The PAA is a group of progressives in the southeast Texas area who work together on issues of common interest, although we want to work with individuals and groups in other areas, too.
We are Democrats, Greens, and independents. We welcome all who want to work for peaceful, progressive change, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof. Many of us are also active in our political parties, but the PAA is issue-oriented, and we don't mind supporting or criticizing candidates and office holders of any political party when they deserve it.
Our goals are summarized in the PAA Issues listing below.
Why the three words in our organization name?
Several action groups / committees exist to promote issues we care about. Information about joining our mailing lists and upcoming events for each area of interest are below.
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.
WHEREAS Texas leads the country in executions, having put to death 405 people since the death penalty was reinstated, over one third of all US executions, and
WHEREAS there are growing revelations in Texas concerning official misconduct and racial bias by district attorneys, police officers, and court appointed attorneys and errors by crime lab technicians that have undermined public confidence in the criminal justice system, and
WHEREAS, in Texas, juries in capital murder trials have the option to sentence a defendant to life without parole, and
WHEREAS innocent people have been sentenced to death as evidenced by 127 people being exonerated and released from death rows in the US, including eight in Texas, and
WHEREAS the editorial board of the Dallas Morning News re-examined its century-old position on the death penalty and concluded they had "lost confidence that the state of Texas can guarantee that every inmate it executes is truly guilty of murder . . . that is why we believe that Texas should abandon the death penalty—because we cannot reconcile the fact that it is both imperfect and irreversible," and
WHEREAS there is a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in charging, sentencing and in the of imposition of the death penalty in the US, according to the US General Accounting Office, and
WHEREAS studies also indicate that particularly race of the victim plays a major role in who is sentenced to death in the United States (US: Death by Discrimination - The Continuing Role of Race in Capital Cases, April 2003, The Justice Project ) and
WHEREAS Black and Hispanic offenders make up 68% of the current death row population in Texas and the current US Census for Texas indicates that the Black and Hispanic/Latino population of Texas is 46.5% and
WHEREAS there are hundreds of people on death row in Texas who were defended by attorneys whose investigative and expert witness expenses were capped at $500 and in some rural areas in Texas, lawyers have received no more than $800 to handle a capital case,
(Statement before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on Fairness, Reliability and Federal Habeas Corpus Procedures July 13, 2005 by Bryan A. Stevenson, Director, Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama.)
WHEREAS a death penalty case costs an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years, according to the Dallas Morning News, and
WHEREAS the death penalty is not seen as a deterrent to murders and in a poll of police chiefs the death penalty was ranked last in ways to reduce violent crime,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED by Precinct # ____________ that the state of Texas abolish the death penalty.
Submitted by Gloria Rubac, Feb. 25, 2008
This replaces an earlier resolution (from 2006) entitled "Abolish the Death Penalty".
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachments box below.
Clean Skies/Clean Energy
Toward Energy Efficient/ Renewable Energy Economy in Texas
WHEREAS, Texas skies should be clean and pristine, but the air in the Dallas/Forth Worth, El Paso, Houston and Beaumont/Port Arthur areas fails to meet health based standards, and air quality in Austin, San Antonio and Tyler-Longview is close to violating health based standards, and plans for these regions remain inadequate, and
WHEREAS, Five additional coal plants are under construction and three more are proposed for Texas despite opposition and studies showing strong links between air pollution and asthma, respiratory illness, strokes, and deaths from lung cancer and heart disease, and 1160 Texans die prematurely every year from power plant particle pollution, and
WHEREAS, Coal-burning power plants are the state's largest industrial sources of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and toxic mercury emissions, which contaminate fish and damage the developing brains of babies and children, and coal-burning power plants also emit sulfur pollution, that causes acid rain and increased deaths from lung cancer and heart disease; and Texas coal plants rank first in the nation for carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming, and
WHEREAS, Seven additional commercial nuclear reactors are being proposed for Texas and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is fast-tracking licenses through a new combined licensing process, although Texas has as much wind energy potential as all 104 nuclear reactors in the United States, and
WHEREAS, Nuclear reactors are not an answer to global warming, and reactors in South Texas came in six times over budget and came online eight years late, and unsolved economic, security, safety, weapons proliferation, water use and radioactive waste problems make nuclear power unviable, putting the health of Texans at risk, and uranium mining for nuclear fuel has contaminated drinking water in some parts of South Texas, and
WHEREAS, Texas can and should meet future energy needs and lead the nation by developing wind and solar power technologies, greenbuilding standards and improved building codes, capturing waste energy through combined heat and power, and by increasing energy efficiency, which benefits consumers, businesses and industries while reducing power demand, therefore be it
RESOLVED, THAT a moratorium on coal and nuclear plants should be immediately enacted in order to protect our economy and our climate, and to protect the health of all Texans, especially our children, and be it further
RESOLVED, Texas should lead the nation into a clean, sustainable energy future through pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Original "Clean Skies/ Clean Energy" authored by SEED (Sustainable Energy & Economic Development) Coalition & Public Citizen’s Texas Office.
