Dems Offer A New Direction for America

Pelosi, Reid. Photo credit: AP/Dennis Cook

As you've probably noticed, I offer a fair amount of criticism about Democrats. Most Democratic bloggers do. I think it's a positive thing. Holding our leaders and representatives accountable and chronicling their actions (or inaction), good and bad, can only serve to strengthen us in the long run. This time, I want to stress some of the very positive developments that would occur if Dems regain power in at least one House of Congress.

Last week, Congressional Dems introduced a new frame for their efforts to counteract Bush's incompetent fantasyland approach to governing. They want to take America in A New Direction, presumably one where decisions are made based on facts and choices are made based on realities, fairness and reason.

I think we can all agree that the Repubs have been steering us in the Wrong Direction for years now, if not decades. We need fresh eyes on the problems. We  need fresh solutions. We need a return to serving the people instead of the ideology, to working for the common good of all Americans, not just the privileged few.

There are promises being made about what the Dems would do if they win back the House of Representatives and/or the Senate. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and others pledged they would immediately introduce legislation to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour when we regain the majority. In the first week Dems would also introduce legislation to:

• cut student loan interest rates in half
• drive down the costs of prescription drugs by authorizing the Secretary of Health and Humans Services to negotiate with Big Pharma on price
• adopt all the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission to boost national security and funding for it
• eliminate about $18 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies and using the savings to develop alternative fuels

The complete list of proposed actions is summarized here. According to an article in USA Today, Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid had this to say about the Dem plan:

"The American people need to know, if you win, what are your priorities," she said. Reid said the party is standing "with the people we have always stood with: seniors, students and the hardworking families of America. We intend to tackle the issues that matter most."

If they win back power, Dems plan to introduce domestic policy legislation in three main areas: a reform package to reestablish an honest Congress, a civility package to make it a bipartisan Congress and an accountability package that ensures no new deficit spending, sticks to pay-as-you go and requires an honest audit of the books.

In a statement, Pelosi also addressed the need for A New Direction on Iraq:

Nowhere is the need for a New Direction for America more obvious than in Iraq. Certainly, the most important is the loss of life; we passed 2,500 lives lost, and nearly 20,000 have been injured, half of them permanently. We also face the loss of our reputation in the world and the loss of our strength in terms of our military capability to protect our security. But, what about the money?

As to the cost of reconstruction -- $9 billion is unaccounted for. The American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent and if it’s in furtherance of the goals as stated by the Bush Administration.

... Democrats want to take us in a different direction. Energy, minimum wage, health care, higher education, fiscal soundness – this is the New Direction in which we want to take our country. It meets the needs of the American people; it respects their concerns, their aspirations, their hopes, their dreams, and their challenges. But we must do it in a fiscally sound way.

Just imagine how much more powerful all this would be if more Democrats would join Pelosi in supporting Rep. John Murtha's exit plan for Iraq. Pelosi has reportedly been pushing hard to convince more Dems to join with Murtha but, as we know, some Dems would rather get struck by lightening than come out of the shadows and take a strong stand on the war.