The South Dakota Democratic Party’s

“Commitment to South Dakota 2010 Platform”

June 26, 2010 

Executive Board Plank

Our Preamble: It’s Time To Lead

 

We, the Democratic Party of South Dakota, vow to once again give the people of South Dakota a state government of which they can be proud and a state government that works for them. We vow to use common sense approaches that are fair, responsible, and accountable. We vow to provide leadership and opportunity while we solve the pressing problems facing our state and our citizens. We vow to recognize and respect the Tribal sovereignty of South Dakota’s nine Tribal nations. We vow to continue to fight for people who work for a living and to fight for people who have lost their jobs. We vow to fight for our farmers and ranchers, for our small and large businesses, for our veterans, for our teachers, and for all those who work every day to create a better life for our citizens. We vow to fight for middle class values, for strong families and communities, for guaranteeing dignity in old age and for investment in children. Toward that end, and in order to restructure state government to work for us, we Democrats in 2010 vow to do the following:

Our Eight Common Sense Principles for 2010

• Cut the Growth of State Government: State government spending is out of control. Since 2003 it has grown a stunning 53 percent. We Democrats commit to reverse this unsustainable government growth of 5.5 percent average per year. We vow to spend only within our means and once again make it a priority to invest in our people.

• Cap State Spending at 3 Percent or the Rate of Inflation: State government has grown a staggering 5.5 percent average per year over the past seven years. Had we held spending increases at 3 percent a year, as Democrats have sponsored legislation to do, we would have saved $522 million or $74 million a year. Had we done this one thing we would be debating what to do with a surplus today instead of debating how to deal with a record state budget deficit. We Democrats vow to hold state spending at 3 percent increase per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Our vow is to be the true party of fiscal accountability and responsibility.

• Submit Balanced Budgets Without Raising Taxes: The Rounds-Daugaard administration has submitted a budget that will spend $107 million more than we will take in – the largest budget deficit in South Dakota history. This record deficit and the unchecked pattern of spending more than we take into state government is not, as Republican leaders attempt to say, a consequence of the current national economic recession. We have been in a recession for approximately two years, yet the Rounds-Daugaard Administration has submitted unbalanced budgets in seven of the past eight years. We Democrats vow to put state government on a diet and balance our state budgets without raising taxes.

• Use Reserve and Federal Funds for the Purposes for Which They Were Intended: For the past eight years, state reserve and federal funds have been raided to balance our state budgets. We Democrats vow to spend reserve and federal funds for the purposes for which they were intended, not as a personal hedge fund to raid in order to cover up for overspending.

• Cut Full-Time State-Funded Employee Growth to Pre-Rounds-Daugaard Administration Levels: The state has added 1,500 state employees in the past seven years – a 13 percent increase even though our state’s population has remained virtually the same. Over the seven-plus years of the Rounds-Daugaard Administration, a new state employee has been added every 48 hours. We Democrats vow to reduce state-funded state employee growth to the pre-Rounds-Daugaard years in Pierre.

• Restore Competition and Eliminate “No-Bid” Contracts: Our country is built on free markets and competition. Unfortunately in recent times, our state contracts have not been awarded as a result of open and free competition. The state has 1,800 contracts, a significant number of which are no-bid, potentially costing the state tens of millions of dollars a year. This fosters a climate of cronyism or worse, a system of government that operates on a pay-to-play philosophy. We Democrats vow to reform this potential pay-to-play system that institutionalizes cronyism, and pledge to the people of South Dakota that we will reform the system so that when someone wants to do business with the state of South Dakota, they will have to bid on those services in a competitive manner.

• Control State Government Spending: State government spending is out of control: multiple state airplanes when few are needed or justified; federal lobbying funds including an unneeded $200,000 a year Federal Lobbyist; the implementation of accounting tricks like hiring phantom FTE (Full-Time Employee) positions that are never filled; and handing out wasteful corporate welfare, most notably the $38 million given to a foreign oil company for the TransCanada pipeline. Democrats vow to sell unnecessary state airplanes, control all spending on federal lobbying including firing the unneeded Federal Lobbyist, and cut the bloat and waste that has become so routine in state government including eliminating the deceptive accounting trick of hiring phantom state employees and eliminating wasteful corporate welfare like that given to the foreign oil company TransCanada.

