What are your platform ideas for the Democratic Party?

[jmbar2]

In another post, Celinda Lake, democratic pollster says we need to be FOR things. Here are my starter ideas:

- Preserve low-income housing from being bought/sold to private equity. A significant number of LIHTC (Low income housing tax credit) apartment complexes built in the 1990s got tax breaks to subsidize low income folks. Those tax breaks are expiring now and they are starting either sell them off, or convert them to luxury housing. States need to buy them instead. Cheaper than trying to build new low income housing.

- Private equity has also been buying up Section 8 housing. With HUD planning to cut back on Section 8, housing in poorer markets may get dumped. States should try to preserve that housing as well.

- Promote universal healthcare. Focus on getting corporations on board - they are about to be hit with massive increases in benefits costs. Unchain health benefits from employers, cut out the middlemen sucking money from healthcare delivery.

- Promote universal basic income paid for by taxes on AI. If they are going to kill jobs, it would be cheaper to do UBI than to deal with mass unemployment, homelessness.

- Claw back food stamp funds from corporations that don't pay high enough wages to live. Have them pay for the benefits that their inadequate wages don't cover.

- Reverse engineer every horrible thing in Project 25, and fix laws so that it can never happen again. Point-by-point.

What are your ideas?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

1. I like them all except for UBI

Any amount that would be a true basic income would unaffordable.

[jmbar2]

2. Fund it by taxing oligarchs, AI, crypto, etc.

Those folks have too much money and they are destroying the world with it. Take it to make sure people can afford to live.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

7. Total net worth of all U.S. billionaires...

...is around $6 trillion...so, we confiscate everything they have, and we have enough to pay UBI at $20,000/adult/year...for one year.

Most would agree that $20,000 is not really enough to survive, if that's all you have coming in, so make it $52,000/year...now you're looking at over $13 trillion.

Total federal revenue right now is around $4.7 trillion...do you believe that we would be able to almost triple that? I don't.

[WarGamer]

16. Some people think the wealthy, as a group have a lot more $$ than they really do.

Like you said...

Every penny of the billionaires would fund ONE YEAR of UBI.

Then what?

And taxing AI will handicap it. Ai is a lot more than a utility to replace human work.

[jmbar2]

20. Extreme wealth is resulting in unaffordable negative externalities

Benefits of extreme wealth activities are private, while the costs are borne by the public.

We need policies to balance that out. I don't know what they are yet, but the financialization of housing, healthcare, and industry is creating heavy burdens on society, and distorting market forces that used to keep things more balanced.

How do you propose to manage those negative externalities? Taxpayers cannot absorb all the costs of their negative impacts, especially when incomes are below the cost of living for many.

[harumph]

56. Good luck getting a response to your common sense questions.

[jmbar2]

61. Don't necessarily expect a response

I think sometimes we just need to reframe "problems" to unloosen thinking about possible solutions.

We all know that inequality is bad for a lot of people. But no one thinks you can make all people equal. Framing of the "problem" limits our imagination about possible solutions.

If the problem is understood as how extreme wealth externalizes its costs to the rest of society, it prompts different thinking about possible solutions.

[harumph]

63. Externalizing the costs is the main game for the ultra wealthy.

Enabled by regulatory capture.

[GoneOffShore]

72. AI is not the Holy Grail that folks think it is.

[Greg_In_SF]

22. Net worth is not cash in a bank

It's everything they own right down to their kitchen knives.

Are you seriously suggesting that the government confiscate all of their personal belonging AND SpaceX, Tesla, Amazon, Meta, Oracle, Walmart, Alphabet, Inc. in order to give everyone a single check for $20,000??

[SickOfTheOnePct]

24. No, not at all

I was responding to someone saying that we could “tax the oligarchy” to pay for UBI, and pointing out that if we confiscated everything from the oligarchy, it still wouldn’t be enough to pay for UBI

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. Those are all great ideas

But to campaign on them would bring a backlash against Dems by the big donors and oligarchs.

I think a focus on reestablishing and protecting essential rights, including reproductive rights is critical.

Raising the minimum wage to $20/hr would be at least as popular as “no tax on tips”.

Capping/negotiating prescription drug prices would be a winner.

Reinstating the child tax credit that was in place during COVID would also be popular.

Above all, Court expansion and ethical reform, and killing the filibuster to pass it, are top of my list, because without court expansion, nothing else that might be in the Dem platform is possible.

[jmbar2]

6. Good ones

Take the fight to the oligarchs and corporations. Seriously, they don't support us anyway and are destroying the world. They paid for the mess we are in. Educate the public on how to go around them to blunt their disastrous impacts on our daily lives.

Raising the minimum wage--> change it to a liveable wage, based on local COL.

[WarGamer]

18. $20/hr... living in SoCal I can tell you what that has brought here.

Very few younger people working in fast food... it's almost entirely 25-45 year old folks with experience in the hospitality industry.
They work circles around the typical fast food kids...

And I pay... $13 for a standard size 1/4lb with cheese, fries and medium Coke.

There is no dedicated person to keeping the dining room clean or the trash empty and not even a dedicated person at one of the TWO cash registers

Want a refill on your Diet Coke at McDonalds?

