Platforms Don't Change Votes (Because No One Reads Them)

The Republican Party just passed its platform. It's full of horrible ideas. But don't worry about that because I doubt anyone but the party's activists will ever read it (and they've already decided they will vote for Trump).

The Republican Party platform is 16 pages long. Most Americans are not going to take the time to read a political statement that long.

The Democratic Party will soon meet and pass their own platform. In 2020, their platform was 44 pages long. They'll probably do something like that again. And just like with the GOP platform, no voter (except party activists) will ever read it.

I have long wondered why the parties do this. If they tried, they could boil their party's beliefs down to only one or two pages. Something that short could then be mailed out to all voters, and its likely that many of them would actually read it!

I suggest the following for Democrats (but sadly, don't expect them to adopt something similar):

DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM

* Democrats believe women should have control over their own bodies, and no state should deny them that control.

* Democrats believe the minimum wage should be a livable wage.

* Democrats believe workers should have the right to form and join a union.

* Democrats believe Social Security should be protected and full-funded.

* Democrats believe the rich (and corporations) should pay more in taxes.

* Democrats believe all citizens have the right to decent and affordable health care.

* Democrats believe in NATO and want to keep it strong.

* Democrats believe the Justice Department should be separate from the presidency.

* Democrats believe all countries have the right to choose their own government.

* Democrats believe all citizens have the right to vote and it should be easy for them to exercise that right.

* Democrats believe all citizens should have a decent standard of living.

* Democrats believe all citizens should be equal under the law and no one should be above the law.

Isn't that a platform that all Democratic candidates should be able to successfully campaign on? And one that voters would be likely to actually read?