West Virginia Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The West Virginia Democratic Party is the state level chapter of the United States Democratic Party
in the state of West Virginia
.
Article IV of the U.S. Constitution requires consent of the newly-formed state, the original state, and Congress. Since the Virginian government was ruled illegitimate as it was a member of the Confederate States of America, no approval was required and after Congressional consent, self-statehood was gained and political party formation prospered.
The West Virginia Democratic Party was started as a coalition of Pro-Union Democrats, Pro-Confederate Democrats, and former members of the Whig Party
. After 1872, its political dominance flourished when restrictions that disenfranchised former Confederates were struck from the state constitution.
State
Federal
Educating citizens about healthy eating habits and wellness programs.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
History
The state of West Virginia granted itself statehood after its people, through a state constitutional convention, became a free state and broke away from the slave holding state of Virginia in 1861 during the first year of the Civil War.American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Article IV of the U.S. Constitution requires consent of the newly-formed state, the original state, and Congress. Since the Virginian government was ruled illegitimate as it was a member of the Confederate States of America, no approval was required and after Congressional consent, self-statehood was gained and political party formation prospered.
The West Virginia Democratic Party was started as a coalition of Pro-Union Democrats, Pro-Confederate Democrats, and former members of the Whig Party
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
. After 1872, its political dominance flourished when restrictions that disenfranchised former Confederates were struck from the state constitution.
West Virginia Constitution
The Constitution of the State of West Virginia is the supreme law of the U.S. State of West Virginia. It expresses the rights of the State's citizens and provides the framework for the organization of law and government. The state's founding document was ratified in 1862, a year before the state...
West Virginia Democrats in government
The West Virginia Democratic Party controls all five statewide executive offices and holds a majority in the West Virginia House of Delegates and a supermajority in the West Virginia Senate. Democrats hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and one of the state's three U.S. House seats.State
- Governor: Earl Ray TomblinEarl Ray TomblinEarl Ray Tomblin is an American politician who serves as the 35th and current Governor of West Virginia. Tomblin is a member of the Democratic Party. Tomblin has served as President of the West Virginia State Senate for over 16 years. He became Acting Governor in 2010 following Joe Manchin's...
- Secretary of State: Natalie TennantNatalie TennantNatalie E. Tennant is the Secretary of State of West Virginia. She was elected in 2008 and officially took office as the 29th Secretary of State on January 19, 2009...
- Attorney General: Darrell McGrawDarrell McGrawDarrell Vivian McGraw, Jr. is an American Democratic politician. He is the brother of former West Virginia State Supreme Court Justice and state Senate President Warren McGraw....
- State AuditorState auditorState auditors are executive officers of U.S. states who serve as auditors and comptrollers for state funds....
: Glen B. Gainer, III - State TreasurerState TreasurerIn the state governments of the United States, 49 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. Texas abolished the position of Texas State Treasurer in 1996....
: John D. Perdue
Federal
- U.S. Senate
- Jay RockefellerJay RockefellerJohn Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...
, Senior Senator - Joe ManchinJoe ManchinJoseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...
, Junior Senator
- Jay Rockefeller
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Nick RahallNick RahallNick Joe Rahall II is the U.S. Representative for West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, serving since 1977. Rahall is currently Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the southern portion of the state, including...
, 3rd DistrictWest Virginia's 3rd congressional districtWest Virginia's 3rd congressional district is located in the southern part of the state, it is based in the state's second largest city, Huntington and includes Bluefield, Princeton, and Beckley.The district is currently represented by Democrat Nick Rahall....
- Nick Rahall
Today's party organization
The party organization is governed by the West Virginia State Democratic Executive Committee. This committee comprises its leadership. The Chairman is Larry Puccio. Derek Scarbro serves as the Executive Director.The party platform
Every presidential election year, the West Virginia Democrats issue their party platform. The platform declares what the party believes in, supports, and recognizes. The platform reflects what the party would like to see accomplished after the election from the candidates whom the party supports to win respective offices. Many issues are covered in the most recent 2008 platform from the party's website. They include:Education
- The right to a safe, disciplined, learning environment
- Educator, parent, and community ownership of schools
- Ensuring that state funding for education goes to public schools
- Smaller class sizes
- The right of every eligible West Virginian to obtain quality, accessible post secondary education
- Collegiate focus on preparing students for a global economy
Economy
- A strong economy relies on good roads, water & sewer, airports, water ways, internet access, and phone service.
- Federal, state, and local governments must invest in quality infrastructure.
- Small business is the backbone of our economy and we should encourage entrepreneurial spirit.
- The state can help attract new business and aid existing employers.
- Ensuring that West Virginian farmers have a strong safety net and that they can achieve profitability in the marketplace.
Employee rights
- Urging the state to pass pertinent safety laws to further protect West Virginia's workforce.
- Urging state and local officials to support collective bargaining for improved wages, benefits, and working conditions.
- Every working person should be able to retire without the worry that Social Security will be under funded or eventually phased out.
- Supporting competitive, sustainable minimum wages for all workers to afford them a better quality of life.
- Equal pay for equal work.
Creating a level playing field
- Supporting trade with other nations, so long as there is a level playing field. American jobs should not be sacrificed to countries that do not enforce adequate safety, child labor, minimum wage, and environmental laws.
- Discouraging the practice of outsourcing
- Preserving, protecting, and improving he civil justice system so that anyone who is harmed by the misconduct and negligence of others can obtain justice in state courtrooms.
Law and order
- Supporting the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution - the right to bear arms
- Seeking appropriate alternatives to incarceration
- Fair and humane laws that are enforced to protect the legal residents of the State of West Virginia and the United States of America
- Adequate, sustained. and effective monitoring of funding
Good government
- Ethical conduct of all elected officials.
- Responsible spending and balanced budgets.
- Ensuring that governmental operations strictly follow federal and state laws, codes, and/or guidelines.
- Legal, clean elections.
- Adequate polling places and improved public education about candidates running for office.
Environment
- Supporting energy independence that uses "clean coal" technology to fuel and power America and the expansion of West Virginia's energy resources to include all forms of clean and renewable energy.
- Supporting enforcement of the Clean Water ActClean Water ActThe Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...
and the return to the Kyoto Treaty to help preserve the environment. - The reclamation of mined areas should be complete.
Health and social issues
- Support of a national health care system.
- Committal top ensuring citizens full access to quality health care professionals and facilities.
- Support of existing programs such as Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Money Follows the Person (MFP).
- Public assistance should be a second chance, not a way of life.
Children and families
- Supporting the right to safe, quality daycare and after-school care for children.
- the right of consumers to choose in-home care over institutional care.
- Full funding of effective intervention services for families in crisis.
- an aggressive, effective, and fair child support collection system.
- Supporting programs and laws, such as the "Violence Against Women ActViolence Against Women ActThe Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
" to reduce and eliminate domestic violence.
Seniors
- Senior citizens are an integral part of our society.
- Committal to helping senior citizens retain their independence, dignity, and standard of living.
- Recommendation of an increase in geriatric education for medical students in all state medical schools.
Health education
- Support of wellness centers, well lit and safe outdoor playgrounds, hiking, biking, and walking trails.
- Restoring full school physical education programs.
Educating citizens about healthy eating habits and wellness programs.
Veterans
- Guaranteed funding for veterans' programs now and in the future, making such funding a mandatory, rather than discretionary, budget item to ensure viability from year to year.
- It is the responsibility of the United States and the State of West Virginia to provide accessible, quality care for service members who return home from military service on a daily basis.