DEFINING PRINCIPLES
We, the members of the Maine Democratic Party, adopt this platform as an affirmation of our belief in Democratic government. Though the issues of the day may change, the principles upon which this party rests remain as relevant today as they were when presented and defended by those who came before us. We are proud that we are the party which led this Nation and this State out of the Great Depression, through the Second World War, in the fight for equal rights for all citizens, and to a concern for maintaining the earth’s fragile environment. We stand today, as we have for generations, on these basic principles:
1. Ours is a government of the people, with the policy preference of participating citizens reflected in the decisions of our elected leaders;
2. Government policies should guarantee to each American adequate health care, education, decent jobs, safe and affordable housing, and necessary human services;
3. All persons should be treated equally and their basic rights guaranteed and protected;
4. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, and to their children to protect our environment and conserve our natural resources;
5. Economic policies should strive toward a full-employment economy, with each worker receiving fair and decent compensation for his or her labor in a safe working environment;
6. Planning for economic development and the encouragement of good jobs and profitable locally owned businesses constitute key elements in striving for a healthy economy;
7. Commitment to a well-funded, accessible education system is necessary not only to provide opportunities to our young but also to allow for the continuing development of our society;
8. Government should be funded through a fair, equitable, and progressive system of taxation that provides adequate funds for needed services;
9. The objective of American foreign policy should be to ensure the security and promote the interests of all of our citizens and to promote the ideals of freedom, peace, justice, democracy, and mutual cooperation and respect throughout the world.
Preamble to the 1994 Platform
The 1994 election will be pivotal to the State of Maine. Leadership in the Blaine House will change. The Maine Legislature will change. A new United States Senator and new Representatives to Congress will be chosen. The Legislature, new governor and those we send to Washing-ton must be Democrats. We must retain control of both the Maine House and Senate. We must secure elected county offices with Democrats.
That is because the Democratic Party offers a different course. We are the party of all of the people; be they of working people, farmers, business owners, or citizens young and old. We are also the party whose political leaders have been willing to face tough political problems. And we are also the party of compassion, the party that knows that government exists for the greater good, that we cannot ignore those who need help.
Governments in Augusta and in Washington face difficult choices in the years ahead; but for the voters the choice should be clear. Our party offers principled programs aimed at solving pressing societal problems. We do so with clear understanding that we cannot offer all things to all people; we know that governmental services must be paid for, that priorities must be set. The Democratic Party offers principled candidates who know that those who govern must be honest to, open with, and reflective of those they serve.
This platform of the Maine Democratic Party clearly sets out our vision of Maine and the Nation as we face the next century. It is inclusive. It is comprehensive. But it also sets priorities and clearly outlines where a government run by Democrats will serve the people better.
OUR IMMEDIATE AGENDA
1. Establishment of a universal and comprehensive national health care system;
2. An economic development package that encourages small and large business to profit in Maine and provide more and better jobs for Maine workers;
3. Guaranteeing equal rights for all citizens and our opposition to any forms of discrimination;
4. Full and equal accommodations in all facets of society for persons with disabilities;
5. Employment, education, and training opportunities for all; provided by both the private and public sectors; with the federal government being the employer of last resort;
6. Equal access to the opportunities afforded by quality education, from pre-school through post-secondary, to guarantee our citizens informed, productive, and contributing lives;
7. A comprehensive review of the tax system in the state and in the Nation, favoring a progressive system that encourages family unity and provides enough revenue for needed government services without overburdening working people or discouraging new investment;
8. We standing firm for our belief that women’s reproductive rights should not be abridged by intrusive governmental policy;
9. Restructuring fiscal policy to encourage investment in our economy, eliminate wasteful spending while protecting the very young and the very old, the poor, the homeless and others in need.
10. The Maine Democratic Party believes that the primary objective of the United States Foreign policy must be to promote our own security; and that this security depends not only on the maintenance of necessary armed forces and alliances with dependable partners, but also on our cooperative participation in worldwide efforts to bring about peace, democracy, and justice through diplomacy and the United Nations.
The Maine Democratic Party herein presents its platform acknowledging the problems we face and stating clearly the principles on which we will govern and the directions we will pursue.
I. Economic Development and Transportation
Economic Development
We believe that the State of Maine has an obligation to work in partnership with and encourage the private sector to create and maintain quality jobs for Maine people through economic development that is in keeping with Maine tradition and with the natural and human resources that make our state unique.
A high-grade educational system is essential.
We urge the continued development and expansion of state-of-the-art telecommunication/information processing infrastructure for Maine. Such a system will allow Maine to compete successfully in the global marketplace.
