Democratic Socialists of America

ECONOMIC JUSTICE AGENDAECONOMIC JUSTICE AGENDA

Overview• Use the improving political scene to put

forward an activistactivist social democratic economic agenda

• Go beyond defense of status quo

• Balance practical and visionary

• Seek debate, input…consensus!

* GOAL is a broad unified left movement *

Four Pillars of a Social Democratic Economic Program

1) Public Revenue:− Progressive taxation & prudent defense cuts

2) High Quality, Universal Public Goods:

− Social insurance− Social wage

3) Powerful, Democratic Labor and Social Movements

− Government accountability− Limit corporate power

4) Global Institutions− Advance labor & human rights & protect environment

Pillar #1: Public Revenue

• Restore high marginal income tax rates on the wealthy

• Restore corporate income tax and close loopholes

• Restoring these to re-Ronald Reagan levels 20% more public revenue

• Others: Wealth tax, inheritance tax

* MAKE WEALTH LESS PROFITABLE ** MAKE WEALTH LESS PROFITABLE *

TaxationTaxation

Pillar #1: Public Revenue

• United States: 25% Nat’l Budget 7% GDP

• Other Countries: 4-7% Budget ≤ 2% GDP

• US spends nearly as much as ALL the other countries of the world COMBINEDCOMBINED

• Many projects (missile defense) are pure pork without defense benefits

Prudent cuts can be made without Prudent cuts can be made without sacrificing National safetysacrificing National safety

Defense and the Military Defense and the Military BudgetBudget

Pillar #2: Public Goods• Single Payer National Health

Insurance– Reduces cost while covering everybody

• Social Security– Defend & expand – NOT privatize– Increase revenue by raising the cap & including state and

local employees• Education

– Equalize expenditures per student PLUS funds for low income & English learners

– Make teaching into a well paid and valued profession– Increase financial support for higher education

• Child Care– Paid parental leave– Public financing of child care

Pillar #2: Public Goods• Single Payer National Health Insurance

– Reduces cost while covering everybody

• Social Security– Defend & expand – NOT privatize– Increase revenue by raising the cap &

including state and local employees• Education

– Equalize expenditures per student PLUS funds for low income & English learners

– Make teaching into a well paid and valued profession

• Child Care– Paid parental leave– Public financing of child care

Pillar #2: Public Goods• Single Payer National Health Insurance

– Reduces cost while covering everybody

• Social Security– Defend & expand – NOT privatize– Increase revenue by raising the cap & including state and

local employees

• Education– Equalize expenditures per student PLUS funds

for low income & English learners– Make teaching into a well paid and valued

profession

• Child Care– Paid parental leave– Public financing of child care

Pillar #3: Working People and their Organizations

• Employee Free Choice Act

• Restore minimum wage

• Restore/improve Health & Safety Regulations

• ENFORCE safety regulations, labor rights, anti-discrimination laws

• Reverse cut backs & extend eligibility period for unemployed & disability insurance

• Expand job retraining and active labor market policies

• Control corporate power by expanding democracy

• Challenge the power of corporate-dominated media

Pillar #3: Working People and their Organizations

• Employee Free Choice Act• Restore minimum wage• Restore/improve Health & Safety Regulations• ENFORCE safety regulations, labor rights, anti-discrimination

laws

• Reverse cutbacks & extend eligibility period for unemployed & disability insurance

• Expand job retraining and active labor market policies

• Control corporate power by expanding democracy

• Challenge the power of corporate-dominated media

Pillar #4: Global Institutions• Renegotiate Trade & Investment

Agreements

– sanction violators of human & labor rights

– restore the ability of developing nations to regulate foreign investors

• Help 3rd world nations develop more integrated and equitable economies

• Protect small scale agriculture in developing nations

• Combat environmental degradation; curtail greenhouse gases; develop renewable energy sources

Pillar #4: Global Institutions• Renegotiate Trade & Investment Agreements

– sanction violators of human & labor rights

– restore the ability of developing nations to regulate foreign investors

• Protect small scale agriculture in developing nations

• Help 3rd world nations develop more integrated and equitable economies

• Combat environmental degradation; curtail greenhouse gases; develop renewable energy sources

In Summary:Reverse Inequality Through Social

Solidarity• Without a democratic state providing for basic human needs,

and democratic ways for people to make their needs known, capitalism produces inhuman levels of social inequality.

• For all citizens to flourish, we all need equal access to high-quality, fairly financed education, health care, childcare, and housing, and a clean environment.

• We need publicly provided social insurance to protect us against the ups and downs of the market and the hazards of normal life: unemployment, illness, disability, and old age.

• Only by building the power of our labor and social movements can we secure the programs and institutions we need. The time is now!

Errors & OmissionsTHIS IS A DRAFT DOCUMENT!THIS IS A DRAFT DOCUMENT!

Environment: More than a globalization issue Public Goods Pillar? DOMESTIC action needed!

Globalization: Need more emphasize on developing strong, healthy, domestic economies in other countries.

Immigration: Our global initiatives would reduce the “Push” factors in immigration – but we need to address rights of those already here!

Education: Need more funding for college, too!

Other Public Goods: Housing, Transportation, Infrastructure (Levees!) – Connect to Social Security Funding?

ORGANIZE!““Majoritarian coalition of the working Majoritarian coalition of the working

and middle class, the poor, the and middle class, the poor, the excluded and people of conscience.”excluded and people of conscience.”

- Public events focusing on the Economic Justice Agenda: small, medium, large…

- Events focusing on ONE PART of the Economic Justice Agenda: Single Payer, Employee Free Choice, Immigration…

- Identify Bills implementing components of the Economic Justice Agenda (maybe get some written?) and lobby and educate around them…

- Presidential Elections, Dem. Convention…???

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Freedom…Democracy…Socialism!

Democratic Socialists of America