Democratic Alternative HQ
Are you a non-member...
- wishing to apply for membership in our party? Simply post below to submit your application.
- needing to talk with our party? Please stop by our External Communications Office.
Policies
Please note: these policies are a work in progress; they may evolve based on discussions within the party. In other words, if you find most of the policies below attractive, but dislike a few, you may want to consider joining the party and making your voice heard in discussing policies and policy changes.
Foreign affairs
Eutopia must join the citizenry of the world. It must play an active part in the international community, with an eye particularly to the North Atlantic region. At the same time, Eutopia must retain sovereign control over the use of its military; we do therefore not support membership in any military alliance. We believe that Eutopia, in recognition of its role within the world community, should increase its spending on foreign aid if financially feasible.
Military
The military must accept civilian control and authority. Strategically, the role of our military is a defensive one. Therefore, the focus should be on our navy and air force. The focus of the army should be on coast and air defence.
Eutopia must have a modern armed force. We support increased military funding to replace outdated and unsafe equipment, and to improve training facilities. The military should be free to acquire equipment from any legitimate source. In the long run, we should, as far as practical, reduce our dependence on imports of military equipment and achieve greater autonomy; to achieve this goal, subsidies to ENDTech should be increased.
In the interest of continuing good relations with the US, we support the maintenance of a US military base at Farpoint. However, when off base, US citizens and military personnel who do not enjoy diplomatic status must be subject to Eutopia's laws in the same manner as every other resident or visitor.
Finally, we call for the abolition of male conscription and the establishment of a purely professional army.
Education
We believe that every student is entitled to receive instruction delivered in any Eutopian language they choose, provided this is feasible and numbers warrant. High school: we believe that every student should be able to speak two of the three major Eutopian languages on graduation. University: we believe that post-secondary education must be accessible to all Eutopians; tuition is acceptable only if other sources of funding cannot be found, and must stay within reasonable (affordable) limits to avoid discrimination against students from underprivileged backgrounds.
Ethnic groups
Eutopia is a multicultural and multilingual country. This diversity should be celebrated, not deplored.
Minority members must have equal access to societal goods and services. Discrimination because of a language spoken must be avoided in the judicary, government, other forms of public life, and the economy. Appropriate measures to prevent or alleviate language-based disadvantage in those areas should be put in place.
Economy
Capitalism, when embedded in strong systems of regulation, has proven effective in generating unprecedented levels of wealth. However, unfettered capitalism will produce socially disastrous outcomes. We believe that capitalism has to serve the public, not the other way around. We therefore support a social market economy, that is, a capitalist system with strong controls to ensure social justice.
We believe in a strong public system in areas such as natural resources, and in the provision of services such as health care, transportation, and utilities. A strong public system is not only desirable in terms of accessibility to all and social justice, but will also serve to stimulate the economy.
Public transport
Public transport should *be* public; we support the nationalization of railways, bus systems and subways to reduce consumer costs and make public transport more widely accessible, provided these measures are financially feasible. We should also encourage public transportation as much as possible, by keeping user costs low and subsidizing senior citizens, students and the unemployed.
In addition to providing greater accessibility, a good public transportation infrastructure will also lead to a cleaner environment.
Crime and punishment
The goal of punishment is the protection of society and the rehabilitation of the criminal; we therefore support reforms of the current retributive system. In particular, we strongly oppose the death penalty.
We support the decriminalization of soft drugs such as marihuana, but oppose the decriminalization of hard drugs. The goal of a national drug policy should be to punish those who earn a livelihood from selling hard drugs, not to punish those who use them. In order to reduce the criminal potential associated with the drug market, the state should have the monopoly of the cannabis market. Privatization of this sector may be considered in the future if such a step is necessary or beneficial.
Terrorism
Eutopia needs strict ant-terrorist laws to protect its citizens and democratic institutions, and it must have a well-trained and well-equipped anti-terrorist service to achieve these gaols.
We must do all we can to eliminate local terrorist acts, but must take care not to do so at the cost of civil liberties. Care must also be taken in deciding who is and is not to be considered a terrorist.
