American Solidarity Party

The American Solidarity Party (ASP) is a Christian democratic political party in the United States.[7][2][8] It was founded in 2011 and officially incorporated in 2016. The party has a National Committee and has numerous active state and local chapters.[6][9] The ASP is a minor third party, with no elected officials in national or state government, and one city official elected in 2019. Brian T. Carroll is the party’s nominee in the 2020 presidential election.

For the 20th-century Illinois political party, see Illinois Solidarity Party.

American Solidarity Party
AbbreviationASP
ChairpersonDr. Skylar Covich[1]
Founded2011 (2011)
IdeologyChristian democracy[2][3]
Social conservatism
Distributism[4]
Social market economy
Political positionCentre
Fiscal: Centre-left
Social: Centre-right[5]
ColorsOrange
Slogan"Common Good, Common Ground, Common Sense."[6]
Website
www.solidarity-party.org
  • Politics of United States
  • Political parties
  • Elections

The ASP encourages social development along the lines of subsidiarity and sphere sovereignty, with a stated emphasis on "the importance of strong families, local communities, and voluntary associations".[10] They also have a stated policy of defending religious freedom.[3] The American Solidarity Party favors a social market economy,[8] and seeks "widespread economic participation and ownership" through supporting small business. They also call for providing a safety net.[3][2] In order to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability, the ASP platform calls for conservation and a transition toward more renewable sources of energy, while rejecting population control measures.[8][3]

History

The ASP was founded in 2011 as the "Christian Democratic Party USA".[6] In 2012, the CDPUSA endorsed the independent candidacy of Joe Schriner for President.[11]

The name of the party was changed after the 2012 election to the "American Solidarity Party",[6] and a national committee was created for the purpose of drafting a platform and developing the party’s online presence. Kirk Morrison chaired the committee until late 2015. Dr. Stephen Beall, who drafted the original platform, became chair in 2016 and organized the party’s first online convention in July. He was succeeded by Matthew Bartko, who worked to incorporate the ASP as a legal entity and presided over the formation of numerous state chapters.

Names and symbols

The party was founded in 2011 as the Christian Democratic Party USA. Shortly after the 2012 election, the CDP USA renamed itself the American Solidarity Party.[2]

The ASP mascot is the pelican, a traditional symbol of charity.[12] The party’s political color is orange, as with other Christian Democratic political parties.

Some members of the American Solidarity Party refer to themselves as Solidarists.[13]

Ideology and influences
Members of the American Solidarity Party gathered at the Carlisle Inn of Walnut Creek, Ohio for the 2017 ASP Midwestern Regional Meeting.

The American Solidarity Party has been characterized as conservative on social issues while supporting some government intervention in economic matters.[14] The ASP's 2016 presidential nominee, Mike Maturen, has characterized the party as "centrist",[5] as has The Irish Times.[15]

Membership and leadership in the American Solidarity Party is open to people of all backgrounds, creeds, etc. The American Solidarity Party adheres to the ideology of Christian democracy,[7] which has been influenced by Catholic Social Teaching and Neo-Calvinist theology.[16][17][7] As such, the ASP looks to the Christian Democratic movements in Europe and the Americas,[18] and to American religious populists such as Martin Luther King.[19] As the name indicates, the American Solidarity Party draws its inspiration from Solidarity, founded by Lech Wałęsa in 1980. In addition, the ASP shares the socially conservative positions of the Netherlands' Anti-Revolutionary Party, founded by Dutch prime minister and Calvinist theologian Abraham Kuyper in 1879.[20]

A core principle of the American Solidarity Party is the consistent life ethic, understood as "respect for life and the dignity of all persons on all issues."[21] Like other social conservatives, the ASP opposes abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research, but it differs from many of them by rejecting capital punishment and holding to Just War principles in foreign policy. It regards economic justice as an essential aspect of respect for human life.[22]

The American Solidarity Party also calls for fair labor practices and the strengthening of labor organizations, a wider distribution of wealth and productive property, the provision of decent health care to all members of society, responsible stewardship of the environment, and policies that strengthen the family and civil society.[21]

David McPherson of First Things says that the American Solidarity Party "affirm[s] ... the full spectrum of Catholic social teaching (namely, the teachings regarding the sanctity of human life, the common good, subsidiarity, religious freedom, solidarity, etc.)," contrasting the ASP to both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, each of which recognizes only some of these items.[23] Its strongest support is in California, Ohio, and Texas, according to the Madera Tribune (of Madera, California).[18]

Political positions

The American Solidarity Party holds to the following principles[24]:

