Agriculture

Nebraska Democrats celebrate traditional family farmers and ranchers, the agricultural land, and its topsoil in Nebraska that grows crops to feed the world. We are committed to preserving our rural communities and their way of life. We support the creation of a comprehensive national food, fuel, and fiber policy, which protects the long-term productivity of national resources and the quality and abundance of our food supply. We support our Ag partners as they grow local, high-quality, nutritious foods.

Nebraska Democrats want to improve financial outcomes for farmers by eliminating monopoly control of agricultural markets in production, processing, and trade. Nebraska Democrats believe in returning to fair market pricing, providing adequate crop insurance, and ensuring a strong export strategy which reaches out to other countries for world trade of Nebraska’s agricultural products. Which means strengthening trade with Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, Belgium, Germany, Taiwan, and other potential allies.

We strongly support programs to help farmers as they recover from a difficult growing season or natural disaster. We understand the plight of the agricultural community as land prices have increased and return on investment has decreased. We support property tax reform. Nebraska Democrats strongly support the Fed Cattle Set Aside initiative. Nebraska Democrats created and adopted the “Rural Nebraska Bill of Rights” and we fully endorse all the rights delineated therein. Nebraska Democrats are in favor of agricultural programs that are mindful of environmental impacts, conservation, and resource management. Nebraska Democrats support regenerative agriculture. We want labeling of genetically modified food products, and country of origin labeling. We want to increase organic farming in our state as well as the farming and the transportation of hemp for food, fuel, and fiber.

Education

Nebraska Democrats support public schools, public school teachers, and local control by public school districts. We support school choice for all Nebraska families but without any public tax dollars allocated in the form of school vouchers, tax credits, or scholarships. Nebraska Democrats are opposed to charter schools. We support a community approach to ensure students’ access to technology in schools, in the community, and at home. We support innovation in education.

We believe all teachers, educational support professionals, and administrators should be paid commensurate to their professional responsibility to give knowledge to our future generations and prepare students for adulthood, taking into account each person’s education, training, and experience. Nebraska Democrats advocate for educators’ learning opportunities to improve the education received by Nebraska’s students.

Nebraska Democrats support fully funded equitable public education. Nebraska Democrats believe that no educator should have to pay out of pocket for materials or supplies for their own classroom.

We support the elimination of student debt. We support programs assisting post-secondary students and their families in discharging their debt.

Nebraska Democrats strongly support fine and performing arts and physical education in public schools. Nebraska Democrats believe that extracurricular activities are enriching for every student and support scholarship programs for extracurricular activities. Children and staff deserve enough time to eat. Nebraska Democrats believe no child should experience food insecurity and that schools should do their utmost to prevent and address child hunger. We believe every child should have access to healthy, nutritious, and affordable meals and that no school should deny children access to meals based on a child or parent's inability to pay or debt obligation.

Nebraska Democrats believe every child should have a safe school environment conducive to learning, free from bullying, harassment, or violence. We believe that schools should be safe from gun violence, and support schools in securing facilities to protect students. Nebraska Democrats oppose efforts to fund school security initiatives that divert funds away from classrooms. We oppose arms of any kind on school grounds, with an exception for emergency responders. Nebraska Democrats will actively work to stop the school-to-prison pipeline.

We seek an increase in the age for a student to leave school without graduating to age 18.

We support continuing education for pregnant students and those who are parents and interventions to help these populations. We strongly support age-appropriate and accurate comprehensive sex education for all students starting no less than three years before the average age of menarche to continuing into high school.

Nebraska Democrats believe that special education programs should continue to be based on the individual needs of each student.

Nebraska Democrats realize that the behavioral and mental health needs of students are at an all-time high, with professionals inside and outside of the school system assisting schools with this need. We support greater funding for the behavioral and mental health needs of students in our state’s public schools.

We support targeted intervention for students, not at grade level in reading, writing, and mathematics. Likewise, we recognize that schools with achievement gaps will need targeted intervention and support to meet expectations; we support those schools in receiving the resources that they need to succeed.

We believe that educators should compare differing views on a subject to aid students in learning how to think critically and independently.

Nebraska Democrats support policies and programs promoting recruitment of faculty and staff that represent the broadest possible diversity, training and placement of faculty and administration. Staffs’ talents should be used to meet the needs of students, integrating students into population-balanced and diverse Public School districts, and normalizing parity in funding those districts. Nebraska Democrats are committed to school funding that meets the needs of students equitably and supports the improvement of schools.

We envision classrooms that create opportunities for multicultural activities and field trips. Also, in utilizing distance education technologies to bring students together in study and play from other cultures and countries, and foster exchange programs of speakers and student groups.

Nebraska Democrats impress upon Nebraska’s school districts to develop and utilize teaching materials and pedagogies to confront discrimination; to promote a society free of discrimination and systemic bias based upon age, race, ethnicity, linguistics, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or economic status. In addition, school districts should provide interpretation services and technology to improve relationships among the school, home, and community for the benefit of our students.

