We must influence the Dem's platforms *NOW*

[Myra]

Michael Moore has been emphasizing that NOW
is the time to contact each Dem candidate
to get them to change their platform to better
serve their potential constituents, and therefore
earn our votes.

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Please, write to them and/or call their offices NOW.
Months from now will be too late 'cause they and we
will be stuck with the platforms they've chosen.
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For example:

I want to know everyone's stance on campaign finance
reform, i.e., legalized bribery. Shouldn't private money be
removed from the political process? Shouldn't campaigns
be publicly funded with spending caps for each candidate?
Shouldn't voters and constituents have at least the same
access to politicians as do PACs and lobbyists?

I want to know what they'll do about global warming,
endangered species protection, protection of our parks
and wildlife refuges, and the fact that the US is responsible
for a huge percentage of the world's pollution and uses too
much of the world's resources. Will they support the Kyoto
Accord, or a similar treaty?

What will they do to reverse the damage of the "Patriot Act"?
What is their stance on civil liberties and right of privacy?

Will they support legal same sex marriage?

Will they cut the bloated pentagon budget?

And more specifically:

Governor Dean:
----------------
Why does he get the NRA's top "A" rating?
Why isn't he for gun control?
Why isn't he for a single payer/Canadian style health care system?
How can he be *for* the death penalty?
Will he make Roe v Wade a litmus test for federal judges?
How can he be pro NAFTA?!?!!
Why is he against the legalization of medical marijuana?

General Clark:
---------------
-Does his health care policy will insure coverage
for 100% of Americans regardless of job
status, income level, etc. I want him to insure universal
health care, not Band-Aids on the broken system.

Congressman Kuchinich:
-------------------------
-Why did he say he's personally opposed to abortion
but won't work to reverse Roe v Wade.
Moore compared it to stating "I oppose gay marriage but
won't work to block it." It's not an acceptable message.
Further, how (Moore again) can a man "personally oppose"
abortion when *he* can't have one? Easy for *him* to say.
Yeah, Kuchinich has excellent stances on most issues, but he
should be challenged on his remarks on this issue.
Will he make Roe v Wade a litmus test for federal judges?

Reverend Sharpton:
--------------------
-Ask flat out what his views are on anti-Semitism in the
African American community, given his rhetoric during the
Crown Heights riots. Will he work for tolerance and rights for all?
Is racism and discrimination of any kind (against blacks, jews,
middle easterners, etc) acceptable in any way in America?
Ask him if maybe he used overly strong rhetoric against
Dean when Dean made his confederate flag remark.

Etc etc etc. Just a few examples. I may even be inaccurate
on some of the example above. And I'm not trying to pick on any
one candidate, because I respect all of the *above* candidates.
(And I don't mean to dis Ambassador Braun by not listing her;
I simply don't know enough about her viewpoints (my bad).

Anyway, there are MANY more issues of critical importance
than I have listed. But here's the important point:

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*NOW* is the time to tell them what we want them to do
on the big issues. Please, write to them and/or call
their offices NOW.
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Note:
I'm excluding Edwards in my examples because I can't
support someone who voted for the Iraq war.
I'm excluding Holy Joe and Gephardt because they are cloaked Repugs.
And Kerry because he's a boner (i.e., Skull and Bones society),
which I mistrust, and a mainstream establishment "Dem."
But if you support them, I hope you ask them
similar questions about stances you disagree with.

[Flying_Pig]

1. I agree. But with all the things you listed, you forgot perhaps one of

the most important, and that is, getting the nominee, as one of their first acts after swearing-in, to agree to re-institute the "Fairness Doctrine", by Executive Order. Without a free press, we will never have a fully functioning democracy again, and all of the other issues you mentioned, will be moot. Other than radical campaign finance reform, which you did mention, I can't think of another thing more important for our party to embrace.

Thanks for the reminder though, to contact the candidates about the issues and platform.

[Lefty48197]

3. Here's a good link about the Fairness Doctrine

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2002/06/30/1f.ed.col.monks.0630.html

[Myra]

7. Thank you Lefty48197!

I almost asked for a good resource,
but I didn't want to seem lazy. :)

[Myra]

4. Thanks Flying_Pig

I'm embarassed to say I'm pretty ignorant about
the "Fairness Doctrine" so I need some remedial
education about it. I'll research it and follow up.

