PREAMBLE

The Socialist Party stands for the complete abolition of every form of exploitation, whether based on social class, gender, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. 

 

We are committed to the overthrow of capitalism and transformation of capitalist society through revolutionary action. In its place, we support the creation of a socialist society based on equality, compassion, empathy, and respect. Socialism will establish a new economic, social, and political order in which the working class will assume democratic control over the means of production.

 

As we pursue a socialist transformation of society, we offer a platform of radical demands to the existing, capitalist system. Although these demands are not the embodiment of socialism, the fight for them will advance working class interests by demonstrating the inherent limitations and injustice of the capitalist system. As we build our party and participate in larger movements, this platform illustrates a collective list of demands to organize around and expresses our desire to challenge capitalism in all facets of life.

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ECONOMICS

Worker Control

1. We call for worker and community ownership and control of the means of production within the framework of a democratically determined economic plan.

2. We oppose exploitative transnational trade agreements which preserve global wealth inequality by disproportionately benefiting imperialist nations and ensuring the nations impoverished by colonialism remain undeveloped under modern imperialism.

3. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the United States from neoliberal trade agreements, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

4. We call for compensation to communities, as well as compensation, re-training, and other support services for workers, affected by plant and military base closings.

5. We call for a National Pension Authority to hold the assets of private pension funds, and a levy against corporate assets for any pension fund deficits.

6. We call for increased and expanded welfare assistance and increased and expanded unemployment compensation at 100% of a worker's previous income or the minimum wage, whichever is higher, for the full period of unemployment or re-training, whichever is longer.

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Macro-Economy

1. We call for an immediate minimum wage of $25 per hour, indexed to the cost of living.

2. We call for a full employment policy.

3. We support the provision of a livable guaranteed annual income.

4. We call for all financial and insurance institutions to be socially owned and operated by a democratically-controlled national banking authority, including credit unions, mutual insurance cooperatives, and cooperative state banks. In the meantime, we call for reregulation of the banking and insurance industries.

5. We call for the consolidation of credit lending into a single national bank, and for democratic control over the process of investment.

6. We support a program of massive federal investment in both urban and rural areas for infrastructure reconstruction and economic development.

 

Banking & Taxes

1. We call for a steeply graduated income and estate taxes and a maximum income of no more than ten times the minimum.  We oppose regressive taxes such as payroll tax, sales tax, and property taxes.

2. We call for the restoration of the capital gains tax and luxury tax on a progressive, graduated scale.

3. We call for a 100-percent capital flight tax on runaway industry.

4. We support tax benefits for renters equal to those for homeowners.

5. We call for the elimination of subsidies and tax breaks that benefit corporations and all other forms of corporate welfare.

 

INTERNATIONALISM & FOREIGN POLICY

1. We call for the closing of all U.S. military facilities at home and abroad that train foreign military and paramilitary personnel.

2. We call for the United States to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all U.S. forces currently stationed in foreign territories as part of the so-called War on Terror. 

3. We call for the abolition of U.S. geographic combatant commands, such as the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

4. We call for the immediate lifting of the U.S. embargo against Cuba and an end to the U.S. occupation of Guantanamo Bay.

5. We endorse the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement put forth by the State of Palestine and support the Right of Return of Palestinian refugees. We oppose the apartheid policies of the Israeli government and call for an end to all U.S. aid to Israel. We call for the end of the occupation of the State of Palestine and support the creation of an inclusive, secular, and democratic state in Palestine.

6. We demand the cancellation of Third World debt.

7. We call for an immediate end to U.S. military aid used to advance western imperialism and prop up US-backed dictators.

8. We call for the abolition of the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and all other institutions of covert warfare.

9. We call for an international treaty outlawing all weapons of mass destruction.

10. We call for an immediate 50% cut in the military budget, followed by additional cuts, with the aim of rapidly reducing the military budget to less than 10% of its current level, with the "peace dividend" directed to essential social services and to the cost of cleaning up contaminated military sites.

11. We call for the disbanding of NATO and all other aggressive military alliances, and the closing of all overseas bases.

