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
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• 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.