Here is the final of my three installments on the 2006 Oregon D's Convention in Eugene, OR. It was a great time and I certainly feel extremely energized.
Day 3 of the Convention was supposed to the hardest day, the day we were to adopt the Platform. It was, in fact, very easy, and in contrast to 2 years ago when the Convention was only about 60% done when the time to adjourn was forced upon us, we finished 90 minutes early this year. This change was due to better organization and due to a new voting system for Legislative Action items rather than discusisng each of the more than 150. Instead, only the Platform itself was discussed. First, however I will describe two other key events of the day.
The Lunch:
The DNC has a plan to active Democratic voters year-round and neighborhood by neighborhood. Put simply, the DNC is trying to recruit hundreds of neighborhood leaders, each of whom will be responsible for approximately 50-100 homes, who will serve as conduits and local HQs for Democratic action and will attempt to get people registered and out to vote Democratic. As well, the program is designed to help people get involved year round and to develop a self-sufficient field organization. The "Neighbor to Neighborhood" program is one of the best I've ever heard of. It includes, at least in OR, a simple business card with the six key Democratic agenda points to hand to voters, put up on bulletin boards, etc. I'm part of the progam and I encourage you in OR to go to www.dpo.org and sign up.
Ballot Measure Reccomendations:
The State Central Committee reccomended the following positions on prospective ballot measures:
Note: I am not on the State CC and as a result did not vote for these reccomendations.
IP=Initiative Petition, Name in parthenesis is chief sponsor, a measure must receive a 2/3 negative or positive vote from the members of the State CC to receive a reccomendation.
IP 6, TABOR (McIntyre, Williams, Howe): Oppose.
IP 8, Campaign Finance (Delk, Robison, Duemler): No Position.
IP 37, Campaign Finance (Nelson, Hazell): Oppose.
IP 14, Federal Tax is fully deductible (Bobo, Bobo, Walker): Oppose.
IP 24, Judge Districting (Bobo, Bobo, Walker): Oppose.
IP 40: HOPE (Health Care) for Oregon Families (Greenlick, Bates, Westlund): Endorsed.
IP 51: Parental Notification for Abortions of Minors (Bautista, Cochran): Oppose.
IP 57: No emminent domain for property given to private developers or parties (Day, Hunnnicut): No position.
IP 105: Nursing home safety (Porter, Lucas, Frane): Endorsed.
IP 120: Corporate Accountability Act (Wolf, Rasmussen, Caughlin): Endorsed.
IP 122: Expand Perscription Drug Purchasing Pool (Morisette, Cohen): Endorsed.
IP 131: 65% of school funds must be spent on "Classroom expenditures" (B. Starr, Paker): Oppose.
Legislative Agenda Voting Results are not available at this time and will be posted as soon as known.
The Platform, draft is here (http://www.dpo.org/...):
Each plank is listed with the subject areas under each plank indicated. For list of subject areas, refer to yesterday's diary of day 2 at: http://www.dailykos.com/...
Preamble: We are Democrats because we believe in the common good, support well being of all, etc. etc.
Approved as written with 1 Amendment, changed line from "Citizens" to "All persons".
Plank 1: Shelter, Food, Health Care and Living Wage & Human RIghts.
Approved as written with 2 amendments proposed (was 1 originally but was split into 2 by motion of body), 1 passed.
Amendment 1: Changed "Citizens" to "All persons"-This passed.
Amendment 2: Add "Legal Status" to last sentence following the word religion-Amendment failed by voice vote.
Plank 2: Public Education, Revenue Policy.
Approved with no amendments.
Plank 3: Business and Economic Development, Forest, Field and Range & Labor.
Approved with no amendments.
Plank 4: Election Reform, Government Reform & Public Safety, Justice and Civil Liberties.
Approved as amended with the following amendment, which passed:
Amendment 1: Add new paragraph decrying tyranny worldwide and especially secretive actions of US Feds.
Plank 5: Ecology and Natural Resources, Energy and Transporation & Foreign Policy and National Security:
Approved with 3 Amendments proposed, 1 passed.
Amendment 1: Amendment stating we oppose the doctrine of preemptive war.-Passed via voice vote.
Amendment 2: Amendment stating no Democrat should support legislation allowing for deportation of illegals without due process. Editor's Note: Very cumbersome and poorly written, Amendment rejected in no small part beause it presumed the actions of all Ds must follow this rather than stating basic beliefs.-Amendment failed via voice vote.
Amendment 3: Amendment stating that Iraq War is illegal under international and US law and unconstitutional and US should withdraw soon. Editor's Note: This is already covered in the legislative agenda and the delegates there believed it belonged there rather than in the Platform itself.-Amendment failed via standing vote, 63 for, 72 against.
Good Convention, biggest ever, see you all in 2 years and on to victory in November!
"Together Oregon Can Do Better"-Official Motto, DPO 2006 Convention.