Rick
---------------------
Forwarded message:
Subj: Fwd: Democratic platform affirms party's moderate stance
Date: 96-07-22 23:24:14 EDT
From: KiviLeroux
To: RicAnthony
Recycling's in the platform.
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: AOLNewsProfiles@aol.net
Date: 96-07-12 15:43:58 EDT
KANSAS CITY (Reuter) - The preliminary draft of the
Democratic party campaign platform has vowed continued efforts
to reduce the federal budget deficit while advocating targeted
tax cuts for families.
The platform planks, or principles, reviewed by a platform
writing committee in Kansas City Thursday touted President
Clinton's accomplishments without breaking new ground while
reflecting his views for a smaller, more efficient federal
government.
The wide-ranging 26-page draft document, which will be
fine-tuned at a meeting in Pittsburgh next month and finalized
at the party convention in Chicago, addresses various topics
from tobacco use by minors to global trade and security.
Among the points mentioned in the platform:
- Recommend a Clinton plan to balance the federal budget by
2002, while protecting programs that support health care for the
poor and elderly, education, and the environment.
- A proposal for a $500 tax cut for middle-class families
for each child.
- Increase funding for education programs such as Head Start
and offer tax breaks to families with children in college. Goal
of insuring every American has the opportunity for at least two
years of college.
- Simplify federal job training programs so that unemployed
workers receive vouchers.
- Commitment to ensuring access for all Americans to
affordable health care (slightly toned down from the 1992
platform which firmly stated health care was a right, not a
privilege). Proposed reforms include not allowing insurance
companies to deny coverage to anyone with a pre-existing health
condition, making insurange coverage portable during job shifts
and federal help to pay insurance premiums.
- On minimum wage, draft-writing panel said it would
consider linking the wage rate to inflation but that was not
specified in the draft document.
- Call for Congress to act to safeguard Social Security
program.
- Urge passage of laws for workers that would allow unpaid
leaves for family emergencies, and flexible schedules for
workers who want to spend compensatory time with families.
- Support for a tax credit to encourage adoption.
- Suggested crackdown on children's access to cigarettes and
curtail tobacco advertising aimed at minors.
- Urged parents to ``put their children first,'' by helping
them with homework, teach right from wrong and set a good
example.
- Ask for passage of national welfare reform that requires
those who can work to get jobs, coupled with federal help for
those coming off the rolls in securing child day care and health
care.
- Affirm support for a woman's right to an abortion,
regardless of her ability to pay. For the first time, included
''conscience'' clause that recognizes anti-abortion members of
the party.
- Urged passage campaign finance reform legislation that
would limit spending on campaigns, end the use of party ``soft
money'' and provide free television time for candidates.
- Continue to lower international trade barriers while
fighting to level the playing field on business practices.
- Strengthen the military by fully funding a five-year
Pentagon defense plan while reviewing its overall structure.
- Support efforts to sign a comprehensive nuclear test ban
treaty, and called for Senate ratification of the Chemical
Weapons Convention.
- Support scaled-down $3 billion missile defense program to
protect troops from shorter-range missiles, in contrast to
Republican support for Star Wars missile defense program.
- On domestic crime, promise Clinton would veto Republican
attempts to repeal gun control bills. Urged passage of bill
banning armor-piercing, ``cop-killer'' bullets.
- On the environment, urge passage of global curb on
greenhouse gases. Also supported efforts to promote recycling,
energy efficiency, mass transit, cleaner cars and renewable
energy sources.
^REUTER@
(c) 1996, Reuters Limited. This material is for personal use only.
Republication and redissemination, including posting to news groups, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.