District Platform

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

We believe the legitimate function of government is to meet needs that we cannot meet as individuals. The government must be truly representative and work for the good of all people, striving to achieve peace, opportunity, fairness and prosperity for all.

EDUCATION

WE SUPPORT ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR:

ED1 Pre-kindergarten programs, K-12, AEA’s, community colleges, universities, and other educational programs including after school programs and including support for increased enrollment and protection in the case of declining enrollment.
ED2 Meaningful professional development for teachers.
ED3 Headstart.
ED4 The ICN.
ED5 Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in schools.
ED6 Public libraries.
ED7 Fine arts in education.
ED8 National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Iowa Arts Council.
ED9 Early childhood education.
ED10 Adult education in prisons.

WE SUPPORT:

ED11 Repeal of NCLB but fully funding it if not repealed.
ED12 Statewide educational standards.
ED13 Extending the school infrastructure local option sales tax to a statewide tax distributed on a per pupil basis, recalculated annually to adjust the statewide revenues per student.
ED14 Increased funding for special education and school services for students with special needs.
ED15 Increasing where necessary and then maintaining the pay of K-12 and community college teachers at a level of at least 25th in the nation and increasing the wages of support personnel in our public schools.
ED16 Making college tuition rates affordable.
ED17 Increased aid to students in the form of grants and forgivable loans and a program to forgive the student loans for graduates who remain in Iowa to work.
ED18 Maintaining teacher licensing requirements in preK-12.
ED19 Renewing and re-funding federal school-to-work opportunities.
ED20 Efforts to provide safe campuses.
ED21 Programs that address low adult literacy targeting high school drop outs, the unemployed, the underemployed, and immigrants.
ED22 Title IX and call for its continued enforcement.
ED23 A full repeal of the Solomon Amendment.
ED24 Education in healthy lifestyles and nutrition.
ED25 Career education including retraining when necessary.
ED26 The DREAM Act at both the state and national levels.
ED27 Reviewing the No Pass No Play Law to take into account special needs students.

WE OPPOSE:

ED28 Diverting public monies away from public preK-12 schools to fund vouchers, tuition tax credits, or private, for profit education businesses.

ECONOMY, COMMERCE & LABOR

ECONOMY

WE SUPPORT:

EL1 Incentives for small businesses that maintain the social contract with their employees including: livable wages, reasonable benefits and pensions, and safe work places
EL2 Strengthening pension protection and severe penalties for violations of benefit guarantees.
EL3 Establishing 401-k default enrollment with minimum participation and employee opt-out with no age limit for participation and with prompt crediting contributions.
EL4 Switching funding from DOD to domestic spending.
EL5 Repealing all tax benefits for companies that move offshore.

WE OPPOSE:

EL6 Tax cuts that undermine essential government services or which increase deficits or reduce progressiveness of the income tax system.

COMMERCE

WE SUPPORT:

EL7 Expansion of all public transportation.
EL8 Funding and improvements of State Freeway 32 and completion of Highway 30.
EL9 Treating hedge fund management fees as ordinary income.
EL10 Creating a business environment that retains Iowans that are educated and trained in the state.
EL11 Increased consumer predatory lending protections.
EL12 Barring insurance company using personal credit information in setting premiums.
EL13 Expanding the Iowa State Business Corporation Act to include duty to safeguard the environment, worker's rights and the public trust.
EL14 Preference for Iowa businesses and labor on contracts using Iowa Economic Development funds.
EL15 Addition of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to workplace discrimination standards.
EL16 Expansion of environmentally responsible electrical generation of base load power to meet future electrical demand for the public need, security, and employment which includes a comprehensive alternative energy research and development plan.
EL17 National high-speed broadband policy by 2010.
EL18 All cities adopting a Uniform Plumbing Code to be consistent with the law in the State of Iowa.
EL19 Amtrak extension into central Iowa.

WE OPPOSE:

EL20 Any efforts to increase taxes on credit unions.
EL21 Diverting Iowa road use revenue.
EL22 All remote control locomotive operations until the FRA issues comprehensive rules and regulations.

