2024 Platform Johnson County Democratic Party

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.”
– Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

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 legislative action.

Johnson County Democrats generally agree with the Wyoming Democratic Party Platform.

Although Johnson County Democrats do not necessarily agree with and adopt each item in the State Platform, we do agree that it sets forth the basic ideals and beliefs of Johnson County Democrats.

The Johnson County Democratic Party adopts the following platform to set forth our principles, ideas, needs, concerns and plans.

• Constitutional Integrity and Fairness
  • We believe public policy should foster an economic, social, and institutional environment where all individuals have the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.
  • We support the Constitutions of the United States of America and Wyoming as living documents which establish the basic integrity of government and public policy.
  • We support dedication to the rule of law applied impartially and consistently.
  • We support the passage of the Equal Rights Ammendment.
• Protecting Our Democracy
  • We recognize that the most powerful office held by any American is that of citizen. To maintain a government by the people and for the people, our voting rights must be upheld and protected by law.
  • We support abolishing the electoral college in favor of the popular vote.
  • We support an independent commission for the determination of legislative districts.
  • We support the use of ranked choice voting and open primary elections.
  • We support making all County elective offices non-partisan.
  • We embrace the Declaration of Independence proclamation stating governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed”. To preserve the integrity of that consent, we endorse the Voting Rights Act and condemn efforts to restrict voting.
  • We support automatic universal voter registration.
  • We support all forms and methods of voter participation and the expansion of the right and opportunity to vote.
  • We oppose all efforts to restrict voting and manipulate voting outcomes through gerrymandering, reduction of polling places and voting hours, and elimination of absentee and early voting.
  • We support automatically restoring full voting rights to convicted felons upon their having served the imposed sentence and probationary period.
  • We support public financing of political campaigns.
  • We support a constitutional amendment to reverse the ruling of the U. S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United case.
  • We support full reporting of all political contributions prior to elections and full disclosure of financial interest in governmental and legislative matters.
  • We support reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine.
• Integrity in Foreign Relations
  • We support a foreign policy reflecting and promoting the principles of freedom, human rights, and compassion.
  • We recognize that the foundation of any foreign policy must be the United States leading by example.
  • We support a collaborative process among nations to affect these principles.
  • While maintaining our right to sovereignty, we support the adherence to international law, especially pertaining to the use of our armed forces and national security services.
  • We support proactive peaceful international efforts to acheive diplomatic solutions, including an open-minded analysis of innovative approaches to foreign relations and foreign policy.
  • We recognize the use of force may be required to protect our national security and fundamental principles.
• National Defense
  • We support the prioritization of Defense of the United States with legislation and funding that reflects the critical need for agility in strategic plans that are far more technologically advanced than any potential adversaries.
  • We support research and development strategies that are continuously redesigned and well-funded.
  • We support a dynamic educational system capable of responding to National Defense needs; having a constantly evolving and updated technological and science curriculum, with the fundamentals reflecting current knowledge of new experimental design and development, creating an environment that provides experiences in “thinking outside the box” for new, innovative research.
  • We support advanced technological innovations, including laboratory spaces that create an environment for bold new research, allowing for experimental failures and redesigns, that push the boundaries of current technology, so that researchers have the speed and agility to forsee, envision and react, to problems and new requirements for defense.
  • We support research and development that includes a broad and diverse range of professionals, encompassing all academic fields, with expertise in designing, coordinating and utilizing a wide range of approaches, in order to create a multi-disciplinary solution space, where research solutions and problem solving reflect and utilize all our multi-faceted capabilities.
  • We support on-shore technological development of all weapons systems, including the mining of all materials and on-shore manufacturing, that control security and maintain production capabilities in time of war.
  • We support development, funding, implementation and maintainence of pollution control technology for weapons systems, mining and manufacture.
  • We support ongoing cooperation with our allies in the technological development of weapons systems, for optimal advancement and shared rapid deployment.
  • We believe National Defense requirements create economic opportunities for Wyoming which should be explored and optimized as is fitting to the needs of our state and our country.
• Protecting Our Personal Rights
  • We support fair access and just treatment for all people.
