From "universal" income to the Green New Deal, 15 distant ideas from the democratic field 2020



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Court of packing? Repairs? Abolish the electoral college?

To all these questions and more, the response of the candidates to the 2020 Democratic presidential election is growing: Of course, let's talk about it.

For a Democratic presidential group that claims to be the most liberal group of candidates in modern American history, it seems like no idea is too ambitious to at least be taken into account. Some, like the Green New Deal, have become virtual benchmarks for the grassroots that have been widely accepted by the sector, while others are just starting to make their way.

At this early stage of the race, here are 15 of the most controversial ideas advanced or taken into account by the list of Democrats of 2020.

Discard the electoral college

Showing an unexpected defeat in 2016, Democrats cited the fact that Hillary Clinton had won the majority popular vote to revive calls for the elimination of the constituency. Perhaps preoccupied with their own odds in states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, the hopes of 2020 claim that these calls are of great wisdom.

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"I think there are a lot. Because you had an election in 2016 where the loser got 3 million more votes than the winner, "said Beto O'Rourke last week.

"Every vote counts and the way we can do it is to be able to vote at the national level, which means we have to get rid of the Electoral College," said Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Such an effort would probably require a constitutional amendment, making any doubtful changes in the near future.

Pack the Supreme Court

Another idea that has become effective after 2016 is the call to endow the Supreme Court with more judges.

After congratulating the court for its decisions on gay marriage and ObamaCare during the Obama years, the opinion of the Democrats has changed dramatically since President Trump was able to appoint two judges to court and topple him to the right.

Today, say the best Democrats of 2020, the court needs a revision. Several Democrats, including O & # 39; Rourke and Sens. Warren, Cory Booker, DN.J., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., And Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y., have demonstrated their openness to increasing the number of judges at the court. if they enter the White House.

They notably discussed the Republicans' decision to ban the confirmation auditions of the Obama candidate, Merrick Garland, in 2016, and then confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch after taking office on Tump, and again. Lower the voting threshold in the Senate to confirm candidates to the high court.

"They first steal a Supreme Court seat, then they turn around and change the rules on obstruction of a Supreme Court seat," Warren said in a recent interview at the Supreme Court. radio. "So when it comes down to us, what are we going to do? I think all the options are on the table."

"We are on the brink of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court," Harris told Politico. "We have to face this challenge head on and everything is on the table to do it."

Repairs for slavery

In recent weeks, O'Rourke, Harris and Warren, along with former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, have come out in favor of at least making reparations for black Americans who are slaves.

The proposals have not been detailed, and it is unclear if this would result in cash payments. Harris suggested that Grio include a generic tax credit for families earning less than $ 100,000. Warren was ready to go further, however, and told reporters in Manchester, New Hampshire, last month that repairs for Native Americans should also be part of the conversation.

Green New Deal

The Green New Deal was only discussed in the far left of the Democratic Party, but now almost all Democratic vanguards support the proposal put forward in Congress by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. – even though senators voted "present" at a test vote on Tuesday.

The ambitious resolution, which calls for "a new national social, industrial and economic mobilization on a scale unprecedented since the Second World War and the New Deal," is presented as an opportunity to tackle systemic injustices in the past. With respect to minority groups, creating millions of paid jobs and "providing unprecedented levels of prosperity and economic security for all US residents".

But the proposal also includes a host of expensive and controversial programs, including guaranteed jobs, pressure for "zero greenhouse gas emissions" and an undefined "access to nature" commitment.

Gillibrand, Harris, Warren, as well as Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., And Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Have all signed the resolution.

Medicare for all

Less than 10 years after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, Democrats are now advocating for one-stop, government-controlled comprehensive health care.

Although most Democrats in 2020 have not detailed their proposals, Harris and Sanders said people could not keep their private plans in their proposal.

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"No," Sanders told CNN on demand. "What will change in their plans, is the color of their card. So, instead of having a Blue Cross / Blue Shield card, instead of having a United Health Insurance card, they will have a Medicare card. "

This is in stark contrast to former President Barack Obama's opposition to ObamaCare, in which he promised that if an American liked his plan, he could keep it, even if the policy had not worked. the type.

Lower the age of voting

Mr O 'Rourke said last Tuesday that he would consider bringing back the voting age to 16 years.

"I am open to the idea of ​​a younger voting age. … it deserves something, "he said in New Hampshire.

The idea, which was supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Would represent a radical change for the electorate – and would probably favor the Democrats.

So far, the idea has not made its way among many other Democrats, with only the representative Tulsi Gabbard, the mayor of D-Hawaii and the mayor of South Bend, Pete Buttigieg, to support this initiative. Booker, Harris and Klobuchar welcomed such a proposal but have not yet endorsed it.

Suspend the death penalty

The Colorado governments, John Hickenlooper and Harris, announced that they would suspend the death penalty at the federal level if they were elected president.

