CHARTING A NEW COURSE FOR A BETTER WAY OF
LIFE
It's
time for us to demand a new American political landscape. We
must
recognize the interconnectedness of all Americans and accept that we
all do better when we ALL do better. We must accept new visions and
transform political life in our country so that it truly addresses our
individual needs and collective responsibilities.
We must
base our
votes on a wide variety of issues. Let's begin to consider the
bigger
picture. Look at a broad group of issues and vote for political
candidates who are in line with most of them. Voting based on a single
issue may not be in your best interest or the interests of the people you
care about.
We must demand an ethical economy.
The
People's Platform is based on the premise that what's good for the
people is good for the economy. The policies of the Bush administration
have weakened our economy and hurt people. Properly reformed, our
economy can work again to benefit society as a
whole.
PLATFORM ISSUES
Break big
money's control
of the process. Reform campaign spending and lobbying laws to
restore government of, by, and for the people, not of, by, and for the
corporations. Demand transparency at every level of public life. Insist
that civil servants promote the common good.
Engage in
decent, passionate debate. Negative campaigns, single-issue
voting, and citizen apathy damage our national life. We must move
away from attacks on individuals and groups and spend energy instead
on spirited debate that does justice to issues and
people.
Overcome media bias. Most major media
outlets are owned by a few large corporations. The public interest
requires diversification of ownership, along with restoration of Equal
Time policies that until recently insured the broadcasting of diverse
viewpoints.
Guarantee fair, reliable elections.
Elections throughout our country must be fair and transparent. All
ballots must leave a paper trail. Conflicts of interest are to be avoided.
Only nonpartisan civil servants should be allowed to supervise
elections.
Support our troops - for real. Today's
military budget favors corporations over soldiers. We must realign this
spending so that our forces do not have to scrounge for basic
resources. We must also do right by our veterans. They deserve the
best care possible.
Restore the land of the free.
Homeland security should not mean the loss of precious freedoms.
Fear cannot be allowed to erode our Constitution. We must
acknowledge that the causes of terrorism include foreign policy
blunders by successive U.S. administrations.
Pursue
international cooperation. As the world's remaining superpower,
our nation must demonstrate zeal for true justice and the strength of
forebearance. Our foreign policy should stress international
cooperation
and human rights, not conquest and control.
Make work
pay. A forty hour work week should support a family.
Government must side with workers against stagnant wages and job
insecurity. Work must also pay retirees. Pension funds need protection
against corporate greed.
Reward patriotic
companies. Tax breaks should go to companies that produce a net
increase in well-paying jobs, rather than reward those who reduce
American employment. Corporations must by law serve the public
good, not just seek profit.
Show fiscal restraint. Out-
of-control spending is mortgaging the future of our children and
grandchildren. Tax cuts for the wealthy are immoral when the basic
needs of millions go unmet. Congress must demonstrate enlightened
fiscal restraint.
Trust the teachers, support the
schools. Put children first. Demand reasonable class size, top-
notch teachers, and necessary resources. Focus on learning, not test
taking. Transform top-down structures to bottom-up networks that
build on students' and teachers' creativity.
Promote early
education, higher education. There's a link between America's
failure to make early childhood education available to all and our large
prison population. It's also in our common interest to make higher
education truly accessible to everyone who can benefit from
it.
Respect the integrity of science. Religious truth is
of a different order than scientific truth. Its purpose is not to
convey scientific information but to change hearts. Rather than reject
scientific insights, we must put them to good use in our schools and in
our society.
Abortion: legal and rare. Legislation
and legal action cannot resolve the abortion issue. Abortion needs to
remain legal and safe for women choosing it. Yet we must work to
become a society of genuine compassion where abortion rarely needs
to be considered.
Provide health care for
everybody. Everybody deserves decent health care. Give priority
to service rather than profits or power. Government's role is to be the
people's advocate. No one should have to choose between food and
medicine.
End the gridlock: diversify
transportation. Building more highways produces more gridlock.
Efficient, diverse public transportation builds a successful economy and
people-centered communities. To create and keep jobs, we must have
mass transit, including trains and buses.
Meet the
challenge of alternative energy. Oil addiction is a habit we must
kick. We need a scientific renaissance to rival the race that put a man
on the moon. Let's develop alternative energy sources, such as
agricultural based fuels, to free us from dependence on
oil.
Defend the only environment we have. The land,
air, and water are on loan to us from future generations. Caring for
them is in everybody's best interest. Long-term responsibility requires
taking action against short-term selfishness. Environmental education
is essential.
Extend tolerance one step further.
Diversity
makes a better society: socially, economically, and creatively. Honor
the strengths that come from differences. Don't let fear and prejudice
win the day. Tolerance isn't optional; acceptance and equality are
essential for a just and prosperous society.
Make the
world a more beautiful place. The arts don't have to be dominated
by elites or commercial interests. We are a culture, a network of
cultures. Let's give the arts the support they deserve. It will enhance
all or lives. We need justice, and we also need
beauty.
January 2006
|
|