Summary Platform

By Eugene E. Ruyle

The Peace and Freedom Party of California, founded in 1967, is committed to socialism, democracy, ecology, feminism and racial equality.

We offer this summary of our immediate and long-range goals:

• Double the minimum wage, and index it to the cost of living.

• Guarantee the right of all workers to organize and to strike; forbid striker replacement.

• Socially useful jobs for all at union pay levels.

• Equal pay for equal work, and for work of comparable worth.

• A 30-hour workweek with no cut in weekly pay; longer paid vacations.

• Guaranteed dignified income for those who cannot work.

• A Universal Basic Income to alleviate poverty and homelessness.

• Tax the income and assets of the rich to meet human needs.

• International trade agreements must guarantee the protection of workers and the environment in all participating countries; abolish NAFTA, GATT and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

• End homelessness; abolish vagrancy laws; provide decent affordable housing for all.

• Social ownership and democratic control of industry, financial institutions, and natural resources.

• The United States should take the initiative toward global disarmament by eliminating nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

• Withdraw U. S. troops and weapons from other countries, and reallocate the resulting "peace dividend" for social benefit.

• Abolish the CIA, NSA, AID and other agencies for interference in other countries' internal affairs.

• Convert from a military to a peace-oriented economy, with jobs for displaced workers.

• Self-determination for all nations and peoples of the world, including Puerto Rico and all U. S. territories.

• Defend and extend liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

• End discrimination based on race, sex, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

• Restore affirmative action, guarantee full education and employment rights for all.

• Abolish the death penalty.

• No prison labor for private profit.

• Support the right of working people to keep and bear arms.

• Democratic elections through proportional representation; full political, social and economic rights for resident non-citizens.

• Honor treaties with Native American nations; recognize California's Native American nations. Defend and extend Native American rights and sovereignty.

• Provide full free quality public education through university level. Teach the history of workers' struggles and labor's creation of society's wealth and progress.

• Restore and strengthen bilingual education. Uncensored government funding for ordinary people to create and enjoy art.

• Scientific and technological research to benefit ordinary people, not the capitalists.

• Free high-quality health care for everyone, including birth control, abortion, pre-natal and childhood health care. No forced sterilizations.

• Legalize marijuana, decriminalize drug use, and make substance abuse treatment freely available.

• Give special attention to preventing epidemics of communicable diseases such as AIDS. Guarantee the rights of people living with AIDS.

• Restore and protect air, water, land and ecosystems.

• Promote conservation and develop solar and other renewable energy to replace nuclear power and fossil fuels.

• End environmental racism: no toxic dumping in anyone's back yard.

• Massive development of public transportation available free or at nominal fares.

• Outlaw clear cutting and protect remaining old-growth forests.

• Promote an environmentally sound agricultural system which meets human needs and protects farm workers' labor rights and standard of living.