Join Howard Dean’s Rally in Pittsburgh + Let Your Voice Be Heard at the All-Important Platform Meeting This Weekend

If you can find ANY way to get to Pittsburgh this weekend, YOU could make the difference at both the Denver convention and for ALL future Democratic primaries. This is a historic gathering in that it is a rare instance in which the platform committee has high-stakes matters to debate and vote on, and where there is significant division within the party as well as which rules should govern the democratic process.

Imagine if we could change future primaries so that there are never again any caucuses — that alone makes going to Pittsburgh worth it! Imagine if we can ensure that Democratic candidates must endorse “universal health care,” that alone is worth it. Imagine if we can ensure that Democratic candidates must speak out for ALL human rights, including gender and sexual equality, that alone is worth it.

YOUR first job at 4:30 p.m. this Friday (August 8): Greet Howard Dean at his (cough) “Register for Change” rally at “Freedom Corner,” at the intersections of Centre Avenue & Crawford Street in Pittsburgh (about one mile from the Westin Hotel, 1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, where most of the delegates will be staying). Carry a “I Own My Vote” sign with you! (Overnight orders, or call (800) 243-8293 or (623) 869-8233 | minimum order of 25 signs costs $69.95. Stickers and other signs will be available tomorrow.)

YOUR second job on Saturday (August 9): Bear witness. These meetings are open to the public, but we will need to be quiet during the actual meeting and abide with parliamentary procedures. Meet and mingle with members of the Platform Committee — three from each of our 50 states — and lobby for the measures listed in the IOwnMyVote platform survey. (A full list of the measures is below the fold.) You will go to the Pittsburgh Convention Center aka David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA. Platform meetings will be held in the “Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom” (3rd floor) at the convention center. Here is the schedule of events:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2008

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Amendments Submission / Drop-Off
Outside Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3
PrdP floor
NOTE:
5:00 p.m. is the DEADLINE for submitting proposed amendments

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Member Registration
Outside Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3
PrdP floor

4:15 pm – 5:30 pm Pittsburgh Register for Change Rally
Featuring DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean
Freedom Corner
Intersection of Centre Avenue & Crawford Street

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2008

8:00 am Member Registration Opens
Outside Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3
PrdP Floor

9:30am – 1:00 pm Platform Committee Meeting
Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3
PrdP Floor

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch Break
(Lunch items available for members to purchase)
Rooms 301-303

1:00 pm – 7:00 pm Platform Committee Meeting Continued
Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 3
PrdP Floor

::::::::::::::::::

BACK TO OUR SURVEY: We also promise that, once the math crunching is done, you’ll get to see how everyone voted on each measure (which you can read below).

In the meantime …

… if you haven’t voted, please do.

… if you haven’t e-mailed ALL of your friends and asked them to vote, please do it today. Thanks!
………………………………………………

Many people think the party platform is a document with no force, but it is actually binding on the party and the next DNC chair for four years. As Hillary supporters who believe the party needs to be reformed, it is absolutely critical that we use whatever opportunity we have to affect the platform.

The Obama Campaign invited voters to tell the Democratic Party what the Platform should be.

I Own My Vote responded by putting forward 10 possible platform planks that address the concerns of Hillary Clinton’s supporters and asking people who signed the I Own My Vote Pledge to vote on whether they agree or disagree with each plank. Each plank that receives a majority of the votes will be submitted to the DNC as part of the I Own My Vote Platform Suggestions.

Hillary’s platform committee members are waiting for this platform.

It is our goal that over 1000 3,000 people will participate in our virtual platform meeting so we can show a real commitment to the positions we articulate. (We passed 1,000 long ago, and will pass 3,000 soon.) So please, sign the I Own My Vote pledge and visit the virtual platform committee now.

HERE ARE THE PLATFORM MEASURES YOU WILL BE ENDORSING. You may vote yes or on on each. This is, after all, a DEMOCRACY. VOTE now, and then ponder the possibilities! We could actually change how the Democratic party operates its primaries!

Equal Rights Amendment

The Democratic Party apologizes to all women for removing the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment from John Kerry’s 2004 Democratic National Convention Platform.

