Brown on The Issues: Eclectic And Radical

AMERICA is in jeopardy, says Jerry Brown.

"Crisis has been triggered by the collapse of our two-party system," he says. "In reality, there is only one party: it's the Incumbent Party. There are, of course, two major political organizations with different names, but at their core they are the same. They share the same world view and they serve the power of the same private interests which, in return, finance the campaigns of both."

The Brown platform:

* Taxes: Brown proposes a flat-rate 13 percent income tax, with deductions for mortgage, rent, and charitable contributions and a 13 percent value-added tax on goods and services. He wants to eliminate present individual and corporate income taxes, Social Security, and gasoline taxes.

* Military: Opposed the Gulf war. Wants to cut the military budget by 50 percent over five years and reduce US troop deployments in Europe to 25,000 or less.

* Environment: Would phase out nuclear power plants over 10 years. Proposes broad-reaching program to produce nonpolluting and efficient sources of energy.

* Health Care: Supports caps on hospital and physician incomes in a federally financed health-care system.

* Budget Deficit: Supports a balanced-budget constitutional amendment.

* Abortion: Supports a woman's right to legalized abortion.

* Labor: Would prohibit companies from hiring permanent replacements for strikes.

* Transportation: Supports building of high-speed rail.

* Student loans: Would make loans available to all who qualify academically.

* Campaign Fiance: Supports campaign finance reform and term limits.

* Death penalty: Opposed.