Reform Party of the United States of America

The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 who said Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues--and desired a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic Parties. It is usually referred to simply as the Reform Party within the United States.

Platform

The Reform Party platform includes the following:

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• Maintaining a balanced budget, ensured by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment and changing budgeting practices, and paying down the federal debt.
• Campaign finance reform, including strict limits on campaign contributions and the outlawing of PACs
• Responsible immigration enforcement
• Opposition to free trade agreements like NAFTA, and a call for withdrawal from the WTO
• Term limits on U.S. Representatives and Senators,

A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been what are so-called 'social issues', including abortion and gay rights. Reform Party representatives had long stated beliefs that their party could bring together people from both sides of these issues, which they consider divisive, to address what they considered to be more vital concerns as expressed in their platform. The idea was to form a large coalition of moderates; but this aspect of the platform is something severely criticized by other minor party candidates who have argued that the disunity on these issues has in part led to the party's breakdown over the years.

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