Yosemite Area People’s Platform

Written by: Susan Rowe on Jul 28, 2008 8:38 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties, Democratic Club of Coarsegold, DFA of Chowchilla, DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties , DFA of Stanislaus County, California for Democracy, DFA Blog Network, Blog For America, blog for America Test and Poll Group

written in a message by John Friedrich sent on Monday, July 28, 2008 3:56 PM

Hello you mighty platform warriors!

Thanks to all of you for your sage input and ideas that contributed to the attached Yosemite Area People's Platform, crafted amidst the flames! Special thanks to Craig Gingold, who stayed up until midnight editing and re-formatting the document. It was sent along to the platform committee this afternoon.

good luck out there!

John

Yosemite Area People’s Platform

Submitted by people threatened by the flames of the Telegraph Fire Mariposa County, California

July 27, 2008

As the blazes of yet another California wildfire burn around us in Mariposa County, threatening our homes and communities, the perilous state of our world seems close at hand. Just as with the other wildfires that recently engulfed our state, we are forcefully reminded that so many of our National Guard troops, along with their equipment, have been deployed to fight in Iraq, instead of being available here where they are most needed.

It is at times like these, when we are most vulnerable, that we gain clarity about what matters most: the kindness and generosity of families, friends, and neighbors.

We envision the U.S. Government transformed so that the basic goodness of the American people is reflected in the policies that are made and carried out in our name. We envision a world where we no longer hear, "We love the American people, we just object to what your government does -- especially its foreign policy." 

We the people who have gathered here amidst the smoke and ashes  hereby submit the following policy ideas, in the hope that they will serve as a seed for the new world that we know is possible.

Overhaul Foreign Policy – Make Friends, Not Enemies

The Global War on Terrorism has been used to justify unlimited military adventures, unwarranted spying and erosion of civil liberties, and expenditures without constraint. But in reality, the War on Terrorism has increased terrorism and made us less safe.

Even if one believes the Bush Administration’s rationale for fighting terrorism with war, the truth is that we cannot afford it – financially or morally. Every day, it saps our economy and drains resources that are desperately needed to revitalize our cities and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.

As former President Eisenhower said during his first term in office, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."  Continuing to wage the Global War on Terrorism means that programs to help people at home and abroad will be further slashed, adding to the misery of millions and exacerbating the conditions that foster terrorism.

The United States must shift from being a superpower resented in many quarters for its reckless use of military force, and become a superpower of compassion and cooperation.

Redirecting resources from the occupation of Iraq and the bloated military budget to confront worldwide poverty and suffering would go a long way toward winning back the "hearts and minds" of people everywhere. Such a shift in global opinion of U.S. foreign policy – particularly in the Middle East -- would help dry up the ground upon which violent extremists have been feeding and growing.

'Smart' International Relations and Terrorism

The 21st Century will require a brave new approach to international relations, in particular with respect to terrorism. The Bush Administration has relied upon blind, blustering military force over wise diplomacy, yielding disastrous results. As a result, our nation has virtually ceased being a positive force in the international arena.  

To resolve differences and achieve peace in our time we must reject the failed, enemy-creating "War on Terrorism", and replace it with a friend-making strategy of cooperation with allies, respect for the global institutions that were created to prevent war, and compassionate intervention to make the world a healthier and safer place for all.

America can best use its strength by, for example, working to create productive agricultural industries within Islamic nations to help reduce food concerns and engender goodwill. The United States should actively support secular education and moderate religious schools to counter the anti-Western hatred inculcated by fundamentalist Islamic madrassas. 

As Democrats, we do not urge giving up the fight to capture and punish those who attacked our nation in the past, most gravely on September 11, 2001. But escalating the futile folly of military intervention in Afghanistan is not the answer. Hungry, impoverished people, enraged by American bombs dropped on wedding parties, have turned increasingly to the Taliban as their saviors. A populace with access to good water, good food, good education for their children, and -- most of all -- hope for their future, is far more likely to be supportive of good relations with the United States. 

Reject War With Iran

Bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities would have catastrophic consequences for both countries, the Middle East, and the entire global economy -- and would only serve to strengthen the power of the most backwards factions in that country. At this critical point in history, our President must make full use of the opportunity to make a fresh start in our relations with Iran, using the entire range of diplomatic and economic resources available to him to reach mutually beneficial agreements, including the termination of Iranian nuclear weapons programs and a cessation of U.S. efforts to bring about "regime change" in Teheran.

Policy toward Israel/Palestine

For the last seven years, the Bush administration has tilted heavily toward one side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with disastrous consequences for both peoples, and for the entire Middle East and beyond.

We believe it is vitally important for the United States to move forward with a truly balanced approach toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- an approach that recognizes equally the concerns of both sides, and that gives both peoples (not just Israelis) real assurances that the United States is committed to supporting a just and lasting resolution to the conflict.

Iraq Policy 

The decision to invade Iraq led to perhaps the worst foreign policy misadventure in U.S. history. It has been a complete disaster morally, strategically and economically. All U.S. troops must be removed from Iraq. Any exceptions to this policy must be in accordance with the wishes of the Iraqi people, as expressed through their legislature. The U.S. must not retain military bases in Iraq, and must not control Iraq’s economy in any way (including its oil resources). We must provide comprehensive ongoing humanitarian assistance to Iraq to help re-settle the more than 2 million refugees created by the War, as well as compensation to Iraqi families to pay for medical assistance related to the U.S. invasion and occupation of their country. Finally, the U.S. Government should offer a formal apology for the Iraq War to the people of Iraq.

We support the fundamental objectives for U.S. policy in Iraq presented here:

http://www.responsibleplan.com/plan

In addition, our government must commit the resources necessary to expand and upgrade the V.A. medical system, and to provide comprehensive health care for our returning veterans and their families.

Restore Our American Constitution

· A lawful foreign policy that follows our Constitution, including international treaties like the Geneva Conventions, and ends the use of torture and extraordinary rendition.

· Habeas corpus rights for all, so Guantanamo detainees and others can speedily challenge their detention.

· Freedom from warrantless spying on innocent Americans and legal accountability for lawbreakers.

· A Legislative Branch that uses it's power as a co-equal branch to check and balance the Executive Branch.

Election Security

Re-establishing citizen confidence in the fairness, accuracy, and reliability of the electoral system is critical to maintaining citizen participation. Therefore, all  voting equipment (electronic or otherwise) must produce a verifiable paper trail. All voting precincts must fully comply with their legal obligation to provide an alternative paper ballot upon request of the citizen.

Health Care for All

Health care is a human right. We call on our members of Congress to recognize that right and make it a reality. We call on our Democratic nominee and all other members of Congress to pass HR 676, non-profit Medicare for All, so that our people and our nation can finally have the world-class health care system we deserve.

Early Childhood Education

Every politician will agree that "Children are our Future". For that statement to have real meaning we must commit to making quality pre-kindergarten education available to all children, starting with full funding for Head Start, and extending beyond that to free, non-compulsory programs in every community, staffed by well-educated professionals (on a par with K-12 teachers).

Education

Recognizing that education is the currency of the future, the "No Child Left Behind" law should be repealed. Arts programs, which are so essential to the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children, must be restored to our schools and provided with adequate funding.

In addition, funds must be allocated to help low- and middle-income adults attend college. Pell Grants should be re-funded and increased by 30%, and those benefits should be extended to include vocational schooling.

Women

Support affirmative action, Equal Pay for Equal Work, Title IX, the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and ratification of the ERA; Preserve confidential, unrestricted access to affordable, quality and culturally appropriate health and reproductive services, including contraception and emergency contraception, without requiring guardian, judicial, parental or spousal consent or notification; Support the many lifesaving programs of the Violence against Women Act (VAWA), including the educational and preventative programs, especially for those who are at higher risk for sexual and domestic violence.

New Orleans and Katrina

George W. Bush betrayed his promises to the citizens of New Orleans, and compounded his shameful failure to protect them from the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, by refusing to provide the resources necessary to rebuild the city. We must redeem those promises, and make it possible for the thousands who were evacuated to other cities to return to New Orleans if they wish to.

Respect for Native Americans

Protect the constitutional rights of Native Americans and the sovereign rights of Indian nations, as well as the tribal sovereignty and well-established rights and jurisdictions of Native/Indian nations. Celebrate the cultural diversity of all of our citizens, past and present, including Native Americans and indigenous peoples, and encourage improved public knowledge about and an honest portrayal of their culture and history.

Clean Renewable Energy and Environmental Restoration

1. Implement an energy policy favorable to clean, renewable energy sources. Renewable sources include biofuels produced from non-food crops, using non-water/earth destructive or pesticide intensive methods; both corn-based ethanol and palm oil fail to meet that standard. Nuclear power and so-called "clean coal" are NOT clean or renewable energy, and should not be subsidized or otherwise supported. We support Al Gore’s challenge: "America must commit to producing 100% of our electricity from cheap, clean renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, within 10 years." 

2. Provide incentives for electric cars powered by non-polluting, renewable energy sources, and increase funding for mass transit and public transportation.

3. Support environmental policies rooted in the understanding that humans are a part of the greater planet ecosystem.  We must provide incentives for earth-friendly economic development, conservation and city planning, as well as levying significant penalties for polluters (corporate or otherwise), with higher penalties levied against products that result in health degradations or global warming gases (i.e. a carbon tax).  Penalty funds should be structured and utilized so as to mitigate those deleterious effects, and to eliminate "phony" allocations and other abusive and non-transparent practices.

Bank Bail-Out Payback to Taxpayers

All banking and other lending entities that have received taxpayer "bail-out" funds shall be required to pay the taxpayers back with interest.  Effective regulatory requirements must be reinstated to prevent future predatory lending practices. Corporate recipients of bail-out money (including any entities that purchase failing lenders) shall be required to constrain CEO compensation to no more than 20 times that of their lowest paid employee. 

Respectfully Submitted By:
 
David Ardell, Mariposa, CA
Heather Bernikoff, Catheys Valley, CA
Pandora Edmonston, Mariposa, CA
John Friedrich, Midpines, CA
Ron Friedwald, Mariposa, CA
Craig Gingold, Mariposa, CA
Jim Landis, Mariposa, CA
Les Marsden, Mariposa, CA
Susan Rowe, Coarsegold, CA
Jon Paul Salonen, Catheys Valley, CA

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Location: Midpines, CA 95345