This platform is a declaration of human rights, justice and equality for all.

We affirm the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and expect government at all levels to champion these rights.

We cherish freedom of speech and expression as fundamental blessings of liberty.

We recognize that our strength rests upon respect for diversity in all forms.

Government must be open and accountable to the people.

We adopt this platform so the public and candidates for office understand our Democratic ideals.

Civil and Human Rights

We believe ..
1. Clean air and water, food, housing, medical care, education and jobs are basic human rights.
2. Discrimination of any kind is wrong and that those who face discrimination must be afforded the legal means and economic opportunities to overcome such injustices.
3. In affirmative action and laws designed to ensure that prejudice does not prevent qualified persons from obtaining education, employment, promotion, housing, insurance or any other social good.
4. In a woman's reproductive rights, including the right to choose an abortion, regardless of age or ability to pay, in the United States or abroad.
5. In the inalienable rights of all adults to enter into loving relationships with the person of their choice, regardless of their gender or gender identity and that local, state and federal governments must recognize the relationships of same-gender couples, granting all couples equal rights under the law, including the right to marry and all the rights associated with marriage.
6. In the separation of religion and state and oppose organized prayer in public schools and granting of public money to religious charities or schools which require a profession of faith or act of worship as a condition of participation.
7. Any immigration policy that denies civil and/or human rights or educational opportunities to immigrants and their children be opposed, regardless of their immigration status.
8. Any efforts to legislate English as the official language disregard cultural pluralism, deprive those in need of education, social services and employment, and must be challenged.
9. That each individual has a right to privacy, and government or business must recognize and respect that right.
10. In an individual’s right to choose medically assisted death with dignity, with suitable safeguards.
11. In opposing the exploitation of people, especially children, under any circumstances as set forth in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its Conventions.
12. Until adequate housing is available for all, government shall ensure the right of all to safe, clean shelter by assisting homeless persons in Interim Survival Mechanisms, including but not limited to indoor emergency shelters and outdoor tent cities.
13. That federal recognition of the Duwamish Tribe is long overdue.
14. In the enforcement and expansion of the Freedom of Information Act.
15. In the end to the following trespasses against our founding documents:“Free Speech Zones”
" No fly lists”
FBI infiltration of church, libraries, book stores and political organizations;
Indefinite detentions without charges;
Military Tribunals;
Denial of access to counsel and writ of habeas corpus;
Infringements on attorney client privilege.
16. Repealing the Patriot Act
17. In supporting the full rights of people with disabilities to equal access to public accommodations, employment, transportation, telecommunications, voting, and government services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
18. We must replace the Electoral College with a nationwide majority system in time for the 2008 Presidential Election.
19. In everyone’s right to refuse to support injustices, to refuse to kill, to destroy homes, to occupy another people in violation of international law.
20. In the automatic return of the vote to all felons who have served their time.
21. In opposing the resumption of the military draft.
22. In rejecting the concept of corporate personhood and support legislation and litigation to challenge this obstacle to a functional democracy.
23. In the right of all people, including those at Guantanomo, to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, to be released from detention within 7 days of apprehension unless charged with a crime or classified as a POW in a declared war, to legal representation and communication with loved ones if detained, to humane conditions under detention, regardless of citizenship or location of apprehension.

Economic Justice
We believe ..
1. No public services such as education, public safety, utilities, parks and human services should be privatized, outsourced or off-shored.
2. Taxes are a privilege of citizenship and are required to support the infrastructure and provide a high quality of life for all.
3. Government should ensure universal access to basic services such as adequate housing, adequate medical care, means of transportation, health and auto insurance, utilities, education and safe working conditions.
4. In reversing the growing gap between the rich and the poor, which has been fueled by the downward trend in wages, soaring executive pay, and increasingly regressive taxes.
5. Washington needs a more progressive tax system, where those who have more share a higher percent of the tax burden, including personal and corporate income tax, and reduced sales and business and occupation taxes.
6. Government has a public trust to use tax dollars wisely.
7. Economic policies and business practices should promote creation of living-wage jobs and sustainable economic growth, which does not damage the environment.
8. Government should protect both public and private pension plans and ensure that persons enrolled in such plans will be included in processes affecting their pensions.
9. Social Security:
Cannot have long-term solvency if it is privatized in any degree,
Should ensure that disabled and dependent survivor benefits are fairly and universally maintained, and
Should continue to make progress in full coverage of all Americans when they retire or are disabled.
10. In fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction.
11. In the promotion of research and development in new high tech industries.
12. In immediately starting a public works program to build, repair and maintain the nation’s infrastructure.
13. All American corporations must pay their fair share of taxes, eliminating tax breaks for doing business offshore.
14. In strong consumer protection.
15. Congress must fully fund Veterans’ benefits.

