NHDP 2018 Platform draft

2018 Platform
New Hampshire Democratic Party Platform

New Hampshire Democrats stand for policies that support strong, healthy communities and families, a strong economy with opportunities for growth and a fundamental system of fairness and justice. We believe government has a vital role in creating healthy communities and a vibrant business environment. We believe that essential elements of an attractive business environment include a healthy, well-trained workforce, quality public education, affordable housing and a comprehensive transportation and communication infrastructure. We are committed to upholding the right of every eligible voter to cast their ballot free from unnecessary restrictions.

To promote the strength of our communities, the health of our families and to create a vibrant, growing economy, New Hampshire Democrats are committed to the following values.

Jobs and the Economy

● We believe government has a vital role in creating a vibrant business environment.

● We believe in a government that promotes business development by insuring the

availability of a well trained workforce that with the skills need to compete in a

globalized economy.

● We believe in a government that establishes a comprehensive transportation

infrastructure to allow the transport of goods and services across our state and make it

possible for our businesses to thrive.

● We believe in a government that establishes an infrastructure comprehensive

telecommunications and broadband that promotes business development in both urban

and rural areas of our state.

● We believe in a government that insures high quality public education, affordable

workforce housing and the availability of health care services which makes our

communities attractive to businesses and allow them to attract qualified employees to our

state.

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Education

• We believe public education is the bedrock principle of our free and democratic society.

• ●  We believe public funds should only support public schools, as per the New Hampshire state constitution. We reject all efforts to privatize public education.
• ●  We believe all students have the right to a quality education, from early childhood through post-secondary college or technical training.
• ●  We believe all students should be able to attend college or post-secondary
  training without the burden of excessive debt. Lowering in-state tuition costs by responsibly funding our public community colleges and universities is critical to this mission.
• ●  We recognize the achievement gap between our communities. We support policies to equalize education funding and eliminate the gap for children across income levels.
• ●  We believe children and teachers have the right to be safe in school. We support enforced anti-bullying policies and laws. We support gun-free schools. We will fight any attempts to arm teachers or militarize schools under the pretense of school
  safety.

  Health Care

• ●  We believe health care is a basic human right and support universal health care coverage.
• ●  We believe quality health care must include physical, mental, and oral health care.
• ●  We support policies to improve access to health care in our rural communities and other medically underserved areas.
• ●  We believe mental health care must be delivered in the right setting, at the right time, and we oppose a broken system that forces individuals in crisis to wait for long periods of time in hospital emergency rooms. We oppose the criminalization of people with mental illness or the transfer of the mentally ill who have not been charged with a crime to a prison setting.

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• ●  We believe in access to the full range of reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion care, in a manner that is respectful, private, safe, and free from government interference in private medical decisions.
• ●  We believe in the availability of sexual and reproductive health education as a means of promoting the health and safety of our young people.
• ●  We believe in a comprehensive approach to ending the deadly opioid crisis facing our State including the expansion of prevention and treatment programs. .

  Environment, Energy and Agriculture

• ●  We believe climate change presents a real and imminent threat to our future and that it is our responsibility to proactively address and counter its effects. We reject all efforts to deny the validity of science.
• ●  We believe we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by investing in energy efficient and renewable energy resources and infrastructure.
• ●  We believe preserving clean air, clean water and a healthy environment for today and tomorrow is our duty and responsibility .
• ●  We believe that economic development must occur in a way that protects our environment and preserves our natural resources for future generations.
• ●  We support the protection of our public parks and recreation areas which enable us all to enjoy the beauty of our state.
• ●  We will take action to ensure that all residents in every community have access to secure food resources.
• ●  We will protect local family farms that feed New Hampshire and its economy.

  Public Safety & Justice

• ●  We support our law enforcement, firefighters and EMS personnel and other first responders who keep our citizens safe. We support proper staffing in accordance with national standards and the recommendations of subject matter experts.
• ●  We believe in universal background checks to protect our communities from gun violence.

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• ●  We believe that military style weapons, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines do not belong on our streets.
• ●  We believe that the establishment of gun free zones in certain public places, such as schools as a means of reducing gun violence.
• ●  We support a ban on guns in and on the floor of our State House for the safety of our residents, guests and children who visit.
• ●  We believe that prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation are the most effective means of curbing violent and repeat offenders while maximizing taxpayer resources.
• ●  We support drug courts and other diversion programs that prioritize treatment and rehabilitation, rather than incarceration, for low-level, nonviolent drug offenders.
• ●  We believe that strategic policies on regulation, taxation, and enforcement are critical prior to any action to fully legalize marijuana.
• ●  We support full, fair, and timely access to our courts, both criminal and civil, and in the protection of the constitutional right to a trial by jury.
• ●  We oppose unreasonable bail for the indigent and the incarceration due to an inability to pay bail or criminal fines.
• ●  We support the repeal of capital punishment in our state, consistent with Part 1, Article 18 of the New Hampshire Constitution which states “the true design of all punishments being to reform, not to exterminate mankind.”
• ●  We believe the privatization of prisons creates improper incentives toward imprisonment rather than prevention, treatment and rehabilitation and unnecessarily increases the cost to taxpayers.

