Parties strive for no-drama platforms

Most folks ignore the platform of political parties.

Unless they contain denouncements of teaching witchcraft in public schools, divorce, homosexuality and yoga.

Then, as Republicans learned when they put those in their platform in 1992, everyone starts talking about the party. Reaction is strong and it’s not always good for the candidates.

Today, with 1,200 GOP activists gathering in Vancouver for the party convention, leaders don’t want a repeat when the 2010 platform is adopted Saturday.

“We want something that is appealing to a majority of voters,” said Peter Cowman, communications director for the state Republican Party. “When the political winds are behind you, as they are now for us, we’ve got to make the most of it.”

With a volatile electorate, Republican and Democrat activists are drafting platforms they hope are not too milquetoast for the devoted nor too militant for the voter.

They are carefully choosing words to convey their principles in a document that serves as each party’s philosophical compass.

And what are Republicans and Democrats believing, supporting and opposing this year?

Democrats, in the draft platform they’ll debate later this month, want a single-payer health care plan rather than what Congress passed.

They oppose charter schools, want public financing of political campaigns and desire a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence.

“We’re a liberal organization. It’s a liberal document,” state Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz said.

What Snohomish County Democrats passed in their platform in May raised a few eyebrows around town by supporting the “production, sale, and taxation of drugs” and contending “Sex between consenting adults is not a law enforcement issue.” Some view the latter point as a vote for making prostitution legal.

Republican delegates not surprisingly oppose the new federal health care plan and back Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna’s effort to get it tossed out through the courts.

Their draft platform asserts property rights are civil rights, calls for “competition in education” with charter schools, and demands the Federal Reserve be audited.

In Snohomish County, the platform adopted by Republicans in April goes further by calling for English to be made the nation’s official language, citizenship not be given to newly born children whose parents are undocumented immigrants, and requiring women to wait 72 hours before they can have an abortion.

“Depending on the issue, some of it may seem out of touch and some may not. I don’t think there is anything in there that is completely out there,” said Iris Lilly, vice chairwoman of the county GOP and a candidate for state Legislature.

Being meaningful, not militant, in presenting the party’s ideals has been a focus of Ellensburg’s Matt Manweller, chairman of the panel that drafted the state Republican Party platform.

“We are cognizant of the fact that the platform speaks for us. But we also don’t want to harm any potential candidate,” he said.

Some social conservatives, tea partiers and libertarians feel that trying to moderate the tone is a bad strategy that may hurt Republicans.

“Absolutely it’s the wrong approach and it’s been the wrong approach for 25 years. It’s why we’re getting our asses kicked,” said Doug Parris, director of The Reagan Wing, an Edmonds-based political action group that promotes principles of limited government.

“I do not regard a platform as campaign literature,” he said. “I believe this should be a contract of what our party believes in and what its goals are. Whether or not the general public likes the way it is worded is almost irrelevant.”

Traditionally, there will be efforts to amend both parties’ platforms by their hard core — the Republican right and the Democrat left.

“It would not be a state Republican convention or a state political party convention without somebody proposing a resolution that is just a little bit out there,” said Alex Hays, director of Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

Most candidates will find something in their party’s platform with which they disagree. It’s a must-read so they can answer voters who might ask on which planks they agree and differ.

“Sure they should read them,” Democratic Snohomish County Councilman Mike Cooper said. “They should know what their party believes in before they run.”

Jim Kellett, chairman of the county Republican Party, said while some voters will choose a candidate on how well they toe the line of the platform, he counsels hopefuls not to let it set their agenda.

“Candidates still have to do their own thing,” he said.

Moderate office-holders tend to be more at odds with their party’s platforms.

“For the most part Republican and Democratic platforms tend to be further away from the middle of the political spectrum,” said state Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, who is facing three challengers this year.

“The platform doesn’t tie me down so I’m not too worried about it. I tell voters if you want to know my views on issues, just ask me,” he said.

For all the time, energy and passion invested in writing a platform, voters don’t quiz candidates about it, said Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish.

“It does not happen that when you’re out doorbelling someone says, ‘On Page 3 of the Democratic Platform it says this, what do you think?’” he said.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com

Platform info

Platforms for the county and state political parties can be found online following their adoption. The 2010 Republican platforms for both the state and Snohomish County weren’t online Thursday; Democratic platforms were posted. Here is where more information can be found:

Snohomish County Democratic Party is at www.snocodems.org.

Snohomish County Republican Party is at www.snocogop.com.

Washington State Democratic Party is at www.wa-democrats.org.

Washington State Republican Party is at www.wsrp.org.

Plank speaking

Democrats believe:

n “Favoritism toward the wealthiest has permitted them undue influence on public policy, to the detriment of everyone else.”

n “There is substantial evidence the war against Iraq was an unjustified war based on false and misleading statements and faulty thinking.”

n “Organic farming and ranching methods are better for the environment than are traditional practices.”*

n “Use and abuse of drugs are medical issues and not criminal offenses.”*

n “Sex between consenting adults is not a law enforcement issue.”*

Democrats support:

n A single-payer national health care plan

n A progressive tax system in Washington

n Public financing of political campaigns

n Abolishing the death penalty

n Eliminating the “three strikes” law

n A cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence

Democrats oppose:

n Pre-emptive or unilateral war

n State or local police enforcement of federal immigration laws

n Charter schools and vouchers

n Organized prayer in public schools

n Public funding of “Faith-based initiatives”

n Making English the official language of the United States

n Privatizing public services

n “Fully contained communities” that fail to live up to what the name implies*

*from Snohomish County Democratic Party platform

Republicans believe:

n “Individuals are more enlightened than governments, that markets are more efficient than bureaucracies, and that the citizen is more visionary than the collective”

n “Limited government is the foundation of a free society”

n “Property rights are civil rights”

n The federal health care plan is unconstitutional and must be repealed and replaced

n The Second Amendment allows carrying of guns across state lines*

Republicans support:

n A constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget*

n A constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman

n A 72-hour waiting period before an abortion*

n Requiring two-thirds vote to amend state initiatives

n Sanctioning employers who hire illegal immigrants*

n Making English the official language of the United States*

Republicans oppose: