• HOME

• CANDIDATE INFO

• CALENDAR

• CONTRIBUTE

• HISTORY

• LINKS

• NEWSLETTER, LETTERS & NOTES

• PARTY OFFICERS & 
  ELECTED OFFICIALS

• PLAN OF ORGANIZATION & RULES

• REGISTER TO VOTE

• VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AND JOBS AVAILABLE

2006 Colorado Democratic Platform

CORE BELIEFS
Resolutions of the Mesa County Democratic Party

Adopted at the Mesa County Democratic Assembly

On April 15, 2006

CORE BELIEFS  

1.  The Democratic Party believes that a healthy economy is dependent upon hard working men and women receiving a fair living wage for their labor.  Economic incentives should encourage companies to keep jobs in the United States and encourage the formation of new local businesses.  Retraining programs for displaced workers should be adequately funded.  

2.  The Democratic Party believes in the right of working people to organize and bargain collectively without fear of intimidation or permanent replacement during disputes. The Democratic Party opposes efforts to dismantle the Fair Labor Standards Act, or efforts to extend the length of the workweek without overtime.  

3.  The Democratic Party believes that a strong public school system that endeavors to provide a quality education to every child, free from discrimination, is the core element of modern society.  To fulfill its mission, public education deserves adequate funding and independence from political whims.  Public education thrives when decisions are made locally.  

4.  The Democratic Party believes in preserving and restoring the natural environment, ensuring the health of its people, ecosystems and the future of our planet.  We believe that the health of the economy is dependent on the health of the environment and that it is necessary to have a clean environment to attract and keep good paying jobs.  

5.  The Democratic Party believes that violent criminals should be imprisoned.  We also believe that society needs to devote more resources to programs that prevent crime, especially programs for early intervention and diversion for young people.  We question the effectiveness of the war on drugs and feel the high cost of incarcerating drug abusers begs an exploration of alternative approaches.  

6.  The Democratic Party believes that our health care financing system is badly broken and fails to deliver appropriate health care to Americans.  We support a system of universal coverage and shared cost providing appropriate health care, including provisions for preventive health care and mental health treatment.  

7.  The Democratic Party opposes taxes that place a disproportionate burden on the poor.  The 16^th Amendment was designed to shift taxation from the poor to those with the ability to pay.  Tax loopholes, which allow corporations and high-income individuals to avoid paying their fair share, should be eliminated.  

8.  The Democratic Party believes that a healthy economy relies on appropriate maintenance of our public infrastructure including roads, bridges, water sewer, police, fire protection and schools.   

9.  The Democratic Party believes that America needs a strong national security program to protect our country against foreign threats and terrorism.  America needs policies that provide for cooperation with the goal of international peace and security.  The obligation for the costs of meeting these national security programs should be a federal responsibility with federal funding.   

10.  The Democratic Party believes in the sanctity of the Bill of Rights.  National Security should not be used to limit those individual civil liberties on which this country was founded.  We encourage appropriate congressional and judicial oversight of the implementation of the Patriot Act.  

11.  The Democratic Party supports the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade.  We believe that affordable and well-informed reproductive choices should be available to all, thereby moving toward the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.  

12.  The Democratic Party believes that our community is enriched by a quality of life, which includes art and culture, parks and recreation and historic preservation.  We believe that government support of these amenities ensures that they are available and affordable for every citizen.  

13.  The Democratic Party demands that the integrity of the voting system be preserved at all levels of government.  Electronic voting devices should provide a clear audit trail for verifying results.  

14.  The Democratic Party believes that if the Electoral College no longer serves a purpose, it should be abolished.  

15.  The Democratic Party believes that freedom of speech is the most vital of our Constitutional rights.  We believe that, as our patriotic duty, it is essential that we speak out our concerns, regardless of current popular sentiment, and not be silenced.  

16.  The Democratic Party believes that among the fundamental principals on which this country was founded include the freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.  

17.  The Democratic Party supports Social Security and Medicare reform that will preserve their benefits for future generations and make those benefits equitable for all.  

18.  The Mesa Democratic Party affirms the right to equal treatment of all persons regardless of race, creed, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation/gender identity.    

STATE AND LOCAL ISSUES  

1.  While Mesa County Democrats applaud the passage of Referendum C, we support the development of a more permanent solution to the budget restrictions imposed by constitutional limitations placed on our State Legislature.  

