One need not resort to reading tea leaves to divine the Democrats’ intentions for 2020 and beyond. Party leaders have been candid about their legislative goals in the year since gaining control of the House, and presidential contenders for the Democratic nomination have publicly showcased their policy priorities. Taking a look at where the Democrats stood in 2019, it’s possible to make some projections for the new year.
Look for continued efforts to roll back border controls. Several Democratic presidential candidates endorsed reducing the penalty of entering the United States illegally to a mere misdemeanor, and without exception, every White House aspirant lined up with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in opposition to deporting illegal immigrants who are not specifically violent felons. Most of them have advocated bestowing them with taxpayer-funded health care and other “free” goodies.
Influential freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has gone so far as to call for altogether abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is tasked with immigration enforcement and countering transnational crime. Invoking Nazi Germany, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez compared ICE detention centers along the southern border to “concentration camps.” Without a major policy shift, Democratic party-supported sanctuary cities will continue to draw illegal aliens in 2020, driving up homelessness, drying up affordable housing and increasing public health and safety costs.
Efforts to curb Second Amendment rights will continue to be a focus for years to come. Playing to their base, primary contestants vied to stand out in their opposition to firearms. Former candidate and Obama-era HUD Secretary Julian Castro stated forthrightly that under his administration, “people would not own handguns.” Prior to dropping out, Beto O’Rourke said, “If we’re able to pass mandatory buybacks and I’m able to sign that into law, then I fully expect our fellow Americans to turn in their AR-15s and their AK-47s.” In Virginia, where Democrats took full control of the legislature in 2019, several counties have declared themselves to be gunowner sanctuaries in anticipation of new gun control measures. In response, Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin said, “Ultimately, I’m not the governor, but the governor may have to mobilize the National Guard to enforce the law.”
Medicare for All may be a non-starter. When 2019 began, the proposal to fold all Americans into a government-controlled single-payer health care plan polled well and was embraced by several Democratic hopefuls. But when voters find out that Medicare for All would terminate the private health insurance industry, support for it evaporates. Sen. Elizabeth Warren stumbled with primary voters when she refused to say whether her version would outlaw most private insurance by the end of her first term. Sen. Bernie Sanders admitted that his plan would eliminate jobs, which University of Massachusetts Amherst economist Robert Pollin pegged at 2 million. Mr. Sanders also estimates the cost of his Medicare for All plan to be “Somewhere between $30 and $40 trillion over a 10-year period.” Unsurprisingly, voter support for Medicare for All fell from a high of 51 percent in August 2017 to just 36 percent today, according to a Quinnipiac poll.
Democrats are committed to dismantling American energy production. On the hustings, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren and former candidate Sen. Kamala Harris pledged to ban hydraulic fracturing, a game-changing drilling innovation that not only transformed the United States from being dependent on hostile nations for energy, but made it a net oil and gas exporter. All of the Democratic contenders favor eliminating oil gas leases on federal lands and waters, a move that would devastate the economies of the nation’s energy-rich regions. Former Vice President Joe Biden pledged, “I guarantee you. We’re going to end fossil fuel.” Mr. Sanders working with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez takes it further with their socialist Green New Deal proposal to shift the country from cheap, reliable fuel to expensive, intermittent “green” energy that would cost $93 trillion in the first 10 years alone, by one estimate, or $65,000 per household each year.
Socialism is ascending within the Democratic Party and will increasingly drive policy initiatives. The rising stars within the Democratic Party describe themselves as socialists. In fact, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez went so far as to bluntly declare, “To me, capitalism is irredeemable.” Former Colorado Governor and former presidential candidate John Hickenlooper found out just how out of step he was with the party’s direction at the California Democratic Convention, where he stated, “If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer,” and was answered with a chorus of boos and jeers.
Americans hoping for meaningful bipartisan legislation in 2020 will be disappointed. High-stakes elections together with the lingering specter of impeachment already ensure a contentious legislative year. Moreover, the increasing sway of far-left ideologists within the Democratic Party makes finding common ground a significant challenge.
Wow! An actual honest and correct assessment of what will be accomplished for anyone out there still deluding themselves into thinking “bipartisanship cooperation” on anything meaningful and positive for the country will be achieved while the Democrats control the House of Representatives. That being absolutely ZERO done for the betterment of the country in 2020!
The author should be congratulated for NOT producing the usual “coulda, woulda, shoulda if only …” cut and paste type articles that so many authors are cranking out these days. Again, it’s nice to read a clear, concise and honest assessment of what will be accomplished legislatively by Congress in 2020 without the usual wishy-washy PC language and childish conclusions.
The dems have already given up on the white house. They will run Joe with several handlers to control him if he accidently wins. Their best wish is to
retain the House and win the senate which essentially gives them 50% control of DC manuvers. I don’t really know if this is such a bad outcome as the
Repubs, even if they had control of the House and Senate, would do little with it (example: 2016-2018). Repubs, other than Trump, live just to “get along”.
