# The Democratic platform. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 20, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927 "2004-07-20T02:02:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/1 "2004-07-20T02:02:31Z")
[http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf](http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf) Be aware it is a PDF. Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/2 "2004-07-20T02:07:19Z")
Seriously, is there a bigger waste of freaking time in this country than party platforms? The only people who are going to know what’s on it are a bunch of fresh faced college grads working at the DNC. I worked in Congress for a Dem and we didn’t pay one bit of attention to the platform during the election. And we were one of the more loyal Democratic offices - I can’t imagine Byrd or Miller agree with 30% of what’s on there. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/3 "2004-07-20T02:09:45Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Seriously, is there a bigger waste of freaking time in this country than party platforms? The only people who are going to know what’s on it are a bunch of fresh faced college grads working at the DNC. I worked in Congress for a Dem and we didn’t pay one bit of attention to the platform during the election. And we were one of the more loyal Democratic offices - I can’t imagine Byrd or Miller agree with 30% of what’s on there. It’s still the platform. Arguing it’s use is another debate. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/4 "2004-07-20T02:14:35Z")
Cripes. Does it have to be so long? I mean, so many words can only a) be meaningless or b) get you in trouble. I propose that the 2008 Democratic platform be only in video form. Possibly directed by Michael Moore, but it could be a cartoon. Seriously, though, it is really time to fundamentally change the way parties operate in the US. I have no problem with a two party system (being a staunch Democrat myself), but conventions are a complete waste of time. They are really too long when even the party faithful (like me, who will be there all four days, BTW) only really care about the final 45 minutes. Christ. Those friggin’ conventions must be run by infomercial directors. They just suck. Ok, sorry. Ahem. Got sidetracked. What was the debate again? ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/5 "2004-07-20T02:23:11Z")
41 pages?! Good Golly Miss Molly! And it’s a PDF, so I can’t count how many times they use the word “strong”. Thanks for the link, but I’m not sure what the debate is here. The Repubs haven’t put theirs out yet, but maybe when they do we can start a game wherein you have to guess _Is This Phrase from the R or D Platform?_ > [@](#): > > In offering this vision, we affirm our faith in the greatness of America. We recommit to the ideal of a people united in helping one another, an ideal as old as the faiths we follow and as great as the country we love. To those who are threatened, we pledge protection; to those who are victims, we promise justice; to those who are hopeless, we offer hope. And to all Americans who seek a better future for themselves, for their loved ones, and for our country, we say: your cause is our own. > > That is the America we believe in. That is the America we are fighting for. That is the America we will build together–one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/6 "2004-07-20T03:09:37Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > I worked in Congress for a Dem and we didn’t pay one bit of attention to the platform during the election. Did you (or your Congresscritter) pay any attention to the platform **after** the election? ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/7 "2004-07-20T05:51:24Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > 41 pages?! Good Golly Miss Molly! And it’s a PDF, so I can’t count how many times they use the word “strong”. You should buy a Mac, the built-in PDF reader is amazing. 😉 They use the word “strong” 66 times. Terror is used 59 times. War, 76 times. Iraq, 35 times. Social Security, six times. Democratic, 77 times. America, 273 times. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/8 "2004-07-20T13:04:20Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Did you (or your Congresscritter) pay any attention to the platform **after** the election? Nope. We paid attention to the platform **we** ran on, but that wasn’t always the same as the party platform but it sometimes was. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/9 "2004-07-20T13:14:44Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > [http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf](http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf) > > Be aware it is a PDF. > > Discuss. Shouldn’t you frame the discussion by formulating a debate? What are your own statements about it? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/10 "2004-07-20T13:56:57Z")
I haven’t read the damnable thing. I don’t need to. All it is is a collection of sops to the various interest groups that make up the Democratic Party. It keeps them mollified and in the big tent. The Republican platform serves a similar purpose, and is equally unreadable. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/11 "2004-07-20T14:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Discuss. Jiminy Christmas, you want us spend a couple hours reading 41 pages of political glurge, then create a debate that, given your history around here, you will most likely comment on with two posts of no more than ten words each? Pass. You want a debate, create one. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/12 "2004-07-20T15:24:14Z")
I think I’ll wait for the movie version. I hear it’s going to be a musical. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/13 "2004-07-20T15:38:47Z")
It beggars belief that such a load of right-wing, nationalistic authoritarianism comes from the _leftmost_ of the two main parties in Earth’s richest and most powerful nation. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/14 "2004-07-20T15:41:26Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > I haven’t read the damnable thing. I don’t need to. > > All it is is a collection of sops to the various interest groups that make up the Democratic Party. It keeps them mollified and in the big tent. > > The Republican platform serves a similar purpose, and is equally unreadable. I find myself agreeing with **Mr. Moto** twice in one day (the Sandy Berger thread being the other). I’d better go lie down in a dark room with a cool, damp cloth over my eyes… > [@John Mace](#): > > I think I’ll wait for the movie version. I hear it’s going to be a musical. Yeah, by Philip Glass. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/15 "2004-07-20T16:12:29Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > It beggars belief that such a load of right-wing, nationalistic authoritarianism comes from the _leftmost_ of the two main parties in Earth’s richest and most powerful nation. That’s why I say there is no major leftist party anymore. There are only centrists and rightists. Championing personal liberty nowadays is seen as something done by quacks, freeks, and utopianists. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/16 "2004-07-20T16:54:22Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > I find myself agreeing with **Mr. Moto** twice in one day (the Sandy Berger thread being the other). I agree on both counts. Somebody stop me if I start talking about joining the NRA. But I prefer to think that Mr Moto is moving to the Left. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/17 "2004-07-20T17:17:41Z")
I don’t think I’m moving to the left, **Ravenman**. I have been spending too much time here, though. I think you just agree because the Republican platform is a similarly unreadable POS. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/18 "2004-07-20T17:22:00Z")
Forgot to include you too, **Early Out**. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/19 "2004-07-20T17:32:51Z")
The LP Platform is an interesting read: [http://www.lp.org/issues/platform/platform\_all.html](http://www.lp.org/issues/platform/platform_all.html) Guaranteed to piss off both sides! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927/20 "2004-07-20T18:15:07Z")
> [@spectrum](#): > > You should buy a Mac, the built-in PDF reader is amazing. 😉 Or he could just upgrade to the latest version of [Adobe Reader](http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) which is probably the ‘built-in’ reader that came pre-installed on your Mac. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-platform/255927.md?page=2)