America First Party (2002)

Infobox_American_Political_Party
party_name =America First Party| party_
chairman = Jonathan M. Hill
senateleader= None
houseleader= None
foundation = 2002
ideology = Economic nationalism, Non-interventionism
fiscalpolicy = Right-wing
socialpolicy = Right-wing
international = None |SENseats = ImageSize = width:100 height:25PlotArea = left:0 bottom:0 top:0 right:0TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyyDateFormat = x.yPeriod = from:0 till:200TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalAlignBars = earlyColors = id:gray value:rgb(0.85,0.85,0.85) id:darkgray value:rgb(0.27,0.27,0.27) id:midgray value:rgb(0.57,0.57,0.57) id:blue value:rgb(0.07, 0.44, 0.76) id:green value:rgb(0.38, 0.73, 0.27) id:orange value:rgb(1, 0.55, 0) id:red value:rgb(0.80,0, 0)BarData = bar:WikipediasPlotData= bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:200 color:gray width:0.2in text:/100 bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:0 color:blue width:0.2in text:0| HRseats = ImageSize = width:100 height:25PlotArea = left:0 bottom:0 top:0 right:0TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyyDateFormat = x.yPeriod = from:0 till:435TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalAlignBars = earlyColors = id:gray value:rgb(0.85,0.85,0.85) id:darkgray value:rgb(0.27,0.27,0.27) id:midgray value:rgb(0.57,0.57,0.57) id:blue value:rgb(0.07, 0.44, 0.76) id:green value:rgb(0.38, 0.73, 0.27) id:orange value:rgb(1, 0.55, 0) id:red value:rgb(0.80,0, 0)BarData = bar:WikipediasPlotData= bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:435 color:gray width:0.2in text:/435 bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:0 color:blue width:0.2in text:0
colours = red,blue,white
headquarters = 1630 A 30th Street # 111 Boulder, CO 80301
website = [http://www.americafirstparty.org www.americafirstparty.org]
footnotes=The America First Party is a third party in the United States.

The party was formed in 2002 when a group of Pat Buchanan supporters left the Reform Party. The party is pro-life, opposes all gun control, seeks to end affirmative action, racial quotas, desegregation laws, and illegal and unlimited immigration. Buchanan himself has never publicly professed any affiliation with the party, however, his books are for sale on the party's website " [A] utographed... specially for the Party" [ [http://www.americafirstparty.org/store/index.php America First Party Store ] ] The AFP has attracted politicians such as former Boston mayor and Vatican ambassador Raymond Flynn. The party's web page shows recent press releases and articles on current issues which showcase the organization's positions. The AFP also publishes a 12-page newspaper which illustrates its policy positions and focuses on current problems in government.

Party composition

The party is attractive to people who believe that the federal government's role should be very limited in domestic matters, and limited in foreign affairs in the Washingtonian sense, and they hold that these positions are required by the constitution. They support enforcement of laws against illegal immigration, and on constitutional and economic grounds, they seek to end U.S. involvement with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and World Trade Organization (WTO). The America First party opposed the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, and refers to the Iraq war as unconstitutional. On constitutional grounds, the party calls for an end to all foreign aid, without exception.

The party supports transferring more resources to United States National Guard personnel to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border.

Issues

maller federal government

The party seeks to eliminate several Cabinet departments within the Executive branch of the U.S. federal government, such as the departments of Housing and Urban Development and Education. The party also seeks to eliminate all federal funding for schools, believing that federal government money has led to more federal control over schools -- control, the party believes, that should rest in the hands of local governments.

Church/State issues

The party opposes the idea that the Constitution bars expressions of religious faith in the public square. It seeks to overturn all bans on organized prayer in public places, especially in public schools, as well as bans on displays of religious icons (such as tablets of the Ten Commandments)

ize and scope of the party

Ballot access

The America First Party was formed on the ballot in the following states in December 2004:

#Florida [http://election.dos.state.fl.us/online/parties.shtml]
#Mississippi [http://www.ballot-access.org/2004/1212.html#11]

Recent candidates and conventions

The America First Party ran 11 candidates for public office in the U.S. general elections of 2002.

On 30 March 2004, America First Party candidate Jeffrey W.T. Buck was elected to the Representative Town Meeting Assembly of Framingham, Massachusetts representing the 13th Precinct--thus becoming the party's first elected official.

On October 12, 2004, the America First Party endorsed Constitution Party candidate Michael A. Peroutka for President of the United States.

The only AFP candidate that was running in the 2006 general election was Mr. Martin Scott McClellan for Brevard County School Board - District 1 in Florida. He lost with 24% of the vote, running second in a three-way race.

Candidates recently elected

#Florida: Martin Scott McClellan: Planning and Advisory Zoning Board
#Massachusetts: Jeffrey W. T. Buck: Framingham Town Meeting Member Precinct 13
#Massachusetts: Richard J. Parsons, Natick Town Meeting Member Precinct 9

ee also

*American conservatism
*Pat Buchanan
*Independent American Party
*Constitution Party
*Third parties in the U.S.
*List of political parties in the United States

References

External links

* [http://americafirstparty.org Official Website]
* [http://florida.americafirstparty.org America First Party of Florida]
* [http://massachusetts.americafirstparty.org America First Party of Massachusetts]
* [http://www.americafirstpartyofmi.org America First Party of Michigan]
* [http://mississippi.americafirstparty.org America First Party of Mississippi]
* [http://newyork.americafirstparty.org America First Party of New York]
* [http://afpohio.com America First Party of Ohio]
* [http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/America-First-Party/36512165878 America First Party via Facebook]