WDP Platform

Adopted Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Casper, Wyoming

Preamble

The Wyoming Democratic Party champions the values of opportunity, sustainability, and integrity. We believe in fostering an inclusive society where every individual has the chance to thrive and contribute to a sustainable future, guided by principles of fairness, equality, responsible stewardship of our environment, and good governance.

We recognize that as a diverse group of people, we often have differing opinions, but that our support of the U.S. Constitution unites us. Our vision for a strong democracy, includes county, state, and national issues, with an overall strategy of proactive planning and legislation.

With those guiding principles in mind, the following are statements of our collective beliefs as a party on important topics facing our communities, state, and nation.

Fairness & Equality

  1. Support diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.
  2. Support marriage equality.
  3. Support comprehensive reproductive rights, including the choice of abortion.
  4. Close the wage gap and ensure equal pay for equal work.
  5. Protect voting rights and oppose voter suppression tactics.
  6. Advocate for criminal justice reform and oppose for-profit prisons.
  7. Ensure access to affordable housing and healthcare for all citizens.

Good Government Practices

  1. Promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance.
  2. Base public policy on scientific research and data-driven solutions.
  3. Reform campaign finance laws and oppose undue influence from special interests, including supporting constitutional amendments to facilitate reform.
  4. Uphold the rule of law and protect civil liberties.
  5. Support public funding of political campaigns to reduce the influence of money in politics.
  6. Support full reporting of all political contributions.
  7. Support full lobbyist disclosure.
  8. Oppose the privatization of public services including, but not limited to; Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Postal Service, Veterans Administration, the Military, detention and correctional facilities.

Voting & Elections

  1. Support absentee, mail-in and early voting.
  2. Support automatic universal voter registration.
  3. Support making all County elective offices non-partisan.
  4. Support the establishment of a nonpartisan commission to determine legislative district boundaries.
  5. Support open primaries and ranked-choice voting in elections.

Public Services

  1. Support robust funding for public media, the visual, performing, and literary arts, and encourage the Wyoming Arts Council to develop additional public/private initiatives to fund and develop local artists.
  2. Support and recognize our volunteers and non-profit organizations.
  3. Support sufficient funding for maintaining and improving our existing infrastructure, and developing a nationwide high-speed rail system.
  4. Support adequate funding for water infrastructure and ensuring sustainable public access to water.
  5. Oppose all efforts to privatize water management.

Healthcare

  1. Support universal access to quality healthcare as a basic human right.
  2. Support Medicare for All and the expansion of Medicaid.
  3. Support comprehensive mental health and addiction treatment services, including programs to address Wyoming’s significant problem with suicide.
  4. Legalize and regulate marijuana for medical use.
  5. Support access to gender-affirming care, without interference from governmental entities.
  6. Support public funding for senior centers, nursing homes and in-home care.
  7. Support timely and comprehensive care for all veterans and their families.
  8. Support factual sex education, family planning counseling, pregnancy prevention services, and the full range of reproductive health care options, including abortion.
  9. Support government funding for rural hospitals, medical facilities, and community healthcare.
  10. Oppose the for-profit privatization of any publicly funded medical facilities.
  11. Support the adoption of a nationwide single-payer dental and healthcare system that covers all.
  12. Support the separation of church and medical science with regard to healthcare and health insurance policies.

Education

  1. Invest in public education from pre-K through college to ensure equal opportunities for all students.
  2. Support affordable and accessible public higher education and vocational training programs.
  3. Promote a well-rounded curriculum including arts, music, physical education, civics, government, history, humanities, STEM subjects, and vocational training.
  4. Support safe and inclusive schools for all students and staff.
  5. Oppose privatization of education and support equitable funding for public schools.
  6. Support the restructuring of federal student loan programs to provide debt relief to current as well as future recipients.
  7. Support a dynamic educational system responsive to current National Defense requirements.
  8. Support the separation of church and state within the public school system.
  9. Oppose the diversion of public funds to support private, charter, parochial, and home schools.
  10. Support the freedom to read, which is essential to our democracy and access to public libraries; oppose all efforts to ban books.

Native Americans

  1. Recognize and respect the sovereignty of Native American governments and honor treaties and agreements between Indigenous nations and the U.S. Government.
  2. Support efforts to address the needs of Native American communities, including healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
  3. Support inclusion of Native American language, history, and culture in educational curricula.
  4. Support strengthening safety protections for Indigenous Persons, including continued efforts to address the crime of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP).
  5. Support the recruitment, and appointment of indigenous persons to positions within the party and at all levels of government, including law enforcement.

Economy & Jobs

  1. Advocate for a living wage and fair labor practices, including paid parental leave and sick leave.
  2. Support job training programs and economic diversification to create sustainable employment opportunities.
  3. Support workplace safety and protections for workers’ rights.
  4. Support collective bargaining rights and the repeal of Right to Work Laws.
  5. Oppose predatory lending practices and promote responsible financial regulation.
  6. Encourage domestic job creation and retention through incentives and investment in infrastructure.
  7. Support funding for professionally certified, accessible, affordable, high-quality childcare.
  8. support equitable distribution of funding to share mineral royalties and severance with Wyoming counties and municipalities.
  9. support allocating a portion of the interest from the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund for diversified economic development programs within Wyoming.
  10. support fair compensation to the state of Wyoming for the extraction of Wyoming’s non-renewable natural resources.
  11. Support standard Social Security Medicare FICA tax on investment incomes.
  12. Support programs and policies that enhance the viability of locally owned small businesses and markets, and family-owned farms and ranches.
  13. Support job creation in Wyoming through job training, development, and manufacture of alternative renewable energy resources.
  14. Support a gradually-integrated living minimum wage of $20.00 an hour, adjusted for inflation, for all workers, including tipped employees.
  15. Support stable, quality affordable housing for all.
  16. Support revisions to the landlord-tenant laws to equitably protect landlords and tenants.
  17. Support the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

