10 ways to strengthen Democracy
We will work for/to:
1. Build a base: increase number of progressive voters and elect progressive candidates
Includes: elect progressives, elect officials who share our values, elect progressives in city, townships, and school boards, better-informed citizens, more active progressives, move the public conversation from monologue to dialogue, increase the number of progressive voters in Wright County, etc.
2. Build relationships with elected officials to hold these elected officials accountable
Includes awareness of elected officials stances and voting records, influence elected officials, increase communications with elected officials, politicians, and sheriff.
3. Economic Equality: Everyone gets paid fairly and has an opportunity to prosper
Includes: Support unions, unionize Walmart, raise minimum wage, fight for $15, find solutions to problems caused by business objectives, fair tax code, regulating Wall Street
4. Education: Quality public education for everyone to prepare our citizens to be life-long learners
Includes free college, ensuring public education is well funded, etc.
5. Healthcare: healthcare is a human right
Includes: fix the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid, lower the age of Medicare, universal health care, etc.
6. Human Rights
Includes: Immigration (develop a long term immigration policy, protect immigrants, stop the wall, return MN drivers’ license to undocumented immigrants), Women's rights, add the ERA to the MN Constitution, Racial Justice, rights of all people (health, taxes, jobs, etc.), empower diverse voices, gun control, etc.
7. Infrastructure: create jobs to
Includes: improve roads, bridges, broadband, etc.
8. Membership: Create opportunities for engagement in our purpose
Includes: Build membership in our group, build a local leadership bench, keep our identity, establish multiple communication avenues to keep our members and the community informed, have fun, support each other (decrease isolation), offer programs to keep members active, join together with like-minded groups, create action networks, increase our visibility, etc.
9. Science, Climate and the Environment for a better world
Includes sustainable energy, support for the carbon tax, research, factual data, food and water safety and quality, indoor and outdoor air quality, federal land preservation, funding for NIH & CDC & EPA etc.
10. Healthy Democracy for the future of
our country
Includes transparency in government, campaign finance reform, pushing back on Citizens United, addressing gerrymandering, voting rights, etc.