• Make State Government Transparent: Under the Rounds-Daugaard Administration, too much of the “people’s” business is conducted behind closed doors. In addition, this administration maintains a secret and unregulated account called the “Governor’s Fund” which raises and spends untold amounts of money for purposes that are kept from the people of South Dakota. Democrats will offer sweeping changes to open state government to the people and the press so that everyone has a clear view of how the mechanisms of state government function and so that they can have input as to how to make state government leaner, more open, and more accountable. And we vow to eliminate the secretive “Governor’s Fund” so that no state business is conducted without full disclosure and accountability.

For too long, the current leadership in Pierre has spent too much money, wasted precious resources, and failed to provide real leadership while conducting the people’s business in secrecy whenever possible. South Dakotans everywhere tell Democrats they are tired of the same old politics. They want a government that reflects the values of South Dakota: hard working, honest, open, and sensible. They want a government that makes sacrifices when times are tough, just like South Dakota families and businesses. Democrats vow to give South Dakotans a state government that reflects their values and is smarter, smaller, open, and accountable.

Human Rights Plank

The South Dakota Democratic Party recognizes that South Dakota is a global and multicultural community. We recognize that each individual brings a special gift to the community. We believe in the principles of dignity, self-determination, justice, and a decent quality of life. In order to promote a more open, civil society, we support the following:

• A commitment to meeting every individual’s basic human needs and to promote respect for our diverse cultures, lifestyles, spirituality, and viewpoints.

• The right to live, work, and worship within a community without fear of discrimination.

• Elimination of racial profiling.

• The separation of church and state.

• The necessity for South Dakota medical providers receiving public funds to render impartial and dignified treatment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, economic status, religion, or marital status. This includes providing information and prescriptive remedies regarding emergency contraception.

• Treat HIV/AIDS and all STI’s as health issues and not as legal issues.

• Adequate state and local funding of all domestic violence shelters, sexual assault centers, transitional housing, and visitation centers.

• Quality, affordable childcare that meets nationally accepted health and safety standards.

• Commensurate with public safety, provide reasonable alternatives to incarceration for offenders who would benefit from rehabilitation and behavioral change programs.

• Rehabilitation of juvenile offenders within the state of South Dakota, especially through protecting their human rights and safety, assisting offenders and their families to successfully return them to society, and through development of innovative programs such as restorative justice and teen court.

• Increasing advocacy services for crime victims and witnesses.

• The Americans with Disabilities Act and appropriate programs to ensure the dignity and support of persons with disabilities.

• Increasing awareness of and providing appropriate staffing and funding for the South Dakota Human Rights Commission.

• The addition of age, sexual orientation, veterans' status, and gender identity as protected classes under state employment and housing discrimination laws, namely SDCL 20-13.

• Promoting equal voting access for all South Dakota citizens by protecting Native American voting rights, including appropriate expenditures by the state of South Dakota of federal education outreach funds from the Help America Vote Act.

State and Local Government Plank

The South Dakota Democratic Party believes in equitable taxation, state budgets which reflect the priorities of South Dakota. and government operations that are open and participatory. The SDDP supports:

Taxation

• That is based on a tax system which taxes all income levels fairly as allowed by the South Dakota State Constitution.
• That addresses the continuing serious flaws in our current system of taxing property and monitors changes that are proposed.
  • That removes sales tax on food.

• That repeals the contractors' excise tax.

Expenditures

• Providing for the proper maintenance of the state and local infrastructure.
• Education is an investment. We support full funding of public education as outlined in the Education Alliance Adequacy Study.

• Providing adequate support to local governments commensurate with state mandates.

• Funding state government operations commensurate with other parts of the state budget.

• Adequate support for State Fair and significant cultural institutions in South Dakota.

Government Operations

• Efforts to make government smaller,  smarter, transparent, and accountable, which will enhance citizen participation.
  • The principle of checks and balances in government and oppose unilateral decision making by the executive branch.
  • Policy decisions made at the lowest level feasibly possible.

 

Education Plank

Education is the greatest opportunity that we can offer the citizens of South Dakota. The quality of life in South Dakota is dependent on the quality of our education. Life-long education is crucial to our democracy, to our economic development, and to our continued growth and well-being as individuals, families, and communities. The citizens of South Dakota have the right to the best education possible. The South Dakota Democratic Party supports:

• Funding education first; education is mandated under the South Dakota State Constitution and should be addressed first during the legislative session.
  
