Vermont Democratic Party (VDP) Platform
 

1. Democracy:

Strengthen Vermonters’ engagement and confidence in government by ensuring free and fair elections, spirited public participation, transparent and effective government, and a free press.

2. Equity:

Vigorously examine and reform practices, processes, policies, regulations, and legislation that may inhibit or obstruct access to, and participation in, the life of our communities, both rural and urban, by any Vermonter, for reasons of sex, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, physical ability, veteran status, mental health status, disability, incarceration history, or immigration circumstances.

3. Prosperity for All:

Direct public and private investments focused on developing an economy that promotes shared and sustainable economic, social, and ecological well-being.

4. Environmental Justice:

Combat the existential threat of climate change by becoming a clean energy leader, improving the quality of life for Vermonters while protecting our beloved natural spaces, our economy, our safety, and the health and future of our children.

5. Health Care for All:

Unequivocally establish that healthcare is a fundamental human right, central to dignity, autonomy, and well-being. Universal, comprehensive, accessible, and affordable health care is essential to human life and to full participation in our society.

6. Justice and Community Safety:

Improve the well-being of our communities through a comprehensive approach to public safety that recognizes our individual implicit biases and the institutional racism inherent within society and the criminal justice system, and embrace more effective alternatives to incarceration, working to end the criminalization of poverty, addiction, and otherness

7. Public Education Second to None:

Secure Vermont’s future by investing in our children – sustaining our commitment to equitable and excellent PreK to post high school education, increasing and improving affordable access to early childcare, and extending affordable, first-rate, post-secondary learning opportunities throughout adulthood

To be sure, these planks are neither exhaustive nor separable. They are indispensable, interdependent elements of a vibrant and creative future for Vermont, rooted in respect for each other, care for our communities, and a collective responsibility for our planet.