Resident Evil (1996 video game) and Reform Party of the United States of America: Difference between pages

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{{POV|date=December 2007}}
{{redirect|Resident Evil 1|the first film|Resident Evil (film)}}
{{Infobox_American_Political_Party |

party_name = Reform Party of the United States of America |
{{Infobox VG
party_articletitle = Reform Party (United States)|
|title = Resident Evil
party_logo = [[Image:American reform party logo.png|Reform Party logo]] |
|image=[[Image:Resident Evil 1 cover art.jpg]]
chairman = |
|developer = [[Capcom Production Studio|Capcom Production Studio 4]] <br> [[Westwood Studios]] (PC Port)
senateleader=none|
|publisher = [[Capcom]]<br>[[Virgin Interactive]] (Europe and PC version only)<br>[[Nintendo]] (Nintendo DS Version)
houseleader= none|
|designer = [[Shinji Mikami]]<br /> [[Tokuro Fujiwara]] (general producer)
foundation = [[1995]] |
|composer = [[Akari Kaida]]<br /> [[Makoto Tomozawa]]<br/> [[Masami Ueda]]
ideology = [[Populism]], [[Economic nationalism|Economic Nationalism]]|
|series= [[Resident Evil (series)|''Resident Evil'' series]]
fiscalpolicy = [[Centrism|Centrist]] |
|engine = [[Unreal Engine 2]] (Gamecube)
socialpolicy = Split between [[far right]] and [[center left]] tendencies |
|released = '''PlayStation:'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} March 22, 1996<br />{{flagicon|CAN}} {{flagicon|USA}} [[March 30]], [[1996]](Long Box)<br />{{flagicon|CAN}} {{flagicon|USA}} 1996 (Jewel Case)<br />{{flagicon|France}} {{flagicon|Germany}} {{flagicon|EU}} August 1, 1996<br />'''Personal Computer:'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} December 6, 1996<br />{{flagicon|EU}} September 17, 1997<br />{{flagicon|USA}} September 30, 1997<br />'''Saturn:'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} July 25, 1997<br />{{flagicon|USA}} August 31, 1997<br />{{flagicon|EU}} October 1, 1997<br />'''PlayStation (Director's Cut):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} September 25, 1997<br />{{flagicon|USA}} September 30, 1997<br />{{flagicon|EU}} December 10, 1997<br />'''PlayStation (Director's Cut - Dual Shock ver.):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} August 6, 1998<br />{{flagicon|USA}} September 14, 1998<br />'''PlayStation (Part of Resident Evil: 5th Anniversary Special Package~Nightmare Returns~):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} March 22, 2001<br />'''GameCube (Remake):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} March 22, 2002<br />{{flagicon|USA}} April 30, 2002<br />{{flagicon|EU}} September 13, 2002<br />'''GameCube (Remake) (Part of Resident Evil: Collector's Box):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} August 7, 2003<br />'''GameCube (Remake) (Part of Resident Evil: Double Feature):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} 2003<br />'''Nintendo DS (Deadly Silence):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} January 19, 2006<br />{{flagicon|USA}} February 7, 2006<br />{{flagicon|EU}} March 31, 2006<br>'''PlayStation Network:'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} November 22, 2006<br />'''Wii (Remake):'''<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} December 25, 2008
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|modes = [[Single-player]]
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|ratings = [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: M (Mature)<br>[[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: D (17 and up)<br>[[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]]: 15<br>BBFC: 18 (PC version)<br>[[PEGI]]: 16+
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|platforms = [[PlayStation]], [[Sega Saturn|Saturn]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[enhanced remake|remade]] for the [[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]] & [[Wii]], [[Nintendo DS|DS]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] (unofficial), [[PlayStation Network]]
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|genre = [[Survival Horror]] <br> [[Third-person shooter]] <br> [[Sci-Fi|Science Fiction]]
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|requirements = '''PC:''' [[Windows 95]], [[Pentium|Pentium 90]] [[central processing unit|CPU]], [[Graphics card|3D card]] with 4 MB [[Random access memory|RAM]], 4X [[CD-ROM]] drive, [[16-bit]] [[sound card]]
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colors = [[Red]] & [[blue]]|
headquarters = P.O. Box 1642, El Cerrito CA 94530 |
website = [http://www.reformpartyusa.org www.reformpartyusa.org] |
footnotes =
}}
}}
The '''Reform Party of the United States of America''' (abbreviated '''Reform Party USA''' or '''RPUSA''', generally known simply as the '''Reform Party''') 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 [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] and [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] Parties.


Its biggest victory came when [[Jesse Ventura]] was elected governor of Minnesota in 1998. Since then, the party has been fraught with [[infighting]].
'''''Resident Evil''''', known in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Biohazard'''''|バイオハザード|Baiohazādo}}, is a [[survival horror]] [[video game]] by [[Capcom]]. The inaugural title and first installment in the [[Resident Evil (series)|Resident Evil series]], it was originally released in 1996 for the [[Sony PlayStation]] and has subsequently been ported to the [[Sega Saturn]] and [[IBM compatible PC|PC]].


==History==
In [[2002]], a [[enhanced remake|remake]] of the game was released for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] featuring new graphics, voice acting and many significant gameplay changes. A [[Nintendo DS]] port of the original was released in early [[2006]] as ''Resident Evil: Deadly Silence''.


The Party grew out of Perot's efforts in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992 presidential election]], where—running as an independent—he became the first non-major party candidate since 1912 to have been considered viable enough to win the presidency. Perot made a splash by bringing a focus to fiscal issues such as the [[deficit|federal deficit]] and [[government debt|national debt]]; government reform issues such as [[term limits]], [[campaign finance reform]], and lobbying reform; and issues on trade. A large part of his following was grounded in the belief he was addressing vital problems largely ignored by the two major parties. On these strengths, he won two of the three presidential debates and placed second in the other, according to some polls at the time{{Fact|date=August 2008}}.
It was the first game to be dubbed a "[[survival horror]]," borrowing from the "ambient survival horror" genre coined by ''[[Alone in the Dark]]''.<ref>[http://media.www.thetigernews.com/media/storage/paper863/news/2003/10/31/Timeout/Virtual.Frights.And.Delights.Throughout.Video.Game.History-1990586.shtml] - Virtual Frights And Delights Throughout Video Game History.</ref> Accordingly, ''Game Informer'' refers to "the original ''Resident Evil''" as "one of the most important games of all time."<ref>See "Enter The Survival Horror... A ''Resident Evil'' Retrospective," ''Game Informer'' 174 (October 2007): 132.</ref> The inspiration for ''Resident Evil'' was the earlier Capcom game ''[[Sweet Home (video game)|Sweet Home]]''. Shinji Mikami was initially commissioned to make a horror game set in a haunted mansion like ''Sweet Home''.<ref name=truestory>''The True Story Behind Biohazard'', a Japanese promotional book published by Capcom</ref>


