Progressive Policies FOR THE PEOPLE Are the Real Gold - A PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM

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THE  POLICIES  Of  Progressivism are 

What Progressives 

really stand for

Most of these are ideas that fit with a general Progressive "consensus".

A few more have been added by The Blogger.




    A  PROGRESSIVE  PLATFORM


--Restoration of Pre-Reagan-era tax rates for earners from 
   $300,000 per year and UP.

--Corporate tax rate of at least 35%/year, NO LESS, enforced
   with some current deductions removed.

--PENALTIES ADDED, and NO SPECIAL TAX BREAKS ANYMORE, 
   for foreign-earned corporate profits held overseas.    
   
--Raising the tax on Investment Income, so that the tax-rates
   on Investment Income and Labor Income are equal, with the
   exception of pensions and retirement accounts.

--Raise the base-rate payroll tax (max amount that can be taxed) for 
   Social Security from the present $127K, to $300K.

-- Single-Payer Healthcare (including vision and dental).

-- Strengthened and expanded Social Security/pension system.

-- Free Public Education thru Community College.

-- Lowered costs for 4-year colleges/student loans available 
    at 1% MAX interest rate.

-- MAJOR, ONGOING national infrastucture programs (with possible re- 
    establishment of voluntary CCC/WPA-like programs 
    to employ citizens and re-build the country).

-- Strong support of Public Resources (parks, forest reserves, 
    roads, bridges, etc), and general opposition to privatization of these 
    resources.

-- Sensible regulations of Financial Sector (i.e. Re-instatement of 
    Glass-Steagal and some other key regulations).

--Ending the revolving door between industry and government jobs,
   by imposing a 7-year minimum period between moving from   
   Government job to a specifically regulated industry, or
   vice-versa.

-- The placing of the National Reserve Bank under Public control 
    needs to be PUBLICALLY  considered and discussed, 
    and possibly enacted.

-- Establishment of a basic, stable, Public Banking System, 
    on state and federal levels.

-- Support for full restoration, and enforcement of, Net Neutrality, 
    in all aspects.

-- Total financial AUDIT of the entire US Military.
    Significant cuts and REFORM/updating in military expenditures, 
    across-the-board, with "insider" profiteering being especially 
    condemned, severely penalized and eliminated. 
    A 25% cut in ALL Military expenditures should be sought.

-- An immediate end to all use of drones for assassination/attack, 
    unless it occurs in a country the US Congress has officially 
    declared War against. 

-- Cutbacks in US bases around the world, both in number and size of 
    bases, by at least 50%. This could be accomplished by using base- 
    closures as bargaining chips in multi-lateral Treaties.

-- Opposition to building a new generation of micro-nuclear weapons            (cost: $1-$2Trillion), as proposed during the Obama administration.

-- Peace talks with ALL major countries, with the goal
    of international stability via multinational treaties and agreements,
    wherever possible. Multilateral Weapons reduction should 
    be pursued.

-- Multi-lateral Nuclear Arms reduction must be pursued, involving 
    every nation possessing nuclear weapons.

--Multi-lateral negotiations with all major nations regarding a major   
   treaty limiting Cyber-Warfare in all forms.

-- Opposition to any and all privatization of the US Postal Service.

-- Full and active support for Gay Marriage and LGBT rights in all areas.

-- Full support for Abortion rights.

-- Full and active support for labor unions and trade unions.

-- Aggressive opposition to vote-suppression in America, 
    whether done via caging methods
   such as "Interstate Cross-check", closing polling places in partisanly- 
   selected areas, or partisanly-manipulated ID requirements 
   or gerrymandering.

-- Support for the re-establishing and enforcement of 
   the full and ENTIRE Voting Rights Act.

-- Support and PROMOTE the idea of using **hand-marked, 
    hand-counted PAPER-BALLOTS**  in all
   Federal elections, 
   counted at the polling site before being moved, 
   under witnesses from BOTH PARTIES,  with
   **no computers or electronic tabulation** used in the process.

-- Unequivocal opposition to the Citizens United ruling, 
   supporting its full repeal, as soon as possible.

-- Support for Public Financing of all campaigns for Public Office.

-- Review and reform of US small-business regulations, 
   with simplification and clarity
   being the goals; 
   Some additional tax breaks given, where possible, to 
   SMALL BUSINESSES ONLY.

-- Promotion of cooperative (i.e. employee-owned) 
    businesses (small & medium-sized, esp), across-the-country.

-- Any multinational TRADE DEALS MUST henceforth include full           
    monetization
    of social/environmental costs as well as private companies' 
    profits and loss.

-- Full opposition to, and support for total and 
    complete cancellation of, the ISDS 
    provisions of NAFTA, and in ANY OTHER TRADE DEAL 
    or Treaty they should appear, to protect National Sovereignty.

-- An immediate end to Public School privatization- i.e. Prohibition of
    ALL Public School monies going to for-profit schools, whether in
    the form of charter schools, vouchers, or similar.

-- Promotion of renewable-energy sources and 
    related "green" technology thru tax credits and other means.

-- Full Federal legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana.

 --Push to end the drug war in the entire western hemisphere.

-- Reform of government, at local, state and Federal levels, 
    via INCREASED TRANSPARENCY of daily functions, 
    and mandatory speedy disclosure of all functional 
    gov't documents and records.
    Also, increased public scrutiny/availability of public budgets, 
    records and contract negotiations, 
    especially via timely ONLINE availability 
    to The Public.

-- Federal tax (5%?) on ALL US retail-sold processed foods, 
    household toxins, alcohol and tobacco products, all firearms 
    and ammunition, and all sports equipment that involves a projectile 
    or striking instrument ---- Revenue to be used to help finance
    a Federal Single-Payer Healthcare system 
    (AKA "Medicare For All").

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Was something important left out?

Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, etc in comments section.

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