We believe:

Corporate Power

• In the power of co-ops and local/rural initiatives to keep ownership and profits close to communities;
• The state has a duty to protect people, their data, and public interests and assets from exploitation by corporations, through assessing and collecting restitution for damages to individuals and public assets from corporate actions;
• Public institutions are created primarily to serve, protect and promote the interests of the public and future generations, not corporations, through sustainable management of infrastructure, natural resources, habitat, opportunity and human health;
• Prevent exploitation of working people.Organizing millions of workers into unions is an effective way to reduce poverty and restore balance to an economic and political system dominated by giant corporations and billionaires.
• Workers as members with equal standing on boards of directors would improve the balance of power between CEOs/owners and employees.

• Government contracts should be granted exclusively to companies that provide living wages, competitive benefits, retain employment within the United States, are supportive of unions, fully comply with federal and state labor laws, and promote environmental stewardship. 
• The government should not subsidize corporate agriculture, or oil, gas, chemical, and pharmaceutical companies.
• In closing “Carried Interest” loopholes in Capital Gains Taxes;
• Antitrust laws should be enforced to rein in mega-mergers and prevent the monopolization of our economy
• Bailouts of corporations should be limited to national emergencies. 
• Religious and/or Faith-based organizations should never receive a bailout or tax exemptions
• Bank bailouts should benefit their customers and not the shareholders, and fiduciary duties of  banks should be reviewed by independent organizations and federally regulated.

• In the need to reverse the effects of the Citizens United decision;
• In legislation that recognizes that corporations are not human beings and accorded privileges only, not rights. Government regulations should prioritize society’s well-being first over corporate profit;
• In regulation and taxation as a normal cost of doing business;
  • Reinstate Glass-Steagall to separate commercial from investment banking;
  • Enforcing Dodd-Frank to control abusive financial and banking practices;
  • Restore the enforcement power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB);
  • Continue funding of the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act to increase the self-sufficiency of young adults and adults with disabilities by providing career counseling, job training, information, and referral services;
  • Strengthen and enfore antitrust laws such as the Clayton Act;
• In transparent, readily accessible accounting in governments and corporations;
• The Corporate Transparency Act should be stringently enforced and be extended to S Corporations and Partnerships.
• The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is one of the most important legal tools citizens and reporters have for furthering government transparency in the United States and should be further modernized and funded.
• In public or cooperative ownership of all utilities including internet services.
• Import taxes and tariffs should take into consideration  on the country of origin’s environmental regulations, wage and labor laws, and their enforcement;
• Corporate fiduciary responsibilities should be scaled to encompass the assessment of financial, environmental community impact, social justice aspects and implications of business activities. 
• Support small businesses. Continue funding the Small Business Administration (SBA) and state-level small business programs and initiatives. Continue supporting minority, women, and veteran-owned business programs. Assess impacts to small businesses when determining legislation. Prepare legislation to address the needs of small businesses.
• In reforming laws that permit private companies to mandate arbitration with consumers, employees, and investors into private arbitrations for disputes, thereby ensuring Americans their rightful access to fair legal remedies.
• In creating a Reparations and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to rectify the injustices and enduring generational economic impacts on African Americans in the US stemming from our nation’s history of chattel slavery and other discriminatory practices, some of which persist today.
• In the cessation of all sub-minimum wages, irrespective of one’s age, physical or mental abilities.
• The National Labor Relations Board requires full funding to ensure it has the necessary resources to protect workers’ rights to unionize.
• In fully funding the National Labor Relations Board with the resources needed to safeguard the rights of workers to organize in anti-union environments.
• Minors should be provided additional protections in the workforce, including limits on hours and types of work allowed.
• The need for comprehensive legislation regulating artificial intelligence that encompasses accountability for misuse, data privacy, transparency, and the protection of the most vulnerable.

Culture and The Arts

• Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right which is expressed through culture and the arts;
• Culture, the arts & humanities are core expressions of the values that make our country great;
• Government should sponsor programs that celebrate and promote the cultural diversity of our country;
• Programs focused on Culture and the Arts that foster greater public understanding by providing a truthful depiction of our varied cultures and histories.
• Multi-media public broadcasting, including community-based public radio and public access television are vital to the development of a healthy society;
• Public art enhances the livability of public spaces, from parks to schools to libraries, and should be available in every community;
• Artists should be paid for the use of their intellectual property including on the internet;
• Artists and cultural organization workers should be involved in the planning and implementation processes of public art works;
• Investment in the arts provides both cultural and economic benefits by creating job opportunities for local creative professionals, and access to enriching programs that lift up local economies and generate income
• Funding should be set aside to subsidize artists’ work spaces and live-work spaces such as lofts, especially as part of building preservation.

• Public funding of the arts should not be used for religious purposes;
• Artists should be compensated for their work when it is done for the government.

• Federal, state, and local libraries, performing arts centers and museums should be well-funded, accessible, affordable, and diverse in their offerings;
• Cultural and arts education should be funded, available and accessible as a core subject in K-12 public schools;
• Federal and state government should make cultural and arts education available and accessible to all as a core subject in our K-12 public schools;
• Federal, state, and ocal governments should provide easy, equitable access to public art events, performances, exhibits, and installations for all communities, featuring diverse artists.