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.
WHEREAS, Abraham Lincoln said democracy refers to a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people", and only human beings should be able to participate in the democratic process; and
WHEREAS, corporations are artificial entities separate and apart from human beings, corporations are not naturally endowed with consciousness or the rights of human beings and corporations are creations of law and are only permitted to do what is authorized under law; and
WHEREAS, based on misinterpretations of judicial rulings in the 19th century, corporations claim to be persons, possessing the rights of personhood, including free speech and other constitutional freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, interference in the democratic process by corporations usurps the rights of citizens; and
WHEREAS, corporations claiming such rights of personhood have influenced and interfered with democratic processes by lobbying and pressuring our legislative bodies, making campaign contributions which dominate election campaigns, and using the media to substitute corporate values for community and family values; and
WHEREAS, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black stated in a 1938 opinion, "I do not believe the word ‘person' in the 14th Amendment includes corporations"; and
WHEREAS, corporations are not mentioned in the Constitution, the people have never granted constitutional rights to corporations, nor have we decreed that corporations have authority that exceeds the authority of the people of the United States;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that:
* No corporation should be deemed a person nor should be entitled to the same rights and protections as those guaranteed only to persons under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
* We support education to increase public awareness of the threats to our democracy posed by corporate personhood
* We encourage lively discussion to build understanding and consensus on appropriate responses to those threats.
* We support efforts in hosting town meetings to draft laws or ordinances addressing the legal fiction of corporate personhood and other threats that corporations pose to our democracy.
Original written Feb. 2006. Updated Feb. 2008 by B. Crosier
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.
Whereas, Our unilateral, preemptive war against Iraq has alienated our allies, demonstrated U.S. indifference to international concerns, and increased recruits for terrorist groups bent on fighting our country; and
Whereas, the US has a much higher level of gang violence, domestic violence, violence in schools, and hate crimes than do many other countries; and
Whereas, conflict in all relationships is inevitable; and
Whereas, Two hundred seventy million people died in the twentieth century when conflicts were addressed with military and political force; and
Whereas, Military and political forces are expensive and starve our nation of the resources needed to create a strong, healthy society; and
Whereas, Nonviolent mediation has proved successful in seemingly insoluble conflicts, ranging from India's struggle for independence to the great strides made towards integration in the U.S.; and
Whereas, Implementing nonviolent approaches for domestic programs and foreign mediation requires broad understanding, research and a concerted effort; and
Whereas, There is no single government entity assigned to deal with these various issues and report to the American people the status of our efforts to achieve these goals; be it therefore
RESOLVED, That we strengthen security in our country and in the world by:
* Rejecting a foreign policy of preemptive, unilateral war,
* Working with the world community through the United Nations, and
* Supporting international agreements such as the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty, the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions, the Small Arms Treaty, the International Criminal Court and the Kyoto Climate Treaty; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a Cabinet level Department of Peace be established to study and advance non-violence as the organizing principle in all human relations from families and neighborhoods to courts and congresses, both nationwide and internationally.
Note: This resolution was originally developed by the 2004 Texas Kucinich for President campaign, and entitled "A Renewed Commitment To Peace And Diplomacy: A Cabinet Level Department Of Peace". It was approved by the Texas state Democratic Convention in 2004, but was not incorporated into the platform at that time.
