The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party
PART I: FAMILIES & CHILDREN, DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY

Families and Individuals.

We seek to strengthen the families and individuals of the Commonwealth in all their diversity. To this end, we support policies that ensure equality of opportunity, enrich our children, foster economic security, and promote vibrant communities.

Inclusion, Diversity and Affirmative Action.

We celebrate the diversity of our Commonwealth and country, and we oppose discrimination in any form it takes. We are proud to stand as the Party of, and the Party for, all people, without regard to race, gender, religion, language, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, economic circumstance or other characteristics. We have been, and will be, the Party that is the defender of individual rights, while remaining the strong champion for the common good. We restate our support for Affirmative Action, to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens.

No Child Left Behind.

We believe that young people are our most precious resource, and we see inherent worth and promise in every child. Ours is truly the Party that seeks to “Leave No Child Behind.”We endorse, therefore, the goals established under The Children’s Defense Fund initiative of that name, to ensure every child a healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start. To realize these objectives, we propose new commitments to reducing class sizes, making early childhood education universal, and expanding after-school opportunities. We reaffirm our support for Healthy Start, Head Start funded to enroll every eligible child, and WIC. We call for increased professionalism and accountability in our foster care system, improved adoption procedures, and vigorous enforcement of child support. We support a range of options for preventing teen pregnancy, including comprehensive health and sex education, school-based clinics, abstinence, peer counseling, and career services.

Family & Medical Leave and Help for Parents and Children.

We believe that mothers and fathers deserve the full backing of our society, including in the workplace. We support the existing federal Family & Medical Leave Act, but recognize it does not go far enough in meeting the needs of all working families because many cannot afford to take unpaid time off or work for employers not covered by its mandate. Paid family and medical leave would ensure that workers are not forced to choose between work and their own health needs or the care and wellbeing of their families and children. We support full-day kindergarten and afterschool programs that aid children and young people while helping parents better balance sometimes conflicting responsibilities to family and work.

Gender Equality.

We reaffirm our support for The Equal Rights Amendment to the constitution of the Commonwealth on the 25th anniversary of its ratification, and the principle enshrined within it. We support legislation to end unjust gender discrimination in insurance terms and rates. We advocate policies to end genderbased discrimination and disparities in the workplace, and to improve pension security for women. We call for equal emphasis on women’s health concerns in health research and safety testing, and for insurance coverage of contraception.

Older Americans.

We believe that commitments to the financial security and physical well-being of older Americans are core values of our Party, and we oppose all proposals that would undermine or dismantle Medicare and Social Security. We strongly support the range of programs funded through The Older Americans Act, as well as other federal and state efforts, to help elders maintain lives of dignity and independence, and to remain in their own homes and communities if they wish. We recognize and seek to alleviate the crisis in home health care services that jeopardizes the safety and well-being of tens of thousands of seniors, persons with disabilities, and others in the Commonwealth. We recognize that seniors are too often the targets of telemarketing fraud, and we urge the passage of legislation establishing tough standards for telemarketers and stiff penalties for violations.

Persons with Disabilities.

We reaffirm our support for The Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability, and for efforts to bring the Commonwealth into full ADA compliance. We believe state assistance should be made more readily available for community-based care, and should not be inappropriately biased toward institutional settings. We seek to remedy the shortage of housing that is both affordable and accessible to disabled Americans. We endorse efforts to improve access to basic services like transportation, and to fundamental rights like the ballot box, through more accessible voting equipment and other means. We believe that personal assets spend-down provisions of CommonHealth with respect to nursing home care for the disabled and elderly should be made less onerous.

Domestic Partnership.

We support equal treatment of domestic partners in health insurance, pension access, and inheritance, and we support the provision of domestic partnership benefits in the private and public sectors, including for both state and federal employees. We oppose actions that would define marriage solely as a relationship between a man and a woman, and that would ban the recognition of any other relationship as marriage or its legal equivalent. We oppose efforts that would ban the provision of any benefits to gay and lesbian families that are now granted exclusively to married couples under Massachusetts law.

Immigration.

We reaffirm our support for the social and economic integration of immigrants, and we support a legalization process that is pro-family, pro-work, pro-responsibility, and pro-citizenship as an essential element of America’s continued vitality. We reaffirm our support for legal immigrants and their right to public benefits, and we adamantly reject political modes of expression that make scapegoats of immigrants. We support programs expediting the acquisition of English language skills. We oppose attempts to impose English-only standards in public communication.

Veterans.

We thank the men and women of the Commonwealth who have served our nation in peace and in war, and remember those who have given their lives as members of the United States Armed Forces. We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring veterans’ access to quality medical care through the facilities and programs of the Veteran’s Administration. We support additional coverage for the treatment of veterans’ illnesses such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Gulf War Syndrome and other diseases resulting from agents of war, including specifically through exposure to Agent Orange.

Youth and Civic Involvement.

We believe in the energy and idealism of young people as a force for social change and justice in the world around us. We strongly support initiatives to connect young people to the community at large and curricula that seek to instill in students the civic values that underpin our diverse democracy. We encourage volunteerism among high school and college students. We restate our backing for programs like AmeriCorps that offer young people a way to come together to serve the needs of their communities.

Responsibility to Community.

We recognize the ongoing value and importance of volunteerism and service to our communities, our Commonwealth, and our nation. We assert the responsibility of each of us to support and participate in volunteer organizations, community service programs, and initiatives designed to promote community improvement. We acknowledge and commend the work of grassroots citizen groups who have been responsible for so many advances in so many just and important causes of concern to our Party.

