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Tuesday November 8, 2016 — California General Election
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United States

United States of AmericaCandidate for President

Photo of Gloria Estela La Riva / Dennis J. Banks

Gloria Estela La Riva / Dennis J. Banks

Gloria Estela La Riva is a typographical worker, labor leader, community and anti-war activist.
66,101 votes (0.5%)
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My Top 3 Priorities

  • La Riva’s 10-point program begins: For the earth to live, capitalism must end. The crises of inequality, endless war, environmental destruction, and more – can only be solved by replacing capitalism with a sustainable system – socialism.
  • La Riva’s program says: A job or income, health care, free education from pre-k through university, and affordable housing should be Constitutional rights; Shut all U.S. military bases around the world, bring all U.S. armed forces home, end all U.S.
  • La Riva’s program says: End racism, police brutality and mass incarceration and free political prisoners; Honor Native treaties; Defend unions and a $15/hr minimum wage; Equal rights for women including full reproductive rights; Full equality for LGB

Experience

Experience

Profession:Gloria Estela La Riva is a typographical worker, labor leader, community and anti-war activist.
Union Printer, Various (1980–current)
Blogger, LiberationNews.org (not availa–current)
Executive Vice President, Pacific Media Workers Guild, Communications Workers of America, Local 39521 (not availa–current)
Medical Aid Coordinator, Iraq Sanctions Challenge (1998–1998)

Education

La Riva attended Brandeis University (current)

Community Activities

Executive Vice President of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, Pacific Media Workers Guild, Communications Workers of America, Local 39521 (2012–current)
National Coordinator, National Committee to Free the Cuban Five (2001–current)

Biography

La Riva was Born in Albuquerque, N.M., her father was a letter carrier, her mother an immigrant from Mexico and garment worker. La Riva attended Brandeis University where she was active in affirmative action struggles, She is a member of Peace and Freedom Party in California since 1981, and in 1994 and 1998, was the PFP's candidate for Governor. Nationally she is the 2016 Presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. La Riva is a longtime union organizer and activist, and a delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council.

Her Vice-Presidential running mate in California is Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement (AIM).

Who supports this candidate?

Who gave money to this candidate?

Contributions

More information about contributions

Source: MapLight analysis of data from the Federal Election Commission.

Political Beliefs

Political Philosophy

La Riva believes in, and fights for socialism.

Socialism is a society where political and economic power is in the hands of the working class and the oppressed. Socialism is a society where the basic needs of the population and the planet are planned for and guaranteed.

The only solution to the deepening crisis of capitalism is the socialist transformation of society. Driven by an insatiable appetite for ever greater profits regardless of social cost, capitalism is on a collision course with the people of the world and the planet itself. Imperialist war; deepening unemployment and poverty; deteriorating health care, housing and education; racism; discrimination and violence based on gender and sexual orientation; environmental destruction—all are inevitable products of the capitalist system itself.

For the great majority of people in the world, including tens of millions of workers in the United States, conditions of life and work are worsening. There is no prospect that this situation can or will be turned around under the existing system.

The idea that the capitalists’ grip on society and their increasingly repressive state can be abolished through any means other than a revolutionary overturn is an illusion. Equally unrealistic are reformist hopes for a “kinder, gentler” capitalism, or solutions based on economic decentralization or small group autonomy. Meeting the needs of the more than 6.5 billion people who inhabit the planet today is impossible without large-scale agriculture and industry and economic planning.

The fundamental problems confronting humanity today flow from the reality that most of the world’s productive wealth—the product of socialized labor and nature—is privately owned and controlled by a tiny minority. This minority decides what will be produced and what will not. Its decisions are based on making profits rather than meeting human needs.

There are really only two choices for humanity today—an increasingly destructive capitalism, or socialism.

Position Papers

Our 10-Point Program

Summary

The 10-Point Program outlines our campaigns priorities regarding a wide range of issues facing the working class.

1. For the earth to live, capitalism must end

Global warming, environmental racism polluting our neighborhoods, acidified and depleted oceans, fracking, critical drought, plastics choking the seas, nuclear weapons and waste, it is clear that capitalism and production for profit are destroying the planet and threatening all life. Using truly sustainable energy and seizing the oil and coal companies to stop fossil fuel pollution, are urgent steps needed to reverse climate change. Ultimately, only the socialist reorganization of society can assure the future of the people and the planet.

2. Make a job a Constitutional right

Tens of millions are jobless and under-employed because the capitalists control employment. A decent-paying job must be a legal, guaranteed right. The minimum wage should be raised to $20 per hour and a living income must be guaranteed for those who cannot work. 

3. Make free health care, free education & affordable housing Constitutional rights

These are essentials of life and should not be run for profit. Create a completely free and public health­care system. Make education free—cancel all student debt. Fully fund rebuilding of the infrastructure in transport, water and utility systems. Stop all foreclosures and evictions—end all mortgage interest payments to the banks.

4. Shut down all U.S. military bases around the world—bring all the troops, planes & ships home

U.S. foreign policy uses the pretext of national security to enforce the imperialist interests of the biggest banks and corporations. That is what is behind the endless wars and occupations. Use the $1 trillion military budget instead to provide for people’s needs here and around the world. Abolish nuclear weapons. Stop U.S. aid to Israel. End the U.S. blockade of Cuba. Independence for Puerto Rico.

5. Stop racist police brutality and mass incarceration

More than 2.2 million people are behind bars in the largest prison complex in the world. End mass incarceration of oppressed and all working class people --  the real crime. Fully prosecute all acts of police brutality and violence. Honor Native treaties. Free Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners.

6. Defend our unions

Support the right of all workers to have a union. Fight back against the attacks on collective bargaining. Repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. In the spirit of the Fight for 15 and low-wage worker organizing, rebuild a fighting—and striking—labor movement.

7. Equality for women and free, safe, legal abortion on demand

Stop the attack on women’s reproductive rights and defend Roe v. Wade. Women must have the fundamental right to choose & control their own bodies. Women still earn 22 percent less than men, and the gap is even more severe for Black and Latina women. Close the wage gap and end the gender division of labor.

8. Full rights for all immigrants

Abolish all anti-immigrant laws. Stop the raids and deportations. The government’s war on immigrants must end. The border wall must be dismantled.

9. Full federal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people

Fight anti-LGBTQ discrimination and violence. Full federal equality in all matters governed by civil law.

10. Seize the banks—Jail Wall Street criminals

The banks’ vast wealth came from the people’s labor and tax-dollar bailout. Capitalist banking is a form of organized crime, rewarding greed and fraud with obscene bonuses. These billionaires looted and destroyed the economy. It is time to seize their assets and use those resources in the interests of the vast majority. Power must be taken out of the hands of the super rich, and the Wall Street criminals must be held accountable.

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