Updated by B. Crosier Feb. 2008
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Whereas, All Americans should be able to participate in all avenues of life; and
Whereas, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which requires the federal government to provide 40% of the extra cost of educating students with special needs, is under-funded; and
Whereas, Rulings by Republican-appointed judges have weakened the original intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and
Whereas, Additional funding is needed by the civil rights divisions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and of the Departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services to enforce the rights of people with disabilities; therefore be it
Resolved, That the U.S. government pass and fully fund pending and proposed legislation which supports individuals with disabilities, including:
* The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and full funding for it;
* The Rehabilitation Act which provides job training for people with disabilities;
* The Blind Empowerment Act of 2001 which increases disability insurance for blind individuals; and
* The National Health Insurance Act which would provide affordable, comprehensive health care to all individuals with disabilities; and be it further
Resolved, That the U.S. government allocate adequate resources to enforce the civil rights of persons with disabilities; and be it further
Resolved, That the President nominate judges who promote equal rights for all, and who generously interpret the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
original version written Jan. 2004. Updated by B. Crosier Feb. 2008
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WHEREAS the U.S. government spends billions in tax dollars maintaining military bases in more than 100 countries; and
WHEREAS many citizens in these countries resent the presence of foreign military on their soil; and
WHEREAS each crime committed by U.S. personnel, such as the recent rape of a 14-year-old Japanese girl by an American soldier, diminishes the reputation of the U.S. throughout the world; and
WHEREAS covert and overt interventions in the governments and economies of Asian and Latin American countries have caused immeasurable turmoil and suffering for their people; and
WHEREAS U.S. invasions and/or occupations of the Philippines, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and Iraq cost an untold number of lives, immeasurable damage to infrastructure, and billions in American tax dollars; be it therefore
RESOLVED that the United States immediately bring its troops and private contractors home and shut down all military bases outside American borders, and be it further
RESOLVED that Congress refuse permission for the deployment of U.S. personnel and/or weapons to another nation unless that nation poses an unquestionably imminent and deadly threat to the United States.
Written by K. Kain, Feb. 2008
These resolutions were all developed by the Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats.
Some were originally presented and passed by the Harris County Democratic Party Executive Committee in June 2005, in a form that dealt with Harris County. Those resolutions were modified to address statewide issues and additional resolutions were added.
For information on these, contact Stephanie Hrabar, Ph. D.: shrabar{at}wt{dot}net, 713-683-0638.
For individual resolutions:
To download the entire set of resolutions in PDF format and download a ZIP archive, click on this link.
See Resolutions for your precinct convention for more information on resolutions and what to do with them.
WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;
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Whereas Texas has historically been and will continue to be a vital source of our Nation's petroleum, petroleum products, and coal and coal-derived energy,
Whereas Air emissions from heavy vehicular traffic and industry activities are the leading causes of air pollution and toxic emissions,
Whereas Texas Health Code Clean Air Act exempts roads from air monitoring,
Whereas Air pollution is known to aggravate both respiratory congestion and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the Texas Department of Health,
Whereas The US Environmental Protection Agency testified under oath at a senate hearing January 24, 2008 that the health effects of air pollution had "yet to be determined",
Whereas Independent School Districts (ISD) do not participate in the public review process for pending or proposed energy-transportation projects nor are their bond and environmental health and safety departments required to review a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to estimate the potential impact on the health of students and public employees at schools within π mile of a major road,
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Texas Democratic Party supports
energy-transportation policies regarding existing or future projects that consider practical measurable effects on public health and the environment. Furthermore, energy-transportation policies and projects must include provisions for the monitoring and enforcement of current and future State and Federal environmental codes.
Consistent with the resolution prepared by of OilPatch Democrats Energy Committee 2/08 and the Safer Air to Breathe resolution adopted by the Harris County Democratic Party 6/05 prepared by the Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats 3/05
WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;
WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;
WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;
WHEREAS Texas created regional water and transportation plans for development of urban areas and adjacent rural counties;
WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;
FDR's 2nd Bill of Rights
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - the State of the Union address from the White House on Jan. 11, 1944
Roosevelt referred to his proposals in that speech as "a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all regardless of station, race or creed."
Among these rights, he said, are:
"The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation.
"The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation.
"The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living.
"The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad.
"The right of every family to a decent home.
"The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.
"The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment.
"The right to a good education."
"The test of our progress," said Roosevelt, "is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.
Whereas, Education is a basic human right; and
Whereas, People with a quality education are less likely to be marginalized by society; and
Whereas, Those with a quality education are more likely to participate in local and national government; and
Whereas, Those with a quality education are more likely to have a stable home and family life and participate in their communities; and
Whereas, A universal, voluntary, full-day pre-kindergarten for ages 3 - 5 years will better prepare children for success in school, as well as ease the cost of quality child care for the working poor; and
Whereas, Draining education funds to furnish vouchers for private education will undermine improvements in public education; and
Whereas, The average yearly wage for an individual with a bachelor's degree is three times that of a non-degreed employee; and
Whereas, The total cost of one year's college tuition for each of the 12 million students now enrolled in state-supported colleges is $48 billion, which is less than one third of the recent tax cuts bestowed upon our wealthiest citizens; and
Whereas, Congress has passed a Defense spending bill providing $8.9 billion to fund the National Missile Defense system which has not been proven to work; and
Whereas, Research has consistently shown that improvements in education will reduce the need for new prisons; therefore, be it
RESOLVED:
* That the U.S. should regard education as being just as important to our society as national defense;
* That quality education from pre-K through college be provided to all without regard to financial status; and
* That pre-K through college education be provided to everyone by cutting the Pentagon budget by 15%.
