PLATFORM AS ADOPTED AT THE 2008 BREMER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION MARCH 15, 2008

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PLATFORM AS ADOPTED AT THE 2008= BREMER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION MARCH 15, 2008

AE – AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

1. = Support Access to Clean Food and Water to All People

WHEREAS, many people in this country and others do not= have access to clean drinking water;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED we Democrats urge our elected representatives to make clean food and water available to all people.

2. Support= Local Control over Location of “Confined Animal Feeding Operations”

WHEREAS, the people of Iowa have the right to clean water; an= d

WHEREAS, Iowa has some of the dirtiest water in the na= tion, and state records show there have been nearly 600 manure spills in just the past 12 years; and

WHEREAS, Experience has shown that Confined Animal Fee= ding Operations, which produce millions of gallons of raw waste each year, can h= ave a negative impact on people’s quality of life, health, local economy,= and our air and water; and

WHEREAS, Iowans should have the right to local control, which means that local people – who know their area the best – would have the power to decide whether or not a Confined Animal Feeding Operation can build in their area; and

WHERE, Other states including Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri have local control over the location of Confined Animal Feeding Operations, giving communities more control over the quality;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Iowa Legislature pass legislation giving all Iowans the ability to exercise local control over the location of Confined Animal Feeding Operations.

3. Safe En= ergy

Whereas we are increasingly dependent on foreign oil f= or our own safety,

Be it Resolved that we do everything possible to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by developing alternative clean energy sources via Clean Air Fu= el Emissions (CAFÉ) standards.

4. Stop Gr= een House Gas Emissions

Whereas, oil companies record high profits from our gas guzzling vehicles, therefore be it resolved, that, greenhouse gas emission = to be stopped to slow down global warming.

EC – ECONOMY, COMMERCE & LABOR

5. Tax Subsidies Used in Appropriate Places

Whereas, it is the purp= orted intent of tax-funded subsidies, and/or tax= exemptions or forgiveness, to assure the continued viability of targ= eted industries and businesses (i. e. family-owned farms, but not limited to)in = the competitive marketplace to sustain a healthy national economy for the benef= it

of all Americans rather= than to infuse gross capital gains into already highly profitable and stable businesses and corporation:

Be it resolved: That th= e Iowa Democratic Party supports vigorous Congressional oversight of tax-funded su= bsidies, and/or tax exemptions or forgiveness to the end that this assistance fulfil= ls the purported intent of maintaining the viability of American businesses and corporations that are in evidenced need

of these supports.

6. Stop La= bor Outsourcing

Be it resolved, that we should keep jobs here and stop outsourcing jobs to foreign countries.

ED – EDUCATION

7. Amend No Child Left Behind<= /b>

We urge Congress and the President to amend the no chi= ld left behind act to allow the use of multiple sources of evidence to assess stude= nt learning and school effectiveness, to restore a class size reduction progra= m to give students more individualized attention, to increase the number of high= ly qualified teachers in our nations public schools, and to fully fund its obligations to America’s public school students.

= 8. Eliminate or Revamp No Child Left Behind=

That the no child left behin= d be eliminated or vastly revamped so that every child has the opportunity to le= arn and every teacher has the opportunity to teach.

9. Support Special Education Funding=

We call on Congress and the President to support full federal funding of special education

10. Oppose School Vouchers, Etc.=

We oppose diverting public m= oney from public schools to fund vouchers; tuition tax credits; or private, for-profit education businesses.

11. Support Good Educator Salaries

We support maintaining professional salaries for educators and increasing the wages of support professional in our public schools.

12.Educator Retirement Funding Changes<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>

We support allowing the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) contribution rate to be determine= d by the system’s actuary within a limit of 0.5 percent per year, creating= an independent board of trustees, and funding to make the COLA for pre-1990 retirees and t= he favorable experience dividend for post-1990 retirees sustainable forever.

13.Make Higher Level Educati= on Available

Continue to make higher level education programs available to anyo= ne who wishes to take advantage of them. This would include both recent high school grads as well as adults wishing to take advantage of education and retraining programs for career advancement opportunities. Ai= d can take several forms including prep programs to help interested candidates get into programs and succeed at them as well as funding.

