The Left won't stop if Joe Biden is elected President

[lpetrich]

The Left won't stop if Biden is elected - the Left won't make the mistake that it did with Barack Obama.

Progressives unveil 2021 agenda to pressure Biden - POLITICO

Black Lives Matter leaders, organized labor, progressive groups and members of the House Democratic “Squad” are unveiling a 2021 agenda Thursday, laying down markers for how big a Joe Biden administration could go on coronavirus aid, economic relief and more next year.

Known as the Working Families Party’s “People’s Charter,” the 1,000-word proposal calls for universal free health care, a jobs program employing 16 million people, retroactive hazard pay for essential employees and the reallocation of resources from policing toward education and other services. It also promotes giving the public an ownership stake in firms that receive bailouts, as well as buying out gas and oil companies, among other policies.

An indication is this: Signatories — The People's Charter "The WFP People's Charter is signed by dozens of elected officials, candidates, and progressive organizations. "

WFP is the Working Families Party. It has lots of signatures:

Congresspeople: Ayanna Pressley MA-07, Ro Khanna CA-17, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY-14, Jesús “Chuy” García IL-04, Ilhan Omar MN-05, Rashida Tlaib, MI-13, Nydia Velázquez NY-07, Bonnie Watson Coleman NJ-12

Congressional candidates: Jamaal Bowman NY-16, Cori Bush MO-01, Mondaire Jones NY-17, Nikema Williams GA-05, Julie Oliver TX-25, Mike Siegel TX-20, Beth Doglio WA-10

Several state and local officials and candidates

Several organizations, like MoveOn, the Sunrise Movement, and SEIU

Consulting 2020 Election Forecast | FiveThirtyEight - all the Congresspeople and all the Congressional candidates are sure wins except for the last three of the candidates

 

[lpetrich]

I'll summarize that charter:

The People’s Charter is our roadmap out of our current state of crisis, and to an America that works for the many, not the privileged and powerful few.

...
Our politicians, again, rushed to bail out corporations and billionaires. But they’re playing games with unemployment insurance, leaving families to skip meals, go without medication, or fall behind on rent or mortgage payments. They seem to care for billionaires a lot more than they care for working people.

...
I. Care for the Wronged - Repair historic harms and end systemic racism. Shift resources away from policing, jails and detention centers, endless wars and agencies that separate families.

...
II. Emergency Care - Help everyone get and stay well, and support workers, families, and small businesses as long as it takes. Free Covid testing and treatment for all, including the vaccine once one is available.

...
III. A Good Job for Everyone Who Needs One - Working people can’t wait years for jobs to come back, we need millions of jobs now. Put 16 million people to work immediately ...

...
IV. Care for Each Other - Address the deficiencies in how our government cares for us that the pandemic has revealed. Make health care free and universal and take hospital and health insurance profits out of it.

...
V. Care for the Future - Act now to make us all more resilient to challenges we know we have to confront. Invest now to make our food, water, electricity, health, financial and other systems resilient to future crises like climate change. Create public banks to make needed investments whenever private markets fail to.

 

[lpetrich]

The sponsor of this charter:
Working Families Party - Fighting for an America that works for the many, not the few.

Looking at "About",

The American political system is rigged to favor the two major parties.

But the Working Families Party is building our own party on top of the two-party system in the United States — and its working. We organize outside the two parties, and then we recruit and train people-powered candidates up and down the ballot and run them to win.

Sometimes we run candidates through Democratic Party primaries, and other times we run candidates on our own. We take on elections from city council to U.S. Senate — wherever there’s a path to win, and where winning will advance a people’s agenda, elevate visionary candidates, and help build the multiracial movement we need to win the America we deserve.

So the WFP is roughly what the People's Party is supposed to be.

 

[Harry Bosch]

The Left won't stop if Biden is elected - the Left won't make the mistake that it did with Barack Obama.