Environment & Sustainability

  1. support immediate legislation, funding, and implementation of all possible methods to reduce climate change, by reducing energy use in buildings, transportation, industry, and increasing renewable energy production and transition away from fossil fuels.
  2. Protect public lands and wildlife habitats while promoting responsible land use.
  3. Support conservation efforts, recycling initiatives, and sustainable water management, including protecting Wyoming’s water rights.
  4. Advocate for policies that reduce pollution and promote environmental justice.
  5. Oppose the disposal of any hazardous or radioactive wastes not generated in Wyoming.
  6. Support adequate protections for the disposal and storage of any hazardous wastes.
  7. Support state and federal audits of companies potentially responsible for pollution.
  8. Support laws that regulate the use of chemicals that potentially cause biological and ecological harm.
  9. Support the continued protection and health of our citizens from threats posed by unclean water and polluted air from all causes, including fracking.
  10. Support the development of, and infrastructure for, affordable and environmentally friendly electric cars.
  11. Oppose any effort to repeal or weaken Wyoming’s Net Metering law which ensures that Wyoming citizens and businesses are fairly compensated when they exercise their rights to generate power.
  12. Support expansion and guaranteed access to broadband internet in rural areas.

Immigration & Diversity

  1. Support comprehensive immigration reform, including DACA and a pathway to citizenship.
  2. Oppose discrimination based on immigration status and advocate for humane immigration policies.
  3. Protect the rights of immigrants and refugees, including access to healthcare and education.
  4. Support initiatives that recognize the contributions of immigrants and promote their integration into communities.
  5. Support Social Security equality for all who pay into FICA, Social Security, and Medicare taxes.
  6. Support effective border security measures that are humane and respect human rights.
  7. Oppose private prisons and ICE detention and deportation centers in Wyoming.
  8. Oppose sanctions and other policies that result in large numbers of refugees.
  9. Support the current Federal efforts by Democrats to address the root causes of high volume undocumented migration.

Civil Rights & Social Justice

  1. Uphold civil rights and liberties for all.
  2. Advocate for criminal justice reform and address systemic racism and inequality.
  3. Support measures to prevent gun violence, including universal background checks, restrictions on assault weapons, and preserving gun-free zones.
  4. Support access to affordable housing, healthcare, and social services for marginalized communities.
  5. Oppose discrimination in all its forms and promote equal treatment under the law.
  6. Support each individual’s right to online privacy and government regulation limiting online platforms’ ability to track Internet users.
  7. Support better accessibility for those with disabilities.

Law Enforcement

  1. Support programs addressing the prevention of domestic violence and the prosecution of perpetrators.
  2. Recognize that law enforcement should be a last resort and should not be used as a substitute for proactive social programs.
  3. Support law enforcement in their efforts to provide a safe environment for all Wyoming citizens.
  4. Support measures to increase police accountability.
  5. Support adequate funding for law enforcement and the personnel who assist them.

Judicial System

  1. Support a review and overhaul of the juvenile justice system, to include rehabilitation, medical interdiction, safety, suicide prevention, education, juvenile psychology, and mental health issues.
  2. Support options for treatment of substance and alcohol abuse in lieu of incarceration.
  3. Support the abolition of mandatory minimum sentences.
  4. Support adequate funding for our judicial system at all levels, including immigration judges and clerks, and public defenders.
  5. Support an equitable system for the imposition of bail.

Foreign Policy

  1. Promote diplomacy, human rights, and global cooperation in foreign policy decisions.
  2. Support efforts to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and conflict.
  3. Advocate for peaceful resolutions to international conflicts and oppose unnecessary military intervention.
  4. Champion humanitarian assistance and refugee resettlement programs.
  5. Uphold international treaties and agreements that promote peace and security.
  6. Support adherence to international law, while maintaining our right to sovereignty.
  7. Recognize that the foundation of any foreign policy must be the United States leading by good example.

National Defense

  1. Support economic development for Wyoming in supporting national defense technology.
  2. Support ongoing cooperation with our allies in the technological development of weapons systems.
  3. Support on-shore technological development of all weapons systems, including mining of all materials and on-shore manufacturing.
  4. Support a dynamic system of innovative laboratory research spaces.
  5. Support legislation and funding reflecting the critical need for strategic technological advancement.
  6. Support pollution control technology for weapons systems’ mining and manufacture.
  7. Support research into and regulation of Artificial Intelligence in national defense.
  8. Oppose all efforts for nuclear proliferation, and a nuclear arms race in our country and world.

Conclusion

The Wyoming Democratic Party is committed to building a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all Wyomingites. We believe in the power of democratic principles to create positive change and will continue to advocate for policies that reflect our values of opportunity, sustainability, and integrity. Together, we can build a brighter future for Wyoming and its residents.

Commendations

Wyoming Democrats recognize our military personnel, their families, and all those whose sacrifices help secure the integrity, opportunity, and sustainability of the United States. We are grateful for their dedication and pledge ourselves to vigilance that their lives are not jeopardized needlessly.
Wyoming Democrats recognize and commend our peace officers, firefighters, emergency responders, and all deemed essential personnel for their outstanding work and service to our communities.
Wyoming Democrats recognize and commend all those who provide public service to our communities in volunteer and elected positions.

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