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Democratic Party Platform
     

Outline of the 2002 Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party

The 2002 platform is the current platform for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. It was amended at the 2003 Convention, including our Accountability Amendment upon which the Mass Scorecard is based.

Please note that the Mass Scorecard is not a representative body of the Massachusetts Democratic Party and does not have the approval nor the cooperation of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in creating this website.

Entire Platform (Printable format)

PREAMBLE

PART I: FAMILIES & CHILDREN, DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY

  • Families and Individuals.
  • Inclusion, Diversity and Affirmative Action.
  • No Child Left Behind.
  • Family & Medical Leave and Help for Parents and Children.
  • Gender Equality.
  • Older Americans.
  • Persons with Disabilities.
  • Domestic Partnership.
  • Immigration.
  • Veterans.
  • Youth and Civic Involvement.
  • Responsibility to Community.

PART II: EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND OPPORTUNITY

  • Education Reform and Innovation.
  • Full Funding.
  • Strong Standards.
  • Quality Teaching in Smaller Classes.
  • Excellence, Equality and Community.
  • Universal Early Childhood Education.
  • After-School and Other Out-of-School Opportunities.
  • Parental Involvement.
  • Education Technology.
  • Putting Education to Work.
  • Safe Schools.
  • Modernized Schools.
  • Student Loans and Higher Education.
  • Adult Education.

PART III: HEALTH CARE, ACCESS & CHOICE

  • Health Care.
  • Access and Costs.
  • HMOs and Quality of Care.
  • Health Care Economy and Fiscal Stability.
  • Mental Health.
  • Research.
  • Not-for-profit Care and Essential Services.
  • Choice and Reproductive Health Care.
  • Tobacco.

PART IV: ECONOMIC GROWTH, JOBS & SECURITY

  • Expanding Opportunity.
  • Workforce Training.
  • A Healthy Business Environment.
  • Supporting Small Businesses.
  • Competitive Advantage and a Global Economy.
  • Growing Tourism.
  • Transportation.
  • Farming, Fishing and Aquaculture.
  • Supporting the Transition from Welfare to Work.
  • Privatization Accountability.

PART V: FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, TAX EQUITY, & PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP

  • Tax Fairness and Responsible Budgeting.
  • Investments and Tax Relief.
  • Consumer Protection.

PART VI: SAFETY, JUSTICE & CRIME PREVENTION

  • Safety.
  • Crime Prevention.
  • Guns and Assault Weapons.
  • The Death Penalty.
  • Sentencing.
  • Family Violence.
  • Victims’ Rights.
  • Probation Reform.
  • Juvenile Justice.
  • Incarceration.
  • Rehabilitation.
  • Legal Services.
  • Hate Crimes.

PART VII: HOUSING AND URBAN INVESTMENT

  • Housing.
  • Urban Investment.
  • Redlining and Predatory Lending.
  • Rental Opportunities.
  • Public Housing.
  • On-site Services.
  • Homelessness.

PART VIII: ENVIRONMENT, PRESERVATION & SUSTAINABLITY

  • Safeguarding Natural Resources.
  • Environmental Justice.
  • Climate Change.
  • Smart Growth and Discouraging Sprawl.
  • Solid Waste and Pollution Prevention.
  • Toxics Use Reductions and Right-to-Know.
  • Hazardous Waste Cleanup.
  • Clean Water.
  • Clean Air.
  • Reduced Vehicle Emissions.
  • Environmental Law Enforcement.
  • Federal/State Cooperation and Compliance Assistance.

PART IX: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION & REFORM

  • Clean Elections.
  • National Campaign Finance Reform.
  • Ballot Access.
  • Representation.

PART X: WORKERS’ RIGHTS AND FUTURES

  • Right to Organize and Strike, and Collective Bargaining.
  • Contingent Workers.
  • Wages.
  • Occupational Safety.
  • Discrimination in the Workplace.

PART XI: AMERICA AND THE WORLD

  • America’s Role in a Global Community.
  • Democracy and Prosperity Abroad.
  • Weapons Reductions.
  • The United Nations and Human Rights Conventions.
     

Charter of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

As Amended June 2, 2001

SECTION V. Adherence to Platform by Democratic Officials

The most recent Democratic platform and/or agenda is the official position of the Democratic Party. Every Democratic committee member, every Democratic nominee, and every official elected as the Democratic nominee shall adhere to the national, state, and any local platform, in that order of priority, in all official statements and actions. Failure to do so shall not result in any removal or loss of rights within the Party, but may be publicized by resolutions or other appropriate action of any Party convention, conference, committee, or caucus.

Platform of the Democratic Party of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Action Agenda May 2003:
We know that public cynicism and disillusionment with politics creates a lack of participation, which is a threat to our democratic system. Therefore, we call for:

The Accountability Amendment

Promoting accountability to the Party Platform and reinforcing the Party’s commitment to social and economic justice, by publishing a ‘scorecard’ by March 1 of each year, indicating how Democratic legislators voted on 10 fundamental issues from the current Party Platform.
 



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