The DemocratÂ's New Direction For America aims to make health care more affordable, lower gas prices and achieve energy independence, help working families by increasing the minimum wage substantially, cut college costs, ensure a dignified retirement for all, and pledges a return to fiscal discipline in the federal government where revenues and expenditures are balanced. The Democrats New Direction stands in stark contrast to the last six years under a Republican administration and congress where polls show that more than 66% of the country believes we are going in the wrong direction. We have rising health care costs, rising energy prices, an out of control budget and trade deficit, rising college costs, and rising insecurity about retirement.
Now it is Republicans who do not have a plan, unless they call for more of the same, if they dare. The last six years has been an unprecedented time where one party has held nearly universal control over the federal government. The Republicans thus have had the ability to enact their agenda at will. In the great debate between Democrats and Republicans over which philosophy is best for running the country, we may not know for sure if the Democrats are right but the last six years have unequivocally taught us that the Republicans are wrong. The Republicans are left with nothing to show for six years of control of the American political scene. The economy is lukewarm at best. The financial markets are at the same levels they were six years ago, barely any new jobs have been created and if you factor in growth of the population, jobs have actually been lost. The rest of the world views us and our motives with suspicion after our stated justification for a pre-emptive war failed to pan out. An end result of failure greets Republican efforts of the last six years everywhere they turn.
Learn more about the DemocratÂ's New Direction for America at http://www.housedemocrats.com. Below is copied from a pdf document at that site.
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A NEW DIRECTION FOR AMERICA
Democrats in Congress offer a New Direction, putting the common good of all Americans first for a change, and will:
MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE
Fix the prescription drug program by putting people ahead of drug companies and HMOs, eliminating wasteful subsidies, negotiating lower drug prices and ensuring the program works for all seniors; invest in stem cell and other medical research.
LOWER GAS PRICES AND ACHIEVE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Crack down on price gouging; eliminate billions in subsidies for oil and gas companies and use the savings to provide consumer relief and develop American alternatives, including biofuels; promote energy efficient technology.
HELP WORKING FAMILIES
Raise the minimum wage; repeal tax giveaways that encourage companies to move jobs overseas.
CUT COLLEGE COSTS
Make college tuition deductible from taxes; expand Pell grants and cut student loan costs.
ENSURE DIGNIFIED RETIREMENT
Prevent the privatization of Social Security; expand savings incentives; ensure pension fairness.
REQUIRE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Restore the budget discipline of the 1990s that helped eliminate deficits and spur record economic growth.
Learn more at http://www.housedemocrats.com.
THE WRONG DIRECTION
The Bush Administration and the Republican Majority in Congress have taken the country in the wrong direction for Americans and their families.
RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS
Under this Administration, the cost of family health insurance has risen more than 70%, or an average of $4,500 per family, and 6 million more Americans are uninsured. Meanwhile, the Majority has enacted a confusing and costly prescription drug benefit that prohibits Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices, has cut funding for medical research, and has prohibited federal funding of a real stem cell research program.
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