Democratic Alliance National Convention - April 2024 - Welcome to Springfield, IL

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Illinois State Capitol distance
Asher Heimermann, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons


Delegates, please sign in.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Democratic Alliance Bylaws

Article 1. Membership and Voting

Section 1. Registration

All voters registered under “Democratic Alliance” or “Democratic Alliance Party” shall be considered full members of this party, unless they have been expelled via the procedures detailed in Article 1, Section 5.

Section 2. Voting

All voters registered under “Democratic Alliance” or “Democratic Alliance Party” shall have any vote cast of theirs in the convention counted, unless they have been expelled via the procedures detailed in Article 1, Section 5..

Section 3. Instant-runoff Voting

In votes using instant-runoff voting, an “X” shall count as the highest and only preference, and ties shall be broken through either which ballot choice got the most first preferences, or through a runoff in the event of tied first preferences, unless in the case of a leadership election, if one candidate concedes by posting in the convention thread.

Section 4. Vote Abstentions

Abstain votes are not counted in the vote totals or percentage requirement for any election.

Section 5. Expulsion
1. Members whose actions are judged inappropriate or unbecoming of the Party may be subject to expulsion, initiated by a motion consisting of two (2) Party Members.

2. A simple majority of those Party Members voting in favor of expulsion shall be sufficient to expel a Member, assuming the total number of Members voting in favor of and against expulsion is at least one-quarter (25%) of the Party's Membership.

Article 2. Conventions

Section 1. Schedule

The Democratic Alliance Convention shall take place in the months of February, April, June, August, October, and December, beginning on the first day of such month, and closed on the last day of the month following such month.

Section 2. Location

The Democratic Alliance Convention shall take place in a nominated city in the Region of Fremont in the months of February and August, the Region of Lincoln in the months of April and October, and the Region of the South in the months of June and December.

Section 3. Business

Each Democratic Alliance Convention shall have the following business: voting on party bylaws and platform amendments, voting on party endorsements, nominating the city for the next convention, and electing party officers.

Section 4. Location Nomination Process

The city for the next Democratic Alliance Convention shall be nominated during the last week of the convention as follows: party members shall have 48 hours to nominate one or more cities of their choice, all nominated cities located in the region as determined in Article 1, Section 2 shall be put on a ballot, and party members shall have 48 hours to vote to determine the nominated city through instant-runoff voting.

Article 3. Officers

Section 1. Officer Structure

The Democratic Alliance Convention shall have an elected Chair and Vice Chair, with other roles appointed at the discretion of the Chair.

Section 2. Officer Elections

The Democratic Alliance Convention shall hold an election for Chair and Vice Chair during the second to last week of the conventions that start in the months of April, August, and December as follows: party members shall have 48 hours to nominate one or more members of their choice for either of the positions, all nominated members shall be put on a ballot, and party members shall have 48 hours to vote to elect the Chair and Vice Chair through instant-runoff voting.

Section 3. Chair Powers

The Democratic Alliance Convention Chair shall be the official leader of the party, manage the convention and any votes that take place, and create additional positions as they see fit and appoint party members to them.

Section 4. Vice Chair Powers

The Democratic Alliance Convention Vice Chair shall temporarily assume the powers of the Chair in the case of the Chair’s absence for 48 hours during party business, a leave of absence, or resignation, until they return; the Vice Chair shall become the Chair if the current Chair is absent for more than 168 hours during party business without a posted leave of absence, or if the Chair resigns.

Article 4. Endorsements

Section 1. Automatic Endorsements

A Democratic Alliance candidate/ticket running for an office shall be automatically endorsed, unless there is an objection raised by a party member against such endorsement, if they are the only candidate/ticket running in a single-seat election, or if the number of Democratic Alliance candidates running is equal to or less than the number of seats needed to hold a majority in such legislature in a multi-seat election.

Section 2. Endorsements of Candidates From Other Parties

A candidate who is not a member of Democratic Alliance may request an endorsement for an upcoming election that is taking place no more than 30 days later.

Section 3. Endorsement Vote Schedule

All endorsement votes shall begin 3 weeks before such election is scheduled to take place; in the case no Democratic Alliance candidate/ticket running for an office, the endorsement vote for such office shall be held 1 week before such election is scheduled to take place.

