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Monday, July 11, 2016

Platform, schmatform. Convention changes in DNC leadership, ending superdelegates, a sound VP pick all would be necessary real and not cosmetic things to ease into an "Okay, lesser evil," belief.

This Strib-AP link, and, yawn.

Moreover, for going beyond a slow-news-day-headline item, here and here. Related, this page for e-contributions, with a footer giving snailmail/paper check info.

Neither of the two major parties seems intent on earning any progressive's vote. Just not an apparent priority.

And when one tires of platform hand-waving as if it somehow might bind the next four years of a party's actions; but wanting to see what a simply stated platform for progress might appear; this link. Including energy independence; i.e., no need for foreign oil and hence no need whatsoever for aggressive interventionist foreign policy aimed at beating up whoever, because we are at economy-breaking cost funding the over-sized military budget we now have. Fire half the generals, down the officer ranks, and tell the contractors building weapons to build solar panels and wind turbines; or to cease business lines they cannot sustain absent massive government subsidy. Renewable clean energy is best for the economy and for the planet. And remember the focus of much of that linked item; our rights, and not privileges trickled down (or more frequently, not). Consider:

A Just Economy:
Set a $15/hour federal minimum wage. Break up “too-big-to-fail” banks and democratize the Federal Reserve. Reject gentrification as a model of economic development. Support development of worker and community cooperatives and small businesses. Make Wall Street, big corporations, and the rich pay their fair share of taxes. Create democratically run public banks and utilities. Replace corporate trade agreements with fair trade agreements.

or

Health Care as a Right:
Establish an improved “Medicare For All” single-payer public health insurance program to provide everyone with quality health care, at huge savings.

or

Education as a Right:
Abolish student debt to free a generation of Americans from debt servitude. Guarantee tuition-free, world-class public education from pre-school through university. End high stakes testing and public school privatization.

If there is a will for such reform, it can be financed. Do it.