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If You Haven’t Filled Out The Survey:

By SusanUnPC on August 1, 2008 at 9:26 AM in DNC, Democratic National Convention

The more surveys we can turn in to the people who make the actual decisions on which platform issues will come before the delegate body in Denver, the more we can demonstrate the level of interest and passion in these issues.

We also promise that, once the math crunching is done, you’ll get to see how everyone voted on each measure (which you can read below).

In the meantime …

… if you haven’t voted, please do.

… if you haven’t e-mailed ALL of your friends and asked them to vote, please do it today. Thanks!
………………………………………………

The Drafting Committee of the Democratic National Convention is meeting this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Cleveland. This committee will draft the platform that the Platform Committee will debate and ratify at a meeting the following weekend.

Many people think the party platform is a document with no force, but it is actually binding on the party and the next DNC chair for four years. As Hillary supporters who believe the party needs to be reformed, it is absolutely critical that we use whatever opportunity we have to affect the platform.

The Obama Campaign invited voters to tell the Democratic Party what the Platform should be.

I Own My Vote responded by putting forward 10 possible platform planks that address the concerns of Hillary Clinton’s supporters and asking people who signed the I Own My Vote Pledge to vote on whether they agree or disagree with each plank. Each plank that receives a majority of the votes will be submitted to the DNC as part of the I Own My Vote Platform Suggestions.

It is imperative that we deliver the results to the Drafting Committee on Thursday afternoon before the committee meets. Hillary’s platform committee members are waiting for this platform.

It is our goal that over 1000 people will participate in our virtual platform meeting so we can show a real commitment to the positions we articulate. So please, sign the I Own My Vote pledge and visit the virtual platform committee now.

HERE ARE THE PLATFORM MEASURES YOU WILL BE ENDORSING. VOTE now, and then ponder the possibilities! We could actually change how the Democratic party operates its primaries!

Equal Rights Amendment

The Democratic Party apologizes to all women for removing the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment from John Kerry’s 2004 Democratic National Convention Platform.

The Equal Rights Amendment must be passed during the next congressional session.

VOTE.

Universal Healthcare

The Democratic Party will use all available means to create a system of universal healthcare under which 100% of the population will be covered by comprehensive health insurance.

The Democratic Party and its leaders will oppose any efforts to redefine the term “universal healthcare” to mean any policy that insures less than 100% of the population.

We believe that Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan is the most effective way to create a system of universal healthcare for all Americans.

The United States must mandate that all citizens have health insurance.

Vote

One Person One Vote

In our democratic system, every adult person is entitled to one vote.

The 2008 primaries illustrated that a caucus vote is worth more than a primary vote because each delegate elected by caucus represents less voters than each delegate elected by primary.

Caucuses allow party officials to exert undue influence and coercion over voters.

Caucuses are immune from federal oversight, while primaries are subject to federal election law.

Therefore, the Democratic Party will forbid caucuses in all future nominating processes and will require all states to conduct primaries to select their delegates to future national conventions.

VOTE.

Fair Reflection

The Democratic Party and Senator Obama apologize to the voters of Michigan for supporting a delegate selection plan that allotted pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention through a method that substituted the judgment of members of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee for the judgment of Michigan’s voters.
VOTE.

No Geographic Preference

No state is more important than any other state. No voter is more important than any other voter.

The Democratic Party has engaged in a practice that has given preference to some states over others.

In the future the Democratic National Committee will not give preference to any state in scheduling the primary elections.

So long as all states hold their primaries within a prescribed window of time, the Democratic Party will not penalize any state for scheduling its primary before or after any other, even if as a result all states schedule their primaries for the same day.

VOTE.

Discrimination

The Democratic Party will not tolerate discrimination based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or nation of origin.

The Democratic Party leadership, including the DNC executive committee, presidential and vice-presidential nominees, House and Senate leadership, and members of all committees within the Democratic National Committee, will from this point forward publicly defend candidates and officeholders who are attacked on any of these bases in the media.

VOTE.

Prevention of Unjust and Foolish Wars

The Democratic Party opposes all unjust and foolish wars.

