Democratic Priorities that scare me... Options

[Hartmann]

I'm interested in seeing what the Democrats do in power but the following stuff scares the crap out of me.

1. Military: Force an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq and conduct oversight hearings on missteps on the war. Democrats renewed their call for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign.
   
   Definitely not a good idea.
   
   
2. Transportation: Consolidate air traffic control facilities. Allow more foreign control of airlines. Limit the number of Transportation Security Administration airport screeners to 45,000. More oversight hearings on the Federal Aviation Administration.
   
   What?! Foreign control of airlines?! I can't wait to fly "Al-Qaeda Air"!!!
   
   
3. Minimum wage. Pass legislation to raise the minimum wage from the current $5.15 an hour to $7.25
   
   This has been covered before, a basic economics course would help immensely.

Things I am glad to see happening:

1. Veterans affairs: Increase oversight with detailed budget accountings. More funding for veterans' health care, including additional mental health counseling for vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
2. Energy and environment: Increase incentives for biodiesel, ethanol and other alternative fuels as well as wind, solar, geothermal and other sources of alternative energy. Renegotiate oil and gas leases that waived royalty payments to the government. Impose a national cap on industrial carbon dioxide emissions. Resist Bush's efforts to open more public lands to oil exploration (iffy on the last part).
3. Intelligence: Increase attention given to emerging terrorist threats in Africa and Southeast Asia and devote more resources to North Korea and Iran. More oversight of terrorism and government surveillance.

I am on the fence about some of their healthcare stuff, taxes, and agriculture plans.

[Mommy]

1) I dont know how I feel about pulling troops out of Iraq... Doesnt seem like the situation is going to change anytime soon and we are just wasting resources over there... at least thats what it seems like at this point.

2) Consolidating air traffic control, allowing foreign control of airlines, and limiting the TSA... wow. thats really stupid. On the other hand, many reports have shown that air travel isnt any safer then it was before 9/11.

3) I am all for raising minimum wage. I dont think economics courses can predict what the effect of raising minimum wage will be. Its all theoretical. As it very well could hurt the economy, it could also help it. I dont see $7.25 as unreasonable seeing as how minimum wage has been the same for 10 years.


Issues that are most important to me right now:
1) Education
2) Healthcare
3) Iraq
4) North Korea and Iran

I put Iraq before N.K. and Iran because we need to solve one problem at a time otherwise we will get in over our heads.


This post has been edited by Jessica: Nov 8 2006, 02:54 PM

[impala454]

2) Consolidating air traffic control, allowing foreign control of airlines, and limiting the TSA... wow. thats really stupid. On the other hand, many reports have shown that air travel isnt any safer then it was before 9/11.

What do you mean? Why would the safety of air travel be any different regarding 911? I know it seems obvious it would change but it really shouldn't have. I mean, over millions of flights, how many have crashed/been wrecked into buildings?