The Democratic Party supports policies
that ensure equality of opportunity, enrich our children,
foster economic security and promote vibrant communities.
We strongly support
Affirmative Action, to ensure equal opportunity for
all citizens. We celebrate the diversity of this state and
country and we oppose discrimination in any form it takes
.
Ours is truly the
Party that seeks to "Leave No Child Behind." We propose new commitments to reduce class size, making
early childhood education universal and expanding after-school
opportunities. We call for increased professionalism and
accountability in our foster care system, improved adoption
procedures and vigorous enforcement of child support. We
support a range of options for preventing teen pregnancy,
including comprehensive health and sex education, school-based
clinics, abstinence, peer counseling and career services.
We support the existing
federal Family & Medical Leave Act, but recognize
it does not go far enough in meeting the needs of all working
families, because many cannot afford to take unpaid time
off or work for employers not covered by its mandate. Paid
family and medical leave would ensure that workers are not
forced to choose between work and their own health needs,
or the care and well-being of their families and children.
We reaffirm our support
for The Equal Rights Amendment to the constitution
of the Commonwealth. We advocate policies to end gender-based
discrimination and disparities in the workplace, and to
improve pension security for women.
We believe that commitments
to the financial security and physical well-being of older Americans are core values of our Party, and we oppose all
proposals that would undermine or dismantle Medicare and
Social Security. We strongly support the range of programs
funded through The Older Americans Act, as well as other
federal and state efforts, to help elders maintain lives
of dignity and independence, and to remain in their own
homes and communities, if they wish.
We reaffirm our support
for The Americans with Disabilities Act and other
laws to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability,
and for efforts to bring the state into full ADA compliance.
We support equal treatment
of domestic partners in health insurance, pension
access, and inheritance, and we support the provision of
domestic partnership in the private and public sectors,
including for both state and federal employees. We oppose
efforts that would ban the provision of any benefits to
gay and lesbian families that are now granted exclusively
to married couples under Massachusetts law.
We reaffirm our commitment
to ensuring veterans' access to quality medical care
through the facilities and programs of the Veteran's Administration.
We support additional coverage for the treatment of veterans'
illnesses such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Gulf War
Syndrome and other diseases resulting from agents of war,
including specifically through exposure to Agent Orange.
We believe in the
energy and idealism of young people as a force for social
change and justice in the world around us. We restate
our support for programs like AmeriCorps that offer young
people a way to come together to serve the needs of their
communities.
We recognize the ongoing
value and importance of volunteerism and service
to our communities, our state and our nation. We acknowledge
and commend the work of grassroots citizen groups who have
been responsible for so many advances in the important causes
of concern to our Party.