Mary Cal Hollis

Mary Cal Hollis is an American politician. She was a third-party candidate for President of the United States in the 1996 U.S. presidential election, representing the Socialist Party USA (SPUSA) with running mate Eric Chester^[1] Hollis and Chester also received the endorsement and ballot line of Vermont's Liberty Union Party, receiving 674 votes (80.1%) in their primary.^[2] Hollis appeared on the syndicated radio program Democracy Now! with two other socialist presidential candidates for a discussion and debate.^[3] The SPUSA ticket received 4,765 votes in the general election.^[4]

She returned in 2000 as the vice-presidential candidate of the SPUSA, running with David McReynolds and receiving 5,602 votes.^[5]

Ms. Hollis believes that Democratic Socialism is when a government represents the best interest of the majority of the people, not the corporations or the wealthy. Social issues should represent freedom, these are issues that should not be decided by the government (marriage, abortion, etc. should be personal decisions, not "majority rules"). Economic issues are frequently "up-down" issues, i.e., decided for the needs of the few wealthy people who give money to the government decision-makers, they are not "left-right" issues as they affect the majority of citizens, not just "liberals" or "conservatives".

Hollis lives in Colorado. She is a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

References

1. United States President Statements: Mary Cal Hollis at website of the Oregon Secretary of State.
2. Vermont legislative directory and state manual. 1997. p. 76.
3. "Relevance of Socialism in the US Today" October 28, 1996.
4. 1996 Official Presidential General Election Results at the website of the Federal Elections Commission.
5. Moore, John Leo (2003). Elections A to Z. p. 447.

External links

• Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry