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2004 CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
(as approved by the C=
lintonCounty Democratic
Convention, March 4, 2006)
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
We reaffirm that the Democratic Party should be the party of the common
person and should stand strongly for jobs at a living wage, decent and
affordable housing, adequate health care, and a fiscally sound social secur=
ity
system for all.
We oppose discrimination based on gender, age, race, creed, religion,
sexual orientation, economic status, disability, or ethnicity.
The increasing flow of our nation's wealth into the hands of fewer peop=
le
continues.Tax cuts should not
disproportionably benefit the wealthy at the expense of low and middle-inco=
me
families.
Corporations continue to offer part-time and temporary jobs with no
benefits and low wages. We believe that Iowa's
future growth is dependent on full employment and that our people need
full-time work with benefits and higher pay.We believe that part-time workers =
should
have pro-rated benefits and decent pay.&nb=
sp;
We support efforts which give workers organizational opportunities to
deal with multinational corporations.
Iowa must continue to maintain the highest standards for all levels of =
our
schools, all students, and all teachers. All Iowa Students deserve competent, carin=
g, and
enthusiastic teachers who are well prepared and well compensated.We must ensure that these schools =
can
provide a top-quality education for their students through an adequate and
stable source of K through 14 and university funding.
We support the family farm rather than the large corporate operations (=
such
as, but not limited to, corporate hog factories) that are moving into Iowa.
We reject the position that economic development is not compatible with
environmental preservation.W=
e support
the concept of government programs and regulations to preserve the environm=
ent,
and we support research into environmental hazards and into the means to
overcome them.
We recognize the responsibility of governments to facilitate economic
development by means of supporting education, scientific research, and
infrastructure.We oppose cor=
porate
welfare, the system of government subsidies to businesses.These include cash grants, tax bre=
aks,
subsidized loans, and free public services from the federal government and =
the
State of Iowa.
A top priority of all governments should be to provide our citizens a s=
afe
place to live, to make the streets of our cities safe, and to keep our peop=
le
from having to live in fear of crime.
We recognize that the United Nations has contributed much to our global
security through health, education, family planning, UNICEF, and other prog=
rams
as well as by providing peaceful measures for resolving international
conflicts.
We support the national fight against terrorists.We also salute the men and women w=
ho
have given life or limb because of terrorist action as well as those who are
risking life and limb as part of this effort.
No one including the President of the <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">United States should use this=
fight
to advance personal or partisan goals.&nbs=
p;
However, we believe that the President has been using the popular
support for countering terrorism to distract public attention while he adva=
nces
a partisan agenda.This
includes privatizing social security, weakening environmental laws, renounc=
ing
international treaties, and other partisan matters.We denounce such behavior.
Furthermore, the President and Vice-President have been using the very =
real
terrorist problem as an excuse for egregious violations of the US Constitut=
ion
including the use of false intelligence as an excuse for going to war and
massive surveillance without legal warrants.We believe in defending America=
to the
limits of the existing very permissive law, subject to reasonable adjustmen=
ts
to the Patriot Act.But we do=
not
support the contention of the President and Vice-President that they can co=
nduct
thousands of surveillances with no attempt to obtain warrants, and we remind
them that the need to obtain a warrant is the difference between a democracy
that protects its citizens and an authoritarian regime that persecutes its =
citizens.Because of these violations, we de=
mand
the impeachment of the President and Vice-President.
&nb=
sp;
(AE) AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
AE-1.The USA sho=
uld take
the threat of global warming seriously along with potential fuel supply
problems such as concentration of oil reserves in unstable regions and a fu=
ture
peak in oil production.There=
fore
the USA<=
/st1:country-region>
should cooperate with other nations in solving these problems and be a lead=
er
in switching to renewable energy sources and making dramatic improvements in
energy efficiency.This
effort should be funded at an emergency, crash-program level.
AE-2.We oppose road buil=
ding
in the national forests for the purpose of private logging.We support preservation of the Ala=
skan
National Wildlife Refuge and all national parks and refuges, and we urge
restrictions of commercial development including harvesting of lumber and
mineral resources.
AE-3.Prime farmland shou=
ld be
protected from undue private development pressure.
AE-4.We support the fami=
ly
farm and support startup economic assistance to young family farmers. We sh=
ould
prohibit packer ownership of livestock.&nb=
sp;
We propose a cap on subsidy payments to large corporate farms and
agriculture subsidies to other large corporations.
AE-5.Current environment=
al
laws and regulations must be strictly enforced, and applied to offshore
manufacturing.
AE-6.Wind, biodiesel, and
ethanol should be developed in Iowa.The value added benefits of by-pro=
ducts
of ethanol production should be developed in Iowa for the benefit of Iowans.
AE-7. We support increased funding for federal inspections for all food
processing.
AE-8.Wetlands should be
protected.
(EL) ECONOMY, COMMERCE, AND LABOR
EL-1.We support a =
tax or
tariff on all goods imported into this country by American corporations that
have manufactured those goods outside of the USA.
EL-2.We should repeal al=
l tax
benefits for companies that move off-shore.
EL-3.NAFTA, CAFTA, and t=
he WTO
should be renegotiated to include tougher fair worker rights and environmen=
tal
standards.
EL-4.We support the Empl=
oyee
Free Choice Act, which would require union recognition if a majority of
employees sign an authorization. We
support the rights of workers to organize by supporting card check recognit=
ion
for public sector workers in =
Iowa,
by advocating for reform of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to incl=
ude
card-check recognition for private sector workers, and add meaningful penal=
ties
to the NLRA to punish employers who violate the rights of workers.
EL-5.Iowa should increas=
e the
state minimum wage, as have 17 other states.The Federal government should incr=
ease
the federal minimum wage.It =
should
be increased to at least $7,25 an hour.
EL-6. Goods should not be imported into the United States produced by
repressive child labor, or from factories that have unsafe or unhealthful
working conditions or that do not pay workers a living wage.
EL-7.The tax laws should=
apply
equally to all who live or work in the United States.
EL-8.Tax loopholes and
destructive offshore business incentives should be eliminated.
EL-9. We support funding the Iowa
Public Employees Retirement System (I.P.E.R.S.) at a level that supports the
actuarial based assumptions. Therefore we support increasing the contributi=
on
rate by 0.5% per year for the next 8 years and maintaining the current rati=
o of
60% funding by the employer and 40% funding by the employee.
EL-10.We oppose the stat=
e of Iowa diverting o=
r borrowing
money from the IPERS retirement fund.
EL-11.The Federal Railro=
ad
Administration should enact comprehensive rules and regulations enforcing t=
he
utmost safe operations of remote control locomotives.All remote control locomotive oper=
ations
should cease and desist until such time as the FRA issues comprehensive rul=
es
and regulations.
EL-12.We support project=
labor
agreements and using Vision I=
owa
monies for financing these agreements where applicable.
EL-13. We call for continued government support and subsidies for long
distance passenger train service, full funding for Amtrak, and we call for =
the
extension of passenger train service to Clinton County.
EL-14.In order to keep t=
op
firefighters and law enforcement employees in the state of Iowa, the state needs to ensure that
adequate protection is available to care for the families of any employee
killed or injured in the line of duty.
EL-15.We support the rep=
eal of
Iowa's
so-called "Right-to-work" law and thus allow employers and unions=
to
bargain freely over union security clauses.
EL-16.If a temporary emp=
loyee
works in a company over 90 days, he/she should become a regular employee wi=
th
benefits.
EL-17.We support equal p=
ay for
equal work.
EL-18.Federal school-to-=
work
opportunities should be renewed and re-funded.
EL-19.The hiring of
replacement workers during a labor dispute should be illegal.
EL-20.The laws prohibiti=
ng
redefining workers as independent contractors not eligible for benefits or
protection should be enforced.
EL-21.Public entities sh=
ould
be required to pay prevailing wage on construction projects valued at over
$2000.
EL-22.Prison labor shoul=
d not
be used to replace bargaining unit workers.
EL-23.Wages, hours, and =
terms
and conditions of employment should be mandatory subjects of bargaining for
public employees.
EL-24.We oppose the priv=
atization
of public services.
EL-25.We encourage strong
enforcement of contractors’ registration in the state of Iowa.
(ED) EDUCATION
ED-1.We support adequate
funding for pre-kindergarten programs, K-12, AEA’s, community college=
s,
and other educational programs including after school programs, full federal
funding for special education and an allowable growth of at least 6.0%. We
support funding for early identification and treatment of special-needs and
hostile/violent behavior.
ED-2.We support raising =
the
pay of K-12 and community college teachers to at least 25th in t=
he
nation.We propose a three-ye=
ar
phase-in of $60 million per year for K-12 and $2 million per year for commu=
nity
colleges.
ED-3.We call for funding
meaningful professional development for teachers.
ED-4.We support increase=
d aid
to students including federal Pell Grants, college work-study, veteransR=
17;
educational benefits, college tax credits and grants, and other scholarship=
s,
grants, low-interest loans, and forgivable loans.We support a program to forgive the
student loans for graduates who remain in Iowa to work.
ED-5.Recent tuition incr=
eases
at public universities and community colleges should be reversed and replac=
ed
by state funds.
ED-6.Federal and state
educational funds should be used for public education.These funds should not be diverted=
to
private K-12 schools in the form of vouchers or in other forms.
ED-7. We support funding for Headstart, for the Iowa Communication Netw=
ork,
for achieving and maintaining proper class sizes, for repair and maintenanc=
e of
public school buildings and infrastructure, for school equipment and
technology, for compliance with the Americans for Disabilities Act in schoo=
ls,
and for School Resource Officers.
ED-8.Recent educational =
budget
cuts should be reversed.New
funding sources should be provided.We support increasing state revenues sufficient to provide adequate
funding for schools and to maintain critical existing programs.We call for restraint in the area =
of tax
cuts.In case of a revenue
shortfall, the state should remember the importance of all levels of educat=
ion.
ED-9.The No Child Left B=
ehind
Act should be corrected and fully funded. Sanctions against schools should =
be
suspended until such funding is in place.&=
nbsp;
Corrections should be planned with the help of educators and should
include realistic and attainable goals, flexibility in measuring schools=
217;
progress and in improving schools, avoiding sanctions on entire schools bec=
ause
of problems among subgroups, avoiding evaluations based on a single high-st=
akes
test, giving consideration to circumstances inside and outside classrooms t=
hat
affect the ability to learn, and other necessary corrections.Federal and state mandates should =
always
be fully funded.
ED-10.Local sales and pr=
operty
taxes should be de-emphasized for educational funding provided sufficient
funding is made available.
ED-11.Funding should be
increased for public libraries, the arts, the National Endowment for the Ar=
ts,
the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for individual artists.
ED-12.Programs and grants
should be developed to assist holders of baccalaureate, masters, and PhD
degrees to complete the courses necessary for gaining secondary teaching
credits in areas of need.
ED-13.We oppose lo=
wering
teacher-licensing requirements in K-12.
&nb=
sp;
(GO) GOVERNMENT
GO-1.We promise to appoi=
nt
people to office on the basis of proven competence and not on the basis of
campaign contributions.
GO-2.We support a public=
ly
financed system for campaigns for federal, legislative, and statewide offic=
es.
GO-3.We oppose the creat=
ion of
a national ID card and the requirement that voters carry such a card in ord=
er
to vote.
GO-4.The legislature sho=
uld
refuse to consider reestablishing a death penalty in our state.We call for the abolition of capit=
al
punishment in the Un=
ited
States.
GO-5.Software used in vo=
ting
machines should be transparent enough to allow the auditing of its operation
and verification of its honesty. A
verifiable paper trail should be mandatory in all voting systems.
GO-6.The Electoral Colle=
ge
should be eliminated in favor of a popular vote system.
GO-7.We support election=
-day
voter registration.
GO-8.We support comprehe=
nsive
immigration reform.
GO-9.MINORITY PLANK.The legal drinking age should be c=
hanged
to 18 for anyone who has earned a high school diploma.
GO-10. We support efforts to protect the nation from terrorist attacks
without suppressing basic human rights or allowing war to
preempt needed diplomacy, scarce resources, and peace and justice optio=
ns
give license to the war efforts of others
militarize our nation.
Therefore be it resolved that we support necessary adjustments to the
Patriot Act to protect human and civil rights of US citizens.(MINORITY PLANK:Therefore be it resolved that we s=
upport
repeal of the Patriot Act.)
GO-11.We support the mak=
ing of
Highway 30 into a four-lane, primary, full-access highway across the state =
of Iowa.
GO-12.We oppose any
constitutional amendment that attempts to define marriage.
GO-13.We support,
without exception, the constitutional principle of separation of church and
state.
GO-14. There should be room in America for diverse viewpoint=
s;
therefore we condemn any use of a grand jury or subpoena power to stifle
dissent or to intimidate dissenters.
GO-15.We demand a revisi=
on of
the Iowa
Criminal Code to abolish unnecessary, unjust, and unduly costly mandatory
prison requirements and to allow local judicial discretion.
GO-16.Government workers,
pilots, airline security workers, and other workers should maintain their
rights to union membership regardless of the Patriot Act/Homeland Security =
Act.
GO-17.Anti-trust laws sh=
ould
be strengthened and enforced.
GO-18.Existing gun contr=
ol
laws should be strengthened and enforced.
GO-19.It should be illeg=
al to
"tag-tail" bills onto other bills.Each bill voted on in Congress sho=
uld
stand alone on its own merits.
GO-20.We oppose electric
utility deregulation unless there is protection for utility workers; assura=
nce
of affordable, reliable, and safe electric service; and environmental
protection.
GO-21.The legislature sh=
ould
not adopt local property tax freeze measures.
GO-22. We support maintenance and enforcement of the UniversalBuilding Code for Iowa.
GO-23.Anyone who ever se=
rved
in the US
military and received an honorable discharge should be given all the rights
that all wartime veterans enjoy.
GO-24. We support review of TIF regulations.
GO-25.We support maintai=
ning
the reciprocity tax agreement between Iowa and
Illinois.
(HR) HUMAN RESOURCES AND HEALTH CARE
HR-1.We encourage the
legislature to support funding for low and moderate income housing.
HR-2. We support the creation of a national health care plan to include=
all
citizens.
HR-3.We oppose the recent
budget reconciliation bill which cut funding for many vital services for the
most vulnerable people.Fundi=
ng for
these services should be restored.
HR-4.We respect human li=
fe and
oppose abortions but recognize that constituents have differing opinions on=
how
to address the difficult abortion/human rights issue. We respect
everyone’s differences. We favor social programs that will actually
reduce the number of abortions without criminalizing it.
HR-5.The Social Security
program should be preserved as a social insurance program and not privatize=
d.
HR-6.The government shou=
ld
stop neglecting the health care of veterans and ensure that veterans’
health care is properly provided for.
HR-7.We propose the crea=
tion
of a new WPA type program to rebuild America's infrastructure thus
creating millions of new jobs.
HR-8. Be it resolved that the Iowa Democratic Party call upon the state=
of
Iowa to use its bulk purchasing power to directly negotiate with pharmaceut=
ical
companies for the prices on prescription drugs, and to pass savings on to
seniors, people with disabilities, and the underinsured.
HR-9.The Medicare prescr=
iption
drug coverage gap between $2,250 and $5,100 should be eliminated. The Medic=
are
program should become a purchaser of value and reward high-quality, low cost
health care providers for their services. Congress should change the
Medicare geographical adjustment to reflect the true relative cost of livin=
g in
each area and discontinue reimbursement based on historic norms.
HR-10.State and federal
funding to eliminate domestic abuse and neglect should be increased.
HR-11.There should be a =
standardization
of regulations from state to state which will facilitate the process of
adequately serving the needs of the elderly and protecting the finances of =
the
surviving spouse of nursing home residents.
HR-12.We support separat=
ing
workers compensation into two parts; one based on medical costs and the oth=
er
based on wage replacement. We support giving the employee a choice of doctor
and eliminating the 1998 changes to the Occupational Hearing Loss Statute.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Workers' records should not be rel=
eased
to firms that blacklist them; current law on first reports of injury and
in-state claims reports should be enforced.Time frames to decide cases should=
be
enacted.The secondary injury
clause should be eliminated from the workers compensation law.