Progressives unveil 2021 agenda to pressure Biden - POLITICO

Black Lives Matter leaders, organized labor, progressive groups and members of the House Democratic “Squad” are unveiling a 2021 agenda Thursday, laying down markers for how big a Joe Biden administration could go on coronavirus aid, economic relief and more next year.

Known as the Working Families Party’s “People’s Charter,” the 1,000-word proposal calls for universal free health care, a jobs program employing 16 million people, retroactive hazard pay for essential employees and the reallocation of resources from policing toward education and other services. It also promotes giving the public an ownership stake in firms that receive bailouts, as well as buying out gas and oil companies, among other policies.

An indication is this: Signatories — The People's Charter "The WFP People's Charter is signed by dozens of elected officials, candidates, and progressive organizations. "

WFP is the Working Families Party. It has lots of signatures:

Congresspeople: Ayanna Pressley MA-07, Ro Khanna CA-17, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY-14, Jesús “Chuy” García IL-04, Ilhan Omar MN-05, Rashida Tlaib, MI-13, Nydia Velázquez NY-07, Bonnie Watson Coleman NJ-12

Congressional candidates: Jamaal Bowman NY-16, Cori Bush MO-01, Mondaire Jones NY-17, Nikema Williams GA-05, Julie Oliver TX-25, Mike Siegel TX-20, Beth Doglio WA-10

Several state and local officials and candidates

Several organizations, like MoveOn, the Sunrise Movement, and SEIU

Consulting 2020 Election Forecast | FiveThirtyEight - all the Congresspeople and all the Congressional candidates are sure wins except for the last three of the candidates

I think that we should worry about getting Biden elected first. I'm not taking anything for granted right now.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The Left should push for a new generation nuclear power plants.

For a couple reasons, one it is a logical direction to head in, two to watch the right-wing swing hard for renewable power.

 

[Harry Bosch]

The Left should push for a new generation nuclear power plants.

For a couple reasons, one it is a logical direction to head in, two to watch the right-wing swing hard for renewable power.

That would make way too much sense! Create new high paying jobs for the middle class, clean energy, safe energy, help the country move to electric cars, and save the planet!

 

[southernhybrid]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Exactly! Besides, it's doubtful that there will be enough members of Congress that are as much to the left as the ones mentioned. Everyone needs to realize that their own personal ideology isn't necessarily what the majority wants or believes. One of the things I liked best about Obama and Biden is that they realize that once elected they are supposed to be president for all of the people not just their base. Sure, each president will push their own ideology to an extent, but any educated, intelligent person should understand that progress takes compromise, and in life, none of us ever get everything we want. If we did, my Social Security payment would be at least twice what it is now, and Medicare would have no copays, or premiums and all my medications would be free.

 

[Trausti]

The Left should push for a new generation nuclear power plants.

For a couple reasons, one it is a logical direction to head in, two to watch the right-wing swing hard for renewable power.

The problem with nuclear energy is that it does not require large tax increases, vast expansion of bureaucracy, and government micromanagement of our lives.

 

[Worldtraveller]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Exactly! Besides, it's doubtful that there will be enough members of Congress that are as much to the left as the ones mentioned. Everyone needs to realize that their own personal ideology isn't necessarily what the majority wants or believes. One of the things I liked best about Obama and Biden is that they realize that once elected they are supposed to be president for all of the people not just their base. Sure, each president will push their own ideology to an extent, but any educated, intelligent person should understand that progress takes compromise, and in life, none of us ever get everything we want. If we did, my Social Security payment would be at least twice what it is now, and Medicare would have no copays, or premiums and all my medications would be free.

Bullshit. When was the last time the dems really pushed for ANY kind of change? FDR?

Fucking hell, if you two are representative at all of what the dem 'base' is like, it's no wonder the gop walks all over the progressives.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Exactly! Besides, it's doubtful that there will be enough members of Congress that are as much to the left as the ones mentioned. Everyone needs to realize that their own personal ideology isn't necessarily what the majority wants or believes. One of the things I liked best about Obama and Biden is that they realize that once elected they are supposed to be president for all of the people not just their base. Sure, each president will push their own ideology to an extent, but any educated, intelligent person should understand that progress takes compromise, and in life, none of us ever get everything we want. If we did, my Social Security payment would be at least twice what it is now, and Medicare would have no copays, or premiums and all my medications would be free.