Section 4. Endorsement Vote Process

If two or more Democratic Alliance candidates/tickets running in the same single-seat election, if the number of Democratic Alliance candidates running greater than the number of seats needed to hold a majority in such legislature in a multi-seat election, or if an objection was raised by a party member against an automatic endorsement of a Democratic Alliance candidate/ticket, a primary hall be held as follows: the applicable candidates for each office should each be put on a ballot, and party members shall have 48 hours to vote to determine which candidate or candidates shall receive full support in the election from the party through instant-runoff voting; a Democratic Alliance candidate/ticket needs a simple majority of support, and a non-party candidate needs a 60% majority of support to be endorsed, unless there is no Democratic Alliance candidate/ticket running for such office, where in such case a non-party candidate only needs a simple majority of support to be endorsed.

Article 5. Platform and Amendments

Section 1. Platform Adoption

Democratic Alliance shall adopt a platform at the beginning of each convention with input from party members, using the amendment process described in Section 3 of this Article.

Section 2. Amendment Proposals

Any party member may propose an amendment to the party bylaws or platform.

Section 3. Amendment Process

Amendments to the party bylaws or platform shall happen as follows: party members shall have 24 hours to object to a proposed amendment; if there are no objections, the amendment shall be adopted; otherwise, if there is an objection, a vote lasting 48 hours shall be held on whether to adopt or reject the amendment, requiring a simple majority to pass.

Democratic Alliance Platform
I.) Economic Policy

1.) Democratic Alliance is a firm believer in the social market economic system, supported by the regulations necessary to protect consumers and ensure fair business practices.

2.) Democratic Alliance supports a progressive tax system that promotes financial equity. Tax loopholes need to be closed so that no person can avoid paying the taxes they are supposed to. At the same time, the tax system should be made easier to understand and more efficient.

3.) Welfare and social programs must be protected from harmful funding cuts.

4.) We believe strong stimulus measures are needed in times of economic recession or hardship.

5.) Expand trade agreements with countries that share Atlasia's values of liberal democracy, strong workers' rights, and environmental protection.

6.) The enforcement of anti-monopoly laws should be strengthened and the government should prevent large corporate mergers that are harmful to the consumer.

7.) Immediately expand assistance programs for struggling businesses and start-up businesses, with emphasis on small businesses and non-corporate farms.

8.) Rural areas of Atlasia continue to be lacking in basic social services such as healthcare and education. We support increasing investments in rural development programs and providing subsidies and relief to ensure that all citizens have access to this.

9.) Investment in infrastructure development and maintenance to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure will create jobs and modernize Atlasia, including major upgrades to the conventional rail network and fully electrified public transportation.

10.) Increase investments into programs that help communities suffering from economic decline to rebound.

11.) We support the establishment of an affordable public option for healthcare, that any Atlasian may choose to buy into.

12.) We support the levying of a tax on the value of land.

13.) We must address the high price of housing in many parts of Atlasia by removing unnecessary barriers to housing construction and investing in social housing and homeless shelters.
II.) Foreign Policy

1.) The Democratic Alliance recognizes Atlasia has a role to play in the security of countries around the world, however, Atlasia should choose pacifism over bloodshed whenever possible through the use of diplomacy and avoid foreign and regime-change wars costly in both lives and resources.

2.) The Democratic Alliance actively promotes Atlasian values of liberal democracy, free and fair markets and elections.

3.) The Democratic Alliance maintains that the nation should stand firmly with our allies, however, will not turn a blind eye to those who commit major offenses against human rights or international law.

4.) Atlasia should expand its partnerships with fellow democratic nations and create competitive incentives for nations to democratize and cooperate with the greater democratic community.

5.) Atlasia should implement a major economic support program for developing countries to improve living conditions throughout the world, promote democracy, and build new alliances.
III.) Social Issues

1.)The Democratic Alliance fully stands behind the solemn existence of the state of Atlasia. All who attempt to insurect or abolish the government of our nation deserve to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

2.) Our nation’s democracy is sacred, the right to vote should be protected and violated under no circumstance.

3.) The Democratic Alliance believes in the constitutional right to own firearms and supports responsible gun ownership for uses of self-defense and sport alongside reasonable measures to prevent gun violence such as comprehensive background checks and reformed sentencing laws for gun-related crimes.

4.) Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. The right to have access to abortion services should not be restricted to women during their first 20 weeks of pregnancy. All Atlasians should also have the right to readily available and accessible contraception and reproductive health care.

