I'm fervently concerned that in too many races, we have no choice but to vote for Democratic candidates who do not represent the interests of the 99 percent or more importantly, the tenants of The New Deal, the backbone of our party.
It's happening on the federal level in our state where our choice this fall is for a neoliberal or asshat (yes, I'll vote for the DINO). And on the state level, our Democratic candidate is shouting out his Republican creeds. :(
We need the clarity of a platform to bind us together in order to elect better Democrats whose voices are being drowned out by triangulated scourges of propaganda.
The 'antics' in public discourse, including social media--and in a small way playing out in meta here on kos--serve the simple purpose of dividing us.
In this online world, devious and powerful compellers await at every turn; jesters of persuasion impregnating our thoughts: some obvious, some subliminally contorting the truth.
The obvious include: an MSM owned by the company store; think tanks galore, many embedded in 'credible' universities; fake, well-funded grass-root 501's promising everything from prosperity to the kingdom of heaven; triangulating and controlling national political committees representing the one percent yet screaming in emails daily for money and sinking so low as to use guilt trips in soliciting our $3 dollars more; plus, a plethora of aggregating web-and-blog masters making hay from gullible clickers.
The not so obvious are lurking in forums; professional Overton persuaders supported and made ready to strike by secret algorithms. Even ordinary people are paid to appear on social sites as the neighbor next door (see Netanyahu).
It's unbelievable and mendacious that in our republic we have unlawful clandestine operators from our intelligence agencies fused at the hip to local law enforcers participating as "Our Town" residents in social media--the greatest offending pretenders--and sadly, but not least, are social media site cliques teaming with self-adulation, privately messaging each other and sycophantically protecting their turf by dominating threads and consequently undermining thoughtful commentary.
My fear is that the 'one-percenters,' their pawns, politically expedient politicians and their courtiers may triangulate us out of existence deceptively using this same powerful medium we enjoy by muddying the waters and dividing friends to conquer.
Plus, we've net-neutrality itself to defend.
What's politically correct in civil discourse is not the question here, that's an ethical/moral question or as the Supreme's allow, a community standard to be decided. What we should be concerned about is the truth and how we can best collectively filter out the bullshit coming from all the above 'antics' including many Democratic politicians, candidates and their employed surrogates.
Each presidential election cycle, we produce a Democratic Party platform and having witnessed platform construction, it's not an easy task; a thankless one really, especially when our elected representatives ignore its principals for political expediency. Some of the 'antic's' finest expression comes out of the woodwork to convince us that a platform's position compromises a candidate's electability.
Given the many 'antics' blocking our way, it's paramount for us to stand together in our political pursuit for a more perfect union and better Democrats.
And it's even more important that our representatives don't mistake us, our intent or our gratuity.
So, I propose we put together a simple kos platform that concentrates on the most pressing needs of U.S. citizens; putting forward perhaps 10-15 of the most important principals and policies we expect Democratic officials, candidates and its national committees to faithfully adhere; providing as it were, a foundation capable of breaking through the alluring noise of propagandists.
A platform that moves from the grey to the white, metaphorically; a no-compromising document.
I appreciate this is ambitious, maybe even naive, but I'm writing today to test the waters and gauge potential interest.
I'm putting forward one principal to start the conversation.
Social Security must be strengthened, income caps raised and monthly contributions increased. In no circumstance will the Democratic Party support any candidate or elected official that proposes or supports legislation that weakens or privatizes Social Security, or changes it's current format in any way including a chained CPI.
Given the choice between a Democrat who behaves like a Republican and a Republican, people will vote for the Republican every time. ~ Harry S. Truman
11:59 AM PT: Minimum wage = $11.00 with annual cost of living adjustment
Capital gains taxed at same rate as ordinary income.