2.  Mesa County Democrats support increased funding of public education to repair the inequities and damage caused by years of inadequate funding.  Additionally, Democrats support legislation to fund quality education for all school districts, rich and poor. Enhanced early childhood education will improve children’s opportunity for success.  

3.  Mesa County Democrats believe that the United States is the “land of opportunity” and that this is the key to our greatness.  In today’s world, post high school education is critical in order to create the opportunity for success.  Higher education must be affordable to all who seek it; to this aim, costs must be controlled and financial assistance must be available to students in need.   Mesa County Democrats further support maintaining funding for higher education at adequate levels, and oppose efforts to privatize Colorado ’s public colleges and universities.

4.  Mesa County Democrats recognize that economic development and jobs are important for the health and well being of Colorado ’s citizens, but we oppose subsidies and incentives that do not clearly result in the creation of new high wage jobs.  

5.  Mesa County Democrats believe that the boards and commissions that make policy for State agencies should be composed of individuals representing all constituencies and all parties.  

6.  Mesa County Democrats support a reasonable living wage, and support efforts of cities and counties to establish living wage standards.  

7.  Mesa County Democrats support the appropriate swift administration of criminal punishment for violent crimes; we believe that alternative sentencing for non-violent victimless crimes may be more cost effective and will make it possible to return more offenders to productive life in society.  

8.  Mesa County Democrats understand the effects of rapid growth on the long term sustainability of communities and recommend that Mesa County adopt a countywide land use plan, with mandatory enforcement and compliance.  

9.  Mesa County Democrats recognize that the future of our community lies with our young people and that their future is jeopardized by a lack of support services for children.  The high rates of suicide, methamphetamine abuse and other self-destructive behaviors in Mesa County speak to the importance of placing greater attention on the needs of our children.  

10.  The Mesa County Democratic Party urges local elected officials to listen to all of their constituents and support bipartisan efforts to solve Mesa County ’s most pressing problems.

11.  The Mesa County Democrats oppose vouchers and tuition tax credits because they divert tax dollars away from public education and give them to unregulated private schools, diminishing the financial support for Colorado ’s public schools.

12.  Mesa County Democrats encourage local school districts to provide instruction to students on the responsibilities of citizens in a democratic society and the importance of active participation in the political process.

13.  Mesa County Democrats encourage the State Democratic Party to endorse the concept of a regional Western primary so that Colorado may have more of a voice in the selection of Presidential candidates.

14.  The Mesa County Democrats believe that domestic energy exploration is important to our national security.  Yet, we believe that all energy exploration should be undertaken with the utmost regard for the continued protection of our health, our water and our environment.  In addition, we believe that the development and use of renewable energy resources and technologies is the only viable means to achieving lasting national security and energy independence.   

15.  Mesa County Democrats support development of our natural resources to meet national energy needs but insist this be done with the explicit cooperation of local community governments and affected property owners.  

16.  Mesa County Democrats recognize the costs to local governments for supporting activities involving energy related mineral extraction.  Therefore, we support the continued equitable distribution of severance tax revenues to the most affected communities.  

17.  Mesa County Democrats appreciate the loss of revenue due to federal ownership of public lands within the county boundaries.  Therefore, we support increased funding of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program (PILT).        

Majority Report

Resolution To Be Forwarded To The

State Platform Committee

Adopted at the Mesa County Assembly on

April 15, 2006  

The Mesa County Democratic Party is opposed to the sale of public lands to pay for public schools. 

The Mesa County Democratic Party supports non-violent conflict resolution on both a domestic and international level, and opposes preemptive strikes, violence and threats.  

The Mesa County Democratic Party supports fair trade agreements that guarantee worker protections, a reasonable living wage, environmental protections and limitations on child labor.  Fair trade also requires eliminating subsidies that undermine fair competition.  

The Mesa County Democratic Party supports applying the principles of the Geneva Convention and habeas corpus to all prisoners and detainees, and opposes the use of torture in any circumstance.  

The Mesa County Democratic Party supports the United Nations’ initiatives to intervene where necessary to prevent genocide.  

The Mesa County Democratic Party calls for the end of the United States ’ embargo on Cuba and the normalizing of relations with this nation.  

The Mesa County Democratic Party supports the honorable efforts of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan but deplore the poor planning and decision making of the Bush Administration regarding the War on Terror.  Furthermore we support the internationalization of our efforts to stabilize the political situation in Iraq .