14. Reduce Unfunded Mandates=

Lessen the burdens on states from unfunded mandates coming out of = the federal government - national education priorities need funding support whi= ch reach local school districts.

15. Emphasis on Higher Level Education Skills

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National Education priorities need to also increase emphasis on hi= gher level education skills and thorough process to prepare students for higher level education beyond high school to meet growing demands of work force for trained employees.

GL – GOVERNMENT & LAW

16. Veterans Affairs Offices

Wher= eas, Iowa Veterans receive $600.00 in per capita federal benefits, Iowa ranks 44^th in the United States and in comparison, Veterans in New Mexico recei= ve $2800.00 per year and Veterans in Puerto Rico receive $3100.00 per capita. It is the position of the Iowa Democratic Veterans' Caucus tha= t this disparity is in great part due to the failure of Iowa Veterans to apply for benefits available to them as a result of the failure of Service Organization and Veteran Outreach programs to make credible attempts to reach the uninformed veterans.=

Be it resolved, that the Iowa Democratic Party supports an immediate and enhanced training for County Veterans Affairs Officers in the form of a mandatory certification program. Furthermore, we support increased availability of training funds for Veterans Service Representatives along with increased support services for those representatives; a dramatically improved outreach awareness program to reach all veterans; and in areas of the state where th= ere are no County Veterans Affairs Officers or Service Representatives, an at l= arge mobile support team be created to deliver and advocate those services. Moreover, to make available at least 20 hours of service available in each county, we support a grant to the counties for that purpose, to be supplied= in declining tiers over three years.

To fu= rther assist and reach out to veterans we also support a significant increase in state education assistance. And to attain the goals, we suppo= rt the creation of a permanent planning structure with goals equitable to all vete= rans as defined by, and coordinated with, county officers, regional support team= s, and service representatives.

Prop= osed by: The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus

17. Veterans Health Care Funding=

=

Where= as, The national budget for veterans' health care is wholly inadequate in order= to fund services for veterans inju= red in America's most recent wars. Through a series of bureaucratic regulations the Department of Veterans Affairs and other elements of the Bush administration have chosen to elimin= ate benefit eligibility for veterans who have fought in previous wars. The most serious of these cutbacks has been the creation of a ranked or tiered structure for veterans' eligibility as created and effected by then -Secretary of Veterans Affairs An= thony Principi. This major cutback effectively denies veterans' health care benefits to most or all of the bottom four tiers of veterans in an eight-tier system. While we recogniize that our more-recent Iraq and <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Afghanistan veterans need and= are entitled to immediate assistance and given that we support the full funding= of their needs, we do not agree that those less recent veterans that have alre= ady sacrificed should have their contractual benefits abridged.

America must come to recognize that the veterans' health care budget crisis is as significant and important as both= the Medicare and Medical health care crisis. The cost for veterans' health care is projected to increase multi-fold because of the unique injuries associated with our current wars thereby compounding the problems of chronic under funding of the veterans' = care system. Great human suffering and distraught social consequences have been created in the past by the failure of our government to identify and treat = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) injuries in a timely and professional mann= er. PTSD has affected entire generations of soldiers. It has affected those who= served in WWII, Korea, Vie= tnam, Desert Storm, Operation Just Cause in Panam= a, various Korean acti= ons, Kosovo, Desert One, and Somalia. It will continue to impact the lives of veterans. Therefore, veterans' heal= th care budgets must be dramatically increased. Not only are our veterans affected, but it impacts their parents, children, spouses, employers, and t= he acquaintances of our veterans.

Be it resolved, The Iowa Democratic Party supports mandatory federal funding for = veteran' health care for all veterans.

Proposed by: The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus

18. Veterans Health Benefits=

Where= as, Our government and its representatives in order to reduce the budget impact= of providing health care for veterans use various forms of means testing. This marginali= zes and falsely indicates that a particular veteran's service to our country is less valuable than the servi= ce of another veteran. It is our position that health care services and other = benefits are earned through sacr= ifice and should not be the subject to means testing or other economic restrictio= ns. These earned benefits should be universally available to veterans.

=

Be it resolved, That it is the unwavering position of the Iowa Democratic Party t= hat the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) health care provisions are a contractual agreement earned by veterans. As such, we insist that financial means testing, co-pay and any or all other devices utilized to exclude or limit veterans' health care benefits be rescind= ed by law.

=

Prop= osed by: The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus

19. National Guard Education Benefiits

=

Whereas, Veterans of the 133rd Infantry Battalion of the Iowa Army National Guard were recently denied full educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, This occurred because orders were is= sued indicating guardsmen's active duty status was one day short of the threshold that would have allowed full educational benefits. This situation represents the utilization of regulations and orders as a budget saving means or devic= e at the expense of an affected veteran who may be seeking earned educational assistance benefits. This "discrepancy" occurred in spite of the = fact that the Iowa unit affected was involved= in the longest recorded in-theater duty of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

Regre= tfully, this situation represents a common practice in many instances. There are ot= her examples of Reserve or Guard veterans serving two, three, four and even five one-year tours in Iraq= or Afghanistan where breaks in service have occurred between rotations. Had these veterans been on active service, they might have been eligible for full educational benefits several times over.

What = constitutes being a veteran is specifically defined. All veterans have taken risk by ta= king the oath of service, regardless of time of war or time of peace. A soldier = is always on call to perform dangerous missions. Often many veterans go unnoti= ced and are recognized either too late or never for their participation in small combat actions, which are equally as dangerous as a fully-declared war, or = for the larger scale battles as well. The members of the military who are keepi= ng the peace in distant lands face separation from family and loved ones, as w= ell as physical hardship, regardless of when their service was rendered.<= /p>
Be it resolved, That the Iowa Democratic Party is deeply troubled and concerned t= hat both Reserve and National Guard Veterans are treated differently under the terms of the Montgomery GI Bill than are active or Regular Armed Service veterans. We call on each Democratic presidential candidate and each member of the Iowa Congressional delegation to review the status= of veterans' education benefits for the Reserve and National Guard and to bring them to parity with= the educational benefits of the Regular Armed Services veterans.

Prop= osed by: The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus

20. Veterans Special Health Care NNeeds

Whereas, The Iraq and Afghanista= n Wars have spotlighted the necessity of special health care needs for all veteran= s as well as the needs of veterans of our latest conflicts. The following catego= ries of special care needs are those which should receive attention and emphasis immediately. These special needs include, but are not limited to the physiological and psychological service-related injuries and disabilities:

1.    Mental disorders (with particular emphasis on PTSD)

2.    Medical and mental health issues specific to female veterans

3.    Traumatic brain injuries

4.    Orthopedic injuries and prosthetic services

= Be it resolved; The Iowa Democratic Party supports increased emphasis on providing increased attention to, and medical services for, veterans with the aforementioned injuries and disabilities.

Proposed by: The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus

21. Prisoner Appropriate Housin= g

Wher= eas, The Durrant Study (a study of Iowa's pri= son system) has reported that Iow= a's system for classify= ing prisoners at the appropriate level of security (level of supervision.) places = too many offenders in a higher level of security than is necessary. This study suggests that more offenders could be incarcerated with minimum security or= in a community facility especially in regard to female offenders. It is less expensive to house offenders in community facilities and by updating the offender classification system relevant assessments of where or if prison expansion is needed, or whether housing of lower risk offenders in community facilities would serve more efficiently thus saving tax dollars from being unnecessarily spent on prison expansion.

=

Be it resolved, The Iowa Democratic Party urges the Iowa Legislature to direct the Iowa Department of Corrections to develop a comprehensive plan to house offenders at the appropriate security level in facilities with the appropri= ate services available prior to funding new prisons or expansions of existing facilities.

22. Treatment of Substance Abus= ers

Where= as, Iowa is 8^th in the nation in addiction to drugs per capita as reported by the office of Drug Control in January 2007,= and the Iowa Department of Management Performance Audit has identified in their study that 60% of the offenders in Iowa's prisons with a need for substance abuse treatment but are released from pri= son without treatment. At the same time, 53.4% of high risk offenders with need= for substance abuse treatment leave community-based correction facilities witho= ut substance abuse treatment. Studies have shown that substance abuse treatment for abusers significantly lowers the need for incarceration of newly convic= ted abusers and also lowers recidivism for those who have been incarcerated in prisons and community-based facilities.

=

Be it= resolved, The Iowa Democratic urges the Iowa Legislature to provide funding for subst= ance abuse treatment in communities statewide as a means to keep those with chem= ical dependencies out of the criminal justice system, and also to provide funding for substance abuse treatments for those already in community facilities and the Iowa prisons.

=

23. Oppose Death Penalty

Whereas, Currently there is a national moratorium on = the death penalty while waiting the Supreme Court's review of lethal injection protocol in relation to the 8^th amendment, which bars cruel and unusual punishment. Iowa does not have capital punishment but has life in prison without parole. The= re is however, legislation introduced periodically to reinstate capital punish= ment in Iowa.

The d= eath penalty is not a deterrent to murder; it is more costly to execute an offender than= to incarcerate them for life; the death penalty has been unjustly and discriminatorily applied; evidence has been revealed that innocent people h= ave been executed in the past; and it is a means for barbaric revenge which has= no place in today's society.

Be it resolved, The National Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Iowa ar= e in opposition to the = death penalty.

24. Repeal Mandatory Minimum Pr= ison Sentences

Wher= eas, Mandatory minimum prison sentences many times keep offenders in prison beyond the point rehabilitation = and when they are no longer a threat to society; and the Iowa Board of Parole is charged by the law with determining which offenders can be safely returned = to their communities; returning discretion to the Iowa Board of Parole to allow offenders to be reviewed by the Parole Board for consideration of release.<= o:p>

=

Be it resolved, The Iowa Democratic Party supports repeal of the mandatory minimu= m prison sentences.

=

25. Sexual Orientation – Protection Under Laws

Where= as, It is the universal human right to live their lives without threat of violence= toward their person and/or prop= erty:

Be it resolved, That the Democratic Party supports the proposition of adding sexu= al orientation and transgender to protection under applicable Federal Civil Ri= ghts laws, Anti-Hate cr= ime laws, Anti-Discrimination laws, and Anti-Bullying laws.
26. Sexual Orientation – = Repeal Defense of Marriage Act

Where= as, It is the universally accepted right of members of a family to care for, provi= de for, and provide protection for members of their defined family:

Be it resolved, That the Democratic Part supports the repeal of the "Defense= of Marriage Act" while also supporting full and equal marital and family rights for all consenting adults regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. <= /p>
27. Sexual Orientation – R= ights of Committed Couples

=

Where= as: Gay, Lesbian Homosexual citizen couples, committed to one another do not ha= ve the same rights as married people, such as joint tax returns and hospital visit= s to their partners:

Be it resolved that the Democratic Party will do what is needed to bring these sa= me rights to all citi= zens of the United States= of America. This could be done in a number = of ways.

28. Women&= #8217;s Right to Reproduction and Abortion Choices

We support a woman’s right to make her own choic= es regarding reproduction and abortion.

29. Social Security Tax Use

Be it resolved, that Social Security taxes should not = be used for anything but Social Security.

30. Voter = Owned Iowa Clean Elect= ions (VOICE) (HF 805 & SF 553)

WHEREAS, a fundamental tenet of democracy is government “of, by and for the people”, and

WHEREAS, our political system at all levels is increas= ingly dominated by the influence of large sums of private money that finance electoral campaigns, and

WHEREAS this influence diminishes the right of all Iow= ans to equal and meaningful participation in the democratic process, and

WHEREAS, a number of states – including Arizona,= Maine and Connecticut—have adopted systems of clean elections which provide full public financing for primary and general campaigns to candidates who o= pt to run “clean campaigns,” and

WHEREAS, such voluntary voter owned election laws have helped to restore democracy and public confidence in the election and gover= ning processes of those states; and

WHEREAS, the State Government Committee of the Iowa Ho= use and Senate, have approved HF805 and SF 553—the Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections Act(VOICE) on a bi-partisan basis;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Iowa pass Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections(VOICE) legislation, as spelled out in House File805 and Senate Fi= le 553. Under this law an electi= on system will be established in which candidates could choose to no longer ra= ise money from private sources. Instead, each participating candidate would receive a set amount of money from a publicly financed election fund. Spending by the candidate would be limited to the amount they get from the election fund.

HH – HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

31. Increa= sed and Affordable Access to Contraceptives – Healthy Families Initiative

We know access to affordable contraceptives improves t= he health and welfare of Iowa families.

