Now that the primary season is over, Hillary Clinton is doing what winning candidates have always done, trying to lock up the moderate vote, and even trying to recruit a few voters from the other side, albeit without being so crass as to troll in the other party’s convention hall. No doubt Regressives will take this as an occasion to accuse her of being slightly to the right of Torquemada, and sadly, some idealists among our friends will be duped by them. Let is remember that Clinton has pledged to 25 reforms in her convention speech. Here are the first three. We might actually get those reforms from Hillary. We won’t from the fellow pictured below in this German display.
Whether you fall under the poetry and spell of this sweeping agenda or are skeptical that her words won’t bring actions, Clinton is setting a high benchmark. Here are 25 points as directly quoted or paraphrased from her speech.
1. Make economic and social justice issues ‘front and center.’ Clinton made that pledge when praising Sanders and his campaign, saying that’s “where they belong… I want you to know I have heard you. Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy, and passion. That is the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America.”
2. Comprehensive immigration reform—not Trump’s border wall. “We will not build a wall… When we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy, it would be self-defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out. Comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and keep families together—and it’s the right thing to do… And we’ll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy.”
3. End targeting and racial profiling of Islamic Americans. Replying to Trump’s proposal to stop Muslims from visiting from overseas and increasing police surveillance at home, Clinton said, “We will not ban a religion. We will work with all Americans and our allies to fight and defeat terrorism.”
From <Alternet>
Photo Credit <ifunny.co>
Please click through for the other twenty two progressive reforms.
If I said I haven’t considered the possibility that Clinton might not follow through, you wouldn’t believe me. You know me too well. We need to take back the Senate, and at least put a huge dent in the Republican House Majority to get anything done. And we have some wonderful Senators, Brown (D-OH), Merkley (D-OR), Sanders (I-VT) and Warren (D-MA), to hold her feet to the fire, if need be.
14 Responses to “25 Progressive Reforms”
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Well, to give away the chart I posted a link to on Open Thread, it shows a history of US presidents keeping their promises. The average is 67% – on averahe, 2/3 of all campaign promises made by Presidential candidates have been kept between 1912 and 1999. The lowest ratio was 52% for the Reagan presidency. Now, there are some gaps in the chart, so the only "period surveyed" from a Clinton presidency was 1997-1999. The ratio in that period was 73% – one of the highest.
And besides the Senators you mention, if we play our cards right, we may also get Senators Duckworth (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), and others – feel free to add names – to help with holding feet to fire.
You are so right Joanne–a major grassroots effort putting on persistent pressure will need to hold her feet to the fire to get full action and prevent her going for the minimum possible since her promise was just to make progress on the issue not to fully solve the problem.
I thought that she gave a good speech. Very positive! The cartoon is priceless!!
Thanks, Tom.
I hope she is able to achieve most of this but will be very surprised if she gets 50 percent with the Congress we now have. If people don't vote in the Congressional races, we will have the status quo and they have spent 8 years obstructing Pres. Obama. Of course I hope they help coal country, but don't expect it to happen. Houses are either for sale or have been forclosed on all over the place here since the coal jobs are mostly gone. Our state government has never made an effort to diversify this area, leaving us dependent on coal for a living.
A plus for the cartoon!
“I believe our economy isn’t working the way it should because our democracy isn’t working the way it should. …"A very big statement and the largest part of this dysfunction can be found on the right, Republicans.
The problem for a President Hillary Clinton, the glass ceiling crasher, will be the same as for Obama if there isn't a complete gutting of the House and Senate Republicans.
BTW, love that German version of Drumpf!
You got that right! lol.
2016 Democratic Party Platform
July 21, 2016
https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Democratic-Party-Platform-7.21.16-no-lines.pdf
Official Democratic Party Website
https://www.democrats.org/
.
Thanks for this!
Thanks, Jim, I bookmarked these so I can read later.
Great cartoon, TomCat. A German Carnival float, I gather. Who said Germans have no sense of humor? Oh, right…Herr Drumpf has German ancestry.
On the 25 (progressive) points in Hillary's speech: Hillary has taken a great number of points from Bernie's agenda on board and only time will tell if she's going to try and make them become reality. I deliberately use the word "try", because much will also depend on the circumstances she has to work under if and when she becomes president. Having a number of progressives in Congress who'll keep her feet to the fire is one thing, but what Hillary and those progressives need is enough support in Senate and House to be able to make good on her promise is another.
You know I'm not the greatest fan of Hillary (in fact you could call me a Hillary-skeptic), but I hope Americans will give her a chance to prove me and all those other skeptics wrong, rather than take their chances on Drumpf by not voting or voting for a third party. "Taking a chance on Drumpf" may not be quite the correct wording, because with Drumpf as president everyone knows exactly what they'll get: a thick layer of disaster sprinkled over the most disturbing Republican platform ever.
I'm one too, but I's rather have a President about whom we are sleptical than an inmitigated sociopath.
Thanks all! Hugs!