  • We support legislation that fully affirms the rights of all people to marry, work, secure housing, and attend school, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or family status. We support state legislation, city ordinances, and public school policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
  • We believe that until all of us are equal, none of us are equal.
  • We condemn the use of torture, including water boarding, in domestic or foreign affairs.
  • We support the enforcement of legislation to address the increasing incidence of sexual assault against military personnel.
  • We support enactment of Wyoming hate crime legislation that affords law enforcement agencies the tools to investigate hate crimes and prosecutors the option of pursuing enhanced penalties in any crimes motivated by hate.
  • We support changes in Wyoming statutes to eliminate the use of consent as a defense for detention officials who are charged with sexual misconduct.
  • We support the right of citizens, through their elected government, to prohibit the carrying of firearms in specified public venues including but not limited to schools.
  • In recognition of Wyoming’s long history of support for the right to keep and bear arms, we urge all parties involved in the debate over our country’s struggle with violence, committed with guns or other advancing weapons technology, to begin a legitimate and constructive dialogue on methods by which we can protect both our safety and our individual rights.
  • We support funding for the CDC to collect data on gun violence and propose solutions to this problem.
• Immigration
  • We recognize that immigrants bring a fresh world view, including first hand experiences of both failed and successful governments to contribute to the viability of our democracy.
  • We oppose the adoption of local or state statutes depriving immigrants of their health, safety, education and livelihood.
  • In line with our local and national history of immigration we welcome immigrants who contribute to our community and wish to ensure their health, safety, and livelihood.
  • We support the creation and enhancement of programs in Wyoming that assist and facilitate the naturalization of immigrants in a timely manner.
  • We support Wyoming joining and participating in the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program.
  • We support Social Security equality for immigrants and permanent residents.
• Government Process
  • We support the inherent rights of federally recognized tribes as Sovereign Nations (as stated in the US Constitution’s Commerce Clause) to interact, communicate and find consensus with the Wyoming State Government.
  • We support and encourage tribal members, especially those with tribal government experience, to run for government offices and apply for government jobs, including Law Enforcement.
  • We support the separation of church and state.
  • We support adherence to and enforcement of laws regulating ethics and conflicts of interest at all levels of government.
  • We support transparency and accountability in government at all levels including adherence to all public meeting and open government laws.
  • We support fiscally responsible government.
  • We support open, comprehensive accounting of expenditures and results of public economic development and diversification efforts.
  • We oppose the privatization of public services, including but not limited to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Postal Service, Veteran’s Administration, correctional and detention facilities, and the military.
  • We strongly oppose spending taxpayer dollars to send legislators to legislative conferences financed by American Legislative Exchange Conference (ALEC) and similar organizations. We support mandatory public disclosure of any and all ALEC-written and/or sponsored legislation that is proposed by members of the Wyoming legislature.
  • We support full lobbyist disclosure.
  • We support the Consumer Protection Agency in its mission to protect American citizens.
  • We support the Wyoming Office of the Consumer Advocate in its mission to protect Wyoming citizens.
• Taxation/Revenue
  • We support an equitable progressive tax system.
  • We support income tax on all forms of investment income, including but not limited to: interest payments, dividends, capital gains and real estate investment income.
  • We support Social Security deductions on all forms of investment income, including but not limited to: interest payments, dividends, capital gains and real estate investment income.
  • We support restoration of the Glass-Steagall Act.
  • We support an expansion of Social Security to ensure solvency by eliminating the cap on taxable income.
  • We support an equitable distribution of funding for Wyoming cities, towns and counties.
  • We support fair compensation to the State of Wyoming for the extraction of Wyoming’s non-renewable natural resources.
  • We support allocating a portion of the interest from the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund for diversified economic development programs within Wyoming.
  • We support development of a system to share mineral royalties and severance with Wyoming counties and municipalities.
• Judicial System
  • We support due process for all.
  • We endorse the freedoms embodied in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights including the right to habeas corpus. Our desires for personal and national security must not override our commitment to protect individual rights and privacy of our fellow citizens. Surveillance by the government of our private lives must be done only in the confines of constitutional law.
  • We support a criminal justice system in which individuals are held accountable for misconduct with due process of law and where the Constitutional rights of the accused are fully upheld.
  • We support adequate funding for our judicial system at all levels, including but not limited to public defenders.
  • We support the abolition of mandatory minimum sentences.
  • We support enhancing the options for treatment of substance abuse and alcoholism for citizens of Wyoming in lieu of incarceration.
  • We support the decriminalization of marijuana use and possession.
  • We support a review and overhaul of the juvenile justice system in the state of Wyoming to better address the needs of juveniles, including rehabilitation, medical interdiction, suicide prevention and education and the unique aspects of juvenile psychology and mental health issues.
• Law Enforcement/Regulation
  • We support law enforcement in their efforts to provide a safe environment for all Wyoming citizens.
  • Law enforcement should be a last resort and should not be used as a substitute for proactive social progams.
  • We support programs addressing the prevention of domestic violence and abuse and the prosecution of perpetrators.
• Sustainable Economies in a Rural Context
  • We support efforts to identify and nurture opportunities for economic diversification looking to a future in which mineral resources are but one of many anchors for our economy.
  • We support job creation in Wyoming through the development and manufacture of alternative, renewable energy resources including solar, wind power, and geothermal energy.
  • We support programs and policies that enhance the viability of locally owned small businesses and markets and family-owned farms and ranches.
  • We support the expansion of locally designed recycling programs.
  • We support the protection of reclamation funds, bonding requirements, employee wages and employee benefits in bankruptcy proceedings.
• Public Services
  • We support funding sufficient for maintaining and improving our existing infrastructure and developing a nationwide high-speed rail system.
  • We believe all Wyoming residents should have access to adequate nutrition and affordable housing.
  • We support programs to ameliorate the serious issues facing children and families including poverty, mental health needs, violence, health care, and alcohol and substance abuse.
  • We support programs to address Wyoming’s significant problem with suicide. We particularly support programs for youth, especially lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming youth and any others who are disproportionately at risk.
  • We 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.
  • We support and recognize our volunteers and non-profit organizations who often fill in gaps in government programs. Volunteerism and non-profits should not be a substitute for well-designed government services and programs. When a significant need is revealed, this should be addressed by good legislation and funding.
• Educational Opportunities
  • We support investment in a strong and diverse educational system required for individual success and responsible citizenship.
  • We support equal access to fully funded public education at all levels.
  • We oppose the use of public funds to support private, charter and parochial schools.
  • We support the right of all students to participate in public school regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, immigration status or other personal identity.
  • We support the separation of church and state within the school system and oppose requiring student participation in any religious activity that places the burden of refusal on the student.
  • We believe in education as a tool for helping students examine information critically and make informed decisions.
  • We believe in an education offering each student both breadth and depth such as will help develop thoughtful engaged citizens. To this end, we support the education of the whole student with courses including but not limited to: physical education, digital technology, vocational training, arts & humanities, and civics & government, in addition to core classes in K-12 schools, community colleges, trade schools, and the University of Wyoming.
  • We support safe schools for all students and school personnel, including enforcement of comprehensive anti-bullying and tolerance programs.
  • In Johnson County we support the granting of teachers the right to negotiate collectively and to participate in the certification process to ensure maintenance of quality standards in teaching and administrative personnel.
  • We support student loan reform to reduce student debt burdens.
  • We support the role of the University of Wyoming as an institution of open intellectual inquiry.
  • We support the continuation of adult education programs that provide training and retraining programs.
• Employment Opportunity
  • We support payment of a gradually-integrated living minimum wage of $20.00 an hour, adjusted for inflation, for all workers including tipped employees.
  • We support equal pay for equal work.
  • We support the right of all workers in Johnson County to form collective bargaining units and negotiate on their own behalf.
  • We support those programs and legislation that enhance workers’ safety, cooperative programs for compliance assistance, and enforce penalties for safety violations.
  • We support a federal law regulating the maximum number of hours an employee can be required to work, in order to ensure worker safety, public safety and a viable work-family balance.
  • We support adequate, reasonable, and fairly administered worker compensation benefits.
  • We support professionally certified, accessible, affordable, high-quality child care.
  • We support the right of employees to scheduled reasonable time off for family leave without the threat of retribution or termination.
