BCDC August 2008 Newsletter, page 2

Page 2

Beach Cities Democratic Club

July Recap

Assemblyman Ted Lieu

We were honored to have Assemblyman Ted Lieu lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance this month. There were quite a few new visitors due to the fact that the meeting

had been well publicized, and many people were eager to give input to the Democratic Party platform.

Ted talked about three issues that concern him at the State level:

SB840 -- Single-payer health. The bill currently resides in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Lieu also talked about AB1150, which bans the insurance industry from removing a member after s/he files a claim. It also prohibits bonuses or rewards for terminating a policy when a claim has been filed. It was signed this month.

The environment -- Lieu is working on a greenhouse gas reduction bill which would be accomplished by 2020. The bill also encourages green buildings. Current building design produces 40% of all greenhouse gases all the time. AB2030 would reduce emissions from buildings to 1990 levels.

The budget -- There is a $15B deficit. One plan would increase taxes and cut programs in equal amounts to achieve balance. Since we need 2/3 vote to get budgets passed, the question is how do we get the Republicans to cooperate?

Club Business

Marianne Tyler is the Democratic Woman of the Year, and it was approved to pay half of the ticket price for members wishing to attend the FDR dinner on August 3rd.

To fill our vice-president's office, Toni Alario was nominated and elected by acclamation.

Notes for this article Courtesy of Peggy Carter

Platform Issues

For the remainder of our meeting, the assembled members broke up into five Platform groups, each with a different focus. Here is an abridged summary of the conclusions. A full version will be available at our website.

Restoration of the Constitution

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the rule of law. We commit to holding to account any public servant or official who breaks the law; acts corruptly; administers justice with partisan prejudice or favor to special interests; violates the public trust; puts political expediency ahead of addressing and righting violations of law, the Constitution or public trust; or commits a high crime or misdemeanor.

We deplore that private companies, through Congress' recent revision of FISA, have been granted immunity from private lawsuit to provide to the government information on non-public conversations of American citizens they have monitored and collected.

We demand an end to the use of torture as that act is defined by the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

Environment and Energy

We pledge America's collective will, effort, and resources to meet Al Gore's challenge and transform how America generates and consumes energy so that, within 10 years, 100% of America's electricity needs are fulfilled through truly carbon-free renewable energy sources.

Economy, Markets, and Jobs

We support achievement of a sound, robust, environmentally-friendly economy through:

Readoption and enforcement of sensible financial market regulations and practices;

Reduction of the federal deficit, expansion of credit to underserved markets through adoption of practicable consumer credit reform and reestablishment of sound credit mechanisms;

Prohibition of usurious interest rates, full disclosure of credit terms; encouragement of consumer saving;

Update of America's energy and transportation infrastructure;

Promotion of job growth and productivity by adopting higher performance technologies and producing goods consumers value more highly;

Regulation of market concentration to ensure no barriers to market entry or innovation exist.

Health Care

Every American must have quality, affordable healthcare. We believe America should adopt a universal, comprehensive and affordable national health care plan. We believe that no American should be denied healthcare due to pre-existing conditions, family history/genetics, and no policy rescinded due to unintended omissions or misrepresentations.

National and International Security

We call for America's public officials to diligently honor and adhere to international law, to aggressively pursue statesmanship and diplomacy, to parsimoniously resort to use of armed conflict, and to restore America's reputation as a lawful democratic power.

We encourage America's leaders to elevate the international policy discussion by increased focus on comprehensive and collaborative solutions that lead toward lasting, sustainable peace; and decreased focus on objects of fear.

We repudiate the waging of preventive wars; we covenant to skeptically and judiciously evaluate any recommendation that America wage a preemptive war.(Continued on page 4)

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