Special Labor Party Convention, January 2023

[Pericles]

1. Pericles

[Adam Griffin]

1. Pericles

[Pericles]

To expedite things, I declare that I have been elected chair of the Labor Party, and the count is as follows; 9 Pericles-no other votes.

This convention will firstly deal with amendments to the party by-laws and platform, so members are invited to introduce these if they have any. We will move then to endorsing our presidential candidate. We will finally move onto down-ballot endorsements.

[Pyro]

Chairman Pericles, I respectfully propose the following amendment to the Labor Party platform.

This is a fairly in-depth update of our existing platform that -

a) seeks to combine similar planks to reduce superfluous and/or redundant statements.

b) keeps phrasing consistent (ie, "Atlasia must do __" instead of "The Labor Party believes __").

c) removes references to the U.S.

d) adds statements pertaining to workplace benefits and collective bargaining rights (2 and 4), basic necessities including clean air and water (3), industry regulation and anti-trust action (6), the condemnation of discrimination (16), and military use in accordance with international law (21) among other changes.

Platform of the Labor Party

1. The Labor Party is a democratic socialist party dedicated to the idea that society should be structured in an equitable fashion. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavor we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few. and where we live together, freely, in We seek to build a society that reflects the spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

2. The prosperity of the working class is paramount to maintaining a just and equitable society. In recognition that labor is prior to, and independent of, capital, a prosperous working class means a prosperous Atlasia. Workers, therefore, deserve fair pay for their labors as well as adequate, guaranteed workplace benefits for sustaining a healthy and dignified life. This includes statutory paid sick leave, vacation and personal time, a four-day working week, paid holidays, maternity and paternity leave, pension plans, and remote work options.  People should take priority over profit, and therefore every worker must be paid a fair wage with guaranteed benefits including paid sick leave and vacation time.

3. It is the role of the government to ensure that the basic needs and necessities of all persons are met. It is uncivilized to allow any person to live in squalor. The distribution of food, public housing, and financial assistance is paramount. Clean air and water must be maintained.

4. All workers have the right to join a union, and to bargain collectively with their employers. Employers must not be permitted to fire striking workers. The use of replacement workers, or “scabs”, is unconscionable.

5. 3. The wealthy must pay their fair share in taxes, and a progressive tax system should exist to promote increase wealth equality while ensuring those at the bottom aren’t unduly hurt. In recognition of the risk of instability posed by extreme wealth inequality, the federal government must ensure public policy reflects the need to end such inequities.

6. The federal government must vigorously regulate corporate enterprise to eliminate private monopolies and other illegal combinations of industry, stamp out corruption and malfeasance, seek the total elimination of wage theft, and ultimately ensure a fair economy. Large corporations need regulation in order to avoid the harmful consequences of unregulated capitalism and neoliberal dogma. Furthermore, it must be recognized that banks cannot be too big to fail. As is the case with combinations of industry, large banks must be broken up. In addition, the federal government must regulate and intervene in the stock market to the extent that is necessary to ensure sufficient oversight of the national economy.

7. 1. Healthcare is a human right. All every person people deserve has the right to quality, universal healthcare free-of-charge. Access to healthcare and childcare services must always be maintained. Nobody should be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

8. 13. It is the right of all persons to do as they wish with their own bodies. All attempts to criminalize drug use, abortion, or sex between consenting adults must be opposed. The regions should protect access to abortion throughout the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

9. 4. Every student has a right to a quality good, no-cost free, and public education from pre-kindergarten through university. Options for enrollment in trade schools must also be funded. It is vital to provide incentives to those who wish to enter the teaching profession. College tuition costs should be drastically reduced or eliminated and there should be more incentives and funding for other alternatives such as trade schools.

10. 31. Our cities must be revitalized by helping deal with entrenched cost-of-living issues made especially acute by NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) policies on local and state levels. Atlasians of all income levels ought to not be confronted with outrageous cost-of-living levels in the vibrant urban centers in which they dwell in. Furthermore, it must be recognized that policies such as upzoning are the primary means for which the dream of having a long-term residence, either by owning or renting, may be made more realistic for low-income Atlasians by increasing the amount of supply in the housing market.

11. 5. The outsourcing of jobs from Atlasia is an unjust act that serves to shrink our economy for the sake of corporate profit. Jobs should never be outsourced overseas. International trade agreements should protect workers of all nations. on both sides.

12. 14. Atlasia the Labor party is should be welcoming to all immigrants. All and would generally oppose efforts to mass deport undocumented immigrants or build/expand a border fence or wall are inhumane and should be opposed. We support a pathway to legalization and, ultimately, citizenship for undocumented peoples living in Atlasia, as well as for migrant arrivals.

