2010 Proposed Platform, Democratic Party of Denver

 

The following are platform planks that have been drafted by the Platform Committee of the Democratic Party of Denver through discussions with the House Districts. This document was developed to be used as a guide only for the March 16, 2010 caucuses.

Each caucus can adopt this guide in its entirety or may add or change the content. If your caucus wishes to take a vote on each plank, there is space provided for that. If your caucus wishes to accept or reject a group of planks, please put that information in the comment section of the first plank in that section. There is space at the end to add comments or new planks.

This document, with its changes, will be handed into Democratic headquarters on caucus night, and changes citywide will constitute the final document to be presented to the Denver Democratic assembly for adoption and transmittal to the state party.

 

· We support sustainable agriculture, including organic farming.

· We support safe food practices, including labeling of genetically modified food and place of origin. 

· We support protection for farmers whose crops have been contaminated by genetically modified organisms.

·  We support ending food subsidies that result in the high-fructose saturation of our food system.

·  We support revising standards for federal food distribution programs to conform to latest health guidelines.

 

· We must create realistic drug policy to replace the failed “War on Drugs” and rescind mandatory sentencing for nonviolent drug crimes. 

· We support the treatment of mental illness and drug addiction as opposed to incarceration.

· We support individual inmate assessment and rehabilitation to reduce recidivism.

· We support the elimination of the death penalty.

 

· We support keeping jobs in the U.S.

· We support a reform in regulation of the national and international financial system based on transparency and the principle that no bank or financial institution is to "too big to fail."

· At the Federal and local levels, we support public funding for essential services such as infrastructure, health care, and education.

·  We support prioritizing essential services in the United States before military expenditures.

·  We support a state constitutional amendment modifying or eliminating TABOR and giving the Legislature more room to adapt to year to year needs of the State.

 

· We demand an educational system that is inclusive of our diverse population, guarantees funding, encourages community involvement, and educates the whole individual through academic rigor, athletic competition, artistic endeavor, and career/technical training.

·  Public education is a right, and we are against attempts to privatize it; therefore we oppose vouchers and public funding of religious schools.

·  We insist that all educational professionals earn a living wage and have the right to organize.

·  We support the repeal of No Child Left Behind including its philosophy of "teaching to the test”.

·  We support public higher education and the adequate funding thereof.

 

·  We support the reassessment of oil shale leases granted by previous administration.

·  We support the enactment of a cap and trade bill without exemptions for large sources of emissions. 

·  We support incentives for individuals and companies to switch to renewable energy.

·  We support sustainable energy production and the businesses that create the new energy economy.

·  We support the repeal of the severance tax exemption for resources extracted from Colorado lands.

·  We support the disposal of toxic materials in a safe and non-threatening environment. Proposals for disposal of toxic waste must be made public.

·  We support water conservation efforts.

 

·  We support use of good intelligence and all technological means to combat potential attacks on the United States. 

·  We support the reduction of U.S. military force abroad.

·  We support promoting peace by means other than military.

·  We support the timely withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, while promoting good self-governance and helping the people rebuild and encouraging economic independence.

·  We support our government’s efforts to bring an equitable peace to the Middle East.

·  We support ending the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

·  We support the U.S. standing up for human rights and environmental justice globally.

 

·  We support repealing the Patriot Act and abiding by original FISA regulations.

·  We encourage local and diverse ownership of the media.

·  We support policies that ensure the full separation of church and state.

·  We specifically direct Congress to condemn presidential signing statements that contravene the clear intent of duly enacted legislation.

·  We support publicly funded political campaigns.

·  We support the central thesis that only humans are persons.  "Artificial persons" (corporations) are not persons and therefore we demand the repeal of Corporate Personhood.

 

·  We believe that Health Care is a right. We support efforts to reform health care, both on the state and national level, to lower health care costs by providing incentives for wellness, preventive measures, and to instill best practices of cost effective, sensible allocation of resources. 

·  We should work towards a universal, single-payer, comprehensive, multi-faceted healthcare system that will ensure affordable coverage for all -- including prescription coverage, dental and vision care, not linked to employment and with no denial of access for any reason.

·  We support Congressional action that includes a strong public option run on the premiums it collects and removes anti-trust exemptions for the health care industry. 

·  We support adequate funding for evidence-based services for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities.

·  We support actions to protect necessary Medicare and Medicaid funding and services.

·  We support wellness initiatives such as school lunch programs focusing on healthy food in school breakfasts, lunches, and healthy snacks. 

·  We vigorously support access to reproductive choice, including abortion, as part of health care, while discouraging unintended pregnancy through family planning, comprehensive sex education, and emergency contraception.

 

·  We support same sex marriage.

·  We support the right of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

·  We support the human rights of LGBT people throughout the world.

·  We support the accommodation of Americans with disabilities in their efforts to participate fully in our political processes.

·  We support the rights of the disabled to live in the least restrictive environment possible, and the right to direct their own medical care.

·  We support Colorado's efforts to end wait list for services for people with disabilities.

·   We call for the full implementation of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. 

·  We support a permanent reliable State source for affordable housing funding, such as Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHAFA) and other similar mortgage programs.

· We support all current affirmative action programs.

· We support equal pay for equal work.

· We support the fight against human trafficking, modern slavery and forced labor, and we support the victims of human trafficking whatever their legal status is in the United States.

 

·  We support streamlined immigration regulations to allow for a rational, just and humane process, including the restoration of judicial review.

·  We support an immigration reform bill that promotes a more direct path toward citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

·  We support the fair and equal application of the guest worker program in a way that supports and protects the guest worker; at a minimum, guest workers should be paid the Federal minimum wage.

·  We support efforts to end isolation and fear of immigrants.

·  We support substantial penalties on businesses that hire undocumented workers.

 

·  We support workers rights to participate in union elections where a majority supports collective bargaining; we support penalties against non-complying employers.

·  We support the Employee Free Choice Act

·  We urge Congress to pass a minimum living wage that enables fulltime workers' families to live above the poverty line.

·  We support regulations that require that all bidders on public contracts to show that their employees have the appropriate training and experience and that they provide adequate health care and retirement benefits.

 

·  We support full and adequate funding for our veterans programs including, but not limited to health care, care givers, rehabilitation, and education for the veterans and their dependants.

 

·  We support comprehensive multi-modal transit system taking into consideration environmental impacts.

·  The public transportation system should remain in the public domain; we oppose efforts to privatize any part of our publicly-funded system.

 

·  We commit to ending homelessness in Denver.

·  We support efforts to promote the sustainability and livelihood of all Denver neighborhoods -- particularly "at risk" neighborhoods such as Elyria and Swansea.

·  We support well-regulated, taxed, medical marijuana facilities.

·  We support the use of local vendors/businesses wherever possible.

·  We oppose the re-segregation of Denver Public Schools