If you could write the Democratic Platform, what would it be?

[rpgamerd00d]

There are way too many people on DU with good information and good ideas not to have at least one very constructive, useful and practical thread on this board.

So, here it is.

Construct the National Democratic Political Platform of 2008.

Note: You should review the 2004 platform first, to get an idea what a real platform looks like. (http://www.issues2000.org/Dem_Platform_2004.htm)
Also see: Current Democratic Party Agenda (http://democrats.org/agenda.html)

[rpgamerd00d]

1. I'll go first, since its my thread

Economy: I believe that people like to spend money. When the average person has an excess of money, they spend it. Look at Tax Returns. People often spend them before they even receive the check. I believe that the economy is strong when people spend money. I believe that when people spend money, Demand increases, which causes a shortage of Supply, which causes businesses to ramp up Supply to meet the increased Demand, which creates jobs, which stimulates the economy. But for this to work, money needs to be put into the hands of the majority of Americans - the middle class. Not the rich. The rich already spend exhorbitantly, tax breaks would change nothing. I also believe in seeking a Constitutional version of the line-item veto to make it easier to root out pork-barrel spending. We need to raise federal minimum wage, and penalize the outsourcing of jobs.

Civil Liberties: I feel that the Patriot Act threatens our individual rights and that it needs to be removed. Our government should never round up innocent people only because of their religion or ethnicity, and we should never stifle free expression. I am against racial profiling in finding terrorists. Terrorists can be any race, and terrorist groups can recruit people of other races to circumvent profiling. We should never give up a freedom for the sake of safety. Its a risk, but its what our country is all about - Freedom. American Citizenship is hard - its supposed to be hard. That's what makes it great.

Crime: I place more focus on methods of prevention of crime rather than on what penalties are applied to crimes. I think improved community policing and more on-duty police officers are important. We need to crackdown on gangs and drug trafficking specifically. I also want stricter penalties for domestic violence offenders and stronger protections for its victims. People aren't honest because they fear what the penalties happen to be for a specific crime. They are honest because they fear the odds of getting caught. Increased police force size means a decrease in crime.

Equality and Non-Discrimination: "A day's work is worth a day's pay." On average, a woman continues to earn 77% of what a man does, which is not acceptable. We need laws for equitable pay. We need to uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act to prohibit discrimination against people on the basis of physical or mental disability. Affirmative Action is a method with which to redress past discrimination and to ensure equitable employment regardless of ethnicity or gender.

Legal Standing of Same-Sex Partnerships: The word "Marriage" is causing all the problems. I think a civil union between any two people who intend to share their lives with each other is a Right for all people. Leave the word "Marriage" to Religion where it belongs. We don't need to legalize same-sex marriage, we need to legalize same-sex unions. We must allow everyone the same legal rights granted to married couples today - inheritance, custody of children, joint tax filing status, legal protections. How they choose to perform the ceremony is up to them and their religious beliefs.

Health Care: This is insurance, folks. The very nature of insurance dictates that most people pay but do not require it, which is how it funds the medical bills for those that do require it. This means everyone has to pay. But rich people don't need insurance. Why would they when they can afford to simply pay, outright, any doctor bill they might incur? Any solution to affordable health care must make participation in the system mandatory for everyone, the rich included.

Choice/Abortion: A woman has the right to choose, period. Nothing less will suffice. If any person can choose to have elective surgery for things such as weight loss, cosmetic improvements, or the disabling of their reproductive system, then this is no different, and no one has the right to interfere with your body and what you do with it.

Gun Control: We need to admit that the Right to Bear Arms is an outdated amendment created at a time when militia was necessary, remove it, and move on with our lives. People can still own guns without an Amendment stating they have the right to. They can still apply for permits to own guns, and still go through vigorous background checks to buy guns, even without the Right to do so. Once this is done, assault weapons need to be permanently banned. There is no possible reason a private citizen needs to be able to hose down 100 people in 4 seconds.

National Security: It is not acceptable to attack a sovern nation because we believe they might attack the United States in the future, just as it is not acceptable to arrest a person for a crime they might commit in the future. Nations that harbor known terrorists or terrorist organizations must be given the chance to voluntarilly assist in their capture and/or elimination. If this is refused, sanctions can easily be used to force the nation to comply so long as the sanctions are harsh enough.

Religion: Being part of the largest religion does not grant anyone more rights than being part of the smallest religion. This country was founded by people who were escaping religious persecution, and the men who created our constitution specifically foresaw the need to be sure that the laws of our country were utterly separate from the religious beliefs of the people. All religions must be welcomed in the United States, and none shall receive any special treatment nor incurr biased treatment by the government of this country.