Provide incentives for capital formation in Maine.
We support a planned conversion of our military-based economy into peacetime commerce.
Identify and pre-approve sites for specific businesses by coordinating local, regional, and state land use priorities.
It is imperative that more access be provided on the world market for Maine products and that Maine producers develop the capacity to serve these markets.
Increase names potential to handle commercial freight.
We encourage the establishment of regional-based economic development strategies to implement an overall economic development plan for Maine.
Sustainable industries such as agriculture, and aquaculture should be encouraged.
Add value to raw materials prior to export.
Transportation. The Maine State Democratic Party supports transportation systems that will en-sure a sustainable economic future, will provide balanced options for the movement of people and goods throughout our state, and will reverse the tendency of transportation systems to have a negative impact on our health, on our unique communities, and on our natural resources.
Goals of a Transportation Policy. Maine’s transportation policy and operations must promote transportation that is energy -efficient and that will minimize the harmful effects of transportation on public health, air and water quality, and other natural resources. We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and single-occupant automobile travel. We must reduce our reliance on new high-way building by making better use of existing roads and by developing strong traffic demand management, transit/inter-modal systems. We must provide for the best modem, statewide rail system that will serve our residents, companies, workers, and tourists, that will tie to local transit, bicycle, and water systems, and that will effectively link us with Canada and our Nation. Maine’s seaports and airports must be capable of handling increased commercial and passenger traffic.
Maine’s transportation plan must harmonize with the goals of existing local comprehensive plans and must promote land-use planning. Our transportation must be diversified to meet the needs of both urban and rural populations and the unique mobility requirements of the people who are elderly and/or have disabilities, including improved public transportation between major employment centers and rural areas of the state where needed. We must arrange for public participation in decisions relation to transportation capital investment, planning, and projects.
We support the recently formed Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC), with members from municipalities, alternative modes, businesses, environmental advocacy groups, regional planning commissions, and general public groups whose job it is to formulate Maine’s 20-year transportation plan.
II. Health, Housing, and Education
The Maine Democratic Party believes that a nation should be judged on its ability to assure that the basic needs of its citizens are met for their health care, for their shelter, for their education, for their employment, for the human services necessary to maintain dignity and quality of life. Nothing that government does is more important than action in these areas.
Health Care. The Maine Democratic Party has the opportunity to address the two major areas of our country’s health care crisis. The first is the increasing number of those who do not have basic health insurance and the growing population who are at risk of losing coverage. The second is the spiraling cost of health care that threatens to financially cripple citizens, business, industry, and government.
President Clinton has proposed the Health Security Act that will address these and other health care problems of our state and nation. The Maine Democratic Party should support the administration’s plan as it stands or as it may be amended as long as the final proposal satisfies the ethical foundations that the President has delineated. These are:
Universal Coverage: Every American citizen and legal resident should have health care coverage;
Comprehensive Benefits that cannot be taken away: Guaranteed benefits should meet the full range of health needs, including primary, preventive, long-term and specialized care, prescription drugs and covering health needs regardless of the source of the condition requiring treatment;
Choice of a variety of plans: One can select the plan that most fits his or her needs including fee-for-service care from the doctor of one’s choice;
Simplification and Cost Containment: Competition in the health-care marketplace will keep costs down as health plans attempt to attract consumers. Stiff penalties on those who cheat will reduce health care fraud. One simple claims form will reduce health care fraud. One simple claims form will replace the present 1,500 different medical claims forms;
Local Responsibility: States and local communities should be able to design effective, high-quality systems of care that serve each of their citizens, such as a single payer plan for Maine; and
Effectiveness and Quality: High quality care should be provided, and consumers informed of their full range of options. Research and treatment of life threatening diseases should be encouraged.
Housing. Every American has the need for a safe, affordable home. We support appropriate housing opportunities for all. We support expanded access to home ownership for working families and will honor that commitment through policies that encourage reasonable property taxes and affordable mortgage credit. The rights of all, regardless of gender, age, minority group member-ship, disability, religious preference, or sexual orientation for a decent living environment must be protected by the State.
We urge coordination of those agencies responsible for Housing, Health, Education, and Human Services in Maine to confront homelessness, with special emphasis on the needs of children.
While we prefer to address affordability issues by increasing the earning power of families and individuals, we recognize the current need for low-income housing. Taxpayers must be assured that this investment will promote family stability, personal responsibility, and order in the community.
Education. The Maine Democratic Party believes that a society that ignores its children ignores its future. We therefore affirm that education of children is a top priority. We believe life-long learning perpetuates a literate culture and promotes a free, informed, productive, and responsible citizenry. In addition, we assert that efficient retraining and education for all is essential to improve Maine’s economy and the standard of living of its citizens.
