Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?
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  Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?
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Question: Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?
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Author Topic: Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?  (Read 3363 times)
Blue3
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« on: December 29, 2014, 12:04:01 AM »

Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?


1. Infrastructure (investing in: a national infrastructure bank, transportation, schools, housing, electric, water... such as the proposals included in the American Jobs Act... a one-time $100-200b package)

2. Minimum Wage Hike to at least $10.10/hour and index it to inflation (and possibly other labor laws, like mandatory paid leave time for vacations/sickness/parenthood and more for childcare services, and passing the Paycheck Fairness Act to help gender equality in pay)

3. Tax Reform (eliminate unfair deductions/credits that only benefit the wealthy... eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for Big Oil, for unhealthy foods, and for U.S. companies that ship jobs overseas... cap the mortgage interest deduction and limit it to one residency... perhaps creating a 1% financial transaction tax rate and a minimum effective 30% tax rate for millionaires... maybe even have pre-filled-out tax forms)

4. Entitlement Reform (decrease the cost of Medicare by actually decreasing the cost of healthcare, by allowing imported drugs, allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices, prevent drug companies from blocking generic drugs, medical malpractice reform... as well as eliminating the payroll tax cap so the wealthy pay more into Social Security

5. Comprehensive Immigration Reform

6. Close Guantanamo's prison, with fair trials or releases for all those imprisoned there

7. Pass ENDA, perhaps extended to cover housing/medicine/adoption too
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Oak Hills
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« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2014, 12:19:31 AM »

All of them, of course.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
Ernest
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« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2014, 01:36:20 AM »

If you're going to have individual items for us to check off on, it might make sense if you actually had individual items instead of various grab bags.
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Sprouts Farmers Market ✘
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« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2014, 01:46:35 AM »

I voted for them all, and man, it would be nice if Republicans would join them. There are 1-2 bullets under each topic that I disagree with but the general topics and most of the points seem common sense (other than minimum wage but I do agree with the labor stuff associated with it).
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Deus Naturae
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« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2014, 02:22:47 AM »

They aren't really in a position to be pursuing an agenda...any Democratic policy priorities that are accomplished between now and 2016 will most likely be the result of executive actions by Obama (if he can get away with them).
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Attorney General, LGC Speaker & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon
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« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2014, 02:59:48 AM »

While I enthusiastically endorse most of this (Not sure about a national bank, I'd only support minimum wage hike to $10.10 if it was done gradually over ~3 years, I'd want some actual teeth in an immigration bill (I love the rubio bill, I'd hate something that is lax on border security and/or has an easy path to citizenship, which is what the left would do if it got everything exactly as it wanted), and while I support full, fair trials for Guantanamo prisoners, I'd need to see an actual 'where to put the unreleaseable prisoners' sort of plan before actually agreeing to close the prison.) , Ted Cruz is not going to let Mitch McConnell get away with agreeing to pass even one of these grab bags. Sure, he's going to run for president, but I have a suspicion he'll hang around the senate until July or so to make sure nothing big gets passed before the pre-primary campaign ramps up. Then he'll start campagining.
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Bandit3 the Worker
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« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2014, 05:49:27 AM »

I would say all of them, except I'm skeptical of medical malpractice reform. But I do think hospitals file too many lawsuits against patients. Our local newspaper used to print all the local court filings, and most of them were hospitals suing patients.

Also, if there's any foods that shouldn't be subsidized, it's GMO-laden frankenfoods and toxic artificial sweeteners. I also think corporate factory farms and millionaire "farmers" shouldn't be allowed to get farm subsidies. But I'm fine with small farmers getting subsidies.
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Bandit3 the Worker
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« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2014, 05:53:18 AM »

I also think the Democrats should adopt a strong civil liberties agenda (which means abolishing school uniforms and REAL ID). They should also focus on repealing "right-to-work."
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Simfan34
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« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2014, 08:00:13 AM »

I also think the Democrats should adopt a strong civil liberties agenda (which means abolishing school uniforms and REAL ID).

I admire your sense of priorities.
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CountryClassSF
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« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2014, 10:58:28 AM »

I also think the Democrats should adopt a strong civil liberties agenda (which means abolishing school uniforms and REAL ID).

I admire your sense of priorities.

I remember in 2000 that George W. Bush was talking about school uniforms being an individual choice -- but such an issue is not even remotely a concern among voters today.  Its interesting that the 2000 campaign discussed issues we never discuss anymore. 