  • We support the use of state and county funds to provide job training and internships to strengthen and enhance the local workforce, through state community college programs.
  • We support policies that protect workforce health and vitality in the face of technological change.
  • We recognize the right of every American to retire with dignity and respect.
  • We support opening the Federal Thrift Savings Plan to all employers and employees.
  • We encourage elected officials to work closely with public employees to develop procedures to mitigate underfunding of employee pensions. We encourage elected officials to develop budgeting procedures ensuring all mandates, including pension funding and health care plans, are fully funded before excess funds are contributed to “rainy day” or other trust funds.
• Health Care
  • We support accessible, quality healthcare as a universal human right, not a privilege.
  • We support the separation of church and medical science with regards to healthcare and health insurance policies.
  • We believe that no one should be allowed to stand between patient and delivery of medical care.
  • We support the adoption of a nationwide single payer healthcare system that covers all.
  • Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid must never be privatized.
  • We oppose the for-profit privatization of any publicly funded medical facilities.
  • We support government funding for rural hospitals, medical facilities, and community healthcare.
  • In order to provide high quality, affordable, and accessible care to all citizens, Medicaid must be expanded. Insured health care should cover all types of treatment that Wyoming citizens need.
  • We support comprehensive sex education, family planning counseling, pregnancy prevention services and the full range of reproductive health care options, including abortion.
  • We support honoring our obligations to our armed forces and veterans and their families, by providing fully funded comprehensive medical and psychiatric care in a timely manner.
  • We support public funding for research, education, and prevention of all disease.
  • We support public funding for senior centers, nursing homes, and in-home care.
  • We support public funding for additional rural community healthcare clinics.
  • We support the government’s right to negotiate for the lowest prescription drug prices, and the right of individuals to import prescription drugs.
  • We support the legalization of medical marijuana.
• Climate Change
  • We recognize global climate change as caused by human practices. We support the immediate implementation of traditional and inovative worldwide efforts, of large and small scale, to address human-made climate change by reducing energy use in buildings, transportation, industry, and increasing renewable energy production.
  • We support ongoing collaboration with the international community by upholding the Paris Climate Treaty of 2015.
• Sustainability
  • We recognize human well-being is dependent upon the well-being of the earth.
  • We encourage a science-based, multi-generational vision for Johnson County, Wyoming, for America, and for the world. Our goal is the development and maintenance of social, cultural, economic, and physical environments in which we and our descendants can enjoy the peace, freedom, and community that will nurture and sustain our quality of life.
  • We recognize a critical role for government in supporting careful, well-informed planning with respect to the optimal application of public funds and governmental regulation.
  • We recognize that sustaining our quality of life requires an increasingly long-term perspective that often conflicts with short-term budgets, corporate profits, and political agendas.
• Energy Policy
  • We support alternate energy sources that reduce adverse impacts on the nation and world’s food supply and prices.
  • We support the end to subsidies and tax breaks for food-based ethanol manufacturing.
  • We support efficient-alternative residential and commercial energy and requirements for all buildings being built or upgraded at taxpayer expense to be built with energy efficient features.
• Natural Resource Management and the Environment
  • We value the importance of clean air, land and water, open spaces, abundant wildlife, and wilderness. The conservation and protection of these resources enhance our quality of life and our economy.
  • We oppose the attempted takeover of federally-managed public lands by the states.
  • Wyoming’s public land heritage is one of our greatest assets, and public lands should remain public.
  • We support stewardship of our national and state parks, monuments, and wildlife refuges, and environmentally responsible public access to public lands, minimizing additional roads in our national parks and forests and maintaining roadless areas.
  • We support recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, camping and hiking on public lands.
  • We believe in protecting Wyoming water rights.
  • We support the continued protection and health of our citizens from threats posed by unclean water and polluted air by all causes including fracking.
  • We support laws that inhibit the use of chemicals that cause biological and ecological harm.
  • We support state and federal audits of companies potentially responsible for pollution.
  • We oppose the disposal of any hazardous or radioactive wastes not generated in Wyoming.
  • We support adequate protections before the disposal and storage of any in-state generated wastes.
  • We support GMO labeling laws to protect the health of all citizens.