Progressive Democrats of Benicia
Mission Statement
The mission of the Progressive Democrats of Benicia is to encourage and promote progressive views on ideas, programs, and actions in our community that ensure equity and justice for all people. Further, our mission is to support the election and appointment of public officials who work to secure, maintain, and protect these rights and opportunities for all individuals in our communities.
Who we are
We are Benicia citizens who believe progressive principles are grounded in liberal ideals, such as rule by the governed for mutual benefit, equality in law, legal rights and privileges, and equality of opportunity for all, and that these principles can lead to pragmatic solutions for the needs and concerns of all our communities.
Core principles
- Inclusion. Promote an attitude of tolerance towards all sectors of society and the cultivation of respect, equity, justice, and the positive recognition of differences. We recognize that diversity brings a wider range of perspectives, which promotes innovation to solve increasingly complex challenges.
- Social Justice. Ensure social and racial justice, equality, and equal rights for all members of our community, and equal access to the rights, privileges, and opportunities in our society.
- Local/State/Regional. Focus on local, state, and regional issues and activities, including the support of candidates for political office and appointment of public officials who promote progressive ideas, programs, and actions.
- Environment. Work for environmental justice through environmental policies and regulations that ensure the health, safety, and welfare of all members of our communities.
- Free speech and freedom of the press. Free speech means the freedom to communicate and express oneself through various mediums and modes including speech, press, the internet, art, and various electronic media and published materials. We believe the government should foster press access to public officials and records, and we believe in transparency in all actions and decisions by the government and public officials.
- Separation of church and state. We advocate a strict separation and understanding regarding church and state to ensure that all government functions remain secular. The government should not encourage religious beliefs, support religious institutions financially, or use religious means to accomplish public policy.
- Public education. We support public education, including public schools of choice (charter schools) operating within the public education environment. We believe asking which is best, either public or private education, is the wrong question and diverts attention from the far more substantive and important question: what can we do to make sure all schools are productive?