Preamble and Platform of
The Sarasota County Democratic Party
We, the members of the Democratic Executive Committee of Sarasota
County, in the hour of our nation’s great need, do hereby state and
support the long held ideals of the Democratic Party. We believe the
purpose of government, as stated in the preamble to our Constitution, is
“to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” The people of the United States
of America must be the solution to our problems, for we are the
government.
1. WE STAND FOR a strong national defense, building and maintaining
strong international alliances, and sharing sacrifices in times of war and
national emergencies.
2. WE STAND FOR an early end to the unjustified invasion and occupation
of Iraq.
3. WE STAND FOR the protection of equal civil rights and liberties for
all.
4. WE STAND FOR a person’s right to privacy, as guaranteed by the
Constitution, including a woman’s right to choose, as established by Roe v. Wade.
5. WE STAND FOR the preservation of Social Security.
6. WE STAND FOR affordable medical care for all, and the defense of
Medicare and Medicaid!
7. WE STAND FOR economic justice for all. We stand with America’s working
men and women. We will protect their right to organize, and their access to sick
leave, retirement and unemployment benefits, and, above all, jobs.
8. WE STAND FOR improving public school education so that it is second
to none.
9. WE STAND FOR every person’s right to vote, and every vote counted and
verifiable.
10. WE STAND FOR religious freedom and the separation of church and
state.
11. WE STAND FOR energy independence.
12. WE STAND FOR stewardship of a clean, healthy and safe environment.
13. WE STAND FOR a balanced budget and the reduction of the national
debt.
14. WE STAND FOR restoring, improving and maintaining benefits for
veterans.
15. WE STAND FOR affordable housing.
16. WE STAND FOR honest and open government!
1. STRONG NATIONAL DEFENSE
We Democrats state unequivocally that we (have and) will always stand
for a strong defense of our homeland! No party has a monopoly on the
will to safeguard our homes, our institutions, our freedoms! In today’s
world, it is not only foolhardy, but dangerous to act alone. We pledge
to work in concert with the United Nations, NATO, the Organization of
American States, and any government pledged to eradicate terrorism
anywhere in the world. Democrats believe that before resorting to war,
the best hope of achieving national security through peace is to work
closely with our traditional allies and alliances, and to utilize the
world forum of the United Nations and its proven peace keeping
capabilities. Democrats pledge to work for the elimination of nuclear
threats by peaceful means, if possible. The security of our nation’s
borders, airports, road and rail systems, ports of entry, water
supplies, communications systems, electric grids, nuclear plants,
chemical plants and plants handling hazardous materials must be a
national priority. Security begins at home! Democrats encourage legal
immigration into our country, and insist that existing immigration
employment laws be strictly enforced.
2. THE WAR IN IRAQ
ENDING THE WAR IN IRAQ IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE FACING AMERICANS
TODAY. DEMOCRATS CANNOT SUPPORT ANY CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL OFFICE WHO
DOES NOT MAKE AN END TO THE WAR A MAJOR ISSUE.
The human and economic cost to support this war places a needless and
unacceptable burden on the American people, and will further erode
support for our critical domestic priorities. Furthermore, the presence
of U.S. troops on Iraqi soil is fueling the insurgency and increasing
the violence. It has driven America’s reputation among the world’s
nations to historic lows. The Iraqi people must be allowed to determine
their own future, free from external interference.
Following a safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops, we must work
with the United Nations and other official international organizations
to send in, with Iraq’s approval, a peace keeping force to maintain
stability in the region.
3. CIVIL RIGHTS
Democrats are unwavering in support of equal civil rights for all
Americans. We led the fight to pass the Civil Rights Act and the Voting
Rights Act, and will work to ensure renewal of the Voting Rights Act in
2007.
Constitutional rights must be guaranteed to all Americans, regardless of
race, color, creed, sex, age, national origin or sexual orientation. We
will oppose any attempts to divide the American people with
discriminatory laws, whether national, state or local. We support the
enforcement of all civil rights laws.
4. PRIVACY RIGHTS AND A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place
to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” The fourth
amendment to our Constitution clearly ensures our rights to privacy. It
is incumbent on all Americans, regardless of party affiliation, to guard
these rights jealously, letting no individual, no branch of government,
usurp those rights.
