November 8, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
media@dcaclu.orgWASHINGTON - Yesterday voters nationwide rejected candidates who failed
to uphold civil liberties and rejected ballot initiatives that undermine
fundamental freedoms of all Americans.
"American voters have
reinvigorated our system of checks and balances essential to stopping the abuse
of power," said Anthony D. Romero, American Civil Liberties Union Executive
Director. "Voters finally had enough of the 109th Congress that repeatedly
rubber-stamped legislation that violates our basic rights. Voters also rejected
many state ballot initiatives designed to restrict civil liberties and meddle in
our personal lives. The 110th Congress should take note - voters rejected
political scare tactics and government power grabs in favor of civil liberties
and policies that keep us safe and free."
In several congressional races
voters rejected the strategy to paint national security as a polarizing issue.
In Ohio, incumbent Senator Mike DeWine was defeated. DeWine sponsored
legislation that condoned the president's warrantless wiretapping
program.
South
Dakota rejected a proposal to ban virtually all abortions in the state, while
Oregon and California blocked measures to limit teenagers' access. The ACLU
played a leading role in the South Dakota victory.
As a non-partisan
organization, the ACLU takes no official position in any race for elected
office. Instead, ACLU activists and staff champion civil liberties issues among
all parties and candidates. For example, the ACLU has high regard for the civil
liberties record of Arizona Representative Jeff Flake, who won reelection
yesterday.
"The American people have spoken," said Caroline Fredrickson,
Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "The lame-duck session
should not be used to ram through proposals that the American people have
clearly rejected. The rule of law has been seriously compromised over the past
five years, and lawmakers must now seek to reaffirm our commitment to
fundamental freedoms."
The voters' decisive action tracks the findings of
surveys of 600 registered voters conducted in each of four states: Connecticut,
New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania, which found that voters want to see Congress
take a stronger role in providing checks and balances to the President's actions
in fighting terrorism. The surveys, conducted for the ACLU and completed in
September, also found a strong preference for candidates who oppose the p
resident's policies on the treatment of Guantánamo detainees. And the surveys
found that Americans oppose secret searches of the private records and phone
calls of Americans. Results from the poll are available at
www.aclu.org/poll.