No one has yet been jailed for the underhanded plot to undermine Trump. So the Dems are told every day to do whatever they want to do. The Dems don’t need the Whilte House to control DC. The Repubs will apologize if Trump is re-elected. “Repremanding” or “recognizing” the dems who turned traitor on Trump is not
suitable. I want jail time in gruesome prisons and plenty of it.
Other issues NOT being addressed due to Dem blockade in House etc routine running of the nation.
IE balanced budget etc & DC Justice is 2 tier vs outside DC.
No Justice in DC unless your a Dem.
& those in House & Senate who back President to few to effect Change & We lose.
& Dems want virus for Recession for Nov win.
& AARP Helps Dems.
If they have their way, Democrats will essentially destroy our American way of life. My Dad fought in WWII and was a POW. He fought for our country and both my brother and I are Veterans. Freedom is NOT free. And there is no such thing as “free stuff.” Someone has to foot the bill. And that will be us, the American taxpayer if these idiots get in the White House. The best thing all of us freedom-loving citizens can do is VOTE in November.
“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” – Ben Franklin
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” – Ronald Reagan
Given the Democrat Party glide slope, America is in real trouble. I can only pray enough Americans see through all the garbage and vote accordingly.
We don’t need the DIMS cooperation on legislation as long as President Trump continues to use Executive Order to reduce regulation, transfer monies into border patrol and MOST IMPORTANTLY gets to name Ruth Ginsberg’s replacement on SCOTUS
Yesterday, at a Town Hall meeting televised on FOX News, Pres. Trump said we need to keep the majority in the Senate and, if possible, regain control of the House, and of course retain the White House. Correct, so far as it goes, but to REALLY get anything done, we need all that plus 60-66 seats in the Senate. That’s a heavy lift given the polarization of the USA. However, it takes that much for the Senate to actually pass any new legislation. Just having the majority in the Senate allows that party to control what legislation gets voted upon, but about all a bare majority can do is to pass continuing legislation, especially on the budget. To have any real progress, it takes 2/3 of the Senate. We would not be getting the conservative, original-intent constitutionalist judges that we are presently getting had it not been for Democrat Harry Reid, when he was Senate majority leader, breaking with tradition and beginning the process of approving judges on a simple majority vote. But once the Democrats opened that door, the Republicans have used it to turn the courts more conservative (yea!).
I think there will be an overwhelming victory for President Trump. We always have to be concerned with down-ballot voting to make sure the legislative branch is not focusing on the socialist agenda items like the recent past. We have to make certain that conservative agendas from the administrative branch are complimented with conservative votes in the house and senate. The Democrats are going to be hard-pressed to come out of their convention in Milwaukee with any coherent platform that reaches Mainstream America. I truly believe that American voters see right through the Democrat charade, and they recognize that left leaning policies will absolutely kill the economic momentum that we have experienced during the last 3 1/2 years. When the two remaining candidates talk about tax increases, they mean it. The bottom line for the Bern and for Uncle Joe is to make America poor on the backs of entire population, and no one will be immune to the ravages that it will bring to every household.
This is such a sad commentary of who far down the Democrats have sunk. Where are the thinking Democrats? My Dad would be so disappointed in his party if he were still alive.
The comment at the end of the article from AMAC is “If you enjoy articles like this . . .”…
I certainly did not “enjoy” the article; quite frankly it is frightening and unfortunately the truth. I just received an article from Hillsdale College discussing all their efforts in education (K-12) which is where the brainwashing starts complements of the N.E.A. It is unreal to my mind how the benefits of capitalist society can be swept under the rug and shouted down by so many Democrats. I think if the elected Representatives were permitted by Pelosi and Schumer to speak and vote their mind we would see a different story emerging
Where are the conservative democrats. They are becoming fewer and fewer or keeping under the radar. Remember Heath Shuler a Conservative Democratic Congressman from North Carolina served about 10-12 years ago. After two terms he walked away from his seat as he had been taken criticism from other democrats. They can not even have respect for fellow party members. Either their way or the highway.
New name for Democrats….Destructionists!
I’m not sure what the infection is, but the new woke left seems intent on self-destruction. Bringing our economy to a halt by banning fossil fuels to thwart a climate problem that may have little to do with mankind. Giving a free pass to those who have over committed themselves to student loans while punishing those who were diligent in paying back their self-imposed debt. Allowing the free movement of immigrants across our borders without knowing anything about those streaming in. Free college to anyone which will mean a dumbing-down of college to the lowest common denominator. Restricting or abolishing our right to carry arms for self protection, which will help reassure the mass murderers out there who will definitely have access to high capacity weapons, that no one will be shooting back at them when they open fire. The non-criminalization of theft, destruction of private property, illicit drug use and lewd behavior, putting small businesses out of business and creating extensive social mistrust and a ‘lock-down’ mentality.
What are these people thinking??
An excellent article indeed….! I feel rewarded when we can still fight this battle of socialism-sugar coated communism with words and reasoning, for if we don’t, I foresee a revolution of mammoth consequences.
After reading this article how can anybody with a little brain vote democrat,
Not a word on the Democratic stance regarding life? Really?
Not a word on the Democratic stance regarding life. Really?