-Unintended pregnancies cost the state of Iowa $47 million a year because we spe= nd nothing to prevent them.

-Iowa ranks 48^th out of the 50 states and D.C. in contraceptive availability.

-Iowa ranks 39^th out of the 50 states and D.C. in contraceptive spendi= ng.

-Over 170,000 low-income women in Iowa would benefit from publicly funded family planning services including contraceptives.

We resolve to support state funding to provide family planning services including contraceptives for adult low-income women who w= ould otherwise not have access, with the goal of reducing the number of unintend= ed pregnancies in the state.

32. Fundin= g for Reproductive Health Services and Sex Education

Whereas, the best way to make abortion rare is to ensu= re that everyone has access to voluntary family planning, counseling and infor= mation, therefore, be it resolved that we support state and federal funding for reproductive health services and age appropriate, medically accurate sex education.

33. Federal Funding for International Family Planning

Whereas family planning saves the lives of women and children, contributes to the welfare of communities and creates hope for humanity, therefore, be it resolved that we support federal funding for voluntary international family planning.

34. Chronic Disease<= /span>

B= ecause,

2 of = every 5 lowans has a chronic disease

Nationally 45 out of every 100 are living with a chro= nic disease

1 of= 3 babies born in Iowa will develop diabetes in their lifetime

Chro= nic disease is the #1 driver of rising health care costs, as well as the #1

cause= of death in America.

=

R= esolved,

-Ref= ocus our health care system on keeping people healthier through disease prevention, care managem= ent, targeted incentives to encourage self management and prevention.

-Pro= mote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention and management in every community- including place= s of employment and schools.

-Impr= ove the quality of care for those with chronic diseases by encouraging innovati= on in the treatment of diseases at the research and bedside levels, as well as encourage continued American investment in pioneering science that will res= ult in better treatments to prevent and lessen the toll of chronic disease.

-Acce= lerate improvements in the quality and availability of health information technology througho= ut the health system

-Redu= ce access barriers to health care for all populations.

=

35. Allow Prescription Drugs From Canada<= /b>

Because,

The high cost of drugs in the U.S. co= mpared to other countries with prescription drugs.

Re= solved.

That= we allow prescription drugs to come into the U= .S. from Canada to = make it more affordable for citi= zens in the U.S.

=

36. National Health Insurance

Because,.

Too = many deserving people lack good health insurance,

Resolved.

Develop a national health insura= nce plan.

37. Health= Care for All and Medications for Elderly

Be it resolved, that there should be health care for a= ll and medications for elderly.

38. Health= Care for Children

Be it resolved, that no child in the United States should go witho= ut health care.

39. Chronic Disease (Aids/HTV/TB= )

B= ecause,

HIV/A= IDS and tuberculosis are still a major problem in this and other countries and because there are= still deaths from these diseases both in this country and other nations.

Resolved.

Senat= ors and Representatives are urged to provide treatment to all who need it and to use their power to be= gin a program that will eliminate these diseases worldwide.

40. Alzheimer's Disease

B= ecause,

Alzh= eimer's Disease is a major driver of health care costs for older Americans. Americans 55 and older fear Alzheimer's more than any other disease.

R= esolved.

-That Presidential candidates address Alzheimer's as a key to improving our nation's health.

-To t= ake action to improve coverage for the uninsured, including long-term care coverage.

-To = commit to make changes to Medicare to improve the quality and affordability of car= e.

-To c= ommit to increase efforts to solve the problem of Alzheimer's Disease.=

IA – INTERNAL AFFAIRS

41. Withdrawal from Iraq

Whereas, An ill planned and/or t= oo rapid withdrawal of international Military Forces from the state of Iraq presents the very real possibility that the struggling entity might become = prey to, or be overwhelmed by anti-democratic radical Islamic extremists and/or terrorists thus precluding an orderly and peaceful transition by this fledg= ing and struggling entity on its way to forming a possibly democratic-republic = of a form to be chosen by the majority of those people who consider themselves culturally and historically the peoples of Iraq.

Be it resolved, The Iowa Democratic Party supports a coordinated and timely withdrawal of military troops and advisors from the extant international pa= rticipants and further calls upon the nations of the world to commit appropriate measu= res and aid to the present international force in order to accomplish this admirable goal.