Original version written Jan. 2004 by the Texans for Kucinich campaign. Updated Feb. 2008 by B. Crosier
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WHEREAS, Too many Americans, especially the gay/lesbian/bisexual/trangendered community, continue to be targets of discrimination; and
WHEREAS, Objections to GLBT rights, including opposition to same-sex marriages, are based on individually-held prejudices and interpreted religious beliefs that not all share; and
WHEREAS, One of the foundations of our nation is that one's religious beliefs cannot be imposed upon others; and
WHEREAS, Members of the GLBT community should enjoy all the rights and privileges of all the other citizens in the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Members of the GLBT community continue to be the target of hate crimes; and
WHEREAS, Sexual orientation has no bearing on the integrity and patriotism required to serve one's country; and
WHEREAS, in November 2005, Texas voters passed a Discriminatory Anti-Gay and Lesbian Constitutional Amendment (Proposition 2) denying gays and lesbians basic constitutional rights; be it therefore
RESOLVED:
* That relationships between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples should be equal in the eyes of the law, including marriage;
* That all benefits and legal entitlements available to heterosexual couples should be made available to homosexual couples;
* That hate crimes laws be strengthened and enforced;
* That openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals no longer be banned from serving in the US armed forces; and be it further
RESOLVED, That until Proposition 2 is repealed, the State Legislature should enact laws to provide members of the GLBT community the rights to
* Make medical decisions for their partners
* Receive inheritances from their partners
* Obtain insurance benefits through their partners
* Adopt children.
This resolution is based on one originally written by the Texans for Kucinich campaign in Jan. 2004, entitled "Gay Rights", revised Feb. 2006. This version was revised by K. Kain and C. Crosier, Feb. 2008, and includes part of a related resolution entitled "Repeal Proposition 2", which was written in Feb. 2006.
To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.
WHEREAS, The U.S. is and has always been a nation of immigrants who have enriched the American culture, and millions of immigrants work hard, raise families, serve in the U.S. armed forces, and study at universities; and
WHEREAS, fully enforcing current immigration laws in regard to the 12 million undocumented immigrants would result in:
* serious blows to the U.S. economy
* serious blows to the economies of other countries where millions subsist on what U.S. immigrants send to support their families members who remain in the homeland
* depletion of the young workforce needed to support retirement entitlement programs for the large, aging Baby Boom generation; and
WHEREAS, even the partial, increased enforcement efforts of the last few years:
* failed to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants arriving in the U.S. despite costly militarization of border controls.
neglected security issues by failing to provide border control points with adequate real-time intelligence and watch lists to identify terrorists
* resulted in a sharp increase in deaths of immigrants attempting to cross desolate mountainous and desert areas having the least surveillance
* involved large-scale workplace raids and public sweeps instilling fear in communities
* enabled unscrupulous employers to extort workers to take less pay and to tolerate unsafe conditions by threatening to expose workers as undocumented
* incarcerated nearly 15,000 people, including young children, in detention facilities for months at a time resulting in multiple instances of human rights violations including negligent medical care, substandard food, and physical abuse
* have created huge case backlogs of residency and worker applications because the budget for enforcement is six time higher than the budget to process authorized immigrants, and
WHEREAS, branding undocumented immigrants as criminals has almost confounded a nation of people who honor the rule of law yet find themselves needing this younger workforce; a nation of people who feel a deep kinship with struggling immigrants but whose sympathies are split when immigrants are scapegoated for economic woes, and
WHEREAS, immigrants do, in the long run, contribute more in taxes than the costs of the government service they receive, a local influx of immigrants, like any population increase, can result in service strains due to the lag in receiving and allocating new workers' tax contributions and adjusting services, and
WHEREAS, desperate, economic conditions in their homeland compel immigrants to risk death and prison to find work in the U.S. and U.S. trade policies such as NAFTA and CAFTA have hindered development of sustainable economies in immigrant homelands; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that laws and policies be changed to decriminalize immigration so that an individual's right to move across borders is protected as an activity essential to human survival and economic progress, and be it further
RESOLVED, regardless of birth place or citizenship, the human rights of all persons in the U.S. shall be protected, and be it further
RESOLVED, that all persons in the U.S. are subject to the law of the land including taxation laws, and be it further
RESOLVED, all workers, regardless of birth place or citizenship, have the right to a safe work place, a living wage, and the right to unionize, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the funding currently allocated for border control and interior enforcement be reduced, and construction of a Mexico/US border fence and construction and operation of detention centers cease so that resources are redirected to:
* stem overwhelming influx of immigrants by helping to develop sustainable economies in the sending regions
* reduce backlogs of those awaiting residency and work authorization and naturalization
* support communities with the integration of an influx of immigrants until the local economy and tax revenues stabilize
* provide technology and information at borders to identify terrorist suspects, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the U.S. withdraw from free trade agreements and engage in fair trade relationships that require worker, consumer, and environmental protections and promote sustainable economies.
