2012 Democratic Platform Announced !

[Scuba]

The 2012 Democratic Platform


We will pass new tax laws that spread the tax burden fairly across the economic spectrum, with those benefiting most from our society contributing commensurately.

We will pass law to protect the right of workers to organize and have a voice in the operation of US businesses. This will include raising the minimum wage to $20.00 per hour to ensure a reasonable standard of living for all working families and to stimulate our sluggish economy.

We will pass law to provide Medicare for All so no American is denied care or has to suffer financial hardship because of health problems, and no American businesses are saddled with health costs that keep them from competing fairly with foreign competitors. This plan will include a “safety net” to guarantee every citizen is provided the food and shelter necessary to survive difficult challenges in their lives.



We will withdraw of all US military and contracted personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead of the hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives being wasted on these wars, we will instead provide aid to these countries, and to other depressed areas where atrocious conditions breed terrorists.

We will order the Department of Justice to investigate those who led us into these wars to determine if war crime charges are warranted. If so, they will be prosecuted with vigor and any ill-gained profits shall be returned to the people.

We will order the Commerce Department to present a holostic plan for maintaining and advancing the infrastructure of our great country.

We will order the Secretary of Education to present new plans to guarantee all Americans have access to our public schools, from pre-kindergarten through advanced degrees.

We will order Homeland Security to present a new plan for securing our borders from those who would do us harm while allowing appropriate travel and visitation to our many friends around the world. This plan is to include a path to citizenship for those who serve in the US military, or who came here as children and are now productive members of our society.

We will order the Department of Energy to begin another “Manhattan Project” to enable us to cease our dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, I am announcing the nationalization of all US oil and gas reserves, as well as other reserves owned by the citizens of the US that are currently being extracted from our soil for private profit without regard for our environment.

We will order the Department of Justice to begin immediately to root out crimes of corruption within our government. In concert with this, I want Congress to pass laws to ensure elected officials are serving for the benefit of the American people as a whole, not to gain wealth or power for themselves or their friends.


And finally, we are asking you, the People, to help with the most critical problem facing our Democracy today. We’re asking you, the People, to pass a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting political spending by corporations or any other entity or individual not qualifying as a person with citizenship in this great country.


These and other policies we will put in place will cause a sea-change in how our country serves the citizens - We the People - rather than a tiny handful of super-wealthy who would subvert our democracy and plunder our wealth while denying even the most basic services for our citizens. Thank you for your support and thank you for standing up for the rights of all citizens.


Vote Democrat - 2012

[NorthCarolina]

1. That can't possibly be the US Democratic Party platform, the DLC New Dems would never permit it. nt

[Oasis_]

2. $ 20.00 per hour minimum wage?

Be prepared for huge, ungodly job losses, hyper inflation, a quasi-recession that would quickly morph into cataclysmic depression.

Why the arbitrary figure of $ 20.00? Why not $ 40.00 or $ 50.00 or even $100.00?

Oasis

[Scuba]

3. What do you think it should be? Serious question. What else can be improved?

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. Well for starters, rather than just a minimum wage, how about a maximum wage?

A minimum wage is pretty useless without a maximum wage. The higherups will just pay themselves more, inflation will soar and $20 won't be a living wage.

[Scuba]

10. Hmmmmm. I guess if there were no poor, I wouldn't care if somone earned oodles. How about ...

...taxes on wealth and "owner-earnings" being taxed more heavily and "worker-earnings" be taxed less.

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. WEll, that's socialism.

PErsonally, I think if you've earned it, you should keep it.
But if you haven't earned it, you shouldn't get it to begin with.

[Oasis_]

6. Let's say for instance

The kid at McDonald's has his pay raised from 7 or so bucks an hour to 20. Let's say I average 28 dollars per hour or so and I'm unaffected (with respect to changes in rate of pay).

That value meal now quadruples from $4.00 to $16.00, and along with many, many others I decide there's not much "value" in it at all and stop giving McDonald's (or substitute any fast food joint--low end food establishment) and all of the sudden that kid is out of a job---lack of business equals lack of work which equals lost employment.

Now, not only is this unfortunate kid out of a job, but many of the chain's suppliers, contractors, delivery personnel and on and on and on.....

No offense at all intended, but that's frankly the worst and completely counter productive economic proposal advanced that I've ever heard.

