Governor George W. Bush, Republican Party candidate
did respond to the letter sent to him on 4 July 1999 by saying he would explain his views on human rights at a later date. He has not responded to a second follow-up letter sent to him in July 2000. In response to a secoindHe has not done so.
Bush appears to much more limited government responsibility for human rights. Not only does he believe that the government should allow the free market to provide social and economic rights like the right to work, to fair work conditions, to health care, to social security—which he believes are not rights at all—but he also appears to believe that even in relation to civil and political rights the government bears little responsibility. With Bush in office we can expect human rights to become rather irrelevant to the administration.
Write George Bush yourself...here's his address
The Honorable George W. Bush, Jr. George Bush for President P.O. Box 1902 Austin, TX 78767-1902
Tel: 512-637-2000 E-mail: gwb@georgewbush.com
Model Letter
Dear Mr. {candidate},
As a concerned voter, I am writing to you as a candidate for our nation's highest office to enquire about your policies concerning human rights. br> Please inform me of the following:
1. Will you press the Congress to ratify human rights treaties? And if so, which ones? 2. Do you view the United States government as bound to the international legal obligations it has undertaken by ratifying international human rights treaties?
3. Will you pledge to respect and obey all decisions by international human rights bodies concerning human rights in the United States of America?
4. Will you take steps to ensure that the United States brings all of its laws in to accordance with its international human rights obligations?
5. Will you agree to take action against all other countries that violate international human rights law regardless of whether they are friendly or unfriendly, important trading partners or not?
6. Will you, if elected, publicly profess your respect for human rights and constantly speak out in defense of human rights while you are president?
7. Will you ensure that the United States ratifies the Convention on the Rights of the Child during your tenure?
These questions are vitally important for me in deciding for whom to vote in the November 2000 election, Please provide me your answers to these questions as soon as possible.
