Preamble

This 2008 Clallam County Democratic Platform is a statement of the shared values we hold in the determination of issues and policies that Democrats support; we expect identified Democratic Candidates and Democratic Elected officials to hold these values;

Education

We have a right as Americans to equal opportunity; We strongly support comprehensive, up-to-date public education for all; This is a necessity for understanding the role and responsibilities of a citizen in a Democratic Republic; It is necessary for development of workers to be able to compete at home and in the world marketplace; We understand that quality education provides the foundation to equal opportunity in our society; We expect schools to adopt a 21st Century science curriculum including a study of the scientific method as it applies to all scientifically formulated theories; Full funding of public schools and public education is an obligation of government at all levels;

Environment

We accept responsibility as stewards for our natural world and recognize the need to develop, to implement policies and to encourage lifestyles consistent with long-term sustainability and viability; We support applying the best available science to all decisions affecting our environment, so our air, water and natural habitats are protected; Restrictions on practices by individuals or corporations should be in accordance with protecting and conserving our environment or repairing degraded areas; We support full funding for environmental restoration and protection and urge the Federal Government to cooperate with international organizations to seek reduction of greenhouse gases;

Health

We believe government has a moral obligation to provide health care to all citizens; The government should enact legislation to provide safe and healthy environments in public buildings, schools and work places; This legislation should address issues of air quality, working conditions, access and emergency procedures; We recognize the medical community and the individual as the ultimate experts when it comes to medical decisions and the government has no place in intervening in a decision between a patient and the attending doctor and medical personnel;

Safety

We recognize a primary responsibility of government is to provide for the safety of its citizens; Cooperation and communication among communities, government agencies and individuals is necessary to implement effective security strategies; We urge all levels of government to fully fund our transportation infrastructure for the safety of our citizens; we support strict enforcement of our traffic laws;

International Relations and National Security

Democrats consider it a binding obligation to abide by international treaties that we have agreed to; Democrats support all efforts to resolve international disputes by diplomatic means; We recognize that military intervention is sometimes necessary, when all other means have failed, and should be done in concert with the United Nations; We consider military service to be an honorable profession, we must treat our active duty forces with respect; This means adequate pay, health benefits and housing for themselves and their families and up-to-date safety and military equipment in the field; All veterans shall be guaranteed complete health care service from a grateful nation; We support restructuring our active duty armed forces, to ensure our reserves and National Guard need not be deployed except in the most extreme circumstances; This allows those forces to remain available for the defense of the United States at home; We oppose the preemptive use of the military in the absence of an imminent threat; We demand an end to the use of the Reserves and National Guard overseas rather than their normal duties;

Jobs and the Economy

We hold that all workers deserve respect and deserve the dignity of fair wages, working conditions and benefits; We support and defend the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively; Tax dollars shall be responsibly invested in our common future; We require fiscal responsibility at all levels of government, and call for appropriate legislation to reduce the national deficit, while protecting or increasing service to all citizens in areas such as social service, education, student aid and Medicare/Medicaid; We support and encourage socially and environmentally responsible businesses;

Law and Justice

We support vigilant protection of our constitutional civil rights for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, tribal affiliation, gender identification, sexual orientation, religion, age or economic means;We must enforce the laws of our nation; We shall respect and implement the treaties made with Tribal nations within Washington State; We must have an election system we can trust to accurately reflect our votes; Competence, responsibility and ethical behavior should drive campaigns, Unconstitutional intrusions into our right to privacy should not be made; We support full funding for early intervention, alcohol/drug treatment programs and job training to help return nonviolent offenders to their community as responsible citizens;

Ethics

We insist public officials follow the laws of the land, most especially the U.S. Constitution; these officials must act in the public interests and not private interests; our purpose is to promote trust and integrity in government;

Energy

We demand that a national effort be instituted to have in place within a decade a renewable, sustainable and environmentally safe policy of national energy independence;

Iraq

We urge the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq as soon as possible;

Adopted at the Clallam County Democratic Convention on April 12, 2008.