Medicare eligibility age lowered to 50 (the population that currently pays higher health insurance premiums.)
h/t
Mark Lippman
1:49 PM PT: We have one, adherence is voluntary.
by enhydra lutris
1:50 PM PT: Climate change
Don't know the exact wording I'd suggest, but the issue has to be there in your top 10-15. The language in the 2012 Dem platform may be a place to start
We affirm the science of climate change, commit to significantly reducing the pollution that causes climate change, and know we have to meet this challenge by driving smart policies that lead to greater growth in clean energy generation and result in a range of economic and social benefits
by Catte Nappe
3:31 PM PT: Here's an idea for the platform: Single payer.
While Obamacare was a step in the right direction, there are people who fall through the cracks and other problems that make it an imperfect system for managing heallthcare.
by Louisiana 1976
5:17 PM PT: Equal pay for women
No tax deduction for publicly owned business's CEO salary and other remuneration expense if the CEO or any other executive earns more than 40X the average wage of his/her employees.
End the subsidies to oil companies and corporate agriculture, and cap agriculture subsidies at $200,000 per entity.
Eliminate tax/business loopholes that permit businesses to offshore money.
End Citizens United.
Require that any declaration of war requires reinstituting the draft and that everyone of service age and ability is eligible. Allow and pay for veterans to seek medical care locally if their VA facility is more than 50 miles from their home.
Eliminate Congressional pension plan. Establish a 401K with reasonable matching up to the median wage in the nation. Above that, no match.
Eliminate foreign aide to any nation that does not elect their leaders through citizen voting or that provides funding to terrorist organizations.
....there's more
by Persiflage
5:31 PM PT: Guaranteed income
for everyone.
by dfarrah
5:41 PM PT: Protection of Reproductive Healthcare
I would go so far as to craft language that states that any patient is to have freedom of access to reproductive healthcare as a human right that is not to be abridged in any manner.
by cinepost
6:17 PM PT: Equal Rights Amendment.
Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Make republicans come out in opposition, and make them own their opposition.
by Mike Kahlow
6:18 PM PT: Universal and Accessible Suffrage.
None of this pre-registration BS.
Everyone can vote. Period. I show up at the poll with some evidence of who I am and I can vote.
Even if we need to put ink on people's fingers.
by Mike Kahlow
7:24 PM PT: I've always thought this one should work pretty well, as a model:
Democratic Party Platform of 1932
In this time of unprecedented economic and social distress the Democratic Party declares its conviction that the chief causes of this condition were the disastrous policies pursued by our government since the World War, of economic isolation, fostering the merger of competitive businesses into monopolies and encouraging the indefensible expansion and contraction of credit for private profit at the expense of the public.
Those who were responsible for these policies have abandoned the ideals on which the war was won and thrown away the fruits of victory, thus rejecting the greatest opportunity in history to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to our people and to the world.
They have ruined our foreign trade; destroyed the values of our commodities and products, crippled our banking system, robbed millions of our people of their life savings, and thrown millions more out of work, produced wide-spread poverty and brought the government to a state of financial distress unprecedented in time of peace.
The only hope for improving present conditions, restoring employment, affording permanent relief to the people, and bringing the nation back to the proud position of domestic happiness and of financial, industrial, agricultural and commercial leadership in the world lies in a drastic change in economic governmental policies.
...
That "drastic change in economic governmental policies" line, in particular, I'd want to keep.
by Garrett
7:29 PM PT: Where to start?
A 13% cap on the interest rates of credit cards. That would be the BEST stimulus for ALL of US, would protect a free flowing fair commerce in the future AND bring us ENORMOUS amounts of votes.
The technicalities of how to make this a law but basically NEVER NEVER again have a war or war like expenditures without being taxed to cover. A sliding scale where the top 10% cover 99% of the tax even though (another law) they are already limited in how much money they can own to start with. An agreement with the countries in the area that THEY ALSO foot the MAJORITY of the bill.
A company caught with an overseas tax shelter has their entire Co. seized by the US government and sold junk bond style to those AMERICANS who WILL make a go of it and pay their fair share.