We support full funding for federal and state mandates including special education as well as “gifted and talented” programs. Equal access to quality education from preschool through post-secondary must be maintained by fair and reliable funding.
We believe that early childhood education is a long-term investment in the future of Maine. It can provide an antidote to such problems as educational failure, violence, foster care, welfare, and the costs of incarceration. This effort will require an initial expenditure, but such forward thinking will bring vast economic and social benefits in the near future.
We call for public investment in a high quality vocational education system to meet the present and future academic and technological needs of the citizens of Maine. Providing a well-prepared work force will enable us to compete on a global basis to retain, and attract business to Maine. The technology of today and tomorrow requires a sophisticated curriculum based on a realistic and continuous assessment of market needs in coordination with business.
We support the efforts of the University of Maine to develop high standards for admissions and accountability for its students.
We favor sustained funding for programs, development, research, and salaries. This system should provide an excellent postsecondary education for qualified students of all ages.
We urge continuation of strong support for public radio and television, libraries, museums, historic preservation organizations, and the like as educational and cultural tools.
We recognize the role that schools, families, and communities play in the academic achievement of students of all levels of ability. This effort must not be compromised by expecting schools to provide social services which would be better served by a coordination of schools, families, the Department of Human Services, Corrections, and Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Coordination of services should be driven by improvement plans of individual schools and focused on a goal of academic achievement.
The State Department of Education should function as a resource to identify educational strategies that work. This service could be provided in a cost effective manner by correlating the Maine Educational Assessment results with the school improvement plans filed with the Bureau of Assessment.
In these difficult economic times, we must assure the taxpayers that they have purchased a high caliber educational system with strict accountability and challenging, appropriate curriculum for each student.
III. Human Services
The Maine Democratic Party reaffirms our belief that government has the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in our society and stand ready to help all in need.
We support strategic development of a five-year and ten-year plan to provide comprehensive and consistent services that can be effectively delivered independent of changes in political administrations. All services encompassed under the title “Human Services” will be most efficient when goals are clearly stated, coordination exists among agencies, and evaluation of the outcomes of each program is assured.
We compassionate support efforts to reform the welfare system, realizing that with educational and healthcare assistance, most people wish to help themselves.
Children. In order to guarantee the most basic needs for food, shelter, and freedom from abuse, our society must accept the security and growth of its children as a top priority. We urge provision of legal measures to require and promote parental responsibility for financial support of their children.
Specific goals include recovery of delinquent child support payments, education and employment support for those able to work. The system must encourage a return to self-sufficiency, provide a safety net for families in crisis, and an adequate budget for Child Protective Services and foster care needs.
The Elderly. We believe in the dignity and efficiency of home-based care and call for creative solutions to defray the costs of long-term care. We support the efforts of families to maintain their elderly in a home environment for as long as possible. State government should assist with long term care in the most appropriate setting. State government should also provide for protective, legal, transportation, nutritional services.
Persons with Disabilities. Several principles underline the commitment of the Democratic Party to persons with physical and mental disabilities:
1. The dignity and value of persons regardless of ability or disability;
2. Commitment to early intervention and prevention in order to maximize potential and support intact families;
3. Support of the Americans with Disabilities Act concept of reasonable accommodation which allows full participation in all facets of community life;
4. Commitment to equal access which allows full participation in the conduct of our democracy at all levels of government including voting places, caucus sites, and settings in which legislative, executive, and judicial discussions and actions occur.
5. Stability of funding for programs that have demonstrated success in meeting the needs of clients in a cost-effective manner by producing clear outcomes.
Substance Abuse
To combat drug abuse including tobacco and alcohol, we propose substance abuse educational programs for grades K through 12; provisions for a full range of treatment and rehabilitation services, publicly funded for those in need, for those afflicted by substance abuse; and increased funding for residential treatment programs, halfway houses, counseling, and employment services. We favor the license suspension and mandatory rehabilitation programs for those convicted of driving under the influence. We are opposed to arbitrary drug testing of the general public. Since smoking is the leading cause of preventable premature death, we strongly support efforts toward making Maine smoke-free society by the year 2000.
IV. Labor
The Maine Democratic Party is the party of working people. Currently our labor laws, in contrast to those of every other industrial democracy, fail to protect the workers’ right to organize, to protect gains made in the past, and to improve their status in the future. This must change.
We of the Maine Democratic Party, believe it is a human right for all people to be adequately fed, housed, and clothed as fair compensation for our labor.