Original version (entitled "Immigrants' Rights) written Jan. 2004, updated by C. Crosier Feb. 2008
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WHEREAS, the state of Texas is a national leader in energy production and home to many international energy
companies, Texas must in turn be a leader in formulating energy policy and in responsible energy production and use.
Consequently, the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) must push Texas to adopt a comprehensive energy plan where sound
energy principles strengthen our energy security, diversify our energy mix, provide Texans and all Americans with
reliable, safe, and affordable energy sources, and support a long-term solution to global climate change.
WHEREAS, electricity is an energy carrier that can satisfy most energy demands and can be easily produced by
alternative energy sources, and;
WHEREAS, energy-efficient technologies and energy conservation are among the most important ways for the state of
Texas to reduce its energy consumption, benefiting both consumers and producers of energy, and;
WHEREAS, Texas has historically been and will continue to be a vital source of our Nation’s petroleum, petroleum
products, and coal and coal-derived energy, and
WHEREAS, the pool of technically capable students and educational curriculum in Texas is insufficient to meet both the
R&D, and the personnel demands, and the of the energy industry, and;
WHEREAS, scientific evidence is now overwhelming that climate change presents a very serious risk, and;
WHEREAS, increased global demand has resulted in sharp increases in the cost of oil, and recognizing that transportation
relies almost exclusively on oil, 60% of which is imported; therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the TDP:
-Shall strongly promote the development of alternative energy sources that do not negatively impact the environment,
and;
-Supports moving beyond fossil fuels into alternatives such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro, and development of
sustainable versions of alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel and biomass; as well as promoting research
exploring for presently unknown energy resources.
-Ensures that Texas becomes a leader in resolving the climate change issue by immediately legislating measures
endorsing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 80% for the state of Texas by 2050 or earlier.
-Should support the furtherance of energy-efficient technologies such as green buildings, energy-saving appliances,
advanced lighting technology, and significantly better fuel economy standards for Texas state government vehicles
and enacting policies to aid local governments in becoming more energy efficient.
-Should stress the need for Texas to develop transportation solutions that do not rely on oil.
-Shall ensure that energy policies regarding existing or future implementations must consider effects on public health
and the environment. Furthermore, energy policies and projects must include provisions for the monitoring and
enforcement of current and future State and Federal environmental codes.
-Shall promote policies that educate and encourage elementary, secondary, and college students to pursue careers in
the energy industry.
Resolution drafted by OilPatch Democrats Energy Policy Committee, Mar. 1, 2008
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WHEREAS, In 2004 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 21% of HIV positive people in the United States were infected by sharing needles during intravenous drug use (IVDU); and
WHEREAS, The effect of IVDU infections extends beyond the individual to sexual partners, unborn children, and their community; and
WHEREAS, Providing new, unused needles (exchanging one clean for one dirty) to IV drug users reduces this mechanism of transmission and is far less costly to our healthcare system and society than the care and treatment of a person with AIDS; and
WHEREAS, Needle exchange does not increase drug use and when accompanied by drug counseling and medical services actually encourages the addict to seek recovery; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That needle exchange programs be established and funded as an effective element of treatment for drug users.
Original version written Feb. 2004 by V. Parks. Updated Feb. 2008 by C. Crosier
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WHEREAS, The U.S. is and has always been a nation of immigrants who have enriched the American culture; and
WHEREAS, millions of immigrants work hard, raise families, serve in the U.S. armed forces, and study at universities, despite assaults on their rights by the Bush administration; and
WHEREAS, residents on both sides of the border between Texas and Mexico have a long history of friendly border crossings involving family and trade relations that would be disrupted by a wall, and
WHEREAS, decades of effort to preserve what little natural and ecological health remains in the area would be degraded by a wall, and
WHEREAS, mayors, landowners and other local entities oppose such a wall along the natural border created by the river; and
WHEREAS, the entire concept of fencing off a border is but a false panacea for the underlying problems brought upon us by unfair trade practices which favor corporate profits over the interests of people on both side of the border; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That no wall or fence shall ever be built upon any section of the river that flows between the state of Texas and the country of Mexico.
Written by A. Browning, Feb. 2008
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Whereas, The United States continues to be dependent on imports of foreign oil, thereby threatening both our economy and national security; and
Whereas, People in the U.S. use far more oil and gas per capita than any other country in the world; and
Whereas, Advances in renewable energy mean there are fewer technical obstacles to energy independence for our country; and
Whereas, Clean energy technologies will produce new jobs in this country; and
Whereas, We can easily double our energy from renewable sources by 2010; and
Whereas, We can soon have hybrid and possibly fuel cell cars dominating the market; and
Whereas, We need to save fossil fuels and other natural resources for our children and grandchildren rather than using them up as fast as possible; and
Whereas, Without a substantial decrease in fossil fuel use global warming will become a more serious problem; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That U.S. research and investment in hydrogen, solar, wind and ocean energy sources should be significantly increased; and be it further
RESOLVED, That our country's leadership should promote sustainable energy production to provide jobs to Americans, to reduce energy use here at home and to partner with developing nations to provide their people with inexpensive, local, renewable energy technologies.
Original written by R. Crosier, Feb. 2002. Revised Feb. 2004.
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WHEREAS, President Bush pressured Congress to pass the USA PATRIOT Act without adequate debate; and
WHEREAS, Congress repeatedly rejected many provisions of this law in the past; and
WHEREAS, This law abridges citizens' rights to privacy by allowing the FBI to search private medical records or access library records without a warrant or probable cause; and
WHEREAS, This law cancels citizens' right to know by forbidding doctors and local libraries to notify them when these searches take place; and
WHEREAS, This law further impinges on citizens' right to privacy by allowing government agents to search homes without probable cause while the residents are away and in some cases confiscate their property; and
WHEREAS, Judicial oversight of these measures is inadequate; and
WHEREAS, This law defines domestic terrorism as activities that "appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population . . . a government or to affect the conduct of a government" by various means, and the Bush administration has used the "appearance" clause to intimidate dissenters; and
WHEREAS, This law condones discrimination against certain races and ethnicities by requiring government registration and allows their interrogation without council; and
WHEREAS, Americans did not authorize this unprecedented assault on the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, This law defies the very principles of a democracy by condoning less privacy for individuals and more secrecy in government; therefore, be it
RESOLVED That the USA PATRIOT Act be repealed.
Originally written by the Texans for Kucinich campaign in Jan. 2004.
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WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES invaded the country of Iraq based on a LIE told to the American people and
WHEREAS, Untold numbers of innocent Iraqi civilians, many children, were killed, lost limbs and were blinded due to the fallout of our shameful display of Shock and Awe and the neighborhood crossfire between our Soldiers and the Insurgents
Whereas, There is a lack of proper hospital/medical care in war-torn Iraq for these innocent victims, be it therefore
RESOLVED, That the U.S. make restitution to the innocent men, women and children hurt by the needless, senseless Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by:
* Providing care at the latest, state of the art facilities to replace limbs and eyes, for as long as needed,
* Pay, when necessary, for the trip to medical facilities in the U.S.. where the best care is available
* Subsidize Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) who can provide food and shelter to the victims and their guardians while in the U.S. for medical care and prosthetics
* Set up new NGO's in states where there are none but have the best medical facilities ie: Houston, Tx.
* Make "Grief Counseling" available for the children made orphans by the U.S. invasion/occupation of Iraq
* Provide support and a home for children orphaned by the war, until such time as no longer needed, and be it further
RESOLVED, That a commission be appointed to oversee the care and support of these innocent victims.