Environment: To ensure the health of the our citizens and of future citizens, we need to enforce pollution control. We must put a stop to corporate polluting. We must take action to reverse global warming. We absolutely must develop alternate sources of renewable energy to replace oil.

Election Reform: All elections at the local, state and federal level will adhere to strict Election Laws to ensure complete fairness. All candidates will have equal spending caps on campaigning, all votes will have a paper trail, and a non-government bi-partisan agency will have authority and responsibility for vote tabulation.

Education: American students should have the best education in the entire world, bar none. We need better incentives to attract teachers and keep them, and better funding for school revitalization and modernization projects.

[melissinha]

7. I'd amend the environmental part

To ensure the health of the our citizens and of future citizens, we need to enforce pollution control to ensure that our citizens are drinking clean water, breathing clean air, eating produce and meat that are free from harmfull chemicals....

Something like that.... Repukes can overemphasize personal security, but we've got health and economic security within OUR platform and the dangers are actually real...

[Todd B]

10. Good list!

Election Reform: All elections at the local, state and federal level will adhere to strict Election Laws to ensure complete fairness. All candidates will have equal spending caps on campaigning, all votes will have a paper trail, and a non-government bi-partisan agency will have authority and responsibility for vote tabulation.

I'd also add that all elections should be required to support Instant Runoff Voting, to ensure that all citizens of the United States have an equal shot at holding office.

I'd also include a platform to dramatically increase public safety on our streets by increasing funding and grants for technology in the classroom to ensure that all students have the right to a top notch educational system. There is no reason the United States of America should not have a great education system.

I'd add a note to the platform establishing a Department of Peace, to negotiate non-violent methods of conflict resolution that would work with the United Nations and the Department of Defence (it is sorely unrepresented in government today).

I would pledge to always use violence as a *last* resort in solving conflicts, reduce our military deployments overseas, and use the extra funding to safeguard our ports and harbours.

I would pledge to end our raping of the land for foreign and domestic oil/fossil fuels and increase funding to research viable alternatives like solar and wind energy.

I think that's it.. at least for now.

[seeminer21]

11. Some good points

But try winning an election while telling people you aim to REMOVE the 2nd Amendment.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. good list. A few more ideas

the education issue is (no offense intended) light. Education is the future of our country.

A missing topic is foreign affairs.

We kick out every pnac in State and in the diplomatic corpse, starting with condi and ending with bolton.
We shut down surveillance on foreign diplomats and send them an official apology.
We tell Israel, look, either commit and fulfill prior agreements, or we start support Palestine. Tomorrow. And tell every person in government that if they get contacts from Israel about pushing their agenda, they will be fired for illegal activities. Cut all funding to Israel.

Then, we contact Iran and discuss as adults our differences, our similar goals (they exist) and our future.
WE fix our aching, creaking, eroding relationships with Africa, Europe, North America, and South America.
Then, we tell China fair trade, or we will devalue the dollar so fast that their holdings will be like a pre-WWII german mark. WE treat Japan and Korea, and Taiwan for what they are - good friends, competitors and allies.

We fix our AIDS fiasco in Africa and Asia. We provide transparency in all foreign relations. We tell everyone that we are going back to our democratic roots and will deal with all on that basis.

[CrispyQ]

16. Revoke personhood rights for corporations.

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/political_reform/proposed_constitutional_amendments.html


An Amendment to Revoke Corporate Constitutional Privileges
SECTION 1. The U.S. Constitution protects only the rights of living human beings.

SECTION 2. Corporations and other institutions granted the privilege to exist shall be subordinate to any and all laws enacted by citizens and their elected governments.

SECTION 3. Corporations and other for-profit institutions are prohibited from attempting to influence the outcome of elections, legislation or government policy through the use of aggregate resources or by rewarding or repaying employees or directors to exert such influence.

SECTION 4. Congress shall have power to implement this article by appropriate legislation.

=====

I really like what you said about religion:

Being part of the largest religion does not grant anyone more rights than being part of the smallest religion. This country was founded by people who were escaping religious persecution, and the men who created our constitution specifically foresaw the need to be sure that the laws of our country were utterly separate from the religious beliefs of the people. All religions must be welcomed in the United States, and none shall receive any special treatment nor incurr biased treatment by the government of this country.

