This is what a great Democratic Party Platform should look like

[cali]

The Vermont Democratic Party believes the rights to health care, food, shelter, clean air and water, education, privacy, justice, peace and equality, to organize, and to speak freely are essential to a robust democracy. These rights are not negotiable. When any Vermonter lacks or is denied any of these basic essentials, the fabric of our community is torn and all of us are harmed.

We believe that all citizens have a responsibility to be informed, engaged participants in our democracy. As engaged citizens, we will work toward the establishment of economically and environmentally sustainable communities that regain and maintain the ecological health of our state and contribute to the health of our country and the planet.

We expect elected officials, their staffs and their appointees to govern compassionately, competently, honorably, truthfully, and with fiscal integrity and transparency. We demand that all elected officials fully adhere to their oaths of office and defend the Constitutions of Vermont and of the United States at all times, using all lawful means available to them through their office.

Based on the principles of the Vermont and U.S. Constitutions, we stand against torture, bigotry and discrimination, forced childbirth or sterilization, corruption, and the establishment of state sponsored religion or the imposition of any religious doctrine upon the citizenry, whether by government action or inaction.

We judge the success of a democratic society by how it treats its most vulnerable members.

Therefore, in everything we do – every policy, law, and regulation – we must consider the effects of our actions not only on us, but also on the lives and futures of our children and succeeding generations.

You can read the rest here:

http://www.vtdemocrats.org/our-party/platform

It's quite specific and includes such things as:

2. Job Retention:

We will work against outsourcing and privatization of state and public-sector jobs, outsourcing of private-sector jobs, and off-shoring of jobs to other countries or to employers who ignore the rights of workers; such practices undermine workers’ rights, adversely affect local economies, destroy community safety nets, and threaten the environment.

5. Fair Taxation:

1. We will continue to work to reverse the damage done by the federal tax shifts made by the last Republican presidential administration, which placed a greater burden on Vermonters. We will replace the failed supply-side policies that on the state and federal levels wasted surpluses and created debts to be paid by our children and grandchildren.

We will continue working to undo the damage done to Vermont’s infrastructure by eight years of a Republican administration’s neglect, abandonment, destruction, and deliberate disrepair.

2. We are committed to returning to a policy of fiscal responsibility including fair taxation based on ability to pay, investment in our shared infrastructure, and funding for programs that support working Vermonters and the vulnerable in our society. The ceiling of FICA (social security) taxation should be raised to $225,000.00 of income.

B. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INVESTMENT and CONSERVATION:

A healthy environment is essential to overall public health, and therefore to Vermont's economy and quality of life. We recognize global climate change as the major challenge of our time. We accept our moral and ethical obligation to do all that we can to protect and conserve our environment, for ourselves and for future generations. As a party, we are committed to environmental stewardship. Therefore, we are committed to the rigorous and consistent enactment and impartial enforcement of appropriate environmental laws and regulations.

3. Campaign Finance Reform and Public Financing:

We are committed to substantive campaign finance reforms, including public financing that will withstand court challenges and working to practically counteract and legally reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.

2. Workers’ Rights:

1. We believe that government must ensure the rights of employees to organize a union, bargain collectively, and to work free from discrimination in a safe, healthy and fair environment.

2. We support the enforcement of all federal, state, county and municipal laws that protect workers.

3. Health Care:

1. We believe that access to appropriate, affordable, and accessible quality medical care is the right of every human being

. Crime Prevention:

1. Democrats believe that by focusing on the causes of crime and its prevention through education, drug treatment, deterrence, and adequate funding of law enforcement agencies, including police, State’s Attorneys, Public Defenders, Victim Advocates, Corrections Department (including Probation and Parole staff) and courts at all levels, we can protect our citizens and communities and decrease the costs of incarceration.

2. Vermont Democrats decry the for-profit and out-of-state warehousing of prisoners as detrimental to the safety of communities: it separates prisoners from family and community ties necessary to their successful and safe rehabilitation and reintegration into the Vermont communities in which they will be released.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Hell, I'd settle for the 1956 Republican platform...

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25838

[otherone]

8. nice find

nice avatar

[joshcryer]

10. I wouldn't, because they got what they wanted.

Privitization, deregulation, ending social welfare, tax cuts for the rich.

Here's a previous post on that "wonderful" Republican platform: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002560884

Please see my debunking in that thread.

[Scuba]

2. Here in Wisconsin, the State Democratic Party has a slightly different platform ...

Poisonous mines, offshoring jobs and charter schools.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10849554

[B Calm]

9. Surely the democratic party can find a better

candidate than Mary Burke!

[Scuba]

15. But do they want to?

[cali]

3. kick

[B Calm]

4. I agree! K&R

[cali]

5. the use of language is masterful with its references

to "forced childbirth" and the emphasis on compassion and essential human rights.

It's an excellent template.

[B Calm]

6. I caught that too Cali! Forced childbirth,

I might have to steal that!!

[joshcryer]

7. That's very much what the Democratic Party Platform looks like.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=101962

I'm pretty sure all of that stuff is in the Platform, but I can't be bothered to read the entire thing again. If you think the platform is missing something that VT Dems cover control+f and look for it. VT Dems notably miss firearm regulations (probably because VT is one of the most gun-permissive states in the country).