LABOR

WE SUPPORT:

EL23 Workers’ right to six-month notice of intention to relocate.
EL24 A statewide health insurance program for public employees to reduce the cost.
EL25 State legislation to fully fund IPERS to maintain its long-term financial health
EL26 Positive “fair trade” policy with enforcement that protects workers rights, human rights and the environment worldwide; withdrawal from NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO; and greater congressional oversight.
EL27 The creation of jobs by quickly rebuilding America’s infrastructure.
EL28 Domestic manufacture of U.S. military supplies.
EL29 Guaranteeing the right to organize and join unions and the Employee Free Choice Act.
EL30 Raising FLSA exempt workers minimum salary to $345 weekly.
EL31 Legislation limiting mandatory overtime.
EL32 Equal pay for equal work.
EL33 A living wage for all workers.
EL34 Providing incentives to employers for benefits of part-time and temporary employee after 90-days.
EL35 Allowing Iowa workers injured on the job to choose their own doctors.
EL36 Strengthening OSHA and MSHA coverage by funding inspection and enforcement.
EL37 honoring binding arbitration commitments by the state.
EL38 Strengthening Iowa Public Employees’ Bargaining Law.
EL39 Passage of Prevailing Wage Act.
EL40 Harsher penalties for employers violating work-force development plans, and recouping economic assistance.
EL41 Project Labor Agreements on public works construction projects.
EL42 Sufficient funding for state licensing and enforcement for all skilled construction trades and contractors.
EL43 Funding for first responders and their families killed or injured in the line of duty.
EL44 Employers with four or more workers providing paid FMLA benefits over and above any other leave allowed.
EL45 fair share and/or repeal of the so-called “right to work” law.
EL46 Revision of the mining act of 1870 to disallow the near give-away of mineral rights on public land.
EL47 Outlawing hiring of replacement workers during a labor dispute

WE OPPOSE:

EL48 Privatization of public services
EL49 Efforts to take away the rights of injured workers in the name of “economic development”, “regulatory reform”, or “tort reform.”
EL50 Repeal of Davis-Bacon.
EL51 Using prison labor to replace bargaining unit workers.

ARSENAL PLANKS:

WE SUPPORT:

EL52 The Rock Island Arsenal as a critical defense installation and full funding for underutilized plant capacity.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

WE SUPPORT

HS1. Adequately funding health care, child care, vocational/educational training, housing, and transportation programs to assist people in transitioning to economic independence.
HS2. Cost-of-living indexing for the food stamp program, ensuring basic nutritional standards.
HS3. Children’s right to a safe, stable environment; adequately staffed/funded family preservation programs; appropriate interventions and out-of-home placement of children in danger; family reunification whenever indicated; and timely permanency planning.
HS4. Public/private partnership for construction, renovation, and adequate supply of affordable family housing.
HS5. Public transportation meeting community needs, funded through public/private partnership.
HS6. Prison reform strengthening families and considering best interests of children of incarcerated parents.
HS7. Alternative correctional options for mentally ill or addicted individuals committing crimes.
HS8. Lifting the ban on TANF for children of legal immigrants.
HS9. Adequately funded community based programs preventing child abuse and neglect and providing domestic violence and elder abuse victims protective services.
HS10. Increased Older Americans Act program funding to enable senior independent living.
HS11. Expanded stem cell research.
HS12. Domestic violence programs including victims’ counseling and shelter care for victims, and remediation and treatment for offenders.
HS13. Restoration and local, state and federal enforcement of the ADA.
HS14. Increased funding for Iowa’s Emergency Assistance Program.
HS15. Focus on crimes against children
HS16. National child protective database.
HS17. Health care as a basic right.
HS18. National health care system providing without discrimination: provider choice; comprehensive, high-quality, affordable, and sustainable health care; prevention; early diagnosis; chronic disease management; improved methods, and increased cost efficiency.
HS19. Universal health care by 2010, as proposed by the Institute of Medicine.
HS20. Medicare negotiating lower drug prices.
HS21. Expanding Medicare formulary.
HS22. Evidence-based medicine to control unwarranted technology.
HS23. A national patient health information database with privacy safeguards
HS24. Statewide public smoking ban.
HS25. Smoking prevention and cessation programs, and strict tobacco regulations.
HS26. Wellness programs to reduce obesity and encourage healthy lifestyles.
HS27. Dental, vision, hearing, mental health, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, and family planning coverage in health plans.
HS28. Patient’s Bill of Rights including protection of the right to litigate.
HS29. Cooperative efforts to contain malpractice costs.
HS30. Rights to access contraceptives and have legal prescriptions filled.
HS31. Lowering drug prices, and limiting advertisement.
HS32. Medicare and Medicaid expansion and increased funding.
HS33. Consumer and worker representation on health/human-services review boards.
HS34. Disaster/pandemic readiness.
HS35. First-responder catastrophe response training and compensation.
HS36. Guaranteed health coverage for all Iowa children.
HS37. Reauthorizing S-CHIP to cover all eligible children and expanding coverage.
HS38. US universal HIV plan by 2010.
HS39. Increased Hepatitis funding.
HS40. Revised Medicare provider reimbursement formula reflecting current relative costs of living rather than historic norms
HS41. Financial protection for immediate family of Medicaid recipients
HS42. Ending the call-back of funds under the Medicaid Integrity Act
HS43. Eliminating the Medicare donut hole.
HS44. Sexuality education programs, government and privately funded reproductive health services and medically-accurate sex education by using a common grounds' approach.
HS45. Federal legislation allowing states to mandate health benefits parity for non-traditional families.
HS46. The office of National Nurse.
HS47. Restoring funding of social relief programs aiding vulnerable citizens.
HS48. We oppose abstinence only programs