Education
We believe ..
1. In an excellent public education system through:
Decreasing class sizes
Increasing teachers’ salaries
Expanding pre-school and after school programs including Head Start
Hiring counselors and nurses in every school
Job training, vocational education, and apprenticeship programs for non-college bound students
Renovation of decaying facilities
2. Schools must be safe from bullying, harassment and violence for students, staff and community members.
3. That all high school graduates, in Washington State, must have access to a higher education regardless of means.
4. A simple majority vote should be sufficient to pass school levies and bonds.
5. In public schools and oppose vouchers to private schools. We oppose Charter schools, as they are an unproven experiment and drain resources from public schools.
6. In all public education employees' right to organize, engage in collective bargaining and strike without fear of reprisal or replacement.
7. In full inclusion in the school environment of all students regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status or disability.
8. In supporting our state constitution, which does mandate full educational funding for schools.
9. In age-appropriate, research-based health education on sex and alcohol and other drugs at all levels of K-12 education.
10. There is no place for commercialism (e.g. junk food and advertising) in public schools in the State of Washington.
11. In exploring other methods of funding educational capital projects other than logging public lands.
12. In repealing provisions of the Higher Education Act that deny federal financial aid to students convicted of drug offenses.
13. In supporting restraints on aggressive military recruiting in public schools and equal opportunity for dissenting opinions.

Environment and Energy
We believe ..
1. In the sovereign right of the people to make laws to protect their health, safety and welfare. The government shall make no law, treaty or agreement limiting the application or effect of duly constituted national, state, and local laws and regulations protecting clean air, clean water, food safety and worker safety.
2. In widespread research and use of energy efficient and renewable natural sources of power.
3. In opposing development and oil exploration in any national wildlife refuge.
4. Our cities must fully support neighborhood planning and open space, playfields and open libraries.
5. In economic incentives for energy conservation and clean energy systems.
6. In intelligent population and growth management, limiting urban sprawl, preserving farmland, wildlife habitat and our remaining national resources.
7. Tax breaks to oil companies are not an effective means to encourage research and development of alternative power and they should be discontinued.
8. In ending the trading of energy and pollution credits that maintain the status quo in their abuse of our children’s future resources.
9. In changing our policy on public lands so that they are managed as a public trust.
10. We must be sensitive to our environment and preserve it for our children’s’ children.
11. We must encourage recycling and reuse of waste in ways that do not further contaminate the environment. We must encourage the development of alternative technologies, which do not further contribute to toxic environmental overloads.
12. Environmental protections reversed or weakened by the Bush Administration must be reinstated and all environmental laws and regulations must be vigorously enforced.
13. In protecting all environmentally sensitive lands from oil and gas, development; and protect all old growth forests from exploitation.

Foreign Policy
We believe ..
1. In the United States’ fully paid participation in the United Nations and other organizations which promote human rights, adherence to international law, democratic elections, health and safety, peace, commerce, cultural understanding, and preservation of our planet’s fragile ecosystems.
2. Our government and all states possessing nuclear weapons should take steps toward the reduction of nuclear weapons. We also urge our government to honor and ratify openly negotiated treaties to reduce nuclear proliferation.
3. Our government should restore programs supporting family planning worldwide.
4. Our government must sign and ratify the UN agreement forming an International Criminal Court, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
5. No U.S. tax dollars should be given to any nation while said nation is in violation of international law as determined by the United Nations.
6. Our state’s relationship with sovereign Native American nations and tribal governments must be built on a government-to-government relationship.
7. In opposing efforts of the Executive Branch to de-certify or overturn treaties such as ABM, International Criminal Courts, Kyoto Accords or Biological and Chemical Warfare Conventions.
8. In opposing covert efforts to de-stabilize other national governments.
9. The GATT, NAFTA, WTO and FTAA agreements are seriously flawed and should be renegotiated to incorporate human rights, labor rights, uphold existing environmental law, transparency at all levels, and basic democratic procedures accountable to the public.
10. The U.S. government should work multilaterally to eliminate terrorist networks and resolve international conflicts through diplomacy and international institutions such as the United Nations, rejecting unilateral preemptive war as a means.
11. We must renounce the development of new nuclear weapons and urge the strengthening of international disarmament treaties.
12. We must complete a timely withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and prompt creation of a democratic, independent, and fully representative Iraqi government.
13. Our nation is vulnerable to terrorism and we demand an effective comprehensive plan to ensure our security.
14. The United States should commit to vigorous, serious and persistent, engagement in a peaceful resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, promoting negotiations that lead to a viable two state solution and ensure security for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

Health Care
We believe ..
1. Health care is a basic human right, and that it is necessary and proper that government should step in to ensure parity of access to both physical and mental health care for all people when the free market has failed to provide it.
2. In establishing a national single-payer universal health care plan.
3. Federal budget monies should be used to repay funds owed to keep Social Security solvent and to ensure access to Medicare and Medicaid, rather than to reduce taxes for the rich.
4. We are entitled to freedom of choice in our own health care including the right to refuse any medical procedure or product.
5. Families and loved ones who provide care for individuals with debilitating ailments should be commended.
6. Drug and alcohol dependence is an illness and treatment should be available on demand to those who need it.
7. That existing prohibitions and or laws limiting stem cell research be revoked in order to hasten medical research and curing debilitating diseases.