The key to preventing unjust and foolish wars is an informed electorate with a vested interest in the nation’s military policies who will hold Congress accountable.

Relying on a volunteer military constituted of paid soldiers and contractors insulates the vast majority of Americans from the dangers and consequences of our nation’s military actions.

The Democratic Party opposes any disproportionate impact such military composition has on individuals, families, and communities based on race, economic status, economic opportunity, or educational level.

Barack Obama has inspired young people everywhere to support him. The Democratic Party believes that these young people are the key to stopping unjust and foolish wars.

Therefore, the Democratic Party supports the reinstatement of the draft as proposed by Congressman Charlie Rangel of New York.

VOTE.

A Fair, Open, and Legitimate Convention

It is in the best interests of Party unity that there be no question about the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The election of the Democratic nominees for the offices of president and vice president shall take place at the Democratic National Convention.

Party leaders shall not do anything to discourage or suppress the delegate vote at the Democratic National Convention.

In the event that any candidate receives more than 25% of the popular vote for president, his or her name shall be automatically entered into nomination for the office of president of the united states and the secretary of the convention shall take a roll call vote of all the delegates. In this eventuality, the party shall not nominate any candidate for president by aclimation.

VOTE.

LGBT Rights

All members of the Democratic Party, led by the nominee for President, will work together to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to provide equal federal benefits to all married couples, with marriage defined by the state or country where the marriage was solemnized.

The Democratic Party will also use all means to ensure that the same benefits that exist for married couples exist for all civil unions.

Further, the Democratic Party and its elected officials will not fund or promote any educational material or organization that spreads a message of hate or discrimination against LGBT people.

VOTE.

Defense of Labor

The Justice Department has oversight of some labor unions such as the Teamsters because of a history of union leadership misusing union dues and pension funds.

The Democratic Party supports the working class and unionized labor.

Therefore, the Democratic Party supports continued Justice Department oversight of those labor unions to which such oversight currently applies.

GO HERE. It takes but five minutes!

  • Mr. X

    When a child has two fathers, it doesn’t change the fact that the child has no mother. And when a child has two mothers, it doesn’t change the fact that the child has no father. I’m all for equal rights, but there are some occasions when we must face reality that a situation where there is no father or where the is no mother cannot possibly be equated with the balanced parenthood of man and a woman. I simply cannot support marriage being redefined.

    For most other things other than the definition of marriage, I support benefits, visiting and other rights for gay couples that married couples get.

    I understand most liberals have a different view. But I’ve never heard anything that counters the above.

    • Dawnelle

      I think each person’s CHURCH should define marriage.

      the GOVERNMENT should make NO discussion of it! imo.

      • Dawnelle

        I’m also not PRO-DRAFT.

        I come from the all volunteer Army.
        It is the best you can ask for…… I would never trust the person next to me in that fox hole if they were MADE TO SERVE because their heart will NOT be in it and my ASS will be vulnerable!

        NO THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

        • alexei

          I understand your comment, however, before the all Volunteer military, there was a draft and I believe that the trust and comradeship that you know, was exhibited. I know my father, who volunteered but also served with draftees, saw no difference with how they got into the military. He served in the Pacific in the Marine Corps.

          • Dawnelle

            well there was a draft because there was a World War to fight right?

            No, no the draft will never fly.

            jmo

      • alexei

        Marriage is a civil matter. I agree that if Churches do no wish to perform marriage ceremonies for Gay and Lesbian couples, that is their right. But, Gays and Lesbians should be able to have Civil Marriage Ceremonies and also, if Churches agree, Religious Ceremonies. The Government should have no authority to prohibit people to be married because they are Gay or Lesbian.

        • alexei

          It is “do not wish…”

    • agent77

      I thought ‘I Own My Vote’ was supposed to be in support of Hillary, but now, as evidenced by its survey, ‘I Own My Vote’ is promoting a platform that includes promotion of the DRAFT.

      BOYCOTT ‘I OWN MY VOTE’

      • Dawnelle

        I understand the premise of wanting a DRAFT.