[cali]

11. It's nothing like it???

no, all that is not in the national dem platform and the emphasis and language is so much weaker. there is nothing like the first few paragraphs of the VT platform. There is nothing like the focus on the most vulnerable.

there are points in common but it's very, very different and then there are things like this:

Opened Markets All Over the World for American Products. President Obama and the Democratic Party know that America has the best workers and businesses in the world. If the playing field is level, Americans will be able to compete against every other country on Earth. Over the last four years, we have made historic progress toward the goal of doubling our exports by 2015. We have taken steps to open new markets to American products, while ensuring that other countries play by the same rules. President Obama signed into law new trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that will support tens of thousands of private-sector jobs, but not before he strengthened these agreements on behalf of American workers and businesses. We remain committed to finding more markets for American-made goods - including using the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the United States and eight countries in the Asia-Pacific, one of the most dynamic regions in the world - while ensuring that workers' rights and environmental standards are upheld, and fighting against unfair trade practices. We expanded and reformed assistance for trade-affected workers, and we demanded renewal of that help alongside new trade agreements.

and this:

Faith. Faith has always been a central part of the American story, and it has been a driving force of progress and justice throughout our history. We know that our nation, our communities, and our lives are made vastly stronger and richer by faith and the countless acts of justice and mercy it inspires. Faith-based organizations will always be critical allies in meeting the challenges that face our nation and our world - from domestic and global poverty, to climate change and human trafficking. People of faith and religious organizations do amazing work in communities across this country and the world, and we believe in lifting up and valuing that good work, and finding ways to support it where possible. We believe in constitutionally sound, evidence-based partnerships with faith-based and other non-profit organizations to serve those in need and advance our shared interests. There is no conflict between supporting faith-based institutions and respecting our Constitution, and a full commitment to both principles is essential for the continued flourishing of both faith and country.

[joshcryer]

12. Trade, like guns, is missing from the VT Platform.

So where VT Dems stand on trade or international trade partnerships, we don't know.

As far as faith based stuff:

Based on the principles of the Vermont and U.S. Constitutions, we stand against torture, bigotry and discrimination, forced childbirth or sterilization, corruption, and the establishment of state sponsored religion or the imposition of any religious doctrine upon the citizenry, whether by government action or inaction.

Both mention religion but only in the context of preserving the Constitution. So what if the main platform is more wordy, they don't differ to any relevant extent.

And then, there is, again, VT Dem's failing to address gun control.

[cali]

13. good grief. I can't believe that you think the national platform is

particularly progressive. There's nothing in it about raising the cap on social security, for instance. the environmental and climate change passages in the VT platform are much stronger. It's better written and clearer. There is far more emphasis on workers rights. there's nothing in the National platform that I could see, that touched on the for profit prison industry or approached crime from the perspective that the VT platform does. The language with phrases like "forced childbirth" in the VT platform is much stronger. There's no focus in the National Platform about sustainability. The Vermont Platform is far more inclusive. It's stronger on workers' rights and healthcare and what are basic human rights that all citizens should have.

[joshcryer]

14. Oh dear. Just too precious.

Making a post for the sake of it. I can't believe you think the VT platform is substantially different.

You claim that the National Platform doesn't support raising the cap, except the Democratic Party Platform says, "We reject approaches that insist that cutting benefits is the only answer." What other approach than "cutting benefits" is the answer? Why golly gee, it's raising the cap! The National Platform doesn't explicitly mention for-profit-prisons but they both do mention crime prevention and programs to lower incarceration rates (which would hurt for-profit-prisons). The National Platform explicitly mentions sustainability, however, when it writes, "We can move towards a sustainable energy-independent future if we harness all of America's great natural resources." As far as workers rights they dedicate almost 700 words and 6 very wordy paragraphs on defending workers rights, a far cry from "being weak" on workers rights. Health care? Almost 750 words and 6 even wordier paragraphs.

Dear, one must read between the lines and understand what is being said, the National Platform is overly wordy and bullshit, but the platforms are largely similar, whether you want to accept it or not.

Meanwhile VT Dems don't want to do shit about gun regulations, which you still haven't addressed, because you know it's true. VT is one of the most permissive gun toting states around. Why gee, I can do conceal carry there without even having to be licensed. Just walk around with a gun in my pocket. VT makes Texas look anti-gun.

[cali]

16. I pointed out the substantial differences

and yes, darling, supporting raising the cap is very different than saying "we reject approaches that insist that cutting benefits is the only answer"- particularly as the President whose platform it is (why do you think it's "Obama this and Obama that in said document?) has put the chained CPI in his very own budget?

Read between the lines?? bwahahahahaha. and therein is the obvious difference, my "brilliant" dearest friend". the VT platform is specific.


the National platform, by your own admission requires reading between the lines and is open to interpretation.


And btw, your harping on the gun thing is just funny considering Vermont's low rate of gun crimes.

Yeah, they're very different. The VT platform is an outright progressive document and template. The national document isn't.

[joshcryer]

17. It's different only in the wording, cali.

You and I both know that because I know you're smart enough to realize realpolitk. The National Platform can't be direct, it gots to weasel word every fucking thing. I actually admire the wording of that because they directly disagreed with Obama over Social Security (Obama wanted to put cuts on the table, the Platform rebuffed it! Believe it or not.).

The VT Dems can be specific all they want. I don't care. Their platform is not very much different from the National Platform. Except VT Democrats wouldn't touch gun control. Sure they might get away with it because they're more direct and their wording is concise, but they really should be criticized for their failure to deal with gun control, unlike the National Platform which puts gun control in the plank of Democratic values.

BTW, do you think VT's gun control is related to VT's low rate of gun crime? Because a lot of those in the gun group would totally agree with that absurdity. As if more guns and less gun regulation leads to less gun related crime (a joke of epic proportions). VT's low rate of gun crime is related to VT's standard of living and general welfare, of course.

[cali]

18. lol. yeah. it's different in the wording and words have meaning

it's entirely different and you know it.

It's a far, far more progressive document in every way.

why you're falsely insisting they're the same is mind boggling.

and I'm not even going to bother answering your question about gun control. You want to know what I think do a search. You're just focusing desperately on the gun control issue because you know you're wrong about everything else.