Then flag someone down from back in the drive-thru area... yeah they moved the soda machine back there.

[Fiendish Thingy]

21. Yeah, I know

Used to live in CA, my daughter still does.

I figured since the federal minimum wage is $7.75 or something like that, raising it $20 would benefit the most people living in those states that adhere to the federal minimum wage.

$20/hr is probably the highest that could get passed, assuming we have at least 52 seats in the senate, as I expect Fetterman would vote against it. Remember, Manchin and Sinema sabotaged $15/hr.

As long as I can remember, CA has always had a state legislated minimum wage above the federal, so I would expect the state to raise it as they usually do.

[MichMan]

40. Barabara Lee ran on a $50 per hour minimum wage in her losing Senate campaign.

[WarGamer]

101. Then McDonads would be run by 4 employees per shift.

It's pretty simply... if the store budgets for $200/hr in labor...

It'll be 20 x 10... 10 x 20...

Or 4 at 50.

[dpibel]

105. Just out of curiosity

What's the basis for "the store budgets for $200/hr in labor"?

Because that's a big "if" there.

As it sits, you're complaining about understaffing at $20/hr. But, given your assumption, that's 10 people.

You sure that's understaffed?

[WarGamer]

108. I pulled that number from the sky because it was easy to make an example.

Bottom line I was talking about budgeted labor expenses being fixed... and they will reduce staff or increase automation to meet it.

I don't know the precise per hour labor target.

[dpibel]

71. What's it cost elsewhere?

This link indicates that a quarter pounder meal in Omaha, NE will run you $14.69.

Think Nebraska has a $20 minimum wage? I don't.

So I'm not quite sure you've nailed cause and effect here.

[Starbeach]

4. Immigration Lawlessness

A simple message on immigration:
No open borders
No police state

Both are lawless. It gets rid of the open borders label for the Dems and links that disfavor to Trump's police state. Points to the middle for sanity.

[emulatorloo]

5. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were FOR a lot of things. Pretending they weren't plays into GOP propaganda

that Dems have no ideas other than TDS.

Every time I hear some “Democratic Consultant” or some YouTube grifter employ the false trope that Democrats just run on “I’m not Trump” I’m gonna call bullshit.

That being said, despite her false framing I appreciate that ‘Celinda Lake’ is putting forth some good suggestions. Do you have a link to Lake’s post so we can read more?

[jmbar2]

9. Their platforms need to be revived. Much more salient now that people see the impacts of Project 25

No need to reinvent the wheel. Just update it.

[pinkstarburst]

31. I think there is the very real frustration

that whenever we are in office, very little happens. We have ideas. But the needle doesn't move very far. We have big goals. But do HUGE things like universal health care happen? No.

Then the republicans get in office and they make HUGE sweeping changes. I am horrified by the huge changes that are happening at the moment, but I think we need ask ourselves WHY when we are in power... we seem to have an aww, shucks, can't get nothing done, gotta play by the rules sort of attitude, and when they are in power, they do things.

I have to wonder if we rolled up our sleeves and were a little less dainty about it, if we would roll in change with slashing drug prices and universal health care and if people would get so used to those things being provided to everyone and not having to go bankrupt to afford your meds that they would not be willing to go back.

[emulatorloo]

42. Nope. Lots got done under Biden. Obamacare and more done under Obama. And lots would have gotten done under Harris.

Biden especially got a shit-ton done with a very very divided Congress. Drug prices were slashed, infrastructure projects put thru, high speed internet pushed to rural areas, good jobs and semiconductor manufacturing back to the US.

But it was not in the best interest of the media to actually report on that.

This notion that Democrats ‘don’t do anything’ is FALSE, but very effective anti-democratic propaganda, and it is unfortunate to see it take hold on DU.

[pinkstarburst]

46. What drug prices?

I take a bunch of drugs because I'm chronically ill. I did not see any reduction in prescription medication costs under Biden. In fact, my costs went UP.

This is what I'm talking about. Not just getting costs reduced for 10 drugs, not just getting them reduced for Medicare recipients, getting drug prices reduced for EVERYONE.

This is the sort of kitchen table issues that I think sank us in 2024. If things didn't personally feel better for you, maybe you felt like the administration was doing a poor job. I recognize that Biden was out there helping other people, and I voted for Harris. But we need to focus on policies that help EVERYONE because whatever he was doing to "lower drug prices" never made it to my household.

[emulatorloo]

49. " Kamala Harris' plan to keep prescription drug prices down includes a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs"

Sorry, The notion that the Harris 2024 didn’t address kitchen table issues is revisionist history at best, and patently false at worst.


https://qz.com/kamala-harris-prescription-drugs-1851624050

Kamala Harris' plan to keep prescription drug prices down includes a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs
Harris also proposed faster Medicare drug-price negotiations, a $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin, and cancelling medical debt

Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Friday a slate of economic proposals that she would prioritize during her first 100 days in office, if she were to win the presidential election.

The proposals included a number of healthcare policies aiming to lower prescription drug costs and alleviate medical debt, according to a factsheet shared by her campaign.