  
• State Aid for K-12 education at a level that is competitive with neighboring states.
• Initial and on-going professional development and salary initiatives to support recruitment and retention of quality teachers and staff.
• Funding for public early childhood education.
• All day/every school day Kindergarten as part of our education system.
• The continued success and funding of the four Technical Institutes.
• The continued development and success of the Tribal Colleges and Universities.
• Adequate funding of the public SD universities to support quality teaching and research.
• Adequate funding of the SD School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the SD School for the Deaf.
• The continued support and funding of the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
• Support and funding of a state needs-based post-secondary scholarship/loan fund.
• Legislation which guarantees that each student has equal access to all educational opportunities, including alternatives (e.g. charter schools) within the public educational framework.
• Technology initiatives to ensure all South Dakota schools have the modern technology infrastructure and support necessary to prepare our students for the 21^st century global economy.
• Initiatives to help resource-poor communities construct adequate school facilities.

Agriculture and Rural Life Plank

The South Dakota Democratic Party recognizes the importance of agriculture, not only to our farm and ranch families, but also to the entire state and nation as the source of healthy, wholesome, affordable supply of food and fiber for our citizens.

95 percent of the farms and ranches in South Dakota are independent, family-owned operations and are responsible for the care and sustainable management of over 90 percent of the land in our state. The family farms and ranches of South Dakota provide not only the economic base that sustains our communities, but provide a proud culture and heritage for our entire state. We, the Democratic Party:

• Recognize that improvements of family agricultural production in South Dakota are important for ongoing rural economic vitality in our state. The tools needed to achieve these ends include, but are not limited to: research and development of value-added projects, development of producer-owned and operated cooperatives, programs and services that promote training and sustaining viable farm and ranch production units, and creating educational opportunities for our youth, such as 4-H, FFA, and Career and Technical Education, improvement of financial aid and other programs to assist rural areas to finance and build further processing for agricultural products, rural development, renewable energy and other new projects good for South Dakota and all its citizens.

• Encourage coordination of programs and relevant agencies on all levels so that food, agriculture and natural resource conservation policies are linked together to provide appropriate private incentives to protect our state’s natural resources while continuing to responsibly produce our agricultural products. An economically strong agriculture is essential to allow producers to properly manage the multiple uses of our natural resources for future generations using best management practices.

• Agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry; therefore the South Dakota State Fair should be financially supported by the state of South Dakota to sustain a valuable institution that is an integral part of our way of life.

• Encourage a coordinated, comprehensive review of water drainage regulations as they pertain to agriculture, recreation, and wildlife habitat for a coordinated management approach.

• Support the nationwide implementation of the conservation security program and programs of similar nature that provide monetary incentives for farmers and ranchers to implement and maintain stewardship of South Dakota’s natural resources.

Marketing and Competition

• Support and encourage efforts to end monopolization and anti-competitive behavior in our agricultural markets. South Dakota needs to aggressively pursue the enforcement of the existing Packers and Stockyards Act and actively support the USDA and U.S. Department of Justice investigations into anti-competitive behavior of the livestock, poultry, dairy, and grain industry.

• Support the enforcement of the existing Country of Origin Labeling law for all food products.

• Encourage continued efforts to develop the South Dakota Certified Beef program by supporting efforts by private industry to build and manage a qualifying slaughter facility, the development of unsubsidized markets for South Dakota Certified Beef products and the voluntary enrollment of producers into the program as a marketing program.

• Encourage all agriculture producers to use all the tools available to competitively market their products, including but not limited to the use of age and source verification programs, value-added product development, and the use of organic, grass-fed and natural product labels.

Livestock Production

• Recognize the importance of a strong brand inspection program for South Dakota and encourage impartial and transparent administration of this program for the benefit of all the stakeholders.

• Support disease prevention, eradication, and traceability programs that are developed and managed by the South Dakota Animal Industry Board and are coordinated with surrounding state and federal authorities. We do not support a federally-mandated national identification program.

• Support science-based common-sense animal care and husbandry standards for livestock animals under the control of the Animal Industry Board.

Local Control

• Believe that local control of planning and zoning are the rights of our state’s individual counties and we support the people’s right to initiated measure and referendum of the rules.

• Support the right of school districts to make local decisions about closing their schools and respect the social significance of schools in our rural communities.

Agriculture Land Taxation

• Support the full implementation of a production-based tax assessment system for agricultural land. We recognize that adjustments to the system are necessary but adjustments should be made in a way that retains the production-based system of assessment.

