Congressman Ellison's Statement on DNC Platform Drafting Committee Meeting

[ehrnst]

MINNEAPOLIS – Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee completed its work in St. Louis, Missouri, forwarding a draft platform to the full Platform Committee which will meet in Orlando on July 8:

“It was an honor to participate in the Platform Drafting Committee with my fellow appointees. The platform draft is the strongest progressive statement to come from the Democratic Party in years. I hope it can be made even stronger in Orlando. The party is responding to the energy and values expressed clearly in this primary election.

“I am disappointed that my amendment to take a strong stand against the Trans-Pacific Partnership – a position shared by both Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders – was not included. I hope this amendment will be adopted in Orlando.

“The platform does, though, contain many meaningful and historic positions including: calling for urgently needed voting reforms, rejecting the vilification of Muslim-Americans, ending the death penalty, enacting a financial transactions tax to curb excessive speculation, expanding Social Security, banning golden parachutes for taking government jobs, establishing a new surtax on multimillionaires, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, using government contracts to support good jobs, honoring and strengthening our relationships with Tribal Sovereign Nations, passing a modernized Glass-Steagall law, and moving our economy to 100% clean energy by 2050. These are significant accomplishments that move our party firmly toward justice, fairness, and inclusion.”

http://www.keithellison.org/news-clips/congressman-ellisons-statement-dnc-platform-drafting-committee-meeting

[peace13]

1. Hillary will probably correct this oversight.

That and banning fracking. Without these two things , it's a bit like buying a house with no foundation.

[Eric J in MN]

2. HRC doesn't want to ban fracking. Sanders does. NT

NT

[ehrnst]

3. She's against it "when any locality or any state is against it," "

She's against it "when any locality or any state is against it," "when the release of methane or contamination of water is present," and "unless we can require that anybody who fracks has to tell us exactly what chemicals they are using."

[Eric J in MN]

5. Those fracking conditions would be more impressive

...if HRC phrased them in terms of a process.

Such as: The law should require before each fracking that the EPA certify that water contamination and methane release are extremely unlikely.

HRC's vague phrasing made it unclear whether water and methane issues need to be addressed in advance and if so by whom.

[ehrnst]

6. Yes, because candidates need to have a process in place for their issues....

Like "what comes next," and "breaking up the big banks," or "mass prosecutions of Wall Street criminals."

Yep, impressive.

[peace13]

4. : )