  Transportation and Infrastructure

• ●  We believe that a comprehensive transportation system promotes social and economic justice by allowing all the of the people and businesses in our state to take advantage of opportunities regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances.
• ●  We believe in policies that promote the growth and development of multiple modes of interconnected, affordable public transportation, including commuter rail and bus service throughout our state including our rural areas.

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• ●  We believe investing in our roads, bridges, ports, airports, water systems and utilities is essential to ensuring future business development and to protecting the safety of our residents.
• ●  We believe that access to emerging telecommunications and information services technologies, including broadband and wireless service, is essential to supporting business development as well as the safety and growth of our communities.

  Support for Our Veterans

• ●  We believe the best way to honor all our veterans is to keep our commitment to provide physical and mental healthcare, education, and disability support for their life time.
• ●  We support policies that create employment opportunities for veterans and address the problem of homelessness.
• ●  We support the expansion of access to health care through contracting with local hospitals and doctors to ensure Veterans have access to health care services in both urban and rural areas across the State.

  Support for Our Workers

• ●  We believe that government at its best supports and protects the rights of workers.
• ●  We support the rights of all public and private sector workers to organize and form unions in order to collectively bargain for livable wages, fair benefits and safe working conditions.
• ●  We oppose efforts to undermine these rights to collectively bargain, especially so-called “Right to Work” legislation and efforts to reduce bargaining unit membership.
• ●  We believe the growing wage gap and the resulting struggle of middle class workers to provide for the needs of their families undermines our families and our communities.
• ●  We believe that all public and private sector workers are entitled to fair, competitive wages and that the minimum wage should be a livable wage.
• ●  We believe the promises of pensions should be upheld and not infringed. Every person should be able to retire and live in retirement with dignity and good healthcare.
• ●  We will fight for the rights of women and minorities in all aspects of society, including the workplace and in equal pay for equal work.

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The Next Generation

• ●  We recognize the future prosperity of our state requires that we actively create communities that keep and attract young people to our state.
• ●  We believe in policies that allow students to afford public higher education and training without the shackling burden of excessive debt.
• ●  We support family friendly policies, such as paid family leave and affordable childcare that enable our young people to work and support healthy families.
• ●  We believe affordable housing is critical to making our state more accessible to young people and maintaining a thriving workforce.
• ●  We believe the availability of telecommunications and information services technology across rural and urban areas is critical to enabling our next generation to live and work, grow families and establish businesses in our State.

  Diversity Makes Us Stronger

• ●  We believe diversity is our strength and investing in it makes us stronger and more welcoming to new comers and business.
• ●  We support all people regardless of race, religious beliefs, disability, immigration status, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ+)
• ●  We believe in basic protections and security for all people in our state, and that everyone should be free from discrimination in all areas of our society including in employment, housing, education, health care, our justice system and in accessing all areas of public accommodations.
• ●  We believe immigration is not a problem to be solved, it’s an opportunity for growth.
• ●  We object to the use of state funds and state authorities to enforce federal immigration laws which destroy families and disrupt communities.

  Voting Rights and Democracy

● We believe that voting is a right and responsibility and not a privilege.

• ●  We believe in policies that broaden voter participation and reject laws that unreasonably restrict the right to vote. Voter identification laws or other measures that are aimed at preventing students, the elderly, voters with disabilities, or minorities from exercising their constitutional right to vote are counter to our democratic principles.
• ●  We support automatic registration and the continuation of same day registration.
• ●  We support a non-partisan state redistricting process designed to be free of partisan gerrymandering.
• ●  We believe educating our citizens regarding their rights, starting with civics education in school, is essential to our democracy.

  First in the Nation Primary

• ●  We are proud to support and defend New Hampshire’s first in the nation primary and will fight to protect this important status.
• ●  We welcome all candidates to our state, treat them fairly and take the responsibility of hosting primary candidates seriously.
• ●  We are committed to maintaining fairness and respecting all candidates in primary elections.

  Fiscal Responsibility

• ●  We believe government provides essential services including the health and safety of our residents, public education, the protection of our environment, access to courts and justice, consumer protection, and the physical infrastructure necessary to maintain a robust economy and expand employment opportunities.
• ●  We believe the budget not only must reflect the true costs of operating an effective and efficient government but also must be supported by sufficient revenues and honest revenue estimates.
• ●  We oppose unfunded mandates and downshifting costs to the local property taxpayer.
• ●  We respect both the will of the people and the constitutional requirement of fair and equal taxation.

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● We are committed to engaging New Hampshire residents in an effort to develop fiscally sound, transparent, and accountable approaches to a balanced budget designed to serve the needs of our residents and our economy.

Respectfully submitted,

Cinde Warmington, Chair
Representative Cindy Rosenwald, Co-chair Senator Donna Soucy, Co-chair
Gerri Cannon
Dan Chartrand
Shoshanna Kelly
Gene Martin
Michelle Moge
Susan Moore
Laura O’Neill
Ken Roos
Dario Scalco
Meredith Shevitz
Michael Strand
Margaret Rice
Zandra Rice-Hawkins

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