What should a new Democratic government do first in 2021?

[Wanderlust988]

I know I'm ahead of myself, but I'm thinking of policies that can be passed into law very quickly in 2021 should we win full control of the Congress and WH. I think the Dems will go for the layups first...the easy stuff.

1. Minimum wage increase
2. Voting rights restoration and election laws
3. Public option and Obamacare fixes
4. Statehood for DC and maybe PR
5. Campaign finance reforms

I think these things will pass with every Dem voting for them. We have to remember that even if we win the Senate and get rid of the filibuster, we still need a majority. Dems will probably have a 1-2 seat majority. I think climate will be later down the line cause of the splinter it will cause in the party as southern Dems won't go for too radical. I hate to say it, but Joe Manchin could be crucial to a lot of bills unfortunately.

[NanceGreggs]

1. Trying too hard ...

... and waaay too obvious.

[Skittles]

9. yes

I am surprised BLM-inspired action did not make the top five

[AllyCat]

17. Voting rights and minimum wage kind of address it indirectly

[RDANGELO]

2. Declare global warming an emergency.

If Trump can do it with his wall, he set the precedent.

[Wanderlust988]

4. Oh yes, Joe will have a ton of executive orders ready go to on day 1!

But laws are where the action is though.

[Demsrule86]

60. Absolutely not until the virus is under control and the economy is better.

We also need healthcare improved. I don't want to lose the house or the Senate in 2022.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Give the entire nation a one week vacation to sleep off tRump.

Then get to work on your list.

Also rebuilding things like the Dept. of Education and Environmental Protection Agency, etc.


KY.............

[lastlib]

32. Cleaning out the tRumpers from office comes first

Rebuilding a rational foreign policy is a priority.

Just so much to rebuild--it will take a monumental effort.

[jorgevlorgan]

5. statehood for pr, dc, vi and guam is the very first thing.

[Coleman]

24. DC will end up in the Federal Courts

Constitution forbids the creation of a state from lands of another state without the consent of the losing state. Maryland has made it clear that their answer will be no, the land in question should be returned to Maryland.

As a commonwealth, Puerto Rico has some advantages, especially in trade. Puerto Rico can make their own foreign trade agreements, separate from the US agreements. Right now with Trump tariffs, Puerto Rico can trade with China and side step the tariffs, than as a US entity sell to mainland companies at a lower price than those companies that deal in the tariffed goods.

And Virgin Islands and Guam will never happen. If anything they would be granted independence.

[jorgevlorgan]

50. DC is not another state. it it's own district. also it is already counted as a state in the ec

With no controversy. Democrats have passed a law already allowing its statehood

[Coleman]

56. I am addressing making DC a state

Also When did the Democrats pass a law allowing statehood? Both houses voted on it?

Anyway, it wouldn't matter if a law was passed or will be passed. It will end up in the courts.

[jorgevlorgan]

63. you said it is unconstitutional to make a state out of parts of another state.

DC is not part of another state. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/politics/dc-statehood-house-vote.html

Also I never said both houses voted on it. The house of reps did, however.

[Demsrule86]

61. No, the virus, the economy, and healthcare come first.

[tirebiter]

6. Something like FDR's bank holiday

An end to evictions and a review of those that happen post election day, then further review of any that occurr(ed) during the pandemic with probable reversals. An extension of PPP and a monthly personal allowance for the duration of the pandemic. A more robust CFPB. Fill in the personnel yourselves...

[JI7]

7. Coronavirus would probably be the first thing to deal with depending on where we are with that

I just can't see things getting better in that area and we aren't even in the fall/winter season yet.

[Wanderlust988]

8. Yes, Corona stuff will be first for sure

I was more thinking of policy proposals pre-Corona.