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WE SUPPORT:

IA1 Defusing threats with diplomacy wherever possible.
IA2 A safe and timely withdrawal from Iraq while seeking the cooperation and support of the international community in the stabilization and rebuilding efforts.
IA3 The US taking an active leadership role in seeking a fair and just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that creates a viable, and contiguous in the West Bank portion, Palestinian state beside the state of Israel, and oppose further construction of illegal settlements.
IA4 Immediately normalizing relations with Cuba.
IA5 A new, non-exploitive policy toward Latin America to assist in building sustainable economies, so that its citizens are not forced to emigrate for survival.
IA6 Continuing active and cooperative participation in the UN and the World Court to reconcile international issues and deal with global concerns.
IA7 The international banning of land mines.
IA8 Efforts to reduce and prevent the international development, proliferation, and use of nuclear, chemical, biological, and other weapons of mass destruction but caution against using military means for this purpose.
IA9 Strong action in concert with the international community to end the genocide in Darfur and work for a fair and lasting peace.
The Sister Dorothy Hennessey Plank
IA10 Closure of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (School of the Americas) and oppose the purpose for which it was created.
IA11 Immediate closure of all US prisons or detention centers in foreign nations.
IA12 Restructuring of foreign debt while respecting the sovereignty of nations and canceling the debt in some cases.
IA13 Heavy emphasis on diplomatic means to deal with Iran, particularly its nuclear program.
IA14 Diplomatic, economic and cultural measures to alleviate global poverty, hunger and disease and to advance world environmental protection.
IA15 The speedy return of the authority over their own affairs for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.
IA16 The rapid elimination of non-permanent military bases in all countries, particularly Iraq and Paraguay.

WE OPPOSE:

IA17 Our government facilitating or sanctioning torture in any form, in any place.
IA18 Military action as a method of first choice; without the support and participation of the international community; without clear, attainable national defense goals; and without fully informed Congressional consent.

AG ENERGY ENVIRONMENT

WE SUPPORT:

AE1. Efforts to emerge from the global warming crisis including embracing innovation, bringing family farming back to life, and creating new jobs.
AE2. Comprehensive enforcement of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, oppose using studies for delay, and viewing clean air, water, and uncontaminated soil as a basic right.
AE3. Protecting resources; conservation provisions in the farm bill; full funding of the REAP Program; and adequate funding for restoring Iowa's polluted, rivers, streams, and lakes.
AE4. A cap-and-trade on emissions of greenhouse gases and reductions of 20% by 2012 and 80% by 2050.
AE5. A moratorium on the construction of all new coal-fired power plants.
AE6. Requiring all existing coal-fired power plants to capture and sequester carbon dioxide and mercury as soon as the technology becomes available.
AE7. The US pursuing vigorously only renewable power sources including, but not limited to solar, tidal, hydrogen, biomass, and wind energy.
AE8. Phasing out consumption of fossil fuels as alternative energy production becomes increasingly feasible, increased CAFE standards, promotion of LEED carbon neutral buildings, registration fees that reward fuel efficiency, maximum efficiency in government owned vehicles, elimination of subsidies for fossil fuels, protecting wilderness areas from drilling, and protecting endangered species and their habitat.
AE9. Family farms through banning packer ownership of livestock, strict enforcement of antitrust laws, country of origin labeling, and the humane treatment of livestock while encouraging new and re-entry farmers.
AE10. Protecting farmland through in-building urban footprints and opposing sprawl.
AE11. A moratorium on CAFO construction, local input on siting, mandating existing CAFO owners and deed holders to carry liability insurance for public health problems and the cost of site clean-up, and eliminating subsidies and tax incentives,
AE12. The expansion of the “bottle bill” to include all non-biodegradable beverage containers
AE13. Increasing distributor cost from $.01 to $.02 going to redemption centers.
AE14. A ban on growing, in open environments, GMOs for pharmaceutical drugs, hormones and vaccines.
AE15. Identifying genetically engineered food through proper labeling.
AE16. Strengthening food and beverage inspection.
AE17. Phasing out non-biodegradable shopping bags.

