The New Covenant with America - Robert Reich

I found this on another board. It looks pretty good. This is the kind of thing that Democrats need to put together and stick to. I'm so sick of hearing that Democrats have no plans or alternatives to the Republicans.


The New Covenant with America (Democrat Contract With America)
by Robert B. Reich

1. Competence. We promise America a competent government headed by people with expertise and experience. We will never appoint or confirm cronies whose main qualification for office is personal connection or party loyalty.

2. Fiscal responsibility and a capital budget. We will get the federal budget back under control by barring special spending (pork to political loyalists back home) and corporate welfare (subsidies to particular industries like agribusiness, oil, and pharmaceuticals). We will create a national capital budget so that federal construction money never again goes to bridges to nowhere in Alaska and instead goes to stronger levees in New Orleans.

3. Fighting terrorism and getting out of Iraq. We will fight terrorism with a strong military and with economic investments and aid for poor nations that are often the breeding grounds for terrorism. But we will withdraw American troops from Iraq. As even our generals now tell us, our presence there is incubating new terrorists and fomenting anti-Americanism around the world.

4. Ending torture and respecting the rule of law. We will respect the Geneva Conventions. We will never condone torture or keep people imprisoned indefinitely without due process of law.

5. Reducing oil dependence and greenhouse gases. We will reduce American dependence on oil and reduce global warming. By 2020, 20 percent of our energy will come from solar, wind, biomass, and other alternative sources. Also by 2020, America will utilize 20-percent less fuel than today.

6. Restoring the middle class. We will restore the growth of the American middle class and of middle-class incomes. Supply-side economics, which rewards the rich with generous tax breaks and tells us that the resulting economic growth will trickle down to everyone else, has proven a cruel hoax. Little or nothing is trickling down. A quarter of all the benefits of economic growth now go to the richest one-tenth of 1 percent of Americans. We are determined to reverse course.

7. A progressive tax code. The cost of making the nation's homeland secure against terrorism and natural disasters and of providing adequate health care and education -- without falling deeper into debt -- will require more federal revenue. Yet the middle class cannot afford more taxes. It's time for the rich to bear their fair share. We will impose a surtax of one-tenth of 1 percent per year on net worth in excess of $1 million and will roll back the administration's tax cuts for those earning more than $300,000 a year.

8. A minimum health-care wage. The cost of health insurance for the typical family is rising by double digits, while 46 million Americans are without insurance altogether. We will establish a simple minimum health-care wage offering basic health insurance -- one free checkup per year, five free medical visits, one free dental, choice of doctor or dentist limited to an approved list, free drugs up to $1,000 per year -- to any American wishing to join. The expected large scale of this program will give government bargaining leverage to get low prices from providers and drug companies.

9. Lifelong education through progressive vouchers and re-employment insurance. We will finance every K-14 student (that's right -- two years beyond high school) with a progressive voucher in an amount inversely related to family income. (This year, for example, it would range from $15,000 for students from families at or below the poverty line to $3,000 for students from families in the wealthiest 10 percent.) The vouchers could be used at any publicly certified school. In addition, we will turn the unemployment insurance system into a re-employment insurance system. Recipients will get job training, job-search assistance, and, if the new job pays less than the old, wage insurance paying half the difference for a year.

10. Maintain separation of church and state. We will never allow religion to dictate whether an individual must be kept on life support, young people can gain access to birth-control information or counseling, women will have the freedom to choose to terminate a pregnancy, research can be done on stem cells or any other potential scientific innovation, or public schools must teach nonscientific interpretations of sacred texts.

Robert B. Reich is co-founder of The American Prospect.

He's so damn good. Too short to be president though, damn.

And a mighty sexy man too ;) Brains, integrity, great humor and fantastic smile... wowza! mmmm mmmmm mmmmm

:)

I would've voted for the man in a heartbeat! and honestly, what does height have to do with it? We could have a short president or a short-bus president. I know which I'd prefer. :)

n/m

he makes sense and does so without sounding loony. This could be our "Contract with America" for 2006!

...carefully consider the source. :)

Worth the read, worth the time. Worth being shared, and spread.

It will be in the newest issue of American Prospect, which is not yet on the stands.

???

I found it on another board AND in my email. There was no link on the other board either.

Last page, I believe its only available online to paid subscribers..

be able to support. These proposals are sensible, moderate, doable, and address many of the most glaring needs and problems facing this country. These are all easily defended ideas. Great! Now let's see how many Democrats will go with this...

...right before "Putting People First?"

It's a book length, highly readable exegesis on these points. Reich is one of the best and clearest thinkers we Dems have.

... a level playing field when it comes to discerning and conferring the consent of the governed to our elected representatives.

Vote Free or Diebold!!!

Could use a little tweaking but I like it over all. Plus I like the idea of the Dems offering a vision for this Country, rather than simply pointing out how horrible the Republicans are.