Defense Jobs: Retention/Creation
We support legislation to facilitate conversion from military to commercial production and to encourage economic development that preserves and creates jobs. For economic conversion to occur without massive unemployment and community dislocation, five essential policy elements must be put in place.
1. Alternative Use Committees and Worker Involvement
There must be legislative support for establishing labor-management bodies in plants and on bases to direct conversion efforts and new product development. Alternative Use New Product Committees provide Labor management coordination, are a forum for joint exploration of civilian market possibilities and act as conduits for federal, state and local conversion and job creation information, programs and funding. They should be a prerequisite of federal contracts, including clear enforcement criteria. They should be designed to ensure balanced labor-management participation. These Committees should be required when consortia are designed using government incentives or financing.
2. Incentives for Companies to stay in Place and Accountability for Results
Firms and Unions need financial support for product development, market assessment, new equipment, training, and marketing. Policy levers such as taxation, extension services, loans and loan guarantees, and contractual obligations should be utilized to limit plant closings.
Firms that receive public funds and benefit from public programs should be expected to set high standards for labor-management and environmental behavior. In return for public support, companies should be required to invest in research, facilities, and production in the United States and particularly the communities in which they currently operate. Federal contracts should give preference to hiring laid off workers. Firms that take jobs out of their communities after receiving support should be penalized.
3. Federal, State, and Local Government Purchasing to Foster Conversion and Job Creation.
The defense build up created a vast network of firms, communities, and bases dependent upon defense contracts. Instead of just cutting defense budgets, government purchasing at all levels should be used to direct new investment and production. A substantial public commitment to transportation, health technologies, environmental technology, communications, housing, infrastructure improvement, and other areas should be designed to purchase new products from converted defense facilities and bases.
4. Training Linked to Economic Development
Training assistance should be available as existing facilities produce new products and to improve working relationships. Managers and workers will need to be trained to enter new markets and to work together more effectively. Given the extensive skills of many defense workers, training alone can be a dead end. Training and economic development must be linked, so that money and people are not wasted on training for jobs that will not exist.
5. Income Support and Training for Displaced Workers
For those who do not retain their jobs, the current unemployment insurance system pays too little in benefits for too short a time. We need both income for a potentially lengthy training period, and money to do the training that is necessary for new jobs. Training should be customized to the needs of particular workers.
Workers’ Health and Safety. We advocate state legislation with adequate funding for workplace health and safety programs, including inspections of both public and private sector worksites. We support the right of employees to refuse to perform duties that a reasonable person would consider a threat to health and safety. We also support restoration of the right to sue in the case of employer negligence.
We advocate state and federal penalties for workplace aggravated assault in cases of injuries resulting from employers’ intentional or willful disregard of OSHA standards.
The Family Leave Act should include continuation of health insurance benefits during leave.
We advocate increased penalties for unlawful harassment in the workplace and greater employer responsibility to educate employees about harassment.
We urge legislation guaranteeing workers’ participation in the development of programs to control and minimize the use of toxins in the workplace.
Improved Standard of Living. We support increasing and maintaining the federal and state minimum wage above the poverty level. We support strengthening both the federal and state plant closure and severance pay laws to make clear that parent companies and their successor companies are liable for the severance pay obligation of permanently laid off employees regardless of the size of the workforce. In addition adequate funding should be provided for federal and state job retraining programs for permanently laid-off workers to give them realistic job skills.
We recognize the changing nature of the work force and support efforts to provide all workers with paid training for the enhancement of job skills enabling Maine workers to maintain their competitive edge in the workplace.
We also support efforts to make the private and public pension systems more responsive to the needs of workers through expanded pension coverage, sufficient funding for such plans, and restrictions on the use of those assets for non-pension purposes.
We call for creation of federal and state public works jobs in infrastructure development, housing rehabilitation, and other areas of unmet public need. We support labor standards legislation and enforcement at the State and Federal level to assure decent wages and fringe benefits for workers on publicly funded construction projects.
Discrimination. We support all efforts in the public and private sectors to end employment and pay discrimination based on gender, age, minority group membership, national origin, disability, work injury, religious preference, or sexual orientation; to strengthen Maine’s comparable worth law, and to enact such legislation on the federal level; and to redress inequities through affirmative action programs.
Rights or Public Sector Workers. We must modify current laws to provide federal and state workers with expanded organizing and bargaining rights; to provide for the right to binding arbitration on all issues in contract negotiations; and to create meaningful penalties against federal or state managers who commit unfair labor practices. We must clarify the federal and state right to agency shop/fair share. We must take the necessary steps to assure that state collective bargaining agreements cannot be infringed by either the Governor or the Legislature. Therefore the State of Maine must agree to be bound by decisions of the national labor relations board.