Homegrown Fuels

• Support the continued development and use of our homegrown, renewable fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, and biomass fuels. Additionally, we encourage the expansion of alternative feed-stock sources for the production of ethanol and biodiesel.

• Support expanding research for advanced uses of biofuels by-products such as but not limited to plastics, livestock feed, and fertilizer, which will lead to stronger demand and higher prices for South Dakota commodities, the creation of quality jobs, and the development of new industries that will be a considerable part of our State’s future economy. 

Health Care Plank

The health of South Dakotans is critical to the well-being of the state. Access to health care is a fundamental right regardless of geography or financial means. Health plans should provide affordable, accessible, and quality health care including prescription benefits to every individual in South Dakota. The South Dakota Democratic Party supports:

• The Affordable Health Care Act as an important step toward establishing affordable universal health care for U.S. Citizens.

• Public and private health systems that promote community wellness and disease prevention. In addition, we encourage collaboration of public and private health systems.

• Higher and vocational education opportunities in South Dakota that encourage those pursuing professions in health care to practice in rural settings. Admission preference should go to South Dakota residents.

• Innovative programming and technology aimed at enhancing recruitment and retention in health professions.

• Adequate funding for mental and physical health care and rehabilitation services for our veterans.

• Insurance coverage for mental health care on an equal basis as physical healthcare.

• Recognition of addictive conditions as health issues.

 

Labor and Employment Plank

The South Dakota Democratic Party is committed to improving the lives of South Dakota’s workers and their families. We recognize that South Dakota has the highest percentage of dual income families in the nation. We further recognize that government policies should promote good benefits, good wages, and fair treatment in the workplace so South Dakota families can spend more time together. Therefore, the South Dakota Democratic Party:

• Supports an improved standard of living for all South Dakotans. This includes increasing wages and benefits to allow South Dakotans to live the American dream.

• Supports increasing the state minimum wage and indexing that wage to increase with inflation.

• Supports the protection and expansion of employees'/workers' rights and benefits, such as the provision of a safe and healthy work environment, which includes rest breaks, health care, unemployment compensation and workers' compensation.

• Opposes discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious, or union affiliation. Supports continued efforts towards equal pay for equal work for all workers in the state of South Dakota.

• Recognizes that organized labor is important to improve life in South Dakota. It also recognizes that the Right to Work Law was created to weaken labor and it has no real bearing on the right to obtain a job, but is an effort to hold down wages and benefits. Therefore it is recommended that the Democratic Party supports an end to the so-called “Right to Work” Amendment in the South Dakota Constitution and encourages education on what “Right to Work” means.

• Supports the rights of South Dakota employees/workers to participate in all aspects of the political process, regardless of political affiliation, without employer intimidation or retribution.

• Opposes any action which would undermine the ability of labor unions to educate their members and express political viewpoints.

• Supports the use of state funds, grants, and loans to create good-paying jobs, which will attract and retain a quality work force as well as retain the youth of South Dakota.

• Supports giving all South Dakota public employees equal protection under the state public employees' bargaining statute and the right to binding arbitration in contract negotiations.

• Believes non-union members of a bargaining unit who benefit from union representation should pay a fair share for the cost of their representation.

• Supports the abolition of “at-will” work laws.

• Supports legislation to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to include all South Dakota employees.

• Supports raising the unemployment compensation rate and worker’s compensation benefits to a level comparable to the national average.

• Encourages the South Dakota Department of Labor to be fair, impartial, and expeditious in its consideration of claims by employees.

• Promotes a quality workforce in South Dakota through support of continuing education, expanded training, and apprentice programs.

• Supports changing the make-up of the Work Comp Advisory Committee to ensure equal balance between labor and non-labor.

Natural Resources and Environment Plank

The South Dakota Democratic Party recognizes that protection of our water, air, land, and other natural resources is both essential and beneficial to responsible economic development and our quality of life. Natural resources must be managed and protected in a way that enhances our quality of life while strengthening South Dakota’s vital industries. Management and regulatory policies must recognize the need to promote sound conservation practices geared toward long-term sustainability of our natural resources. Our natural resources must be protected for present and future generations. We, the Democratic Party:

• Recognize the diversity of our populations and support efforts to bring understanding among us. This is essential to maintain a healthy environment while sustaining strong rural and urban communities.
• Support strict enforcement of our state and federal environmental laws. Those responsible for polluting and/or degrading the quality of South Dakota land, air, or water must be held responsible for their actions. When necessary, prompt clean-up must be conducted at the expense of the responsible parties.