12. We call for an end to U.S. arms sales throughout the world.

13. We call for the abolition of permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, and an end to veto power.

14. We call for a constitutional amendment requiring a binding vote of the people on any deployment of U.S. troops.

15. We call for the United States to cease manufacturing and using Unmanned Aerial Devices (drones) for domestic and international spying and warfare.

16. We oppose the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization as instruments of capitalist oppression throughout the world.

 

SOCIAL JUSTICE

LGBTQIA+ People

1. We call for the immediate end of all restrictions on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQIA+) people in law and the workplace, the repeal of all sodomy laws, and the continued legalization of same-sex marriage.

2. We call on all schools to adopt policies and procedures to address and prevent student violence and to ban discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people throughout the educational system.

3. We call for a federal ban on all forms of job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

4. We are committed to confronting the bigotry that provides fertile ground for homophobic and transphobic violence. We strive to foster understanding and cooperation among persons and groups of differing sexual orientations and gender identities.

5. We call for the right of transgender, genderqueer, and nonbinary people to obtain drivers' licenses and government identification corresponding to their gender identities.

6. We oppose all laws aimed at denying transgender people access to bathrooms and other public facilities consistent with their gender identities.

7. We call for a federal ban on discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people by adoption, foster care agencies, and healthcare providers.

8. We call for a federal ban on conversion therapy.

 

People of Color

1. We strongly support affirmative action, civil rights, and anti-discrimination laws and programs to end institutional racism.

2. We call for reparations from the federal government for its role in the slave trade and the genocide of Native American nations, with the reparations programs administered by the oppressed communities themselves.

3. We support the efforts of people of color to self-defense, self-determination, and to organize independently for their liberation.

4. We oppose all efforts to declare English an official language and call for an end to all language discrimination. We demand that all public and private institutions provide services and materials in the languages of their communities.

 

People with Disabilities

1. We call for full enforcement of all sections of the Americans with Disabilities Act so that all public and private buildings, facilities, and modes of transportation are accessible to disabled people.

2. We oppose any effort to limit the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act by restricting the definition of who is considered a person with a disability, and we call for an amendment to the act that would permit punitive damages for the complainants in ADA cases.

3. We call for enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that mandates equal employment practices and physical accessibility for entities receiving federal funding and call for the removal of the prohibition against the right of private action presently contained in Section 504.

4. We call for full funding for a network of support for people with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities, including home assistance, recreation centers, guaranteed income, voting access, and quality control in residential facilities, and for the inclusion of people with disabilities on all local and state governing boards and commissions.

5. We call for affirmative action quotas for hiring people with disabilities at union wages.

6. We oppose any efforts of the federal government to further limit access to SSDI (Supplemental Security Disability Income Insurance).

7. We call for the full funding of high-quality education and training programs for people with disabilities, and an expansion of the Individuals with Disabilities In Education Act (IDEA) which would include greater funding for the hiring of paraprofessionals in public schools.

8. We call for an amendment of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to include a prohibition against the denial of credit based on disability.

 

Seniors

1. We demand that the Social Security system remain entirely within the public sector, with funds derived from a steeply graduated income tax on all income, earned and unearned, and said funds are used solely for Social Security and not any other purpose, such as offsetting the federal deficit.

2. We call for the inclusion of all state and local government workers within the Social Security System.

3. We call for the right of retirement at age of 55 and a guaranteed, livable retirement income which is tax-free and protected from inflation by cost of living increases.

4. We support universal access to home services, including home-delivered quality meals, personal aid devices, and physical therapy so that older people can remain independent in their homes and community.

5. We support the formation of publicly funded senior centers that provide opportunities for social and recreational activities and community involvement, as well as access to quality meals and medical care.

6. We call for stronger protections against forced retirement and access to job training for any seniors who do not wish to retire.

7. We call for the election of advocates and ombudspersons by assemblies of seniors and caregivers to ensure the protection of residents’ rights in nursing homes.

8. We support a person’s right to die with dignity, including through access to physician-assisted suicide.

 

Women

1. We call for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to choose when, if, and how to have children, including the right to free abortion on demand at any stage of pregnancy, without interference or coercion. 

2. We call for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment and all other legislation that limits access to abortion services, thus denying "the right to choose" to millions of women, particularly low-income women, women of color, and young women.

