Our Own Agenda :: Constitution

A YES! Take on What Americans Want

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by Sarah van Gelder

posted Aug 11, 2008

President Barack Obama faces huge challenges as he takes office. But he's got one asset that is rarely mentioned. Large majorities of Americans agree on some of the most important issues of the day, from health care to foreign policy. “Ten Policies for a Better America” shows an agenda a majority supports—whether we vote red, blue, or some other political color.
Hover over or click on each policy button to see the YES! Take on What Americans Want. [Buy or Print poster version below.] [Link to this agenda: image downloads to spread the word]


YES! MAGAZINE GRAPHIC, 2008. Illustrations by Brandon Laufenberg/istock Click on each policy button and scroll down to see respective poll citations.



		Fully restore habeas corpus for all people in U.S. custody. Protect our right to privacy and freedom from warrantless search and seizure. Keep the internet free of corporate and government censorship and obstruction. Protect “net neutrality.” Restore the balance of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

70%
Support restoring habeas corpus rights for detainees at Guantanamo.

58%
Believe a court warrant should be required to listen to the telephone calls of people in the U.S.

59%
Would like the next president to do more to protect civil liberties.

68%
Believe the president should not act alone to fight terrorism without the checks and balances of the courts or Congress.

Sources

Index

	Mere Justice Even before the USA-PATRIOT Act, habeas corpus—the fundamental right to demand that the state justify holding you prisoner—was under attack. Jesse Wegman explains what happened to habeas corpus, and why it matters. YES! Magazine #41, Is the U.S. Ready for Human Rights?

	Putting Citizens in Charge of Democracy Local and state governments are well ahead of the federal government on protecting access to the internet, election reform, and protecting individual rights. YES! Magazine #43, Stand Up to Corporate Power

	Maine Leads on Net Neutrality In June 2007, Maine's Legislature became the first in the nation to express strong support for preserving net neutrality. Network Neutrality means no discrimination on the Internet. YES! Magazine #43, Stand Up to Corporate Power

	The (Re)Claiming of Democracy In danger of losing their vote and voice, Americans are demanding a return to the founding principles. YES! Magazine #37, Ten Most Hopeful Trends

Purple America :: YES! Magazine Cover image, Fall 2008, Issue 47

The Speak Truth to Power project presents
The Defenders: Eddie Adams' portraits and accompanying interviews with courageous defenders of human rights.

SOURCES:

CONSTITUTION

80% SUPPORT RESTORING HABEAS CORPUS RIGHTS FOR DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO. ::
Belden Russonello & Stewart polled 800 likely presidential election voters nationally, including 279 Democrats, 275 Republicans, and 184 Independents, for the ACLU from August 21, through September 9, 2007. The margin of sampling error for the survey is ±3.5 percentage points.
www.aclu.org/pdfs/national_polling_20071004.pdf [page 2]

59% WOULD LIKE THE NEXT PRESIDENT TO DO MORE TO PROTECT CIVIL LIBERTIES. ::
ibid
www.aclu.org/pdfs/national_polling_20071004.pdf [page 4]

58% BELIEVE A COURT WARRANT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LISTEN TO THE TELEPHONE CALLS OF PEOPLE IN THE U.S. ::
ibid
www.aclu.org/pdfs/national_polling_20071004.pdf [page 2]

68% BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT ACT ALONE TO FIGHT TERRORISM WITHOUT THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF THE COURTS OR CONGRESS. ::
ibid
www.aclu.org/pdfs/national_polling_20071004.pdf [page 5]

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Sarah van Gelder wrote this article as part of Purple America, the Fall 2008 issue of YES! Magazine. Research by Noah Grant. Sarah is executive editor and Noah is editorial assistant at YES! Magazine.



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YES! Magazine encourages you to make free use of this article by taking these easy steps. Gelder, S. v. (2008, August 11). Our Own Agenda :: Constitution. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from YES! Magazine Web site: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/2908. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License