WashoeDEMS.org

2010 Washoe County Democratic Party Platform

Chair: Nancyann Leeder

Committees: Civil Rights & Liberties, Immigration, Elections, Government, Criminal Justice
 William Cook, chair

Committee:  George Smith, Paul Cain, Olivia Gobert-Hicks, Ed Goodrich, Nancy             Podewils, Robert DeSoto-Holguin, Pat Elzy, Marge Sill

Economics, Economic Justice, Jobs, Economy, Energy
  George Smith, chair

Committee:  Olivia Gobert-Hicks, Peter Chase Neumann, Ed Goodrich, Paul McKenzie, Skip Daly

Education
  Anne Hansen, chair

Committee:   Marge Sill, David Sundstrand, William Cook, Virginia Cain, Ed Goodrich

Environment, Land use, Climate Change, Energy
David Sundstrand, chair

Committee: Marge Sill, David Love, Olivia Gobert-Hicks, Arlan Melendez, Ed Goodrich, Robert DeSoto-Holguin

Healthcare, Veterans, Foreign Policy
  Olivia Gobert-Hicks, chair

Committee:  George Smith, Anne Hansen, Margaret Eli, Virginia Cain, Ed Goodrich, Pat Elzy

Scribe:  Ed Goodrich                Saturday scribe:  Olivia Gobert-Hicks


ARTS AND CULTURE

We believe that the arts address the needs of Washoe County and the State of Nevada by contributing to both quality of life and quality of place – elements that stabilize communities, enhance the education of our youth, strengthen and support our economy, and attract new business.  We support continued funding for libraries, museums, and the arts, institutions that are being threatened with funding reductions.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
We believe the rights of individuals as enumerated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be protected and respected.
We believe the Patriot Act must be re-examined and must conform to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights: equal protection, free speech, the right of peaceable assembly, the right to petition our government, the right to privacy and to freedom from unwanted government intrusion, and the free exercise of religion so long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others.
We condemn the use of torture and holding prisoners without charges.  We support the immediate repeal of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

CIVIL RIGHTS
We believe in equal rights for all people, and in greater enforcement to protect those rights, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, income level, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, family status, disability, credit history, criminal record, age, or political affiliation.  
We support the fundamental right to privacy and reproductive freedom of choice as established by Roe v. Wade. We believe individual Americans -- not government-- can best take responsibility for making intensely personal decisions about their own reproductive lives.
We oppose immigration laws that encourage racial profiling, as a violation of an individual's civil rights.
ECONOMY
We support fiscal and monetary policies that aim to achieve long-range stable economic growth, with reasonably balanced annual budgets and with monetary policy being used to deal with short-term inflation and sluggish economic conditions. Where tax or other financial relief is granted in consideration for economic development and/or other stabilization, we support performance standards, and continued relief will be contingent upon meeting those performance standards.  We believe in a progressive tax structure that provides a fair and equitable distribution of the tax burden on our citizens and businesses.  We believe that government expenditures, operations, and investments must be used in an effective and efficient manner for essential infrastructure, social programs, and human development to improve the standard of living for all Americans. We also urge immediate careful planning to fund education, training, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
We believe in the American free enterprise system with essential governmental regulations.  We encourage vigorous enforcement of anti-trust laws to control the effects of excessive monopoly power.  We support stronger regulation to prevent fraudulent business practices, and to strengthen consumer protection.  We encourage new legislation to reasonably limit risk taking and exotic and opaque financial products, and legislation that will improve transparency and accountability to investors.  We need to ensure that the status of our financial institutions and their products are properly monitored by the appropriate regulatory agencies.  We oppose excessive executive compensation that has had a chilling effect on public confidence and the recovery of the economy.
 We recognize that the current economic conditions, which have been labeled “the great recession”, have components of both a cyclical and structural nature.  We support the policies of the Obama administration designed to deal with both of these elements, which are intended to stabilize the economy and generate jobs.  We recognize that the Obama administration’s stimulus package, that combines the efforts of the Federal Reserve (monetary policy) and the Treasury Department (fiscal policy), has been reasonably successful in moving the country towards economic stability.  We also recognize that policies aimed to reduce unemployment and create jobs require a longer time frame to implement and achieve the desired results. We support investments such as in infrastructure, research & development, advanced technology, modern transportation, clean energy generation and manufacturing as appropriate means of generating much-needed jobs.  We believe that dealing concurrently with the short-term goal of economic stability and the longer-term goals of transitioning our economy without creating undue inflation, minimizing our deficit, and lowering our national debt will require careful timing, sophisticated implementation, and a great deal of patience by the American people.


We support diversification in our state and local economy to provide for greater economic stability.  Nevada must invest at the proper level in order to participate fully in the federal matching-funds programs for Medicaid, education and other appropriate programs for the benefit of Nevadans.  We support education and training basic to the restructuring of our economy consistent with 21st Century needs.  To achieve our goals Nevada must identify new and stable sources of revenue to avoid budget deficits and the elimination of essential services.  We believe all citizens deserve access to affordable housing, health care, and education.