We oppose contracting out the jobs of public employees. We support full funding of health insurance for retired school employees and retired state employees. We are opposed to raids on the funds of the Maine State Retirement System. The state must provide full funding and scheduled repayments to the System.
We support the current federal law regarding the political rights of public employees; however, these rights should continue to be expanded.
We support reform of state law to ensure that contracts for state services which are contracted to the private sector shall provide that all employees be covered-with health, welfare, and pension benefits at least equal to those covering state employees.
Collective Bargaining and Peaceful Resolution of Disputes. We must strengthen the laws outlawing professional strike breaking and strike-breaking companies; provide unemployment insurance to locked out workers; prevent employers from engaging in tactics intended to incite violence; and pass legislation outlawing the permanent replacement of striking workers.
The federal labor laws must be amended to eliminate inequalities between the rights of workers and the power of employers. So-called double-breasted employers must be eliminated. Employees must be allowed to express their will through successful organizing and bargaining. Employers must be prevented from interfering with employees’ rights by discrimination, discharge and other discouraging tactics. The hiring of replacement workers during labor disputes must be ended.
Part-time and temporary employees must have the right to receive the same benefits on a pro-rata basis as are offered to full-time employees.
We support the intent of the Wagner Labor Law and oppose any attempt to dilute it.
Drugs in the Workplace. We call for reform of the current state laws on workplace drug testing to provide more adequate protection of employee rights while insuring public safety and employer interests. Workplace education and employee assistance programs must be implemented which protect the worker’s confidentiality. Treatment and rehabilitation, rather than discipline, must be the primary means of correcting problems of substance abuse.
Day Care. We call for development of affordable and accessible, quality day care to meet the needs of working families, and federal legislation to provide standards and assistance in the pro-vision of day care centers.
Workers’ Compensation. We advocate creation of a public labor/management directed workers’ compensation insurance system, incorporating aspects of systems that are currently operating successfully in other states. The system should link workers’ compensation rates for employers to the safety records of those employers; should financially assist employers to meet safety standards; should include the right of reinstatement to the previous job or equivalent; should retrain workers for jobs with equivalent levels of pay, or makeup the difference through the employer for the direct care of the disability; and should restore all rights lost.
Any proposal to reduce health and disability benefits available to injured workers on the basis of physical disability, preexisting condition, age or gender should be vigorously opposed as a violation of principles of the Democratic Party.
We advocate equal access of injured workers to legal representation when necessary to assure that benefits promised by law are in fact timely and fully received.
V. Human Rights and Justice System
The Maine State Democratic Party is committed to the principle that all persons are equal, and we oppose any discrimination against any person. We encourage the promotion of economic opportunities for all persons, and we are particularly concerned by the degree of discrimination still existing in both the public and private sectors.
Under the laws of a just society the government must share responsibility for the care of the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised.
Human Rights. The Democratic Party has long stood for the rights of individuals with respect and equal rights for all. We accept the responsibility of the state to guarantee basic human rights to all regardless of gender, age, minority group membership, notional origin, disability, religious preference, or sexual orientation.
We support an amendment to the Maine Human Rights Acts to extend protection from discrimination to all victims of prejudice in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodation, credit, health care and education. Freedom from harassment is a basic human right which must be upheld through legal measures and guarantees.
We believe that reproductive choice is a matter of personal conscience and should not be regulated by government. We support access to health information and health care services so that responsible choices can be made.
We believe the Maine Democratic Party must reach out to the unregistered and the unenrolled voters and show them we are the party of inclusion and of involvement. We must look at others who do not now vote with us as potential supporters who need access to better information and to better candidates. We must reach out especially to other groups and to other parties with whom we may share beliefs and work together to achieve our goals.
We support the passage of a Women’s Bill of Rights. This would restore the Maine Women’s Commission and make it a cabinet-level agency; provide funding for aspirations programs in public schools, domestic violence prevention, aid family planning and reproductive health; and institute an annual report on the status of women in Maine.
The Justice System. We support all efforts to reduce crime in Maine and maintain a feeling of dignity, safety, and community. We support President Clinton and the Congress in their efforts to curb crime in America. We support the implementation of the Brady Bill. We believe in strong advocacy, support, and restitution for victims of crime, particularly children.
We favor continued review and updating of the State’s bail, sentencing, and parole laws.
We urge the next Governor and Legislature to implement a crime prevention -strategy for Maine. This should include education, economic opportunity and law enforcement. Law enforcement should respect the individual privacy and safety rights of all citizens.