[scarytomcat]

33. yes major task

I don't see improvement coming anytime soon

[Greywing]

10. Writing laws regarding the office of the President

making clear that no President or any other member of the administration is above the law and will face consequences, no more governing by Twitter (or any social media), administration officials subpoenaed by Congress shall appear (no more Presidential immunity claims), etc. I hope my point is clear. I never want to see a President of the United States act in the manner which we have endured for the last 3 1/2 years.

[cab67]

20. There has to be a Constitutional amendment dealing with this.

The power of the president to pardon has to be restricted in certain circumstances. It shouldn't have to be stated, but the president can't pardon himself or herself. The president can't pardon family relatives, business partners, or cabinet members from his/her own administration. If the president previously served as vice president or cabinet member, that person cannot pardon the president under whom he/she served.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. +1. The Presidency must not be a Get Out Of Jail Free Card. . . . nt

[mazzarro]

23. Severely restricting the acting cabinet appointments n/t

[Trumpocalypse]

11. Lysol the White House

[AJT]

12. Clean house.

Actually drain the swamp.....

[abqtommy]

13. Issue warrants to arrest ALL the reTHUGS in the House and Senate, including tRUMP, tupPENCE,

the entire White House staff and anyone else who has enabled all this traitorous ruin... Yes, LOCK
THEM UP!

[mazzarro]

25. Somehow getting rid of all the unqualified judges shoehorned in by the reThuglican senate - n/t

[Sherman A1]

14. Universal Basic Income

And Medicare for all. Many other problems would be solved with those two in place.

[MyOwnPeace]

15. Sometime soon.....

a law requiring release of 5 years of tax returns by all federal government candidates.

[Coleman]

26. Would require a Constitutional amendment

The Constitution provides the only qualifications for federal office. The courts have been very clear on this. Now, since the Constitution does not provide requirements for non-elected members of the government, like cabinet posts, laws will do.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

29. Not necessarily. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 did not require a Constitutional Amendment

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Act is considered to be the most effective piece of federal civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country.[9]

[former9thward]

35. The VRA did not set restrictions on candidates for president, etc.

[Coleman]

40. Now the parties probably could make it a requirement

in order to enter the primaries. But of course, what is the probability that the KNew Know KNothing party (KKK) would do it?

[LuvNewcastle]

27. Yes!

This bullshit where they release what they want to release, or nothing at all, has got to stop. If you're running for a job where you're honesty is necessary, you lose your financial secrets. We'll still have people run, just maybe better ones.

[Soxfan58]

16. Undo damage done to Obamacare

Then arrest trump and company for treason!

[cab67]

18. even easier

President signs an executive order rescinding most of the previous president's executive orders.

[Rowdyag]

21. We have a winner

Hopefully it's signed from the inauguration stage

[BigmanPigman]

19. ALL OF THE ABOV.E...ASAP!

[Deb]

22. Make civilian WH Admin security clearances same as the military's.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. Number one must be electoral reform. Ability to do everything else FLOWS from that.

* End voter suppression
* National standards for access
* - sufficient polling stations
* - vote by mail
* - no onerous voter ID
* End gerrymandering: independent commissions
* Any reduction of big money would be good
* Real efforts to combat foreign interference
* Real ways to fight fake info with real info

Need to support voting rights at the state level through federal action wherever possible.

Ideally, get rid of the Electoral College, but that would require a Constitutional Amendment.

Note: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 did not require an Amendment.

[scarytomcat]

34. It should be crime to deny somebody their vote

years per-count that could add up to life
might discourage state workers and secs of state

[Demsrule86]

37. Number 1234 are pandemic, economy ,health care and police reform...

[sunonmars]

31. 2 and 4 immediately

Set the DOJ to rectify the last 4 years and press charges in ANY cases of corruption that were dumped by Barr and Sessions.

Have all voting machines investigated and have suspicious states investigated. Looking at you Georgia.......

If any members of congress or senate have been corrupt, blackmailed or allied with foreign powers, then the book should be thrown at them.

[Demsrule86]

36. Um...we have a pandemic and an economic debacle...

The economy and health care are first...some sort of stimulus, infrastructure, jobs program and national laws to hold police accountable.