  • Sanctity of Life: Human life is sacred, from conception to natural death. We thus oppose abortion, euthanasia, and any direct and intentional attacks on innocent human life. We oppose the death penalty as an unnecessary measure to protect human life.
  • Social Justice: We affirm a special collective responsibility to the most vulnerable members of society and call for societal structures that uphold the equal value and dignity of each person, regardless of any personal characteristics. This requires efforts to address systemic and historic injustices, including long-standing racial injustice, in a way that confronts inequalities that disparage innate personal dignity.
  • Community-Oriented Society: Humans are created to live in communities, and the proper organization of our communities is necessary for the flourishing of our societies. Society consists of various institutions and communities, like families, governments, and religious groups, whose primary authority over their own affairs should be respected and defended. Higher levels of government should serve to empower and support lower levels of authority, rather than replace them.
  • Centrality of the Family: Natural marriage and the family are the central institutions of society and must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. As the family provides for the nurturing of children, it is the imperative of the state to advance the wellbeing of all families, while respecting the duty of family members to fulfill their roles freely.
  • Economic Security: The state and subsidiary organizations must act to remedy economic injustice by creating conditions for widespread ownership of property and production. Personal, cooperative, and social ownership are all valid in a just society. Workers’ rights and a family wage must be ensured, and those who cannot work should receive income adequate for full participation in society.
  • Care for the Environment: Cultivation and good stewardship ought to characterize the relationship between humanity and creation. The earth and its fruits are universally destined for the benefit of all people. Both government and civil society have a responsibility to protect natural resources, now and for future generations.
  • Peace and International Solidarity: Peace is the fruit of justice and requires solidarity among peoples and nations. Aid and trade policies must advance justice, sustainability, and human flourishing. Diplomatic and nonviolent means of resolution must be exhausted before violent means can be considered. Military action must strictly adhere to just-war principles.

Elections

2016

Presidential election
ASP ballot status in 2016
  On ballot
  Write-in
  Not on ballot

During the 2016 presidential election season, the American Solidarity Party held an online convention on July 9, 2016, which nominated Dr. Amir Azarvan of Georgia for president and Mike Maturen of Michigan for vice-president.[25][26][27][12] However, Azarvan subsequently withdrew, and in response the ticket was revised, with Maturen running for president and Juan Muñoz of Texas running for vice-president.[23][18][25][28][12]

For the 2016 election, the American Solidarity Party was listed on the ballot in Colorado.[29] It was a certified write-in option in Alabama,[30] California,[31] Georgia,[32] Iowa,[30] Kansas,[33] Kentucky,[34] Maryland,[35] Michigan,[36] Minnesota, New Hampshire,[30] New Jersey,[30] Ohio,[37] Oregon,[30][38] Pennsylvania,[30] Rhode Island,[30] Texas,[39] Vermont,[30] and Washington.[40] Maturen received 6,662 reported votes, not including states that didn't report votes for him.[41]

2017

New Jersey legislative election

For the November 2017 off-year elections, the American Solidarity Party ran a candidate for New Jersey legislature, Monica Sohler, in the 6th district. She received 821 votes.[42]

2018

Thiensville, Wisconsin Village Board election

Marianne Bovee ran for Thiensville, Wisconsin Village Board, receiving 155 votes (21.4%) in the primary election,[43] narrowly missing qualification for the general election by 5 votes.[44]

California Governor
ASP 2018 CA Gubernatorial Votes by County by Percentage

Desmond Silveira, a software engineer, was formerly national committee member of the American Solidarity Party, the campaign manager for the Maturen-Muñoz 2016 campaign, vice chair of the ASP, and director of operations for the party. In 2018, he ran for governor, receiving 4,633 votes in the election.[45][46]

California's 22nd congressional district

Brian T. Carroll ran against Devin Nunes for California's 22nd congressional district as an American Solidarity candidate, receiving 1,591 votes in the election.[47][48]

San Diego City Council, District 6
Kevin Lee Egger

Kevin Lee Egger ran for San Diego City Council District 6, receiving 1,111 votes in the election.[49]

2019

Sheboygan, Wisconsin city attorney

Charles "Chuck" Adams, who was first elected as the Sheboygan city attorney in 2015, ran for re-election on April 2, 2019 and won the election, receiving 5,198 votes. Adams became the first to be elected to public office while a member of the party.[50] However, he has since left the party, leaving them without an elected official.

2020

Presidential election
ASP ballot status in 2020
  On ballot
  Write-in
  Not on ballot

In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Brian Carroll, Joe Schriner, and Joshua Perkins announced their candidacies for the ASP nomination. Carroll was declared the winner of the nomination on September 9, 2019.[51][52]

Ohio's 15th congressional district

Shane Hoffman is running for Ohio's 15th congressional district as a write-in candidate. A librarian, Hoffman had previously worked with other central Ohio libraries on anti-hunger initiatives. Hoffman would state that the impetus for his run for Congress was a wish to end poverty and hunger by reforming the American economy along distributist lines.[53]

Presidential tickets
Election Name Experience Home state Running Mate Home state Experience Campaign
Announcement date		 Votes Ref.
2016 Mike Maturen
replacing Amir Azarvan		 Businessman
Michigan		 Juan Muñoz
replacing Mike Maturen
Texas		 Businessman
FEC Filing[54]		 6,797 (0%)
0 EV
2020
Brian Carroll		 Teacher
Independent candidate for U.S. Representative from CA-22 in 2018
California
Amar Patel
Illinois		 Former Party Chairman
Campaign: April 2, 2019
Nomination: September 9, 2019
FEC Filing[55]		 [56]