We remain unalterably opposed to capital punishment in the State of Maine and in the Nation. We support additional funding for rehabilitation services, psychological services, substance abuse treatment, and vocational training in prisons, correctional centers, and youth centers. We also support research and implementation of alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders, with follow-up services.
We call for establishment of a Family Court System. We support expanding law enforcement efforts aimed at reducing and preventing domestic violence and, in particular, violence against women and children. We call for speedier trials for all crimes of violence against women. We oppose the use of threats, coercion or intimidation, by individuals or organizations, which at-tempts to deny women their constitutional right to access to and freedom of choice. We favor implementation of inter-state agreements by appropriate agencies to force payment of child sup-port orders.
We favor continuation, with increased funding, of legal services for any individuals with limited income, including juveniles, as a means of promoting equal justice under law.
We affirm that operation of all state corrections facilities should remain directly in the hands of the state.
VI. Natural Resources and the Environment
The Maine Democratic Party believes that our economic health and the future of our State depend on education and sound management of our natural resources and protection of our environment. Tourism, recreation, agriculture, commercial fishing, forestry, and industries based on renewable resources all rely on our constant vigilance for their survival.
Education in these areas is critical.
Conservation. We support continuation of recycling legislation, with enhanced recycling goals. We support educational efforts and incentives for towns and cities to institute recycling efforts. We must stimulate the market for diverse recycled products made in Maine through legislation. We support a ban on non-recyclable containers.
We must maintain water conservation policies to provide for the purity of our water resources. Maine’s major river watersheds, lakes, aquifers, and marine resources must be vigorously and aggressively protected. We support a statewide testing program of all water sources especially our coastal waters and public water sources for possible contamination and to locate the sources of any pollutants found. This should include all dredging material and tidewater soil samples. The purpose of this testing is to insure safe drinking water, protect all our fisheries; our coastal water fisheries, clam and shellfish beds and other tidal area fisheries and plant harvesting. We must prohibit discharge of raw sewage.
We favor protection of wetland are-as and incentives for farmers and landowners to maintain them. We must manage runoff to protect wetlands from pollution.
There should also be a testing program to specifically target the effects of exhaust oil discharge from pleasure boats which accumulates in the sediment and vegetation along the shores of waterways.
Water Resources. We favor an increase in the level of coordination among state agencies regarding land use and natural resource management.
We must promote coordinated management practices which will protect and sustain Maine fisheries and jobs which depend on them. We must consider the creation of marine wildlife sanctuaries offshore.
Forest Resources. We support vigorous and aggressive enforcement of laws and regulations that require sound forest management practices, including the concept of biodiversity. We urge the prohibition of massive deforestation – through international agreements and understandings. We advocate maintaining the maximum number of processes toward finished products from our raw materials before they leave the state, thus, maximizing both our labor pool and our raw materials.
We favor public involvement in the review and approval of any plans developed which focus on tree cutting on public lands for revenue generating purposes. Funds must be dedicated to forest management of the public lands.
Energy. We urge the establishment of a public/private commission to develop a long-range energy plan for Maine. There must be extensive research into the health risks related to any power project now or in the future.
We favor shutting down the aging Maine Yankee Power Plant as soon as possible. We favor re-peal of the Price-Anderson Act, which limits producer liability for nuclear power plant accidents. We oppose new construction of nuclear power plants in Maine and in the United States.
We must adopt energy conservation incentives; incentives for the use of wind, water and passive or active solar power, and educational programs to pursue standardized alternatives.
We must reduce our fossil fuel dependence, adopt energy conservation incentives, demand side management, incentives for the use of wind, water and solar power, and educational programs supporting these alternatives.
We support ending the monopoly power of CMP, Bangor Hydro, and Maine Public Service. We support privatizing electrical energy generation, and allowing all Maine consumers to choose the lowest cost alternative through competitive bids. We will lower costs and increase conservation through the private market, and controlled deregulation.
Environmental Protection. We must promote greater research efforts to develop safe ways to dispose of the wastes that our state produces, including municipal solid waste, toxic waste, and nuclear wastes. We support continued source reduction legislation and enforcement of illegal dumping violations.
We support a bond issue to assist municipalities with landfill closure costs. We support funding for technical assistance for municipalities for safe waste management options.
We support a continued comprehensive environmental education program, including field experience opportunities, that can be integrated into the K-12 curriculum. We must provide teaching materials to our schools that emphasize the importance of the environment.
We advocate that the D.E.P. continue being an independent state agency and retain its present level of funding despite the economic climate of the state.