Some of the proposals build upon policies passed by the Biden-Harris Administration in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022 — including a cap on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and Medicare drug price negotiations.

—-

Harris said she would cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month and cap yearly out-of-pocket costs for all prescription drugs at $2,000 —-> for everyone

[MichMan]

58. I never understood how that would work

I assume the pharmaceutical companies would be told what they could charge, but not sure that would pass the courts.

If I'm taking a few drugs now that add up to $150 a month, then those drug companies would get their money just fine as the cap wouldn't be met. Let's say in March I get an issue and get prescribed a new drug that costs $100 per month. That would add up to $2800 per year or $800 above the cap. Which drug company has to eat the $800?

[TnDem]

65. OK, but who has addressed this

Overseas cost of most drugs we take here are INSANELY cheaper.

Why do we have to bear all of the brunt of R&D costs when overseas buyers pay pennies?

[pinkstarburst]

85. Exactly. Why are we having to pay insane prices?

when all the other Western countries pay PENNIES for the same prescription drugs? It's especially galling when you consider that our taxes are SUBSIDIZING the development of those drugs! The pharmaceutical industry is getting so many tax breaks and kickbacks in the US and we are the ones getting gouged. Why can't we get aggressive and STOP it. Not just oh, hey, you only have to pay $2,000 per year. NO. I want to pay the same thing they are paying in Canada or Australia.

And I hate to say it, our policies are better, but we do not enact them. We just don't. The republicans propose evil things, and they get them done. Why don't we actually get things done? It makes us look weak. I am sorry to say, but this is one reason I think people get frustrated. We have to actually follow through with promises.

[Melon]

77. Plans. In 4 years my out of pocket costs only went up. Lets stop looking backward.

This was a big part of the problem. What was actually done in the 4 years that they had versus change from their own administration. I will not go backward here.

[pinkstarburst]

87. $35 for insulin. What about my meds?

This is what I'm talking about.

I think one big reason we lost was because while we wanted to do SOME good things, there were LOTS of people hurting in the US, and there were so many people who looked at democratic policies and the things we tried to do never went far enough. They never covered enough people, they never applied to enough households.

Young people felt like they were getting left out in the cold. Can't afford a house. Drowning in debt. No jobs. Feel like no one is listening to the issues YOU care about.

There's the immigration issue. All the new migrants are coming in mass numbers during 3.5 years of Biden's presidency, and people are seeing on TV that they're getting help with housing, getting to stay in hotels, getting meals provided, and if you are a citizen who can't pay your heating bill, can't afford shoes for your kid to go to school... that has to be really galling, because you're thinking "what about me? You're doing all this to help that person. What about me?"

Same thing with universal healthcare and prescription drug prices. Biden lowered prices on 10 drugs. Did some to help prices on Medicare. It did NOTHING to help my prescription drug prices. Saying the proposal is to limit it to $2,000 out of pocket per year is a start... but that's still a lot of money. Is that per family? Or if there are 2 people in my family, is that $4,000 per year? That's a LOT of money. I think people want someone who will act and will do something to help their family. Why should we have to pay more for prescription drugs than Canada or Australia. We are funding the research and development of these drugs through our taxes, and the US has to pay insane prices compared to the rest of the world. It's insane. I think voters are sick and tired of democrats saying, oh, we can do just a little, and then barely being able to do even that. Why is that when republicans are in office, they can manage to get things done?

[jmbar2]

88. Very good points

Platform proposals must target real needs of real people. $2,000 out of pocket for drugs would be totally uworkable for a huge number of ordinary working folks.

[emulatorloo]

89. Then you should GOTV for Dems in 2026 and help take back Congress

Looks like w have a good chance. MAGA voters who have regrets are probably gonna sit home.

Getting Democratic policy requires enough Democrats in Congress to outvote the MAGA

And the House needs Jeffries to be in control of the House’s schedule to get Democratic bills on the floor.

We’ve all got the same goals here.

[Melon]

75. Fully agree here. Immigration inaction killed our chances.

Harris was working on the root of immigration issues for years and the republicans came in a quickly changed things. We need to be decisive and implement quickly…and stop with all the excuses.

[The Madcap]

8. Eliminate the tariffs.

Unmask ICE. Close the camps. Pursue the Epstein investigation. Support Ukraine.

[Fichefinder]

10. Nationalize the entire oil industry

Regulate AI like it was plutonium
Outlaw Fox News
Build Netherlands style Dams and locks around our major ports
Defund ICE
Turn Miami into our first Aqua City like Venice
Increase the size of the House - Constitution says 1 representative per 50,000 persons
Outlaw profit on Healthcare like it used to be
Mandate 48 hour turnaround on immigrant work visas
Two years of Service gets you two years of College or Trade School
Desalination plants
Invest in nuclear technology

[SickOfTheOnePct]

13. Not a fan...

…of banning speech I don’t like, and thinking that a House of Representatives with 6,600 members isn’t going to work.

[CrispyQ]

57. Recognize that cable TV shouldn't be regulated except for stations that call themselves NEWS.

Fox/Newsmax/OANN would have to be called something else, not news.

