The Democrats at long last are offering an agenda, or at least a cobbled together list of small time programs that they can try to pass off as an agenda. As USA Today reports:
Democratic House and Senate leaders are planning to reduce the cost of student loans and prescription drugs, raise the minimum wage and launch an effort to develop alternative fuels if they win back control of Congress.
What’s clear from this article is that Democrats lack a cogent vision of domestic policy. Republicans may often do a bad job at enacting their vision, and on some measures, like on spending, have moved in the absolute wrong direction, but the GOP knows what it is supposed to stand for: smaller government, lower taxes, and more freedom. Conservatives don’t need to hold endless meetings to come up with their domestic policy agenda. On the big ticket items, conservatives know what they want: Social Security reform that includes personal accounts, a lower, flater, simplified tax code, Health Savings Accounts, lower spending, less regulation and school choice.
It’s telling that the best that the Democrats can come up with is ‘eliminating about $18 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies. Pelosi said savings would go to develop alternative fuels.’ This may excite a few of their environmental wacko base, but it is hardly a vision for governance.