Agriculture. We must encourage and provide appropriate incentives for those Mainers working in agriculture, such as, promoting Maine agriculture in the world market. We must support a sustainable agricultural policy that requires ecologically sound, non-polluting practices; renews and develops healthy soil, clean air and clean water; conserves energy and minimizes toxins.
We must promote small farms, farm cooperatives, and local marketplaces to encourage the next generation of farmers.
We advocate maximum flexibility to allow local communities to create incentives that may exceed state incentives to protect open space and operating farms. We must promote land-use planning and education as means to protect natural resources, open space and agricultural lands. To this end we favor development of a graduated speculation tax, designed to reduce speculative land buying that parcels up open spaces and natural resources.
Animal Rights. We support withholding federal funds from any project that proposes to treat animals inhumanely or subjects animals to unnecessary invasive, painful, or potentially lethal procedures, for any purpose other than the direct safeguard of human health or life.
VII. Government Organization
The Maine Democratic Party reaffirms the important role public service plays in the lives of all Maine citizens. We believe that the organization of our government requires constant vigilance, to assure that public officials are responsive to the citizenry. State government should be an efficient operation.
Electoral Process
We call for meaningful campaign reform.
Legislative Branch. We strongly support “Full Disclosure for Lobbyists”, both on State and Federal levels. This disclosure shall include but not be limited to; money spent on a bill, and who a lobbyist spends money on while lobbying for or against a bill.
We advocate increased municipal control over county budgets.
We advocate full state financing of any municipal programs that are mandated by state law.
The Federal Government. We oppose limiting the tenure of members of Congress, since term limits deprive the government of the services of experienced politicians, leaving legislative bodies vulnerable to undue influence by un-elected staff and special-interest lobbyists.
More fundamentally, term limits are undemocratic, since they deprive the voters of their basic right to choose between experienced and inexperienced candidates. The proper way to get rid of an undesirable incumbent is to defeat him or her at the polls.
Honoraria or gifts of substance should be banned at the national and state level of government. This ban should not apply to compensation for activities by government employees which are unrelated to their government work.
We support statehood for the District of Columbia.
VIII. Taxes
The Maine Democratic Party supports a total review of the state and federal tax structure. We call for making any changes in the tax structure progressive in nature.
Social Security and Related Funds. We support a strong Social Security system with cost-of-living adjustments. We oppose any proposals, such as funding other programs from this fund, that would weaken the long-term commitments of the system.
We support a similar commitment, with cost-of-living adjustments, to those other retirement systems for which the Federal government is responsible, including those which pertain to government employees. We also support a like commitment to the Maine Retirement Fund, especially during the current budget crisis.
IX. International Security
The Maine Democratic Party believes that the primary objectives of the United States foreign policy are to promote the security and interest of the United States and to advance the ideals of freedom, peace, justice, and democracy in the world, These goals require maintenance of armed forces capable of offsetting any threat to the security of the United States. However, we also recognize that in the present world climate threats to American security are becoming increasingly non-military in nature.
Therefore, we call for a continuing shift in federal budget priorities to respond to our nation’s real security needs. Specifically, we call for an end to unnecessary production and testing of new nuclear weapons system. We call for continuing reduction of the U.S. military budget and redirection of the money saved towards rebuilding our economy, meeting human needs, protecting and restoring the environment, reducing the federal deficit, and assisting demobilized troops and defense-dependent industries, workers, and communities as they shift from military to civilian enterprise.
The increasing dependence of our nation’s economy on the strength and openness of the world’s economy, the persistence of poverty on a global scale, an ever-expanding population, recurrent famine in Asia and Africa, and the rapidly deteriorating ecology of our planet force us to ac-knowledge the futility of basing our national security on military might alone. We must upgrade our concerns over non-military threats to American security and place them on a par with military ones, for we recognize that ultimately the peoples of the world will learn to prosper together or will perish together.
International Organizations. We believe that the only hope of permanently avoiding war, including nuclear war, is through dialogue and cooperation among nations. To this end we must support and work to improve the effectiveness of such organizations as the United Nations and the World Court. We must work within the framework of these organizations to deter aggression, using diplomatic and economic means whenever possible. Only when such means have clearly failed should we consider the use of force.
The United States, as the world’s most powerful nation, must not shrink from participating in legitimate United Nations peacekeeping missions, recognizing that some casualties are likely to result but that failure to assume our share of the international burden could produce far more casualties military and civilian – later on.
The United States must pay its agreed-upon share of the operating expenses of those international organizations to which it belongs.