[benEzra]

18. Fallen for the bait-and-switch, I see...

assault weapons need to be permanently banned. There is no possible reason a private citizen needs to be able to hose down 100 people in 4 seconds.

Dude, all guns capable of firing even 40 rounds in 4 seconds are already restricted by the National Firearms Act of 1934, which has been on the books for 71 YEARS now. All automatic weapons are restricted Title 2 devices under the NFA, just like artillery pieces, explosives, and silencers.

The "assault weapon" bait-and-switch is about ordinary NFA Title 1 civilian firearms with modern styling.


Civilian rifle with 1800's style straight wooden stock



The exact same rifle with a modern-looking black plastic stock


Change the stock, which takes all of 10 seconds, and presto, it's an "assault weapon." Same rate of fire, same capacity, different looks.

The gun prohibitionists have gotten a lot of mileage out of pretending the National Firearms Act doesn't exist...

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Before we write a platform....

Wouldn't it be nice to have elected officials actually supported the platform?

What is the point of having, say, "Preserve Washington State salmon runs" or "Promote equal marriage for all" as planks when the vast majority of party lawmakers are delighted to ease environmental protections that corporations deem "onerous" or foam at the mouth about how gay marriage will somehow destroy America and all that is holy?

[billbuckhead]

3. Only thing I'd really change is voting rights come first

Dems can do a lot of thing to gain a governing majority but until all the votes are counted it's for naught.

[SCDem]

6. Exactly!

The progressive caucus of the democratic party of South Carolina - loves the states democratic platform - the only problem is that none of the politicians are held to account for using it.

Platforms are useless unless we the voters hold them accountable to the platform and that state parties and the DNC, DLC also allow us and themselves to hold our reps accountable.

[TheFarseer]

4. here goes

stop outsourcing, revive industry and farm economy

energy energy energy responsible drilling in ANWR with profits going to the people - not the corporations in exchange for an ALL OUT EFFORT to be energy independent with renewable energy

stop illegal immigration

affordable healthcare

Those are my main planks. I might kick out healthcare because 3 planks is ideal IMO but 4 can be done.

[kpete]

5. Education

Get rid of this "No child left behind crap" which only teaches students to (supposedly test well) while LEARNING nothing!!!!

Give American children the BEST education in the world.

This is the best way to invest in our future.

[TheFarseer]

9. that one just missed the cut

NCLB is a crock. Hold teachers accountable?? WTF, they can't MAKE someone learn. I believe better discipline and smaller classes is key to improving education. Intelligent design is sure as hell not going to help. We need to focus like a laser on math and science. What we do not need is to throw money at it with no plan or regulate and standardize the hell out of it like NCLB.

[LWolf]

15. Then tell your reps!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5701403&mesg_id=5701961

[BushOut06]

8. responsible drilling in ANWR = oxymoron

Kind of like military intelligence, or informed gop voter.

Instead, we need to focus our resources to coming up with new forms of energy. We need a 'Manhatten Project' style of approach, with massive funding. Otherwise, it will simply take too long for it to happen (and even longer to become affordable). We need to look into natural gas, hydrogen, solar power, geothermal, wind, and other sources of energy.

[TheFarseer]

12. it's a better platform than policy

I admit that.

BTW, natural gas seems to be already tapped to the limit with power plants home heating and irrigation engines. Whoever decided we should run *everything* on natural gas should be buried up the their shoulders and run over with a field cultivator.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

14. can I drive?

Energy yup
Education yup
What about tort reform and justice?

Drug companies spent billions apiece promoting a prescription COX pain inhibiter like Vioxx. And they hid the deaths and heart problems. They KNEW their products were killing people. They spent more on ads than on research. That is so nuts, that my mouth is still open.

justice. There were some really good, smart and honest, hard-working people in Justice. No longer. They have been pushed out by the PNACs.

A lot of work to do there.

[LWolf]

17. Ok.

Plank One: Universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care.

Plank Two: Major Election and campaign reform that would include:
*Public funding of all campaigns, with equal $$$ amounts
*Equal time in MSM
*paper ballots


Plank Three: Public Education reform that focuses on a very few, broad, universal standards, individualized curriculum and assessment, and fully funds school construction, staffing, and resources needed to honestly make sure no child is ever left behind.

Plank Four: Civil liberties protected and enhanced. Right to privacy amendment.

Plank Five: Unwavering commitment to long and short term environmental health of the planet and all life on her.

Plank Six: Some version of a "fairness doctrine" covering MSM to keep propaganda off the airwaves.