The DeKalb County Democrats Platform

PLATFORM OF THE DEKALB COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY 

The Democratic Party of DeKalb County recognizes the need in a democratic society to actively participate in the political process. We encourage all people to become informed and involved in public decision-making, actively promote social awareness, community involvement, and political activism in order to achieve a more fair and just society.  To quote a famous Democratic president, “Equal opportunity for all, special privileges for none.”  Government at its core is citizens working together to achieve more than they might acting individually.  
 

We believe in a society, which has as its guiding principles:  

1. Education: The key to prosperity and the wisest investment we can make in the future of our nation and state in a competitive global economy is education. Quality public education is essential to providing equal opportunity for success. It is critical for the maintenance of a democratic society and to create opportunities for its citizens. To attain this for all citizens:  

• There should be equal access to public educational services. 
• Education should be encouraged as a life-long pursuit. 
• New approaches toward achieving equitable funding for public education should be examined. 
• NIU is one of the County’s greatest assets for attracting high-paying technology jobs and business.

Therefore, we support in our County:  

• Public schools that offer a well-rounded education in the sciences, humanities, arts, and athletics.
• Preserving and expanding the principle of exceptional, affordable, inclusive higher education.
• Promoting the use of the county’s educational resources to assist local business and industry.
• Funding education through a combination of funding sources rather than solely on property taxes.

 NOTE: Under Republican leadership, funding on a per capita income basis for education at all levels fell dramatically in Illinois when compared to other states (we are near the bottom) while our per capita income is near the top.  

2. Regional planning: We must promote “smart growth,” which includes sustainability of both future resources and quality of life while balancing our urban and rural environments. We have a precious resource in the rich farmland as well as our quality of life.  

We therefore enthusiastically support:  

• Further land acquisition for public land and recreational green space for County citizens.
• The DeKalb County Unified Comprehensive Plan as a positive step toward controlling growth, preserving the heritage of family farming, and protecting land from inappropriate usage.
• Regional approaches to land use, drainage, and transportation, with greater emphasis on mass transit.
• Maintaining the fluidity of Peace Road traffic patterns as a limited-access bypass road.
• The provision of efficient government services in our county and cities with special attention to improvement in rural areas. 

 3. Social Justice: Our party has had a long history of supporting social justice for all. Racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity is a source of our country’s strength, and a competitive advantage in the global economy.  

We therefore encourage and support: 

• A more inclusive society by promoting social, economic, and geographic mobility regardless of race, gender, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
• Continued development of cooperation among city, county, and university toward raising awareness of and support for cultural diversity.
• Policies at the federal, state, and county level, that will advance economic security through good wages by guaranteeing the right to organize, join unions, and bargain collectively for a living wage. Continue to advocate services to the poor and marginalized citizens of the county.
• Traditional American Ideals of a 40-hour week, overtime, and workplace safety. 

4. Health Care: Basic human needs of the citizens of our country must include available, affordable health care.  

We therefore support:  

• Protection of Social Security and Medicare
• Laws that allow negotiation of drug prices to benefit people rather than drug companies.
• Affordable, comprehensive health care as a right of all Americans and will work at the state level toward the adoption of the Bernardin Amendment, which instructs the state legislature to develop an amendment to the state constitution ensuring universal access to health care for Illinois citizens.
• Programs that support the access to health care for veterans.
• Ethical and moral biomedical research.

 5. Housing: Basic human needs of the citizens of our country must include decent housing. 

We therefore support: 

• Programs in the county that allow senior citizens to keep their homes.
• Programs in the county that will help increase the affordability of housing, such as the HUD program.
• Programs that encourage minority home ownership.
• Programs that provide shelter for the homeless and abused

 6. Social Justice and Public Safety:  Public safety for citizens is a basic human right and the responsibility of government. 

We therefore support: 

• Programs that will enrich public safety without violating constitutional rights to privacy and dissent. 
• Alternative treatments for nonviolent offenders, such as Drug and Mental Health Courts, which have been proven to significantly reduce crime.

7. Campaign Reform: The Democratic Party is concerned that the votes of individual citizens are being marginalized and that good candidates are being prevented from running for office because of escalating campaign costs and large campaign contributions.  

We therefore support: 

• Enforcement of existing laws and fairness in elections.
• Voting mechanisms that are verifiable through a paper record and a clear record of handling
• An initiative for more local financing of local elections
• Exclusion of government contractors as contributors to elections in both money and resources. 
• Public Funding for Candidates