[MichMan]

59. Getting rid of the First Amendment should be part of the platform?

[CrispyQ]

64. I would argue that lying while calling it news is similar to

"falsely shouting fire in a theater & causing panic."

[SickOfTheOnePct]

68. You might...

...but most people wouldn't.

[jmbar2]

17. Lots of good ideas here

[Melon]

78. You can't go backward on technology. That has never worked. The AI genie is out of the bag.

Outlawing fox is straight out authoritarian censorship. I will never support the gov having that much control.
I also don’t know why we would nationalize the oil industry? Why only nationalize one industry? No from me. Why trust the government to do things any better.

[ForgedCrank]

11. Step #1

Last edited Sun Jul 20, 2025, 12:59 PM - Edit history (1)

is to lose the fixation on bashing Trump non-stop with things based on nothing more than gossip or partial truths. It's really making us look stupid and destroying our credibility among the other 60% of the voters who we desperately need.
And yes, we need to read the room (public opinion) and focus on those issues.
For example, right now there is a massive campaign to resist immigration enforcement all while the large majority of voters support these actions. We can't just keep basing every position on defiance of all things Trump. When protesters are committing violence against federal agents in the course of their duties, we ALL get labelled with that crap. And no, of course it's not right, but that is how we are being portrayed. Like it or not, we have to be more sensitive to that and accept that there is a middle ground we are going to have to accept. My way or the highway is simply not going to work, ever.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

12. Well said n/t

[Chuuku Davis]

80. Good points

Thanks

[usonian]

14. Have some people been living under a rock? It's out there. It's simple. It's BEAUTIFUL.

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been barnstorming the entire effing country with a positive message for months, and people say "well, the Democrats are silent, have nothing to offer"


BULLSHIT
Maybe SOME high-profile Democrats are kind of silent.

Here's an excerpt from an email I got from Bernie.
THIS IS GREAT STUFF and
It gets wild, enthusiastic response.
Expect even greater response as the wrecking ball hits more and more of the U.S.A.

From Bernie:

People attending rallies in huge numbers are saying
YES to raising the minimum wage,
YES to expanding Social Security,
YES to guaranteeing health care as a human right,
YES to cutting the cost of prescription drugs,
YES to paid family and medical leave,
YES to equal pay for equal work,
YES to more affordable housing,
YES to making childcare and higher education affordable to all,
YES to taking on the existential threat of climate change.

And most importantly they are saying
YES to a government and an economy that works for all of us and not just the billionaire class and the Oligarchs.

[thought crime]

30. YES always support the New Deal agenda.

[JustAnotherGen]

106. No

It would be a return to the status quo. A continuation of Jim Crow. Nope -

It fucked Black Americans over.

You can have your deal - but let Black and brown Americans do what we need to do to crush their souls forever.

It wasn't done in 1876/7. Took LBJ to get full rights of citizenship. They cam back 6o years later. Its enough. Crush the CSA and its culture once and for all.

[questionseverything]

33. I love Bernie but I am disappointed that

A woman’s right to choose didn’t make the list

[usonian]

35. Lots of things not on this list.

My thought on this is that these are "dollars and cents" issues.
And it's an email about the Oligarchy tour.

Naturally, right to choose is fundamental, has great economic impact, and more.

Feedback to Bernie.
Have a general question? Email us at [e-mail] or call us at 802-448-2048
https://berniesanders.com/contact/

I've heard right to choose, and many more issues featured at rallies ... Yes, I listened to a few all the way through.

[B.See]

73. I like Bernie's list, but certainly missing a lot, like

re-establishing strengthening and expanding the Voting Rights Act, The Equal Employment and Fair Housing Act,

The establishment of anti hate speech legislation and the expansion of what's considered protected classes under such legislation

better gun control legislation

Automatic voting eligibility at birth.

The protection of public education

The protection of the news media, including public funded broadcasting from political persecution, prosecution

the re-establishment of abortion rights, protection of contraceptives, and a woman's right to choose

Re-affirming protections against child labour

immigration reform that establishes fair, equitable, and humane processes for legal immigration and paths to citizenship.

the firming up of environmental protections and protecting communities against factory/industrial/corporate pollution

the protections and re-inforcement of our social safety nets, including those having to do with healthcare, child nutrition

the firming up of consumer protections (empowering CFPB)

Tax legislation that make the wealthiest among us pay a fairer share.

recommitment to NATO and our allies

(think it mentioned higher national minimum wage)

separation of church and state

an end to unlimited/undisclosed dark campaign money and political contributions

EXPANSION OF THE SUPREME COURT.

... just off the top of me head, mind you.

[usonian]

74. As I commented earlier. It's not a platform but a short message to accompany the oligarchy tour.

All dollars and cents issues. I heard the entirety of several speeches, and every base was covered. And covered well.

[B.See]

76. Good to know. And for starters, how 'bout this

(just offered up as a whimsy, of course)

Executive Order No. 1: All of TSF's executive orders are hereby and immediately NULLIFIED.

