We Want Five Things
#5Things
We need an extremely simple program which we can relentlessly push, all the time, at every level. Something simple enough that more or less everyone on the entire Left could be easily convinced to support it. Something so obviously good for normal people that lots of totally unpoliticized people could also easily be convinced to support it. Something with aims which are ambitious but feasible. Something we can pressure unions, putatively left-wing politicians, and all left-wing parties and organizations into supporting. Something which is completely universal in its aims so its benefits apply to the largest possible number of people. Something which is plainly opposed to elites and mainstream politicians so that support can even be garnered from among some right-wing populists. Something which can galvanize people. Something to get people behind.
It could look any number of ways. But here, off the top of my head, is my proposal.
WE WANT FIVE THINGS
Public healthcare. Make all healthcare public and free at the point of service. Modify the Constitution to make access to healthcare a right and to outlaw its defunding or privatization.
Cooperative housing. Immediately take concrete steps to move away from landlordism with the eventual goal of abolishing it entirely and replacing it with cooperative housing, public housing and any other relevant models.
Decarbonization. Take all necessary steps to make North America carbon-negative within ten years and provide as much international aid as is feasible to speed decarbonization in developing countries.
No more elite. Cap income at $1 million per year and total net worth at $10 million. Tax everything above that at 100%. Apply this rule to all citizens and residents. Make it a serious criminal offense to evade wealth-cap rules. Pursue bilateral treaties to facilitate taxation of individuals who attempt to flee or hide their money abroad.
Stop lying. Make it a serious criminal offense for an elected official, or a candidate seeking election, to, while in an official capacity, knowingly mislead or lie to the public about a topic of public interest. If you promise to do something and then you don’t do it, you go to jail. If you say you didn’t do something that you did, you go to jail.