13. Combating climate change, pollution, and the degradation of natural resources is important for the health of the environment and all people. The national energy policy of Atlasia must reflect this urgency. The government must establish collective ownership of energy and public utilities by the Atlasian Energy Authority founded on the principles of democratic governance and local control. Furthermore, emissions regulations must be tightened to protect the Earth from damage brought upon by greenhouse gases. Additionally, the government should facilitate new renewable energy construction and work to create new renewable energy solutions and phase out fossil fuels. In our efforts to de-carbonize the power sector, the government’s energy approach must be inclusive of all zero-carbon technologies, including hydroelectric power, geothermal, existing and advanced nuclear, and carbon capture and storage.

14. 34. The government should invest in research aimed towards developing technology which will curb or prevent natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.

15. 7. People have a right to privacy and as such should be free from unwarranted government surveillance. Government censorship of media and communications should not exist for any reason.

16. 8. Discrimination in all forms must be condemned. All people should be free from discrimination as much as possible. It is the duty of the government to ensure none are subject to discrimination based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, class status, disability, or religious beliefs. No business and the or government office can be permitted to should not fire personnel or deny service to people based on their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, class status, disability, or religious beliefs.

17. 9. Prisons should focus on rehabilitating offenders. not locking them up and forgetting about them. Prison conditions should be improved.  and For-profit prisons should not exist. The incarceration pandemic in Atlasia must end. Maximum sentences must be decreased for all but the most serious crimes. Life imprisonment should be used sparingly. The death penalty is barbaric and must always be outlawed.

18. 33. Police are to be the keepers of peace, not the instigators of violence. Policing must be regulated to ensure equal and fair treatment of all under the law. The scope of policing should be reined in in order to protect our citizens from brutality.

19. 11. All of the rights and protections enshrined in the Constitution should be defended. The right to free speech should be protected - including in schools and in the workplace. The right to assemble should not be hindered by fees, permits, or inhumane "control" tactics, including tear gas, rubber bullets, sound machines, or similar projectiles.

20. 15. The government needs to strike an appropriate balance between gun rights and protecting public safety.

21. 28. In recognition of the authority of the United Nations to uphold international law, our military spending should be drastically reduced must reflect the position that Atlasia is not the world's policeman. The presence of Atlasia's armed forces abroad, except where absolutely necessary, should be eliminated. The use of international diplomacy is integral in ensuring lasting peace throughout the world. Military aggression and use of torture in times of war must be condemned, and any perpetrators of such acts must be criminally prosecuted.
 
22. 23. Atlasia the Labor Party must support the territorial integrity of Palestine and of the Kurdish people, and take the appropriate steps diplomatically establish independent states for both groups.

10. Drugs should be federally decriminalized and anyone convicted of drug possession should be pardoned.

16. No Atlasian should be forced to live on the streets because they can't afford housing. The government must act to curb rising rents and prevent gentrification.

17. A national energy policy should place the needs of the many in a changing planet ahead of mere profit. The government should act to establish collective ownership of energy by the creation of an Atlasian Energy Authority founded on the principles of democratic governance and local control.

18. The government should act to establish collective ownership of the railways.

19. The incarceration pandemic in Atlasia must end. Maximum sentences must be decreased for all but the most serious crimes. Life imprisonment should be used sparingly.

20. Large banks should be broken up and a public bank should be established in each region.

21. Nobody is worth a billion dollars. The wealth should be redistributed from the richest of the rich to the people as a whole.

22. The right to free speech should be protected - including in schools and in the workplace. The right to assemble should not be hindered by fees, permits, or inhumane "control" tactics, including tear gas, rubber bullets, sound machines, or similar projectiles.

23. The Labor Party supports the territorial integrity of Palestine and of the Kurdish people, and endorses diplomatic efforts to establish independent states for both groups.

24. The Labor Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

25. Banks that are too big too fail are too big to exist. We recognize that large banks took down our economy during the Global Financial Crisis, and we believe that such large banks should be broken up. Also, we believe that high-risk investments in the stock market should come to an end. At the same time, we support expanding the power of the Federal Reserve and favor giving organizations like the SEC and other watchdog agencies greater power to regulate and intervene in the stock market.

26. The American government's military aggression against Iraq and use of torture on prisoners of war, prior to the establishment of the Republic of Atlasia, were crimes against humanity. Former U.S. President George W. Bush, and any Atlasians responsible for the atrocities committed during these conflicts, must be criminally prosecuted.