The Equal Rights Amendment must be passed during the next congressional session.

VOTE.

Universal Healthcare

The Democratic Party will use all available means to create a system of universal healthcare under which 100% of the population will be covered by comprehensive health insurance.

The Democratic Party and its leaders will oppose any efforts to redefine the term “universal healthcare” to mean any policy that insures less than 100% of the population.

We believe that Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan is the most effective way to create a system of universal healthcare for all Americans.

The United States must mandate that all citizens have health insurance.

Vote

One Person One Vote

In our democratic system, every adult person is entitled to one vote.

The 2008 primaries illustrated that a caucus vote is worth more than a primary vote because each delegate elected by caucus represents less voters than each delegate elected by primary.

Caucuses allow party officials to exert undue influence and coercion over voters.

Caucuses are immune from federal oversight, while primaries are subject to federal election law.

Therefore, the Democratic Party will forbid caucuses in all future nominating processes and will require all states to conduct primaries to select their delegates to future national conventions.

VOTE.

Fair Reflection

The Democratic Party and Senator Obama apologize to the voters of Michigan for supporting a delegate selection plan that allotted pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention through a method that substituted the judgment of members of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee for the judgment of Michigan’s voters.
VOTE.

No Geographic Preference

No state is more important than any other state. No voter is more important than any other voter.

The Democratic Party has engaged in a practice that has given preference to some states over others.

In the future the Democratic National Committee will not give preference to any state in scheduling the primary elections.

So long as all states hold their primaries within a prescribed window of time, the Democratic Party will not penalize any state for scheduling its primary before or after any other, even if as a result all states schedule their primaries for the same day.

VOTE.

Discrimination

The Democratic Party will not tolerate discrimination based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or nation of origin.

The Democratic Party leadership, including the DNC executive committee, presidential and vice-presidential nominees, House and Senate leadership, and members of all committees within the Democratic National Committee, will from this point forward publicly defend candidates and officeholders who are attacked on any of these bases in the media.

VOTE.

Prevention of Unjust and Foolish Wars

The Democratic Party opposes all unjust and foolish wars.

The key to preventing unjust and foolish wars is an informed electorate with a vested interest in the nation’s military policies who will hold Congress accountable.

Relying on a volunteer military constituted of paid soldiers and contractors insulates the vast majority of Americans from the dangers and consequences of our nation’s military actions.

The Democratic Party opposes any disproportionate impact such military composition has on individuals, families, and communities based on race, economic status, economic opportunity, or educational level.

Barack Obama has inspired young people everywhere to support him. The Democratic Party believes that these young people are the key to stopping unjust and foolish wars.

Therefore, the Democratic Party supports the reinstatement of the draft as proposed by Congressman Charlie Rangel of New York.

VOTE.

A Fair, Open, and Legitimate Convention

It is in the best interests of Party unity that there be no question about the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The election of the Democratic nominees for the offices of president and vice president shall take place at the Democratic National Convention.

Party leaders shall not do anything to discourage or suppress the delegate vote at the Democratic National Convention.

In the event that any candidate receives more than 25% of the popular vote for president, his or her name shall be automatically entered into nomination for the office of president of the united states and the secretary of the convention shall take a roll call vote of all the delegates. In this eventuality, the party shall not nominate any candidate for president by aclimation.

VOTE.

LGBT Rights

All members of the Democratic Party, led by the nominee for President, will work together to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to provide equal federal benefits to all married couples, with marriage defined by the state or country where the marriage was solemnized.

The Democratic Party will also use all means to ensure that the same benefits that exist for married couples exist for all civil unions.

Further, the Democratic Party and its elected officials will not fund or promote any educational material or organization that spreads a message of hate or discrimination against LGBT people.

VOTE.

Defense of Labor

The Justice Department has oversight of some labor unions such as the Teamsters because of a history of union leadership misusing union dues and pension funds.

The Democratic Party supports the working class and unionized labor.

Therefore, the Democratic Party supports continued Justice Department oversight of those labor unions to which such oversight currently applies.

GO HERE. It takes but five minutes!