Oasis

[katnapped]

Well good gosh you're right!

We should pay him a quarter a week and tell him to go fuck himself! Because in the grand scheme of things he doesn't matter :eyes:

[socialist_n_TN]

17. Why would the price have to raise? You also put into

place a MAXIMUM wage, maybe 10 times the amount of the minimum. Wouldn't that make the food somewhat equivalent to what it is now?

[LooseWilly]

34. If my theoretical pay, like your theoretical kid's, jumps from 7 to 20... then I can afford the 16

... meanwhile hiring lawyers (whose wage hasn't increased) is cheaper for everyone... as is buying houses, cars, etc.

I say it's worth a try.

[Motown_Johnny]

23. a living wage approach might be a better way to go

You would need to set some standard for the cost of living in different areas just to get started. Then you could increase the minimum wage for people who live in areas where it costs more to live based on that standard.


Once we get there we can have a reasonable discussion about what the minimum wage really should be.


This would also help lower income people live and work in the same area instead of needing to commute to a lower rent area than where they work.

[MattSh]

32. Hey, it's only a platform!

It's not like anyone who's running for office actually believes anything their platform says.

A platform is only there to sucker in people to vote for them. Once the election is finished, their platform is finished.

[johnroshan]

35. I was shocked at that too..

Its a better option to try and control inflation.

[warren pease]

4. You forgot the sarcasm smiley.

Here's a few to start you off.

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Scuba]

5. How do I interpret thee? Let me count the ways.

[warren pease]

8. The day these co-opted, bribed fools sign onto a platform like that will be the day...

...public financing of elections becomes the law of the land. And even then, I can't imagine them taking such a bold stance because they'd worry that Fux Nudes would make fun of them on TeeeVeeeee.

wp

[Scuba]

13. So I'm interpreting that as a "thumbs up". Thanks.

[warren pease]

26. Most definitely...

Unfortunately, we'd need a party full of Alan Graysons to pull this one off. All I see is a bunch of Steny Hoyers slithering around cutting backroom deals with "our republican friends."

:toast:


wp

[white_wolf]

9. That would get my vote.

A few more things I'd add: Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. And make it so that any politician who takes corporate money will be arrested along with the CEO of the company who gave the bribe. I'd go even further and say the company should have its charter revoked and its asset distributed to its employees to help them as they search for a new job.

[Scuba]

11. File under "seek out corruption". Thanks, good suggestions.

[socialist_n_TN]

20. Agree. Arrest the fuckers and give the assets TO the workers

for them to run the company as a co-op.

[white_wolf]

22. As they said in the days of the Russian Revolution

All power to the workers!

[tavalon]

12. Sadly,

I think you might be typing this while down at 120 feet - in other words, I think you have nitrogen narcosis. No one currently in the DNC would agree to this platform. But, you're a dreamer and you're not the only one!

[Scuba]

14. So the Dem party needs new leadership, or the leadership needs their own party. Whatever. n/t

[tavalon]

19. Yes or yes

[AnOhioan]

15. Don't know who would have that platform...it would not be the Dems

[white_wolf]

18. The Green party maybe? Perhaps one of the numerous Socialist parties?

I'm sure a few of them have something very similar.

[Motown_Johnny]

16. I love stories from "The Onion"! got a link?

[tavalon]

21. I could be wrong

but I think this is a scuba original.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. I'm sure it is

but parts of it are written as if it could come from The Onion



I guess I needed the sarcasm tag on that last post, sorry

[slay]

25. HA! If only

if only.. sigh.. :(

[bobbolink]

27. Once again, poor people are left forgotten, under the damned bus.. Why am I not surprised?

Oh, well... its a relief. I don't have to bother with voting.

[LAGC]

33. If the poor don't bother voting (which many of them don't), how can they expect to be heard?

Politicians will just keep ignoring you if you don't bother voting.

[Skip_In_Boulder]

29. Dream On. Any significant change to the American landscape

will have to come from the ground up. Both major political parties at this point have been co-opted. They no longer work for us.

[Autumn]

30. What country is that Democratic platform from?

Cause it sure as hell isn't ours.

[Lugnut]

31. Bummer.

I was looking for a big COLA boost that reflects reality to SS monthly benefit checks for SS recipients.