Immigration and citizenship
We call for the introduction of two separate pieces of legislation governing refugees and immigration, respectively. Any bona fide refugee must be granted unconditional asylum; they should be allowed to participate in the labour market. Prospective immigrants (permanent residents) should be able to communicate in at least one of the three major languages at the time of entry.
Applicants for citizenship must be permanent residents, must have resided in Eutopia for at least three years out of the four years preceding their application and must have basic communication skills in at least two of the three major languages.
The state should provide programmes which allow permanent residents to integrate into Eutopian society and acquire the skills necessary to apply for citizenship if they so desire.
Federalism
We favour the introduction of a truly federal system with self-government for all the provinces and territories in policy areas which are primarily local or regional in nature. In the short run, all provinces and territories should be granted the status of "Autonomous Provinces." In the long run, the system of national and provincial powers should be overhauled with the intent of granting provinces self-government in all areas of a primarily local or regional nature.
Minority rights
We call for the constitutional entrenchment of a basic rights catalogue and protection of historically disadvantaged groups, and for constitutional recognition of Eutopia’s multicultural heritage.
Same sex rights
We strongly support equal rights and status for same sex couples in their relation to the state. This includes the right to a civil union and the right to adoption.
Abortion
We support the right of mothers to choose, though abortion should generally not be available beyond the first three months. Parents should be provided with counselling to help them make an informed decision. In cases where the continuation of a pregnancy poses a risk to the mother's health, abortion should be available throughout the pregnancy.
Health care
[In progress]
Welfare
All individuals and groups are shaped by society and shape society in turn. Our fates are bound together; hence we have an obligation to society. In particular, those who benefit from the current organization of society have an obligation to protect the weaker members of society, and to prevent poverty, destitution, or the marginalization of groups or individuals.
The workforce and consumers must be protected through strict enforcement of economic regulations, a fair distribution of economic costs and the cost of government, and state control over sensitive sectors of the economy.
The effectiveness of labour in representing and protecting the interests of employees must be safeguarded. At the same time, society has an obligation to protect the unemployed and those members of society who are not able to fully and equally participate in the labour market.
We believe all Eutopians have a right to work, and all Eutopians who are able to do so should work in order to contribute to our society according to their means. However, due to the dynamics of the market, workers may at times be deemed redundant by employers. Employers and employees alike are responsible for ensuring that those who do lose work (and their families) do not face destitution by contributing funds to a government-run insurance programme. Government should also fund compensation and welfare programmes.
Environment
The environment is the foundation of our society, economy and way of life; its protection must be one of our primary goals, both for its intrinsic and instrumental value. Eutopia must give priority to sustainable development, the development of environmentally friendly technologies and the replacement of environmentally detrimental ones. We further need to renew our energy system in order to reduce the amount of pollution it produces, and to defend our forests and wildlife.
Party Organization
One month after each national election, there will be a party convention to (a) elect the party leaders, (b) set priorities for the next three months, and (c) review party policies.
The party will be led by a Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson. Both posts will be filled in regular party elections occuring at the party convention. The person who receives the most votes will become Spokesperson; the person with the second-most votes will become Deputy Spokesperson.
It is the Spokesperson's responsibility to officially represent the party and to organize party debate; s/he is aided in these taks by the Deputy. If the Spokesperson is temporarily unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Deputy Spokesperson will fulfill them. If the Spokesperson is permanently unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Deputy Spokesperson will become the new Spokesperson; party members will then elect a new Deputy Spokesperson.
Party Executive
Spokesperson: Dr. Jonathan Glasser (Barkeep49
Deputy Spokesperson: Vasco IKK (I_Killed-Kenny)
Membership
The party is open to all citizens; just apply for membership in this thread. Citizens will officially be recognized as members once their application has been accepted by the party’s Spokesperson or Deputy Spokesperson. Members can be expelled from the party by the Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson if the two agree on this measure or by two-thirds of the membership of the party.
Members:
I_Killed-Kenny
phelbas
The Gonzo
Are you a non-member...