We support academic freedom and the freedom of speech.

Nebraska Democrats prioritize the restoration of previous funding, and future increased allocations to all state-funded institutions of higher learning. We believe tuition hikes are detrimental to students and Nebraska families. We are committed to the state schooling delivered by the state-funded institutions of higher learning within our state, which teaches skills needed in the workforce. Nebraska Democrats take pride in the students, graduates, and educators of our public schools and state institutions of higher learning.

Environment

Nebraska Democrats understand that climate change is occurring, and is an ongoing, urgent threat, and a defining challenge of our time. The Earth that we leave to our descendants depends upon our actions now. Without ambitious, immediate action across our country to cut carbon pollution, nitrogen pollution, and greenhouse gases, the impacts of climate change will be catastrophic.

Nebraska Democrats are committed to phasing out our dependence on fossil fuels in favor of clean and renewable energy, and to create good paying middle-income jobs in the process of expanding and building these new technologies. We need to make our existing infrastructure safer and cleaner; and invest in the new infrastructure necessary to power our clean energy future.

Nebraska Democrats reject efforts to politicize scientific results and we support peerreviewed, credible research based on scientific consensus.

Nebraska Democrats are committed to protecting our Ogallala Aquifer which is Nebraska’s most precious natural resource, and all other waterways within and bordering our state. Water is life. Mni Wiconi. L’eau est la vie. We believe clean air and clean water are basic rights of all people, and that low-income communities and Tribal Nations are disproportionately exposed to environmental “hot spots,” where air, soil, and water pollution increase health problems and economic hardship. We also believe in being a good neighbor to those who use the water downstream.

Nebraska Democrats will champion conservation efforts and collaboratively protect our land, air, and water. We must strengthen protections for our natural and cultural resources, increase access to parks and public lands for all Americans, protect endangered and native species and wildlife, and harness the immense ecological and social potential of our public lands and waters.

Nebraska Democrats insist that our representatives act on behalf of the environment and the environmental impact of legislation that applies to or could directly impact the State of Nebraska. Nebraska Democrats also support global environmental protection such as the 2015 Paris Agreement

guns

The Nebraska Democrats fully respect the rights of individuals to own and use guns for lawful purposes, such as sport shooting, hunting, defense against predators, and euthanizing livestock.

Nebraska Democrats believe that an obligation of those rights is that all gun owners must implement responsible gun ownership practices, which include but are not limited to: always treating a weapon as though it is loaded, storing ammunition separately from the weapon, and the safe storage of firearms to prevent theft and access by children.

Nebraska Democrats also encourage responsible gun ownership training for all new gun owners. Nebraska Democrats oppose the open carry of firearms at protests and/or any public event where said firearms serve only to intimidate other Nebraskans, including the Nebraska State Capitol.

Healthcare

Nebraska Democrats believe that access to affordable, quality health care is a right for all. We support expanding the current healthcare system to Medicare for All. We support a broad base of coverage including but not limited to: primary care, preventative care, inpatient, outpatient, emergency care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, long term care, mental health, substance abuse services, non-cosmetic dentistry, pre-existing conditions, chiropractic services, basic vision care and correction, outpatient therapies and ambulance services. Under Medicare for All, we believe eligible providers would be any licensed or accredited provider in compliance with the law. We believe that patients should choose their own healthcare provider. No one should be denied life-preserving medical care, medications, or medical supplies due to cost or pre-existing conditions.

We urge further research into affordable, accessible contraceptive methods for all persons. We continue to oppose any state and federal laws that would impede a woman's or other person’s constitutional right to a safe and legal abortion, regardless of gender identity. We oppose centers that provide biased and inaccurate information regarding reproductive health care options, and shame or stigmatize individuals for their sexual practices. We oppose the removal of funding to federally qualified health centers and any entity that receives Title X funding. We denounce all acts of violence towards providers of family planning and health care services. Nebraska Democrats continue to advocate for and support all reproductive choices for women or other persons regardless of gender identity.

We support the expansion of Medicaid coverage in Nebraska and full funding for the CHIP program. Nebraska Democrats support Nebraskans’ access to medical cannabis with a doctor’s prescription. We support stem cell research and therapy as a critical component of health care. Also, we support both public and private funding for stem cell research.

Nebraska Democrats recognize drug addiction as a public health crisis issue. We support rehabilitation for persons struggling with drug addiction. In addition, we call for an increase of funding for drug addiction treatment.

Labor & Economy

Nebraska Democrats support labor unions as they protect and empower the workforce. We recognize their historical contribution by laying the foundations to the rights that workers have today. We support the formation of unions and collective action to further the rights of employees while standing in opposition to anti-union labor practices, policies, and potential or actual legislation or court judgments. Nebraska Democrats support the repeal of Right-to-Work and oppose At-Will employment. Nebraska Democrats support Project Labor Agreements.