A Gallup poll showed Perot with a slim lead, but on [[July 16]] he suspended his campaign, accusing Republican operatives of threatening to sabotage his daughter's wedding, and was accused by ''[[Newsweek Magazine]]'' of being a "quitter" in a well-publicized cover-page article. After resuming his campaign on [[October 1]], Perot was dogged by the "quitter" moniker and other allegations concerning his character, to the extent that on Election Day many voters were confused as to whether or not Perot was actually still a candidate. He ended up receiving about 18.9% of the popular vote, a record level of popularity not seen in an independent candidacy since former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]] ran on the "Bull Moose" [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] ticket in 1912. He continued being politically involved after the election, formally turning his campaign organization ([[United We Stand America]]) into a lobbying group. One of his primary goals was the defeat of the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) during this period.
== Story ==
The original game opens on the evening of [[July 24]], [[1998]] in the fictional [[Raccoon City]], a midwestern town, where a number of grisly murders have taken place on the outskirts of town. Victims were attacked in their homes by a group of assailants, who left evidence of [[cannibalism]]. Local law enforcement sends in the STARS Bravo team. After contact is lost, Alpha team is sent to find Bravo team and continue the investigation. Alpha team locates the downed Bravo team helicopter, but there is no sign of survivors; only a severed hand is found. While searching the area for further clues, Alpha team is attacked by ferocious dogs, one of which kills one of the team's members, [[Joseph Frost]]. Alpha's helicopter pilot, [[Brad Vickers]], takes off and abandons the team. Pursued by the dogs who killed their colleague, Alpha team is forced to seek refuge within a nearby mansion, believed to be abandoned.


In 1995 the Republicans took control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], largely on the strength of the "[[Contract With America]]", which recognized and promised to deal with many of the issues Perot's voters had mobilized to support in 1992. However, two of the major provisions (Constitutional amendments for term limits and the balanced budgets) failed to secure the two-thirds congressional majorities required to take effect. The term limits amendment vote failed in the house on a 227-204-1 vote (288 votes were required); the balanced budget amendment passed in the House of Representatives, but failed by two votes in the senate. (Sen. Dole voted against the amendment on procedural grounds when it became apparent that it was going to fail; by voting no he could attempt to bring it up again at a later date. A second vote on the amendment in the Senate in 1997 failed by one vote in a 66-34 split.)
With the dogs roaming outside, the four remaining Alpha team members ([[Albert Wesker]], [[Chris Redfield]], [[Barry Burton]] and [[Jill Valentine]]) are trapped within. A gun shot rings out, to which the player's selected character moves to investigate. At this point, the player takes control of the character and begins to explore the mansion. One of the first discoveries is a member of Bravo team, [[Kenneth J. Sullivan]], being eaten by a [[List of Resident Evil creatures|zombie]]. The character eventually finds the mansion to be anything but abandoned, riddled with puzzles, traps, and horrors. Scattered documents and files suggest that a series of illegal experiments were being undertaken on the property by a clandestine research team, under the authority and supervision of pharmaceutical conglomerate, the [[Umbrella Corporation]]. The creatures roaming the mansion and surrounding region are the results of these experiments, which have exposed the mansion's personnel and various animals and insects to a highly contagious and mutagenic [[biological agent]] known as the [[T-Virus]] (hence the Japanese title, ''[[Biological hazard|Biohazard]]'').


Dissatisfied, the grassroots organizations that had made Perot's 1992 candidacy possible began to band together to found a third party intended to rival the Republicans and Democrats. For legal reasons, the party ended up being called the "Reform Party" ("Independent Party" was preferred, but already taken, as were several variants on the name). A drive to get the party on the ballot in all fifty states succeeded, although it ended with lawsuits in some regions over state [[ballot access]] requirements. In a few areas, minor parties became incorporated as state party organizations.
After navigating a series of tunnels, passageways and buildings, the player discovers a secret underground laboratory containing detailed records of the Umbrella Corporation's experiments. In the lab, Wesker reveals that he is a double agent working for Umbrella and releases the [[Tyrant (Resident Evil)|Tyrant]] T-002, a giant humanoid monster created through prolonged exposure to the T-Virus. Upon release, the Tyrant turns toward Wesker and (depending on the player's actions throughout the game,) either knocks him out or impales him. The player then apparently kills the Tyrant. After killing the Tyrant, a self-destruct program is triggered. After the player calls for a rescue chopper, the Tyrant bursts through the roof of the lab onto the helicopter pad and attacks. The Tyrant is finally slain when Vickers drops a rocket launcher and the player uses it to completely destroy the creature. The player escapes in the chopper and the game ends as the mansion explodes.


When the [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996 election season]] arrived, Perot at first held off from entering the contest for the Reform Party's nomination, calling for others to try for the ticket. The only person who announced such an intention was [[Richard Lamm|Dick Lamm]], former Governor of [[Colorado]]. After the [[Federal Election Commission]] indicated only Perot and not Lamm would be able to secure federal matching funds—because his 1992 campaign was as an independent—Perot entered the race. Some were upset that Perot changed his mind and in their view overshadowed Lamm's run for the party nomination. This built up to the beginning of a splinter within the movement when it was alleged certain problems in the primary process, such as many Lamm supporters not receiving ballots, and some primary voters receiving multiple ballots, were Perot's doing. The Reform Party claimed these problems stemmed from the petition process for getting the Reform Party on the ballot in all of the states, since the party claimed they used the names and addresses of petition signers as the basis of who received ballots. Primary ballots were sent by mail to designated voters. Eventually, Perot was nominated and he chose economist [[Pat Choate]] as his vice-presidential candidate.
The ending varies depending on choices made by the player. The ending plays out as described above in Chris and Jill's endings if the player saves only one or neither of their teammates.


