New Hampshire enjoys a sound economy and rapid expansion of the high technology industry. The growth at all costs mindset is a fiction of the past. We support economic development that provides jobs, transportation means and, most importantly, livability.

• We support global partnerships;
• We support private sector investments and innovation to create a diversified economic climate;
• We support effective transportation means, including railroad services, to move citizens from their homes to their jobs;
• We support access to high technology education for all in order to provide employees for our high tech economy.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party values our long history of honoring honest labor, and we renew our commitment to working people throughout the Granite State. We renew our commitment to economic opportunity and employment fairness for all citizens. We support general commitment in the business community that all employees are entitled to a fair living wage for a fair day’s work. This pact between employers and employees will create an environment where we fully understand and agree that:

• Good jobs evolve from a good education;
• Job creation is a primary responsibility of the private sector. New Hampshire Democrats have long recognized that government must continue to promote an atmosphere in which the private sector and individuals can flourish and create jobs;
• Government must continue to recognize the changing description of "jobs" brought about by technology;
• As Democrats, we have lead the way to economic development that provides economic opportunity for all, and preserves traditional family and community values. Throughout the past century, our governmental leaders have sometimes promoted economic growth for growth's sake. Under Democratic leadership, we strive to promote a balanced economic approach that stresses livability for those who live and work here;
• Workers and their families deserve needed security by exercising their right to organize and bargain collectively. We have maintained our belief to the right to privacy -- both on and off the job -- and the right to appeal disciplinary action;
• Recognize the value that public employees add to the success of New Hampshire;
• Living wage for all public employees must be assured.

A good society values the best attainable physical and mental health of all its citizens. The provision of health care services is changing rapidly and offers great opportunities to keep our citizens healthier than ever before. Valuing those principles, the New Hampshire Democratic Party believes that we must:

• Find methods to ensure that all residents of New Hampshire receive the highest standards of health care, including preventative and remedial care, prescription medicines and, where appropriate, access to experimental therapy;
• Ensure the highest quality training of physicians and health care professionals;
• Ensure that medical research continues to provide breakthrough cures for all;
• Create efficiencies to lower the cost of administering health care;
• Create coverage and payment mechanisms which ensure the costs of such care are attributed fairly and based on the ability to pay;
• Respect the right of citizens to the privacy of their health information, and that such information is not disseminated without their knowledge and permission;
• Create a comprehensive health education and curriculum for schools;
• Reduce the spread of and finding cures for HIV/AIDS and other diseases;
• Provide each person with the right to know all of his/her medical options, and the right to choose his/her own doctor.

Under Democratic leadership, we have continued to affirm the right of all individuals to be free from government involvement in private medical decisions. The fundamental right to reproductive choice must continue to be guaranteed to all women. We continue to support efforts to help prevent unwanted pregnancies through better family planning education, birth control counseling and services, and by promoting better community support mechanisms.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party believes that our children are our future and that our families are our foundation. We applaud our many families who work daily to enhance the quality of our community. To support this, we endorse:

• Child Care. Democrats support the concept that quality, affordable child care should be available to all families to help them balance their work lives with their family lives.
• Child Abuse. We are committed to providing prevention programs that strengthen and support New Hampshire families and alleviate conditions which lead to child abuse and neglect.
• Child Support. It is a long-held belief within the Democratic Party that strong child support laws must be fairly enforced without regard to sex or economic circumstances.
• Families. We are committed to stopping the cycle of domestic violence through education and support services for its victims and education and treatment programs for abusers.
• Seniors. The Democratic Party supports services and programs to enhance the quality of life for our senior citizens by enabling them to retain their independence, remain in their homes, and avoid unnecessary nursing home care.

• The New Hampshire Democratic Party believes in the promotion of human rights and human dignity for all citizens;
• We reaffirm our commitment to fight discrimination in all its forms. We believe the diversity of our population is an asset to our community.

New Hampshire continues to have one of the lowest crime rates in the nation. We believe our success stems from:

• Swift and certain punishment for those fairly and justly convicted of crimes by our courts;
• Community policing initiatives that encourage synergy between our citizens and its police force;
• Expansion of the rights of crime victims without diminution of the constitutional protections accorded defendants;
• Creative prevention, rehabilitation and educational programs which advance a crime-free environment at home, at work, at school and on our streets;
• Protection of citizens, particularly children, through reasonable gun safety measures while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners;
• Appreciate the legitimacy of long and sincerely held beliefs regarding the death penalty. We respectfully acknowledge that this issue is ultimately a matter of personal conscience among citizens and not a defining political party issue.

Our natural and cultural resources are our most important business. These resources drive our economy. We have a moral responsibility to preserve our earth and our quality of life for future generations. A clean environment supports a healthy lifestyle with water that is safe to drink and air that is healthy to breathe. We cherish New Hampshire's open space, historic properties, farms and farmlands. We believe New Hampshire is enriched from balancing economic growth with an investment in the preservation of natural and cultural resources. Much of New Hampshire's economy is based on industries and businesses that depend upon open space and cultural heritage. Our best public investments are those that keep New Hampshire healthy, clean and safe.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party supports the Land and Community Heritage Program that creates public/private partnerships protecting our natural, historic and cultural resources.

• We support the protection of our sources of drinking water and wild habitat to maintain healthy ecosystems;
• We support increased recycling of commercial, industrial and residential waste;
• We support finding ways to foster thoughtful development rather than indiscriminate sprawl;
• We support continued enforcement of the Federal Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

Cheaper energy costs mean lower rates for consumers and a better business climate. The New Hampshire Democratic Party supports long-lasting measures that bring electric rates under control. We have a responsibility to ensure that these goals are attained with minimal adverse impact on our environment.

• We support reducing energy costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions;
• We support identifying and implementing energy efficiency measures in our State buildings;
• We support the continued development of alternative energy measures.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party recognizes the importance of the Arts in a democratic society. We support the advancement of the Arts, and recognize its importance to the social and economic well being to the citizens of our State. The Arts bring together people of various ethnic and racial backgrounds for a shared creative endeavor. A unifying force, the Arts create community and ethnic understanding while encouraging a civil society. The New Hampshire Democratic Party proudly supports the continued public funding of the Arts.

A good society respects and encourages contributions from all its members. Due to the changing nature of work and careers, combined with the fact that we are living longer and more productive lives, we encourage policies that utilize the wisdom of one of our most precious resources – our retirees and senior citizens. Those policies include opportunities to volunteer in the community, continue gainful employment without reduction in other benefits, and train and mentor the leaders of tomorrow.

The people of New Hampshire have a right to expect that the decisions of its elected officials will be made in the public interest, free from any question of personal gain. The financial interest of our elected leaders must be subject to public scrutiny so that the people can be assured that the political process is above reproach. Government at all levels must serve its customers -- the people of New Hampshire -- and is accountable to its citizens for its actions.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party supports increased disclosure of contributions and expenditures of candidates for office and of the financial interests of elected officials. We support prohibiting candidates retaining contributions for their personal use. We support prohibiting elected officials from receiving personal financial gain as a result of their elected position.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party embraces its responsibility to improve our democracy for New Hampshire by limiting the influence of special interests and expanding the influence of the citizens of New Hampshire. Elections have become so long and expensive that big money can sometimes drown out the voices of ordinary voters whose voices should speak loudest. We support meaningful campaign finance reform and call for speedy action which ensures that our government belongs to its people, and not the highest bidder. We support campaign finance reform that will limit campaign spending, curb the influence of PACs and lobbyists, and end the soft money system. Accordingly, we call for public financing of candidates who qualify and who volunteer to accept specified limits on amounts they raise and spend. We also believe the media should be required to give such candidates free access to the airwaves, which are public goods. It is time to take the reins of democracy away from big money and put them back where they belong -- in the hands of the American people.

We recognize that the interests of our State and its citizens are increasingly affected by the world outside the national boundaries of our country.

We support active efforts by the Government of New Hampshire to protect and advance such interests.

We wish New Hampshire’s representatives in Washington, DC to be guided by the principle that US leadership in international relations serves New Hampshire’s interests.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party is committed to developing our leaders of tomorrow. To that end, we encourage all individuals to participate in our political process by serving on local boards, commissions and committees, as well as running for office locally, countywide and Statewide.

• We believe that public servants have suffered too long from unfair politically based criticism.
• We respect our public servants, and desire to expand the number of qualified individuals who will shape our governmental process.
• We strive to foster the open exchange of ideas, and attempt to reach consensus in our government decisions while respecting the opinions of all individuals.
• We believe that it is our obligation to be a party that encourages individuals to participate in our government, thus expanding and broadening our pool of leaders for the future.
• We champion the reality that public service is an honorable calling.

New Hampshire is uniquely qualified to test and prepare those who would be President. Our State has a special status among the states with its First in the Nation Presidential Primary. Media events and large advertising budgets are no substitute for New Hampshire’s personal connection with candidates, where young and old take up the charge of questioning and preparing candidates in town halls, schools, living rooms and American Legion halls. We support efforts to ensure the preservation of this responsibility and status.