What planks should be in the dem platform?

[TimMooring]

1. Heel the giant megacorps

Conventions have a purpose. Its why I voted for Dennis in the primary.

[Pegleg Thd]

1. Repeal

EVERYTHING bush bastard has put his name on. This must include the patriot acts, homeland insecurity, tax cuts, environmental rollbacks. And his budgets for 2001 thru 2005.

[Kanary]

2. REstore HUD Funding To It's Previous Levels!

In the last 25 years, HUD funding has been cut 63%!!!

This has stressed the whole housing issue, and has created a situation where there are so many people waiting to get a decent place to live, where very little is left available.

Homelessness is a very ugly problem in this country, and so is substandard housing, and there is NO EXCUSE for it whatsoever.

If the Dems can support a stooooooooooopid war, then, dammit, they can support HUD!

If we're going to be in debt, let's be in debt for something that makes sense!

Kanary

[Nectopod]

4. HUD has been poorly run

I know because I see how HUD operates from the investor side.
Let's take a foreclosed property. HUD does about everything wrong you could do when one of it's properties gets foreclosed. To begin with, they are often late with their foreclosure bid, which by law, extends the process through another several weeks, with HUD having to pay hundreds of dollars more to have the properties re-advertised. Then, HUD's eventual bid is debt plus costs...rather than discounting their bid...which leaves most HUD properties unbuyable for an investor at an auction. So then HUD must take possession of the property, pay to have the big problems repaired, have the lawn mowed, the premesis secured and checked on....Then they pay an agent several thousands in commissions to sell it...as they provide new financing. Of course HUD picks up the carrying costs until it sells.
All HUD has to do to alleviate this whole boondoggle is discount their auction bid like many banks do. Make the bid in line with an appraisal less needed repairs. An easy common sense thing. But no.
So the hell with giving HUD more money. If all aspects of the agency are run like it's repossession department, I'd say it's in need of a vast overhaul.

[Kanary]

5. I don't give a RIP about foreclosures

That's for you well-to-do business folk.

I'm talking about low-income housing, fer cryin' in a bucket.

So, you can say let 'em eat cake, and watch me die. I'm sure, from your other posts, that would give you great pleasure.

Got compassion?

Kanary

[Nectopod]

6. You missed my point

which is that if the rest of HUD is as horribly run as their REO department, their funding out to be CUT, and their leadership FIRED.
Their asses aren't deserving of taxpayer money if they are going to throw it away in the manner the repo people do.
Do you get it now?

[IronLionZion]

3. expose the phenomenal amount of bullshit in the Republican party

I'm voting for Dean on April 27 because his delegates and Edwards' delagates will make a serious difference at the convention.

[ACK]

7. Ok my list

1. I believe the Government has a duty to regulate the power of
corporations when the corporate interests conflict with public
interests. Deregulation in vital sectors of the economy in the public interest is dangerous.

2. I believe that the full protection of the Bill of Rights outlined in the Constitution should not be curtailed. Repeal the Patriot Act and the material witness laws. Stop the hypocritical crusade for imposed morality with the FCC and protect and keep the government out of our bedrooms and our private lives. No MI5 in America, ever!

3. I believe in a woman's right to choose. The right to privacy as outlined by the Supreme Court must be upheld for women's rights in America to mean anything.

4. I believe that universal healthcare is a moral imperitive and can
benefit both the public and the corporate structure of this country. Small businesses cannot afford to offer healthcare and big companies spend far too much money for healthcare. Universal healthcare will help America's businesses but far more importantly will increase the health and well being of all Americans while reducing costs.

5. I believe in the seperation of church and state and that public money should not go to fund religious organizations. Keep government money out of private schools and church groups. It hurts the private groups by making them dependant on the government for funds and it blurs the lines between church and state.

6. I believe in the social safety net. I believe that government can
give a hand up and not just a hand out. Work programs to strengthen the infrastructure, retraining, and childcare where women do not have to choose between going hungry or abandoning their children to go to work. I believe in insuring that the current programs will continue into solvency and protecting those funds and sealing them off from the whims of those who would raid unemployment and social security funds.