He is so smart, and even though he's really wonky he is able to explain things in a way average people can understand. I saw him do a lecture on the economy recently on UCTV...he had charts and everything. It was a lot more interesting - and funny! - than it should have been! And he made it that way.

Recommending and kicking

He has a great voice too. With careful camera placement, he might be a strong candidate for Pres or at least VP.

He just makes too much common sense.

social issues (God-Guns and Gays and sometimes abortions) but I have yet to find strong objection even in socially conservative rural America to the economic side of progressive policies.

Everyone wants and needs health care, education, a more equitable tax system and fair trade.

I am not suggesting we abandon the social issues at all. We just need to give socially conservative people who are natural populist Democrats (and most are) a reason to vote Democrat; something more than vague platitudes. I think Bob Reich is addressing that.

costs, especially for those in high cost blue cities. Without some exemptions, it encourages current spending and discourages frugality and savings, which is not good for a government that needs to make sure its citizens are provided for in retirement.

We can all disagree with certain specific proposals but I think Reich has the right idea about articulating "What We're For". i wonder what Jon Stewart, who has been a leading critic of the lack of clearly articulated plans, would think of his list.

There is a blue shift in America, not just the 'blue states' but many of the 'red states' as well. Look at I.D.'s dismal failure in PA.

And Katrina, Iraq, and oil gouging has pretty much torpedoed the Kenny Lay Republican propaganda.

in some places they are well to the left of us on economic issues. Georgia has an excellent state education financial aid plan and Tennessee has a state healthcare plan that helps uninsured people. The South and Mountain states are also home to some rather massive public works projects.

While Republicans get the big elections, somehow Democrats have an iron-fisted grip on Southern state legislatures.

I love his ideas and hope that this gets out for all people to read

For the life of me I cannot figure out why in 2000 or even 2004 Democrats did not say "Trickle Down Economics" every other word. I pretty sure a majority of americans do not have good memories of Reagan's policy

You said that you found this on another board, so do us all a favor and post a link.

If you added the words in parentheses following the title, the phrasing is "DemocratIC Contract with America," not "Democrat..."

Welcome to DU.

I blanched at that myself. I did find it on another board, but there was no link posted there either. It was also in my email with no link. It will likely be online soon when the new issue of American Prospect gets out.

Thankfully nothing about a "'Democrat' Contract with America" when it should be "'Democratic' Contract with America." You're great!

Please! WTF?

Only R's use Democrat as an adjective.

like covenant in the mold of Gingrich's contract with America

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2235465&mesg_id=2235465

This title smacks too much of the Republicans Contract With (For?) America.

We don't want anything that reminds people of how the Republicans screwed the public.

Change the title, the rest is awesome.

PUT PEOPLE FIRST?

GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE?

I'm sure there are good ideas out there for a more appropriate title.

1. he doesn't mention having the US sign the Kyoto accord and
2. I have a problem with school vouches.

Otherwise it's great.

We do not need to just "reduce"...especially since that sounds like a negative thing.

What we need to do is "build" a clean, renewable, sustainable, low-cost national energy system -- and make that a PRIORITY. Go to a WPA or CCC type program to make it happen. Immediately. Whole Scale.

If we can go to the Moon, we can get to a clean, sustainable energy system -- and avoid the need for Imperial Wars of Conquest and Domination in the Oil Rich (and VOLATILE) Middle East.

Further, I know that we will never become energy-independent. We will always be buying petroleum from Venezuela or the Middle East.

America consumes more per capita than anyone else. We drive too much. Our communities need to be pedestrian friendly so we can walk to the corner store instead of driving there. And very few people need big fat SUVs.

"We will establish a simple minimum health-care wage offering basic health insurance"

What in the world is a healthcare wage?

And people need to go on TV and say, "You see, we do have a plan for America!"

Contract ON America from Newt.

Where do I sign?

Number 8 isn't nearly enough - pocket change. It's helpful for younger healthy workers, but it leaves older workers and those with serious illnesses out in the cold. We need a massive repair job that meets the needs of the middle class who are being killed by the existing system. No more pansy approaches that preserve the status quo. Kerry had a much better plan, IMO.

Number 7 speaks of a surtax on net worth of 1 million and up. That net worth is way too low. A newly retired couple with a net worth of 1 million isn't wealthy. We should be targeting the real hogs - not working, middle class people who have scrimped and saved. And the specter of the government keeping track of everything one owns isn't something the Dems should be pushing. Tax excessive incomes instead. No executive is worth the obscene amounts some of these folks are earning. And no ultra-rich Daddy's boy should be assured unfettered access to every dime Daddy had. We used to deal with these things. Revive them. This net-worth tax would drive away a huge number of people. I can see the ads now... "the evil Dems will take what you've worked a lifetime to save".