Between 1992 and 1996, the [[Commission on Presidential Debates]] changed its rules regarding how candidates could qualify to participate in the presidential debates. As Perot had previously done very well in debates, it was a decisive blow to the campaign when the Commission ruled that he could not participate on basis of somewhat vague criteria --- such as that a candidate was required to have already been endorsed by "a substantial number of major news organizations", with "substantial" being a number to be decided by the Commission on a case-by-case basis. Perot could not have qualified for the debates in 1992 under these rules, and was able to show that various famous US Presidents would likewise have been excluded from modern debate by the Commission on Presidential Debates.
== Overview ==
Unlike subsequent ''Resident Evil'' games, the first game had a live-action opening and endings in the style of a [[Horror film|horror]] [[B-movie]]. The opening footage in Western releases was significantly re-cut to exclude much of the gore. Although Capcom had intended to include the complete and uncensored version of the intro in the later releases, only the PC, some North American and European Sega Saturn releases, and the German and French PAL PlayStation Director's Cut releases contained the original [[Full motion video|FMV]].


Despite legal action by the Perot team, and an 80% majority of Americans supporting his participation in the debates, the Commission refused to budge and Perot was reduced to making his points heard via a series of half-hour "commercials". In the end, Perot and Choate won 8% of the vote.
The [[gameplay]] environment consists of [[polygonal]] [[3D computer graphics|3D]] characters placed over [[prerendered]] bitmap backgrounds. As such, the game relies on pre-determined camera angles as opposed to a real-time camera. As a result, the game uses a "tank-like" control scheme. Instead of the player moving the character in the direction pushed on the control stick, the character instead moves forwards by pressing up, backwards by pressing down and will turn on the spot by pushing left or right directional buttons.


By 1997, factional disputes began to emerge with the departure of a small group that believed Perot had rigged the 1996 party primary to defeat Lamm. These individuals eventually established the [[American Reform Party]]. During this time, Perot himself chose to leave the party to its own devices, concentrating on lobbying efforts through [[United We Stand America]].
[[Image:RE1 screen.jpg|thumb|left|The opening scene from Chris's scenario in the original PlayStation version.]]
The player fights enemies by arming the character with a weapon. When attacking, the player remains static and can turn their character and aim their weapon level, up or down. Initially, the only weapons available to the player are a [[combat knife]] and a [[Beretta 92FS]], but later in the game, more weapons become accessible to the player such as the [[Remington 870]] and a [[Colt Python]]. Ammunition is severely limited.


===Mid-term elections of 1998===
The player must survive by fighting against the various monsters that populate the mansion. The most common enemies in the game are zombies, which are slow-moving and easy to outrun, but hard to avoid in close quarters. During later sections of the game, the player must also fight against zombie dogs (known as "[[Cerberus]]"), [[Hunter (Resident Evil)|Hunters]], [[Chimera (Resident Evil)|Chimera]]s and Web Spinners, as well as small enemies such as [[crow]]s, [[wasp]]s and [[adder]]s. The player must also fight against bosses such as a giant snake,(referred to as a "Yawn") a giant spider, the Plant 42, a giant shark, and the [[Tyrant (Resident Evil)|Tyrant]].
In 1998, the Reform Party received a boost when [[Jesse Ventura]] was elected governor of Minnesota.


According to the Women's League of Voters, Reform candidates obtained more votes nationwide in 1998 than did any other third party in America, even without those garnered by Ventura. Counting Ventura's performance, Reformers took in more votes than all other third parties in the United States ''combined'', establishing the Reform Party as America's third largest party.
Health is restored by using first-aid sprays or healing herbs. Of the two, healing herbs are more common and restore a portion of the player's health, while first-aid sprays are more scarce, but will restore the player's health completely. There are three types of healing herbs available: Green for restoring health, Blue cures poison, and Red which cannot be used by itself, but will triple the healing power of a green herb when mixed with one.


This was a particularly impressive feat when one considers that none of Perot's money, influence or organization was involved in any of the candidacies, including Ventura's. The party was operating entirely on its own resources, and had in fact run fewer candidates with less money than the next most-popular party, the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]].
The player must navigate through the mansion by picking up various keys and items which are integral to the game's progress, while solving puzzles along the way. The player has a limited capacity for carrying items and this enforces the need to carry only essential items in order to have space for new items. As such, boxes are available for the player to store any item for later use.


===Presidential election of 2000===
The player can save progress by locating a typewriter and using an ink ribbon to save gameplay data. Ink ribbons are available in a limited quantity, forcing the player to think carefully about whether they have made enough progress to justify saving the game.
{{Original research|section|date=February 2008}}
The Reform Party's presidential candidate for the [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000 election]] was due federal matching funds of $12.5 million, based on Perot's 8% showing in 1996. This made the nomination an attractive target to would-be candidates. After a bitter fight that culminated in two Reform Party conventions being held simultaneously, [[Pat Buchanan]] secured the Reform Party nomination over [[John Hagelin]]. His running mate was [[Ezola B. Foster]]. Buchanan got 449,225 votes, 0.4% of those voting, and the party lost its matching funds for 2004. In 2002, Buchanan returned to the Republican Party.


===Presidential election of 2004===
There are also various documents available which provide the solutions to certain puzzles or simply further divulge the plot.
By the October 2003 National Convention, the Reform Party had only begun rebuilding, but several former state organizations had elected to rejoin now that the interference from the Freedom Parties was gone. They increased their ranks from 24 to 30 states, and managed to retrieve ballot access for seven of them (Buchanan's poor showing in 2000 had lost ballot access for almost the entire party).


Because of organizational and financial problems in the party, it opted to support the independent campaign of [[Ralph Nader]] as the best option for an independent of any stripe that year. While the endorsement generated publicity for Nader and the Reform Party, the party was only able to provide Nader with seven ballot lines [http://www.ballot-access.org/2004/0501.html#11] down from the 49 of 51 guaranteed ballot lines the party had going into the 2000 election [http://web.archive.org/web/20020618140231/http://ballot-access.org/2000/1001.html#09].
=== Cast ===
==== Main characters ====
''Resident Evil'' has the player take control of either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. There are differences in abilities, items and supporting characters, resulting in a unique scenario for each character. Successive ''Resident Evil'' titles utilized a similar template, including a male and female lead in each release with few exceptions.


