Installment #2: The Party Platform: Democrats and PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP

A couple of weeks ago, I compared the Democratic and Republican Platforms on how they each plan to create jobs and stimulate the economy.  If you didn’t get a chance to read it, just click this link, It’s all about the jobs and the economy. Besides, the Presidents, we have a lot of thinking to do about everyone who runs for a seat in our government.  I’m encouraging an informed vote.

The remainder of the platforms are not that easy to compare side-by-side.  Plus, it’s a lot of reading for me, but more importantly, for you.  I’m sort of having fun sifting through the rhetoric to find the meat of what each party wants for the country.

Just so I can keep everything straight, I put the information into a simple chart, like I would for corporate goals.  This is also the way CoCo’s Individual Education Plans got laid out, too.  Pretty easy to understand; I think:  We will______________ by_____________ so that______________ happens. Previously, I added a column for how the action will be financed, too.  Sadly, it would be completely empty for this piece of the analysis, so stuck to just three columns.

Today’s Installment is about [tweetthis]the Democrats’ take on PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP. [/tweetthis]

There’s a lot here. Some things I agree with, some I don’t, and some make me scratch my head.  It helps to lay everything out in this format, don’t you think?

I already took a look at the Republican’s A REBIRTH OF CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT. My next installment will be cover that part of the party’s platform.

We will By So that
Advance the rights & opportunities or women & girls Supporting the US National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. Families & communities can prosper.
End the epidemic of gender-based violence around the world Urging ratification of the Convention for the elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women The likelihood of sustainable peace increases.
Expand the availability of affordable family planning information and contraceptives supplies. Repealing the Helms Amendment The developing world has American assistance to legal abortion.
Applaud Presidential Memorandum on International Initiative to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons Fighting efforts by any nation to infringe on LGBT rights Foreign policy advances the ability of all persons to live with dignity, security, and respect.
Build on the Victims of Trafficking & violence Protection Act of 2000 Increasing diplomatic efforts to root out complicit public officials. Human trafficking & modern slavery stops.
Promote the rights of young people & nurture young leaders. Working with people around the world who seek greater opportunities, by promoting job creation, expanding education, & health care, & fostering partnerships between peoples The world is more prosperous and stable.
Assist the more than 60 million people displaced as a result of conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Supporting the international summit Innocent people are protected
Bolster groups & individuals who fight for fundamental human rights, democracy, & rule of law. Supporting strong legislatures, independent judiciaries, free press, vibrant civil society, honest police forces, religious freedom, and equality for women and minorities Governance is accountable.
Protect Americans abroad. Condemning practices of unlawful detention or imprisonment, especially for journalists & civil activists We continue progress toward universal rights.
End indefinite detention without trial or conviction. Closing Guantanamo Bay It stops being a blemish on our record, and a tool for extremists.
Put an AIDS-free generation within reach. Increasing the federal budget for developmental Assistance The best of America is reflected and we are safer.
Prepare for global pandemics Funding diagnostic tests for virus, vaccine, and treatment Millions of lives around the world are saved.
Increase research for NIH, cap pharmaceutical expenses, reform HIV criminalization laws. Implementing the National HIV & AIDS Strategy We will have  AIDS-free generation.
End American workers competition against poverty-wage, child, or slave labor abroad. Prioritizing and enforcing provisions on decent work and worker’s rights in all American diplomatic, trade, and programmatic efforts Our economy grows
Seek a more agile & flexible force & rid the military of outdated Cold War-era systems. Supporting a smart, predictable defense budget We have the strongest military in the world
Ensure that the Department of Defense invests its budget wisely Auditing the Pentagon * launch a high-level commission to review the role of defense contractors We have the strongest military in the world
Ensure that Reservists & Guard members are treated fairly when it comes to employment, health, education benefits, deployment, & reintegration. Pushing for more educational benefits and job training for veterans We fulfill our sacred, moral responsibility to keep faith with all our veterans and wounded warriors.
Fully resource the VA. Fighting for every veteran to have timely access to high-quality, heath care & timely processing of claims & appeals. We end chronic homelessness, combat suicide, and protect the post-9/11 GI Bill for future generations.
Provide jobs, education, childcare, and health care to military families, Promoting family friendly policies & champion efforts to care for our military families We honor the sacrifice of military families.
Commit ourselves to insuring fair treatment for LGBT veterans. Reviewing & upgrading discharge records for veterans who are discharged because of their sexual orientation. We honor all Americans who want to serve.
Protect our country Leading a broad coalition of allies to destroy ISIS strongholds We strengthen our homeland security.
Protect our country. Improving our intelligence capabilities, with appropriate safeguards here at home We strengthen our homeland security.
Be more precise about our efforts to defeat ISIS. Updating the Authorization for Use of Military Force We strengthen our homeland security
End Assad’s rule. Rooting out ISIS & other terrorist groups & bring together the moderate Syrian opposition, international community, and our regional allies The Syrian crisis ends.
Bolster the democratically-elected government of Afghanistan. Working with NATO-led coalition.