[FBaggins]

38. Count their chickens?

Unlike now.

[Initech]

39. Health care first! Especially during this nightmare pandemic.

Everything else can wait.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

49. YES!

Undoing all executive sabotage to ACA for starters, reaching out to Congress to start amending and expanding ACA regardless of what SCOTUS decides (fixing it as needed if SCOTUS finds it unconstitutional in its previous state)

[Voltaire2]

41. arrest former president trump

[Politicub]

42. Some things are legislative in nature and will require more time.

Other things can be changed through the regulatory process.

There's one thing that can be done on day one that's short and sweet: an executive order that immediately makes all EOs from the Trump administration null and void.

Something else I would add to your list for an issue to tackle early would be immigration. The dreamers should be made full citizens of the U.S., with an amnesty for immigrants who have been in the country for a certain period of time. Also, the whole immigration and asylum system needs to be modernized.

There's so much to be done: police reform, etc. It is going to take some time.

[Wounded Bear]

43. Kill the fillibuster...without that nothing else gets done...

It has come to that. I wasn't a proponent of the 'nuclear option' until the last few years watching the Repubs abuse it. Now? Fuck it. They wanted to play hardball, I say throw them a high inside fastball, some real chin music to the chinless one.

Then work on an agenda.

[Demsrule86]

62. You are correct. That has to be first. It needs to be done.

[jmowreader]

44. Detrumpification

After we lock up every member of the Trump administration (we may have to convert a museum prison back to prison service to keep them away from ordinary criminals who don’t deserve the torture of having to scrub prison pots next to Jared Kushner, and for that I have long advocated Alcatraz) we must pass laws designed to prevent the Trump Administration from ever happening again.

My first idea: Starting with the presidency after Biden’s, exempt the president’s spouse from federal anti-nepotism laws but do not exempt any other member of the president’s family. Next, put the First Lady or First Gentleman on the government payroll at the grade of Executive Service 1. (There are four ES grades. The top one is ES 4.) Pay all interns who are currently working for free as GS-7, then announce that no one can work in the White House without being paid. This will prevent another Jared and Ivanka from happening.

My second idea: require presidents who own hospitality properties and who vacation in them during their terms to provide lodging and golf cart rentals at no cost to the government. Presidents who own foodservice operations will publish a “government menu” of items at cost of food, energy and labor. (This is to keep any more presidents from profiting from the office.)

Third idea: Amend the Constitution to require a candidate for the presidency to have been re-elected at least once to a US Senate or Governor seat, to have been elected to at least two offices one of which is an office in the US Congress, or to have served at least three terms in the House of Representatives.

Fourth idea: No president may be inaugurated unless and until all their businesses have been sold or placed in blind trust before the Electoral College convenes. If the president-elect has not done this, the EC will be prohibited from voting for that person for president.

Fifth idea: All social media posts made by a president are subject to the Presidential Records Act.

[Patterson]

45. Apology Tour!

[Johnny2X2X]

46. Purge the government of all Trump loyalists

The type of people Trump brought into the Federal Government are the worst, a bunch of crooks and traitors. Each one needs to be removed from their jobs, without that the government won't be able to function.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

47. So so much

Putting a collar and leash on ICE and ending all of Trump's most extreme anti-immigration policies (more long-term work needs to be done but we need to start with the worst abuses and excesses wrought by Trump/Miller first) for sure and, of course, the Border Wall. Re-staffing all of the Federal Agencies eviscerated by Trump and nominate competent people for all departments to be confirmed and starting work ASAP. DOJ needs to be scrubbed and cleaned of all of the Trump loyalists and whatever information they've been withholding from Congress needs to be given to Congress ASAP. Rescinding all of Trump's discriminatory anti-LGBT initiatives, including rescinding the ban on Transgender troops.