Aside from that, I do consider campaign finance reform
the top issue, the root of all evil in this country.
No point pruning a few twigs when the roots are growing
out of control.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Clark said he needs to be repealed....

said it in New Hampshire.....

If you watch the C-Span New Hampshire video (it's still available to watch on-line, I believe)...go to the very end of the actual session...someone asks him about "hate radio"...and Clark responded...We need to roll back FCC regulations back to pre-1987. That would bring back the "Fairness doctrine".....then he said Rush was an Asshole.....yes sir, he sure did that!

[w4rma]

2. I disagree. That should have been done months ago.

However, I do think that NOW is about the last chance before their positions are somewhat locked in.

Extremely massive information dump on Gov. Howard Dean, M.D. (v2.0)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=41214

[Myra]

5. Agreed w4rma

We should have been doing this already.
Thanks.
But it's Now or Never.

[MaineDem]

6. Influence your state party's platform now, as well

I'm pretty sure each state's Platform Committee is working on the wording of the new platform. Ours is looking for input so I assume each state is doing the same.

Look up the web site, contact the state or county party officials, and have your say.

[MrSoundAndVision]

8. I think we know who he supports, I just hope

he endorses Kucinich before the pessimists win!

http://www.kucinich.us

And, for the record, according to

http://www.kucinich.us/issue_rightsreproductive.htm

"I support Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose, and will select Supreme Court justices who affirm this Constitutional right.

I’ve had a journey on this issue that a year ago, before I became a candidate for President, caused me to break from a voting record that had not been pro-choice. After hearing from many women in my own life, and from women and men in my community and across the country, I began a more intensive dialogue on the issue. A lot of women opened their hearts to me. That dialogue led me to wholeheartedly support a woman’s right to choose.

I have come to believe that it’s not simply about the right to choose, but about a woman’s role in society as being free and having agency and having the ability to make her own decisions. That a woman can’t be free unless she has this right."... and Dennis Kucinich's platform is complete.

KUCINICH FOR PRESIDENT!

[Northwind]

9. Wrong.

This is the worst possible time for this.

Attempting a major refocus of the party platform right now will mean a diluted and confused message for the 2004 election, which will mean DEFEAT in the 2004 election.

Only listen to Michael Moore if you want another 4 years of Bush.

[Myra]

10. So then...

Contacting Dem candidates to encourage them to
truly represent the will of the people by
adopting policies important to our quality of
life, will mean defeat in the election?

So then...

The worst possible time to try to influence a political
candidates' stance on issues is when they're campaigning
for public office?

I don't understand that logic.

If we don't tell them what we want, how are they
supposed to represent us...we the people?
Corporate lobbyists are sure as hell telling them
what they want.

[JohnKleeb]

11. Myra a comment on abortion

Many people say they are personally opposed to abortion but wont overturn RoevWade. A lot of people men and women say it, I think he means he personally opposes the idea. On judges, he plans to put judges that will support RoeVWade. Just my conclusion.

[MuseRider]

12. You are exacty right.

See post #8 (I think it was #8). DK has said that he hopes to make abortion less neccessary by means of education and access to contraceptives. His policy is whole. I am personally against abortion as a method of birth control as well but I doubt seriously it is used as such very often. His stance is pro woman and pro equal rights no matter what his personal beliefs are on abortion. The change and commitment he has shown in his more recent votes is enough for me.

[genius]

13. You need to be more accurate on Kucinich. He will use Roe v. Wade as a

litmus test. He is the only candidate who will and therefore the most liberal candidate on this issue. At one time, he had a different position on abortion. However, long before he decided to run for the Presidency, women's groups convinced him to re-examine his position. It was at that point that he liberalized his position. Dean used to be anti-death penalty and now he is really gung ho on the idea of executing people so people change their minds. Dean has made it clear he will not use Roe v. Wade as a litmus test.

My concerns are the stances of the candidates with respect to criminal justice and due process. We need to stop the expediting of convictions of innocent people who were arrested solely because they were black. To me this is a much more important issue than any mentioned. Again, Kucnich has the best position. Sharpton is second best and Edwards and Kerry are next. Gephardt and Lieberman are not particularly good in this area. This is where Dean is his worst (with his lock them up, convict them wihtout due process rights and execute them philosophy) and this is why I could never vote for him, even in a general election. Moseley-Braun's position is not clear in this area.