In early 2005, press releases from the Reform Party indicated that the party was in the process of rebuilding, with appeals for donations, attempts to reconstitute state party affiliates that were lost during the breakaways of such groups as the [[Independence Party of Minnesota]] and the [[America First Party (2002)|America First Party]], and the election of new party officials.
* [[Chris Redfield]] - The male protagonist. He is stronger than Jill, making him more resistant to enemy attacks. He can carry six items and starts with a knife. He needs "Small Keys" to unlock doors where Jill can simply use her lock pick. Chris's supporting character is Rebecca Chambers, who will render primarily passive assistance to the player.


===Activities of the party in 2005===
* [[Jill Valentine]] - The female protagonist. Jill's scenario is the easier of the two, as she has a higher carrying capacity and a lock pick. Jill's supporting character is Barry Burton, who will render primarily offensive assistance to the player. Despite her great capacity for holding items, she is physically weaker, and slower, than Chris.
In 2005, a dispute was occasioned. National Committee members from several states including [[Texas]], [[Michigan]], and [[Florida]] acquired the necessary number of national committee members (under party bylaws) to call for both a meeting of the National Committee and the Executive Committee. At both meetings, it was determined that a National Convention needed to be called and that it would be held in [[Tampa, FL]]. The Chairman at the time, along with National Committee members from [[Arizona]], [[California]], and [[Oklahoma]] refused to attend the National and Executive Committee meetings and rejected the legitimacy of that Convention and boycotted it as illegitimate. As a result those states held a second Convention in Arizona.


In response to a suit filed by the group that met in Tampa, leaders of the Reform Party filed a [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act|RICO]] complaint claiming the Tampa group were extremists and guilty of conspiracy. [http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/NEWS01/706270314/1002]
==== Supporting characters ====
* [[Barry Burton]] - In Chris' scenario, Barry only appears in the opening scene and disappears in the beginning, with Wesker presuming him dead. In Jill's scenario, Barry helps throughout the game. Barry often shows up whenever Jill is in need of help. Wesker threatened to kill Barry's family unless he helped him. In the original version, depending on the player's actions (such as waiting for him to replace a lost rope or seeing Enrico with him), Barry survives to help Jill at the end of the game or gets killed by one of the monsters. In the GameCube version, Barry aims his revolver at Jill, but she thwarts him and, depending on a choice made by the player, may or may not give him his gun back. According to the original ''Resident Evil'' instruction manual, Barry is very much a 'family man', and in one scenario, he presents Jill with a photograph of himself with his wife and children. He has experienced family troubles at home, which explains the stress he often exhibits throughout Jill's mission. He also utters some of the game's most infamous dialogue; he claims that Jill is the "master of unlocking," and when Jill is almost flattened by a descending ceiling from which Barry helps her escape, he claims that Jill was almost a "Jill sandwich."


===2006 party candidates===
* [[Rebecca Chambers]] - Chris meets her either when she is attending to wounded Bravo team member Richard, or when Chris first enters the mansion infirmary. Rebecca appears during portions of Chris' scenario which call for her expertise, such as mixing chemicals or playing the piano, and can heal Chris at certain points. She also becomes a playable character provided the player undertakes tasks in a specific order.
In 2006, the Reform Party ran candidates in Arizona, and was petitioning to regain ballot access in several other States where state Reform Party organizations are active. The Reform Party of Kansas nominated a slate of candidates led by Iraq War veteran Richard Ranzau. In [[Colorado]], a former assistant Environmental Protection Agency administrator and Navy veteran with credentials as a fiscal conservative, [[Eric Eidsness]], ran on the Reform Party ticket in [[Colorado's 4th congressional district]] in 2006<ref>[http://thirdpartywatch.com/page/2/ Third Party Watch]</ref> and received 11.28% of the vote, five times the winning candidate's margin of victory<ref>http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/electionresults2006G/</ref>; he later switched his affiliation to the Democratic Party<ref>[http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20071002/NEWS/71002020 Greg Campbell, "Eidsness withdraws from 4th District race", ''Greeley Tribune'', Oct. 2, 2007]</ref>. The Florida Reform Party granted use of its ballot line for Governor to [[Max Linn]] of Florida Citizens for Term Limits (a Republican-leaning organization) in the [[Florida gubernatorial election, 2006|2006 Florida gubernatorial election]]. Linn retained professional campaign staff with connections to the Perot and Ventura campaigns <ref>[http://rpfla.org Reform Party of Florida site]</ref> <ref>[http://maxlinn.com Max Linn's website]</ref>, but received only 1.9% of the vote. As of March 2007 the Reform Party had ballot access for the Presidential election in 2008 in four states (Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi) and had already started petitioning in an additional four. <ref>[http://www.ballot-access.org/2007/030107.html BallotAccess.org]</ref>

===2008 party convention===
* [[Albert Wesker]] - The STARS team's [[commanding officer]] and Alpha's team leader, Wesker makes sporadic appearances throughout gameplay. Early in the game, Wesker vanishes, leaving players to fend for themselves. In the GameCube remake, Wesker will assist Chris in combat.
The Reform Party held its 2008 National Convention in [[Dallas, Texas]], July 18-20. <ref>[http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/07/20/dallas-reform-party-meeting/ "Dallas Reform Party Meeting"], www.ballot-access.org, July 7, 2008</ref>

Most of the missing Bravo team members make minor appearances throughout the game and are often critically injured or already dead. In the ''Director's Cut'' release, the GameCube remake, and ''Deadly Silence'', Forrest appears as a zombie. In the GameCube release, Richard Aiken plays an extended role in both scenarios if the serum is delivered to him before his death. Although only Rebecca or Barry will escape with the player character, in the [[canon (fiction)|canon]] of the series, it is known that both survived the mansion incident.

