What is a progressive agenda?

Not sure that I would change any of your agenda items (0.00 / 0)

except to put the onus on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

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by: Gayla @ Thu May 20, 2010 at 19:02:26 PM UTC

Public Funding of Campaigns (0.00 / 0)

on the state and national level is my top priority.

It does not make sense to have to legislators or judges taking a penny from the very people they are supposed to regulate. In fact it's insane in anything approaching a democracy.

Campaign donations were the reason banks and other institutions were allowed to get into trouble and its also the reason they were bailed out after the fact.

Public funding will help end the corruption, cut the length of campaign seasons, and put all that money wasted on slick ads and mailers into things we really need.

"This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. This is about the whole system being against us." - an Occupy protester at Obama's Des Moines office.

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by: Dardango @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 00:13:34 AM UTC

Okay HIghStreet, you've got your platform in place. (0.00 / 0)

When are you running for office?

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by: melmel @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 04:00:58 AM UTC

State v National priorities (0.00 / 0)

I think we could have more meaningful discussions of these issues by focusing on State and National priorities separately, i.e., different diaries.  The reason I suggest this is that it seems to me like the priorities of the Alabama State legislature are so totally different from National priorities, that I have difficulty sorting through both in my brain at the same time.  

Also, we might even be able to share our discussions about AL priorities with the AL dem party. 

National...

I also agree that campaign finance reform is critical at the National Level.  I spent quite a bit of time watching the recently completed elections in the UK on BBC.  I started out watching it because I have noticed that every country we have become involved with in trying to "help" them develop a democratic form of government, with the exception of Japan, which was immediately after WWII, has adopted a parliamentary system of Govt.  Also, after watching umpteen hours of the Congressional deliberations on Health Reform, and becoming exasperated about how the rules of both houses of our Congress are used to manipulate and stall, rather than to negotiate and legislate, I wanted to compare. 

I don't really understand the UK parliamentary system, so I may not have my facts right, but as I understand it, their national campaigns are completed in 30 days.  And their TV networks are required to give candidates for Prime Minister free air time for campaign ads.  By contrast, I know one of the numerous reasons our candidates must raise so much $ is because of the huge costs of TV ads, which is only ONE of the numerous ways they must spend $ to get their names and messages out to an electorate that has only a passive interest in elections.  And the cost varies depending on what time of day the candidate wants the ad to be aired.  Not only that, but they can lose their "reserved" time slot if another candidate is willing to pay more for the time slot.  Duh?  For example, in the current election, the lowest cost I am aware of is $500 for a 30-second ad...and that's for one network and for airing the ad one time.  I'm sure some of you have far more knowledge of this issue than I do, but it's no wonder all of our politicians are wealthy.  They HAVE to be, to be able to afford to run, esp. for a national office!  I have also heard that our Congressmen must spend 50% of their time raising funds for the next election cycle WHILE they are in office and WHILE they are supposed to be devoting their time to representational duties. 

Re: lobbyists...Opensecrets.org reports that 1.44 B was spent by special interests lobbying members of Congress for the entire year of 1998.  Whereas, .92 M was spent during the first 3 MONTHS of 2010.  That tells me that 2010 will border on 4 B!

As far as your timeframes for achieving priority 1 on your state list and priorities 1 & 2 on your national list, they seem so overly optimistic that they made me giggle. 

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by: Iamaleftie @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 07:56:45 AM UTC

Social justice and equality (0.00 / 0)

A startling report highlights the growing racial gap of wealth in America from 1984 to 2007 (the study is noted to have ended pre-recession).

The racial wealth gap increased from $20,000 in '84 to $95,000 by the end of the study.

Welcome to post-racial America. 

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by: yellowdog @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 10:23:48 AM UTC

Mine are similar to Mooncat's (0.00 / 0)

For Alabama, anyway:

1. A new constitution
2. Ethics reform that emphasizes transparency over limitations
3. A more progressive tax structure
4. Expand Head Start and improve literacy, math, and SCIENCE education
5. Green tech / energy expansion

For the US, a slightly less similar set of bullet points:

1. Implementation of the health insurance reform bill with a public option added
2. Massive investment in renewable energy and move away from oil dependency
3. Withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq and Afghanistan
4. Immigration **REFORM** instead of building a stupid fence
5. Expansion of clean/green tech jobs sector through tax code changes

As 'cat said, the way you grow jobs is by making a set of choices that inflate a "green bubble." Unlike a dotcom or financial bubble, a green bubble would actually reduce future expenditures and create new industries.