• Encourage responsible development of renewable energy such as ethanol, biodiesel, wind, biomass, solar, hydropower, hydrogen, and geothermal. We also encourage development of community-based energy systems. We recognize that development of alternative energy technologies will provide employment opportunities for many South Dakotans while minimizing adverse impacts to the environment.

• Recognize that the use of fossil fuels will be a necessity as we transition to alternative energies. Therefore fossil fuel resource exploration and development must be done in a responsible way with the focus on protecting the environment and human health.

• Encourage all South Dakotans to conserve and be mindful of energy consumption. Furthermore, we strongly support the practice of resource conservation on state lands in state facilities, in local communities and encourage the requirement of improved efficiency and fuel economy for state-owned vehicles.

• Encourage increased public education and access to information regarding the numerous benefits of conservation and recycling. We encourage a concerted effort be made by government, industry, and individuals to provide environmentally safe and readily available ways to recycle.

• Encourage wise and effective management of forest resources with emphasis on thinning to protect populated areas. We further encourage reduction of wildland fire hazards by controlled burns and removal of dense brush and small diameter trees regardless of marketability of such material. Furthermore, we support the research and development of woody biomass use.

• Support continuing development and funding of municipal and rural water systems such as, but not limited to, Mid-Dakota, Lewis and Clark, Bon Homme-Yankton, and Mni-Wiconi. We strongly encourage conservation of water throughout South Dakota and support diligent protection of our ground and surface water.

• Support policies that provide enhanced outdoor recreational opportunities without damaging South Dakota’s natural resources.

• Recognize South Dakota’s rich heritage of hunting and fishing. We encourage adequate funding for and access to public hunting and fishing areas to protect this tradition for future generations.

• Support adequate funding to protect, preserve, and restore South Dakota’s public assets, especially its lakes, parks, rivers, wetlands, forests, and grasslands. We fully support erosion control efforts to reduce the amount of sediment entering the Missouri River reservoirs and encourage the removal of sediment that has entered, or will enter, the reservoirs.

• Support conservation districts and the utilization of their services for the development of each community’s natural resources.

 

Economic Development and Tourism Plank

The SDDP advocates long-term and diversified economic development and promotion of the tourism industry for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all South Dakota citizens. We, the South Dakota Democratic Party:

• Assert that a healthy economy depends on a diverse, mixed economy. The state should promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in each of the major sectors of the economy.

• Believe that our labor force should continue to become the magnet for high-value, good-paying jobs.

• Believe that economic development should be measured by the number and quality of jobs created, and the way in which those jobs contribute to the quality of life in our communities.

• Believe that our state should invest in an educational system that promotes the development of a work-ready labor force with an entrepreneurial mindset and a global awareness.

• Insist that high quality technical education should be available to students of all ages to help all South Dakotans respond to changing workforce needs.

• Assert that our institutions of higher learning should be centers for teaching, research, and development in science, technology, business, and the humanities and work to stimulate innovation in the private sector.

• Believe that the state should foster a business climate and quality of life in South Dakota that is attractive to prospective employers and employees who are not current residents.

• Believe South Dakota must cultivate tolerance and respect for diversity in the workforce.
• Believe that the state’s investment in infrastructure, utilities, and technical support should enable all areas in the state of South Dakota to compete effectively in the global economy.

• Encourage the state to foster the development of venture capital and provide technical assistance to promote entrepreneurship.

• Believe that since travel and tourism are among South Dakota’s leading industries, the state must support partnerships between public, private, and tribally-sanctioned tourism organizations to promote South Dakota nationally and internationally as a visitor destination to provide economic opportunities for all citizens of South Dakota.

• Encourage the state to promote public and private partnerships for the local development and delivery of power from alternative energy sources to promote American energy, green jobs. and entrepreneurship.

• Believe that since many communities lack affordable housing which constrains the growth of business and industry, the state should continue to work with cities and local governments, local developers, and non-profits to encourage the development of affordable and mixed-income housing.

• Believe that a vibrant arts community is a vital component of tourism and economic development in South Dakota.

 

Senior Issues Plank

• Encourage the state to fund and develop a continuum of services for senior living.

• Support access to affordable prescription drugs, re-importation of  prescription drugs from Canada and other foreign countries, and require the state to negotiate prescription drug prices as the Veterans' Administration currently does.

