My Ideal Party Platform

I’m furious that Democrats are caving to pressure to turn away from Trans rights and the progressive wing of its party, while Republicans yield to the fascist wing of theirs. We need more parties; this two-party jive has had its run, and now it’s time for something different. It seems clear that there would be significant support for a Libertarian-style party for all of the right-leaning Democrats and left-leaning Republicans. And I know for a fact, a progressive party would receive ample support as well. I’m tired of hearing “it’s not time to break the two-party system yet” and “This won’t happen in our lifetime”. If not now, when? Someone has to do the work to make it happen. Why shouldn’t that be us? I’ve heard 4 or 5 is a sweet-spot for the number of parties in a government. What would you vote for?

Everyone should know what they stand for. This is a document I plan to revise over time. It will evolve with me over the years, as my priorities shift. It’s not meant as a party I expect to see arise, but a representation of my beliefs in the format of a political platform.

The Progressive Party I Would Gladly Vote For:

First and foremost: Human rights. Trans rights, women’s rights, the right to be free from an oppressive police state. Healthcare - mental, physical. Housing. Freedom of religion - the REAL freedom to practice ANY religion and not have the government assert their religion over yours. Labor rights: the right to a livable wage, decent working conditions, and a strong union force. (banking union, anyone?) Privacy rights. Repair rights. 

Gun reform: federal registration laws, universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage laws, and actual enforcement for all of the above. But at the same time, let’s take our passion for firearms and channel it more as a sport. Those two shooters from Turkey at the Olympics were pretty badass, right? Let’s be number one at the Olympics, not in school shootings.

Reparations: We owe a debt to historically oppressed minority groups, whether it takes the form of cash, opportunity, housing, or education. We should let them decide by asking them to lead the conversation.

Taxes: TAX. THE. RICH. There are 756 Billionaires in the US. Tax them. And then tax them some more. A single million would absolutely change the life of a strong majority of Americans (like almost 90%). Billionaires should have HIGH taxes. Keep a graduated rate. If I make significantly more money than my parents do, I should still pay more in taxes. But we can widen these margins to provide relief for millions of lower and middle class Americans, and still take in FAR more tax revenue. 

Books: Never ban them. Encourage kids to read. Encourage adults to read! Teach them how to separate fact from fiction. 

Political education in schools: Not in the sense of partisan indoctrination, but how to engage. How to think critically about political issues. Media literacy and how to fact check. Start in fifth grade, or earlier. 

Take money out of politics: Wealth is not a measure of leadership. Political salaries should match the average salary of their constituency. Address corporate buyouts of politicians. Outlaw lobbying? Convince me why it’s a net positive influence. Instead, let’s have a form of civic lobbying which has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with measuring the will of a constituency. 

Representation: Winner-Take-All means 49% of voters can be completely unrepresented. Proportional Representation would allow for a more diverse set of parties, and a more representative government. 

Foreign policy: The war in Gaza has been an ongoing genocide while the world watched. The United States armed it. We owe Palestine a two-state solution, and Israel must agree. Ukraine deserves complete liberation from the Russian invasion. We should support our allies, especially in matters of global importance, but we should not try to expand our empire. 50 states is enough. Let’s maybe even consider letting some of the places we’ve colonized like Hawaii and Puerto Rico decide for themselves if they would rather be sovereign nations.

Renewable energy: Climate change threatens all of us, across the globe. We need to kick things into high gear for renewable energy sources, and lead the world in renewable resource innovation, manufacturing, and adaptation.

Childcare: daycares should be subsidized so parents can pay less, and the employees can be paid more.

The Post Office: Government services should not be owned by private companies. Corporate greed should not impede access to the USPS, and it absolutely will if it’s allowed to.

Freedom of Press: The press shouldn’t be pressured by politicians, NOR corporations. We all know every story has three sides. Yours, mine, and the truth. News organizations should report the truth and expose distortions in partisan narratives. 

That’s all top of mind and in no particular order. I might spend way too much time thinking about politics. Tell me yours!