Democratic Congressional Priorities

The recent Democrats.com poll regarding the first 100 days of the new Congress contains many vital and outstanding ideas. Unfortunately, they they are the sorts of ideas that will certainly be vetoed by a rogue President who is now reviled by the vast majority of the American people. For this reason, these ideas fail to provide adequate direction on what to do first, and this failure has long-lasting consequences [cf. Appeasement Invites Disaster].

Consequently, achieving current Democratic goals depends on restoring legitimacy to the Presidency, and doing this requires a strategy that goes well beyond simple lists and surveys. What follows, therefore, is a suggested four-stage strategy for restoring legitimacy to the Executive Branch. Details of the strategy are derived from the Democrats.com poll. Superscript annotations reflect poll popularity as of 11/11/06. Only items achieving at least 15% are included, except where marked with a "†":

Move to halt destruction and suppression of evidence where possible, via steps that Congress can take either directly or with the approval of the president:

Repeal Presidential "blank-check" war powers.29

Block right-wing judicial nominations.20

Restore whistle-blower protection.17

Establish strict accountability for military contractors.†

Ban government censorship of scientific documents.†

Launch major investigations into corruption and illegal assaults on the Constitution with the aim of (a) publicizing the results to the maximum extent possible, (b) recovering stolen funds, and (c) crafting new legislation to prevent similar crimes in the future:

Abrogation of inalienable rights
     Illegal warrantless wiretapping42+22
     Torture conducted or sponsored by the U.S.36

Abuses of Executive authority
     Iraq
          War profiteering21
          War crimes14
          War lies12
          Negligent loss of a half million Iraqis†
     Signing statements24
     Illegal and unconstitutional executive orders18
     September 11 lies17
     Violations of the freedom-of-information Act16
     Censorship of scientific documents†

The failure of telecommunications companies to implement the fiber-optic Internet†

Introduce legislation whose opponents will clearly be seen as enemies of the American public, owing to the fact that the proposed laws are obviously necessary to protect inalienable constitutional rights and the general welfare:

Guarantee every citizen's right to vote and have their votes verifiably counted; require paper ballots until machines are open-source and provably tamper proof.42+23

Enact a strong Internet Neutrality law.30 [cf Blog]

Provide full public funding of Congressional races, strict enforcement of "527 rules"22

End partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting16

Define the term high crimes. Include
deliberate lies affecting public life,
fomenting wars of aggression, etc.†

Ban voting on newly proposed legislation before sufficient time has elapsed for reading and discussion; ban lobbyist-authored legislation.†

Consolidate Congressional gains by removing from office those who have abrogated our Constitutional principles, damaged our institutions, and harmed our well being:

Impeach Bush and Cheney, if there is adequate evidence, i.e., if the votes are there.50

Otherwise, vigorously campaign to remove enemies of the public, as revealed during Stage 3.†

When we again have a government of, by, and for the people, then we will finally we be able to return to Constitutional governance, achieve an economy that serves the public, ensure fair elections, halt the wholesale destruction of our environment, limit rather than spawn terrorism, and create wholesome social policies that support our personal lives.

The Democrats.com survey again provides appropriate details. The following survey items include all items from Stage 3 above. Only items achieving at least 12% are included, except where marked with a "†":

Constitution & Courts

Restore habeas corpus, i.e., access to courts for all prisoners of the U.S.62

Enforce laws prohibiting warrantless wiretapping inside the U.S.42

Strengthen separation of church and state:
     replace marriage laws with domestic-contract laws31
     repeal anti-gay marriage laws17
     eliminate faith-based funding†

Ban Presidential signing statements25

Abolish the Electoral College via Constitutional Amendment18

Restore victim access to courts for product liability and medical malpractice14

Restore right to privacy via Constitutional amendment13

Prohibit unilateral Presidential abrogation of treaties12

Economy, Business, Labor

Increase the minimum wage above the poverty line and index to inflation.59

Shift the tax burden from working families to wealthy individuals and corporations.49

Eliminate subsidies for exporting jobs overseas.34

Amend international trade laws:
Leave NAFTA and the WTO.13
Require labor and environmental standards.12

Repeal 2005 bankruptcy restrictions.24

End corporate subsidies and tax loopholes.22

Repeal corporate "personhood" rights.22

Remove lawsuit immunity for pharmaceuticals (currently part of the Patriot Act).21

Outlaw predatory lending tricks and usurious interest rates; make all interest payments tax deductible.15

End private patents for publicly-funded research.13

Restore mandatory overtime, expand Family and Medical Leave, expand unemployment insurance to part-time jobs.12

Elections

Guarantee every citizen's right to vote and have their votes verifiably counted; require paper ballots until machines are open-source and provably tamper proof.42+23

Make Election Day a holiday.14

Require "instant runoff" voting for Presidential and Congressional races.13

Energy & Environment

Sign the Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming, then set more ambitious goals.35

Invest in alternative energy, e.g., wind, solar, and geothermal power.32

End dependence on Middle-East oil through alternative energy and conservation.24

Significantly increase MPG requirements for new vehicles.23

Provide tax credits for energy savings, e.g., trade-in of gas guzzling autos.23

Strengthen the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts and restore enforcement.18

Foreign & Military Policy

Take charge of foreign policy:
End the U.S. occupation of Iraq.49
Require direct negotiations with Iran.15

Explicitly outlaw all internationally-recognized torture conducted or sponsored by the U.S.36

Abolish "Enemy Combatants" as legal category, honor the Geneva Conventions.31

Ban secret CIA Prisons.19

Restore and expand medical benefits (including mental health) for Veterans.17

Finish implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations.14

Ban armed mercenaries like Blackwater and CACI.†

Government & Congress

Provide full public funding of Congressional races, strict enforcement of 527 rules.22

Outlaw "First Amendment Zones" limiting protests.18

End partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting.16

Reverse corporate consolidation,15 strengthen anti-trust legislation.†

Prohibit "soft money" from corporations and the wealthy.13

Ban secret executive-branch task forces, e.g., Cheney's Secret Energy Task Force.13

Define the term high crimes. Include
deliberate lies affecting public life,
fomenting wars of aggression, etc.†

Ban voting on newly proposed legislation before sufficient time has elapsed for reading and discussion; ban lobbyist-authored legislation.†

Media

Enact a strong Internet Neutrality law.30 [cf Blog]

Reverse corporate consolidation of the media.15

Restore the Fairness Doctrine requiring licensed broadcasters to give equal time for both sides of controversial issues.13

Social Policy

Adopt universal healthcare, e.g.,
per single-payer Medicare-for-all model,32 or
per Massachusetts model.†

Fund stem-cell research.27

Create "lock box" funding for Social Security, ban privatization, and end sex discrimination.22

Pass Freedom of Choice Act to codify Roe v. Wade.17

Reform the No Child Left Behind law, end "teaching to the test".15

Jim Williams 11/11, 2006