Maintaining a limited troop presence.

Terrorists are denied sanctuary.
Enforce and strengthen non-nuclear sanctions in Iran. Pushing back Iran’s destabilizing activities. Bolstering the capabilities of Gulf partners. Israel always has the ability to defend itself.
Avert a new global crisis Pressing China to restrain North Korea Pyongyang must abandon his illegal nuclear missile program.
Build on Cybersecurity National Action Plan. Strengthening our cybersecurity, establishing global norms, and imposing consequences on those who violate the rules. Industry, infrastructure, & government is protected from cyberattacks.
Protect the liberties of American people. Standing firm against the type of warrantless surveillance of American citizens Government does not collect and hold millions of files on innocent Americans.
Bring together technology & public safety communities to address the needs of law enforcement,

Advance our global competitiveness interests and our larger national security.

Supporting a national commission on digital security and encryption;

Assessing how innovation might point to new policy approaches

Industry, infrastructure, & government is protected from cyberattacks..
Use the Nuclear Posture Review to determine ways to shape our nuclear deterrent. Strengthening NPT, pushing for the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The number of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons around the world are reduced.
Forge a robust global solution to the climate crisis. Convening a summit of the world’s best engineers, climate scientists, policy experts, activists, and indigenous communities We prevent new conflicts over resources, catastrophic natural disasters, and the degradation of vital ecosystems across the globe.
Strengthen our relationships in Asia Pacific. Investing in long-term strategic partnership with India, honoring our commitment to Japan, helping Pakistan stabilize its polity We keep our economy growing.
Strengthen our relationships in Asia Pacific. Pushing back against North Korean aggression and pressing China to play by the rules, commit to “one China” policy We keep our economy growing.
Support Israel’s right to defend itself. Opposing any efforts to de-legitimize Israel, including at the United Nations. We protect our strategic interests and common values.
Guarantee Israel’s future as a secure and democratic Jewish state. Continuing work toward a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict We protect our strategic interests and common values.
Stand with our European allies and partners to deter Russian aggression, address security challenges, and deal with unprecedented economic and social challenges. Maintaining our Article 5 collective security commitments to NATO. Push NATO members to contribute their fair share We are stronger with allies by our side.
Embrace our neighbors and pursue strong, fruitful partnerships. Supporting economic development and comprehensive immigration reform US-Americas regional relationships become stronger.
Embrace our neighbors and pursue strong, fruitful partnerships. Ending the travel ban to Cuba;

Helping Haitians take advantage of Temporary Protected Status;

Closing the School of the Americans

US-Caribbean regional relationships become stronger.
Stengthen our relationships with the African Union. Engaging our African partners on the full range of global challenges & opportunities;

Helping our African parnters improve their capacity to respond to crises

The global economy is protected and grown.

Whew! That’s a whole lot of leadership to bite off and chew.  I’m exhausted. I think I’ll go get a cup of free-trade cappaccino.

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