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WHEREAS agribusiness monopolies now control all aspects of U.S. agriculture, with 20 Fortune 500 corporations subsidized by USDA and thus receiving most federal farm subsidies; and
WHEREAS U.S. farm trade surplus is in deep decline, with low prices for agricultural commodities and unfair market competition; and
WHEREAS small farms, in contrast to agribusiness, provide diversity of owners, crops landscapes, cultures and traditions and more economic opportunities for a new generation of farmers; and
WHEREAS, 33,000 small farmers were driven out of business in the first seven years of NAFTA; and
WHEREAS, retail consumers depend on food labeling to find out where and how food has been raised and processed and if it is from genetically modified organisms (GMO's); therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the next President restore agriculture and rural communities in the United States by:
* Breaking up agribusiness monopolies by enforcing antitrust laws and shifting USDA funding toward small family farms,
* Canceling trade agreements that have allowed a few multinational food corporations to control food production,
* Supporting farmer owned cooperatives and reinvesting in rural communities with funding for regional processing facilities, marketing assistance, farm to school programs, farm renewable energy programs, and Farmer's Markets,
* Supporting higher commodity prices for small farm products,
* Protecting the integrity of the new federal Organic Standard, passing the Country of Origin labeling law, and preventing sales of illegal food imports
Original written by Sheril Smith for the Texans for Kucinch campaign, Jan. 2004. Revised by K. Kain, Feb. 2008
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WHEREAS, The United States Constitution, federal statutes and treaties are the supreme law of the United States of America, ensuring our democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of law;
WHEREAS, The Constitution, through its amendments, including the Bill of Rights, provides the people our civil liberties and guarantees of liberty; and
WHEREAS, The Framers of the Constitution considered the rule of law essential to the safekeeping of social order and civil liberties, understanding that it calls for both individuals and the government to submit to the law's supremacy; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution further provides for our federal servants, including the President, to take an oath of office, promising to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, and obliges the president to ensure the faithful execution of laws; and
WHEREAS, Bedrock Constitutional Rights and 800 year old conventions are under siege through this administration's use of presidential executive orders and signing statements and the president's Military Commissions Act, which cast aside the Constitution and the principle of habeas corpus that protect us against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment; and
WHEREAS, the Protect America Act (PAA) allowed for massive, untargeted collection of international communications without court order or meaningful oversight by either Congress or the courts, and provided no protection for individuals leaving decisions about the collection, mining and use of private communications up to this administration and this administration ordered illegal surveillance of US electronic communications even before the passage of the PAA; and
WHEREAS, These Executive Orders, Signing Statements and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 fundamentally alter our justice system, undermine the rule of law and the separation of powers, and erode our civil liberties by creating military tribunals with officers who sit as judge and jury, and which allow secret evidence, secret witnesses, secret verdicts including secret death sentences, by allowing the president in his sole discretion to designate enemy combatants and serve as judge and jury of what are abuse and torture, and by arguing for retroactive immunity to government officials who authorized or ordered illegal acts of torture and abuse; therefore be it
RESOLVED that executive orders, signing statements, laws and departmental procedures and orders implemented during this administration that have undermined our civil liberties, compromised our right to privacy, and subverted our constitution including but not limited to the Military Commissions Act of 2006, be repealed and rescinded.
This resolution was written by C. Lee Taylor, Feb. 2008, and replaces an older one (Feb. 2006) entitled "Preserve Civil Liberties and Privacy)".
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Whereas the current retirement age is 67; and
Whereas corporate executives are cheating people of their retirement benefits; and
Whereas the Social Security fund is solid through the year 2042; and
Whereas corporate executive pensions are totally protected from creditors while employee benefit plans do not share the same protections, as demonstrated in the enormous corporate bankruptcies in the last three years, and
Whereas the present administration proposes privatization of Social Security, thereby subjecting Social Security to the vagaries of Wall Street; therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the United States government preserve Social Security benefits and protect employee benefits under private pension plans as follows:
* Roll back retirement age to 65;
* Assure that employee benefits are protected to the same extent as that of executives in the event of bankruptcy;
* Preserve the solidity of the Social Security fund by denying all attempts to privatize it and by raising the cap on income subject to Social Security deductions.
Original resolution written by Texans for Kucinich, Jan. 2004. Updated by K. Kain, Feb. 2008.
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Whereas coal-burning utilities contaminate lakes with mercury and present a health hazard to children and pregnant women; and
Whereas a quarter of American industrial plants and water treatment plants are in serious violation of environmental standards; and
Whereas funding for enforcing environmental standards is inadequate; and
Whereas manure spills from factory farms have killed millions of fish; and
Whereas industrial agriculture and its disregard for the environment have devastated many communities; and
Whereas worldwide, more than 2 million people, mostly children, die each year from waterborne diseases; and
Whereas it has been shown that lead poisoning from industrial facilities near poor neighborhoods
contributes significantly to mental retardation in children; and
Whereas environmental oversight and production of "green" products will create jobs; and
Whereas the current administration's rule changes in environmental regulations will accelerate the destruction of wetlands and thereby increase flooding and add to pollution; and
Whereas the current administration has withdrawn proposed rules that would have reduced raw sewage discharges; therefore be it
RESOLVED that the U.S. government strengthen and enforce air and water regulation and protections and reward environmentally responsible farmers and business; and be it further
RESOLVED that the government make a major investment in water system infrastructure and a financial commitment to provide healthy drinking water to all the world's people.