== Reception ==
{{Expand-section|date=January 2007}}
The PlayStation game was a best seller in North America. The game received mixed reviews from critics. For example, [[GameSpot]] praised the game<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/ps/action/residentevil/] - ''Resident Evil'' (PlayStation) at GameSpot, March 30, 1996.</ref><ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/residentevil/] - ''Resident Evil'' (PC) at GameSpot, September 30, 1997.</ref> while [[Computer Gaming World]] gave a more mixed review for the PC version (in which the violence was unedited, [[Resident Evil (video game)#Development|see below]]) in explaining that they "tried to hate it with its graphic violence, rampant sexism, poor voice acting and use of every horror cliché however...it's actually fun."<ref>Computer Gaming World, January 1998.</ref> In total, according to Capcom's Investor Relations website, the original ''Resident Evil'' has sold 2,750,000 units.<ref>[http://ir.capcom.co.jp/english/data/million.html] - ''Resident Evil'' (Playstation) ranked at #5 in Capcom's "Platinum Titles" list.</ref>

The [[GameCube]] remake of ''Resident Evil'' has managed to sell 1,250,000 units in total.<ref>[http://ir.capcom.co.jp/english/data/million.html] - ''Resident Evil'' (GameCube) ranked at #26 in Capcom's "Platinum Titles" list.</ref> [[GameSpot]] said about the remake: "Capcom has nearly perfected its craft and created the best Resident Evil ever"<ref name="gsremake">[http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/adventure/residentevil/review.html?page=1] - ''Resident Evil'' (GameCube) at GameSpot, Apr 30, 2002.</ref> And [[IGN]] mentioned at the time that the remake was "The prettiest, most atmospheric and all-around scariest game we've ever played"<ref>[http://cube.ign.com/articles/358/358101p1.html] - ''Resident Evil'' (GameCube) at cube.ign.com, Apr 26, 2002.</ref>

== Development ==
=== English localization ===
[[Image:Chris.PNG|thumb|right|A scene from the uncut intro. Chris smokes a cigarette.]]
The original PlayStation version of ''Resident Evil'' featured several considerable changes between its original Japanese release and its English-language counterparts. The North American and European versions of the intro were heavily cut. Many of the more violent scenes from the live-action FMV were removed, as were scenes featuring Chris Redfield smoking a [[cigarette]].

These were done so to comply with [[Sony Computer Entertainment America|SCEA]]'s censorship standards. The original Japanese PlayStation version also featured two vocal themes performed by [[J-Pop]] artist [[Fumitaka Fuchigami]] that were not in any other versions of the game. The auto-aiming function was disabled and the numbers of ink ribbons found by the player were reduced. Capcom also planned to eliminate the inter-connecting item boxes for the North American version and this was actually implemented in review copies of the game, but was eliminated due to negative feedback from play testers and game reviewers.<ref name=truestory>''The True Story Behind Biohazard'', a Japanese promotional book published by Capcom</ref> This feature was brought back in the GameCube version as an unlockable difficulty setting known as "Real Survival."

Japanese voice acting for the game was recorded, but ultimately unused.<ref name=completedisc>''Biohazard: Complete Disc'', bundled with ''Biohazard: Director's Cut - Dual Shock ver.</ref><ref>''Biohazard Symphony Op. 91'', Disc 2 Track 7</ref> The released Japanese version uses English voice acting with Japanese subtitles, as does every ''Biohazard'' sequel released in Japan.

=== Director's Cut ===
An updated version of ''Resident Evil'' for the PlayStation, titled ''Resident Evil: Director's Cut'', was released in September 1997, 18 months after the original release. ''Director's Cut'' was produced to compensate for the delay of the sequel, ''[[Resident Evil 2]]'', and was originally bundled with a playable demo of that game.

The main addition is the inclusion of an 'Advanced' mode featuring new camera angles, different item and enemy placement, a more powerful handgun and new default outfits for Chris, Jill, and Rebecca. The original game is included, with a new "Beginner" setting where the amount of ammunition available is doubled. One of the new features in the Director's Cut, a zombified version of Bravo Team member Forest Speyer, was later kept in all later re-releases and in the GameCube remake.

A second release of ''Director's Cut'', known as the ''Dual Shock Version'', was released in Japan and North America. The ''Dual Shock Version'' featured support for the [[Dual Shock]] controller's analog controls and vibration functions, as well as a new symphonic soundtrack by [[Mamoru Samuragouchi]], replacing the original soundtrack by [[Makoto Tomozawa]], [[Akari Kaida]], and [[Masami Ueda]]. The Japanese version of the ''Dual Shock Version'' came packaged with a bonus disc that contained downloadable save data and footage of the Japanese dubbed version of ''Resident Evil'' and gameplay footage of ''Resident Evil 1.5'' (the canceled version of ''Resident Evil 2'').

The North American and European releases of ''Director's Cut'' were marketed as featuring the original, uncensored footage as seen in the Japanese releases. However, the FMV sequences were unchanged from the previous western releases and were still censored. Capcom claimed the omission was the result of a localization mistake made by the developers and offered the uncensored intro as a free download from their website as an appeasement. The French and German PAL versions of ''Director's Cut'' feature the uncensored FMVs, in colored versions.

PlayStation 3 users can purchase and download ''Resident Evil: Director's Cut'' for play on the PSP. As of April 2007, the game is only available in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan stores.<ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=70251] - Sony Announces downloadable PS1 Games for PSP</ref>

=== Ports to other platforms ===
Ports of the original ''Resident Evil'' were produced for the [[Sega Saturn]] and [[Personal computer|PC]], each version containing platform-specific exclusive content.

The Sega Saturn version added an unlockable Battle Game [[minigame]] in which the player must traverse through a series of rooms from the main game and eliminate all enemies within them with the weapons selected by the player. This minigame features two exclusive enemies not in the main game: a zombie version of Wesker and a gold-colored Tyrant. The player's performance is graded at the end of the minigame. The Saturn version also features exclusive enemy monsters, such as a re-skinned breed of Hunters known as Ticks and a second Tyrant prior to the game's final battle. Exclusive outfits for Jill and Chris were added as well.

The PC version features the uncensored footage from the Japanese version, but the opening intro is now in full color rather than black and white (with the exception of the Australian version, which used the censored version). Support for 3D accelerators was added as well, allowing for much sharper graphics. Two new unlockable weapons are added, a [[MAC-10]] for Jill and an [[FN Minimi]] for Chris. New unlockable outfits for Chris and Jill are added as well.