HR-13. Employers with fou=
r or
more workers, including the state, must provide family and medical leave.
HR-14.The "employme=
nt at
will doctrine" should be eliminated.&=
nbsp;
Discharged workers should be given access to the courts.
HR-15.Unemployment
compensation should be extended to more than the current percentage of elig=
ible
workers and should be extended to people who have to leave employment due to
domestic violence.We oppose
diversions from the fund.
HR-16.We support high-qu=
ality,
affordable childcare for all children.
HR-17.We support adequat=
ely
funding legal services for low-income people.
HR-18.We support funding=
for
transitional housing programs (i.e. housing for those who may be homeless or
leaving abusive relationships).
HR-19.Congress should pr=
ovide
all managed care consumers with at least the same basic patient protections=
as
those provided by the Medicare program.
HR-20.A systematic plan =
should
be developed to phase in development of a coordinated, comprehensive long-t=
erm
care program for the United
States that would cover all Americans
regardless of age or income.
HR-21.We support the pas=
sage
of safe-needle legislation to protect health care workers and other workers=
.
HR-22.We support compreh=
ensive
mental health parity including substance abuse and treatment for all organic
and inorganic mental illness.Further we support requirements that insurance companies and managed
care companies provide mental health benefits for all adults, adolescents, =
and
children. We support ending arbitrary assignment of benefits which limit the
number of outpatient visits, in-patient care, and medications for mental he=
alth
patients.
HR-23.The sign-up period=
for
Medicare D should be eliminated in order to allow eligible seniors the free=
dom
to choose when and whether they sign up without fear of penalty.Medicare should be given power sim=
ilar
to that used by the Veterans Administration to use its bulk purchasing powe=
r to
negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, and it should be allowed to =
save
money for seniors by importing FDA-approved drugs from Canada.=
Medicare D should eliminate the
“doughnut hole” gap in coverage with the help of savings from t=
he
negotiated lower prices and the importation from Canada.
(IA) INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
IA-1. Congress should rev=
oke
the President’s unlimited authority to commit our forces to Iraq an=
d put in
place a plan to bring them home to their families and loved ones.
IA-2. We support the continuing participation of the United States
in the United Nations as a useful and efficient means for reconciling
international issues and dealing with mutual concerns facing the global
community.We support a full =
budget
for the UN so that it can achieve organizational reform.We should pay our legitimate UN de=
bts.
IA-3. As we protect ourselves against attacks by terrorist organization=
s,
we should focus military action on areas with clear connections to threaten=
ing
organizations.Any expansion =
of
military action should be undertaken only with clear, attainable antiterror=
ist
goals, only with the concurrence of traditional American allies, and only w=
ith
the fully informed assent of the US Congress.Military action should not become =
the
method of first choice in dealing with potential future problems, and
international diplomacy should be used wherever possible to defuse potentia=
lly
threatening situations.
IA-4.We support the
investigation by a non- partisan citizen’s group of the circumstances
leading to the invasion of Iraq
by this country and the publication of the results of this investigation. <=
/h3>
IA-5.We support the Kyoto Treaty and =
other
international environmental, human rights, and arms control agreements.
IA-6.We strongly oppose =
all
forms of torture perpetrated on individuals by citizens of any country.
IA-7.We support all effo=
rts to
reduce and prevent the international development, proliferation, and use of
nuclear, chemical, biological, and other weapons of mass destruction.We support the international banni=
ng of
land mines.
IA-8.We believe that the=
re are
wasteful practices in military procurement including overcharges and pursui=
t of
systems that won't work.Such
practices should be eliminated
IA-9.We support closing =
the
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly known as th=
e School of Americas)
at Ft. Benning, GA.
IA-10.We support humanit=
arian
aid to needy populations. Food and US made goods should be sent rather than
money.
IA-11.Americans should b=
ecome
more educated about the problems caused by global overpopulation.
IA-12. We oppose military aid to repressive regimes.