Original version written by Texans for Kucinich, Jan. 2004. Updated by K. Kain, Feb. 2008.
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WHEREAS, campaign funding at all levels of government has soared in recent decades; and
WHEREAS, potential candidates are usually not considered viable without wealthy and economically powerful supporters; and
WHEREAS, under the current system of campaign financing, the average citizen cannot match the political influence of the economically powerful; and
WHEREAS, candidates and elected officials are required to spend a huge proportion of their time, energy, and staff raising funds rather than meeting with constituents; and
WHEREAS, the public interest has taken a back seat to the private and special interests which are influencing decisions made by our elected representatives; and
WHEREAS, public financing of campaigns has been successfully implemented in seven states and two cities;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Texas Democratic Party finds and declares that the unique factual circumstances in the State of Texas require that provisions for publicly financed elections be enacted to promote the compelling interests of democracy in Texas;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that to this end the Texas State Democratic Party meeting in convention insists that the Texas legislature during its next session commencing in January 2009, enact a law and/or pass legislation providing for such a constitutional amendment election necessary for the establishment of a publicly financed elections system in Texas. Such system to provide public financing for all state legislative and statewide elective office candidates who refuse to take any private interest or special interest campaign contributions and agree to certain spending limits. This public financing would be used by candidates to campaign for elective office adhering to all election and campaign reporting laws.
This resolution was furnished by True Courage Action Network http://www.truecourageaction.net
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Whereas each citizen’s "pursuit of happiness" depends upon maintaining health; and
Whereas a healthy economy depends upon a healthy and productive citizenry; and
Whereas 48 million uninsured Americans and millions more underinsured are forced to use only emergency, often too-late care, which ends up costing tax payers billions of dollars; and
Whereas many families with access to health care are driven into poverty by the high cost of premiums and high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs; and
Whereas health insurance costs for businesses have increased steadily since 1998 and often force small businesses to hire part-time staff with no benefits or to stop offering health insurance completely; and
Whereas insurance companies protect and increase profits even when doing so diminishes the very health care they are meant to make possible; and
Whereas the removal of the profit motive from the health care system would refocus the system on health; and
Whereas the U.S. pays more than all other industrialized countries for health care, but provides less coverage to fewer people; and
Whereas the General Accounting Office concludes that if the U.S. shifted to a single- payer, not-for-profit system of universal coverage, "the savings in administrative costs would be more than enough to offset the cost" of providing health care to everyone; therefore be it
RESOLVED:
* That we support the establishment of a universal single-payer, not-for-profit national health care system in the U.S.;
* That such a system be publicly financed but privately delivered; allow people to choose their own health care providers; provide preventative health care, dental care, mental health care, and affordable prescription drugs; and make health care available to everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions, status of employment, or income level.
Original version, entitled "Single Payer Universal Health Care", was written by Texans for Kucinich, Jan. 2004.
Updated by K. Kain, Feb. 2008.
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WHEREAS, All people have a right to have a job in a safe workplace, to earn living wages and secure benefits including retirement, and
WHEREAS, Workers need to be empowered to negotiate with their employer if necessary over working conditions, safety, compensation for injuries on the job, employer negligence, and freedom to enjoy all the benefits of U. S. citizenship, and
WHEREAS, Unions are shadows of what they were 40 years ago, with membership declining from 24% in 1973 to 14% today, and
WHEREAS, In 2001 the U. S. Supreme Court repealed 100 years of labor and civil rights protections and allowed employers to require mandatory binding arbitration for employees, and
WHEREAS, The US Supreme Court gave employers the right to require prospective workers to sign away their civil, disability and pension rights as conditions of employment, and
WHEREAS, Corporations have cut wages, benefits and working hours, reneged on contracts and eliminated retirements through bankruptcy strategies, and
WHEREAS, The average CEO made 42 times the average workers pay in 1980, 80 times in 1990, and 531 times in 2000, and
WHEREAS, Overtime pay is now in jeopardy for millions of workers, therefore, be it
RESOLVED
* That the federal minimum wage be adjusted to a living wage,
* That the Supreme Court's 2001 decision be reversed, that labor and civil rights be restored,
* That workers must not be required to waive their legal rights as a condition of employment,
* That Sections 206-210 of the Taft-Hartley Act be struck down and collective bargaining rights be restored to workers to enable them to protect their jobs and quality of life.
This resolution was written by the Texans for Kucinich campaign, Jan. 2004.