2008 SENATE DISTRICT 49 DFL RESOLUTIONS

To Be Submitted to the State Convention

CIVIL, HUMAN & CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

1. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our party supports the position that waterboarding is torture, and that the U.S. should comply with the Geneva Conventions and stop torturing prisoners, suspected terrorists, and U.S. citizens.

2. Whereas, the Unitary Executive Theory asserts that all executive authority must be in the President’s hands, without exception, and

Whereas, President Bush has repeatedly asserted that presidential power must be “unilateral” and “unchecked,” and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our party states clearly that it does not support the Unitary Executive Theory, that it opposes Presidential use of signing statements to selectively enforce laws passed by Congress, and that it will oppose Supreme Court nominees who express positive or neutral understanding of the Constitutionality of this legal theory.

3. Whereas, the Bush Administration wants to “gag” and punish its attorney-soldiers who criticize U.S. policy in court, and

Whereas, the Bush Administration has proposed a politically-motivated regulation requiring that before JAG (Judge Advocate General Corps) officers can be promoted, that politically-appointed Pentagon lawyers can review and coordinate which names will receive the promotions, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our party support preventing any Bush Administration – or subsequent Administration- efforts to politicize the promotions process for JAG attorney-soldiers, under the guise of the Unitary Executive Theory, which purportedly rests all executive branch powers in the hands of the President.

EDUCATION

4. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the Minnesota Legislature, by statute or amendment to the State Constitution, enact legislation to direct that funding for public education in any school district not fall below the annual rate of inflation.

5. Whereas, the federal government has never lived up to its original commitment to fund 40% of special education costs; and

Whereas, it is apparent that the state of Minnesota is not living up to its commitment to fund these needs since 2007 school districts will us $435 million from their general education funds to subsidize these mandates; and therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the DFL Party support fully funding all special education mandates.

6. Whereas, No Child Left Behind requires 100% of our students to be proficient; and

Whereas, Minnesota has fallen below the national average in per pupil spending for the first time since that data has been collected; and

Whereas, the basic funding formula would have been $770 higher in 2007 had it kept pace with inflation; and therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the DFL Party supports Minnesota’s need to invest in its public schools and fund the per pupil formula to make up for past under funding as well keep pace with future inflation.

7. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the party reaffirms its commitment to Minnesota’s public education system, a commitment for uniform and equal opportunities for all students, professional salaries and benefits for education employees and appropriate state funding for all education programs in early childhood, K-12, special education and higher education.

8. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the party support state and federal financial aide grants, loans and tax credits, based on family income to make public higher education affordable to all citizens.

9. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the party support school-based and community early childhood programs that support families and enrich student’s lives so that they enter school prepared to learn.

ENERGY

10. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the United States shall decrease its dependence on fossil fuels.

11. Whereas, global warming is an urgent crisis threatening our quality of life and our children’s future;

Whereas “green collar” jobs could bring over 18,000 jobs in wind, solar, geothermal and biomass industries;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the Minnesota legislature in 2008 pass a Green Jobs for the Future plan, including the following legislation:

• Incentives for solar manufacturing an installation on public and private buildings, requirements for utilities to buy solar, and tax credits or rebates for individuals and small businesses installing solar;

• State loan funds for school and local governments to install wind, solar, geothermal or energy efficiency improvements;  incentives for homeowners and renters to install insulation, new windows, and other energy efficiency improvements;  and high green building standards;

• Creation of Green Manufacturing Parks, which will attract green companies especially to areas which have lost manufacturing jobs;

• Investment in public transit and adoption of “clean car” global warming pollution low emissions standards for new car manufacturing;

• Workforce training for green collar jobs and requirements for prevailing wages or living wages for publicly subsidized jobs.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC

12. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Absentee ballots will be provided to all registered voters who seek to vote by absentee ballot.

13. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Any electronic method of voting should produce a paper receipt for review by voter, and kept for any re-count by election officials.

14. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  We expect our endorsed candidates and elected officials to support open and accessible voting for eligible Minnesota residents and to oppose any legislation or political attempt to restrict voting based on factors including, but not limited to, age, race, creed, disability, political belief, economic status or housing status.

15. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our Party support the on-going investigation of Bush Administration firing of U.S. Attorneys in order to gain political advantage.

16. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our Party supports those Senators who oppose giving telecommunications companies retroactive immunity in any domestic surveillance bill for possible violations of federal law incurred while spying on American citizens for the Bush Administration anti-terrorist campaign.

17. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  Our Party support Senator Russ Feingold’s efforts to protect the privacy rights of U.S. Citizens by eliminating the Protect America Act, by ending further extensions, and by preventing the U.S. government from abusing the privacy rights of citizens by ending domestic phone call wiretaps.

18. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That the party adopts a fair public financing policy for candidates. That would minimize the effect of money on the election process and the selection of candidates.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

19. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the party support a health care system that provides affordable access and quality care for all citizens and is designed to achieve healthy communities.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

20. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That all DFL candidates and elected officials will oppose any legislation or trade agreements that do not enforce internationally recognized worker rights, human rights, and environmental standards.

21. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That all DFL endorsed candidates and elected officials will support policies that create livable wage jobs and oppose any legislation or trade policy that would result in outsourcing good jobs to foreign countries.

22. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That all DFL endorsed candidates and elected officials will oppose any tax exempt incentives for businesses which move jobs out of the United States.

23. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That all DFL endorsed candidates and elected officials will support the right of working men and women to form and join labor unions, by advocating legislation to protect workers’ organizing rights, such as the Employee Free Choice Act.  They will oppose all efforts to make it harder for workers to organize period.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL POLICY

24. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  That the United States will withdraw from Iraq as quickly as possible without endangering our troops.

NATURAL RESOURCES

25. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: To support Rep. Jim Oberstar’s Resolution 2421 to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States;

Sec 1, Short Title: Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007

Sec 5 Conforming Amendments

By striking “navigable waters of the United States” each place it appears and inserting “waters of the United States”.

In section 304 (1) (1) by striking “navigable waters” and inserting “waters of the United States”.

By striking “navigable waters” in each place it appears and inserting “waters of the United States”. 

to support protection of intermittent (or Ephemeral) streams and disconnected waters such as wetlands or isolated waters, we support Rep. Oberstar’s Bill HR 2421.

26. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  The United States of America pledges to help reduce global warming by reducing greenhouse gasses to 1990 level by the year 2012. This will require mandating US corporations and businesses which contribute to global warming to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the goals stated above.

TRANSPORTATION

27. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  We show support for the North Star Commuter Rail project.

28. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  The Democratic Party should promote expansion of mass transit, light rail, and the North Star Rail, but not fund public transportation by further increasing the gas tax.

VETERANS AFFAIRS

29. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: as veterans return home they receive the emotional, medical and financial support needed to transition back into society.

30. BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  the use of depleted uranium is banned entirely for use by the US military. Be it further resolved that the US military test all military personnel that have served in a combat area for DU exposure and that the US Government provide funding for medical care to all US military personnel and the children born of these military members with health issues due to exposure to depleted uranium.