5 Progressive Ideas to Put America Back On Track

1) Begin to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq: At the risk of stating the obvious, I believe that the Iraq War was a huge mistake. Begun under false pretenses, mismanaged by an incompetent Secretary of Defense, the war has cost more in American blood and treasure (and innocent Iraqi lives, for that matter) than anyone ever thought it could. We are spending $6 billion per month in Iraq. Let me repeat: SIX BILLION DOLLLARS A MONTH in Iraq. Determining what that could pay for in terms of real homeland security (e.g., securing our ports, fighting the people who actually attacked us on 9/11) or other places where it’s needed here at home is best left for another time. Needless to say, however, that I believe that that money could be much better spent. The continued presence of our troops in Iraq not only precludes the Iraqi Army from standing on its own two feet, but also further inflames the insurgency and sectarian violence that are simultaneously raging in that country. A majority of Americans believe it’s time for us to bring the troops home. I believe that the Murtha/Kerry “phased withdrawal” plan, in which we remove most of our forces from the region, leaving some on the periphery, is the best strategy. It is time we stopped throwing good money after bad, so to speak, and realize that “staying the course” is not a plan of action. I think it bears repeating: It’s time to bring the troops home.

2) Increase the federal minimum wage: A full-time, 40-hour/week worker, working 2,080 hours per year, earning the federal minimum wage of $5.15/hour, would earn $10,712 a year. That is well below the 2005 federal poverty line of $15,735 for a family of three. So, with the current minimum wage, you’re effectively telling someone that he/she can work a full-time job and still be about 33% below the poverty line. Frankly, that is outrageous. Check the link for a multitude of facts about the minimum wage. Suffice it to say that an increase, from $5.15 to $7.25 by 2008, would benefit a tremendous amount of people. And, contrary to many conservative economists, minimum wage increases do not cause job loss. In fact, in states where they have mandated a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum, more jobs have been created than in states that only adhere to federal guidelines. The Republicans attempt to link an increase in the minimum wage with the repeal of the Paris Hilton tax was a cynical ploy that no one believed. When you’re on the wrong side of 83% of Americans, I think you’ve outfoxed yourself.

3) Improve the public education system: This is another obvious one. Admittedly though, I’m not knowledgeable enough to offer a lot of concrete solutions. I think it’s fair to say, however, that when more than thirty states, including a garishly red state like Utah, are objecting to the No Child Left Behind Act, something’s not right with what W’s offering. I think it starts with raising teacher pay, recruiting more top-flight teachers, and incentivizing the best and the brightest to teach in the most troubled schools. There are good public schools in America. They do exist. Unfortunately, they’re mostly in suburban, white neighborhoods, and they get a lion’s share of the resources. That’s got to change.

4) Universal healthcare: In the most prosperous nation on the planet, it is an embarrassment that there are millions of people without health insurance. In 2004, 15.7% of the country’s population did not have health insurance. That’s astounding. The healthcare system in this country is a labyrinth of regulations, red tape, and bureaucracy, and the healthcare industry makes too much money to be interested in fixing it. But we’ve got to start somewhere, and Americans support and want change on this issue. Senator Russ Feingold is calling for a pilot program, in which states apply to receive federal aid to implement their own, state-specific plans to provide all of their citizens with at least a base level of health coverage. I think this is a great jumping off point, and I commend Senator Feingold for being on the forefront of this issue.

5) Create “Manhattan Projects” for stem cell research and alternative energy: Stem cell research holds the key to unlocking cures and treatments for many of the human body’s worst diseases. Alternative energy provides America an opportunity to both protect the environment and wean itself off of foreign oil, much of which comes from terrorist sponsors. Just like it was with the internet, the U.S. should be at the forefront of both of these cutting-edge ideas, and the government needs to step up and provide a platform for Americans to proceed (or, in the case of stem cell research, at the very least not be an obstacle). Americans agree.

These are but five progressive ideas for fixing America. There are many other problematic issues in this country, including the byzantine tax system and governmental corruption. These are big problems, and the solutions are not easy. But we’ve got to start talking about them, getting the ideas out into the mainstream consciousness. Americans want us out of Iraq. Americans believe in an increase in the minimum wage, better education for our children, universal healthcare, and stem cell research. These ideas are not “radical,” “out of the mainstream,” or “extremist.” It’s the people opposed to these progressive ideas (read: Republicans) who are out of step with America, and it’s up to us to make sure that Americans aren’t convinced that their ideas are out of the mainstream, when in fact they are the mainstream. Change can happen, but it can’t happen without catalysts. And that’s why we’re here.

-Jason