Bullshit. When was the last time the dems really pushed for ANY kind of change? FDR?

Fucking hell, if you two are representative at all of what the dem 'base' is like, it's no wonder the gop walks all over the progressives.

How about two years after Bill Clinton was elected? How about two years after Obama was elected? In both cases the party was heading left forcefully (but carefully); the left dosn't come out and vote, republicans take over house and senate, then of course the democratic president turns right again. If the left dosn't remain motivated for at least more than two years, politicians aren't going to follow it. Politicians run and govern to win.

 

[lpetrich]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Like how? I don't see what you mean.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Like how? I don't see what you mean.

1994; 2014;

 

[Politesse]

Same old playbook. Push too hard. Piss off everyone but the hard left. Lose in the midterms. Get nothing accomplished for the remaining two years. Elect Donny Jr.

Like how? I don't see what you mean.

1994; 2014;

You have a very strange read of those years...

 

[Worldtraveller]

1994; 2014;

You have a very strange read of those years...

Ok, it's not just me thinking that.

Harry, can you describe these radical changes the dems were trying to pull off that pushed the 'center' to not vote in the midterms?

 

[Harry Bosch]

1994; 2014;

You have a very strange read of those years...

Ok, it's not just me thinking that.

Harry, can you describe these radical changes the dems were trying to pull off that pushed the 'center' to not vote in the midterms?

I remember it very well. The Clinton's pushed universal health care. They pushed it hard. Bill and Hillary (mostly Hillary) used up most of their political capital to push UHC. The left did not come out to support it wholehearedly. The supporters on the were drowned out by the whiners on the right (lead by New Gingrich). It did not get enough support. They put it on hold to test where the country was in 94; and the contract with American swooped in. Dem turnout was low; republicans ran hard to beat UHC. Conservatives won.

 

[Worldtraveller]

Ok, it's not just me thinking that.

Harry, can you describe these radical changes the dems were trying to pull off that pushed the 'center' to not vote in the midterms?

I remember it very well. The Clinton's pushed universal health care. They pushed it hard. Bill and Hillary (mostly Hillary) used up most of their political capital to push UHC. The left did not come out to support it wholehearedly. The supporters on the were drowned out by the whiners on the right (lead by New Gingrich). It did not get enough support. They put it on hold to test where the country was in 94; and the contract with American swooped in. Dem turnout was low; republicans ran hard to beat UHC. Conservatives won.

So, UHC. That's it? Such a terrible idea that we've seen take its toll on dozens of other western countries over the decades.

My opinion is that what we saw the effect of aggressive, blatant, lying propaganda by the right wing that suppressed the dem and progressive vote. Just like we saw in 2014 and what we're seeing now (and pretty much every election since the early 80s).

And 'dems' dumb enough to buy into it.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I'll summarize that charter:

The People’s Charter is our roadmap out of our current state of crisis, and to an America that works for the many, not the privileged and powerful few.

...
Our politicians, again, rushed to bail out corporations and billionaires. But they’re playing games with unemployment insurance, leaving families to skip meals, go without medication, or fall behind on rent or mortgage payments. They seem to care for billionaires a lot more than they care for working people.

...
I. Care for the Wronged - Repair historic harms and end systemic racism. Shift resources away from policing, jails and detention centers, endless wars and agencies that separate families.

...
II. Emergency Care - Help everyone get and stay well, and support workers, families, and small businesses as long as it takes. Free Covid testing and treatment for all, including the vaccine once one is available.

...
III. A Good Job for Everyone Who Needs One - Working people can’t wait years for jobs to come back, we need millions of jobs now. Put 16 million people to work immediately ...