Presidential ballot access
History of American Solidarity Party ballot access by state or territory
2016[57] 2020
States & D.C. 1 (25) 4+ (8+)
Electoral votes 9 (323) 38+ (64+)
Alabama (write-in)
Alaska (write-in)
Arizona Not on ballot TBD
Arkansas Not on ballot On ballot
California (write-in) TBD
Colorado On ballot
Connecticut Not on ballot (write-in)
Delaware Not on ballot (write-in)
District of Columbia Not on ballot TBD
Florida Not on ballot TBD
Georgia (write-in) Due Aug. 14
Guam (advisory) Not on ballot TBD
Hawaii Not on ballot TBD
Idaho (write-in) Due Aug. 25
Illinois Not on ballot On ballot
Indiana Not on ballot (write-in)
Iowa (write-in)
Kansas (write-in) Due Aug. 3
Kentucky (write-in) Due Aug. 4
Louisiana Not on ballot TBD
Maine Not on ballot TBD
Maryland (write-in) Due Aug. 3
Massachusetts Not on ballot TBD
Michigan (write-in) TBD
Minnesota (write-in) Due Aug. 18
Mississippi Not on ballot TBD
Missouri Not on ballot TBD
Montana Not on ballot TBD
Nebraska (write-in) Due Aug. 3
Nevada Not on ballot Due Aug. 14
New Hampshire (write-in)
New Jersey (write-in)
New Mexico Not on ballot TBD
New York (write-in) TBD
North Carolina Not on ballot TBD
North Dakota (write-in) Due Aug. 2
Ohio (write-in) Due Aug. 5
Oklahoma Not on ballot TBD
Oregon (write-in)
Pennsylvania (write-in)
Rhode Island (write-in) Due Aug. 4
South Carolina Not on ballot TBD
South Dakota Not on ballot Due Aug. 14
Tennessee Not on ballot Due Aug. 4
Texas (write-in) TBD
Utah Not on ballot TBD
Vermont (write-in) On ballot
Virginia (write-in) Due Aug. 21
Washington (write-in) TBD
West Virginia Not on ballot TBD
Wisconsin (write-in) On ballot
Wyoming Not on ballot Due Aug. 25

Notable party members
gollark: GPU improvement has slowed with Turing, you know.
gollark: The smart choice is two RTX Titans in SLI.
gollark: Also, raytracing is too underpowered to be useful on most RTX cards.
gollark: Intel GPUs *will* exist, in about 1-2 years.
gollark: <@229624651314233346> <@!290217153293189120>

See also

References
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  3. "Platform". American Solidarity Party. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  4. "Did you know there's a third party based on Catholic teaching?". Catholic News Agency. October 12, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2020. We believe in the economic concept of distributism as taught by GK Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.
  5. "Did you know there's a third party based on Catholic teaching?". Catholic News Agency. October 12, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2018. We could best be described as "centrist" as a party...but not centrist by today's definition… Politically, we would be considered center-right on social issues and center-left on economic issues.
  6. Longenecker, Dwight (May 12, 2016). "Is It Time for a US Christian Democracy Party?". Aleteia. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  7. Black, Susannah (August 15, 2016). "Mr. Maturen Goes to Washington". Front Porch Republic. Retrieved August 16, 2016. What’s next may be hinted at by a 51 year old devout Catholic, businessman, and semi-professional magician named Mike Maturen, who recently accepted the presidential nomination of the American Solidarity Party, the only active Christian Democratic party in the nation.
  8. "Christian Democracy". American Solidarity Party. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
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  10. "An Interview with David Frost and Kirk Morrison". Christian Democracy Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  11. Wood, Elizabeth (2012). "Christian Democratic Party- USA endorses Joe Schriner for President". Joe Schriner. Retrieved August 3, 2016. Roanoke, VA –independent presidential candidate “Average” Joe Schriner was proudly endorsed by the Christian Democrats (CDP-USA).
  12. Longenecker, Dwight (August 25, 2016), "This man says America's ready for a centrist Christian party", Crux, retrieved August 26, 2016
  13. Conley, John J. (September 8, 2016). "Confessions of a Solidarist". America Magazine. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  14. Padusniak, Chase (Winter 2015), "Why You Should Vote Third Party", Intercollegiate Review, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, retrieved July 21, 2016, For the socially-conservative American who thinks government intervention has some place in the economy, the American Solidarity Party might fit.
  15. O'Brien, Breda (September 17, 2016), "US struggles to find an honest candidate for president", The Irish Times, retrieved September 21, 2016
  16. Monsma, Stephen V. (2012). Pluralism and Freedom: Faith-based Organizations in a Democractic Society. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 13. ISBN 9781442214309. This is the Christian Democratic tradition and the structural pluralist concepts that underlie it. The Roman Catholic social teaching of subsidiarity and its related concepts, as well as the parallel neo-Calvinist concept of sphere sovereignty, play major roles in structural pluralist thought.
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  41. United States third-party and independent presidential candidates, 2016#Summary
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  53. https://www.shanehoffmanusa.com/
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