Local government and state OWNED internet providers. Can you imagine if being voted for had "How's my internet?"
by 3rock
7:45 PM PT: Eliminate Congressional pension OR establish something more like a pension and less like a 401k for the rest of America!
by dackmont
9:22 PM PT: Labor law reform.
by 6412093
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 6:48 AM PT: Ranked-choice voting would go a long way toward making sure that whoever wins a race is (to a reasonable approximation) the closest to the will of the people. No more Bush-the-Lessers coming into office due (in part -- yes in part) to spoiler candidacies like Nader's.
And no more crazy results from "jungle primaries" where whomever gets, say 22% in a field of 5 candidates, wins.
There are various kinds.... Instant Runoff etc.... but the idea is, no more spoilers and no more plurality candidates getting in due to the larger part of the electorate being split.
by dackmont
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 6:58 AM PT: Get something in about Perpetual War.
We should oppose it. We should also stop committing acts, "stupid stuff," that destabilize whole regions.
And admit that Islamist terrorism has stemmed solely from the Sunni Salafi fanaticism of citizens of our so-called "allies," the Saudis and their Gulf State coreligionists and others such as Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas. Follow the money.
Since "Bandar Bush" started bribing the House of Bush and their henchmen, the United States has functioned as muscle for KSA's Sunnis:
-- Taking out their prime rival among the Sunnis, Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti.
-- Protecting the money behind a suicide bombing operation directed at Shi'ia civilians in Iraq
-- Protecting the money that financed Al Qaeda and then Al Qaeda in Iraq.
-- Continuing a strange pattern of "sanctions" aimed at Iran that rerouted economic activity away from Western companies. The major effects have been to block relationships and enhance "hardliner" political status inside Iran.
Reversing pervasive impacts of KSA bribery ??? Yeah, that's the deal.
That crap about "9/11 Changed Everything" also needs to go down the crapper. Who would have thought that Civil Forfeiture could become de facto law? Who would have militarized ordinary beat cops? Repealing the misnamed "Patriot Act" should get a Top Ten priority -- and if a few hundred of us die to terrorism, that price is well worth it.
by waterstreet2008
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 7:03 AM PT: Protection of Earned Benefits--Social Security, Medicare, etc.
These earned benefits are vital to the survival of many Americans, and the Republicans have been doing all they can to dip their hands into people's retirement funds.
by kurious
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 7:10 AM PT: Pay as You Go War Funding...
Democrats need to stand firm on making the Warhawks and Chickenhawks fund the wars they continually promote without cutting domestic and social programs like Education, Social Security, Medicare, infrastructure, etc.
If wars, bombing, "surgical strikes", etc are so vital to America's well-being and survival as the Republicans insist, they need to put their money where their mouths are, and provide a war tax.
It's time to challenge Democrats who go along with the Republican fantasy that America can actually afford to fund unending war and still have a world-class society.
The truth is that Republicans are brazen about their campaign to cut domestic spending, while Democratic politicians meekly agree to cut domestic spending, while apparently attempting to deny that war spending is bleeding our treasury.
The notion that the United States has a blank-check policy to pay for occupations abroad but must always pinch pennies when it comes to paying for job creation and the social-safety net at home might have made sense to George Bush and Dick Cheney. But it does not cut it with grassroots Democrats...
That notion needs to be challenged by Democrats.
by kurious
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 7:18 AM PT: Here's another: No more "fast-track" for ANYTHING.
Fast-track is just a way to circumvent the democratic process and push through things like NAFTA that only the (0.0)1% will benefit from.
Ya gotta love it (laugh or cry) when awful things like NAFTA or "let's turn America into a coal colony"-type pipelines are considered SO important that they have to be fast-tracked, while things like health care for all Americans are slow-walked. (But even fast-tracking a healthcare bill would only result in terrible provisions being stuck in at the last minute, without accountability.)
No more fast-tracking. Of anything. If something's THAT important, the system we have will rise to the challenge.
by dackmont
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 9:02 AM PT: Best to go with brevity and simplicity.