[usonian]

79. Please add: All his executive odors also be eliminated.

💩

[pinkstarburst]

15. Focus on things that help every household across America

-Prescription drug prices. Not just 10 drugs and not just for people on Medicare. As someone who is chronically ill, it was so demoralizing every time Biden announced one of his "big wins" for Americans and it was only 10 drugs (none of them the very expensive drugs I have to take) or that they were only going after drug prices tied to Medicare. We subsidize the pharmaceutical industry like crazy. Why do Americans have to pay more for prescription medicines than any other Western nation in the world? I want to see our party be the one that lowers the prices for EVERY family, families with cancer, families with chronic illness, families in every income bracket.

-Universal healthcare. Why are we the only western nation that still doesn't have this?

[WarGamer]

19. On immigration...

Freely give out work permits... 12 month or even 60 month VISAs giving permission to work in the USA.

Set up some infrastructure where their income has to go into an account that will trigger an alarm if they stop working for an extended period of time.

And no guaranteed path to citizenship. This has always been what annoys the political "middle"... place citizenship as a reward and the price should be equivalent to what other immigrants pay... and that is time.

A legal immigrant here, who goes through the legal process and becomes a US citizen... (takes years BTW) will have to wait up to 15 years to bring a sibling here... and then they wil have to wait 7-10 years for citizenship.

So in my scenario... an immigrant here on legal status will be eligible for citizenship after 20 years in the country with no long lapses in work history or tax payments.

[mcar]

23. Restore women's rights

[cpamomfromtexas]

25. Adjust cap gains by backing out phantom

Gains created by inflation for everyone making less than $400k as a couple or $200k for single.

[bucolic_frolic]

26. Repeal 2026

Criminalize crypto
Defund ICE
Progressive tax rates
Free trade
SCOTUS reboot

[Bread and Circuses]

27. Agree ! US is behind EU in societal programs

[Justice Brandeis]

28. Pardons for Rep. McIver and Judge Dugan

And maybe a bunch more Troll Pardons that are just designed to make MAGA angry. I dunno, I'm open to examples.

[blm]

29. Anti-corruption, always.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

32. Curious about this one as well

- Claw back food stamp funds from corporations that don't pay high enough wages to live. Have them pay for the benefits that their inadequate wages don't cover.

How would that work, practically speaking, since eligibility for SNAP is often based on more than simply income.

Say you have two Walmart workers doing the same job for the same wage.

One worker is single, no dependents, isn’t eligible for and doesn’t need SNAP.

The other is a single parent with two kids making the same amount of money, but due to family size, they are eligible for SNAP.

Should Walmart pay the second worker more even though they’re doing the same work?

[jmbar2]

44. Treat it similar to the way that companies pay for unemployment insurance.

New employers in Oregon pay a rate of 2.4%, while established businesses pay a variable rate based on their "experience rating," which reflects how much their employees have used unemployment benefits in the past. The taxable wage base for unemployment insurance in Oregon is $54,300 per employee in 2025, meaning businesses pay taxes on the first $54,300 of each employee's earnings

(Google AI)

[SickOfTheOnePct]

45. That doesn't really correlate though

In the example you provided, it makes sense to base unemployment taxes on "use", for lack of a better term, because companies control who they lay off, which means more people unemployed.

In the example I used, a company has no say (nor should they) on how many people are in their employees' households.

A given job pays what it pays, based on the skills required, demand for those skills, etc. I'm not seeing why a company should have to pay the government because a given set of employees has bigger families that qualify them for federal benefits.

To be clear, I have no issue whatsoever with the federal government providing those needed benefits, and if we're talking single-member households who need federal benefits because they can't survive on their pay, then yes, I'm all for companies having to contribute. Where we diverge is on the notion that companies should pay a penalty to the government due to something they have no control over (benefits due to family size).

[DBoon]

34. a New Deal, Square Deal and a Great Society

[senseandsensibility]

36. That's a good question and a valid one

Unfortunately, the corporate media has such a double standard for Dems that they have to be both perfect and extremely consistent to break through. Any little consistency will be picked apart, and if Dems are not all "singing from the same hymnbook", THAT will be the story. So, that being said, I think we should keep it extremely simple. How about "Whose side are you on?" Lends itself to whatever topic is being discussed whether it's the economy, inflation, immigration, education, tariffs, labor, the environment, etc.

[taxi]

37. That's right.

The Democratic Party is for democrats and supports democratic policies.
Sorry for all those who missed the boat. It's about time to stop catering to those who will never be happy. We've lost too much trying to appease the unsatiable.

[emulatorloo]

54. Media: 'Wide-eyed wonder at all things GOP, steely-eyed skepticism at all things Democratic'

[Granny Blue]

38. FDR's Second Bill Of Rights is the basis of success! He Said:

“…We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. “Necessitous men are not free men.” People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. ……” FDR State of the Union Speech 1944
https://billofrightsinstitute.org/activities/second-bill-of-rights-annotated

This was the vision of the Marshall plan which rebuilt Europe! There was no Businessman’s Plot in Europe after WW2!

I propose that the Democratic Party embrace this as a Constitutional Admendment and the basis of our platform going forward. FDR envisioned this as a legislative platform, and the oligarchs of the day not only opposed this politically, they tried to foment rebellion and depose FDR! (The Conspiratorial Business Plot of 1933 https://explorethearchive.com/business-plot) Ever since, the Dems have been nibbling around the edges of these proposals, tryng to enact them through legislation. And then along came RayGun, and the legislative edifice has been slowly undermined ever since. The quote above should provide the basis for the Dem platform going forward. The country is ready to listen. And let them call FDR’s followers Communists!

[jmbar2]

43. Thanks for the reminder

I can see why this messaging was so effective during the Great Depression.

[synni]

39. Limit any president to 10 executive orders per year

Constitutional amendment, whatever it takes...stop future dictators before they start.

[BlueTsunami2018]

41. FDR's second bill of rights should be the base of platform.

Labor over capital, workers over owners. Universal healthcare, housing and education. Union membership.

Basic stuff, easy stuff.

[carpetbagger]

47. 2024 tells us otherwise

I'm sure people tell that to pollsters, but look at our platform last year vs. the GOP (single page bullet points, mostly phrases with bad grammar). Now go back 30 years.

We've gotten control twice in the last 32 years, both times promising to fix things, we do, then we're out in two years. My two cents is that anger for declining fortunes is going to get there.

[mvd]

48. Some for me would be -

Medicare for All or single payer system

Only focus on the criminals in illegal immigration

Higher taxes on the wealthy

Exoand SS/Medicare/Medicaid (we may not need
Medicaid when Medicare For All is fully implemented)

Bring back Roe v Wade abortion policy

$15 minimum wage and more than that would be ideal in some areas

Focus on equality for all and bring back DEI

Support Ukraine again and withhold funds from Israel

New climate change initiatives similar to Green New Deal

End death penalty

If no UBI, make some eligible for a recurring annual check

Focus on rolling back Citizens United

More affordable housing and transportation

Anf more..

[W_HAMILTON]

50. We were for things. Plenty of things. And not just for things, but actually accomplishing those things.

And none of it mattered because the same unholy alliance between MAGA Republicans and deluded horseshoe leftists screwed us over again.

Corporate rightwing media and propagandized social media deluded just enough people into thinking that that people shouldn't vote for Democrats -- ironic, giving that some of these are the same folks saying we need to give them a reason to vote FOR someone rather than against someone, yet they spend 99% of their always-online time bashing Biden, Kamala, and other Democrats for being too pro-Israel, too corporatist, blah blah fucking blah.

The Biden administration was the most progressive in my lifetime and it didn't matter one fucking bit to a sizeable enough segment of our so-called """allies""" on the left that helped throw the election to Trump and his MAGA Republicans yet again.

[emulatorloo]

51. You are 100 percent correct. I'm optimistic we can win in 2026, but DU'ers need to stop

buying into and thoughtlessly repeating the false “Democrats do nothing” propaganda that came out of the dishonest sources you cited.

[Betty Boom]

52. Increase the size of the Supreme Court!!!!

I consider it the single most important issue. We absolutely must reverse the horrible decisions that have come from this extremely toxic court.

[carpetbagger]

70. Agree, but...

It's not something that we can deliver on until we pick up 7 or 8 Senate seats among the 57 or so senators who would currently oppose that. We're the opposition, pin everything on the ruling party. The message should be that Republican judges are on the take, and they've rules that businesses own your lives. The debate should be about why we have such a crappy court. It drove Republican ascendancy for 70 years (1954-2024)

[hamsterjill]

53. I'm a Democrat for a lot of reasons, but the main one is equality.

We cannot have equality without having choice and that's MY main issue.

[emulatorloo]

55. Yes!

[hamsterjill]

67. Thanks!

Sometimes, I think the issues of choices almost gets forgotten. I'm here to make sure that it doesn't.

[MichMan]

60. $35 per hour minimum wage

No exceptions.

[jmbar2]

62. Or...

wage linked to cost of living for each area. Needs to be enough to afford all the necessities - rent, health insurance, auto, food, utilities, etc. No one gets paid less than what it costs to live.

[Abolishinist]

66. Of course!

So a couple who dropped out of high school can go to work full time at whatever skill level they have and collectively earn $140,000 per year!

Wowzer!

[jmbar2]

90. Or to put it another way...

a couple who dropped out of high school can go to work full time at whatever skill level they have

are not eligible for a living wage regardless of how much profit others make off of their "unskilled" labor. That might include people who
- work at Walmart
- work at nursing homes
- cooks in restaurants
etc.

We may need to bring back poorhouses, or allow shanty towns to be constructed on the edge of towns.

A lot of essential jobs in society don't require much education. Let them starve.

[Abolishinist]

92. So let's say you own a restaurant. Annual sales of $2.4 million.

Labor costs are 32% = $768,000
Food costs = 32%
Fixed/variable costs = 30%
Net Income = $144,000

Your average cost for wage earners is $17.50 per hour.

If you raise wages to $35/hr, you double your labor costs, adding an additional $768,000 to the cost of labor, providing you an annual loss of $624,000. What's next for you, the owner? Raise prices by 32%? If you don't raise prices your income will go down, or do you expect an increase in prices will increase your customer base? Usually not.

