Al link to their 2008 Party Platform is below.
Here are the 10 Key Values of their Platform.
1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect his or her life and should not be
subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every
level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the
people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which
expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decisionmaking
process.
2. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources
afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our
organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and
homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under
the law.
3. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM
Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate
from nature.
We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of
our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in
such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our
generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an
energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.
4. NON-VIOLENCE
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's current patterns of violence. We
will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive
about the intentions of other governments.
We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations.
We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree,
and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.
5. DECENTRALIZATION
Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice,
environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social,
political and economic institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly
benefits the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should,
as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are
protected for all citizens.
6. COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMICS
Redesign our work structures to encourage employee ownership and workplace democracy.
Develop new economic activities and institutions that will allow us to use our new
technologies in ways that are humane, freeing, ecological and accountable, and responsive to
communities.
Establish some form of basic economic security, open to all.
Move beyond the narrow “job ethic” to new definitions of “work,” jobs” and “income” that
reflect the changing economy.
Restructure our patterns of income distribution to reflect the wealth created by those outside
the formal monetary economy: those who take responsibility for parenting, housekeeping,
home gardens, community volunteer work, etc.
Restrict the size and concentrated power of corporations without discouraging superior
efficiency or technological innovation.
7. FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY
We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call
for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative
ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as
equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with
moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and
actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.
8. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual
diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.
We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations
and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been
traditionally closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other
life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.
9. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to
enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations
around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.
10. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable
natural resources, safely disposing of or “unmaking” all waste we create, while developing a
sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must
counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new
technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the
results of our actions.
Make the quality of life, rather than open-ended economic growth, the focus of future thinking.
Answered By: ghouly05 - 10/7/2008 |