7. I believe in proper education funding. Federal block grants to areas of states with the most need while insuring that a plan and some sort of real critieria is given. Accountability cannot simply be summed up in some sort test, test, test mantra but a full range of critieria for success based on the region and the situation must be given.

8. I believe in morality in foreign policy. Too often, being pragmatic
has turned to being opportunistic and bullying. In the end, we always
pay for it. How many times must we support a dictator or a terrorist to have him attack us or his neighbors later. How long must the cycle of violence continue before we realize we have to live up to our own bullshit.

9. I believe in protecting the environment and this can be done without being proxies for industry and without destroying industry. We have to have Clean Air and Water bills that are not just Orwellian bills meant to promote more pollution but laws that insure that a real cleaner environment. When will we be able to once again eat the fish that the sports fishermen catch in our streams? Will the forests you hike in be there for your kids? How many times will you have to pause before the tv and consider whether or not to let your children out to play because the clean air index indicates the smog is dangerously high in your city? This is about the environment and conservation and protecting this place in the world we live.

10. I believe that election finance reform is necessary to preserve the integrity of the electoral process. Also, the privatization of the election process has to stop. A receipt for electronic balloting is essential. Every vote must count.

11. Gun safety laws need to be strengthened but a ban on firearms is
not practical or workable in America at this time. Americans love their guns and what works in the city does not wash on the national stage. Tougher safety laws but no gun bans.

12. Corporate welfare should end. It is not the government's job in a capitalist society to bail out or give aid to failing corporations or to fatten corporations with ties to key officials in the government. That is not democracy or even capitalism. It is corporatism like the fascists loved and it has to end.

13. However, aid for small businesses through initiatives and tax breaks helps competition in a capitalist society. It is not the same and it is essential to make sure that every business owner no matter how small has a real shot at the American dream.

14. I believe in a military strong enough to defend the nation. Petagon budgets are packed with pork and waste. I think we should pledge to take half of all such savings in the Pentagon budget and apply it directly to better veteran's benefits and better benefits for military families.

15. Independence from nonrenewable energy sources should be a national goal with a set real deadline.

16. Bring the UN and hand over power to Iraq to UN forces. Then get the hell out. If the UN does not want it, then hold elections as soon as possible hand over power to whoever the Iraqi people choose and then get the hell out.

16. I believe the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain. Outlaw as much of the union busting tactics used by corporations like Wal-Mart as possible and stop demonizing both teachers and their unions. Make union leadership core advisors for all labor decisions.

+

[TimMooring]

8. Your list could be a good starting platform by itself

Excellent! i don't think I've ever agreed with so many points at once.

Hope you're at the convention!!!

[ACK]

11. Thanks been working on it for awhile

Based on my core political beliefs.

[doni_georgia]

15. Maybe we should pass this thread on to someone at the Kerry campaign n/t

[BattyDem]

9. I know I'm dreaming, but here are my ideas:

Close the tax loopholes so big corporations have to pay their fair share.

Break up the media monopolies so we can once again have a free press.

Set a realistic minimum wage. A wage that will allow a person to pay the rent and feed the family, without having to work 2 or 3 jobs.

Protect privacy and civil rights. People are innocent until proven guilty. People have the right to talk on the telephone, gather in groups or surf the Internet without being watched. I'm not a criminal; don't treat me like one.

Ban "First Ammendment Zones" - by Constitutional Ammendment if necessary! We have survived for over 200 years without them and the country has been better for it. By moving people into zones miles away from the event or person they are protesting, the government is actually denying them their First Ammendment rights. ... and it's about time someone stood up and said so!

Protect the freedom of the Internet. The Internet is not entertainment; it's information and communication. No government should be regulating it because by doing so, they would be suppressing free speech and ideas. (Obviously, the rules are different if a crime is being committed.) We would never put up with government regulation of our telephone conversations, so why should Internet conversations be regulated?

Get religion out of government so that our rights and policies are not based upon one group's religious beliefs (gay marriage, reproductive rights, sex education, stem cells, evolution, etc.)

Get big money and lobbyists out of the political process. I know that's unrealistic, but when a candidate has $200,000,000 dollars to spend on a campaign, while ordinary people can't afford to see a doctor, there's something wrong. Perhaps there should be limits on the amount of money a candidate can spend (different limits for local, state and federal campaigns). Or maybe broadcast television networks should be required to air a certain number of ads by all the candidates, free of charge.