3. We demand full reproductive freedom for all women by removing all discriminating barriers to reproductive rights and reproductive health care.

4. We call for the banning of all involuntary sterilizations.  We oppose the performing of any medical research or medical procedure without a woman's full knowledge and consent.

5. We demand that federal, state, and local governments place a priority on preventing violence toward women, with coordinated programs to educate, provide shelter for women and children, and vigorously protect women from their abusers.

6. We call for at least 24 months fully-paid leave to be shared by new parents or in its entirety by a single parent, and the expansion and full-funding of high-quality child care facilities.

7. We support comprehensive educational and training opportunities, comparable worth laws, and affirmative action for women. We believe that women should be able to enter any occupation they choose, without hindrance.

8. We call for organizational structures, both in politics and throughout society, based on mutual consideration and respect, rotating leadership, gender balance, and processes that welcome and enable open and equitable participation in discussion and decision-making.

 

Youth

1. We support the immediate ratification by the United States of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2. We call for children's allowances that will help ensure that every child's basic rights and needs are satisfied in a stimulating, empowering, and caring environment. We support free, quality care and education for all children and young people, federally financed and community-controlled through democratically elected local boards that will include youth members.

3. We support the rights of minors to be free of any kind of child abuse or neglect whether physical, mental, emotional, or sexual.

4. We oppose measures that increase responsibilities and penalties on youth ostensibly to curb crime.

5. We oppose age-based curfew laws.

6. We call for an end to military draft registration.

7. We call for the abolition of parent consent and notification laws for reproductive health services, including abortion.

8. We call for the right to comprehensive sex education in school that includes birth control methods, STD protection, and information about being LGBTQIA+

 

SERVICES & INFRASTRUCTURE

Arts, Culture, & Recreation

1. We support the formation of collectives, arts centers and schools, independent media, theaters and festivals to advance such cultural endeavors as music, poetry, prose, drama, dance, storytelling, visual art, and videography.

2. We support guaranteed incomes and grants for artists and performers.

3. We call for full funding of community and school arts programs for people of all ages.

4. We call for full funding to keep libraries, museums, cultural centers, and historic sites open and accessible to all.

5. We call for the preservation of literature, art, music, dance, oral traditions, and audio and video recordings that have arisen out of people's experiences: young and old, of all nationalities and colors, sexual preferences, working, un- and under-employed, and disabled.

6. We support the autonomy of artists of color, women artists, and disabled artists in their creative work.

7. We support the right of artists to join and form unions to protect their labor rights and to form collectives to advance common artistic visions.

8. We support the creation and/or maintenance of a system of public recreational spaces and facilities including but not limited to items like hiking trails and parks; various sports and exercise-related courts, fields, rinks, gyms, etc. 

9. We support healthy sportsman-like competition in a safe and supportive environment at all age levels for all those interested regardless of gender, disability, etc. 

10. We call for nationalization of professional sports leagues and their democratic operation by players and team employees for the public benefit.

 

Education

1. We call for full and equal funding of public education; for the restoration of a comprehensive K-12 curriculum, including art, music, world languages, and physical education; for an end to all public funding of private, religious, and charter schools

2. We demand equal access to higher education for all people and support publicly funded higher education to include free tuition and full-time teachers with full benefits.

3. We call for the complete and immediate forgiveness of all outstanding student loans and believe that students should not be saddled with decades of debt simply because they pursue higher education.

4. We support public child care starting from infancy, and public education starting at age three, with caregivers and teachers of young children receiving training, certification, wages, and benefits comparable to that of teachers at every other level of the educational system.

5. We oppose merit pay for teachers.

6. We call for an egalitarian educational system with teaching methods that accommodate the wide range of teaching and learning styles, and that provides all students with the means to obtain the post-secondary education they desire.  We call a maximum of 15 students per teacher for grades K-12, and a maximum of 50 students per teacher at the post-secondary level.

7. We call for vigorous affirmative action programs so that the faculty and student-body of all schools reflect the community at large in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, and economic background.  We support multicultural, multilingual, experimental education at all levels.

8. We call for student representation on school boards, and for those boards to be fully accountable to students, parents, teachers, and school workers.