EDUCATION
We believe that state-funded education should produce responsible citizens who have to the best of their abilities the knowledge and skills necessary to be productive employees and effective, responsible employers.
We believe every citizen must know how to read, write, and do basic mathematics; understand the principles of science; appreciate the visual and performing arts; and have the opportunity to participate in sports and civic activities.  We believe that citizens need the requisite social skills to resolve conflict responsibly.  Our schools must teach these skills and values.  
A good Nevadan must understand the U.S. Constitution and the Nevada State Constitution, the protections that they confer, and the responsibilities of citizenship.
We believe that every student in every public classroom must have equal access to educational resources regardless of disability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or the local tax base. Nevada must fund its schools at a level equal to or exceeding the national average. Therefore, we urge the funds cut from Nevada’s school budgets at all levels and commit to keeping the Millennium Scholarship solvent.  We believe the community is responsible to participate governor and the state legislature to restore actively in the education of our youth and to advocate for successful educational outcomes.
We support the Washoe County School District’s efforts to provide quality education for ALL children despite funding cuts. We support President Obama’s plan to change No Child Left Behind to a program that ensures all children receive an education that prepares them for college and/or a career, rewards schools that make scholastic/educational improvements, and provides money for schools where the children are victims of poverty.
We support the teaching of science as the source of understanding of all life forms, including our own.  We recognize evolutionary theory as the principal scientific construct explaining the appearance and mechanisms of life on this planet.
 
We support a fully integrated program of evaluation that includes criteria based on the quality of outcomes as well as the mastery of essential skills. While acknowledging the usefulness of quantification in the measurement of student outcomes, we also recognize its limitations. Many important educational goals do not lend themselves to statistical review, such as creativity, ethical behavior, social interaction, and the arts.
We support President Obama’s plan to increase funding for community colleges and recognize their work in helping local residents to prepare for a rewarding career. We believe that it is through education at the community college that many citizens attain the means to become self-supporting, productive members of society, and gain the confidence to pursue additional education, further enhancing our work force and society.
We support maintenance and enhancement of Nevada’s university academic programs that lead to a diversified and strong economy.  An enlightened society that embraces new technologies and ideas through classroom learning and research is critical.
We support educational initiatives and curricula that develop and promote sound environmental policies and green technologies, leading to new careers.

ELECTIONS
With the exception of absentee ballots, we believe that all votes in all elections in Washoe County and in the State of Nevada should be cast using dependable electronic machines with a verifiable paper trail.
We support the creation of a public campaign finance system for elections at the local, state and national levels. We support a “Free Speech for People” constitutional amendment overturning the Citizens United decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court gave unlimited speech to corporations.  We support legislation to require corporations to obtain approval from a majority of stockholders for any direct campaign spending at the local, state, and federal levels.  
We support election procedures that enable maximum participation.  Every registered voter must be afforded every opportunity to have her/his vote counted.  We support the Voting Rights Act and early voting.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY
We support (1) water use and water policies that develop long-term solutions for sustainable growth; (2) safe and affordable communities based upon sustainable energy, environmentally sound public policies, greenbelt protection of riverbanks, streams, wet meadows, lakes, and ponds; (3) recycling, conservation, renewable energy, and green development; (4) independent hydrologic studies of underground water resources to determine the probable effects on the rural community environment, including effects on surface waters, before any inter-basin water transfers are approved to urban centers; and (5) adequate funding for the wise management of public lands, including wildlife, watersheds, recreation and scenic resources, cultural resources, open space and parks.
We strongly oppose projects like Yucca Mountain that use Nevada as a dumping ground for nuclear waste, mercury, and/or other toxic substances.
We support alternative energy use and development, including solar, wind, and geothermal, as primary sources of energy for Nevada. We support all efforts to institute programs that address global warming and to join with other western states to promote these programs. These programs may include reducing greenhouse gas production from fossil fuels and energy conservation, efficiency for public buildings and private housing complexes, conservation through  reduction in air conditioning and heating costs, and curbside recycling.
We support the adoption of all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of our workers and communities affected by the transportation, handling, distribution, and disposal of hazardous materials.
We support the development of new technologies to sequester the enormous amounts of carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuel plants, as it is the principal cause of global warming.
We support the retrofitting of existing fossil fuel power plants, or phasing out of those which cannot be retrofitted, to minimize carbon dioxide emissions into our environment.
We support wildlife policies that preclude, prohibit, and/or eliminate the inhumane treatment of animals, such as use of steel jaw traps, snares, and other devices that inflict pain.

FOREIGN POLICY
We support strong relationships with all of our allied nations, and improved cooperation, respect, and cultural understanding with all nations. We believe that we should maintain and advocate respect for all human rights, and educational and/or cultural exchanges. We support a strong national defense.  Diplomacy is a vital aspect of any foreign policy.

