Robb Smith, Executive Director
Interfaith Impact of New York State
646 State Street
Albany, NY 12203
518-463-5652
©
Copyright 2008 InterfaithIMPACT of New York State
Last updated
February 2008
For too long, the conservative right has been wrongly perceived by many to
be the voice of the religious community. Interfaith Impact of New York State
seeks to mobilize the good works of Christians, Jews, and Unitarian Universalists
to stand up for their progressive principles and speak out as the voice of
reason and compassion.
There are many public policy positions that are supported by people of good will whether they be conservative, centrist, or liberal. Interfaith Impact's Public Policy Positions encompass many of these issues which, if and when enacted or improved, would lead to a better quality of life for all the residents of New York State.
While the religious right actively lobbies on a very conservative platform at all levels of government, and many traditional religious bodies do not often go beyond the issues of social welfare, Interfaith Impact welcomes the involvement of congregations and individuals who support our progressive agenda which tackles difficult and often controversial issues.
The priority issues for IINYS are: drug law reform, death penalty repeal, protecting access to complete reproductive health care, lesbian and gay rights, campaign finance reform, support for public education, universal health care, economic security for all, and separation of church and state.
Drug
Law Reform
IINYS supports the repeal of the Rockefeller drug law, and for non-violent
felons, options for judicial discretion in sentencing and placement in treatment
programs.
Overwhelming evidence from America's courts, prisons and the public health
sectors document that the war on drugs has failed, just as the prohibition
of alcohol failed in the last century. Drugs have become a political football
with politicians using false data and scare tactics to increase the penalties
for drug offenses. The result has been courts clogged with drug cases and
prisons over crowded with the poor and minorities.
The problem of drug use in America is a complex one and must be approached
on multiple levels rather than from the simplistic war on drugs approach which
politicians have promoted and which results in ever more draconian drug laws,
more court clogging, more prisons and more ruined lives. There exists substantial
experience and expertise both in and outside of government to begin an overhaul
of this failed policy .
Drug Sentencing: Incarceration vs. Treatment
As the war on drugs continues and prison populations rise as a direct result
of it, a reassessment of our nation's priorities in fighting drug abuse is
in order. Many people now believe that the rising numbers of people incarcerated
in the U.S. for drug offenses constitute a failure on the part of our criminal
justice system, especially when so many of them are nonviolent, low-level
offenders. Stiff minimum sentencing laws have set mandated lengthy sentences
for drug offenders at both the state and the federal level. Many of these
drug offenders are parents, and many are serving more time than people convicted
of violent crimes. Even people who do not manufacture or sell drugs are subject
to incarceration for the simple offense of drug possession.
Fifty-nine percent of police chiefs now believe that drug offenders should
be treated rather than incarcerated. According to the Lindesmith Center Drug
Policy Foundation, every additional dollar invested in substance abuse treatment
saves taxpayers $7.46 in societal costs. For low-level, nonviolent drug offenders,
long prison sentences are punitive rather than rehabilitative, stigmatize
those who receive them, and leave them ill equipped to cope after release.
Drug sentencing also has a disproportionate impact on the African-American
community. According to the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, "Fifty-four
percent of blacks convicted of drug offenses receive prison sentences versus
thirty-four percent of whites convicted of the same crimes." If the goal
of the war on drugs is to rid America of the evils of drug addiction, we as
a nation must seek to lessen the detrimental effects of drugs on troubled
communities, rather than compounding them with excessive incarceration. IINYS
supports New York State legislation that reflects this goal. See http://rac.org/advocacy/issues/.
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Death Penalty Repeal
Interfaith Impact of NYS sees the death penalty as a morally reprehensible
law of our state government. The prophet Zechariah enjoins us: "See that
justice is done." It is our solemn obligation not just to promote justice,
but also to stand up and decry injustice when we witness it. As people of
conscience we cannot support a law that executes someone who may be innocent;
has not been proven to deter crime; is racially, economically, and geographically
biased; and wastes needed tax dollars.
Since capital punishment was reinstated in New York in 1995, there have been 4,725 arrests for murder. In 2003 there are six men on death row, with three being from Suffolk County. (Statistics from Capital Defender's Office, 1995?2001.) Nationwide, over 100 people on death row have been exonerated since 1973.