Good Deal!! “When congress is in session your life, liberty, and happiness are in danger”!!!!
Please look up the Tytler Cycle on the internet. It will be an eye opener for those who haven’t heard of it.
As the “late” Pocahontas famously said when queried on her medical plan for Americans, “Well the devil is in the details ”
It’s interesting how often the Prince of Darkness is mentioned when discussing the Dems , almost as if there were a filial relationship?
No long statements here, Socialism has no place in making governmental decisions for our form of governing. Socialism and Fascism run hand in hand. They are nothing like our governing “of the people, by the people” which made The United States of America the greatest nation in the world.
Maybe Socialism will make the democrat party irrelevant.
I see democrats as pushing for a left wingnut dictatorship. They paint America as if everything is free which the poor love. It’s pure evil in disguise and the ignorant, uneducated along with illegals are all on board. I would hope once President Trump is re-elected he will go after those who usurped the Constitution and we’re involved in the 2nd failed coup with the intent to prosecute to the full extent of the law. This would be step one. Step two: end this BS democrat party and incarcerate George Seros. Coronavirus is another left wing attempt to destroy America and topple our President.
This is proof that conservatives need to regain control of the house and increase our majority in the Senate. The Democrats are bent on Socialism. What befuddles me is that so many Democrats, lots of whom are rich want to push America to the far left. I can only guess that they feel they are entitled to their riches and the rest of the country can pay the bills. This is usually what happens in socialist societies. The ruling elite live fat on the hog while the majority of the population goes along or goes to jail or worse. We need to fight this at the ballot box and if that doesn’t work, that’s the reason for our second amendment.
Let’s tell the dems that we will give up our right to bear arms when they give up their right to abortion !
This article explains why republicans MUST take the house back in 2020!!! TRUMP 2020 including the house and senate. If this happens, just watch our President go!!!!
We are now observing the emerging pandemic of early onset idiocracy in our nation as Bernie’s “Children’s Crusade” marches onward toward oblivion like lemmings marching over a cliff into the sea. Most of his sycophants (or should I say psychophants) are cerebral Lilliputians who do not have the attention span of a fruit fly, much less any quantifiable knowledge or understanding of the real world and how it truly works. These intellectually homeless folks repetitively devour their political idol’s pratings as if it were intoxicating ambrosia.
Unfortunately, many of the other Demsheviks seeking to achieve a one-up-man-ship over Comrade Bernie have embraced more extreme positions than they would otherwise probably have if Bernie and Pocahontas were not in the picture. This does not auger well for the future of America because these people are not going away. We have to win elections EVERY time to keep them at bay. They only have to win ONCE for it to be “game over” for America.
As baby boomers/seniors we have a responsibility to not only vote and support President Trump but we need to support those in our states who are trying to unseat Democrats in both houses of Congress. Getting out to vote is not enough. We need to knock on doors and call those in our districts to get out and support our Republican candidates. As we have heard and read, this is a war for the soul of America. I will be darned if If I am going to allow these evil Social Democrats to take away any of my freedoms. We must produce the vote that will be heard around the world, America yes, socialism/communism no. We need to make it loud and clear. I refuse to lay down and take it. My vote and my support will be heard.
If you hate The United States of America, vote for Democrats.
I wish goals and Socialist sympathies were the biggest problem with Democrats. Party leadership and the media have lied, cheated, manipulated and gas lighted so much that I no longer consider them marginally capable of representing the vast majority of American people. It’s sad, really, but I’m too angry to feel sorry for them
The Socialist agenda can never work in our American culture. As a matter of fact it cannot work anywhere in the World. Tried for centuries and failed every time and is still failing and will never stop failing.
For decades, the Communists – er, I mean the Democrats – have shown very clearly that they have nothing but complete contempt for our citizens and our Constitution. The Leftist motto, for more than 200 years now, has been and remains: Power and control, at any price, at any cost. Their goal is the complete destruction of this nation and the establishment of a Leftist totalitarian dictatorship.
Talk about government waste! If they won’t work together to get the job done, all of them need to be gone. TERM LIMITS would eliminate most of their ability to amass fortunes while in office. Just maybe term limits would have the effect of eliminating all but those who really want to work to help the US remain the country it has been for almost 250 years.
These people are a festering cancer on this great country and will destroy it if we don’t defeat them. They want to take away everything that made this country the greatest place on earth to live. Our forefathers fought and died to make this country what it is today and if need be I will do the same. TRUMP WINS IN A LANDSLIDE (2020)
Amen, Frank S. On July 4th the country will be 244 years old. At this same point in Roman history, the republic was preparing to become an Empire, headed by an emperor. We are headed in the same direction.
None of the many Democrat voters we know, prefer any of the big government, socialist takeover proposals, of the Democrats running
for president.
What really scares me is how someone who proudly proclaims his Marxist Communist platform can actually get traction in the United States of America’s Presidential election! How is that even POSSIBLE?
Both parties must come together for the good of USA. Let the voters decide who they want to represent them in Washington, DC
In short, dummocrats would trash the Constitution and ruin America. What’s not to like?