CAP's Plan for the First 100 Days
Our friends over at the Center for American Progress have released a legislative plan for the new Democratic Congress that aims to pick up where Nancy Pelosi's First 100 Hours plan leaves off:
The Center for American Progress Action Fund offers our recommendation for new ideas and policies that the 110th Congress should take on and enact before the August recess, after the first 100 hours. In the weeks and months after those first hours, Congress will have an opportunity to demonstrate progress on fixing the problems Americans face. Indeed, we argue that instead of following the traditional Congressional course of an initial burst of activity followed by weeks and months of less action, the Congressional leadership can show the American people it continues to work to meet their needs by continually passing legislation in the spring and summer.
CAP's First 100 Days' Policy Agenda includes priorities for foreign and domestic policy. While NDN does not agree with the CAP plan for an 18-month phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, they do have a number of other innovative and important proposals, such as demanding an updated, unbiased National Intelligence Estimate, assigning a special Inspector General to weed out mismanagement and corruption in Iraq and Afghanistan security and reconstruction projects and the complete restoration of military equipment damaged in Iraq and Afghanistan, in order to bring the armed forces up to full readiness.
On the domestic policy side, their are compelling arguments for expansion of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, plans to reward good teachers and encourage them to teach in high-need areas, targeting of specific corporate subsidies that are overdue for elimination, creation of a universal 401(k) system, public health reform, a more aggressive approach to renewable energy and (dear to our hearts here at NDN) comprehensive immigration reform.
By now, it shouldn't be a surprise that the myth that progressives don't have any ideas, only criticism, is just that, a myth. CAP's plan joins other ideas and proposals coming out of an energized progressive movement. And should give us all confidence that the 110th Congress, working closely with its progressive allies off the Hill, is going to be one we can actually be proud of.
- Aaron Banks's blog
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