Nebraska Democrats are pro-Worker, pro-Farmer, and pro-Railroad Worker, and call for improvements to worker safety, working conditions, protections, and benefits across all categories and classes of employment. Nebraska Democrats particularly support each worker receiving a minimum of one week of paid sick leave per year. Each worker should receive paid family leave of no less than twelve weeks.

We insist that markets and employers must pair human dignity with enterprise and that full-time employees must receive a wage that enables them to live without government assistance.

We need a skilled, responsive workforce with globally competitive education and trade skills. We support apprenticeship programs. Nebraska Democrats support training programs for displaced workers. We need to adapt to the age of technology, recognizing we have more people than work, and we must create jobs for more employees. We conclude that more skilled manufacturing is needed to address the structural unemployment gap in the United States.

Nebraska Democrats are in favor of tax breaks and stimulus for small businesses and startups. We support further stimulus to those areas where unemployment is high or where job creation is low. We believe corporations should pay taxes; taxation should not be shouldered only by individuals and working families.

We support publicly funded childcare centers to allow low and middle-income Nebraskans to work unencumbered from the high cost of childcare.

We believe that artificial scarcity harms our economy and is a deceptive business practice. Fair trade and free markets cannot truly be free and fair if prices are manipulated through supply control.

Nebraska Democrats support Social Security increases based on appropriate indices that accurately reflect seniors’ lives and seniors’ needs.

At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we believe the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations must pay their fair share of taxes. Democrats will claw back tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, eliminate tax breaks for big oil and gas companies, and crack down on inversions and other methods companies use to dodge their tax responsibilities. We will make sure that our tax code rewards businesses that make investments and provide good-paying jobs here in the United States, not businesses that walk out on America. We will end deferrals so that American corporations pay United States taxes immediately on foreign profits and can no longer escape paying their fair share of U.S. taxes by stashing profits abroad. We will then use the revenue raised from fixing the corporate tax code to reinvest in rebuilding America and ensuring economic growth that will lead to millions of good-paying jobs.

LGBTQ+

Nebraska Democrats support the civil and human rights and safe environments for all people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expression. Nebraska Democrats support the development and maintenance of safe environments in our schools for youth from all identities and backgrounds.

Nebraska Democrats support a ban on Conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ individuals. Conversion Therapy is known as a practice in which it tries to change the sexuality of the individual to heterosexual using psychological or spiritual interventions. Several organizations have stated that conversion therapy and its practice is very harmful to LGBTQ+ individuals. Therefore, a ban on the use of Conversion Therapy is needed to protect the basic human and civil rights of LGBTQ+ Nebraskans.

Nebraska Democrats celebrate marriage equality. We do not believe that religious freedom equates to any right to discriminate. Democrats will fight to pass the Equality Act in Congress, to the extent that it amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protections that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, credit, and the jury system. Under Title VII, we want LGBTQ+ to be considered a ‘protected class.’

We support legislation that grants equitable access to employment, housing, and accommodations, including gender-neutral bathrooms in schools and public places. In addition, Nebraska Democrats oppose any favor given in child custody cases when the basis is on a parent’s/guardian’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

Nebraska Democrats desire to improve access to informed services and address the high rates of suicide by LGBTQ+ individuals. We believe LGBTQ+ individuals should have access to safe, affordable, and affirming health care, including mental health services, preventative medicine, sexual and reproductive health care, and equity of access to available resources and support.

Nebraska Democrats respect and honor all who serve and have served in our armed forces. We support the inclusion, and appreciate the service, of transgender individuals who have served and who want to serve in the US military. We oppose any ban restricting or terminating the service of Trans service members. We believe service should be based on qualifications and ability rather than personal identity.

Nebraska Democrats acknowledge the epidemic of violence against the transgender community, particularly transgender Women of Color and transwomen who are immigrants. Nebraska Democrats stand in unequivocal opposition to transphobic violence, especially when intersected with racism. Nebraska Democrats support legislative solutions to address this including a ban on the gay/trans panic defense and the addition of gender identity to Nebraska hate crimes laws.

Rural Economic Development

Nebraska Democrats believe in a strong, prosperous future for our rural communities. Rural issues are our party's issues. Nebraska Democrats embrace several key areas of rural economic development: economic revival, housing, community schools, local health care access, and defending small business.

Nebraska Democrats engage rural votes by focusing on economic revival via private-public partnerships, expanding small businesses with low and no interest loans, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, expanding access to affordable broadband services, and renewing retail shopping districts. Nebraska Democrats support expanding affordable housing, particularly for seniors and young people. Community schools are the bedrock of local community life and must be preserved. We strongly support access to local hospitals, community clinics, senior care, and mental health facilities. Your zip code should not condemn you to substandard care. Nebraska Democrats also believe in promoting small businesses. Too often, big corporations and big box stores put small enterprises out of business on Main Street. We advocate for economic incentives to help local enterprises first survive, then thrive.