Nancy Pelosi releases Democratic agenda

Nancy Pelosi provided a listing of some of the things the Democrats will do in January when they take the Congress back. These are some of the items she listed:

"The ideas range from lowering prescription drug prices to raising the minimum wage and eliminating billions of dollars in federal subsidies to the oil and gas companies, as well as allowing parents to deduct the cost of college tuition from their taxes. [Snip]

...part of the Democrats' plan is a call to require fiscal responsibility, following pay-as-you-go rules that prevent deficit spending. And they note that it is under a Republican president and Congress that the federal deficit has soared to new levels.

"This is the path we were on when President Clinton was president, and we would have On Iraq, Pelosi said: "2006 must be a year of significant transition. It is time for a new direction in Iraq."

She didn't mention that there's significant disagreement among Democrats on when to begin withdrawing troops.

Pelosi's position on the Iraq timetable — "at the earliest practicable time, the United States must begin the responsible redeployment of its troops," she said
been debt free as a nation if we had stayed on that course of pay-as-you-go, no deficit spending, debt free as a nation in 2008,'' Pelosi said. "Instead, we have a debt ceiling of $9 trillion." [Snip]

One of the Democratic proposals, to raise the minimum wage for the first time since 1997, has already shown signs of support beyond the Democrats. On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee voted to raise the wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 hourly and attach it to the Labor, Health and Human Services spending bill. Seven Republicans joined committee Democrats in supporting the measure."

There is more in an Associated Press article:

"The ideas are part of the Democrats' new domestic agenda, named "New Direction for America," which the party rolled out during the past week. [Snip]

"A new direction means expanding access to affordable health care for Americans. We will begin by lowering the cost of prescription drugs by putting seniors ahead of pharmaceutical companies and HMOs," Pelosi said.

"A new direction means broadening opportunity by addressing the soaring costs of higher education. We will begin by making tuition tax-deductible and cutting the interest rates of student loans in half."

Pelosi also pledged to improve security, reduce dependence on foreign oil, maintain Social Security and oppose deficit spending. Under the plan the minimum wage would rise from $5.15 to $7.25 over two years, the interest rate on student loans would be cut to 3.4 percent and Democrats would approve a "pay as you go" budgeting rule."

The various news reports all either include the very negative responses from the Republicans or emphasize that the Democratic Party is split on how to deal with the Iraq war, or both.

This looks like a good set of ideas to go into the November election with. Combine it with pointed remarks to the incompetence and corruption of the Republicans and it looks like a winner.

What do you think? Leave comments.

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Addendum June 18, 2006
Tristero makes the following comment re: Pelosi's proposals:

In contrast, the latest bundle of snoozers packaged into an "agenda" by the Democratic party's utterly inept national political consultants is a major league embarassment. It's almost as if the party consultants concluded that since the world is facing an energy crisis, the Democratic party should set an example and not have any.

The modern Al Gore, however, points the way towards a seriously exciting Democratic politics, one that can see a deeply important problem clearly, find ways to tackle it, and inspire the political will to do so. We need that kind, and how.

OK. Upon later thought, I think the November 2006 election like the last two will revolve around security issues. As I look at Pelosi's proposals, I see no addressing of those issue, and no addressing of energy policy. As Tristero points out, Al Gore is providing us with the core of an energy policy.

As I listen to Congressman John Murtha on "Meet the Press" this morning, I think he is providing the core of an Irag policy. But it doesn't address the problem that a lot of voters are very afraid, and will vote for the Congressperson who offers a set of proposals that "Protect America." Hence, Immigration policy is security policy.

One problem is that the Democrats no longer have many veterans who are in office. Murtha can be effective in large part because he is a veteran of Viet Nam and a retired Marine Colonel. In the absence of the cachet provided by veteran's status, the politician with the loudest, most aggressive bombast is most likely to win a majority vote in a polarized and frightened group of voters.