A [[Game Boy Color]] version of ''Resident Evil'' was planned,<ref>[http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/132/132032p1.html Resident Evil (GBC) preview], [[IGN]]</ref> but cancelled by Capcom, citing that the port was of poor quality.<ref>[http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/076/076891p1.html Resident Evil Passes On], [[IGN]]</ref>

=== GameCube remake ===
[[Image:REmake screen.jpg|thumb|right|The opening scene from the GameCube version.]]
In [[2002]], the original ''Resident Evil'' was [[enhanced remake|remade]] for the [[Nintendo GameCube]]. This was part of an exclusivity agreement between [[Capcom]] and [[Nintendo]] that spanned three new games. The title includes a variety of new gameplay elements, environments, and story details as well as state of the art visuals. [[Shinji Mikami]] has stated that the remake is "70% different from the original."<ref name="gsremake" />

The game is notable for its nearly photo-realistic environments, all of which are pre-rendered. The remake features all-new [[computer graphics|graphics]] and sound, and also incorporates [[gameplay]] elements from the later installments such as the use of [[body language]] and the 180-degree turn, introduced a new running style which was also used in ''Resident Evil Zero'', and several new areas and rooms were also added to the game. The overall plot remains largely unchanged. The original live-action [[full motion video|FMV]] segments were redone in [[computer graphics|CG]], with the [[voice acting]] done by a different cast. The script was rewritten to have a more serious tone and improved translation, as opposed to the cheesy B-movie dialogue and "[[Engrish]]" script of the original. Gameplay mechanics are largely the same although most of the puzzles have been changed and the player can equip a defensive weapon that can be used when seized by an enemy.

Additionally, the remake features many unlockable game modes, secrets, and various endings not found in the original. It also restores the George Trevor [[subplot]], and splices other main characters of the ''Resident Evil'' plot, such as William Birkin and Alexia Ashford into the game's backstory.

The GameCube version of ''Resident Evil'' sold over 1.25 million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ir.capcom.co.jp/english/data/million.html|title=CAPCOM Platinum Titles}}</ref>

=== ''Deadly Silence'' ===
[[Image:BioDS.PNG|frame|right|''Resident Evil: Deadly Silence'']]
An enhanced [[Nintendo DS]] port of the original ''Resident Evil'', titled ''Resident Evil: Deadly Silence'' was made to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the series. ''Deadly Silence'' includes a "Classic Mode," the original game with minimal enhancements and touch-screen support, as well as a "Rebirth Mode" containing a greater amount of enemies and a series of new puzzles that make use of the hardware's unique features.

The game makes use of the dual screen display with the top screen used to display the map, along with the player's remaining ammunition and health (determined by the color of the background); while the bottom screen displays the main gameplay, and can be switched to show the player's inventory. The graphics were mildly enhanced, and the game also include updated play mechanics; the 180-degree turn introduced in ''[[Resident Evil 3]]'', along with the knife button, and tactical reload from ''Resident Evil 4''. The updated controls are applicable to both Classic and Rebirth modes. Dialog and loading screens can be skipped. The live-action footage was still censored, even in the game's Japanese release, however the scene showing Kenneth's decapitated head was kept.

In "Rebirth," new puzzles are added which make use of the system's touch-screen to solve them. "Knife Battle" sequences, viewed from a first-person perspective, are also added in which the player must fend off incoming enemies by swinging the knife via the stylus. One particular puzzle requires the player to resuscitate an injured comrade by blowing into the built-in microphone. The player can also shake off enemies by using the touch screen and performing a melee attack.
The game also includes wireless [[Local Area Network]] support for up to four players with two different multiplayer game modes. The first is a cooperative mode in which each player must help each other solve puzzles and escape the mansion together. The other is a competitive mode in which the objective is to get the highest score out of all the players by destroying the most monsters, with the tougher monsters being worth more points. There are three playable multiplayer stages and nine playable characters.

=== Wii version ===
[[IGN]] reported that Japanese video game magazine [[Famitsu]] has revealed that the Gamecube version of ''Resident Evil'' is being ported to the [[Wii]] for a release on December 25, 2008. As with the Japan-only port of ''[[Resident Evil Zero]]'', the game will see minimal changes in its move over to the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/912/912984p1.html|title=Resident Evil Set for Wii}}</ref>

== Notes ==
* The idea of using zombies as enemies came from [[George A. Romero]]'s ''[[Living Dead]]'' movie series. Earlier ideas for the game proposed [[paranormal]] enemies instead of living creatures.<ref name=truestory>''The True Story Behind Biohazard'', a Japanese promotional book published by Capcom</ref>

* Barry's line, "Here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the master of unlocking, take it with you." was named the worst game line ever in the January 2002 issue of ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''. A document that can be found about Jill in ''[[Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles]]'', states how she earned the "awkward nickname" of "The Master of Unlocking".

== Novelization ==
{{Infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name = The Umbrella Conspiracy
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Novel1 lg.jpg|200px|''Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy'']] --><!-- First edition cover preferred -->
| image_caption = First edition cover {{deletable image-caption}}
| author = [[S.D. Perry|S. D. Perry]]
| cover_artist =
| country = [[United States]]
| language = [[English language|English]]
| series = [[Resident Evil (series)|Resident Evil]]
| subject =
| genre = [[Horror fiction|Horror]]
| publisher = [[Pocket Books]]
| release_date = October 1, 1998
| media_type = Print ([[Paperback]])
| pages = 304 pp
| isbn = ISBN 0-671-02439-6
| preceded_by = [[Resident Evil 0#Novelization|Zero Hour]]<!-- Preceding novel in series -->
| followed_by = [[Resident Evil: Caliban Cove|Caliban Cove]]<!-- Following novel in series -->
}}


==Presidential tickets==
A [[novelization]] of the game titled ''Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy'', was written by [[author]] [[S.D. Perry]] as the first [[book]] in her series of [[Resident Evil (series)|''Resident Evil'' novels]]. The novel combines [[Jill Valentine|Jill]]'s and [[Chris Redfield|Chris]] scenarios into one narrative and features all five of the main characters (including [[Barry Burton|Barry]] and [[Rebecca Chambers|Rebecca]]).
* 1996 – [[Ross Perot]] and [[Pat Choate]] (lost)
* 2000 – [[Pat Buchanan]] and [[Ezola B. Foster]] (lost)
* 2004 – [[Ralph Nader]] and [[Peter Miguel Camejo]] (lost)
* 2008 – [[Ted Weill]] and [[Frank McEnulty]]
* 2008 - [[John McCain]] and [[Sarah Palin]] (Reform Party - USA Action Group faction) <ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i-Iwfzc6gdcE66IT9tdvqIl8j6lQD93OIPSO0 Reform Party endorses McCain]</ref>