- wishing to apply for membership in our party? Simply post below to submit your application.
- needing to talk with our party? Please stop by our External Communications Office.
Policies
Please note: these policies are a work in progress; they may evolve based on discussions within the party. In other words, if you find most of the policies below attractive, but dislike a few, you may want to consider joining the party and making your voice heard in discussing policies and policy changes.
Foreign affairs
Eutopia must join the citizenry of the world. It must play an active part in the international community, with an eye particularly to the North Atlantic region. At the same time, Eutopia must retain sovereign control over the use of its military; we do therefore not support membership in any military alliance. We believe that Eutopia, in recognition of its role within the world community, should increase its spending on foreign aid if financially feasible.
Military
The military must accept civilian control and authority. Strategically, the role of our military is a defensive one. Therefore, the focus should be on our navy and air force. The focus of the army should be on coast and air defence.
Eutopia must have a modern armed force. We support increased military funding to replace outdated and unsafe equipment, and to improve training facilities. The military should be free to acquire equipment from any legitimate source. In the long run, we should, as far as practical, reduce our dependence on imports of military equipment and achieve greater autonomy; to achieve this goal, subsidies to ENDTech should be increased.
In the interest of continuing good relations with the US, we support the maintenance of a US military base at Farpoint. However, when off base, US citizens and military personnel who do not enjoy diplomatic status must be subject to Eutopia's laws in the same manner as every other resident or visitor.
Finally, we call for the abolition of male conscription and the establishment of a purely professional army.
Education
We believe that every student is entitled to receive instruction delivered in any Eutopian language they choose, provided this is feasible and numbers warrant. High school: we believe that every student should be able to speak two of the three major Eutopian languages on graduation. University: we believe that post-secondary education must be accessible to all Eutopians; tuition is acceptable only if other sources of funding cannot be found, and must stay within reasonable (affordable) limits to avoid discrimination against students from underprivileged backgrounds.
Ethnic groups
Eutopia is a multicultural and multilingual country. This diversity should be celebrated, not deplored.
Minority members must have equal access to societal goods and services. Discrimination because of a language spoken must be avoided in the judicary, government, other forms of public life, and the economy. Appropriate measures to prevent or alleviate language-based disadvantage in those areas should be put in place.
Economy
Capitalism, when embedded in strong systems of regulation, has proven effective in generating unprecedented levels of wealth. However, unfettered capitalism will produce socially disastrous outcomes. We believe that capitalism has to serve the public, not the other way around. We therefore support a social market economy, that is, a capitalist system with strong controls to ensure social justice.
We believe in a strong public system in areas such as natural resources, and in the provision of services such as health care, transportation, and utilities. A strong public system is not only desirable in terms of accessibility to all and social justice, but will also serve to stimulate the economy.
Public transport
Public transport should *be* public; we support the nationalization of railways, bus systems and subways to reduce consumer costs and make public transport more widely accessible, provided these measures are financially feasible. We should also encourage public transportation as much as possible, by keeping user costs low and subsidizing senior citizens, students and the unemployed.
In addition to providing greater accessibility, a good public transportation infrastructure will also lead to a cleaner environment.
Crime and punishment
The goal of punishment is the protection of society and the rehabilitation of the criminal; we therefore support reforms of the current retributive system. In particular, we strongly oppose the death penalty.
We support the decriminalization of soft drugs such as marihuana, but oppose the decriminalization of hard drugs. The goal of a national drug policy should be to punish those who earn a livelihood from selling hard drugs, not to punish those who use them. In order to reduce the criminal potential associated with the drug market, the state should have the monopoly of the cannabis market. Privatization of this sector may be considered in the future if such a step is necessary or beneficial.
Terrorism
Eutopia needs strict ant-terrorist laws to protect its citizens and democratic institutions, and it must have a well-trained and well-equipped anti-terrorist service to achieve these gaols.
We must do all we can to eliminate local terrorist acts, but must take care not to do so at the cost of civil liberties. Care must also be taken in deciding who is and is not to be considered a terrorist.