...
IV. Care for Each Other - Address the deficiencies in how our government cares for us that the pandemic has revealed. Make health care free and universal and take hospital and health insurance profits out of it.

...
V. Care for the Future - Act now to make us all more resilient to challenges we know we have to confront. Invest now to make our food, water, electricity, health, financial and other systems resilient to future crises like climate change. Create public banks to make needed investments whenever private markets fail to.

There's nothing wrong with much that is suggested here. But let's do it without creating a punching bag for the Republicans. Let's be smart about it and start by giving everyone something right-wing media can't beat up on: A robust public option for healthcare and an infrastructure plan. Pull back the Republican tax cuts. They were not popular. People will be okay with this. Increase taxes on capital gains. Even an increase in the gas tax. No one is complaining about the price of gas. It worked here in Ohio. They increased the gas tax to fix the roads and bridges. I didn't hear much complaining outside the Ohio legislature. Spend the first two years giving people something they can feel the effects of. Let them feel secure in their family's healthcare needs. Let them be burdened by construction zones. This is real. This people can feel. This will keep the Dems in power. Green energy and electric vehicles will take care of themselves. There is a market now. They are economically viable. The fed should just strong-arm states from putting in place laws that inhibit our moving toward a green economy. Infrastructure projects and green energy projects will provide jobs. I think this is a good first two years.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I'll summarize that charter:

The People’s Charter is our roadmap out of our current state of crisis, and to an America that works for the many, not the privileged and powerful few.

...
Our politicians, again, rushed to bail out corporations and billionaires. But they’re playing games with unemployment insurance, leaving families to skip meals, go without medication, or fall behind on rent or mortgage payments. They seem to care for billionaires a lot more than they care for working people.

...
I. Care for the Wronged - Repair historic harms and end systemic racism. Shift resources away from policing, jails and detention centers, endless wars and agencies that separate families.

...
II. Emergency Care - Help everyone get and stay well, and support workers, families, and small businesses as long as it takes. Free Covid testing and treatment for all, including the vaccine once one is available.

...
III. A Good Job for Everyone Who Needs One - Working people can’t wait years for jobs to come back, we need millions of jobs now. Put 16 million people to work immediately ...

...
IV. Care for Each Other - Address the deficiencies in how our government cares for us that the pandemic has revealed. Make health care free and universal and take hospital and health insurance profits out of it.

...
V. Care for the Future - Act now to make us all more resilient to challenges we know we have to confront. Invest now to make our food, water, electricity, health, financial and other systems resilient to future crises like climate change. Create public banks to make needed investments whenever private markets fail to.

To me, the People's Charter is suspect because they only started to run very late in the game and only when Trump's poll numbers started to go down. I've listened to their supporters on various podcasts and they make a lot of anti Biden statements, rarely say anything bad about Don the Con. Here's my take of the above:

1 I'm against defunding the police or ending jails. If you want to hurt the poor, let the bad guys do their thing without opposition. The rich can afforded gated communities and private police. The poor cannot.

11. Totally agree. Easy call.

111. What is a good job? Not much specifics here. I think that the min wage needs to be increased. But I don't think that everyone should be entitled to an engineer's or attorney job.

1V. I favor UHC. It would be a boom for American businesses. I do think that there needs to be some profit in it in order to attract the best doctors/nurses.

V. I mostly favor. But what is a public bank? We have the SBA. USDA provides loans. So, does the Farmer's Bureau. There's lots of local state government lending programs as well. I don't think that additional private banks should be encouraged to do riskier loans than that private banks don't want to do. This seems to be a plan to push riskier loans on the public and let the banks get the good loans.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

The Left should push for a new generation nuclear power plants.

For a couple reasons, one it is a logical direction to head in, two to watch the right-wing swing hard for renewable power.

That would make way too much sense! Create new high paying jobs for the middle class, clean energy, safe energy, help the country move to electric cars, and save the planet!

The only problem is that most left-wingers seem to be against nuclear power.