5.) Every Atlasian deserves equal rights and treatment, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. The Democratic Alliance believes in protecting the civil rights of each and every one of our citizens.

6.) All children have the right to a thorough and secular public education. We support the establishment of a quality 21st-century curriculum, classroom innovation, flexibility for students’ learning needs, and higher quality and better-paid teachers. Furthermore, we oppose reactionary efforts to prevent diversity in teaching, stop discussion of social issues, prevent the teaching of scientific consensus, limit access to age-appropriate reading material, and undermine sexual education, as these efforts stand in the way of a complete education.

7.) The Democratic Alliance believes that drug abuse should be treated as a health issue, and thus supports the decriminalization of the purchase, possession, and use of drugs for Atlasian adults. The party also supports the establishment and maintenance of addiction support centers for those who need to get clean and avoid endangering themselves or others.
IV.) Environmental Policy

1.) The Democratic Alliance views global warming as an existential threat to humanity, and believes actions must be taken to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses. This includes investment in clean energy development and production, especially in areas with economies based around fossil fuels.

2.) By incentivizing private businesses, Atlasia can continue to innovate and develop more green infrastructure and technologies, and create good-paying jobs.

3.) Protecting public lands and waters, and the wildlife that live in them is important for the future of Atlasia. Balancing development with these goals will be key to ensuring our environment will be protected for future generations.

4.) The Democratic Alliance supports expanding high-speed rail systems and continual expansion of access to public transportation and reducing our carbon footprint. The party supports passing a variation of the High-Speed Rail Act of 2018.

5.) We believe that nuclear power is a legitimate source of clean energy, and should be used in conjunction with other clean energy sources.

6.) We must de-carbonize commuting through the expansion of sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and electrified public transportation, and by incentivizing electric vehicles.

7.) We support regulations to prevent the contamination of the environment by dangerous substances and increasing support to communities affected by environmental damage.

V.) Science and Technology

1.) We believe that continued advances in science, technology, and medicine are necessary to better our understanding of the world we live in and to better improve overall living standards.

2.) We support increasing government funding for research.

3.) We support programs to encourage young people with an interest in scientific field to enter those fields, and we should improve education in those fields, with the understanding that other fields of study should not be neglected.

4.) We support space exploration, and increasing funding to NASA. It should be a national priority to land humans on Mars. The potential use for resources found in the solar system should be further researched.

5.) Research involving embryonic stem cells should not be unduly restricted.

VI[.) Other

1.) Democratic Alliance is a unionist party. We oppose any attempt of regional or state secession.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

x WB

[JGibson]

x JGibson

[Liminal Trans Girl]

X Liminal Trans Girl

[Utah Neolib]

x UNL

[Illiniwek]

x Illiniwek

I've been going back and forth as to what I want to do with my party registration for a while. But a Springfield, IL Convention finally made me take the plunge!

I will be hosting a social every night at Obed & Isaac's! Come out for some brews and horseshoe sandwiches!

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

opening the floor to endorsement requests.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

The following will be auto-endorsed unless a member objects:

WB for Great Lakes Senate

Liminal for Lincoln Governor

Utah Neolib for LGC
Illiniwek for LGC

[Senator-elect Spark]

Humbly requesting the DA endorsement for at-large Senator.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

All DA candidates have been auto-endorsed, including Jay for at-large.

48 hours having passed, I'll open up the ballot.

For at-large senate:
[ ] Spark
[ ] Write-in:
[ ] No endorsement

[West_Midlander]

I would like to run for the party's nomination as a write-in if possible (for Mountain West). Apologies for my tardiness.

[JGibson]

For at-large senate:
[X] Spark
[ ] Write-in:
[ ] No endorsement

[Oleg 🇰🇿🤝🇺🇦]

For at-large senate:
[X] Spark

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

For at-large senate:
[ ] Spark
[ ] Write-in:
[ X ] No endorsement


For mountain west:
[ 2 ] Write-in: WM
[ 1 ] No endorsement

[Utah Neolib]

For at-large senate:
[ ] Spark
[ ] Write-in:
[ X ] No endorsement


For mountain west:
[1] Write-in: WM
[2] No endorsement

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Both candidates got preferences from 50% of members voting, but as the bylaws call for an *absolute* majority, I.E. 50%+1, no additional endorsements are made.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

with endorsements over, we go to party bylaws, amendments, etc.

I put forward the following resolution:

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to unify under Labor's banner, with Peace and the Democratic Alliance forming factions within Labor.

