My Proposed 2006 Democratic "Compact with Democracy"

We hope, at least in political terms, that 2006 will be for the Democrats what 1994 was for the Republicans. We also hear many in the beltway (and sadly, some in the blogosphere) say that we need a "message." Well, we have strong and sound ideas, but no organized platforum to give them attention. I'm going to propose to you my first try and creating a latter-day liberal version of the Contract with America," and I call it the "Compact with Democray." The provisions of it are as follows:

1. Fighting Al Qaida MUST be our number 1 foreign policy priority (especially versus Iraq)
-Increase funding for troops in Afghanistan
-Renew our commitment to catching Osama Bin Laden
-Increase government regulation of port companies and chemcial plants owners (both of whom have use their "invisible hand of the market" BS to keep the government away.
-Create a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq.
-Reorganized/overhaul DHS and FEMA.
-Renew our commit

2. Tax FAIRNESS
-Roll back all of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
-Scale back the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) which was intended to make it harder for the rich to get out of paying taxes, but because it is not adjusted for inflation, the middle class are the ones who get squeezed by it.
-Federal property tax relief.
-Simplify the tax code AND make it more progressive.

3. Government must spend on the RIGHT projects for the RIGHT people
-Revoke funding for pork barrel projects like the Bridge to Nowhere, and restore federal funding for student loans, medicare, and home heating assistance.

4. A "Right to Privacy" Amendment to the Consitution
Here are some implicit and explicit results that this amendment will give us:
-Prevent the GOP from doing Terri Schiavo-style interventions in your medical affairs
-Prevent the GOP from outlawing the Right to Choose
-Prevent the GOP from outlawing use of condoms or other contraception
-Enshrine the provisions of FISA directly into the Constitution
-Make the most outragous Patriot Act portions (such as being able to read your library records without permission of judge) illegal.

5. Economic security and safety
-Large increases in fine against mining companies.
-Restoration of ALL Clinton-era enviromental laws
-Prohibition of cherry-picking of public policy statistics (ie. make it illegal to shove people like Jim Hanson of the EPA aside and redact his findings with use of lawyers.)
-Restore funding that was cut for levees in NOLA, and reform FEMA
-End all tax breaks that encourage outsourcing
-End corporate personhood
-Impose fines or confiscation of assets on companies that partake in human rights violations overseas.

6. Stronger borders and fair immigration/labor practices. These provisions will make it harder to hire illegal immigrants and the people who will benefit are the people who would have taken these jobs a few decades ago when they were still paying good: unionized blue collar workers, blacks, second of third-generation Hispanic-Americans (such as Puerto Ricans who arrived in the 1950's and 1960's) legal Hispanic immigrants, and teenagers
-A limited guest worker program in place of illegal immigrants. Guest workers will have to apply seperately for full-fledged citizenship.
-Deport those who break the law, and punish corporations who hire people here illegally. A limited amnesty for some that can prove adequate reasons to stay.
-Have a system in place to guarantee/force higher wages in "menial jobs." Also require guest workers to pay Social Security taxes and income taxes. They will be eligable for some form of SS as a result.
-Strenghen unions and promote the re-introduction of the closed shop in meat-packing and construction and agriculture businesses.

7. Pass a Constitutional Amendment ending gerrymandering

8. Pass a Constitutional Amendment ending Presidential signing statements and the outlawing the line item veto
-President has to either veto the bill or sign it and abide by its provisions. He cannot interpret it any way that he chooses.

have lost faith in government. We need to develop a strict code of behavior for Democrats seeking or occupying office.

But my proposal is designed towards winning the election and reaching out to voters across the spectrum. What I am proposing consists of issues that have majority support. Most people don't support tax cuts for the rich, government invervention in your bedroom, or giving our ports away, and my proposals seek to address these issues.

Although it's too late for most of the mid-term primaries, some thought should be given to the mud slinging that goes on. (Remember the attacks on Dean by the other front runners, two years ago?)
What I would like to see is a strict policy of honesty on campaign. If a candidate deliberately cherry-picks, distorts, or misinterprets another's record, that candidate is automatically disqualified--period--out of the race.
Spin is lies. If you can't win based on your own strengths, get a different job. Dirty politics has to stop somewhere, some time. If not now, when.

And as i see it, The GOP does not have a leg to stand on!!!

We will win in 2006 and 2008, assuming the public does not allow itself be BS ed again.

August for maximum effect and it will be Clean Our Government Up.

With brooms!

I would suggest an investigation of all accounts set up in such places as the Caymans, designed to permit corporations to sell to us while sheltering their profits from taxation, with an eye toward real repatriation of stolen wealth. If you make your money here, you must support the economy here. Anything else is quiet robbery.

I would also like to suggest a policy of hands off the developing democracies in south America, with intervention only in the case of real seizures of power by vicious tyrannies, not the current policy of destroying local governments for the benefit of powerful business interests. A century of American adventurism is more than enough.
If anyone is not passing familiar with the 2004 democratic platform, it makes good reading.

...It is election night. The polling done before the election show us picking up the House and the Senate with this new plan by about 8-10%.

...Then the ineveitable midnignt computer malfunction occures. The results showing the Dems winning big mysteriously flip with the last exit polls, and the vote tabulators report a come-from-behind 51 to 49 percent Republican "victory" so the exit pols are adjusted to reflect the "reported" vote totals.

...Next day we start in on the Dems had the wrong Message...the republicans motivated their base better, the GOTV showed next to no voting increase in Dem counties and 110% in republican strongholds.

...Sound Familiar?

Just because Diebold or Sequioa machines are used, doesn't automatically mean that they will be used in every election and several locations. It's too big of an operation for a few companies to manage. By telling people that their vote won't count, you're giving them a reason to be cynical and not show up.

A few companies do manage much of the voting, so we might as well concede that point.

But I've seen no good evidence of massive vote theft in 2004, and it isn't for lack of looking. In 2004, the pre-election polls showed Kerry behind, and the vote counts were pretty consistent through the night -- no late-night malfunction. (There was a delay in revising the exit poll results, which is a big deal if you think exit poll results are perfect, but I don't.) And the actual turnout figures were strong for both Dems and Reps.

So, yeah, way before we start worrying about how someone might steal an 8-10% lead, the Dems need to actually have an 8-10% lead.

the DNC or whoever makes up our platform. It's sure worth a try.

:kick: