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mcar

(42,210 posts)
Mon Nov 26, 2018, 01:53 PM Nov 2018

The Democratic majority's first order of business: Restore democracy

The Democratic majority’s first order of business: Restore democracy
By Nancy Pelosi and John Sarbanes

...In the face of a torrent of special-interest dark money, partisan gerrymandering and devious vote-suppression schemes, voters elected a House Democratic majority determined to bring real change to restore our democracy....

First, let’s end the dominance of money in politics. For far too long, big-money and corporate special interests have undermined the will of the people and subverted policymaking in Washington — enabling soaring health-care costs and prescription drug prices, undermining clean air and clean water for our children, and blocking long-overdue wage increases for hard-working Americans....

Next, let’s make sure that when public servants get to Washington, they serve the public. Restoring the public’s trust means closing the revolving door between government and private industries, and imposing strong new ethics laws to stop officials from using their public office for personal gain. To do so, we will expand conflict-of-interest laws, ban members of Congress from serving on for-profit boards, revamp the oversight authority of the Office of Government Ethics and prohibit public servants from receiving bonus payments from their former employers to enter government. We’ll curb the influence of high-powered Washington insiders by closing lobbyist registration loopholes that allow big-money power brokers and foreign actors to operate in the shadows. That way, well-connected special interests won’t be able to steer the policy agenda away from the priorities of the American public....

We must renew the Voting Rights Act to protect every citizen’s access to the ballot box and restore the vital safeguard of pre-clearance requirements for areas with a history of voter suppression. We will promote national automatic voter registration, bolster our critical election infrastructure against foreign attackers, and put an end to partisan gerrymandering once and for all by establishing federal guidelines to outlaw the practice. No American should face hours-long lines, broken voting machines or rules rigged to keep their vote from being counted in our elections.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-democratic-majoritys-first-order-of-business-restore-democracy/2018/11/25/9aeb3dbe-ece2-11e8-96d4-0d23f2aaad09_story.html?utm_term=.5e9cee9b6d49

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The Democratic majority's first order of business: Restore democracy (Original Post) mcar Nov 2018 OP
Great theme empedocles Nov 2018 #1
My God...Thank You Nancy & John Me. Nov 2018 #2
Yes. A great, practical and ethical plan mcar Nov 2018 #3
And Not A Hint Of Blackmailing Anyone Me. Nov 2018 #7
+1 MrsCoffee Nov 2018 #6
HUGE K&R MrsCoffee Nov 2018 #4
Brlliant! sheshe2 Nov 2018 #5
Pelosi is a great leader mcar Nov 2018 #8
The only way to restore democracy is to remove the primary force behind its destruction. jcmaine72 Nov 2018 #9
And how can that happen with a Republican Senate? mcar Nov 2018 #10
Agreed! jcmaine72 Nov 2018 #11
The point is to show the corruption mcar Nov 2018 #13
Or By Being Blackmailed Into Giving Into Con Deals Me. Nov 2018 #12

Me.

(35,454 posts)
2. My God...Thank You Nancy & John
Mon Nov 26, 2018, 02:00 PM
Nov 2018

sanity & big D democracy being restored. I wish I could recommend a hundred million times.

mcar

(42,210 posts)
10. And how can that happen with a Republican Senate?
Mon Nov 26, 2018, 03:18 PM
Nov 2018

Along with this excellent plan, House Democrats will be conducting real investigations so all will see the corruption. Running with impeachment with no chance of removal will hurt our chances. Passing legislation that will truly help this country will help everyone.

jcmaine72

(1,773 posts)
11. Agreed!
Mon Nov 26, 2018, 03:24 PM
Nov 2018

However, we mustn't forget who...or rather, what...is at the source of our democracy degradation problem. If impeachment isn't the ultimate goal of any investigation of Trump then what's the point?

mcar

(42,210 posts)
13. The point is to show the corruption
Mon Nov 26, 2018, 03:59 PM
Nov 2018

and bring all the abuses into the open. Other members of the administration could be charged with crimes. Democrats will pass legislation in the House that will, as the op-ed states, restore democracy - and dare the Rs in the Senate to not bring the bills to a vote there, demonstrating that they have no care for ethics, morals or even democracy.

2020 is coming.

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