Priorities
Dec. 7th, 2018 09:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
plutherusSo, Jim Wright (Stonekettle Station) asked what we expected from the incoming Democratic-majority House of Representatives.
Here was my answer, which is buried somewhere in the comments of that thread:
I would say, more or less in this order:
1. Fix the issues with Obamacare: Universal health coverage for everyone.
2. Actual infrastructure improvements. Rather than repeatedly calling for "infrastructure week", I want them to actually use tax money to repair bridges, upgrade highways, put in high-speed rail.
3. Green energy initiative: Let's fix the giant national security hole and stop destroying our environment both by ending reliance on oil.
4. Fix the student debt crisis. If we can't do widespread loan forgiveness, let's at least limit the profiteering and alleviate the debt of those least able to pay.
5. Investigate/publish. We can't impeach without the senate, and McConnell will block any effort to even get it to a vote, but we can conduct investigations, subpoena paperwork, and make every crime public.
6. Anti-corruption measures. Get dark money out of politics. Require full disclosure of all sources of funding to every congress member, and disclosure of all authors of every piece of legislation, including every change.
7. Funding for higher education. We pay 100% of the cost of K-12 education, we can do the same for university education.
What do you think?
Here was my answer, which is buried somewhere in the comments of that thread:
I would say, more or less in this order:
1. Fix the issues with Obamacare: Universal health coverage for everyone.
2. Actual infrastructure improvements. Rather than repeatedly calling for "infrastructure week", I want them to actually use tax money to repair bridges, upgrade highways, put in high-speed rail.
3. Green energy initiative: Let's fix the giant national security hole and stop destroying our environment both by ending reliance on oil.
4. Fix the student debt crisis. If we can't do widespread loan forgiveness, let's at least limit the profiteering and alleviate the debt of those least able to pay.
5. Investigate/publish. We can't impeach without the senate, and McConnell will block any effort to even get it to a vote, but we can conduct investigations, subpoena paperwork, and make every crime public.
6. Anti-corruption measures. Get dark money out of politics. Require full disclosure of all sources of funding to every congress member, and disclosure of all authors of every piece of legislation, including every change.
7. Funding for higher education. We pay 100% of the cost of K-12 education, we can do the same for university education.
What do you think?
no subject
Date: 2018-12-07 07:04 pm (UTC)I'd add that coverage for all needs to be actually affordable, not fantasy-affordable ($400 a month for reasonable coverage is not affordable for many folks, even if it is "available for all")
no subject
Date: 2018-12-07 08:48 pm (UTC)The mandate, and the far too large numbers of people who made too much money to get free health insurance but not enough to buy it on their own, was one of the major flaws in Obamacare.
Better if it was just health care, rather an intricate system of health insurance plans, too many of which are just scams.