Their crowdsourced legislation would address Martin Luther King's triple evils of poverty, racism, and militarism.

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, September 30, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American Union, a nonpartisan bloc of swing voters willing to vote for either Republicans or Democrats in the November election, published the final version of its package of legislative demands on September 24. Titled the Blueprint for a Better America, the legislation is a take-it-or-leave it offer for all Americans, creating an opportunity for voters to put specific policies and reforms ahead of partisan politics. To pressure Congress to pass the legislation before the midterm elections, the American Union has called for a one-day general strike on Saturday, October 15.

The 217-page legislative package was informed by national survey data and developed through a consensus-driven process. The Blueprint contains more than fifty policies under three planks; end poverty, end mass incarceration, and end the endless wars, which would address Martin Luther King Jr.’s triple evils of poverty, racism, and militarism.

The legislation would meet one of President Biden's campaign promises, the establishment of a public option for health insurance, which, along with 18 weeks of paid family leave and $1,300 monthly universal basic income, is part of the 'end poverty' plank. Mass incarceration is addressed through robust police and prison reforms, including halting the federal war on drugs. The legislation also reduces the defense budget by one-third over five years, closes some foreign military bases, and repeals decades-old authorizations for the endless wars.

The American Union is a super PAC committed to nonviolent political change. Its members make a good faith pledge to vote for the Republicans and Democrats who receive the group's endorsement, and to contribute a minimum of $5 each month. All citizens, however, are asked to join the one-day general strike and support the demand that Congress pass the Blueprint within 10 days. “Do your shopping and fill your gas tank earlier in the week,” advised Brian Winters, founder of the American Union. On Saturday, October 15, no money should be spent during the general strike, and all those able to take the day off work should do so. Stores and other businesses willing to support the legislative demands are also encouraged to close.

In addition, the general strike is marked with a national day of fasting. “This is a fast of moral pressure,” explained Winters. “It is wrong that we allow 12 million American children to go to sleep in poverty each night, wrong that we incarcerate two million of our countrymen, and wrong that our foreign policy claims so many civilian lives around the world. Congress can address all of these things by putting the Blueprint on the president’s desk.” According to the American Union website, the fast for peace is observed in the Gandhian tradition; abstaining from food for 24 hours and only drinking water. “Gandhi recommended a dinner-to-dinner fast,” Winters said.

To show public support for the American Union’s demands on October 15, people are also asked to utilize specific hashtags on Twitter - #fastforpeace to indicate participation in the day of fasting, and #VoteAU to signify a willingness to vote for the American Union endorsements in November. The group intends to monitor the Twitter accounts of the more than 1,000 members of Congress and their challengers for use of these hashtags on October 15, which would signal their support for immediate passage of the Blueprint and a desire for the American Union endorsement, with the corresponding bloc of swing votes. It has been calculated that a 3.5% bloc of voters will be able to control the balance of power in Washington, creating leverage over Congress.

As a nonpartisan group, the American Union ignores party affiliation in making endorsements. Instead, candidates are divided into two groups; incumbents and challengers. According to the endorsements page of their website, incumbents get the first chance on the American Union endorsement. “Members of the Congress have the power to pass legislation at any time,” Winters said, “and we expect it to be used by October 26. Arguments of impotence are inadmissible!” Congressional leadership has the ability to substitute the Blueprint for the text of a bill in a committee of conference, so that it would go directly to both chambers for a straight up-or-down vote. On passage, all members of Congress who supported the legislation will receive the group’s endorsement.

However, if Congress refuses to act by October 26, their major party challengers who supported the general strike and urged passage of the Blueprint will receive the endorsement. If neither the incumbent nor the challenger in a given race support ending poverty, mass incarceration, and the endless wars, the members of the American Union will vote October 16 on how endorsements should be awarded, including the possibility of random selections. “Getting a seat in Congress as the result of an arbitrary event would undercut the legitimacy of the win,” Winters said, “The American Union can demonstrate political power while firmly rejecting the lesser-of-two-evils game that Americans are tired of playing.”

Winters called for individuals and organizations who support a majority of the fifty policies to put their differences aside over any remaining points of contention. “The framers all found things to dislike in the Constitution,” he pointed out, “but they were willing to compromise because America was worth saving. 235 years later, it still is.”

Brian Winters
American Union
+1 910-978-7113
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The Blueprint for a Better America explained in 99 seconds

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