WE OPPOSE:

AE18. Placing trees and other plants used by wildlife for food and shelter in areas that limit driver visibility next to our highways.

GOVERNMENT AND LAW

VETERANS/MILITARY

WE SUPPORT:

GL1 Housing for all homeless veterans.
GL2 Full medical care for all veterans.
GL3 Assured Veteran health care funding levels.
GL4 Disability determination made by Department for Veterans Affairs, not by Department of Defense.
GL5 Protecting Veterans’ Assistance Funds from diversion.
GL6 National Guard and Reserve training, body armor, and equipment on par with active force.
GL7 Keeping preponderance of National Guard in state.
GL8 Adequate IANG and Reservist family assistance during extended active duty tours.
GL9 Immediate repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and replacement with nondiscrimination legislation.

CIVIL RIGHTS

WE SUPPORT:

GL10 Patriot Act repeal and legislation protecting Americans while guaranteeing civil liberties.
GL11 Full restoration of Habeas Corpus.
GL12 INS Policy upholding fundamental Human Rights of ALL detainees:
a. Prohibiting extended detainee shackling
b. Providing right to attorney
c. Providing prompt adjudication.
d. Providing for medical needs
e. Barring indefinite administrative detention pending deportation.
GL13 Individual’s right to privacy in thoughts and beliefs, and Constitutional protection from intrusion in all sensitive personal matters.
GL14 Women’s fundamental right to personal reproductive health care decisions, and to providers of abortion alternatives.
GL15 Roe v. Wade as settled law.
GL16 Repealing DOMA; and support marriage equality for all.
GL17 Legislation protecting same sex couples rights in adopting children, and custody matters.
GL18 Addition of “Sexual Orientation”, “Gender Identity”, and “Disability” to state and federal Anti-Discrimination laws, Hate Crime laws, Human Rights policies and Civil Rights statutes.
GL19 Requiring individual written permission before companies share personal non-public information; compensating individuals when institution sells their personal data.
GL20 Repealing “REAL ID” and oppose all National Identity Cards.
GL21 Individual right to bear arms with fair, reasonable and responsible restrictions.
GL22 “Eminent Domain” when due process is followed, solely for common good and not private interests.
GL23 The First Amendment. Religion is matter of personal choice government must neither hinder, nor assist.

WE OPPOSE:

GL24 Government-sanctioned surveillance without probable cause and ‘due process’.
GL25 The use of government rules or actions to intimidate dissenters.

IMMIGRATION

WE SUPPORT:

GL26 Immigration reform eliminating geographic or racial bias; reflecting real US skills needs; emphasizing family reunification; respecting National Security needs; and providing pathway to citizenship.

TAXATION/FINANCE/BUDGET

WE SUPPORT:

GL27 Taxing all income fairly; and relying on simplified, progressive income tax.
GL28 Tax penalties on corporations sending jobs out of country.
GL29 Raising Social Security payroll tax cap to 100% of taxable earnings
GL30 Raising cap on Iowa pension income tax exemption.
GL31 $9.50/hour minimum wage; linking to Commerce PCE price index.
GL32 Citizen-initiated consumer-fraud lawsuits.

WE OPPOSE:

GL33 Utility deregulation.

LAW/SENTENCING REFORM

WE SUPPORT:

GL34 Ending costly “War on Drugs”, refocusing efforts to “Harm Reduction” and realistic prevention efforts.
GL35 Alternatives to incarceration for offenders; alternative sentencing involving treatment and rehabilitation for youthful and first offenders; continuing education assistance during rehab.
GL36 Legalizing marijuana.
GL37 Decriminalizing possession of small quantities of marijuana.
GL38 “Private Property Rights” guaranteed by Constitution
GL39 Criminal conviction as pre-requisite for property forfeiture; forfeiture a rare exception; individual right to jury trial in forfeiture cases.
GL40 Federal ban on capital punishment.