With the advent of DNA testing and moratoriums declared in
Illinois and Maryland, many people are questioning the efficacy of this law.
We are particularly concerned about the poor and minorities who have been
sent to death row without an opportunity to prove their innocence by DNA testing
or have been denied competent legal counsel.
In June of 2002 the New York City Council passed a resolution calling for
a statewide moratorium on executions. Moratorium resolutions also have been
passed in the cities and towns of Rochester, Buffalo, Mount Vernon, Albany,
and Greenburgh, and by many religious communities.
In America today, there are too many death penalty cases where guilt is later cast in reasonable doubt. There are too many death penalty cases where questions remain - or even arise - after the execution has occurred. And there are too many death penalty cases where the understandable desire for punishment overshadows the impartial pursuit of justice.
As a step toward abolition of the death penalty, we join
with New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty and other groups in pressing for
a moratorium on executions in New York State. Further information can be found
at www.nyadp.org or www.deathpenaltyinfo.org.
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Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender
Rights
"All human beings are created in God's image"
All human beings are entitled to a society in which there are civil, legal,
social and political rights and guarantees for education, housing, employment
and health and social services regardless of sexual orientation.
Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexuals and Transgender individuals face unique challenges in our society. Personal prejudice and institutional bias (including religious bias) create barriers to the full participation of LGBT individuals in our communities and lead to discrimination in all these aspects of their lives. Gender identity and expression remain unclarified in the law and IINYS supports the passage of legislation to amend the Human Rights law to specifically include this category for the protection of transgender individuals.
LGBT individuals and their families also face institutional barriers to health and human services. Since 1998, the NYS budget has included specific funding for an LGBT Health and Human Service initiative to provide health-related services to the LGBT community, and eliminate health disparities among this population. IINYS supports the continuation of this initiative and urges the Governor to include this in the proposed budget
We are committed to defending any individual from the discrimination
that arises from ignorance, fear, insensitivity, or hatred.
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Campaign Finance Reform
Interfaith Impact of New York State supports campaign finance reform. The
goal is to enact a "Clean Money/Clean Elections" law in New York
State, but IINYS will also support other bills which provide incremental progress.
Since 1996, Clean Money, Clean Elections reform has been enacted in Maine,
Vermont, Massachusetts and Arizona.
In a political democracy, in order to be free and full citizens, we must have "one person, one vote". But in the United States, many have come to believe that the wealthy exert far too much influence on the making of public policy. Individual citizens are in serious danger of losing the power to participate in democratic government.
Unless we reform the money-driven political process. we will find democracy slipping away, as a moneyed oligarchy increasingly takes control of the system. This will not only corrupt public policy and further widen the gap between rich and poor, but will also deny the inherent worth and dignity of the individual which all our faith traditions teach.
Because of the way our political campaigns are financed, incumbents must raise thousands of dollars a day to prepare for the next election. And the ability of incumbents to raise money makes it almost impossible for newcomers to the system to mount effective challenges. Many potential candidates never enter the fray, because they simply cannot afford to. Those who do are often beholden to those moneyed interests whose contributions have put them into office. Clean Money, Clean Elections legislation establishes a system under which candidates in New York who agree to limit campaign spending and contributions, and who collect a set amount of small contributions from voters, will receive a fixed and equal amount of public financing for their political campaigns.
Our calling as religious people is to work to create a community
in which commercial, political and religious interests are in creative balance,
so that the democratic process can extend throughout society for the betterment
of all citizens.
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Universal Health Care
As a coalition of men and women of faith, IINYS is committed to being "our
brother's keeper". Thus, we are concerned about both the spiritual and
the physical well being of all people. Bringing healing to the sick is one
of the basic human obligations, as attested to by both the Jewish and Christian
Scriptures.
In our time this mission summons us to support Universal Health Insurance as the best way to deal with our nation's medical crisis. America's existing health care covers too little, costs too much, and excludes too many. The recent increase in for-profit health care corporations is cause for concern.
The United States is the only industrial power that ignores the health needs of a large segment of its population, with predictable results. Our infant mortality rate is higher than some Third World countries. Our adult male mortality rate ranks 32nd. Over 40 million Americans - almost one in six - have no health insurance. They include the working poor and a growing number of middle-income families who lack employee health benefits. Workers who must, or want to, retire early cannot find or afford insurance to cover them until they're eligible for Medicare at age 65.
By spring of 2003, physicians' Medicare payments have been slashed by 10% during the past two years. Elderly patients who are being turned away are crowding already overextended hospital emergency rooms for their basic needs, a costly and inefficient alternative. In New York State insured patients are already paying a hidden tax -- a surcharge to defray part of this increased burden on the emergency rooms.
New York State continues to be the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the United State. IINYS advocates full funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), care and treatment for all affected communities, and comprehensive prevention programs which provide information on all aspects of risk taking behaviors and not the "abstinence-only" approach promoted by misguided spokespeople.
Over the next 22 years, New York State will receive about $1 billion a year from the tobacco settlement fund. We will advocate that these funds be used for improving health care in NYS. This money should not be diverted to other purposes.
"Heal the hurt of my people" is a Biblical mandate
which IINYS considers a summons to today's New Yorkers. We must find a way
to provide health care to all our citizens.
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Public Education
Quality integrated primary and secondary education should allow equal opportunity
for each child to develop to his or her fullest potential including provision
for those with special needs. A strong public school system (in which academic
freedom, diversity and multi-cultural educational opportunities are protected)
is fundamental to the democratic form of government and the development of
good citizenship.
While public education benefits from some measure of local supervision and sensitivity to local needs, its system of financing needs to assure that all schools are capable of providing quality education for all children. IINYS supports a transparent and fair funding formula that insures equal access to learning opportunities for all students. Schools seeking public funding, but created by and accountable to private interests, should be the subject of careful study before any experimentation or implementation. IINYS does not support charter schools nor vouchers when they take resources from the already established public schools. The limited experience with vouchers shows that, except for a very small percent, they are used to support parochial education with public tax dollars.
IINYS is an organizational endorser of the Alliance for Quality Education. This group advocates for a sound basic education for all children. In addition to a transparent and fair funding formula, AQE promotes: small class sizes; ensuring qualified teachers and administrators through effective recruitment, retention, and training; clean, safe and technologically up-to-date schools; and full funding of pre-kindergarten programs. For more detailed information go the AQE web site at www.allianceforqualityeducation.org.
IINYS also supports the efforts of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity as they attempt to get a transparent and fair funding formula for our public schools. IINYS supports the Costing Out Study CFE is doing to determine just what the cost of a sound basic education is in various parts of this state. For more information visit www.cfequity.org
State supported instruction in public and private institutions
of higher education should be given in such a way so as to protect academic
freedom, provide a diversity of programs and enrich cultural and educational
opportunities. Tuition rates and scholarship opportunities should be kept
at a level that allows access to higher education for all citizens who want
to increase their ability to participate as citizens in the state and nation
and to enhance their ability to find more gainful and more meaningful employment.
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Reproductive Rights
Interfaith Impact of New York State supports access to the full range of reproductive
health care and sexuality education. This includes access to affordable, safe,
and non-coercive contraception, and well-informed choice regarding abortion.
Abortion is a private decision between a woman and her physician and must
remain the moral choice of the woman after she considers continuing the pregnancy
and keeping the child, continuing the pregnancy and relinquishing the child
for adoption, or terminating the pregnancy safely as early as possible.
Our faith perspective views sexuality, and its ultimate goal of a healthy
and committed relationship, as a matter of religious concern. It is, therefore,
an ethical imperative that no obstacles should be placed in the path of women,
of all ages, who are sexually active and want to act responsibly regarding
pregnancy.
Research has shown that a majority of unplanned pregnancies can be avoided
if women have rapid access to emergency contraception which is an FDA-approved,
safe and effective method of preventing pregnancy when other contraception
has failed or was not used. It works before a pregnancy is established, not
afterwards. Because it must be taken within 72 hours, it is essential that
it be generally available at pharmacies which are open daily and often for
24 hours a day.
IINYS supports legislation that would allow pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception under standing orders with a physician. This will not cause an abortion and should not be confused with RU486 which will cause an abortion if used after early verification of a pregnancy. The time has come for women to have the widest possible access to a product they need. We believe it is unethical to impede this access.