        Mandatory service was the norm in S. Korea (for ROK and KATUSA soldiers) when I was stationed over there in the late 70′s.

        My (now X) husband was a Katusa. (korean augmentee to the US Army) he got that honored status because he could speak English well and he had some college under his belt.

        Kids that were just players ended up as ROK and they were PUSHED TO THE VERY LIMIT and were treated pretty badly compared to US counterparts. So the goal was to be a Katusa so you could work at the US bases, get the benefits, etc.

        Maybe if the US had some form of mandatory service with a CHOICE whether to do real military training or some other service in the red cross type venue?

        Americans do NOT have the mental mind set or background or parental prodding and force of pride that MOST Asian families enstill in their children almost from birth! to STUDY, to HONOR THEIR FAMILY, to be CALM AND PATIENT, etc.

        (just my opinion)

        draft would never fly in America today. The kids AND their parents are just tooooo spoiled and lazy!

    • alexei

      There are many models throughout the world and like Hillary, I believe that it does “take a Village”. It shouldn’t matter that the “mother” is female and that the “father” is male. A stable, loving environment is the most important. I do understand that that there are needs for role models; these roles can be played by other adults besides the “parents”.

      I actually believe that the demise of the extended family has been the worst development for raising children.

    • James

      So, based on your argument, a single parent shouldn’t be given equals right of married parents? There are millions of un-wed mother’s (children without fathers), children of divorced parents, and children of the widowed. There’s no mother or father in these famlies, so surely adding another mother or father would cause no harm?

    • SophieL

      Mr. X: If you’ve never heard anything that counters the above, then you haven’t been listening. You’re combining issues to suit your mistaken premise. First of all, we’re talking marriage, not parenthood. Second of all, to the parenthood point, children have been growing up since the dawn of time without both a mother and father. are you suggesting that if say, someone’s dad passed way, the state should take the child because the child would be in a house without a father? sure sounds like it.

    • Still4Hill

      Yeah, but OTOH a lot of kids have one mother and NO father, some have a father and no mother, and some have neither. If the ones who have neither are too old (i.e. not infants) or too sick or disabled, nobody wants to adopt them. Gay couples seem to be willing to take the unwanted and give them a life. You have to applaud and encourage that.

  • alexei

    There is an I agree and I disagree option for each proposed platform item. Choose the option you want. To ask for a boycott of this site, smacks of an Obama follower who wishes to sow discord among PUMAs. The PUMA movement never stated that everyone will agree on every issue, strategy or candidate, so, voice your concerns and vote how you believe.

    • Dawnelle

      I saw the option too and relayed the same type message at that time.

      This 77 troll has said that chit before. Ignore it. ;-)

      the PUMA platform is fine except for the DRAFT and as long as they keep our comments as part of the package saying it is not SET IN STONE? I am fine with keeping my name there.

  • llilytoo

    a draft eh? That might shake the Barry youth vote!….ya think?

  • old91A10

    Greetings….

    Please feel free to vote ‘NO’ on the ‘Draft question.’ This is a very important issue, and I applaud the forthrightness of including it.

    I believe that a mix of volunteerism, (fair, random) conscription, and modes of service ought to be the course for our Nation.

    It is not (the illusion of) an endless supply of troops that keeps military misadventures going. Most of the responsibility falls on us and those we seat in the House and Senate.

  • athy

    Susan-my survey has been completed.

    Want to pass on this bit of info I learned today-
    It is a little un-nerving…

    From today’s broadcast of Democracy Now-

    * Colorado “Fusion Center” to Step Up Intelligence Gathering During DNC; US Northern Command to Play Role *

    Federal and state law enforcement officials in Colorado plan to increase intelligence operations during the Democratic National Convention in Denver and run a fusion center, where intelligence analysts will collect and analyze reports of suspicious activity. Civil rights advocates fear the fusion center could enable unwarranted spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights at the convention.

    Listen/Watch/Read
    http://www.democracynow.org/2008/8/1/colorado_fusion_center_to_step_up