Platform of the Democratic Party of Lane County

This platform was unanimously adopted in December, 2007 by the general membership at our platform convention. The Democratic Party of Lane County is committed to building a just, prosperous, responsible and secure society.

Where our children, families and communities
are safe and secure; 

National, economic and personal security begins at home. It starts with children who are wanted and loved, and safe from hunger, disease, abuse, poverty and neglect. Security starts with families who have secure jobs and pensions, a good education, adequate housing and affordable healthcare. Families that work hard deserve a secure future. Security starts with communities that are prepared for emergencies and able to effectively address the sources of crime and violence. Real security and peace can never be fully achieved with weapons; if we are to be truly secure we must start with a concern for human life and dignity. Therefore, we must:

• Protect pensions and social security.
• Create comprehensive healthcare reform.
• Provide a safety net for the most vulnerable members of our community.
• Reward and encourage employers that provide living wage jobs.
• Increase the opportunities for safe and affordable housing.
• Ask our children and our family members to go off to war only as a last resort.

Where every community supports the
success of all its children;

Our children are our future. Our children deserve proper nutrition and a good education. They deserve to be safe. Safe and healthy children build a foundation for a safe and healthy community. In this wealthy nation and proud state, we must find the resources for excellent schools, healthy families and all the fundamental components of a strong community that nourish each child’s potential for greatness. Therefore, we must:

• Ensure that every child is wanted and cared for.
• Ensure that high quality nutrition and medical care are available for all children and pregnant women.
• Fully fund education for our children and youth.
• Invest in educational opportunities that enable all of Oregon’s children and youth to succeed in a changing world.
• Enact proven practices that encourage Oregon’s children and youth to make healthy choices.
• Provide safety for children and youth by the reduction of community and domestic violence.

Where public and private investment builds
healthy families and strong communities;

A healthy community is one in which all its members including private enterprise and public institutions contribute to the whole. A prosperous community relies on past investments in the future. Secure communities depend on a healthy environment that will continue to sustain abundant life. Our continued future prosperity will be built with foresight, commitment and responsible community investment. Healthy families and strong communities rely on continued investment in health, education, the environment and infrastructure. Continued prosperity depends on addressing new and future challenges through investment in energy independence, sustainable business practices that ensure the continued availability of our natural resources, and creating financial reserves for times of crisis. Therefore, we must:

• Create a tax system where every taxpayer contributes a fair share toward maintaining responsible community investment.
• Maintain appropriate financial reserves.
• Lead the nation in energy efficiency, energy independence and the sustainable use of our natural resources.
• Protect and develop jobs for Oregonians in the changing global economy through   partnerships with employers and educational institutions.
• Undertake comprehensive health care reform that will provide better benefits for citizens while reducing the burden on employers.

Where the worth, dignity, rights and opinions
of every person are respected

We are proud - one people united in a common destiny. Our party is committed to protecting the disenfranchised, the vulnerable and the weakest among us. While we face new and growing challenges, we must leave no one out, and no one behind. What happens to any of us affects us all. We will succeed or fail together. Our government should defend the rights of individuals, not seek to limit them. We strengthen our nation and our state when we build communities by coming together and seeking innovative solutions with hope and optimism. Strong communities are built when we support, trust and respect each other. Therefore, we must:

• Invest in opportunities that empower citizens, build leadership, seek common ground and improve community relations through effective dialogue and consensus building 
  on core issues.
• Protect the fundamental equal rights of every Oregon resident, especially against attacks on our basic liberties.
• Treat the root causes of our social problems, not just the symptoms.
• Protect the rights of Oregonians to make health care and quality of life decisions with dignity and privacy, whether at the beginning, middle or the end of life.

Where public and private institutions are
accountable, efficient and effective;

We demand effective solutions to the mounting list of fiscal, social and environmental problems facing our communities. These problems have often been the result of bad governance and placing short-term financial demands over what’s best for the public in the long run. We believe that government and business thrive when there is fair play, honesty, integrity and good governance. Trust in the public and private institutions on which we rely is an essential element of a safe, secure and healthy community.  Effective institutions plan for the future, are accountable and strive to be efficient without sacrificing the public good. Therefore, we must:

• Reward and encourage the use of sustainable practices.
• Require the legislature to deal with core fiscal issues while building a rainy day fund.
• Require the legislature and government to look forward and fully account for the long-term economic and environmental impacts of policy and financial decisions.
• Encourage institutions to adopt practices shown to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Press for campaign reform, which is at the heart of re-establishing trust in our elected officials.