Website || Twitter

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by: Osborne Ink @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 15:51:22 PM UTC

progressive agenda (0.00 / 0)

For the state:
rewrite the Constitution, especially give the counties power over county land use;

remove taxes on non luxury clothes, especially locally made, all food, except luxury food (e.g. truffles), especially locally grown food (give tax incentives to organic farmers), and buy from local farmers for school lunch programs (and don’t tax plain soap without perfume);

don’t tax sales of human powered yard and garden implements and human powered transport, build bicycle racks all government buildings, and bicycle paths alongside all state and county roads, and in cities paths and dual use sidewalks;
 
move regulatory authority to the attorney general’s office, instead of just civil fines provide for criminal charges and jail time for officers of corporations that poison our soil, air, waterways and groundwater;
 
establish fair taxes and remove loopholes
and increase access to the internet by establishing a minimum inexpensive broadband access of 8 mbps, subsidize it for the poor (teach computer use in all schools and adult programs).

For the nation: shorten the election season to three months and give all candidates time on PBS for a month before election day;

corporations are the creation of the legislature, divest them of their right to act as voluntary associations of individuals with an amendment to the Constitution;

Remove government subsidies of air travel, instead subsidize high speed rail, give tax breaks to people who use bicycles and other human powered transport for all their local travel, give bicycles to folk on welfare for their travel (build secure bicycle storage at rail station, government buildings, and encourage businesses to do the same; use weeds for biofuel not food crops, build bicycle paths alongside interstate highways, and build light rail in cities, also rebuild infrastructure;

subsidize wind, sun, and carefully, very carefully use nuclear with close government scrutiny;

Our energy policy must be, in a few words, radical green in heating, transport, and all parts of our lives. 

My ideas constantly change within these parameters as I listen to folk around me.

Qui bibit, dormit; qui dormit, non peccat; qui non peccat, sanctus est; ergo qui bibit sanctus est.

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by: SaintSatinStain @ Fri May 21, 2010 at 16:08:03 PM UTC

Cathcing up (0.00 / 0)

I've spent the last two days taking care of our 2-year-old granddaughter, so computer time was limited and I'm just catching up tonight.  Thanks everyone for your comments.  I'm kinda surprised there we didn't have greater differences in the comments.  In no specific order:

Osborne Ink: Iraq and Afghanistan were on my list - I think it could be easily interchanged in my priority.  National was much more difficult than Alabama. I'm not sure if that's because national has so many more issues or that Alabama's has a few extremely critical issues that made it easier to prioritize.

SaintSatinStain: I agree, my ideas constantly change as I learn from others. And I think that's good, as long as the change reflects improvement in my understanding.

Dardango: I've wondered how much impact campaign financing reform would have on other issues.  I'm also appalled at the amount spend on campaigns - seems like such a waste.

Iamaleftie: Thanks for the info on the UK system - didn't know ANY of that.  Glad I made you giggle (laughter is good for the soul) - but I've learned that without a timeline, things just get pushed further and further out.  Ambitious, yes - but remember, I was daydreaming that we are in charge!

Gayla: Some things seem so obvious, you wonder why we can't just get it done.

Yellowdog: sad and depressing study.

Melmel: funny! However, I'm finding that taking the time to write down what's important and prioritizing those items is helping me make decisions about candidates.  (I'm not finding a lot of candidates who mirror my concerns, but I think I'm willing to start working hard for those who do - when I find them.) 

 

Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. (Thomas Jefferson)

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by: HighStreet @ Sat May 22, 2010 at 04:10:02 AM UTC

Uh, that should be "Catching Up" (0.00 / 0)

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Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. (Thomas Jefferson)

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by: HighStreet @ Sat May 22, 2010 at 05:22:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Electoral reform (0.00 / 0)

I'd respectfully suggest that you and all progressives consider adding electoral (not just campaign finance) reform to the agenda.   There's no reason why it has to be a partisan issue, but if it is then it will be your side taking it up.

The Hawaii special election this week was sort of a weird case because it involved two Democrats and one Republican, but even as an oddity it makes the case for Instant Runoff Voting for executive elections and proportional representation for Congress.  The 2000 Nader fiasco illustrated the need for electoral reform in more general terms.  There's no reason why a voter should be forced not to vote her conscience out of fear of the spoiler effect.

More info on electoral reform is available at fairvote.org

 (Full disclosure: I'm not really a progressive, exactly, but I'm sick of Republican lunacy so I just signed up here.)

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by: Equal Opportunity Cynic @ Mon May 24, 2010 at 06:27:05 AM UTC