==Platform==
The book also takes liberty with the original source materials; the most notable difference being the inclusion of an original character named Trent, an insider from [[Umbrella Corporation|Umbrella]] who provides Jill with information about the [[Spencer Mansion|mansion]] prior to the events of the mansion incident. Since the book was written a few years before the Nintendo GameCube remake, the novelization omits the presence of [[Lisa Trevor]] in the mansion. However, the book does allude to the original version of George Trevor's Journal from '''The True Story Behind Biohazard''', as well as the short story it contained '''Biohazard: The Beginning''', which involved the disappearance of Chris Redfield's friend, Billy Rabbitson. Another notable difference in the novels is moving the location of Raccoon City from the Midwest to Pennsylvania, apparently about an hour's drive from New York.
The Reform Party platform includes the following:
*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 the [[Political action committee]]
*Enforcement of existing [[immigration]] laws
*Opposition to [[free trade]] agreements like the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] and CAFTA, and a call for withdrawal from the [[World Trade Organization]].
*[[Term limits]] on [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representatives]] and [[United States Senate|Senators]].
*Direct election of the United States President by popular vote.
A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been what are termed [[social conservatism|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; that intention was overridden in 2001 by the Buchanan takeover which rewrote the RPUSA Constitution to specifically include platform planks opposed to any form of abortion. The Buchananists, in turn, were overridden by the 2002 Convention which specifically reverted the Constitution to its 1996 version and the party's original stated goals.


== References ==
==See also==
*[[List of political parties in the United States]]
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
*[[Third party (United States)]]
{{reflist}}
*[[Ballot access]]
*[[Write-in candidate]]
*[[Absentee ballot]]
*[[Reform Party of Michigan]]


== External links ==
==External links==
* [http://www.residentevilcenter.net/ Resident Evil Center (Fan-Site)]
*[http://www.reformpartyusa.org/ Reform Party homepage]
* [http://www.capcom.co.jp/bio/ ''biohazard'' official GameCube version website (Japanese)]
*[http://www.rpusa.org/ Reform Party of the United States of America homepage]
* [http://reformpa.web.aplus.net/ Reform Party National Committee official homepage]
* [http://www.capcom-europe.com/residentevil/remake/ ''Resident Evil'' official European GameCube version website]
* [http://www.capcom.co.jp/ds_bio/ ''BIOHAZARD: Deadly Silence'' official website (Japanese)]
* [http://www.gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=5464 GamesAreFun article containing first set of screenshots from ''Famitsu'']
* [http://www.jeux-france.com/news12605_resident-evil-ds-scanne.html Jeux France article about ''BIOHAZARD: Deadly Silence'' containing second set screenshots from ''Famitsu'' (French)].
* ''[http://www.segasaturn.co.uk/games/pal/R/residentevil/ Resident Evil]'' at [http://www.segasaturn.co.uk SegaSaturn.co.uk]
* ''[http://residentevil.wikia.com Resident Evil]'' at [[Wikia]]


==References==
{{-}}
<references />


{{USParty}}
{{Resident Evil series}}


<!--Categories-->
[[Category:1996 video games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Game Boy Color games]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1995]]
[[Category:Horror video games]]
[[Category:Political parties in the United States|Reform]]
[[Category:Mobile phone games]]
[[Category:Lists of political parties]]
[[Category:Nintendo DS games]]
[[Category:PlayStation games]]
[[Category:Resident Evil games]]
[[Category:Sega Saturn games]]
[[Category:Video game remakes]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Windows games]]


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Revision as of 01:30, 13 October 2008

Reform Party of the United States of America
Founded1995
HeadquartersP.O. Box 1642, El Cerrito CA 94530
IdeologyPopulism, Economic Nationalism
International affiliationnone
ColorsRed & blue
Website
www.reformpartyusa.org

The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA, generally known simply as the Reform Party) 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.

Its biggest victory came when Jesse Ventura was elected governor of Minnesota in 1998. Since then, the party has been fraught with infighting.

History

The Party grew out of Perot's efforts in the 1992 presidential election, where—running as an independent—he became the first non-major party candidate since 1912 to have been considered viable enough to win the presidency. Perot made a splash by bringing a focus to fiscal issues such as the federal deficit and national debt; government reform issues such as term limits, campaign finance reform, and lobbying reform; and issues on trade. A large part of his following was grounded in the belief he was addressing vital problems largely ignored by the two major parties. On these strengths, he won two of the three presidential debates and placed second in the other, according to some polls at the time[citation needed].

A Gallup poll showed Perot with a slim lead, but on July 16 he suspended his campaign, accusing Republican operatives of threatening to sabotage his daughter's wedding, and was accused by Newsweek Magazine of being a "quitter" in a well-publicized cover-page article. After resuming his campaign on October 1, Perot was dogged by the "quitter" moniker and other allegations concerning his character, to the extent that on Election Day many voters were confused as to whether or not Perot was actually still a candidate. He ended up receiving about 18.9% of the popular vote, a record level of popularity not seen in an independent candidacy since former President Theodore Roosevelt ran on the "Bull Moose" Progressive ticket in 1912. He continued being politically involved after the election, formally turning his campaign organization (United We Stand America) into a lobbying group. One of his primary goals was the defeat of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during this period.

In 1995 the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, largely on the strength of the "Contract With America", which recognized and promised to deal with many of the issues Perot's voters had mobilized to support in 1992. However, two of the major provisions (Constitutional amendments for term limits and the balanced budgets) failed to secure the two-thirds congressional majorities required to take effect. The term limits amendment vote failed in the house on a 227-204-1 vote (288 votes were required); the balanced budget amendment passed in the House of Representatives, but failed by two votes in the senate. (Sen. Dole voted against the amendment on procedural grounds when it became apparent that it was going to fail; by voting no he could attempt to bring it up again at a later date. A second vote on the amendment in the Senate in 1997 failed by one vote in a 66-34 split.)

Dissatisfied, the grassroots organizations that had made Perot's 1992 candidacy possible began to band together to found a third party intended to rival the Republicans and Democrats. For legal reasons, the party ended up being called the "Reform Party" ("Independent Party" was preferred, but already taken, as were several variants on the name). A drive to get the party on the ballot in all fifty states succeeded, although it ended with lawsuits in some regions over state ballot access requirements. In a few areas, minor parties became incorporated as state party organizations.

