|
Aside from shoring up national standards for voting laws, more should be done to strengthen congressional oversight by codifying enforcement. Moreover, the presidency has just undergone a "stress test" during the Trump Administration, and we can now see many more "leaks" in our system of checks and balances. Too much is referred to as "norms", "traditions," and "policy." More laws need to be passed to enforce separation of powers, checks and balances, and independence. Enough with the grey areas. Make it law, make it enforceable, avoid constitutional controversy in the future. This all should be part of the "Build Back Better" plan. —Sam B., Texas
I think the president would be smart to do two things that are doable. First, he needs to get the infrastructure bill that was passed in the Senate passed by the House. I think he might get enough votes from Republicans in Congress to pass it, bypassing Progressive Democrats. Second, he should help eliminate the filibuster and pass the voter rights legislation that would nullify any Republican-imposed voter restrictions at the state level. I would get those two wins done and back off the 'Build Back Better' legislative plan, then see how Republicans react to both of those wins. —Lee A., Utah
The top priority for President Biden should be true tax reform. Here's the way to get Krysten Sinema on board as well as maybe a few moderate Republicans. Propose a sweeping tax REDUCTION bill by eliminating a lot of deductions. Here's my idea: A $60,000 exemption for couples and $30,000 for single taxpayers. That's the median income. That means that 50% of the population would pay no federal income tax. Lower the top tax bracket to 25%.
How to pay for all the reductions: If you take the exemption, you cannot itemize. Cap personal deductions at $200,000 or whatever the Council of Economic Advisers determines will be revenue-neutral. I believe the vast majority of Americans would see a significant tax reduction and would back such a plan. Any politician who would resist would probably find himself or herself in deep trouble. —Phil F., Tennessee
|
Today, almost five and a half years after the hashtag #NeverTrump began trending on Twitter, the Renew America Movement has moved beyond debating what should be done about Donald Trump and his takeover of the Republican Party. We have moved on to doing the hard work of winning elections. The movement is composed of hundreds of prominent current and former Republican leaders, hundreds of thousands of donors large and small, and millions of social media followers. It includes intellectual leaders, media pundits, think tanks, political operatives, and a robust fundraising, organizational, and political infrastructure. The ground is being laid for this movement to evolve into a party, if events take us there. The GOP has not exactly split—yet—but chunks of it are breaking off. This new movement is a reality. But where does it go from here? And how long before it is capable of winning elections? We are still far from reaching full development. But we were a factor in the 2020 election, and we are gearing up to make a difference in 2022. America needs this movement to succeed. Our democracy is still under threat, and we are likely to face a massive constitutional crisis in the next two elections. We can't avoid this fight. Instead, to win it, we need to build a broad, pro-democracy coalition that includes those of us who used to be loyal Republicans. The good news is that it's happening. —