Labor
We believe ..
1. In the dignity of labor.
2. In the right of all workers to organize, engage in collective bargaining, with the rights of association, assembly, free speech and due process in the workplace, and to strike without fear of reprisal or replacement.
3. In a workplace free from discrimination based upon gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity, union activity or political preference.
4. That all employees must receive equal pay for equal work.
5. In a livable minimum wage that increases with inflation.
6. In the enactment of rules providing a reasonable proportion between the pay for the highest paid person and the lowest paid in any organization.
7. That workers who are locked out should be entitled to extended unemployment benefits and retraining opportunities.
8. That all workers have a right to work in a safe, hazard-free workplace.
9. That Washington State must ensure the protection of workers who report safety hazards or other violations of law or regulations in the workplace.
10. In contractor responsibility to the community through responsible bidder language in all public contracts, such as issues of fair wages, health insurance, retirement & training.
11. In the union shop.
12. Migrant workers deserve safe and adequate housing, medical care, education and sanitary facilities.
13. There should be no mandatory overtime.
14. All government contracts should be at the prevailing wage, and with 15% of workers at apprentice level.
15. That for accuracy in employment statistics, unemployed persons whose benefits have expired should be counted as unemployed.
16. Independent contractors should not be used to replace regular state employees.
17. In the repeal of the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Act, which has tilted labor law in favor of employers.
18. In the automatic recognition of a union based on signatures of a majority of those represented (card-check).

Law and Justice
We believe ..
1. We as a nation must invest in children and work actively to eliminate poverty in order to help prevent future crime.
2. Criminal justice emphasis should include preventative and rehabilitative measures.
3. In the abolishment of the death penalty in favor of life without parole.
4. In safety locks on handguns, prohibition of importation and ownership of full-automatic weapons and strengthening of laws holding adults responsible for safeguarding guns in the home.
5. In universal gun registration and licensing, mandatory safety training for gun owners, and background checks on all gun sales (including at gun shows), with a minimum waiting period.
6. In jail time for white-collar crime.
7. We need a new approach to drug addiction based on treatment and education, as opposed to incarceration.
8. Drug treatment and community-based aftercare, including clean and sober housing, should be available to every offender who needs it.
9. In the matter of drug enforcement, asset seizures should be based on one’s conviction and not on arrest or assumption of guilt.
10. That we must work against racial profiling by law enforcement.
11. In security measures consistent with preservation of civil liberties at airports, border crossings, train and bus stations to protect the public and the United States from terrorist activities.
12. In ending mandatory and determinate sentencing with the immediate removal of nonviolent crimes from “3 strikes” lists.

Politics and Campaign Financing
We believe ..
1. In contribution and spending limits as an integral part of campaign finance reforms.
2. We must commit to keep our electoral processes open to all who seek the challenge of serving our country regardless of income level.
3. We must open the public airwaves to all candidates free of charge. Money should not equal speech.
4. In the declaration of Election Day as a national holiday.

Transportation
We believe ..
1. In making investments in public infrastructure that broaden transportation choices and reduce dependence on the automobile.
2. In additional fuel taxes as a responsible choice to fund essential transportation projects.
3. In the development of mass transit, the dedication of HOV lanes to high occupancy vehicles, promoting telecommuting, improving facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists and people in wheelchairs.

Human Services
We Believe…
1. Ensuring adequate human services is among the highest priorities of government, especially for those on the margins of society, including children, the elderly, and people who are impoverished, homeless, mentally ill, disabled or living with addictions.
2. In supporting welfare reform that will reduce poverty, not just the welfare rolls. Quality affordable childcare, education, training and substance abuse treatment must be provided to help working parents get off welfare.
3. In galvanizing the political will to end homelessness in our communities. It is the government’s responsibility to take the actions necessary to ensure that all people have safe and affordable housing. Affordable housing subsidies should be targeted at those who make 50% or less of the Area Median Income.
4. Public assistance (General Assistance-Unemployable/GA-U) and Medicaid to safeguard the vulnerable poor and people with disabilities who cannot reasonably provide for themselves.
5. Family planning and science-based sex education re effective tools that must be made available to give individuals and families control over their reproductive positions.

Government
We Believe…
That in the State of Washington all elections must use some form of a “paper ballot” in order to retain a record of the actual vote of the people.