Control of Arms Sales. We should support the agreement among the five permanent Security Council members to limit their sales of conventional weapons to other countries. We advocate extension of the agreement to cover sales by all countries and to establish verification procedures. We should also support sanctions against any country that violates the agreement. Our own government must exercise greater vigilance to prevent illegal arms sales by American companies, and violators should be prohibited from selling products of any kind in our domestic market. Our government should cease the practice of auctioning arms to its citizens or to anyone else.
Disarmament. We support efforts to achieve a worldwide moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. We support worldwide negotiations for the elimination of all nuclear, chemical and biological warfare weapons and of facilities for their production.
Human Rights. Human rights records of countries which receive American aid should be considered an important factor in determining the continuation or level of that aid.
Democracy. If the U.S. is to maintain its leadership in the cause of world peace and democracy we must avoid any and all attempts to undermine or overthrow the legitimate governments of other countries. Intelligence agencies must confine their activities to intelligence gathering only. We call upon Congress to strengthen the ability of our media to report on military actions in a full and timely fashion with appropriate safeguards for the security of operations and personnel.
X. International Trade
Opening Foreign Markets. Our government should foster conditions in which United States businesses and workers can compete effectively in global trade.
Nations which enjoy free access to the U.S. market must give the U.S. free and equal access to their markets.
Penalties for failure to abide by free and fair trade principles should be commensurate with the magnitude of the offense, with special consideration given to the effect of unfair trading practices upon United States workers.
International Trade Agreements. The Maine Democratic Party recognizes that the United States cannot dictate trade policy to the world. We support American participation in international trade agreements as it seeks to lower trade barriers and eliminate unfair subsidies.
The Maine Democratic Party recognizes, as a fundamental cornerstone of democracy, the right of the people and their legislative institutions to regulate the economy, to protect the environment and to promote the general welfare, including enforcing high standards of labor and human rights.
The General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT), as currently written by the Uruguay round, stands in opposition to these basic rights of the people. The GATT establishes a World Trade Organization, with legal personality similar to but more powerful than the United Nations, whose non-elected bureaucrats are invested with the power to dictate to governments at all levels what future or existing laws are not permissible, if they can be constructed in any way to be “non-tariff barriers to trade.” These include laws relating to economic regulations, environmental protection, labor rights and human rights.
We oppose the GATT in its current form and urge it’s congressional disapproval and subsequent renegotiation with all sectors of society represented at the table.
The effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) must be monitored so as to ensure that the security of the U.S. worker and environmental safeguards are not jeopardized and that foreign investment in Maine does not result in job loss or environmental degradation.
XI. Global Environment
Safeguards for the Environment. The United States must take a more active role in the promoting international agreements that take immediate and effective actions against practices such as the production of chlorofluorocarbons, the burning of fossil fuels, and massive deforestation – practices which produce substances that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming through the greenhouse effect or cause acid rain.
Birth Control The United States should cooperate with other nations toward the stabilization of the world’s population.
Products. We support halting the sale abroad of environmentally damaging products and dangerous consumer items.
AIDS. We support existing international organizations addressing the AIDS crisis.
XII. Special Foreign Policy Concerns
We believe the following principles must apply worldwide:
1. We must support and assist nations and peoples who are striving to establish democratic futures for themselves;
2. We must support and assist nations and peoples who are striving to negotiate solutions to longstanding regional disputes or to overcome internal divisions among their various ethnic or other groups;
3. While attempting to maintain friendly relations with all countries, we must seek improvement in the human rights climate wherever applicable. We must ensure that no goods produced by political prison inmates reach U.S. markets;
4. We must work for the rights and well being of minorities and indigenous people, everywhere;
5. Our country must encourage open emigration everywhere and accept political refugees without regard to race, nationality, disability, or ideology. We must never force refugees to return to areas where they could be in danger; and
6. We must promptly ratify those United Nations conventions on human rights to which our government is a signatory, and we must strive to follow their provisions in our own actions.
7. The Maine Democratic Party opposes the United States’ blockade against Cuba. We recognize that ending this blockade would impact positively on Maine’s economy and we further recognize that shortages created by this blockade are the cause of hardship and suffering in Cuba. We en-courage our elected officials at all levels to unite and support legislation such as the Free Trade with Cuba Act (HR 2229) as introduced by Congressman Charles Rangel, Democrat of New York. Congressman Tom Andrews of Maine is among the co-sponsors of this bill. The Free Trade with Cuba Act if enacted by congress would virtually undo the blockade against Cuba and normalize relations between Cuba and the United States.
Source: Copy provided by Carl E. Pease, Windsor, 2008.