Our stand on a woman’s right to manage her own body is clear. Democrats
support a woman’s right to make choices! It is unconstitutional to
compel women with unwanted pregnancies to bear unwanted children.
Democrats advocate sex education in our public schools, making our young
people aware of the potential consequences of unprotected sex.
5. SOCIAL SECURITY
The most successful and far-reaching social program The United States
has ever known, Social Security has helped millions upon millions of
Americans. Spearheaded by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and
passed by a Democratic Congress in April of 1935, its intent was to act
as a safety net for the aged, children, and the physically handicapped.
For seventy years it has fulfilled that promise. It has brought dignity
to those Americans who have worked all of their lives, but were not able
to accumulate enough wealth to provide for their own care in their later
years. The program is a monument to all that is good in America, and
Democrats will resist any attempt to water down its original purpose,
divert its funds to other programs, or change it in such a way that will
benefit special interests.
6. AFFORDABLE MEDICAL CARE
In the wealthiest, most powerful nation on earth, no one should have to
choose between seeing the doctor and paying the rent. Democrats are
committed to making sure that every single American has access to
affordable, quality, effective health care.
We believe that health care decisions must be left solely to patients
and doctors.
We believe
that women should not be discriminated against by medical insurance
plans, medical research
or pharmacies.
However, in 2001, the Republican administration announced its new
Federal policy to sacrifice embryonic stem cell research to right wing
ideology. In contrast, the Democratic Party strongly supports the
expansion and funding of this humane research.
WE STAND IN DEFENSE of Medicare and Medicaid, as originally enacted by
the Democratic congress in 1965; but the new Medicare Prescription Drug
Act of 2003, and implemented in January, 2006, stacked the deck against
taxpayers and beneficiaries, in favor of the pharmaceutical and health
insurance industries. For example, this Program prohibits Medicare from
negotiating fair drug prices with drug companies, breaking up the
purchasing power of 41 million beneficiaries. It allows private
insurers, together with drug companies, to make many crucial decisions
about drug benefits – including what drugs will be covered and at what
cost to beneficiaries.
Medicaid is a program financed jointly by federal and state governments
and pays physician and hospital bills, nursing home care, prescription
drug costs and other health care costs for lower-income mothers and
children, frail seniors and people with disabilities. Each state is
given total discretion on how to structure benefits, eligibility,
service delivery and payment rates subject to any guidelines established
by federal law. Currently, clinics are being closed, but Democrats will
work to restore cuts to the Medicaid Program.
7. ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL
The strength and economic success of America came about as the great
middle class grew out of the industrial revolution. As their numbers
grew, they were able to demand and win, through collective bargaining,
better wages, retirement benefits, medical leave, seniority rights, and
job security. Their children were able to attend college, thereby
improving their chances to realize the American dream.
We Democrats pledge to fight to retain those benefits that helped create
the middle class, and do renew that promise to those Americans
struggling for a better life. In a world with a global economy, we must
find ways to provide jobs for all Americans. We owe that to our working
men and women.
Democrats must and will fight to repair our tax system. It is
unconscionable for our wealthiest citizens and largest corporations to
get the largest tax cuts, while the middle class struggles to make ends
meet. Democrats will end the giveaways to the rich, while making the tax
burden fair for all.
It is unconscionable for the pharmaceutical companies to reap unheard of
profits, while poor and middle class Americans are forced to spend an
ever increasing percent of their income on health care. Today, good
paying jobs grow scarcer, the middle class gets smaller, and is
dangerously close to collapse. Democrats will work to increase the
minimum wage. Democrats will work with our major industries to create
and keep the jobs in America. Democrats will work with colleges and
universities to make our graduates the best in the world.
8. PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION
The Republican education plan “No Child Left Behind” has become a hollow
slogan, and its failure continues to leave more children behind.
Currently the U.S. education program ranks 17th in the industrialized
world. In Florida, the graduation rates and achievement on national test
scores rank near the bottom of all states.
Our tax dollars must be used to support a strong and effective public
school education. A quality public school education is the right of all
American children. Public school education is not only the key to their
future, but to our future as a nation.
Democrats support smaller class sizes and a safe environment where each
student is given an equal opportunity to learn, regardless of race,
religion, ethnicity or culture. Appropriate resources must also be
provided for the physically and mentally challenged.
We must continue to improve teacher salaries and teacher education
programs, so that each teacher is academically qualified in their
respective field.
Future testing results should be used to measure programs and remediate
weaknesses, not as a punitive device. Under performing schools need
help, not punishment. Testing should be a means to detect specific
deficiencies to be addressed and corrected by employing effective
instructional strategies.
9. RIGHT TO VOTE AND EVERY VOTE COUNTED AND VERIFIABLE
The Voting Rights Act is generally considered the most successful piece
of civil rights legislation ever adopted by a Democratic United States
Congress. The Act codifies and puts into effect the 15th Amendment’s
permanent guarantee that, throughout this nation, no citizen shall be
denied the right to vote on account of race or color. This Act comes up
for renewal in 2007.
Democrats are determined to reform the voting system to create federal
standards for our elections. These voting procedures must include
verification, accountability and accuracy. Being able to audit results
must be considered mandatory, as can be done with an optical scanner.
Democrats want to increase access to polls with Election Day
registration, shorter lines and early voting. When the polls open on
Election Day, all Americans over the age of eighteen should be able to
cast a vote with confidence. It is a right we take for granted, one that
defines our nation as a democracy.
It is very important to note that on November 14, 2005, this country
experienced a setback. The United States Supreme Court declined to
review a case challenging Florida’s 137-year-old ban on voting by people
with felony convictions. The decision forecloses all federal judicial
redress of a discriminatory policy that bars more than 600,000
Floridians from the polls. However, we as members of the Florida
Democratic Party, pledge to work through the state courts to remedy this
wrong. The party will also make every effort to overturn the Florida
State law that prohibits manual recounts.
10. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
Democrats will defend fervently the constitutional right to practice
religious beliefs according to our own traditions, without government
controls or interference. Many decisions we make as individuals and
families must remain beyond governmental imposition of any religious or
theological beliefs. The separation of church and state is guaranteed in
our Constitution. We expect our leaders to conduct themselves with
honesty and moral integrity, in accordance with their religious
traditions. Our leaders are responsible for the social welfare of the
governed, but are constitutionally barred from using government
resources to impose their faith on or to the detriment of the public and
public institutions.
11. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Democrats believe America will never be energy independent as long as it
willingly relies on unstable foreign sources. We must aggressively fund
programs to develop non-pollutant forms of energy, such as ethanol,
wind, water and solar. We support strong measures to foster
conservation. Fossil fuels, which took millions of years to create, are
finite, will not last forever, and must be conserved.
It is our duty to future generations to find and implement alternatives
NOW to our present wasteful energy policies, both in the private,
industrial and government sectors. Strong moral and ethical practices
within the energy and transportation industries, as well as within the
government, are required. Democrats will stop the subsidies to the oil
industry, and transfer those revenues into research for alternate
sources of energy. These practices will alleviate our dependence on
foreign oil, and will protect our environment while offering new
economic opportunities to all Americans.
While the world’s needs for increased energy sources grows and must be
addressed, we must be mindful of the environmental effects of drilling
for oil in sensitive and pristine areas of our nation. It is for that
reason Democrats oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
and the Gulf waters off the coast of Florida.
We Democrats will think globally, and act locally, nationally and
internationally to promote family planning, protect trees and wildlife
habitats, and reduce air and water pollution, and dramatically reduce
our dependence on fossil fuels.
12. STEWARDSHIP OF THE ENVIRONMENT
The earth is on loan to us to protect for future generations. It is not
ours to destroy, ignore or
bargain with. What damage has been done must be undone. What damage that
could be
done must be prevented. Clean air and clean water are a right and a
necessity of life.
Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced substantially, and careless and
improper disposal of materials, wasteful fuel and energy consumption,
irresponsible environmental practices, and industry’s callous attitude
toward the environment must be stopped. We as a people must hold our
government, energy and transportation companies to a high standard.
Stronger regulations are required to assure the future of a healthy
environment
Scientific evidence of the destruction of the environment, be it global
warming, emissions, de-foresting, water pollution, etc., can no longer
be ignored by us or the international community. We must work together
to protect our natural resources and reverse the effects of generations
of indifference and ignorance.
13. BALANCING BUDGETS AND THE NATIONAL DEBT
Democrats argued in the national election of 2000 that the projected
Federal budget surplus should be applied to reducing the national debt.