Of course, foods costs would increase dramatically as well, along with some of the variable costs.

Or you could raise prices a bit less, to a point, assuming no loss in business, you would break even. What's that, you don't want to work for free? Well then, you could just let go of 50% of your work force, that would do it! But then if you did that, THEY would either have to find a new job in a declining job market or starve.

I have no desire to see people starve, but wrecking the economy is not the way to do it.

[Melon]

93. It's more than that. Someone flipping burgers makes what a nurse makes.

So why get a nursing degree. Or mechanical engineering. It all needs raised by 32%. That’s rampant inflation. If everyone can now pay $2100 for a one bedroom. That becomes the demand floor and all housing goes up.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

94. Exactly

If minimum wage for unskilled/low skilled workers is $35/hour, then the skilled workers currently making $35/hour aren't going to sit back and take it...nor should they.

[Melon]

98. It's classic. The workers aren't more skilled, the currency is being devalued.

[MichMan]

114. I take it then that campaigning on a Living Wage is a no

[Abolishinist]

97. Of course. The assistant manager earning $65K per year is NOT

going to accept a mere $5,000/year raise to keep up with those they manage. If their wages are doubled, then that's a good starting point for the manager when negotiating a raise. And if field workers are paid $35/hour, then the cost of produce and other food items will increase dramatically as well. Unless of course one believes that TARIFFS will pay for that!

And why spend $60K or whatever for a four year degree if that means losing up to $340K over that four year period.

If everything doubles, then one might even be worse off, as all things considered they'd be in a higher tax bracket, with less access to services that are income-related as well.

[MichMan]

110. Are those numbers from your restaurant?

[Abolishinist]

111. Nope. I like to cook, and we dine out from time to time,

but I've never had an interest in owning a restaurant. I've got a recipe for One-Pan Shrimp Scampi With Crispy Gnocchi if you'd like it, we had it over the weekend and it was incredible as usual!

[MichMan]

122. Wasn't sure where the numbers came from

I figured it was your restaurant.

Does the typical restaurant pay 32% of gross receipts in labor, 32% on food and 30% on overhead and fixed costs, leaving 6% profit? I have no idea.

[Abolishinist]

125. Obviously a lot of factors involved, the type and location for example, but certainly

not out of line. Labor costs typically run from 25% for a fast-food operation to 35% for casual/upscale dining. In my state of CA, the minimum wage for fast food workers is $20/hour, so we are probably on the higher end.

This from Restaurant 365...

"Labor costs are a significant expense for any restaurant, and they can significantly impact a restaurant’s profitability. An old rule of restaurant expenses used to be the 30/30/30/10 breakup, with 30% for labor costs, 30% for food costs, 30% for overhead, and 10% in net operation profit (NOP).

In today’s environment, with rising labor costs, this model has changed. For most restaurants, labor costs typically run closer to 35% of total expenses, making them the new highest expense over food costs. With overhead costs usually being more fixed, many have looked to reduce food costs to compensate for the rising labor costs. That said, labor costs can vary depending on the type of restaurant, location, and other factors."

https://www.restaurant365.com/resources/metric-monday-labor-costs/

[al bupp]

69. I think that you pretty much covered it.

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

81. Moderation and bipartisanship, of course.

Joe Manchin for President and John Fetterman for VP in 2028!

but it's unfortunately more likely than what folks are proposing here.

[bob4460]

82. The democratic voters need to realize

They are not going to get everything......The problem is some democratic voters won't get everything and then stay home and not vote. The other side always votes,and that is why they win

[JustAnotherGen]

83. For the midterms?

[rampartd]

84. detrumpization

fire his people, repeal; his orders, release his prisoners, prosecute his crimes,

[Autumn]

86. Adress the problems the working poor and poor people have been facing.

They have been ignored long enough.

[kentuck]

91. Campaign from the middle and govern from the far left.

Most of America is tired of extremism from all sides, in my opinion.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

95. "Most of America is tired of extremism from all sides"

Yet you're proposing exactly that...and lie to get in a position to do it to boot.

[themaguffin]

96. A few things...

Housing - yes something that helps reduce corporate ownership of housing and (if possible) something universal that helps promote home construction that is respectful to existing concerns, but makes the process more efficient.

Taxes - higher marginal taxes on various truly wealthy income levels and a better way to tax people whose income gains are significant to capital gains. I would also have specific buckets for things that are taxed "at the end of income tax filing" meaning certain taxes are applied after the rest of the tax calculations and deduction etc are done. Basically, additional support for health care, infrastructure and other things.

Along the infrastructure note - a separate bridge security act that funds rebuilding countless bridges in the country.

We built a lot of things a long time ago and we need mid century investment in our country.

With these tax changes, lower the Medicare age to 55 within a few years and a Medicare like system for kids.
I feel that this is more reachable than trying to get all ages and overall gets a lot more of the country invested in what Medicare provides.

College costs need to be addressed. I don't know how, but addressing it and supporting people is a must, and this includes trade schools too.