I've though for a long time that the nearly all issues are self-correcting if we had:
1) Instant runoff elections at fed and state level +
2) mandatory voting.
This is the core problem. The others are symptoms.
With 99% turnout, you'd see 20-25% voting republican.
by CrnkyOldMan
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 11:19 AM PT: I think campaign finance has to be #1
Not that I think it's a sexy issue; it's not. But meaningful progress on most of the other things that progressives care about depends on overcoming obstruction by well-funded corporate interests. Removing that obstruction will translate into progress on nearly all the other things mentioned in this diary. It will allow us to elect legislators who care about making good public policy.
Taking the money out of politics is the one solution that makes all other policy solutions possible.
Second to that has to be reversing global warming. Otherwise there won't be anyone around to vote in 50 years.
by CupaJoe
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 11:29 AM PT: So many amendments and additions to the DoD Budget Bills have gone in that you almost have to pass an Omnibus Back to 9/10/2001 Bill to do away with all the fascist/statist crap that's gone through.
Civil Asset Forfeiture has to be the one thing that the Founders would have held an act of kings and tyrants.
It's one thing to have criminal asset forfeiture following a criminal conviction, a felony at the least. What we're seeing is Administrative Asset Forfeiture where often there's no criminal charge much less a felony conviction.
It's not much of a step to see this applied with ties to political acts -- going after Kos and seizing his personal assets cuz some scumbag-kossack publishes pics of Romney and McCain committing lewd acts.
Starts with drugs, goes to political tyranny soon as we see another Republican president
by waterstreet2008
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 11:37 AM PT: Where to start, where to end?
ALL federal elections a national holiday.
ALL federal elections with a verifiable paper ballot with an automatic HAND COUNT recount trigger, including the general population being able to demand a recount.
A time limit on the SCOTUS appointments of not more than 20 years, 16 would be preferable. Maybe a General population vote to confirm their next four years.
ALL of the comments people have added to this diary are very common sense.
I'd like to see OUR country founded in common sense return to common sense.
I personally think that the founding fathers established the Supreme Court with unlimited lifetime terms as an insurance against the times of that period where most of the world was run by Kingdoms. That we now have a bunch of two bit crooks parading our privacy, is our wake up call to change their "terms."
by 3rock on Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 12:58:17 PM EDT
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 3:37 PM PT: Repeal or get rid ofnall of these odious anti-democratic Act's that since 9/11 have rendered us all without our universal rights, civil and human. The Patriot Act1 and NDAA and all the other's right back to the mother of them all the AUFM. I want my habeas corpus back. Make it so they have to declare any war they start, end this endless war on terra bs. Bring back the concept of innocent until proven guilty no more pre-emptive, pre-criminal Bush doctrine here in der Homeland or globally. Dismantle or rein in the freaking out of control spooks and NSA's insane Orwellian spying on everyone. Eliminate der Homeland Security it positively reeks of being going Godwin material.
Repeal the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act and reinstate Glass–Steagall. Regulating the out of control corporations should be something that the Democratic party stands for instead of deregulating ala Clinton. Same with privatizing everything public. No more prison's for profit or schools for profit. Economic justice as well as real justice in our police and our court's of law, equality. Rein in the Bankster's and prosecute them.
In other wards have a real democratic Democratic platform and fight for we the people and our democracy. Restore the rule of law and work for the people's common good not just the too big squid on humanities face.
by shaharazade
Tue Sep 02, 2014 at 3:42 PM PT: With one small change,
I'll submit the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's 2014 platform as a model. I'm in awe of how thorough and straightforward it is.
The change - delete the word "family" in the first line of the first section past the preamble, referring to values. "Family" is not actually a value at all, but a related group of people. The Westboro Phelps family has values, repugnant as they are, but they are "family values" nonetheless. We shouldn't use a right-wing talking-point phrase.
by jorogo