Immigration and citizenship
We call for the introduction of two separate pieces of legislation governing refugees and immigration, respectively. Any bona fide refugee must be granted unconditional asylum; they should be allowed to participate in the labour market. Prospective immigrants (permanent residents) should be able to communicate in at least one of the three major languages at the time of entry.
Applicants for citizenship must be permanent residents, must have resided in Eutopia for at least three years out of the four years preceding their application and must have basic communication skills in at least two of the three major languages.
The state should provide programmes which allow permanent residents to integrate into Eutopian society and acquire the skills necessary to apply for citizenship if they so desire.
Federalism
We favour the introduction of a truly federal system with self-government for all the provinces and territories in policy areas which are primarily local or regional in nature. In the short run, all provinces and territories should be granted the status of "Autonomous Provinces." In the long run, the system of national and provincial powers should be overhauled with the intent of granting provinces self-government in all areas of a primarily local or regional nature.
Minority rights
We call for the constitutional entrenchment of a basic rights catalogue and protection of historically disadvantaged groups, and for constitutional recognition of Eutopia’s multicultural heritage.
Same sex rights
We strongly support equal rights and status for same sex couples in their relation to the state. This includes the right to a civil union and the right to adoption.
Abortion
We support the right of mothers to choose, though abortion should generally not be available beyond the first three months. Parents should be provided with counselling to help them make an informed decision. In cases where the continuation of a pregnancy poses a risk to the mother's health, abortion should be available throughout the pregnancy.
Health care
[In progress]
Welfare
All individuals and groups are shaped by society and shape society in turn. Our fates are bound together; hence we have an obligation to society. In particular, those who benefit from the current organization of society have an obligation to protect the weaker members of society, and to prevent poverty, destitution, or the marginalization of groups or individuals.
The workforce and consumers must be protected through strict enforcement of economic regulations, a fair distribution of economic costs and the cost of government, and state control over sensitive sectors of the economy.
The effectiveness of labour in representing and protecting the interests of employees must be safeguarded. At the same time, society has an obligation to protect the unemployed and those members of society who are not able to fully and equally participate in the labour market.
We believe all Eutopians have a right to work, and all Eutopians who are able to do so should work in order to contribute to our society according to their means. However, due to the dynamics of the market, workers may at times be deemed redundant by employers. Employers and employees alike are responsible for ensuring that those who do lose work (and their families) do not face destitution by contributing funds to a government-run insurance programme. Government should also fund compensation and welfare programmes.
Environment
The environment is the foundation of our society, economy and way of life; its protection must be one of our primary goals, both for its intrinsic and instrumental value. Eutopia must give priority to sustainable development, the development of environmentally friendly technologies and the replacement of environmentally detrimental ones. We further need to renew our energy system in order to reduce the amount of pollution it produces, and to defend our forests and wildlife.
Party Organization
One month after each national election, there will be a party convention to (a) elect the party leaders, (b) set priorities for the next three months, and (c) review party policies.
The party will be led by a Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson. Both posts will be filled in regular party elections occuring at the party convention. The person who receives the most votes will become Spokesperson; the person with the second-most votes will become Deputy Spokesperson.
It is the Spokesperson's responsibility to officially represent the party and to organize party debate; s/he is aided in these taks by the Deputy. If the Spokesperson is temporarily unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Deputy Spokesperson will fulfill them. If the Spokesperson is permanently unable to fulfill his/her duties, the Deputy Spokesperson will become the new Spokesperson; party members will then elect a new Deputy Spokesperson.
Party Executive
Spokesperson: Dr. Jonathan Glasser (Barkeep49
Deputy Spokesperson: Vasco IKK (I_Killed-Kenny)
Membership
The party is open to all citizens; just apply for membership in this thread. Citizens will officially be recognized as members once their application has been accepted by the party’s Spokesperson or Deputy Spokesperson. Members can be expelled from the party by the Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson if the two agree on this measure or by two-thirds of the membership of the party.
Members:
I_Killed-Kenny
phelbas
The Gonzo
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