But, (not to get too OT) aren't school uniforms for private schools? If there's a "civil liberties" issue with wearing a uniform I'd gently suggest not enrolling in an educational institution that requires them
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Bandit3 the Worker
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« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2014, 11:51:14 AM »

But, (not to get too OT) aren't school uniforms for private schools? If there's a "civil liberties" issue with wearing a uniform I'd gently suggest not enrolling in an educational institution that requires them

A lot of public schools have implemented them and have refused to allow an opt-out. I guess they don't know what public means.
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pbrower2a
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« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2014, 01:23:11 PM »

All of them.

In view of the end of an American military presence in Afghanistan, we no longer need the prison facility at Gitmo. 
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CountryClassSF
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« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2014, 02:24:10 PM »

But, (not to get too OT) aren't school uniforms for private schools? If there's a "civil liberties" issue with wearing a uniform I'd gently suggest not enrolling in an educational institution that requires them

A lot of public schools have implemented them and have refused to allow an opt-out. I guess they don't know what public means.

That's interesting - have never heard of that.  I don't see a problem with it too much, as long as they provide them for people who can't afford them
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TDAS04
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« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2014, 02:36:32 PM »

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« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2014, 03:26:08 PM »

All of them, ideally. But 2-5 are the most important.
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The_Doctor
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« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2014, 04:42:34 PM »

Can we offer our own solutions? I have other ideas that would be top priorities for Democrats (if they wanted) that aren't listed here.
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Bandit3 the Worker
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« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2014, 04:46:59 PM »

Can we offer our own solutions? I have other ideas that would be top priorities for Democrats (if they wanted) that aren't listed here.

Repealing the Patriot Act would be a good solution.
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The_Doctor
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« Reply #17 on: December 29, 2014, 05:28:47 PM »

The Democrats, pretty much, need to stop worrying about being the Party of Roosevelt or Clinton, or whatever historical model they want to be. The great Democratic problem is that they are trying to be liberal, but their liberal views aren't connecting with people. The middle class isn't better off; but there are Democratic policies that could actually better it.

For one - Democrats need to start handling issues like Uber, driverless cars, and harnessing the technology of the future. We'll call this issue technology issues, and they're going to become important issues down the line. The twin issues of how to harness the technology to empower and help the middle class is going to be one big issue.

Let me sketch out this issue for you a bit. As the middle class struggles, and manual jobs become automated, the middle class is going to need help to reach these new jobs that are created through the technological revolutions we'll be seeing in the next few years/decade. They won't get there by themselves; Democrats need to actively promote programs to help the middle class become trained and certified to handle these new jobs. Think IT, coding, handling the new emerging fields, solar, etc. The big issue of linking the middle class to these jobs will be one big issue.

Democrats need to also move on from supporting unions to supporting private contractors and workers to negotiate their own salaries, benefits, and the like, and create a platform to protect these workers in their quest to achieve a middle class sustenance. It's pretty clear that the days of manufacturing in the United States are pretty much over, and technology will continue to reduce the number of workers needed for the manufacturing sector (while requiring remaining workers become more sophisticated and able to operate the new technology in manufacturing).

Really, the party that can talk about integrating the workforce into the future innovations coming our way will be the party that can secure an enduring majority. Republicans are trying to do this with supporting Uber, and the like. If Republicans can legitimately steal the issues of renewable energy, the emerging technological innovations, and brand themselves as the party that will help link the middle class with the new technologies and interlink the two (with benefits for the middle class), Republicans will hold even more sizable majorities than they do today. Were Democrats to take these issues, they'd expand their hold from being a bicoastal party and extend their reach more firmly into states like Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and the Midwest. (Which, frankly, right now, are for all intents and purposes, except Virginia, Republican controlled).

Virginia is the best example of the emerging Democratic majority state - a state that votes Democratic, because the tech sector in North Virginia is heavily Democratic and is expanding. (Government workers have always been in Virginia - the highly educated populace of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Fauqier, etc are the ones driving the Democratic majority status in Virginia).
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« Reply #18 on: December 29, 2014, 05:40:32 PM »

Democrats need to start by showing that they stand with the little guy, rather than just blindly voting for bills written by CitiGroup. That vote showed that they deserved all of the ass kicking they received this year.
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Intell
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« Reply #19 on: December 31, 2014, 08:03:13 AM »

All of them. Shame Democrats, won't do it.
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Blue3
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« Reply #20 on: May 18, 2015, 10:10:48 PM »

Any more thoughts?
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publicunofficial
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« Reply #21 on: May 18, 2015, 10:17:53 PM »

3 > 4 > 2 > 5 > 7 > 1 > 6
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