Democrats Advance Most Progressive Platform in Party History

[workinclasszero]

Democrats Advance Most Progressive Platform in Party History
by ALEX SEITZ-WALD JUL 10 2016, 1:30 PM ET

ORLANDO, Fla. — Democrats advanced this weekend what is easily their most liberal platform ever as representatives of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton strove toward unity during a sometimes contentious party meeting.

The draft platform, which still needs to be ratified at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month, showed Sanders' clear influence, even though he lost a battle on his top priority, opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

"We are proud of the work that Democrats did in Orlando and for coming together to further strengthen the most progressive platform in the history of our party," said Clinton senior policy adviser Maya Harris as the two-day Platform Committee meeting wrapped up late Saturday night.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/democrats-advance-most-progressive-platform-party-history-n606646

[CrowCityDem]

1. Even Bernie is on board now, but that won't stop the "Hillary is a Republican" insults here.

[David__77]

2. Clinton is not a Republican.

And I do not consider her a "conservative Democrat." I disagree with her advocacy of a "no fly zone" in Syria:

“I personally would be advocating now for a no-fly zone and humanitarian corridors to try to stop the carnage on the ground and from the air, to try to provide some way to take stock of what’s happening, to try to stem the flow of refugees."

“I think Putin is playing a very dangerous and cynical game. He’s clearly doing everything he can to prop up Assad and to establish sort of a Russian presence in Syria and the broader Middle East."

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-calls-no-fly-zones-syria

While I disagree with her on that foreign policy matter, I do not consider that this indicates that she is a Republican or a conservative.

[realmirage]

4. Why do so many people keep spreading this ridiculous lie?

Hillary said she would only support the no-fly thing if Russia was on board. This is one of those Hillary hater fake talking points. I assume you heard it and didn't research the whole issue.

[David__77]

6. I don't have that information.

I don't consider that I've done much research on this. I read some articles around the time those comments were made. I don't have any information indicating that she didn't advocate for a no fly zone implemented in the absence of Russian participation and support. That sounds rather strange to me, given her criticism of Russian support for the Syrian government. I would be very pleased were it the case that she stated that she only advocates for a no fly zone with Russian support.

While I don't consider it your responsibility to provide me with information on that, were I to get it, I would be very appreciative. I don't want to make conclusions based on bad data.

[realmirage]

8. Here ya go

Just another smear by fake progressives and the GOP that got through the filter

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-syria-russia_us_5614695de4b0fad1591a0574

[David__77]

9. Thanks for the information. I do disagree with her support for building an insurgent army in Syria.

I'm glad that she said she recognized that it wouldn't be workable without Russia being part of it, by which I hope she meant Russian support.

She also said:

"The failure to help build up a credible fighting force of the people who were the originators of the protests against Assad—there were Islamists, there were secularists, there was everything in the middle—the failure to do that left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled."

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/

She does not state who she thinks should have helped "build up a credible fighting force." I think that she believes that should have been the United States. I do not agree with that assessment. I think that further US intervention would not have led to the destruction of the Syrian state; instead, I think that it would have led to the creation of addition power vacuum.

I don't think that her assessments and recommendations on the Syrian question make her a Republican or a conservative. I do have unease with the statement I quoted above.

[realmirage]

10. She meant giving them weapons

not sending troops. Probably the best, and most interesting documentary on this topic is this:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/rise-of-isis/

It's short and will make you more informed on this issue than 90+% of people, in 50 minutes. Warning: it has extremely graphic war scenes.

[David__77]

11. I understand. I don't think weapons should have been given.

I think, at this point, a workable solution might be one that includes elections in which Assad would be free to participate.

[realmirage]

13. You might disagree after watching that documentary

[David__77]

3. In 1972, the platform advocated guaranteed employment.

"Full employment—a guaranteed job for all—is the primary economic objective of the Democratic Party."

"Public service employment must be greatly expanded in order to make the government the employer of last resort and guarantee a job for all."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=29605

I do not mean to state that the 2016 platform isn't progressive. I do think that the 1972 platform contained progressive elements that are not included in the 2016 platform.

[realmirage]

5. It can exclude that one thing and still be the most progressive in history.

[David__77]

7. I don't mean to invalidate that.

...

[Eric J in MN]

12. Thanks, I was wondering if earlier platforms

...were more progressive in some ways. You showed 1972's was.

I noticed the 1972 platform is also more progressive by saying, "We believe that war is a waste of human life."

[BlueEye]

14. "War is a waste of human life."

That's a powerful statement, certainly one that resonated in 1972, but one that may have value again today.

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. Thankyou Bernie!!

For sticking in there despite all the whiners telling you to bow our early. You had a job to do for the progressives in the party and you came through.

And thanks also to Hillary for being willing to listen. I just pray these issues will stay front and center after next January.