Laws that protect gov agencies from what happened (and happening) this year from ever happening again in terms of tearing them down and stealing info.

[Blue Full Moon]

99. From posts on Bluesky

The post was for what do you want opposed to the every day what we don't want.
https://open.substack.com/pub/one2seek/p/the-list-of-what-is-wanted?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1i4zx8

[jmbar2]

100. that's a really good list - thanks for sharing.

[Aviation Pro]

102. Remove all six fucking pedophile-loving judges

…..

[indusurb]

103. Stop sending Isreal aid and weapons 8until a two state solution is hammered out

Stop the US being complicit, aiding and abetting a genocide.

[ZDU]

104. Proportional Representation

What is the ratio of women to men in the United States?
Answer: There are slightly more women than men. Specifically, there are roughly 98 men for every 100 women. This translates to about 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

Going forward, elected officials, our U.S. Senators and House Representatives, must reflect this proportional representation.

We've experienced "men" running the show. Let's give women a meaningful opportunity. I believe things will greatly improve for most of the world's people, USA included.

[MichMan]

113. Well, since half of the electorate is Republican, and they don't have many female elected officials...

Last edited Wed Jul 23, 2025, 01:13 AM - Edit history (2)

Therefore, in order to get to 50.5%, nearly every Democratic office holder would need to be female. All male elected officials now in office would need to resign and no new ones could run. What would the effect be with male voters?

[ZDU]

123. Nope

Not taking that bait

[MichMan]

124. Well, not sure how you will ever get there otherwise

[Initech]

107. We need young voters and candidates!

The democrats need to be run by media savvy young people. It's insane that the DNC forced out the one guy who could have helped make a difference. WTF.

[KentuckyWoman]

109. Solid middle class support

Education grants - especially for skilled trades and college students from lower income public schools. The loan programs don't work. Banks are just pigs at the trough, my apology to pigs. For those with loans, make the interest a dollar for dollar credit on taxes instead of a deduction to income for middle class earners.

Grants to rural and inner city hospitals to keep emergency rooms open. Broad education support for primary care doctors and specialties with shortages.

Social Security credits for adults who stop working full time to care for spouse, elderly parents etc.

Jack up taxes on corporations with 30% or more paid at 130% or less of the minimum wage to help cover costs for federal assistance programs to low wage workers.

Restore migrant worker programs.
Tighten H1B visas etc that encourage importing cheap labor instead of paying for education and support of American workers.

Insure 401K / IRA so people aren't wiped out by wall street/banking gamblers who walk away with millions.

Granted, I am not exactly smart enough to know how any of the above would work. Yes it would all be open to abuse. But it is a few ideas to support the middle without hurting the people at the bottom.

[MichMan]

112. Some ideas are good, but not too sure about others.

The loan programs don't work. Banks are just pigs at the trough, my apology to pigs. For those with loans, make the interest a dollar for dollar credit on taxes instead of a deduction to income for middle class earners.

92% of all student loans are made by the Federal government. Those are the pigs at the trough you are referring to.

Wouldn't making the interest a tax credit encourage lenders to jack up interest rates even higher? If I get to deduct all interest as a tax credit, why not just put it on credit cards with 29% ?

Insure 401K / IRA so people aren't wiped out by wall street/banking gamblers who walk away with millions.

If that happens, I'm moving towards investments with the highest returns and most risk. Maybe stuff like gold and real estate. That way you get to keep all the gains while protected from taking any losses. No sense investing safely in things with low returns like Treasury Bills.

[GoodRaisin]

115. #1 reverse the bad bill.

Should be very popular by the time mid term elections roll around.

[MichMan]

116. Take away the tax break for seniors and the extension of the increased standard deduction?

I wouldn't think that would be very popular

[GoodRaisin]

117. Do you mean to cherry pick it then or just keep the whole bad bill for those provisions?

And let’s be clear about tax breaks for seniors. I assume you mean the “no tax on social security”? I don’t support that without a long term fix to SS.

The Medicaid cuts, ACA cuts and the 3.4 trillion legislative heist by the oligarchs on the backs of everyone else are unacceptable. We need to campaign on returning those things to the people.

[MichMan]

120. Reversing it means all of it, not just portions.

Including the much higher standard deduction that helps the 88% of taxpayers that don't itemize. You never said just parts of it in your post, otherwise it would be a modification

The additional $6000 tax deduction for seniors has nothing to do with SS, as it is available to all seniors over 65 years of age.

[GoodRaisin]

121. I know what reversing it means.

Yes, to keep it simple I would like to reverse all of the BBB and start over with our own bill with bottom up tax cuts that would improve on the provisions you mentioned above, put back the money stolen from Medicaid and the ACA, plus take back the 3.4 trillion the oligarchs stole by adding to the debt.

[diehardblue]

118. Do more to embrace, mentor and include our youth/young democrats.

[jmbar2]

119. THIS!!

Absolutely agree.

[Scrivener7]

126. Legislate against Citizens United. Before anything else. I don't know how to make that

something that would survive a republiQan administration, but if there is a way, do that. In the meantime, just reversing it for a short time is better than nothing.