Things Heard before, to Say Again.
Elections have consequences. (Heard before?) So what should Democrats do now that there has been a shift in the House? Impeach Trump, as arguably the emoluments clause is a legitimate argument? Propose health care legislation that locks down some model of accessible health care for all? Is it either or? Hopefully not. Hopefully we have faith in the American Experiment, a commitment to the wheels of justice and a collective aspiration for better.
I am a simple citizen, with a long history in the nonprofit sector, no policy expert — but hey, we can all build a wish list. Here is mine.
Invest in Our Nation, Democracy and All of Us
o Commit to Campaign Reform, non-gerrymandered redistricting that honors what democracy is about — participation and voting.
o Create a mandatory National Service requirement. We need to walk the talk and ask our youth to step up, grow up, and serve a greater good.
o Engage in true Tax Reform that serves the middle class, the engine that drives the economy? That would be wonderful.
o Legislate true Immigration Reform, something that respects people, borders and due process.
Invest in our People
o Education? What is so hard about forgivable school loans for middle and lower class folks? Eliminate usury and we can do this.
o Accessible Health Care. Build on what Obama built.
o Mental Health services, funded by a very large gun tax! And of course, ask the NRA to support and contribute as well, because supposedly they care about mental health services.
o Allow people to control their own bodies. Yes, give them the choice to make a very difficult, painful, moral decision regarding an embryo. Difficult, but their choice.
o Allow people to live but do not allow the perpetrator of heinous crimes to harm, or to take a life — ever again. There are heinous crimes, and warped individuals with damaged brains that cannot be allowed to be free.
Invest in our Future
o Public Infrastructure? Our roads suck.
o Civic Life? See Investing in our Nation.
o And to speak to the infant elephant in the room, Trump should be drained of his oversized influence. What feeds the elephant? Media. And what feeds media? The money? See Campaign Reform. We apparently spent $3.7 billion on the Midterms. What a f$%#king waste of money. Limited publically financed campaigns would be so much more effective use funds. Why do I, as a middle class person, have to spend money on buying TV commercials for candidates for whom my values align?
Yeah, this has all been said before. But we are not doing it. Guess we all need to say it. (Say it again.)
