DFC Newsletter – January 2023
Hello world! Thank you for tuning in to read the DFC’s first-ever monthly newsletter.
About Us
The DFC is a pro-freedom caucus in the Democratic Party. We seek to achieve a more free human existence by promoting liberal values such as individual liberty and limited government through the influence of the Democratic Party.
Our goal is to, within our lifetimes, transform the Democratic Party into an effective political force for upholding traditional liberal values throughout the United States and abroad, while preserving and strengthening the party’s and country’s dedication to equal rights and the common good. By striking a balance between positive and negative liberty in our approach, we aim to impact the culture and conversation around freedom within the Democratic Party, the country, and the world.
The Democratic Freedom Caucus will fight to restore the right to privacy and bodily autonomy, to restore civility and sanity in our political discourse, and to restore faith in the very institutions that got us here. Guided by our steadfast belief in civil rights, an economy rife with opportunity for everyone, and our constitutional democracy as an expression of self-governance, we will be a leading voice for liberty within the Democratic Party, as we unite to defeat the authoritarianism that has consumed the Republican Party, and as we work to uphold America’s reputation as the land of the free.
Principles
Our foundational principles revolve around individual liberty, constitutional democracy, and social responsibility. You can read the Principles of the DFC on our website, here. Below is a summary of these core principles.
Personal Liberty
Equal freedom for everyone is essential for human progress. We support the inherent inalienable rights of all people. The right to self-determination is the most fundamental right that exists. This begins with bodily autonomy. The right to bodily autonomy means the freedom to make decisions about one’s body, the freedom to pursue consensual relationships, and the freedom to engage in any kind of behavior, lifestyle, or activity a person finds fulfilling provided they are not endangering others. Individuals should be able to live as their authentic selves, free from persecution. This requires a commitment to upholding civil liberties, and actively fighting coercion and oppression in all forms, whenever or wherever it begins to manifest.
Economic Liberty
We believe in economic opportunity for all. An individuals’ right to self-determination necessarily means that people have an essential right to keep the products of their own labor. Free movement of people, goods, services, and capital are the hallmarks of economic liberty. We are committed to strong protections for consumers, workers, and their community as individuals exchange within the market. We aim to tackle the root causes of economic problems by pursuing a system of property rights based on justice. Much of the economic inequality that we see today in modern society is a result of this injustice: the violent history surrounding the privatization of land and other natural resources, corporate welfare, and unaddressed distortions of the market caused by excessive government and big business.
Limited Government
We support a state small enough to be truly of, by, and for the people. We support the Bill of Rights and the preservation of our constitutional democracy. The purpose of government is to protect our rights and ensure that we receive essential services, so government at any level should be limited in scale and scope in order to have minimal interference in individuals’ lives. We support creating incentives for improving the quality of public services. Whatever our government does, should be done well. Policies that infringe on people’s freedom can come from federal, state, or even local government, so we always stand in opposition to abuses of power to protect individual rights and civil liberties at all costs.
Social Responsibility
Humankind has a duty to itself – we owe a commitment to the human species and betterment of society. It is our responsibility to ensure that each person may pull from our common good, and remove any obstacles preventing people from reaching their full potential in life. Therefore, we support a functional social safety net that can provide for the most vulnerable of our population in their times of need. We support the kinds of government relief necessary for stabilizing people’s lives and enabling them to determine their own destiny in order to achieve the American Dream.