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The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party PART I: FAMILIES & CHILDREN, DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY Families and Individuals. We seek to strengthen the families and individuals of the Commonwealth in all their diversity. To this end, we support policies that ensure equality of opportunity, enrich our children, foster economic security, and promote vibrant communities. Inclusion, Diversity and Affirmative Action. We celebrate the diversity of our Commonwealth and country, and we oppose discrimination in any form it takes. We are proud to stand as the Party of, and the Party for, all people, without regard to race, gender, religion, language, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, economic circumstance or other characteristics. We have been, and will be, the Party that is the defender of individual rights, while remaining the strong champion for the common good. We restate our support for Affirmative Action, to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens. No Child Left Behind. We believe that young people are our most precious resource, and we see inherent worth and promise in every child. Ours is truly the Party that seeks to “Leave No Child Behind.”We endorse, therefore, the goals established under The Children’s Defense Fund initiative of that name, to ensure every child a healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start. To realize these objectives, we propose new commitments to reducing class sizes, making early childhood education universal, and expanding after-school opportunities. We reaffirm our support for Healthy Start, Head Start funded to enroll every eligible child, and WIC. We call for increased professionalism and accountability in our foster care system, improved adoption procedures, and vigorous enforcement of child support. We support a range of options for preventing teen pregnancy, including comprehensive health and sex education, school-based clinics, abstinence, peer counseling, and career services. Family & Medical Leave and Help for Parents and Children. We believe that mothers and fathers deserve the full backing of our society, including in the workplace. We support the existing federal Family & Medical Leave Act, but recognize it does not go far enough in meeting the needs of all working families because many cannot afford to take unpaid time off or work for employers not covered by its mandate. Paid family and medical leave would ensure that workers are not forced to choose between work and their own health needs or the care and wellbeing of their families and children. We support full-day kindergarten and afterschool programs that aid children and young people while helping parents better balance sometimes conflicting responsibilities to family and work. Gender Equality. We reaffirm our support for The Equal Rights Amendment to the constitution of the Commonwealth on the 25th anniversary of its ratification, and the principle enshrined within it. We support legislation to end unjust gender discrimination in insurance terms and rates. We advocate policies to end genderbased discrimination and disparities in the workplace, and to improve pension security for women. We call for equal emphasis on women’s health concerns in health research and safety testing, and for insurance coverage of contraception. Older Americans. We believe that commitments to the financial security and physical well-being of older Americans are core values of our Party, and we oppose all proposals that would undermine or dismantle Medicare and Social Security. We strongly support the range of programs funded through The Older Americans Act, as well as other federal and state efforts, to help elders maintain lives of dignity and independence, and to remain in their own homes and communities if they wish. We recognize and seek to alleviate the crisis in home health care services that jeopardizes the safety and well-being of tens of thousands of seniors, persons with disabilities, and others in the Commonwealth. We recognize that seniors are too often the targets of telemarketing fraud, and we urge the passage of legislation establishing tough standards for telemarketers and stiff penalties for violations. Persons with Disabilities. We reaffirm our support for The Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability, and for efforts to bring the Commonwealth into full ADA compliance. We believe state assistance should be made more readily available for community-based care, and should not be inappropriately biased toward institutional settings. We seek to remedy the shortage of housing that is both affordable and accessible to disabled Americans. We endorse efforts to improve access to basic services like transportation, and to fundamental rights like the ballot box, through more accessible voting equipment and other means. We believe that personal assets spend-down provisions of CommonHealth with respect to nursing home care for the disabled and elderly should be made less onerous. Domestic Partnership. We support equal treatment of domestic partners in health insurance, pension access, and inheritance, and we support the provision of domestic partnership benefits in the private and public sectors, including for both state and federal employees. We oppose actions that would define marriage solely as a relationship between a man and a woman, and that would ban the recognition of any other relationship as marriage or its legal equivalent. We oppose efforts that would ban the provision of any benefits to gay and lesbian families that are now granted exclusively to married couples under Massachusetts law. Immigration. We reaffirm our support for the social and economic integration of immigrants, and we support a legalization process that is pro-family, pro-work, pro-responsibility, and pro-citizenship as an essential element of America’s continued vitality. We reaffirm our support for legal immigrants and their right to public benefits, and we adamantly reject political modes of expression that make scapegoats of immigrants. We support programs expediting the acquisition of English language skills. We oppose attempts to impose English-only standards in public communication. Veterans. We thank the men and women of the Commonwealth who have served our nation in peace and in war, and remember those who have given their lives as members of the United States Armed Forces. We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring veterans’ access to quality medical care through the facilities and programs of the Veteran’s Administration. We support additional coverage for the treatment of veterans’ illnesses such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Gulf War Syndrome and other diseases resulting from agents of war, including specifically through exposure to Agent Orange. Youth and Civic Involvement. We believe in the energy and idealism of young people as a force for social change and justice in the world around us. We strongly support initiatives to connect young people to the community at large and curricula that seek to instill in students the civic values that underpin our diverse democracy. We encourage volunteerism among high school and college students. We restate our backing for programs like AmeriCorps that offer young people a way to come together to serve the needs of their communities. Responsibility to Community. We recognize the ongoing value and importance of volunteerism and service to our communities, our Commonwealth, and our nation. We assert the responsibility of each of us to support and participate in volunteer organizations, community service programs, and initiatives designed to promote community improvement. We acknowledge and commend the work of grassroots citizen groups who have been responsible for so many advances in so many just and important causes of concern to our Party. Mass Scorecard Home Page Mass Senate Scorecard Mass House Scorecard Describe all Senate votes Describe all House votes Mass Scorecard Videos Mass Democratic Party Platforms
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The Platform of the Massachusetts Democratic Party PART I: FAMILIES & CHILDREN, DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY