Delegates to the Democratic Party's national convention in Boston will be asked to approve certain positions. These are party positions but are not binding on the presidential candidate. Among them:
Iraq
* Persuade Nato and other nations to contribute additional forces and reduce the US military presence.
* Conduct a
huge effort to train Iraqi security forces.
* Create an international high commissioner to work with the Iraqi Government.
Security
* Reform intelligence services and train more analysts in languages spoken by terrorists.
* Strengthen laws against money laundering and impose tough sanctions on nations and banks that finance terrorism.
* End production of enriched uranium and plutonium that can be used to make bombs and lock away existing stockpiles.
* End North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and prevent Iran from developing one.
* Strengthen security at airports, seaports, mass transit systems and chemical plants.
* Expand active duty military by 40,000 troops and double the capacity of special forces.
* Safeguard the right to own guns but renew ban on assault weapons.
Economy
* Cut the deficit in half over four years and set tough caps on spending.
* Eliminate tax cuts for families earning more than US$200,000 ($303,000) a year.
* Raise the minimum wage to US$7 an hour from US$5.15 now.
* End tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas.
* Require companies to give employees three months' notice before planned shutdowns.
* Add or increase tax credits for children, college tuition and private investment in renewable energy.
* Stop adding to oil reserve stockpile and push Opec to boost production.
Health care
* Give tax credits to individuals and businesses to help them afford health insurance.
* Use Medicare's purchasing power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs.
* Allow safe reimportation of prescription drugs.
* Reverse restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.
Civil rights
* Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment banning same-sex marriage.
* Offer citizenship to undocumented immigrants already in the US if they clear checks.
Herald Feature: US Election
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