Democrats propose new draft to party platform, revealing shifts in focus since 2016

The draft recognizes in broad strokes the shift the party has undergone since 2016, with far more emphasis on issues such as climate change and police brutality, and a new proposal for a national commission to study slavery reparations and the lasting effects of other forms of institutionalized racism.

“We must acknowledge that there can be no realization of the American Dream without grappling with the lasting effects of slavery, and facing up to the centuries-long campaign of violence, fear, and trauma wrought upon Black Americans,” the draft reads.

In a nod to the protests against police brutality, the document supports “lowering the intent standard for federally prosecuting law enforcement officials for civil rights violations” and “reining in the doctrine of qualified immunity,” which protects police officers from civil litigation.

Fiercely debated and rarely read, national party platforms are traditionally adopted every four years by both major political parties to help guide down-ballot candidates and aid voters in their quest for a preferred presidential candidate. They aspire to be consensus documents, but many party members regularly disagree with the particulars.

Republicans, hoping to avoid intraparty squabbles, have abandoned the task of crafting a platform this year, leaving in place the dated 2016 document. President Trump is expected instead to release a short statement of intent in the place of a more formal document.

Democrats have opted for a more traditional process, although voting by the Platform Committee and the full convention will now take place remotely largely through email ballots.

The drafting committee was chaired by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D), who was joined by longtime party stalwarts including Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). The document also reflects the cooperative work of the Biden and Sanders campaigns, which produced a 110-page policy document earlier this month to guide the party.

Platform drafters held three public hearings last month, listening to 50 public speakers, and reviewing thousands of videos, emails and messages providing comments on what should be included in the platform, according to party officials.

“Repairing the damage Donald Trump has done to this country begins with electing Joe Biden this fall and implementing what will be without a doubt the boldest platform in our party’s history,” Bottoms said in a statement. “Progress is rarely easy, but together we can move our country forward and resign Donald Trump to the dustbin of history.”

The draft sticks with the broad policy priorities of Biden, who is expected to be nominated next month at a largely virtual convention in Milwaukee. But it also makes a point of casting the Democratic Party as accepting of views he does not hold and has said he will not promote.

“We are proud our party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare-for-all approach,” the draft reads, “all are critical to ensuring that health care is a human right.”

On matters of international trade, Democrats offer particular focus on taking a tougher stand on China. “Unlike President Trump, we will stand up to efforts from China and other state actors to steal America’s intellectual property and will demand China and other countries cease and desist from conducting cyberespionage against our companies,” the draft reads.

In an apparent nod to opposition from some building trades unions, the draft platform does not address the question of fracking or oil drilling directly. Biden has proposed a ban on new public leases for natural gas fracking, attracting criticism from Republicans in swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

“The Democratic Party platform does not call for banning fracking — consistent with Joe Biden’s long-standing position,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said. Most fracking is conducted on private land, which would be untouched by Biden’s position.

The draft also embraces some technologies for slowing climate change, like nuclear and carbon capture and storage, which are opposed by some activists and environmentalists.

On the question of military spending, the document does not shy away from the threatened attacks from Trump, who has boasted of increases in defense spending and warned that Democrats would weaken the military.

“We can maintain a strong defense and protect our safety and security for less,” the draft reads. “It’s past time to rebalance our investments, improve the efficiency and competitiveness of our defense industrial base, conduct rigorous annual audits of the Pentagon, and end waste and fraud.”

It also embraces Biden’s promise to end what have been called “forever wars” in places like Afghanistan, while ending U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. It calls for rejoining the Paris climate accord and reconstituting the Iran nuclear agreement.

“Democrats believe the United States should not impose regime change on other countries and reject that as the goal of U.S. policy toward Iran,” the document states.

Annie Linskey, Matt Viser and Sean Sullivan contributed to this report.