[JonLP24]

48. Sign police reform bills the Senate is working on

[OverBurn]

51. Public Hanging Of Traitor Trump

[Totally Tunsie]

52. Open the cages!

[backscatter712]

53. Fire every last Trump appointee in the US gov't they can legally fire. ALL OF THEM.

Not one of them can be trusted.

[ooky]

54. I get giddy just thinking about this. There is so much to do. I favor efforts to

get more money into the hands of poor and middle class people first Call it "trickle up".
Start with repeal of the tax scam, and use the nuclear option to end the filibuster to do it. That would end the filibuster and we could follow up with minimum wage paid for with tax scam money. Then health care, then social security - and get rid of the cap. Also, restore all the regulations Trump got rid of ...

Doing all that easily takes us into 2022 so I have to stop.

[GulfCoast66]

55. Unlike Trump Joe will have a team ready to go.

List of all new appointees. List of people to fire on day 3. Prewritten executive orders ready to be signed to undo trumps.

But those are not the most important things.

The pandemic and the economy. If we don’t get the economy going we will only have 2 years in control.

And all this is just having fun. As Eisenhower said I think, might have been one of his generals, after Hitler launched the Battle of the Bulge; we can still lose this war.

First we have to work like we are 8 points behind to get out the vote and win the election.

[DFW]

57. In 2021? If we take the White House and the Senate, make that 2020!!

In 2021, they should be hitting the ground running, enacting legislation they have already started working on during the transition period!

Consider the damage control our nation needs.

First and foremost: voting rights legislation. Ironclad, constitutionally solid, SCOTUS-proof (Roberts-proof) voting rights. Clean and simple: if you are a citizen of the USA, you have the right to vote in the USA. Anyone trying to deny you that vote is a felon, end of story.

Then--a punishing schedule of damage control legislation, nomination conformations. Fix the State Department, the Justice Department, the Defense Department, the EPA, have the new teams ready to hit the ground running--no, make that sprinting. The new AG should not hesitate at prosecuting corruption and felonies committed by any of the previous administration, including any immediate predecessors. There were crimes committed against the nation, and the nation is entitled to the right of the people.....to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. That so-frequently-overlooked part of First Amendment. Hey, government? We've got a few grievances we'd like to bring up!

Get a cot set up in your office, and have a handy list of take-out places that deliver. If you're serious about your job, you're going to need both.

We are a seriously wounded country, and we are in desperate need of some dedicated people willing to work a lot of overtime to fix it. Keep in mind, too, that there are some well-funded, very evil people out there who are just as interested in preventing you from doing your jobs as you are in doing them. Think of every dirty trick they might come up with to make sure you fail, because, I promise you, they will think of more of them. Any grandstanding members of Congress with their own little personal agendas? Put them on ice for now. The country is bigger than any ego trip, and needs your help more than your ego needs massaging.

There are hundreds, thousands of things a new Democratic government needs to do in 2021. If they think they can start thinking about them in 2021, then it will have been too late. When the last hangover after election day has been overcome, it's time to get to work.

[retread]

58. Fumigate! n/t

[Demsrule86]

59. No, you are putting the cart before the horse.

The first thing is manage Covid...send help to the states and work on a vaccine and treatments.
The second is the economy. We need to send help to the people extended enhanced unemployment, help for those who took a pay cut which is very common. We need stimulus and a rent/mortgage programs. There are many who can't get unemployment who need help...so monthly money for them.

We need to get rid of Trump tax cuts and reform taxes so we can afford this. We also need to simultaneously fix the ACA. It must be improved... lower deductibles and premiums and a public option. We need to also end police terrorism with a national data base, also try cops in federal court not in state courts where they get a sweetheart deal often. Cops need to lose their pension and immunity if they break the rules or the law and it leads to grievous harm for a person. Belonging to the KKK or oath keepers should be an immediate firing.Those are what I consider the most important things to do. I believe the $15.00 minimum could be part of a stimulus...the feds could subsidize it for a bit.