The DA has had a long and storied history these 4 years as the longest lasting centrist party, but this election has proven to all of us involved that we need a unified left party to combat the crazies of the far-right. Having had some conversations with other party leaders from DA, Peace, and Labor, we seem to agree that this will be the best solution, though there will definitely be a lot of negotiating that needs to be done.

[RC (a la Frémont)]

x RC.

I'd like to make my objections known, that I not only disagree with your assessment, Mr. Chairman, but also that I vehemently disagree with the proposed resolution. The Democratic Alliance was founded on a cornetstone of hard work and liberal ideals as a basis to help this nation. Over the past four years, we have not only had the hardest working group of individuals to maintain a party apparatus EVER, but we have made it our mission to be the change we want.

Labor has always been the tyrant of left-wing autocracy in this nation, a coalition of those who will vote like zombies for economic policy that has failed this nation year after year, term after term. The Peace Party has proven susceptible to right wing takeover, and in recent years has stood for conservative ideals in line with the, at some times restrictive, at other times transparently diabolical positions of the SNP.

The DA stands as the only major liberal party who puts their money where their mouth is. Electing folks with ideals that work for people instead of government and big businesses. This is a party who will work day and night for the advancement of Atlasia, not the DA, not anyone's political career, we are by the people, for the people, not bought and sold, not influenced by outsiders, for freedom and democracy. Aligning ourselves with those institutions whom historically have not reflected those bedrock values, I maintain would be a mistake in the short term, and dire to the continuation of Atlasia in the long term.

I strongly urge this admirable group of individuals, those who stand for change and not for party, those who stand for maturity in our government and freedom to our citizens, not to agree to this resolution. Now is not the time to disband at the cost of extremist ideologues or those who do not know how to turn out their base. If we're gone, the reactionaries win.

I hereby yield the floor.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Withdrawing the previous resolution and introducing this reworded one, which focuses less on a particular outcome and more on left cooperation.

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to create a more cohesive alliance of the left, including but not limited to codified cooperation, election strategy, and communication.

[Oleg 🇰🇿🤝🇺🇦]

with endorsements over, we go to party bylaws, amendments, etc.

I put forward the following resolution:

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to unify under Labor's banner, with Peace and the Democratic Alliance forming factions within Labor.

The DA has had a long and storied history these 4 years as the longest lasting centrist party, but this election has proven to all of us involved that we need a unified left party to combat the crazies of the far-right. Having had some conversations with other party leaders from DA, Peace, and Labor, we seem to agree that this will be the best solution, though there will definitely be a lot of negotiating that needs to be done.

How about an equal union with some neutral name that does not express the dominance of one of the factions of this union?

[Joseph Cao]

with endorsements over, we go to party bylaws, amendments, etc.

I put forward the following resolution:

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to unify under Labor's banner, with Peace and the Democratic Alliance forming factions within Labor.

The DA has had a long and storied history these 4 years as the longest lasting centrist party, but this election has proven to all of us involved that we need a unified left party to combat the crazies of the far-right. Having had some conversations with other party leaders from DA, Peace, and Labor, we seem to agree that this will be the best solution, though there will definitely be a lot of negotiating that needs to be done.

How about an equal union with some neutral name that does not express the dominance of one of the factions of this union?

A progressive union, perhaps?

[Liminal Trans Girl]

with endorsements over, we go to party bylaws, amendments, etc.

I put forward the following resolution:

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to unify under Labor's banner, with Peace and the Democratic Alliance forming factions within Labor.

The DA has had a long and storied history these 4 years as the longest lasting centrist party, but this election has proven to all of us involved that we need a unified left party to combat the crazies of the far-right. Having had some conversations with other party leaders from DA, Peace, and Labor, we seem to agree that this will be the best solution, though there will definitely be a lot of negotiating that needs to be done.

How about an equal union with some neutral name that does not express the dominance of one of the factions of this union?

A progressive union, perhaps?

Nay, A Democratic Party

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the April elections showed a record low in coordination among the left, and
Whereas, the result caused the far-right to gain seats, and
Whereas, better coordination has proven to be difficult if not impossible without unified party apparatus,
the Democratic Alliance calls for an immediate beginning to negotiations with Labor and Peace in order to create a more cohesive alliance of the left, including but not limited to codified cooperation, election strategy, and communication.

this resolution is up for a vote for 48 hours.