Number 9 - nix the vouchers and support the public schools. Furthermore, turning unemployment insurance into re-employment insurance won't work unless there are jobs here. I know many highly trained people who can't find work. Instead we should be addressing the root causes of unemployment - like slave wages paid by our trading partners. How about this?... Exporting jobs is considered to be an act against one's country - any CEO is free to do so, but those who do will forfeit citizenship and be deported to the country where they sent the jobs. You like their slave wages, Mr. CEO? Then pack up your family and get the hell out.

All in all there are some good points everyone could get behind, but it needs a lot of work.

The common (and therefore incorrect) saying goes, "Democrats never met a tax they didn't like". A more accurate saying would be, "Republicans never met a tax they didn't like EXCEPT those on income while Democrats never met a tax they DID like except on income". This is true both traditionally and currently. From Ronald Reagan raising FICA taxes by almost 50%, through Poppy Bush adding gov't fees (a tax by any other name...) on anything he could find, to today's conservatives proposing both national sales taxes and VAT, the Republicans seem to love taxing anything except income and wealth.

Now Robert Reich is proposing that we begin taxing accumulated wealth for the first time. My first problem with this is the effort involved in calculating net worth. You're talking cars, clothes, televisions, the house (obviously), dogs, etc.

Worse, he proposes starting that tax at 1 million. You may be surprised at how many people possess 1 million dollars in theoretical net worth. A few years ago some goody two shoes got elected assessor in Martin Co, IN, the smallest and poorest county in Indiana. This numbnut did an honest assessment on all the farms (as opposed to the common sense assessments that have been done since the beginning of time), and more than half the farms immediately went up for sale. Turns out all these dirt poor farmers were theoretical millionaires. Of course, noone was actually willing to pay that much money for these farms. But according to the assessor (and realtors) that is what these farms were worth.

Finally, it would put Democrats in the position of advocating a new tax. This takes away what SHOULD be a talking point FOR Democrats as I mention at the top of this post.

is not a tax most Americans would find terribly burdensome. But, I do agree that there should be some allowance for farms, owner occupied houses and owner run businesses.

Obviously the government is going to have to increase revenues. There is no choice.

The Dems might have a chance to become relevant again.

Taxpayers hate paying for anything that doesn't benefit them, and this doesn't provide any of the important benefits that people need. It doesn't address serious illness or injury or chronic conditions. A thousand dollars for meds sounds reasonable, but only if you don't really have anything wrong with you. If you do, it's likely to be more like a thousand dollars a month. One check-up tends to result in a rash of expensive tests being ordered. Would they be covered? Give people a real universal plan - something they can understand and something that will solve their problems.

and it is considerably more than what most leading Dems are proposing

progressive is about making progress

but I agree a full single payer universal health care plan is the right idea

In that it would be seen as no help at all. This is the moment for a uninversal health plan. People need it.I'd rather see a single payer system, but if not, some kind of comprehensive, universal plan, without means testing can be a winning issue. Too little, too late can have the opposite effect.

is the sensible approach. but, I am glad that at least someone is laying out some specifics.

Basically, I have no clue what the hell he means by "wage" in the context of a healthcare wage. It looks like you are trading no coverage with really shitty coverage at who knows what cost. Part of the problem is systematic, there is no practical way to keep healthcare private on any large scale, and cover every American for just the bare minimum in care. Second is practicalities in trying to limit care in any way, I got a pinched nerve in my shoulder, and I was recommended to go to physical therapy by my doctor(1 visit) for at least 3 months, once a week(24 additional visits), now how would his plan cover the PT visits, does it cover them at all(at 300 dollars a pop)? BTW I loved the ultrasound machines, the pain actually went away entirely for an hour. I didn't have insurance, and was able to afford 2 visits with for PT before my own funds ran out, and having one arm working, the other disabled, sort of put a damper on keeping my job. As far as I can tell, this could have paid for ONE more visit for me and that would be it, still up shits creek, and trying to ink a living through the computer, btw freelance journalists and writers don't get paid shit. Also, WTF does he mean approved list of doctors?

The beauty about UHC is in its simplicity, first, all doctors have to accept people under an UHC system, private medical insurance wouldn't exist at all. Second, a UHC system should cover all medical expenses and followup, plus preventative care. The only exceptions would be elective treatments like plastic surgery for the sake of beauty, and stomach stapling for the sake of losing weight, as examples.

It sure sounds familiar....

I love Reich, but just talk about what you believe, tell the truth, offer ideas. Don't use the Republicans failed language. They look like idiots for failing to hold up and keep their "contract."

but could we PLS add:

1. ELECTION REFORM and

2. ROLLBACK OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP CONSOLIDATION.

Or would it be better to just make these the top priority of any Dem. administration, without publicizing them?

"Covenant" just has a religious flavor, IMO. I'd rather see something along the lines of Promise, Pledge, or Commitment.

American People: "Yawn!"

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www.january6th.org