Our Democratic Values Fiscal Responsibility: We believe in maintaining a balanced budget that includes enough taxes to adequately finance the needs of our society, but no more. Protection of America's Workers: We believe in assuring worker's rights, including raising the minimum wage to ensure a livable salary for all who work hard. We believe in fostering sustainable growth for businesses by enforcing laws against ridiculous increases in CEO profits and corporate monopolies, while not overburdening businesses with unnecessary regulation. Protection of Our Environment: We believe in protecting our environment from pollution and deforestation with sensible laws. We condemn efforts by Pres. Bush and Congressional Republicans to allow corporations' activities to go unchecked. We are also for an intelligent, market based cap-and-trade system to regulate carbon emissions. We agree with President Obama's initiative to create 5 million new "green jobs" to create renewable energy for use here at home. Educational Opportunity: We believe in improving our school system to ensure that all children receive an equal education. We believe in having a school system that is fully funded and holds schools responsible. We believe in substantially increasing the funding for college loans to ensure that all college students who work hard can get an education. Sensible Foreign Policy: We believe in a strong national defense, including fully funding our military and equipping it properly. We believe that the US should work with our allies around the world to infiltrate, capture, and kill terrorists. We do not believe, however, that pure military force can defeat world terrorism that can only be done by a combination of military force and winning the war of values across the globe. We also believe the US should invest in new energy technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and save our environment. To better protect Americans from terrorism, we believe the US needs tighter border security that stops the flood of illegal aliens entering the US, while maintaining our strong and proud tradition of allowing legal immigrants into the US. In addition, the US should increase funding for homeland security to better protect our ports, airports and cities. Protection of Civil Rights: We believe strongly that all Americans have the right to practice religion or not practice religion the way they choose, without government infringement. Therefore, we are against enforcing religion through any public place, including schools and court rooms. In addition, we believe strongly in a women's right to her own body, and we want to work towards a society where a woman makes the same amount of money as a man doing the same job, not 78 cents to the dollar. Health Care: We believe that healthcare should be available and affordable to every person in America, regardless of income or family situation, and support President Obama's efforts to do so.