What is the Republican plan?

Posted September 28, 2006 - 5:28pm by Expat Teacher

I just finished listening to Rahm Emanuel talk on C-Span's podcast about his newest book, co-authored with Bruce Reed, entitled "The Plan: Big Ideas for America" and I have to say that I'm impressed. Go ahead and read part of the plan. Or you can read the WaPo book review.

Oh, sure I'm probably naturally inclined to like what I hear from the DCCC chairman, but "The Plan" is rather impressive. It is not overly ambitious, but it does clearly lay out a roadmap where Democrats believe America should go. With only 40 days left before the mid-term elections, it is all the more important to figure out what each party plans to do if elected. If Emanuel and Reed get their way, they have an 8-point plan.

  • Universal Civilian Service
  • Universal College Access
  • Universal Retirement Savings
  • Universal Children's Healthcare
  • End gerrymandering
  • Tax Reform
  • Fighting the War on Terror Smarter
  • Energy Independence

Now, you may or may not like the plan, but at least you know what the Democratic caucus wants to do over the next 2 years.

Compared that with the little that the Republican-controlled Congress has done over the last 6 years, Democrats look more prepared and ready to govern.

The most important question is: What is the Republican plan? More of the same?

No thanks. I've had enough.

Crossposted at Page 132

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Comments

Expat, So this is what Dems

by Nick (not verified) - 10/02/2006 - 7:51am

Expat,
So this is what Dems plan for the next **TWO** years? What about the two after that? Cure AIDS, put a man on Mars and colonize the Moon?

That said, Emanuel's on the right track with his Democrat version of a Contract With America. At least it's something to discuss. As I say, you can only turn a ship that's moving. The Dem ship has been moored to the dock for years and perhaps this will get them out on the water.

Even if the GOP wins in November (which I doubt), a better opposition is needed and Emanuel has provided a lot of energy this year.

Well it is pretty ambitious

by Expat Teacher - 10/02/2006 - 3:00pm

Nick,

That's a fine critique about being overly ambitious and it is probably due to my writing and not Emanuel's Plan. I'm sure he'd say over the next two years they'd take steps to start the doing the things they laid out. Not necessarily complete them.

My main point of the post wasn't that Dems have all the right answers and that these 8 points are the be all and end of all of policy. My main point was simply that Democrats have a clear plan. Republicans don't. Not even the vaguest outline of a plan.

dem plan

by Jim Keffer - 10/04/2006 - 9:07am

There are many parts of the Dem plan as outlined by Mr. Emanuel that I like. I like the idea of simplifying the tax code. However, I also want to pay less taxes. I'm not alone. It seems like this is the biggest impediment to simplifying the tax code - no one wants to pay more taxes. At the same time, I want the federal goverment to do more to help me with things I like (pay for health research, keep the country safe, and make sure I get the money I've flushed down the Social Security toiletbowl).

I also think the plan to have universal retirement accounts sounds good. Who doesn't want enough money to be able to retire in a semi-comfortable way? Paying for it is the problem. How do we make sure that any money set aside doesn't get shunted into other government programs? How will that plan be structured so that it out-performs my own retirement plan? If the plan doesn't do better than my current plan that is jointly funded by me and my employer, then I don't want to pay for someone else's retirement.

I think universal healthcare for children is important - if that means more than everyone can go to the ED when they have a cold - as this is is NOT a cheap way to provide care. What is needed is effective primary care (meaning preventative and acute (when you get sick) for children so they all get vaccinated and screened for common conditions. Also, it's important to pay for interventions to decrease adolescent use of tobacco/alcohol/illegal drugs and to promote healthy habits to decrease adolescent obesity, which causes significant illness and premature death in adulthood.

Again, how do we pay for it? Do we contain costs by only extending coverage kids whose parent are US citizens? Do we contain costs by setting federal guidelines for what quality care, so that resources (which we are all going to be paying for) are effectively used?

I think these are questions that need to be asked and answered before any of us who don't regularly vote democrat will start to vote that way.

I'm not even going to touch terrorism, because this post is already too long.

Some additional clarification

by Expat Teacher - 10/04/2006 - 10:51pm

Jim,

I'm afraid you can't have your pie and eat it too. The truth is that under Republican tutelage, Congress has been spending like a drunken sailor and that money will have to come from somewhere. Emanuel hasn't taken a stand that Dems will lower taxes because he knows that the Chinese will want to get paid at some point.

His plan is to look at the tax code and put logical deductions together. Apparently, there are 4 different deductions families can take that are related to college tuition expenses. Emanuel thinks they should be rolled into one. That is what he is talking about when it comes to simplifying the tax code.

About universal retirement accounts, Emanuel is advocating for automatic enrollment in 401-ks. It would be an opt out, rather than opt in program. They would also be portable between jobs, so that folks who change jobs 5-7 times (the new average), they won't have to manage 5-7 accounts.

I haven't read the book, only heard the podcast, so there was no discussion of exactly what the parameters of a the under-18 universal healthcare. I imagine it would be modeled off the several states that have it. Usually eligibility it is tied to school enrollment. As for how to pay for it, I'm unsure. Health insurance companies would reap benefits by having under-18s receive preventative care rather than go to the ER every time they get sick. Some states have levied a tax on the health care companies. Others have raised the B&O tax in general. A few others have just opened up the public sector HMO plan to the under-18s.

This may not be the answer you were hoping for, but that is some clarification on the Democrats' plan. Remind me again, what is the Republican plan?

Regarding terrorism. I haven't read Emanuel's book, so I don't know what he is proposing, but you can see what I think at one of my other posts.

Universal College Access

by TomK - 10/03/2006 - 3:00pm

Expat, I expect I could be on board with the majority of that in principle, especially the last five. The one that sticks in my craw, though, is the universal college access provision. I think it'll do nothing except be a force diluting the educational quality of our colleges the same way our government meddling has destroyed our schools at the primary level, plus it'll be a big fat handout to the educational business. We're exchanging corporate welfare for this?!?

I'll try to get my thoughts into a post, since it's primarily based on a personal experience within the college business.

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