Green Party U.S. Senate Candidate Says Prop 14 is a “Power Grab” by Big Business Interests

For Immediate Release
May 17, 2010
Contact: info@voteforduane.org

ANAHEIM, Calif — Duane Roberts, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate, says Prop 14 is a “power grab” by big business interests that will disenfranchise millions of Californians by limiting their choices at the polls. Roberts urges voters to reject this “unprecedented attack on democratic rights”:

“Prop 14 is power grab by a handful of California’s biggest business interests who seek to weaken the influence that millions of trade unionists, seniors, homeowners, environmentalists, and small businesspeople have in the candidate selection process under the closed primary system.

“They’re frustrated that Democratic and Republican Party politicians don’t always march in complete lockstep with key aspects of their agenda and believe this is because they are too beholden to the working and middle class constituencies that play a role in helping them win party primaries.

“The reason why big business interests are pushing for the open primary scheme is because it will dilute the strength these constituencies wield under the current system and give them much greater power in using their wealth to pick and choose the kinds of candidates they want elected.

“If Prop 14 passes, it will become more expensive for candidates to run for public office because an open primary functions like a general election, further tilting the playing field in favor of those who are independently wealthy or who raise large amounts of cash from big business interests.

“In the general election, Californians will be stuck with only two choices in all state and federal races and sometimes both will be from the same political party. Under Prop 14, they no longer have an option of casting ballots for candidates running as write-ins, Greens, or any other persuasion.

“I strongly urge voters across the political spectrum to reject this unprecedented attack on democratic rights by big business interests who are seeking to consolidate their stranglehold over elections under the guise of ‘reform.’ On Tuesday, June 8th, please vote ‘no’ on Prop 14.”

Go to www.stoptoptwo.org for more information.

www.voteforduane.org (website under construction)

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Green Party U.S. Senate Candidate Calls “Health Care Reform” Bill Another Wall Street Bailout

For Immediate Release
March 23, 2010
Contact: info@voteforduane.org

ANAHEIM, Calif — Duane Roberts, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate, condemned the “health care reform” bill passed by the House of Representatives last Sunday calling it another Wall Street bailout. As Senator, Roberts vows to repeal it and push for a single-payer system to eliminate the private health insurance industry:

“The so-called ‘health care reform’ bill rubber-stamped by Congress over the weekend is in reality nothing but a rotten scheme to bailout Wall Street billionaires who made huge investments in private health insurance companies that now face declining revenues as a result of a rapidly shrinking customer base.

“Since 2000, private health insurers have lost more than nine million customers and corrupt Democratic Party politicians have come to their rescue with this scam to prop them up by forcing millions of new people to purchase their defective, over-priced policies and subsidize their obscene profit margins with public funds.

“I’m proud to say my first act as California’s next Senator will be to repeal this latest half-trillion dollar taxpayer giveaway to Wall Street billionaires and introduce legislation in Congress that will lead to the creation of a universal, single-payer ‘Medicare-for-all’ type health care system within the United States.

“By getting rid of Wellpoint, CIGNA, Aetna, and other private health insurers, taxpayers and consumers will save hundreds of billions of dollars each year that were wasted on profiteering and inefficiency — money that could be better spent guaranteeing everybody in this country has access to the high quality health care they need.

“I believe health care to be a fundamental human right deserving of all people and not a commodity to be sold at a profit to the highest bidder; I call upon all Californians who agree with me to support my rising U.S. Senate candidacy and join my campaign to drive the private health insurance industry out of business for good.”

www.facebook.com/voteforduane

www.voteforduane.org (website under construction)

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Anaheim Community Activist Officially Files to Run for U.S. Senate

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2010
Contact: info@voteforduane.org

SANTA ANA, Calif — Duane Roberts, a longtime community organizer and activist from Anaheim, will officially file paperwork with the Orange County Registrar of Voters office today to put his name on the June primary ballot as the Green candidate for United States Senate.

Roberts, who announced his intention of challenging Barbara Boxer for her seat earlier this year in Irvine, recently completed a successful drive to collect more than enough signatures required to qualify for the nomination and avoid paying a hefty $3480 filing fee.

“I intend to mount an aggressive statewide campaign,” says Roberts. “Boxer’s support of the so-called ‘health care reform’ bill, which in reality, is yet another taxpayer bailout of Wall Street billionaires, is one of the key factors motivating me to enter this race.”

“The primary beneficiaries of the ‘health care reform’ snake oil the Democrats have peddled aren’t sick people,” adds Roberts, “but private health insurance companies, whose profits will be subsidized by a half-trillion dollars in taxpayer funds over the next decade.”

As a U.S. Senator, Roberts “vows to drive Aetna Inc., Cigna Corp., Humana Inc., UnitedHealth Group, and Wellpoint out of business. Health care is a fundamental human right deserving of all people and not a commodity to be sold at a profit to the highest bidder.”

“Enacting a single-payer ‘Medicare-for-all’ type system is one way to do this,” says Roberts. “Getting rid of private health insurance companies will save $400 billion a year in costs and guarantee everyone has access to the high quality health care they need.”

Roberts also supports the legalization of marijuana; tuition-free public university education; withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan; no war on Iran; same-sex marriage; immigrant rights; solar power; and opposes the privatization of Social Security.

www.voteforduane.org

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