Quick Hit: 

As the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, the party, in its platform released Monday, continues to back Biden despite his withdrawal from the race, opens with an "acknowledgment" that the convention takes place on "stolen land," and mentions Trump a whopping 150 times—more than "inflation," "border security," "crime," and "costs" combined. 

Key Details:

• The platform mentions Trump 150 times, but "inflation" only 16 times, "border security" 49 times, "crime" 27 times, and "costs" 55 times.

• The platform also controversially supports child gender transitions, asserting "the right of all children to access gender-affirming care," which reflects the party’s alignment with progressive LGBTQ+ rights. 

• Rob Law, Policy Director at the America First Policy Institute, criticized the platform for its pledge to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act, which he described as "the most radical amnesty bill ever written," warning that the bill would grant amnesty to human traffickers and gang members, allow deportees to return, and impose no welfare restrictions on migrants.

Diving Deeper: 

Coinciding with the beginning of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, the Democratic Party on Monday released its party platform for the 2024 presidential election.

The platform opens with a "land acknowledgment" that the Democratic National Convention is taking place on "stolen land," recognizing indigenous tribes. This is part of the party’s supposed commitment to social justice and indigenous rights, and reads, "We honor the communities native to this continent, and recognize that our country was built on Indigenous homelands." 

Perhaps most telling is the overwhelming emphasis on former President Donald Trump. The platform names Trump a whopping 150 times, but pressing national issues like "inflation" 16 times. "Border security" is only mentioned 49 times and "crime" 27 times, suggesting the party is more focused on Trump than issues affecting everyday Americans.

For example, in discussing the economy, the platform asserts that "Democrats will continue to fight for a fair economy," but is mum on details, and discussion of "inflation" notably sparse. Similarly, while the platform acknowledges the importance of "border security," it does so in a way that seems more concerned with contrasting Democratic policies against Trump's, rather than providing a robust plan to secure the border.

The imbalance is further evidenced in the section on criminal justice, where "crime" is mentioned only 27 times, often in the context of criticizing Republican approaches rather than proposing strong, new measures to tackle rising crime rates. 

Criticism of the platform’s immigration stance was also swift. America First Policy Institute Policy Director Rob Law highlighted on X what he described as the platform's radical immigration agenda. He pointed to the pledge to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act, which he argued would provide "amnesty for all illegal aliens who have invaded our country," including those with criminal convictions. Law warned that the bill would "reward illegal aliens & traffickers while putting Americans last," by granting social security numbers, driver’s licenses, and voter registration to illegal aliens without adequate vetting. Furthermore, the bill allegedly requires taxpayers to pay for previously deported illegal aliens to return and claim amnesty.

But what also stands out is the continued endorsement of President Joe Biden whose "second term" is mentioned 19 times despite his withdrawal from the race. However, the party said in an accompanying press release that the platform was drafted and approved before Biden dropped out of the presidential race.