life. In support of its’ position, the American Center Party believes a “right of privacy” exists within the United States Constitution. The 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the 5th Amendment protection against self incrimination and the 3rd Amendment prohibition against housing the militia make clear our forefathers intended to protect the most personal and private parts of our lives. The 9th and 10th Amendments previously cited give further support to a right of privacy. With the advent of technology, such as the internet and social media in particular, personal privacy becomes even more critical to our way of life. The recent harvesting of the data of 50 million Americans from Facebook is just one recent example explaining the need for privacy.
3. What is more personal or private than a woman’s right to control her reproductive system. A woman’s pregnancy is likewise the most personal and private aspect of a family’s life. However, in the final analysis it is the woman and her reproductive system, which is at issue and at stake. Because the American Center Party believes strongly in that privacy and the personal nature of it, and the fundamental belief that the federal government should be limited and stay out of the most personal aspects of our lives, the American Center Party believes a woman should be allowed to control her reproductive system without outside interference from any source, especially the government.While the American Center Party may hope that a woman won’t choose an abortion except in the most needy and serious situations, whatever the decision, it is still the woman’s and hers alone. It is understandable that those opposed to abortion bring the emotion of the fetus into the debate, but the fact is the fetus is not a living breathing human being. While the American Center Party respects the beliefs of others, that is a debate that will likely never come to a final and universal conclusion. When life begins has been debated forever and it is likely to always be the subject of debate. None of that changes the fact it is the woman’s body and she is the one with the burden to carry the fetus to full term, which is one reason why the decision about her pregnancy should be hers, as difficult as that may be for some to accept.
4. With regard to gay marriage, the United States Constitution guarantees each of us the equal protection of the laws. The Supreme Court has now confirmed the constitutionality of same sex marriage. However, even without that guarantee, what is more personal and private than a person choosing with whom they wish to have an intimate relationship and possibly spend their entire life. While most of us have grown up with the concept that marriage is between a man and a woman, nothing suggests if two men get married it will have a negative impact on that belief or our individual way of life. The same may be said if two women get married. They have made their life choice and it is their life and their business. Not mine or yours. They should be allowed to live their lives without interference from others, including the government.

In reality, the position of those who oppose both abortion and gay marriage isn’t about liberal or conservative. Indeed, an analysis of the anti-abortion position makes it clear it is a liberal position because it takes away the individual freedom of a woman on the one hand and increases the role of government in one of the most personal aspects of our lives. The same may be said for gay marriage and the entire LGBT community. While the American Center Party acknowledges the issue of abortion raises questions of morality, history has shown us you can’t legislate morality. Those decisions rest with each of us individually.

The bottom line is, those who oppose abortion and gay marriage are taking primarily religious positions, without regard to governmental philosophy. This is another reason the American Center Party takes the position it does on both abortion and gay marriage and the LGBT community. The American Center Party strongly supports the separation of church and state as fundamental to our way of life. History makes clear one of the principal reasons our forefathers came to this wonderful country and created this great republic was to get away from the Church of England and have freedom of religion, as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. We should each be free to believe what we choose and practice our religion the way we choose. No one should have the right or the ability to take that right from us and cram their religious beliefs down our throats. Many rely on the scriptures for their support. However, I would point out Exodus 35-2 states that if a person should work on the Sabbath they “shall be put to death”. Likewise, Exodus 21-7 appears to sanction the selling of a daughter into slavery. Surely, no one can rationally espouse either of these positions today. While some have tried to explain it away, the language is very clear. If there is any fundamental teaching of Christianity it is that of love and tolerance. Hopefully, all Christians and other religions today will consider that and be tolerant of those who have different beliefs and whose beliefs don’t impact the daily life of others. At a critical time in our nation’s history, Thomas Jefferson eloquently stated the importance of separation of church and state when he authored the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, which fundamental philosophy the American Center Party agrees.

SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Let us begin with the recognition that when a woman comes forth with allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment, they should be believed. That should always be the starting point if an honest effort to investigate is to go forth.

Let us also say without hesitation or doubt of any kind, that there is no place in America for either sexual abuse or sexual harassment. Indeed, such conduct is contrary to American values and unacceptable in our society, even recognizing that it has been going on for longer than any of us wish to remember. It is time to do everything we can to stop such conduct immediately, and put the offenders in their place, which is a place of shame, ignominy and censure. Such conduct simply has no place in American society, at any level, least of all in the United States Congress where our alleged leaders reside.

Let us state unequivocally that those who engage in such conduct are cowards . They have used their position of power or their physical power to prey upon those subordinate to them and less physically able than they are, to satisfy some lustful undercurrent in their lives. That does not make them right in any way and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt their total lack of character. They should be held accountable for their actions and made to pay for their conduct.

There is no better place to begin addressing this issue than the United States Congress. To learn that our elected representatives, the so-called leaders of our country, have been engaging in such conduct for years and that such conduct has led to multiple settlements, which settlements have been settled and paid for by tax payer dollars, is unconscionable and totally unacceptable. Since when do those who commit such acts have the right to be bailed out of their egregious conduct by the taxpayer. Who permitted such a scheme and why has someone not done something about it long before now. It is inexcusable and those who have hidden this from the public should be ashamed. Furthermore, to think that our elected representatives have allowed the abuser or harasser to go free, while requiring the victim to seek counseling and be gagged from talking about it, violates every right of freedom so deeply ingrained in our way of life.

Accordingly, if it has not already done so, the United States Congress should immediately establish an Office of Human Resources, which office shall be responsible for accepting and processing all complaints for sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment made against any member of Congress or their staff. Their complaints shall be prosecuted promptly and diligently until a settlement is reached that is satisfactory to all parties. Any monetary damages agreed upon or resulting from a court verdict, shall be paid for by the offending party and no tax payer dollars shall in any way be involved in such settlement. In the event no settlement is reached, the offended party shall have the right of recourse in any appropriate court of law and may pursue such case to completion. Under no circumstances shall a victim be required, as a matter of law, to be precluded from speaking publicly about the incident of which he/she has complained.