• Support policies that protect seniors from fraud, identity theft, and elder abuse.

• Support funding for transportation for seniors and persons with disabilities to medical facilities where needed services can be received.

• Support the elderly Nutrition Program and adequate funding for its delivery.

• Support lifelong learning and encourage education institutions to provide low- or no-cost educational opportunities for seniors.

• Encourage the state of South Dakota to vigorously enforce ADA building codes.

• Support the repeal of the moratorium on nursing home beds.

• Encourage flexibility of usage in nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide care for a variety of patients' needs.

• Require that the training of paraprofessionals includes communication skills and guidance for maximum safety and competence in the care of senior citizens.
  
  
• Support increase funding for Medicaid providers.

• Require state agencies charged with the duty of providing services to seniors to treat applicants and recipients fairly and impartially.

• Advocates that all South Dakotans who have disabilities shall receive the same considerations as stated above.

 

Resolutions

RESOLUTION A

Missouri River Sedimentation Resolution

WHEREAS: The Missouri River main stem dams and reservoirs, built and maintained by the federal government under the Flood Control Act of 1944, commonly referred to as the Pick-Sloan Plan, provide approximately one billion dollars per year in benefits to the states adjacent to the Missouri River and to the people of the United States of America, and;

WHEREAS: These benefits include flood control, hydropower, navigation, municipal and industrial water supply, irrigation, recreation, improved water quality and fish and wildlife benefits, and;

WHEREAS: These benefits are being adversely affected and endangered by the continued flow of sediment into the reservoirs, and the accumulation of that sediment in the reservoirs, and;

WHEREAS: That sediment accumulation has already damaged public and private properties, and has reduced water storage capabilities of the reservoirs for flood control and water supplies, and;

WHEREAS: The agency designated by Congress to manage the dams and reservoirs on behalf of the American people is the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and;

WHEREAS: The continued accumulation of sediment in the reservoirs will ultimately destroy the reservoirs and their associated benefits if the sediment problem is not addressed;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Democratic Party of South Dakota does fully support efforts to reduce the amount of sediment entering the reservoirs, and does fully support a plan for, and implementation of removal of sediment that does enter the reservoirs in order to protect and retain the many benefits these dams and reservoirs provide, and;

FURTHER: The Democratic Party of South Dakota hereby requests the federal government immediately provide to the managing agency funding necessary to develop a plan or plans to control the amount of sediment entering the reservoirs and steps necessary to remove sediment that accumulates in the reservoirs, and provide, on a continuing basis, the funding necessary to accomplish said control and removal in order to preserve and enhance the many benefits provide by these dams and reservoirs to the people of South Dakota and the citizens of the United States of America. 

RESOLUTION B

Inclusiveness Resolution

WHEREAS: The Democratic Party is a party of inclusiveness. We recognize that members of our party have deeply held and sometimes differing views on issues of personal conscience;

THEREFORE: Be it resolved that the South Dakota Democratic Party recognizes that individual members have a right to abide by their conscience on difficult issues and are welcome participants at every level of the party.

RESOLUTION C

Patient Protection Affordable Healthcare Act Resolution

BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Democratic Party opposes the current South Dakota Attorney General's participation in the multi-state lawsuit to repeal the 2010 Affordable Health Care Act. 

RESOLUTION D

End Medicare Waiting Period Resolution

WHEREAS: The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Chief Actuary has estimated

that “an illustrative family whose breadwinner becomes permanently disabled can receive a lifetime benefit of $353,000 from Social Security disability insurance,” and;

WHEREAS: 16,000 Americans with disabilities die during the 24-month Medicare waiting period that the law imposes on them, and;

WHEREAS: The deaths of 16,000 Americans with disabilities represents a $5.6 billion savings

to the taxpayers, and;

WHEREAS: Tax reduction should be based upon fair and humane considerations, and the consequence of the Medicare waiting period is neither fair nor humane, and;

WHEREAS: Senate Bill 700, “Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009”, is co-sponsored by Senator Tim Johnson but has been stalled in the Committee on Finance since March 2009, and;

WHEREAS: H.R. 1708, “Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009”, has been stalled in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where it was referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials in March 2009;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The South Dakota Democratic Party applauds Senator Tim Johnson’s efforts to end needless deaths of Americans with disabilities and calls for the Senate and House to bring out of committee the bills to end the “Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009” and to pass those bills.