When the 1996 election season arrived, Perot at first held off from entering the contest for the Reform Party's nomination, calling for others to try for the ticket. The only person who announced such an intention was Dick Lamm, former Governor of Colorado. After the Federal Election Commission indicated only Perot and not Lamm would be able to secure federal matching funds—because his 1992 campaign was as an independent—Perot entered the race. Some were upset that Perot changed his mind and in their view overshadowed Lamm's run for the party nomination. This built up to the beginning of a splinter within the movement when it was alleged certain problems in the primary process, such as many Lamm supporters not receiving ballots, and some primary voters receiving multiple ballots, were Perot's doing. The Reform Party claimed these problems stemmed from the petition process for getting the Reform Party on the ballot in all of the states, since the party claimed they used the names and addresses of petition signers as the basis of who received ballots. Primary ballots were sent by mail to designated voters. Eventually, Perot was nominated and he chose economist Pat Choate as his vice-presidential candidate.

Between 1992 and 1996, the Commission on Presidential Debates changed its rules regarding how candidates could qualify to participate in the presidential debates. As Perot had previously done very well in debates, it was a decisive blow to the campaign when the Commission ruled that he could not participate on basis of somewhat vague criteria --- such as that a candidate was required to have already been endorsed by "a substantial number of major news organizations", with "substantial" being a number to be decided by the Commission on a case-by-case basis. Perot could not have qualified for the debates in 1992 under these rules, and was able to show that various famous US Presidents would likewise have been excluded from modern debate by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Despite legal action by the Perot team, and an 80% majority of Americans supporting his participation in the debates, the Commission refused to budge and Perot was reduced to making his points heard via a series of half-hour "commercials". In the end, Perot and Choate won 8% of the vote.

By 1997, factional disputes began to emerge with the departure of a small group that believed Perot had rigged the 1996 party primary to defeat Lamm. These individuals eventually established the American Reform Party. During this time, Perot himself chose to leave the party to its own devices, concentrating on lobbying efforts through United We Stand America.

Mid-term elections of 1998

In 1998, the Reform Party received a boost when Jesse Ventura was elected governor of Minnesota.

According to the Women's League of Voters, Reform candidates obtained more votes nationwide in 1998 than did any other third party in America, even without those garnered by Ventura. Counting Ventura's performance, Reformers took in more votes than all other third parties in the United States combined, establishing the Reform Party as America's third largest party.

This was a particularly impressive feat when one considers that none of Perot's money, influence or organization was involved in any of the candidacies, including Ventura's. The party was operating entirely on its own resources, and had in fact run fewer candidates with less money than the next most-popular party, the Libertarians.

Presidential election of 2000

The Reform Party's presidential candidate for the 2000 election was due federal matching funds of $12.5 million, based on Perot's 8% showing in 1996. This made the nomination an attractive target to would-be candidates. After a bitter fight that culminated in two Reform Party conventions being held simultaneously, Pat Buchanan secured the Reform Party nomination over John Hagelin. His running mate was Ezola B. Foster. Buchanan got 449,225 votes, 0.4% of those voting, and the party lost its matching funds for 2004. In 2002, Buchanan returned to the Republican Party.

Presidential election of 2004

By the October 2003 National Convention, the Reform Party had only begun rebuilding, but several former state organizations had elected to rejoin now that the interference from the Freedom Parties was gone. They increased their ranks from 24 to 30 states, and managed to retrieve ballot access for seven of them (Buchanan's poor showing in 2000 had lost ballot access for almost the entire party).

Because of organizational and financial problems in the party, it opted to support the independent campaign of Ralph Nader as the best option for an independent of any stripe that year. While the endorsement generated publicity for Nader and the Reform Party, the party was only able to provide Nader with seven ballot lines [1] down from the 49 of 51 guaranteed ballot lines the party had going into the 2000 election [2].

In early 2005, press releases from the Reform Party indicated that the party was in the process of rebuilding, with appeals for donations, attempts to reconstitute state party affiliates that were lost during the breakaways of such groups as the Independence Party of Minnesota and the America First Party, and the election of new party officials.

Activities of the party in 2005

In 2005, a dispute was occasioned. National Committee members from several states including Texas, Michigan, and Florida acquired the necessary number of national committee members (under party bylaws) to call for both a meeting of the National Committee and the Executive Committee. At both meetings, it was determined that a National Convention needed to be called and that it would be held in Tampa, FL. The Chairman at the time, along with National Committee members from Arizona, California, and Oklahoma refused to attend the National and Executive Committee meetings and rejected the legitimacy of that Convention and boycotted it as illegitimate. As a result those states held a second Convention in Arizona.

In response to a suit filed by the group that met in Tampa, leaders of the Reform Party filed a RICO complaint claiming the Tampa group were extremists and guilty of conspiracy. [3]

2006 party candidates

In 2006, the Reform Party ran candidates in Arizona, and was petitioning to regain ballot access in several other States where state Reform Party organizations are active. The Reform Party of Kansas nominated a slate of candidates led by Iraq War veteran Richard Ranzau. In Colorado, a former assistant Environmental Protection Agency administrator and Navy veteran with credentials as a fiscal conservative, Eric Eidsness, ran on the Reform Party ticket in Colorado's 4th congressional district in 2006[1] and received 11.28% of the vote, five times the winning candidate's margin of victory[2]; he later switched his affiliation to the Democratic Party[3]. The Florida Reform Party granted use of its ballot line for Governor to Max Linn of Florida Citizens for Term Limits (a Republican-leaning organization) in the 2006 Florida gubernatorial election. Linn retained professional campaign staff with connections to the Perot and Ventura campaigns [4] [5], but received only 1.9% of the vote. As of March 2007 the Reform Party had ballot access for the Presidential election in 2008 in four states (Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi) and had already started petitioning in an additional four. [6]

2008 party convention

The Reform Party held its 2008 National Convention in Dallas, Texas, July 18-20. [7]

Presidential tickets

Platform

The Reform Party platform includes the following:

A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been what are termed 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; that intention was overridden in 2001 by the Buchanan takeover which rewrote the RPUSA Constitution to specifically include platform planks opposed to any form of abortion. The Buchananists, in turn, were overridden by the 2002 Convention which specifically reverted the Constitution to its 1996 version and the party's original stated goals.

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ Third Party Watch
  2. ^ http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/electionresults2006G/
  3. ^ Greg Campbell, "Eidsness withdraws from 4th District race", Greeley Tribune, Oct. 2, 2007
  4. ^ Reform Party of Florida site
  5. ^ Max Linn's website
  6. ^ BallotAccess.org
  7. ^ "Dallas Reform Party Meeting", www.ballot-access.org, July 7, 2008
  8. ^ Reform Party endorses McCain
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