We support withdrawal of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan at the earliest possible time that stability is achieved in those countries.


GOVERNMENT
We support government’s moral and legitimate obligation to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare of the residents and citizens of the U.S., and demand an open and transparent government accountable to its citizens.
We oppose fully unfunded mandates and the privatization of core services, including, but not limited to: safety, security, social services, police, transportation, emergency services, prisons, education, medical, water, utilities, military and veteran services, Social Security, and Medicare.  We support truth-in-lending and increased monitoring and regulation of all financial institutions.  We support and urge immediate funding for the improvement, maintenance, and repair of Washoe County’s and the State of Nevada’s infrastructure, including mass transit projects.
We support the repeal of the McCarran - Ferguson Act that afforded the insurance industry exemption from antitrust laws, and we petition Congress to hold the insurance industry fully accountable for engaging in anti-trust practices.
We support the reimplementation of many aspects of the Glass–Steagall Act, including the separation of commercial banking from investment banking.

HEALTHCARE
We support our forebears’ dedication to the improvement and maintenance of public health. We believe that each person’s medical care should be based on her/his relationship with appropriate health care provider(s).  We support the fundamental right of women to safe, legal, affordable, and accessible reproductive healthcare, education and support programs that reduce the need for abortion, and public policies that do not abandon children once they take their first breath. We support comprehensive health care reform that extends affordable health care coverage for women, guarantees access to affordable preventive screenings for cancer and other life saving tests, protects women against gender discrimination by private insurers, and ensures that women have access to comprehensive reproductive health. We support access to health and medical care - including preventive care, general physical and mental health care, long-term care, and dental care - regardless of the ability to pay or any pre-existing conditions.
We support expanded and improved Medicare and Medicaid. We further urge Medicare and Medicaid to remit a reasonable payment for services in a timely manner and to reduce denials for testing and prescriptions when prescribed by health care providers. We support medical research aimed at curing disease and alleviating suffering.  We also support Medicare’s right to negotiate for cheaper, quality prescription drugs for our citizens.
 
IMMIGRATION
We support practical, fair and comprehensive immigration reform.


JUSTICE
We believe in a fair and just application of the civil and criminal justice systems – regardless of race, national origin, or socioeconomic status – which protects victims and defendants, promotes fair sentencing and appropriate safeguards for juvenile offenders, ensures safe prisons, and supports a comprehensive rehabilitation system to enable released prisoners to become productive members of society.
We support a moratorium on the death penalty until all inequities have been resolved.

LABOR
We support the fundamental rights of all workers and their families, including the right to form and join a union, to engage in mutual aid and protection, and to realize the benefits of collective bargaining.  To help assure such rights are not subject to discrimination, intimidation, or retaliation, we support and urge the immediate adoption of the Employee Free Choice Act.          
We believe every worker in Nevada is entitled to earn a living wage, to receive appropriate job training and affordable health care, and to retire with dignity. We believe that defined benefit pension plans provide the greatest security for retirees and should be the preferred policy for both public and private sector employees.
We believe all workers should be protected from unfair business practices and work rules, such as the failure to pay overtime, the misclassification of workers, and the failure to pay workers’ compensation benefits due and unemployment insurance to all workers.   
We support the requirement to pay prevailing wages on all projects financed in whole or in part by any method with public money, which occur on public lands, or which benefit from government oversight.  
We support efforts to repeal anti-union, so-called “right to work” laws in the United States.


We support efforts to reinvest in America, knowing that only through the reindustrialization of our economy will we see a true return of the middle class.  We support the retraining of the workforce and the retooling of America’s salvageable idle factories to reestablish the United States as an industrial nation.  We feel that the so-called “free trade” acts have undermined American workers’ standard of living, and believe they should be renegotiated to include labor and environmental requirements which create the same playing field for all countries signatory to the agreements, resulting in fair and open trade.
We support all levels of government providing incentives to companies only if they are willing to provide the benefits set forth above to their work force, and are willing to utilize American-manufactured components.

 VETERANS/ARMED SERVICES
 
We support medically necessary services and care for all honorably discharged veterans, regardless of the location of the nearest Veterans’ Affairs hospital or the ability to pay.  We further believe that all honorably discharged veterans must be provided with help reintegrating into their communities, including, but not limited to, counseling services, education benefits, and appropriate disability payments for those who return from their service to our country with physical injuries, and/or mental health problems. We support adequate funding for spouses/domestic partners, and children of service persons on active duty and those who die in the service of this country. No veteran should be denied or delayed medical or mental health care based on rank. We owe it to our veterans and to our society to invest in these exceptional leaders by facilitating expansion of and greater access to GI Bill educational benefits. The homeless veteran crisis is a national shame, and we support provision of services to homeless veterans.
 
We support the strongest possible protections against sexual assault within the armed forces.