January Endorsements
February 3, 2010 by Nik, under Blog, Home.
On January 28, 2010, the Cal Berkeley Democrats endorsed four bills, ballot initiatives, and policy positions regarding both state and federal government. Members voted unanimously to support AB 656, the California Democracy Act, an end to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
- AB 656 would place a 9.9% “severance” fee on oil companies, which drill in our lands and profit from our resources. Currently, California is the only oil-producing state without such a fee. AB 656 would raise $1 billion, all of which would be reserved for higher education.
- The California Democracy Act would end minority rule in the state legislature by removing the two-thirds requirement for budgets and taxes. It would allow the majority to govern in accordance with democratic principles, and end the current gridlock in Sacramento.
- The military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy currently mandates the discharge of openly gay service members. DADT is both a national security problem and a moral problem. Under it, the military has expelled thousands of capable soldiers during wartime. Moreover, DADT condones homophobia and denigrates service members who risk their lives for their county.
- The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), already passed by the Senate, would bring meaningful and long-overdue reform to our health care system. It would move our nation closer to universal coverage, insuring 31 million Americans and reducing up to 45,000 unnecessary deaths per year. It would also institute consumer protections, and shield Americans from abusive practices like rescission, discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and annual or lifetime caps. PPACA would both expand coverage and lower costs, while actually reducing the deficit by more than a trillion dollars.
All four proposals have been added to Cal Berkeley Democrats’ platform. Cal Dems will work to support them over the coming months and beyond.
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The Cal Berkeley Democrats is the official arm of the Democratic Party at UC Berkeley.
