Progressive Caucus Stuff

[Akno21]

Looks good, I'll represent the others if none of them have a problem with that.

[Akno21]

Oh yeah, I meant to join this a while ago.  Oops.  I'd like to join, then.  Thanks.

Would you mind affiliating and then endorsing me to be on the board? We are both independents.

[Akno21]

Seeing as we focus on social issues, I really hope we do not endorse Cosmo Kramer, mainly for this

Homosexuals are mostly perverts whos' lifestyle should not be admired. Most of them have very serious mental issues or are child molestors and those two reasons alone are enough to block homosexuals from adopting children.

hear! hear!

I wouldn't mind endorsing John Dibble. We should endorse Soulty and Gabu, I'm undecided on PBrunsel, and no on NixonNow.

Endorse Harry, Wildcard/Immy, undecided in the Midwest, ILV does need to do something though.

[Akno21]

I missed that one; I was however going to mention this:

I must say I would be honored, as the possibly the most socially conservative candidate for District 4 Senate, to receive an endorsement.

during my speech. Clearly a person who considers himself as the most socially conservative candidate in the election should not be getting an endorsement from us.

At least he's honest.

If we are going purely on social liberalism and fantasy experience, we should endorse John, if we want a more traditional real-life moderate Democrat, go with Ebowed. I'm leaning toward John Dibble at this point though.

However, don't vote against Ebowed only because of abortion. We can't be single-issue people.

[Akno21]

Here's John Dibble on our platform, via PM

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Looks good to me.

[Akno21]

Here's Cosmo Kramer

Gay Marriage
Support
Really I'm completely status quo on this issue.  I think it's states rights and I won't mess with it as a Senator at the federal level.

Death Penalty
Oppose
I think we need to make sure the poor aren't getting the death sentence more due to poor defense and I think in every case the defendent has the right to some kind of DNA testing to be paid for by government dollars, but I support the death penalty as it is used currently.

School Prayer 
Neutral more/less.  I oppose teachers leading prayers but support the right for students to orginize and be lead by each other in optional prayer if the time given is equal to or less than the time normally alloted to other clubs/orginizations.

Sex Ed/Contraception
Support.  I believe in abstinence only-education, however the platform gives the right for communities to decide which I support.

Media Regulation
Support with regards to news and information however I believe that we definitly need to continue to push to clean up tv programing during hours when children are most likely to be watching.

Taxation
Heavily Support

Education
Heavily Support

The Pledge of Allegiance
Oppose

Enviroment
Heavily Support

Pornography
Oppose

[Akno21]

I propose the following changes/modifications to the platform.

Abortion- I'm not sure what we want here, but we need something.

Death Penalty- Change to "Oppose in all cases, including the terrorists.  If we make exceptions for terrorists it won't be long until we make exceptions for lesser criminals.  The death penalty punishes some crimes while neglects others, and that's not justice at all." (Ebowed)

Pledge of Allegiance- Change to "Opposed to daily citation in schools."

[Akno21]

Well, we'll bring it to vote, hopefully, and see what happens from there.

Oh and Preston, what about our position on pornography do you oppose? Do you want the age raised, or it banned for all, or what?

[Akno21]

Death Penalty

The Progressive Caucus opposes the Death Penalty in all cases, including the terrorists.  If we make exceptions for terrorists it won't be long until we make exceptions for lesser criminals.  The death penalty punishes some crimes while neglects others, and that's not justice at all.

Strike Present Pledge of Allegiance Plank, and replace with:

Pledge of Allegiance

The Progressive Caucus opposes the daily citation of the Pledge in schools.
I've modified the wording to be more in keeping with our traditional style of writing for the Platform. Akno also wants something on Abortion.

I disagree with both. We need the death penalty, and the pledge shouldnt be removed. Under god should not be changed. Note that the pledge is optional no one is forcing anyone to do it. If you wish not to do the pledge thats your own choice. For the majority who do recite the pledge it should be kept.

I agree.  Our democracy cannot be preserved without our government instilling a sense of civic pride and patriotism.  I am completely opposed to the prohibition of the recitation of the pledge of allegiance in our schools.

I also agree, I have already stated my feeling about the Deapth Penalty proposal and I feel that we the pledge should be allowed in schools on a daily basis just as long as no one is being forced to do it.

Feel free to vote it down. I just don't think it accomplishes anything when it becomes a mindless habit.

[Akno21]

I propose an amendment to the platform:

Assisted Suicide


The Progressive Caucus supports the rights of a person to end their own life by requesting lethal doses of prescription drugs from a doctor and using them on themselves.

I support this.

[Akno21]

How's this for abortion?

The Progressive Caucus supports the rights of the mother to have an abortion through the second trimester of the pregnancy.

[Akno21]

Are we going to have some type of activity requirements to be included in the caucus? There is some dead weight (Flyers) that impacts the census, and it might skew the board, in terms of how much representation groups should have.