Regulate news channels and news broadcasts. I'm not saying the news should be censored. Quite the contrary, I think the news should be required to tell the whole story. If something is labeled as a "news", it's reasonable to expect the information to be accurate and truthful. If they're going to give opinions, they should be identified as such. If they're going to outright lie, they should lose the privilege of calling their content "news". News and entertainment are not the same thing and they should not be combined.

Recognize that while an embryo is a living cell/group of cells, it is not a full-fledged human being. However, the woman who's body it's in is a full-fledged human being and she should be treated as such. Placing the well-being of an undeveloped group of cells over the needs of a living, breathing, sentient being is reprehensible.

Get rid of the "nanny" laws and let people decide for themselves what is and is not obscene. There are parental controls on televisions, cable boxes, computers and telephones - it's up to parents to use them. It's not the government's job to raise people's children.

Health care for everyone! Medication, testing and treatment to anyone who needs it. Get the greedy insurance companies out of the system. Health care should not be for profit. Protect an individual's right to compensation if a mistake is made. Limits should only be placed on mistakes that cause an "inconvenience" to the patient. In other words, when there's no permanent damage. However, there should be no limit on compensation to anyone who is disabled, disfigured or killed by a doctor or hospital.

Spend money on this country! We are a rich nation. We should have top-notch schools, a first-class health care system, clean energy sources, extensive rail systems to cut down on traffic and pollution, and broadband access in every part of the country.

When a person or a family needs financial help, give it to them! It's cheaper to provide Social Services than it is to deal with the rise in crime and domestic violence when people have no money. Police and prisons are expensive. Train people who have no skills, provide child-care help for single parents and put people to work building schools, highways, etc. It's about time we started acting like a community instead of individuals. In the long run, it's better for all of us if everyone has opportunities.

Expose the Neo-Cons and the Fundies for the oppressive, bigoted, hateful people they are.

Take back the word "Liberal" and stop being afraid and ashamed of it!

[TimMooring]

10. No ideas in the dem party???

Another great list. I especially loved the Last one.

[eridani]

12. See the Kucinich platform

www.kucinich.us

[revcarol]

13. Fairness for a Palestinian state as well as security for Israel.

This turning over 90% of the West Bank to Israel in return for getting out of settlements in Gaza they weren't supposed to have in the first place, and non-right-of-return for Palestinians is TERRIBLE. Kerry ought to have his head examined.

KUCINICH HAS THE ONLY FAIR PLAN FOR PALESTINE WHICH ALSO PROTECTS ISRAEL'S SECURITY.Adopt his plan.Start flame now.

[doni_georgia]

14. Funding of IDEA and NCLB

Full funding of IDEA - right now the feds are funding it at about 50%. Schools can't hire enough parapros and teachers to get the special ed kids the services they need (I know my son is autistic). Also, spending of special ed money needds to be looked at - there needs to be more accountability. Right now IDEA money is given to the states to distribute to local districts. Here in Georgia, the principals at the schools spend at their own discretion. There are two schools in my district that I KNOW principals have mispent special ed. money. One, a middle school where the principal bought art work for the media center and antique furniture for the lobby with IDEA funds. Another, and elementary school, where the principal divided special ed funds up between the grade levels to let the teachers spend at their discretion (They bought supplies and such with the money). Technically neither principal was breaking the law, since special ed students use the media center and lobby, and are in regular eed. classrooms - but it is unethical as hell. We need laws stating precisely how the funds may be spent - for specific staffing and services for students with IEPs.

Revamping/Dumping/ or at least FULL funding for NCLB -- Under Chimboy, we are being expected to bring every child up to grade level. We have to provide all sorts of services. NCLB is an unfunded mandate. States are being burdoned with the bill, but they are nearly bankrupt, so they are passing the tab on to local systems, who do not have the funds. My district has had to raise property taxes, cut staff, cut services, and get an additional sales tax passed to make up the money, and we are STILL in the hole. Besides - EVERY child will never be on grade level. Hell chimpy isn't on GRADE LEVEL!