9. We support full and unrestricted health education programs, including sex education, with significant curriculum input from health care professionals.

10. We oppose school-sponsored prayer or any other religious practice in public schools, and all efforts to limit the teaching of evolution or to combine it with non-scientific theories.

11. We call for free and open access to information, including the public ownership of all academic databases.

12. We call for the end of military recruitment in educational institutions.

 

Health Care

1. We call for the transitional demand for the immediate abolition of all private health insurance companies through the creation of a single-payer health system. We see single-payer as an important step towards a fully socialized national health program with full medical, dental, vision, and mental health coverage for all. This system would be publicly funded through progressive taxation and controlled by democratically elected assemblies of health care workers and patients. The National Health Program should improve, and replace, Medicare and Medicaid.

2. We call for a health care system that emphasizes preventive care, respects patients' privacy, gives special attention to the needs of the physically and mentally disabled, and conducts treatment and research unimpaired by any form of discrimination.

3. We call for full funding for HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment. We demand full civil rights for people living with HIV/AIDS.

4. We call for expanded support and treatment for people living with chronic ailments or ailments that do not presently have a cure.

5. We call for public ownership and worker and community control of the pharmaceutical industry.

6. We call for educational programs to help prevent drug addiction; for voluntary treatment programs for addicts and alcoholics; and for the availability of free, sterile needles for those still using IV drugs.

7. We call for the reinstatement of funding to community mental health services so that low-cost or no-cost treatment is available on a voluntary basis, with clients' rights respected. 

8. We oppose involuntary incarceration for medical treatment without due process.

9. We support the right to choose or refuse medical treatment, the right to die, and the right to assisted suicide.

10. We call for full community decision-making regarding the creation, organization or elimination of public health care facilities.

 

Housing

1. We call for a vast increase in housing subsidies as one element of major public investment in the construction of low-cost, high-quality housing.

2. We call for rent control for all rental units and support the ability of renters to organize collectively for better living conditions.

3. We support the formation of non-profit land trusts and of socially owned, tenant-controlled housing cooperatives.

4. We call for the organization of a housing rehabilitation program aimed at renovating and remodeling existing homes to bring them up to housing and safety codes, as part of a broader public works program.

5. We call for a permanent end to home foreclosures and predatory mortgage lending.

6. We demand a housing-first approach to addressing homelessness.

7. We call for a federal ban on real estate speculation.

 

Transportation

1. We call for the creation of a comprehensive, high-speed national rail system with enough destinations and fares set low enough to be a viable alternative to automobile use.

2. We call for an end to the expansion of the interstate highway system and the reduction of combustion engine/auto based transport.

3. We call for government-subsidized programs to expand safe routes for foot and bicycle paths.

4. We call for pedestrian ways, accessible by mass transit, which exclude vehicles from the downtown area of cities and towns.

5. We support publicly funded development of renewable fuels.

6. We support federally funded auto insurance.

7. We call for public ownership and worker control of the airline industry.

 

CIVIL RIGHTS

Constitution & Bill of Rights

1. We condemn the so-called War on Terrorism and call for the immediate repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act, Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), and the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.

2. We call for the elimination of the Department of Homeland Security and the sweeping police powers accorded to it.

3. We demand the exclusion of the military from domestic law enforcement.

4. We call for the abolition of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

5. We support protections to the right to protest and oppose criminal code reforms that restrict legitimate dissent.

6. We support the actions of all whistle-blowers in revealing acts of oppression towards the working class by the government and oppose any attempts to imprison or punish them for their heroic acts.

7. We oppose all forms of censorship both legislative and regulatory.

 

Immigration

1. We support equal rights to every citizen and resident, regardless of legal status, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2. We oppose the militarization of the United States/Mexican border and denounce the inhumane conditions people who are caught crossing the border are subjected to.

3. We defend the rights of all immigrants to education, health care, and full civil and legal rights and call for an unconditional amnesty program for all undocumented people.  We oppose the imposition of any fees on those receiving amnesty.

4. We call for an end to the use of "secret evidence" in deportation hearings, a ban on all immigration detentions and military tribunals, and full due process and habeas corpus rights in U.S. courts for all non-citizens on U.S. territory or in U.S. custody. We demand an end to police raids in areas where immigrants congregate.

