McIlroy for Congress
August 9, 2009
Republican Socialist on the Ballot in California
Longtime Republican Socialist activist, Mary McIlroy, is on the ballot in a special election (by-election) in California's 10th Congressional District. She is running for the Peace and Freedom Party, California's only ballot-status socialist party. The seat became vacant when Ellen Tauscher resigned. Tauscher became an Undersecretary of State in June.
McIlroy is running on a platform of "Bail out Main Street, not Wall Street," support for single-payer health care, and an immediate end to United States presence in Iraq and Afgahnistan. She thinks it is very important that there be a "real socialist" on the ballot. "We're the socialists who favor the working class, not the "socialists" that use workers' tax money to bail out billionaires."
On health care, McIlroy said, "So-called Universal Health Care is not enough. Many working people cannot afford to buy health insurance, or the coverage isn't enough, or deductables and copays are too high. According to a recent 'New York Times' poll, 72 percent of Americans want at least a public buy-in option. Working people are tired of providing profits for the insurance industry, while getting little or nothing in return."
Long an anti-imperialist-war activist, McIlroy protested the Iraq war since before it started. She calls for the immediate withdrawal of US forces and weapons from Iraq and Afgahnistan, and withdrawal of troops and weapons from all US bases on foreign soil. She also calls for an end to proxy wars and occupations in places like Palestine and Haiti.
McIlroy said her reason for running was to have a strong socialist voice in the election, and to raise issues of concern to the working class. "This election is a unique oportuninty to have a socialist candidate on the ballot. I hope to be able to raise issues with both left and mainstream media, and in candidate forums. With the collapse of capitalism, we must be vocal in what we see as the failures of the Democrats and Republicans. We also have the chance to put forward our views as to the kind of society we'd like to see, one where everyone who is able to work has a guaranteed job at a living wage, where concern for the environment is part of our daily lives, and we stop sending young men and women off to die for the profits of greedy corporations."
For more information on McIlroy's campaign, please see her web site at: http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/mcilroy-for-congress.
Republican Socialist on the Ballot in California
Longtime Republican Socialist activist, Mary McIlroy, is on the ballot in a special election (by-election) in California's 10th Congressional District. She is running for the Peace and Freedom Party, California's only ballot-status socialist party. The seat became vacant when Ellen Tauscher resigned. Tauscher became an Undersecretary of State in June.
McIlroy is running on a platform of "Bail out Main Street, not Wall Street," support for single-payer health care, and an immediate end to United States presence in Iraq and Afgahnistan. She thinks it is very important that there be a "real socialist" on the ballot. "We're the socialists who favor the working class, not the "socialists" that use workers' tax money to bail out billionaires."
On health care, McIlroy said, "So-called Universal Health Care is not enough. Many working people cannot afford to buy health insurance, or the coverage isn't enough, or deductables and copays are too high. According to a recent 'New York Times' poll, 72 percent of Americans want at least a public buy-in option. Working people are tired of providing profits for the insurance industry, while getting little or nothing in return."
Long an anti-imperialist-war activist, McIlroy protested the Iraq war since before it started. She calls for the immediate withdrawal of US forces and weapons from Iraq and Afgahnistan, and withdrawal of troops and weapons from all US bases on foreign soil. She also calls for an end to proxy wars and occupations in places like Palestine and Haiti.
McIlroy said her reason for running was to have a strong socialist voice in the election, and to raise issues of concern to the working class. "This election is a unique oportuninty to have a socialist candidate on the ballot. I hope to be able to raise issues with both left and mainstream media, and in candidate forums. With the collapse of capitalism, we must be vocal in what we see as the failures of the Democrats and Republicans. We also have the chance to put forward our views as to the kind of society we'd like to see, one where everyone who is able to work has a guaranteed job at a living wage, where concern for the environment is part of our daily lives, and we stop sending young men and women off to die for the profits of greedy corporations."
For more information on McIlroy's campaign, please see her web site at: http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/mcilroy-for-congress.