GOVERNMENT REFORM

WE SUPPORT:

GL41 Voting reforms that assure or provide:
a. Every citizen of legal age the right to vote;
b. Same day voter registration;
c. Mandatory paper records;
d. Anonymity of voter choices.
GL42 The VOICE Act and publicly financed elections at all government levels.
GL43 Enforced legislation that requires a five year waiting period for congress-members before they may accept employment as lobbyists.
GL44 Dissolution of “Office of Faith Based and Community Services”: reallocating funding and duties to appropriate departments; providing government funds solely thru non-sectarian entities.
GL45 Statewide Vote-by-Mail system.
GL46 US Government resolve to leave Social Security monies alone as this is the people's money.
GL47 Establishment of the Dept of Peace and Non-violence.
GL48 Instant run-off voting in Federal elections.
GL49 Federal Anti-bullying legislation.

WE OPPOSE:

GL50 Provisions in NCLB supplying military recruiters student names or permitting recruitment in K-12.

MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY

WE SUPPORT:

GL51 Adequate funding for Corporation for Public Broadcasting and continued independence in its operation.
GL52 Reinstatement of Fairness Doctrine.
GL53 “Net neutrality”,
GL54 Opening “unlicensed spectrum” for community networks.

WE OPPOSE:

GL55 Media consolidation.

ADDENDUM

The following items had been proposed either by the platform committee or from the floor by petition, but the convention was forced by time limits in the meeting hall to come to an end before they could be adequately considered by the full convention. The platform committee supported all of these items except the minority plank in their meeting during the morning of the district convention. The minority plank was passed as such by the committee at an earlier meeting.

As a plank in HS:
We support a universal, single-payer, government administered national health care system. (minority plank)

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES (SUBSTITUTE FOR PUBLISHED VERSION)

The Democratic Party has a long and proud history of inclusion, political empowerment, and equal rights for all Americans. Diversity has served as a keystone for the Democratic Party since its inception. As Democrats we believe that the full force of governments, at all levels, should be used to protect, preserve, and advance the rights and liberties of all, including the poorest, weakest and those most vulnerable to exploitation. The Democratic Party supports programs that encourage all Americans to reach their full potential with appropriate protections and incentives for them to achieve the fulfillment of human dignity. Only then can the United States of America be the shining beacon of democracy for the world.

As a new plank in HS:
We support funding research for the cause, effects, and treatment of autism.

Include in HS 32 (INSERT IN PLANK) …including waiver programs…

As a new plank in HS:
We support protection and regulation of DNA and genetic structure data testing while ensuring quality and valid testing for medical care.

As a new plank in GL:

Resolution Requesting that the United States Congress Commence Impeachment Procedures

Whereas, members of the United States Congress take an oath to support the Constitution; and, Whereas, the United States Constitution provides a system of checks and balances that is designed to prevent the abuse of power by government and to preserve the power and freedom of the people; and, Whereas, there is evidence in the public record that President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney may have abused their executive power by deliberately providing misleading information to Congress and the public about the threat from Iraq in order to induce Congress to approve the use of military force; and, Whereas, there is evidence in the public record that President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney may have authorized and condoned the detention of prisoners without access to courts and the torture of those prisoners in violation of the "Federal Torture Act" Title 18 United States Code, Section 113C; and, Whereas, there is evidence in the public record that President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney may have allowed the politicization of the Department of Justice and improperly obstructed Congressional oversight investigations related to this action; and, Whereas, on December 17th, 2005, President George W. Bush publicly admitted to ordering the National Security Agency to conduct electronic surveillance and information gathering on American citizens in a manner that may have violated the Constitution's 4th Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures; and, Whereas, the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives has the power to investigate these, or any other charges of Executive misconduct, for which there is sufficient cause; and, Whereas, the United States Congress has the sole power to determine guilt or innocence, and whether these crimes rise to the level of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, through the Constitutional process of impeachment and a subsequent trial; and, Whereas, future Presidents will effectively inherit any expanded powers of the current Presidency unless those powers are removed by the process of impeachment before leaving office; Whereas, impeachment is a Constitutional remedy and not a political one;

Now, therefore, be it resolved:
That the Iowa Democratic Party 1st District Convention hereby requests that the United States House of Representatives investigate these charges, using the greater power that an impeachment investigation provides, and if their findings so warrant, proceed with the impeachment of President George Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney.

Paid for by the Iowa First District Democratic Party