Pro-Democracy Convention Launches Electoral Reform Campaign

Pro-Democracy Convention Launches Electoral Reform Campaign

Interview by Between the Lines' Scott Harris

It's been nine months since the flawed 2000 presidential election, where the winner, George W. Bush was chosen by a deeply divided Supreme Court and failed to win a majority of the popular vote. But it seems that the media and most politicians have all but forgotten one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history, while admonishing the nation to put the matter behind us. But not everyone has moved beyond the election.

The Center for Constitutional Rights and a coalition of 30 national and regional organizations is convening a Pro-Democracy Convention in Philadelphia June 29 through July 1. The convention will address the issues of disenfranchisement of minority voters that occurred in Florida and elsewhere and develop strategies for electoral reform including the implementation of a Voter's Bill of Rights. Co-sponsors of the event which include labor unions, civil rights organizations and groups advocating campaign finance reform, are calling for change that goes well beyond the mere upgrading of election machinery.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Ron Daniels, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, who discusses the goals of the Pro-Democracy convention (A RealAudio version of this Interview may be found At http://www.btlonline.org).