St. Clair County Democrats

https://www.stclaircountydemocrats.com

https://www.facebook.com/stclairdems/

Contact: aldermanhayley@yahoo.com

This is a page for Democrats in St. Clair County, Michigan. St. Clair County residents who are interested in the Democratic Party can stay up to date on our meetings and upcoming events. 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 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 is never in anyone's best interest. 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 economic policies of the last several Republican Congresses and Administrations 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 The Fairness Doctrine 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 outsource American employment. Corporations have a duty to 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, not the 'slash & spend' mentality currently being exhibited by the Republican House of Representatives and Michigan's Republican Statehouse and Governor. Trust the teachers, support the schools. Put children first. Demand reasonable class size, top- notch teachers, and resources necessary for educating our children. Focus on learning, not test taking. Transform top-down structures to bottom-up networks that build on students' and teachers' experience and 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, and on equal footing with religious doctrines. Abortion should be 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, and no one should suffer from preventable and curable diseases. 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 elitists and commercial interests. We are a culture, and we are a network of cultures. Let's give the arts the support they deserve to enhance all of our lives. Our need for justice can only be rivaled by our need for beauty.

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