"The vast majority of cases under the federal system of the death penalty, I should be wary just to start," said Hickenlooper at a public meeting Wednesday at CNN. "I would definitely suspend the death penalty."

Harris also made a similar promise. When asked if she felt that there should be a "moratorium" on the death penalty, she replied, "Yes, I believe it."

Eliminate the buccaneer

The Senate buccaneer, who requires 60 votes (and therefore a certain degree of bipartisanship) to advance the measures in the House, has been crushed in recent years by both Democrats and Republicans. It does not take 60 votes to confirm the key nominees.

But Democrats, who may have an eye on their own agenda and see virtually no support from Republicans, are considering getting rid of the filibuster laws.

"I think it's something we should seriously consider," O'Rourke told reporters during the election campaign in New Hampshire last week.

"When you talk about changing the filibuster rule, I understand we're moving now, we're going in that direction," Booker said in an interview for "Pod Save America." "I will tell you that for me this door is not closed."

"Everything stays on the table. You keep everything on the table. Do not remove anything from the table, "Warren said when recently questioned about removing the obstruction.

Social security of illegal immigrants

Gillibrand, as part of her call for a "global immigration reform," suggested that she wants to extend social security to those living in the country illegally.

"First, we need a comprehensive immigration reform," she said last week in Iowa. "If you are in this country now, you must have the right to contribute to social security, pay your taxes, contribute to the local school system and have a way to access citizenship. must arrive. "

Wealth tax

Warren called for a "wealth tax" of 2% on Americans with assets of more than $ 50 million and an additional 3% on those with more than $ 1 billion.

The call for a wealth tax, aside from an income tax, marks a change of policy for the Democrats – although it is consistent with Warren's fire rhetoric.

"This would allow the ultra-rich to pay their fair share and generate nearly $ 3 trillion over the next 10 years. It will not please many rich and powerful people, but I do not work for them, "she said.

O & # 39; Rourke last week expressed his support for Warren's idea.

Seven-day limit on opioids

In an attempt to combat the opioid crisis in the country, Gillibrand tweeted last week that she had tabled a bill to limit opioid prescriptions to seven days.

"If we want to end the opioid epidemic, we must tackle the root causes of abuse. That's why @SenCoryGardner and I introduced a bill limiting the prescription of opioids for acute pain at 7 days, "she tweeted. "Because no one needs a month for wisdom tooth extraction."

Although aimed at tackling one of the country's most serious health crises, the proposal has been widely criticized for its excessive intrusion.

Syndicated Campaigns

While the candidates agree to demand a higher minimum wage, health care for all and other policies for the workers, their treatment of their own campaigns has been scrutinized, but some are now adopting the unionization of their staff.

The campaign team of Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Announced that some of his employees had unionized, claiming that it was "the first major campaign of his party to have a union membership."

While Sanders became the first candidate for unionization, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro announced in January that he would pay $ 15 an hour or more to all workers in the union. campaign, including trainees. Officials said they would also support a union if staff decided to organize, according to The San Antonio Current.

Last Tuesday, O & # 39; Rourke said that if the campaign workers wanted to unionize, he would "support the whole process".

"Absolutely, if those who are working on this campaign and who are what I hope will be the biggest field effort ever seen by this country, want to unionize, I support it all," he said. he told Fox News when he asked him if he supported unionization.

Breaking down the border wall

The democratic opposition to President Trump's border wall is nothing new, but in recent months opposition has accelerated, with candidates suggesting that they not only oppose the wall, but that they could destroy it.

During an interview in the hometown of O'Rourke last month, MSNBC host Chris Hayes asked O & Rourke: "If you could, would you like to tear down the wall here?

"Yes, absolutely," he says, "I'm going to shoot down the wall."

"I could look at it and see what part it meant, why and if it made sense, I could support it," Gillibrand told Fox News the next day.

This was opposed by Harris, who, questioned about O 'Rourke's response, replied, "No, I think we need border security."

Abolish ICE

The campaign for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been raging in Democratic circles since the Trump government put in place a "zero tolerance" policy for prosecuting all illegal smugglers.

Warren, Sanders and Gillibrand have all called to abolish the agency. Meanwhile, O'Rourke and Harris spoke of a radical reform or overhaul of ICE, but refrained from demanding the abolition of the agency altogether.

Universal basic income

Andrew Yang, presidential candidate for Longshot, is working on the platform of a basic universal income – which would guarantee a monthly payment of $ 1,000 to all citizens, "without asking any questions", in order to 39; help Americans looking for a job, school or take care of loved ones.

Last year, Booker proposed the creation of "opportunity accounts" for children, accounts of up to about $ 46,000 per child at the age of 18, according to Business Insider.

Paul Steinhauser, Liam Quinn, Alex Pappas and Fox News Associated Press contributed to this report.

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