AMA-PAC Releases Election
Advisory
The American Muslim Alliance-PAC
(AMA-PAC) -- a civic education and leadership training organization
- has released its much anticipated candidate endorsements
for this year’s heated Midterm Election.
AMA members agreed on a measuring tool for their recommendations.
The organization adopted a ‘Civil Rights Plus’
agenda, The endorsements connect the American Muslim vote
with an overarching set of goals focused in the dubbed ‘Civil
Rights Plus Agenda’, which effectively places the restoration
of civil liberties as a priority, while also considering other
issues such as education, taxes, and social welfare reforms.
Under its affiliated Political Action Committee, the AMA actively
leads the endorsement effort within the American Muslim community
by educating voters and encouraging them to speak out on their
choices. It also adopted a decentralized policy prompting
citizens living in specific city, state or congressional districts
to choose whom to endorse.
This year, American Muslims may well play a pivotal role in
election results, as they did in the 2004 Presidential election
where they voted in the nation’s largest proportional
bloc vote (93%). A combined vote of American Muslims and coalition
partners – including many Latino groups, Progressive
Republicans and Democrats, and civil libertarians -- could
prove decisive in the election outcome.
Through voting, American Muslims communicate the interests
and concerns of the community even as they build alliances
with other groups and individuals.
“The bloc vote has proven effective not only for the
national (Presidential elections), but also for state and
local ones,” stresses AMA Chair, Dr. Agha Saeed. “It
is important to remember that bloc votes should be used to
create bridges, not islands.”
The endorsement strategy adopted by the AMA-PAC encourages
alliances at city and state levels, and can produce more public
interest outcomes that eventually affect federal level policies.
AMA second strategy is a cross-party endorsement, which enables
Muslims to work with all political parties without leaving
the mainstream.
Consequently, candidates across all political ideologies and
affiliations were endorsed. Among them: Democratic candidates
such as Barbara Lee (Oakland Congressional Candidate) and
Republican Sam Aanestad (CA State Senate) –– whose
decisive vote helped pass California’s censure against
the USA Patriot Act—, Green Candidates such as Todd
Chrieten for US Senate. -Report by Hazem Kira
To view AMA endorsements please visit www.amaweb.org
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