Using Government to Fix Problems


An Opportunity for Democrats

Because of the Trump Administration’s historic mismanagement of our economy, the Democratic Party has a unique opportunity to take back the House of Representatives and maybe even the Senate in the midterms.  However it’s not enough just to wait for Trump to implode our economy and voters to turn against him.  It’s also not enough for us to just criticize Republicans – Democrats have to offer their own real world solutions to the problems we face.
 
Part of this, yes, will be fixing things that Trump broke.  However “we are going to put things back the way they were” is NOT a compelling message for voters and misses the very real frustration that Trump tapped into to get elected.  Our system is not working for many Americans.  Promising to return to the system that already wasn’t’ working for them won’t get their vote.  We don’t need to get back to where we were – we need to offer a path to a better future.

And a better future is possible.  We have a tendency to look for giant answers.  However most change is the cumulative impact of many hundreds or thousands of small policy decisions that address narrow challenges.  Incrementalism isn’t dramatic, but it is effective.  Following are proposals for a series of incremental, targeted solutions which address specific problems or issues facing Americans.  Each addresses a current political concern, and each illustrates how Democrats are able to offer a path forward.

1. Protect Social Security and Jobs from AI Act

Change the business side of FICA to be based on US revenue instead of US payroll.  ​A response to the impact of Artificial Intelligence on employment and retirement.  Reduces the cost of hiring US workers and protects Social Security as AI start replacing human workers.  A fairer tax and ends the hidden subsidy for companies that offshore and replace workers with automation.

 2. PRoVE Act - A Democratic Alternative to the SAVE Act

The PRoVE Act requires auditing of voter registrations after each federal election A significant part of our population believes illegals are voting.  In a democracy we respond to the concerns of all of our citizens, even those with whom we disagree. This addresses those concerns without keeping Americans from voting. 

3. Protect our Grandparents Act

Online and phone fraud cost us billions every year, and affect hundreds of thousands of seniors.  The Protect our Grandparents Act requires communications providers to add a "Fraud" button that automatically reports suspicious communications to the FBA.  This makes easier for people to report fraud and for the FBI to collect the evidence it needs to prosecute.
We don’t have this issue because we have to – we have it because we choose not to address it.  

4. Level Playing Field Act.  Require 1099s for Corporate revenue

There are two kinds of people in the US:  Living persons and legal persons – corporations.  We now treat corporations better that people, with the income reporting requirements an easy example.  Many voters believe that our system has become rigged and the playing field is less level.  This is a simple answer that levels the playing field and will bring in new revenue without new taxes

 5. Light Up The Swamp Act

Require IRS to publish detailed information on impact and use of different tax breaks.  Our tax code is full of breaks worth a lot of money to very narrow groups.  Forcing the IRS to list the cost, number of beneficiaries and highest dollar beneficiary will be a first step to closing the loopholes and a more equitable tax code.  Trump promised to "Drain the Swamp".  He hasn't - and instead he has made it deeper and murkier.  

6. Energy Transparency Act

Require auto manufacturers to allow input of gas cost, display of cost per mile, cost per trip.  Highlights the potential for government to use regulation to give people more control over their own lives, by ensuring they have access to understandable information on costs.  Also  addresses concern for the environment and highlights how regulations make our lives better. It reminds voters of the many ways that our government helps give people greater control over their lives and more individual freedom.

Democratic Capitalism

In the 1930s, our country reached a compromise.  While the world was debating the extremes of socialism and unregulated capitalism, our country chose a compromise.  We stuck with capitalism, but used democracy to moderate it to ensure it benefitted our country would we self-sustaining.

Fix What We Have

We don’t need to radically transform our government – it does many things reasonably well.  Instead, we need to fix what we have – we need to get back to the approach to government that worked so well for our country and our economy for decades:  Democratic Capitalism.  It worked before, and will work again.

The Importance of Regulation

The Republican Party has done everything in its power to undermine the government’s regulatory power.  But it is through regulation that our government ensures our country works for all Americans.