Over the past five plus years the annual Federal budgets have run record
deficits and the national debt has increased from $5.6 trillion to over
$8 trillion and growing. That equates to over $28,000 for every man,
woman and child that will be passed on to succeeding generations. An
alarming percentage of the debt is owed to foreign interests. Democrats
pledge to govern within current income, refrain from additional
borrowing and pay down debt whenever there is a surplus.
Democrats believe in balancing government budgets. New or existing
government programs must be paid for either through taxation or cuts in
spending, not by borrowing.
Supporting tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy is improper. And it
creates an ongoing
budget deficit and endangers social programs.
14. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR VETERANS
There is a covenant between those who serve in defense of our nation,
and those who are served. We are indebted to the men and women of our
armed services. In return for their hardships, we are obligated to
provide special pay, incentives, educational and job opportunities and
medical care for line of duty injury and illness – for as long as is
needed. Cutting benefits to those who have served is immoral and
unacceptable.
15. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In high growth areas, commercial development surpasses affordable
housing. This creates an imbalance between jobs and housing, and drives
up prices in the local housing market. This imbalance leads to long
commutes and traffic congestion. Shortages in the local housing market
affect the available labor pool, which in turn affects the competitive
position and economic health of a community.
What is affordable housing and who is it meant to benefit? It is
designed to accommodate the housing needs of middle income families. It
is achieved by a joining of both the public and private sectors.
This is the combination that enables the creation of Affordable Housing,
which includes affordable rental properties, with an overall commitment
to building communities. Democrats strongly support this goal.
A necessity for the establishment of a successful and affordable housing
program must contain a commitment by the public and private sectors to
create and maintain a transportation system that will move the majority
of the population in the developed areas to and from their workplace.
16. HONEST AND OPEN GOVERNMENT
This document has taken every care to present a reasoned, positive
approach to solving America’s problems. It refrains from criticizing our
political opponents, either for their views, or votes, or preferences.
The very nature of our democracy however, is at stake. Democrats must
speak out to condemn, in the harshest way, the lies, untruths, secrecy,
spying, manipulations, stonewalling, no-bid awards to favored
contractors, unlawful acts, fear tactics, and the trashing of our
Constitution. For reasons that include control of the oil in the Middle
East, the current administration in Washington, while lying about
weapons of mass destruction and a “mushroom cloud”, plunged us into a
catastrophic war that has, to date, seen 2400 plus American service
people killed, thousands severely wounded and maimed for life, and tens
of thousands innocent Iraqi men, women and children dead.
Republicans have proved they are long on philosophy and short on
governance. Too much power in Republican hands has led to secret deals,
unlimited fund raising, gerrymandering of voter districts to preserve
power, and abuses by elected officials. We reject calls to “stay the
course” on failed policies and “business as usual” in Congress. We not
only seek to change the party in power, but to begin serious reform of
Congress and political campaigns.
Democrats expect the next Congress to act on the following:
- Pass the McCain-Feingold-Cochran campaign reform Bill. Among its
provisions are needed changes to ban “soft” money, ban phony issue ads
by groups and corporations, ban contributions from foreign sources, and
provide for greater disclosure and stronger election laws.
- Create an independent Congressional Ethics Commission to investigate
misconduct by our elected representatives. It is clear that no Congress
has the will to investigate itself.
- Reform Congressional rules to open all aspects of the legislative
process to public view. The public is no longer willing to tolerate
secret meetings such as those held by the House Rules committee or
Senate leadership to kill minority bills and generally limit debate.
- Legislate to control access and influence of registered lobbyists.
Specifically, Democrats urge Congress to make it illegal for members to
accept gifts and money from lobbyists and to prevent lobbyists from
acting as campaign officials for members or hosting fund raisers in
their behalf.
- End the practice of Members of Congress submitting requests directly
to Conference Committees (earmarking).
- Employ a non-partisan commission to redraw Congressional districts
across the nation to prevent gerrymandering to protect incumbents or
benefit one party over another.
A Democratic administration will obey and honor the laws of the land,
ending the eavesdropping on ordinary and innocent Americans, without a
court order. This administration has raised the “alert” level every time
a spotlight has exposed another outrageous and/or unlawful act they’ve
committed, and ignored the laws of the land, and the Constitution,
claiming that this president has that right in times of emergency.
Democrats will end that kind of governance. Our nation’s future, and our
children’s future depend on it!
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