June 28, 2012 — Socialist Party USA Presidential candidate Stewart Alexander condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the provisions of the President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Calling it a “corporate restructuring of the healthcare system in America,” Alexander pointed to the many inequities that are built into to the new system.  He highlighted the need for a fully socialized healthcare system that guarantees access to high quality healthcare as a human right.

“The private health insurance companies always had two ideas in mind when it came to healthcare reform – either to avoid all reforms or stick the American people with a bad reform,” Alexander stated, “Tonight, the Supreme Court upheld the bad healthcare reform that will insure the profits of private healthcare companies at the expense of American’s access to healthcare.”

“Obama’s policy was based on the original sin of allowing the pharmaceutical companies off the hook.  He then followed this up by pledging public funds to subsidize junk healthcare plans, coercing Americans into purchasing these plans and silencing the voices of single-payer healthcare advocates.  This is no reform; it is just another corporate giveaway by the Obama administration.”

Alexander pointed to the fact that an estimated 26 million people will remain outside the healthcare system and that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act still leaves millions of Americans vulnerable to bankruptcy because of medical bills.

Alexander and his running mate Alex Mendoza advocate for a single-payer healthcare system that will abolish the private health insurance companies.  They see this measure as an important first step in the direction of a fully socialized healthcare system.  The pair will challenge the Patient Protection and Affordable Care on the campaign trail, including the Swing States of Ohio, Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey  and Florida.

The Socialist Party USA is America’s voice for democratic socialism. The SP-USA supports the creation of a radical democracy where regular people have a direct voice on issues related to public budgets, how their work sites operate and in their community. We believe that things like housing, healthcare, a clean environment and a good job are human rights and should be guaranteed.

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“The impeachment of President Lugo was a coup carried out by Conservative forces in the Congress against the will of the people of Paraguay,”

Socialist Party USA Presidential Candidate Stewart Alexander condemns the removal of the democratically elected President of Paraguay Fernando Lugo. Alexander describes the removal by Congressional impeachment as an illegitimate coup. He calls upon the Paraguayan Congress to restore President Lugo and condemns US President Barack Obama for not strongly denouncing the undemocratic maneuver.

“The impeachment of President Lugo was a coup carried out by Conservative forces in the Congress against the will of the people of Paraguay,” Alexander stated. “Despite this undemocratic action and the wishes of the US government to force out a leftist leader, there will be no going back in Latin America. The people’s voice will be heard and the popular movements in the region will restore democracy through the class struggle.”

Alexander presented his own struggle to gain ballot access in the US as another example of the many limits that regular people face when they are trying to exercise their democratic rights. The Congressional Coup in Paraguay highlights the need for a socialist alternative at the polls in the US. If elected, Alexander has pledged to turn the US into “… a country that encourages the peaceful coexistence of all people through non-violent dialogue and a shared commitment to justice.”

Alexander and his running mate Alex Mendoza anticipate appearing on the ballot in more than a dozen states and will be running write-in campaigns in others. The pair will be campaigning in several swing states including Ohio, Colorado, Louisiana and Florida. They will bring a message of international solidarity and struggle to American voters.

The Socialist Party USA is America’s voice for democratic socialism. The SP-USA supports the creation of a radical democracy where regular people have a direct voice on issues related to public budgets, how their work sites operate and in their community. We believe that things like housing, healthcare, a clean environment and a good job are human rights and should be guaranteed.

June 5, 2012 – Voters in Colorado now have another choice when they select their candidate in the 2012 Presidential elections.  Socialist Party USA (SP-USA) Presidential candidate, Stewart Alexander, and Vice Presidential candidate, Alex Mendoza, have been qualified by the Colorado Board of Elections to appear on the ballot on election day, November 6, 2012.  Colorado is the first of several states that will include the Socialist Party USA candidates as a part of a national effort to gain ballot access.

The Socialist Party USA is America’s voice for democratic socialism.  The SP-USA supports the creation of a radical democracy where regular people have a direct voice on issues related to public budgets, how their work sites operate and in their community.  We believe that things like housing, healthcare, a clean environment and a good job are human rights and should be guaranteed.

“I am really happy that this campaign will provide the people of Colorado with a socialist alternative to Obama and Romney,” said Stewart Alexander.  “Socialism is an idea whose time has come.  I think that if Coloradoans take a look at our program, they will find ideas they agree with — such as full employment, environmentalism and democratic rights in our workplaces.”

Stewart Alexander is a longtime activist from Murrieta, California, who has worked with the NAACP and the Florida Consumer Action Network.  In 1988, Alexander ran for Mayor of Los Angeles, personally visiting over 14,000 residences to get the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot. In 2005, he ran on the Peace & Freedom Party ticket for California Lieutenant Governor. Alexander has been an active member of the Socialist Party USA and was elected the Party’s presidential candidate at the SP-USA National Convention in Los Angeles, on October 15, 2011.

Alejandro (Alex) Mendoza was born in Riverside, California to working-class Mexican parents. The lack of living-wage work forced the Mendoza family to return to Mexico in 1981.  Alex eventually returned to the United States, settled in Texas and joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he experienced a political awakening about the horrors of war.  He currently owns an environmentally friendly lawn care company and is active in the Socialist Party of Texas.

The Socialist Party USA anticipates appearing on about a dozen ballots across the country.  Restrictive ballot access laws prevent third parties from presenting their candidates on the ballots of every state in the country.  A combination of high signature gathering requirements and fees serve to ensure the continued dominance of the Democratic and Republican parties.  The SP-USA joins with other third parties in calling for open access to the ballot to provide Americans with real electoral choices.

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About Alexander-Mendoza 2012
On October 15, 2011, Stewart Alexander and Alejandro “Alex” Mendoza were elected by the Socialist Party USA National Convention in Los Angeles, CA to represent the party as its presidential ticket. Stewart Alexander is a working man from Murrietta, California and Alex Mendoza is a self-employed landscaper from Dallas, Texas. For more information about the Socialist Party, visit http://www.sp-usa.org. To schedule interviews or appearances with Stewart Alexander or Alex Mendoza, contact media@stewartalexanderforpresident2012.org.