27. The Labor Party is committed to the idea of a strong welfare state that provides an economic safety net for the less fortunate citizens of Atlasia.

29. Emissions regulations must be tightened to protect the Earth from damage brought upon by greenhouse gases. Additionally, the government should facilitate new renewable energy construction and work with the private sector to create new renewable energy solutions and phase out fossil fuels. In our efforts to de-carbonize the power sector, Labor's energy approach is inclusive of all zero-carbon technologies, including hydroelectric power, geothermal, existing and advanced nuclear, and carbon capture and storage.

30. Policies such as upzoning are the primary means for which the dream of having a long-term residence either by owning or renting may be made more realistic for poor people, by increasing the amount of supply in the housing market.

31. Our cities must be revitalized by helping deal with entrenched cost-of-living issues made especially acute by NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) policies on local and state levels. Atlasians of all income levels ought to not be confronted with outrageous cost-of-living levels in the vibrant urban centers they dwell in.

32. The Labor party is a big tent party that caters to ideologies all over the left wing spectrum and is not inclined towards any one specific ideology.

35. Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

36. We believe people should be encouraged to come out of the shadows and not live in fear. We support a pathway to legalization and ultimately citizenship for undocumented peoples living in Atlasia, as well as for migrant arrivals. We also support accepting more migrants on the basis of asylum, in recognition of the often dangerous conditions that migrants flee.

[S019]

I do not support many of these changes, and in any case, I think it's fair for such substantial changes to be subject to a vote, thus I object

[Pyro]

I would like to emphasize that the majority of proposed changes are either made to condense existing platform planks, or clean-up the language to keep phrasing consistent. The other changes are specifically designed to coincide with policies historically championed by the Labor Party. In the interest of building a much-needed revision of the platform, I would encourage my fellow delegates approve of this amendment. For those who wish to alter segments of this proposal to add/remove anything, I'd certainly support subsequent amendments to address your concerns.

[Pericles]

Members have 48 hours to vote on the amendment, in the form specified below-
[ ] Aye
[ ] Nay
[ ] Abstain

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Aye

[WD]

Aye

[Pyro]

[X] Aye
[ ] Nay
[ ] Abstain

[nerd73]

Aye

[JGibson]

Members have 48 hours to vote on the amendment, in the form specified below-
[X] Aye
[ ] Nay
[ ] Abstain

[S019]

Nay

[Adam Griffin]

Aye

[Pericles]

Pyro's amendment is ratified 6-1.

[Pericles]

Introducing these new clauses to the party platform.

23. The Labor Party is pro-democracy and rejects attempts to achieve constitutional changes without the consent of the people.
24. The Labor Party denounces the actions of the Kansas Crisis plotters, whose conduct did not in any way represent our party or its values.

To be considered separately-Amendment B with Amendment A above.

New clause-The Labor Party strongly supports the union of Atlasia and strongly opposes attempts to reduce the sovereignty of our federal government over any part of it.

Members have 24 hours to object to either amendment, or they will be automatically adopted.

[Pericles]

The amendments have been ratified.

Members have 24 hours to introduce any further amendments. Otherwise, we will move forward to nominating a presidential ticket.

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

Aye to Pyro's amendment FTR

[Pericles]

Members have until February 10 to declare their candidacy for President, otherwise if only one Labor ticket declares that receives our automatic endorsement.

[Pericles]

The presidential ticket of tack50 and Lakigigar is automatically endorsed by the Labor Party.

Candidates have until February 15 to request endorsements for down-ballot elections.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I humbly request the Labor Party's endorsement for Senate. Although I opted to return to the Peace Party and make it a more active, influential institution, I still intend to continue working with Labor members to achieve common goals.

[ZMUN M441]

Requesting an endorsement for Senate at-large.

[PPT Spiral]

I shall put my name out for your party's endorsement for At-Large Senate. Echoing much of what Scott said, we have long been allies in supporting and defending the interests of working people.

[Continential]

Requesting an endorsement for FM.

[West_Midlander]

I request the party's endorsement for at-large Senate. I was twice a member of this party and while both times I left the party over disputes in how the party was run, I don't hold any contempt for the party or its members and I'm glad to see Labor move on from the Kansas situation. I consider myself to be on the left flank of my party and I won't vote against my values to toe the party line. I mean, y'all saw that when I was in Labor perhaps to the chagrin of some of you. I will also do my part to maintain civility in the political discourse in our country--I'm not perfect by any means, or even close to it, but I will do my best to continue to serve the people of Atlasia if I am re-elected. I have not missed one vote in my tenure in the Senate, and I have no plans of changing that if I am re-elected.

Thank you.