What do you want a Democratic Congress to make their number one priority if/when they take Congress? Take the poll and offer your own agenda.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
The problem with the poll, is that we can’t vote for “all of the above”! I voted for the Iraq timetable item. If we get our military out of ill advised international “adventures”, then perhaps we can begin to implement the 9/11 commission recommendations.
Actually, I think the problem with the poll is that every single question will lead you back to “official wrongdoing”; and if that isn’t addressed in a public manner we’ll be right back in the soup–with the Democrats next time.
I second the motion.
So,if the Dems retake Congressional control, they should vigorously investigate official wrong doing (impeach em all) as a way to prevent themselves from succumbing to the “power disease” that infects the majority party who in turn raise corruption to new unheard of levels? Maybe so. Hopefully, we can create meaningful (revolutionary even) election finance/campaign reform, get our butts out of Iraq, and still have time to work on a progressive domestic agenda here at home. Oops, I just worked my way back to “all of the above”. 😉
All of the above it is. I had to vote for out of Iraq, though.
I agree – it is all part and parcel of the whole.
As to sequence, I think Nancy Pelosi’s first 100 hours is a good starting point.
In thinking about this – is there any reason they cannot multi task?
Correct me if I am wrong but basically I see their job descriptions on a macro basis as thus:
35% oversight and committee meetings
30% going through the next years budget with a fine tooth comb
20% being in their districts and actually educating their constituents – gawd low information voters will be the death of us all!
15% actually on the floor debating – I mean how many MORE laws do we need?
Actually if a real good auditing firm were hired, I bet we could eliminate or condense at least 30% of all legislation and pretty well cover all the bases.
Of course this means they might have to work more than Tuesday through 3 Pm on Thursdays – but given they have provided themselves with over $33,000 in raises the last 10 years, I do not think asking for a 40-45 hour work week is too much do you?
Pulling the plug on operations in Iraq.
Agreed. And after that, they can get moving on investigation and prosecution of the people who lied us into that war in the first place.
a double Amen.
I’m not sure how a Democratic Congress will be able to “pull the plug.” After all GW doesn’t seem to be too concerned with the niceties of democracy or the Constitution or the law. The Dems could try to cut off the money, but they’d be hanging out there being blamed for subsequent deaths for failure to support the troops. I’m not sure they’d be willing to go that far, no matter whether they support the war. The one thing you can bet on is that they’re going to have to deal with allegations that is was Dem control that led to “defeat.”
If the current system is going to survive then Congress needs to seriously address the way money has made a mockery of it. Lobbyists, earmarks, everything that has a hint of cronyism must be made completely transparent to the public. If there is one unifying issue among people of all political stripes it’s that Washington, D.C. is completely disconnected from what’s happening in homes across the country. Getting rid of the corporate voter/string-puller is a big step in making things better.
I would raise the minimum wage next, just to raise the good will reserves so we can survive politically for blasting the war criminals into the netherworld when they’re finally held accountable.
This country can’t afford Republicans’ ideas of “fiscal responsibility.”
and then some.
But I chose election reform. Unless we can be sure that our elections are secure, nothing else really matters, does it?
My number one priority would be restoring constitutional rights.
After that, all of the above.
Lobbying/election reform – with manufacturer-connected insiders doing the voting machine verification for the election commission (some scenes were shown tonight on Lou Dobbs program), we have to ferret out any hanky-panky. In 2004, poll watchers saw evidence of tampering, but there was no organized means of reporting and gathering the evidence.
Also in 2004, I contributed to the fund to hire lawyers to appear in court if needed, but Kerry balked.
With 63 lobbyists per congresscritter, there is way too much room for waste, fraud and abuse. Jack Abramoff’s modus operandi is a prime example of how it is done to perfection. He selected targets with loose oversight, allowing him added freedom to cheat the system. There are ways to clamp down on some of the money flow short of publicly funded elections. I want the new members to make lobbying reform a priority.
Some of our candidates are concerned with the crushing effect of pernicious lobbying. Let’s see them take on this challenge, and then move on to the rest.
I’d like to add one more. Push for a non-partisan permanent commission, along the lines of the GAO, to set congressional districts and to oversee Federal elections. Set clearly defined methods for determining districts and re-evaluate them after every census. Standardize the electoral process and Federally fund the purchase of effective and secure voting systems. In creating these commissions/agencies, put teeth into protective legislation that would prevent political or lobbying interference it these key elements of democracy.
one choice? cant they multitask? divide the labor around?
first thing i want them to do is investigate everyone for war profiteering, lying about blowjobs and other things, suppressing scientific information on global warming, covering up epa info at ground zero etc etc.
can be handled by the Judiciary Committee as part of their duties — John Conyers is going to be a busy boy over in the House, as will his counterpart in the Senate.
I voted for the Medicare D(isaster), to use Street Kid’s term; if we can fix Medicare, perhaps that can be used as a blueprint for some sort of national single-payer plan down the road…
But, I want Medicare D(isaster) repealed and replaced by a single-payer health care system.
Single payer has been talked about since Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party and has been attempted to be implemented on a gradual basis. (FDR, Truman, LBJ, even Nixon, to name just a few–not all.)
Fact of the matter is that if the so-called “leaders” really gave a damn as to what the people wanted as opposed to being concerned w/their job security and campaign contributions, we would have a single payer system now!
but I’ve got to agree on the medicare d. But even worse are rule changes in medicare that were never voted on. Such as the latest reduction in coverage for power wheelchairs, which was cut in half, leaving the patients to pick up a $3400 plus co pay. I don’t know how anyone will be able to afford that who is eligible for medicare. I certainly won’t. My current chair cost over $4000, and is a manual(push it myself, no motor). My co pay was in excess of $800. Thank god for my home equity line. I was able to pay it off over a year.
There are all sorts of regulations/rule changes in that damn thing that don’t have to be voted on. That’s why it has to go.
No wearing of white after Labor day.
My grandmother would be so proud of you, B2.
Kidspeak’s a little under the weather, so she asked me to post her suggestion. More flames on cars.
You really could have selected a better type of poll. One that shows the ranking of these issues better.
Check out http://demochoice.org
for some samples.
All the above!
If we don’t work to save the planet itself, the exact nature of our government won’t matter by the end of the century. Anarchy, plutocracy, democracy, dictatorship? As arable lands flood and storms worsen, droughts and deluges will become worse. The rich will move to high ground and the poor will be left as offal to be discarded as a drain on profits.
As long as we are dependent upon oil, we will wage illegal wars with trumped-up excuses to secure it. If Mexico had that much oil, you can bet that our tanks would be pushing south to preserve the antiquities in Yucatan or protect the upland indians or restrict the drug trafficing or whatever.
If invasions and occupations are illegal (who in their right mind would go and die so Halliburton or Exxon makes an obscene profit???), there is need for secrecy, lies, cover-up, rendition… all the trapping of a police state. With the 100-years-war set out by the PNAC folk, the power grab must be absolute.
An open-ended war with no oversight upon expenditures causes massive indebtedness to China and other countries who are not necessarily our best buddies.
Huge piles of money being handed out by the suitcaseful attracts corruption, whether between aides or between governments. Money evaporates.
Massive indebtedness means no money for social services or needs (health, education, or real security) which would serve the people.
Outsourcing jobs to nations with even fewer environmental standards means that air and water pollution simply gets worse.
Even people with jobs often don’t have adaquate health care. With more pollution, people get sicker, and chronic illnesses such as asthma more prevalent.
It all ties together.
Everything we want fixed must start with fixing the way we overuse our resources.
Any of those items would be nice but highly unlikely even in the best outcome of this election.
Support Stem Cell Research
It’s real simple.
Impeach, prosecute, and sentence.
For war crimes and for corruption/theft.
Butch + Cheney right out front.
Will it happen?
Don’t hold your breath.
First of all…first the Dems have to WIN both houses.
Not likely, but there is an outside chance.
Then they have to grow a backbone.
Much less likely.
The “For the good of the country” mantra will prevail. (Read “For the good of corporate business” there, please. “For the good of short-term profits.” Etc. Just as it ever was.)
So…say 15 to 1 that the Dems end up controlling both houses?
And about 700 to 1 that they actually take steps towards real justice?
That makes it 1050 to 1 against the possibility that much more than posturing and a power grab actually go down.
It will be interesting to see if the left blogosphere can maintain its integrity in the face of Democratic inaction and dishonesty. Most of blogworld-left is so bound up in getting rid of the Ratpubs…admittedly a wonderful goal…that it will take a real shake-up to get the heat turned on underneath Rahm & Co. once they start THEIR hustle. Can you imagine dKos…with all of the money and power that its owners have garnered by playing ball with the so-called “moderate” Dems…actually getting in their face when they trot out Plan A Lite for Iraq? When they vote to continue to maintain the status quo of economic imperialism in the Third World “For the good of the country?”
I can’t.
May you be born into interesting times.
The necessity for struggle will continue.
I just wonder where and how it will continue.
We shall see.
Later…
AG
I did the Iraq vote, too, because so many folks are upset about that. It won’t save much $ soon (re-deployment is expensive, too) but it will save lives, maybe the life of a neighbor’s son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother, or spouse.
I think the bulk pharmaceuticals should be way up there. Ordinary people will see an immediate improvement in their lives.
Repeal NCLB should be next.
From an article regarding even more Halliburton manipulation