Platform

Platform of the Democratic Party of Oregon for 2008

Adopted April 13th, 2008

           We, the members of the Oregon Democratic Party, commit ourselves to seeking a better future for the present generation and for generations to come. This platform is a guide to the principles and positions by which we intend to fulfill that commitment. We recognize our rights and responsibilities as citizens of our state, our nation, and the entire global community. We hold that the ancient goals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should be guaranteed for everyone. And we express our confidence that those goals can be maintained while sustaining the interdependent web of life on this planet.

           As Oregon Democrats, we assert that the citizens of our state and our country ARE the government, we hold up the Bill of Rights and derived civil liberties as the enduring standard of liberty, and we firmly oppose abrogation of those rights and liberties in the name of governmental convenience or security. Where these rights and liberties are not fully realized, we pledge to help everyone within our borders to regain them. We invite all Americans to join with us to re-establish our two-century old democracy as a beacon of virtue that is admired all over the world.

1) Oregon Democrats: Our Responsibilities and Rights as Individuals and Family Members

 As Oregon Democrats we affirm the inalienable right of every individual to be treated with dignity and respect. We believe that Oregonians must be able to achieve security for themselves and for their families; however they may choose to define their families. We reaffirm an individual's right to reproductive freedom The basic necessities of life - food, shelter, medical care, and family wage jobs - should be available to Oregonians in all parts of our state: rural, suburban, and urban. We believe the most vulnerable in our society should receive adequate protection from neglect and abuse, especially children and the medically fragile elderly. We respect the human dignity of every individual, regardless of inherent characteristics, religion, economic/social status, or any other quality that may define a person's identity. We believe the same high standards should be applied to all within the borders of our state and beyond.

•Shelter, Food, Health Care, and a Living Wage: Securing the Basic Necessities of Life

•Human Rights: Guaranteeing Equal Rights for All People

2) Oregon Democrats: Our Responsibilities and Rights as Members of a Community

As members of our local, state, and national communities, we recognize the benefits we have received through our communities and commit to paying them back. We embrace the Social Contract that binds us to other members of our communities, a contract that asks each person to contribute for the good of all. As rural, urban, and suburban Oregonians, we recognize our common interests and shared responsibilities. We demand that government function with fiscal responsibility that does not burden future generations with debts created by a "borrow and spend" economic policy. We reject policies that practice class warfare and perpetuate stark divisions between a privileged few and the majority of working Americans. We move beyond self-interest and focus on decisions made for the Common Good of both present and future generations.

•Public Education: Taking Responsibility to Prepare for Life Long Learning

•Revenue Policy: Paying a Fair Share and Endowing Future Generations

3) Oregon Democrats: Our Responsibilities and Rights as Workers and Business People

We work in many trades and professions including farmers, ranchers, union members, business owners, professionals, trades people, and workers of all types. We create our country's wealth and deserve adequate reward for our efforts, knowledge and skills. We insist that our economy sustain local jobs and businesses, embracing long-term sustainability over short-term profits. We expect corporations to function as ethical members of the community, contributing their fair share to Oregon's economic viability.

•Business and Economic Development: Creating a Viable Economy

•Forest, Field, Range, and Fisheries: Supporting Oregon's Farmers, Ranchers and Foresters

•Labor: Ensuring Workers Rights, Including Retirement Security

4) Oregon Democrats: Our Responsibilities and Rights as Active Citizens

 As Oregon Democrats, and U.S. citizens, we are committed to the ongoing task of sustaining our democracy. We are guided by the principles upon which this country was founded. Our government was created to reflect the will of the people. We are committed to extending and deepening freedom, equality, human rights and democracy. We will be vigilant in protecting our freedoms as outlined in the U.S. Constitution, its Amendments, and especially the Bill of Rights. Reform of our election process is crucial, as the right to vote is the foundation for all our other rights. In order to be an example of Democracy to other countries, we must hold our system to the highest standards. We abhor tyranny wherever it is practiced. We know tyranny is always accompanied by secrecy and subterfuge, and we therefore condemn the accelerating secrecy practiced by the federal government.

•Election Reform: Opposing Privatization of The Vote and Guaranteeing Transparent Elections that Reflect the Will of the People

•Public Safety, Justice, and Civil Liberties: Preserving Our Personal Freedoms, While Ensuring our Safety

 •Government Accountability and Oversight: Demanding Honesty, Integrity and Competence in Government

5) Oregon Democrats: Our Responsibilities and Rights as Global Citizens

As Oregon Democrats we recognize that our responsibilities extend beyond our borders to encompass the entire planet.  Our national self-interest requires that we affirm the principle of global cooperation. We must work together with other peoples to ensure the survival and well being of the interdependent web of life on planet Earth. We must be good stewards of our natural resources. We recognize that adherence to the rule of law and compliance with all ratified treaties is essential to our security and moral standing as a nation. We renounce the idea and practice of pre-emptive war. We must hold global corporations accountable to the rule of law. We affirm fair trade principles that will ensure high global standards for labor and environmental protection. Our foreign policy must be based on a commitment to use diplomacy, rather than force, to resolve the numerous conflicts around the globe and to seek universal peace.

•Ecology and Natural Resources: Providing for Our Needs, While Preserving the Earth

•Energy and Transportation: Practicing Conservation While Tapping Human Ingenuity to Fuel the Future

 •Foreign Policy and National Security: Engaging the World through the Strength of Diplomacy, Justice, and the Rule of Law