5. We oppose "guest worker programs” as a ploy to trap foreign workers in low-paying and often abusive jobs.

6. We call for full citizenship rights upon demonstrating six months of residency in the U.S.

7. We call for the elimination of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and the sweeping police powers accorded to it.

8. We demand the closure of all immigrant detention facilities in the U.S. and the reuniting of families separated by these inhumane facilities as quickly as possible.

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Free & Fair Elections

1. We support the public financing of candidates for public office as long as this funding extends to the candidates of alternative political parties.

2. We call for strict limits on the use of personal funds in elections, either for one's own campaign or for that of another candidate.

3. We support the introduction of proportional representation at every level of government.

4. We call for uniform ballot access laws for all states that ensure all political parties a chance to have their candidates on the ballot.

5. We call for the elimination of the Electoral College and support ranked choice voting of all elected officials.

6. We call for the full restoration of voting rights for all citizens currently or formerly incarcerated in jails or prisons.

7. We demand greater access to media for all political parties and free, equal access to all forms of mass media for all candidates.

8. We call for full representation for all U.S. territories, tribal reservations, and the District of Columbia.

9. We call for the extension of U.S. citizenship to all residents of American Samoa.

10. We call for a mandatory paper trail of all votes to allow for recounts and verification.

 

Legal Justice

1. We call for free, quality, legal and court services with skilled and experienced attorneys of choice for all.

2. We call for prosecution of the criminal activities of politicians, corporate managers, and other privileged individuals, rather than the over-emphasis on minor infractions by working-class people and for a sliding scale of fines based on income.

3. We call for the expansion of community release programs and other alternatives to prisons, and for a moratorium on new prison construction.

4. We call for support services for prisoners and prisoners' families to reduce ostracism, maintain family ties, and provide for non-degrading visitation policies.

5. We call for the abolition of for-profit prisons.

6. We call for the abolition of prison labor for profit, forced labor (“chain gangs”) and the use of prison labor to perform state services.

7. We call for the right of prisoners to organize unions and cooperative groups to negotiate for better living conditions.

8. We call for the immediate establishment of completely independent and democratically elected police control and oversight councils, with full power to fire police and to arrest, detain, and indict police officers who brutalize or abuse people or who commit any violation of laws or civil rights and liberties.

9. We call for the ultimate replacement of the police with community residents trained in conflict resolution who live in and serve the community under community control.

10. We call for community response services for crime victims, including the establishment of crisis centers and shelters for victims of domestic violence, spousal and child abuse, and rape and incest.

11. We recognize and support the right of the working class to keep and bear arms. We support community-based public training for gun owners.

12. We call for the decriminalization of drug use and the regulation of narcotics by doctors through the use of prescriptions rather than by the criminal justice system.

13. We call for the redirection of funds spent on the "war on drugs" to comprehensive community-based, client-controlled rehabilitation programs.

14. We call for the abolition of the death penalty.

15. We call for the dismantling of the prison industrial complex through reductions and dismantling of existing prisons, and an end to mass incarceration of people of color.

16. We call for disallowing employers from inquiring about an applicant’s past criminal record not directly related to the occupational task to be performed, including eliminating the check-off box for felons.

17. We call for an end to all "3 strikes laws" and mandatory minimum sentencing requirements.

18. We call for the abolition of all prisons for children and juvenile detention centers, to be replaced with meaningful educational, social, and economic support.

19. We call for a constitutional change to the 13th Amendment striking the language regarding slavery “as a punishment for crime".

20. We oppose incarceration as an alternative to assessment and treatment of mental health issues.

21. We call for the abolition of qualified immunity for police officers and establishment of vicarious liability for police departments.

22. We call for repeal of the Eleventh Amendment and abolition of sovereign immunity.

23. We call for abolition of the power of courts to condition pretrial release on the posting of money bail.

24. We oppose the court-created precedent of “corporate personhood” that illegitimately gives corporations rights that were intended for human beings.

 

Media & Intellectual Property

1. We support the breakup of large media companies so that no one company or individual owns more than one newspaper, radio or television station, or television channel.  

2. We call for the re-regulation of the communications industry, including the assertion of public ownership rights over radio and television frequencies.

