The silent majority of Democrstic House Freshmen
Jan 23, 2019 18:18:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 18:18:16 GMT
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Instead of putting this on the catch all thread I felt this article deserved its own thread. I think those an the far left should read this because I believe there is a lot of truth in this article.
Fundamentally I agree with most of the socialist part of the Democratic Party is advocating for. But realistically most of what they want is not going to happen. And because of that, they need to learn to compromise. Which they don’t seem to want to do. Just like the old Tea Party crowd didn’t want to do.
I believe this country is best govern from the middle, either slightly to the left or right depending on who has the power. And the reason, there are a whole bunch on the “other” side and independents who do not buy what either the far left or right is selling.
From Vox.
“The silent majority of Democratic House freshmen”
“A lot of the new Democrats in the House are a little more moderate than you think.
National attention has focused on a handful of young, left-wing first-time members of Congress elected to safe seats. But realistically, the future of the House lies with a larger group of Democrats who eked out narrow wins in newly purple districts.
Most of the freshmen come from swing districts,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), who beat four-term incumbent Republican Leonard Lance by 5 points in 2018. “We come from places where voters want us to focus on getting things done that can actually be achieved.”
Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA), who defeated GOP Rep. Steve Knight in a Los Angeles district long held by Republicans, says she is a “pragmatic progressive.” Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), the former CIA agent who defeated Tea Party stalwart Dave Brat, calls it “passionate pragmatism.”
Whatever you call it, these members are less interested in a 70 percent top tax rate or a Green New Deal than they are in passing targeted fixes to protect the Affordable Care Act and lower the cost of health care, promoting renewable energy, and maybe looking for an infrastructure deal to fix crumbling roads and boost rural broadband to speed up slow internet in their districts. They’re happy to discuss the more ambitious policy ideas animating the left, like Medicare-for-all, but they still have serious reservations.
A dozen interviews in the first weeks of the new Congress reveal that one of the biggest limiting factors for any future progressive legislative agenda will be what these Democrats from the swing districts are willing to talk about.
“There’s a number of us who are really, really passionate about the reasons why we’re here. But through a real pragmatic lens,” Spanberger told Vox in a recent interview. “Voters trusted us, went outside their normal voting patterns, so we have a tremendous obligation.”
Moderate first-term Democrats want to fix Obamacare before they think about Medicare-for-all
Ben McAdams, the former Salt Lake County mayor who was elected by one of the most conservative Democratic-held districts in a squeaker, is a Medicare-for-all skeptic. People should have a little skin in the game, he said. If health care is free, then people might use more health care, which drives up costs. He wants moderate voices to have a place in the debate, saying: “Congress should be a free market of ideas.”
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who narrowly defeated Mimi Walters, is an exception in this red-to-blue cohort, an ardent Medicare-for-all supporter and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) disciple. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), on the other hand, doesn’t think Medicare-for-all should be the starting point of the health care debate.
“I don’t think there are many Republicans that wouldn’t agree with the outcome of access to high-quality care at affordable prices,” Phillips said. Phillips said his first priority is to shore up the ACA, but he is open to new ideas for expanding health care, like a Medicare buy-in.
“I’m trying to find a way to build bridges to conservative thinking, which demands competition and freedom to choose,” he said. “So have a public option! Give people the freedom to choose.”
Many first-term Democrats are loyal to the health care law we already have, like Lauren Underwood, a former Health and Human Services official under Obama, who trounced Illinois Republican Randy Hultgren by running on saving the Affordable Care Act.
“I came here on a mission to help fix our health care system,” Underwood said. She’s urging a funding injection to increase competition in the ACA’s markets and, as a former nurse, she wants to focus on building out America’s health care workforce.
What about a Green New Deal? a reporter asked her. Underwood shrugged.
“I don’t know that much about it,” she said. “I’ve just seen hashtags.”
More in the following post. Long article.
Instead of putting this on the catch all thread I felt this article deserved its own thread. I think those an the far left should read this because I believe there is a lot of truth in this article.
Fundamentally I agree with most of the socialist part of the Democratic Party is advocating for. But realistically most of what they want is not going to happen. And because of that, they need to learn to compromise. Which they don’t seem to want to do. Just like the old Tea Party crowd didn’t want to do.
I believe this country is best govern from the middle, either slightly to the left or right depending on who has the power. And the reason, there are a whole bunch on the “other” side and independents who do not buy what either the far left or right is selling.
From Vox.
“The silent majority of Democratic House freshmen”
“A lot of the new Democrats in the House are a little more moderate than you think.
National attention has focused on a handful of young, left-wing first-time members of Congress elected to safe seats. But realistically, the future of the House lies with a larger group of Democrats who eked out narrow wins in newly purple districts.
Most of the freshmen come from swing districts,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), who beat four-term incumbent Republican Leonard Lance by 5 points in 2018. “We come from places where voters want us to focus on getting things done that can actually be achieved.”
Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA), who defeated GOP Rep. Steve Knight in a Los Angeles district long held by Republicans, says she is a “pragmatic progressive.” Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), the former CIA agent who defeated Tea Party stalwart Dave Brat, calls it “passionate pragmatism.”
Whatever you call it, these members are less interested in a 70 percent top tax rate or a Green New Deal than they are in passing targeted fixes to protect the Affordable Care Act and lower the cost of health care, promoting renewable energy, and maybe looking for an infrastructure deal to fix crumbling roads and boost rural broadband to speed up slow internet in their districts. They’re happy to discuss the more ambitious policy ideas animating the left, like Medicare-for-all, but they still have serious reservations.
A dozen interviews in the first weeks of the new Congress reveal that one of the biggest limiting factors for any future progressive legislative agenda will be what these Democrats from the swing districts are willing to talk about.
“There’s a number of us who are really, really passionate about the reasons why we’re here. But through a real pragmatic lens,” Spanberger told Vox in a recent interview. “Voters trusted us, went outside their normal voting patterns, so we have a tremendous obligation.”
Moderate first-term Democrats want to fix Obamacare before they think about Medicare-for-all
Ben McAdams, the former Salt Lake County mayor who was elected by one of the most conservative Democratic-held districts in a squeaker, is a Medicare-for-all skeptic. People should have a little skin in the game, he said. If health care is free, then people might use more health care, which drives up costs. He wants moderate voices to have a place in the debate, saying: “Congress should be a free market of ideas.”
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who narrowly defeated Mimi Walters, is an exception in this red-to-blue cohort, an ardent Medicare-for-all supporter and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) disciple. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), on the other hand, doesn’t think Medicare-for-all should be the starting point of the health care debate.
“I don’t think there are many Republicans that wouldn’t agree with the outcome of access to high-quality care at affordable prices,” Phillips said. Phillips said his first priority is to shore up the ACA, but he is open to new ideas for expanding health care, like a Medicare buy-in.
“I’m trying to find a way to build bridges to conservative thinking, which demands competition and freedom to choose,” he said. “So have a public option! Give people the freedom to choose.”
Many first-term Democrats are loyal to the health care law we already have, like Lauren Underwood, a former Health and Human Services official under Obama, who trounced Illinois Republican Randy Hultgren by running on saving the Affordable Care Act.
“I came here on a mission to help fix our health care system,” Underwood said. She’s urging a funding injection to increase competition in the ACA’s markets and, as a former nurse, she wants to focus on building out America’s health care workforce.
What about a Green New Deal? a reporter asked her. Underwood shrugged.
“I don’t know that much about it,” she said. “I’ve just seen hashtags.”
More in the following post. Long article.