3. We call for government ownership of satellite and cable companies, with revenue generated by these operations allocated to a publicly controlled fund to finance visual and audio programming, over-the-air radio and television, and cable and satellite programming.

4. We oppose all efforts to trim "fair use" rights, such as the right to excerpt a copyrighted work in a review.

5. We call for the repeal of all existing copyright extension laws.

6. We oppose legislation to force electronics manufacturers to build "Digital Rights Management" into computers and appliances.

7. We oppose private ownership of the Internet backbone.

8. We call for direct public ownership of the Internet bandwidth and for democratic ownership and control of the Internet domain naming system.

9. We call for the transition from private ISPs to high-speed internet access as a free public utility for all, including the distribution of computers to individuals and families in need of them.

10. We call for the restoration of net neutrality requirements for all internet service providers.

 

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY

Environment

1. We call for the U.S. to immediately return to participation in international agreements on reducing carbon emissions and accept a major role in worldwide efforts to control global climate change.

2. We call for placing full financial responsibility on private companies for prevention and clean-up of their own toxic wastes and for full compensation of workers and residents adversely affected by environmental hazards.

3. We oppose environmental racism through zoning and development practices that place a disproportionate burden on the health, wellness, and safety of low-income and marginalized communities, including but not limited to the placement of landfills, hazardous waste disposal facilities, high voltage power lines, trash incinerators, and power plants.

4. We support the recycling of glass, metals, plastic, paper, and chemicals via public/municipal recycling programs and the use of recycled materials for public works projects such as roadways, parks, and playgrounds.

5. We oppose open-pit mining operations and support the reclamation of land used by mining operations at the company’s expense.

6. We support large-scale environmental restoration efforts.

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Energy

1. We call for the development and rapid implementation of alternative energy sources including solar, geothermal, wind, and hydropower to end dependence on fossil fuels.

2. We call for utilities to be provided on an income-based sliding scale to ensure access to utilities regardless of income.

3. We call for an independent government agency, staffed by experts, to determine the safest way to dispose of and store nuclear waste and materials.

 

Agriculture

1. We call for strong organic standards, gradually lessened government price supports for non-organic food production, and strong government incentives for conservation initiatives.

2. We call for public ownership and worker control of existing corporate farms, support existing state bans on corporate farms, and support a federal ban on the establishment of new corporate farms.

3. We call for the repudiation of all current farm debts for working farmers.

4. We call for family farmers whose land was taken in foreclosures to be given their land and equipment back or be given comparable land and equipment or monetary compensation.

5. We call for national standards requiring country-of-origin labeling on agricultural products.

6. We call for a complete ban on neonicotinoid pesticides and implementation of environmental regulations as needed to prevent further bee die--offs from colony collapse disorder (CCD).

7. We call for low-cost loans, grants, and technical help to farmers including help shifting farm production from non-essentials to staple foods and fibers.

8. We call for legislation banning the practice of plowing under fields in order to manipulate market forces and increase prices.

9. We oppose the privatization of water, the creation of water markets, and water trading.

10. We call for a ban on environmentally destructive forms of production of meat and dairy foods, including hog confinements, cattle feedlots, and industrial poultry production.

11. We call for the end of patents on biological organisms and genomes.

12. We call for a system of ecologically based, sustainable, organic agriculture based on family farms and farming cooperatives that guarantee full workers’ rights to their employees, uphold all environmental and safety standards, and treat their livestock in a humane manner.

13. We support the creation of socially owned enterprises in the areas of transportation, storage, and processing of agricultural goods, controlled by boards composed of farmers, farm workers, and community members.

 

Animal Rights

1. We support publicly funded Trap, Spay/Neuter, Return programs as a way to reduce the population of feral cats and dogs, and reduce the number of animals euthanized in animal shelters due to overcrowding.

2. We oppose entertainment that causes pain and suffering to animals.

3. We call for the banning of the fur trade.

4. We support greater inclusion and enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.

5. We call for a ban on animal experimentation for non-medical product development, and for an oversight board to examine and limit the use of animals in scientific and medical research.

6. We oppose factory farming practices of overcrowding, drugging, and otherwise cruelly treating animals.