What I Want to Hear

Over the last few weeks as I’ve listened to the many (and still growing) number of Democratic candidates for President, I’ve come to realize that what’s missing is the articulation of specific, workable policy proposals.

Several of the candidates have signed on to the Green New Deal. And that’s fine with me (I’ve been reading about and writing about environmental issues for some time). But the Green New Deal is aspirational; it lays out broad goals. What I want to hear from the candidates are clear legislative proposals that will move us toward those goals. For example, zero carbon emissions? Fine, but how specifically do you propose we achieve that goal. And that proposal needs to be not only effective — i.e., present evidence explaining how your proposal will help achieve the goal — but it also needs to be enactable — I.e., show me that it has a better than 50-50 chance of being adopted and made into law.

Likewise, several candidates have proclaimed they want affordable health insurance for all and that’s certainly a worthwhile goal and eminently desirable. But again, I’d like to hear from you some specific proposals — with supporting evidence — that shows how the proposal will help achieve the goal and evidence that shows the proposal stands a good chance of being enacted.

Finally, several candidates have declared they want free college for all. Having spent a good deal of time in higher education, I modestly believe I know something about the finances of our higher education system. So again, while the goal of free college for all is sure to resonate with many, I want to know how we’re going to get to that goal. And I’d like to know how the colleges and universities are going to pay the salaries of their faculty, buy books for their libraries, obtain and maintain all the technology that has become so important, etc.

In sum: the current crop of Democratic candidates for President have articulated some wonderful goals, but as I try to decide which candidate I will support I need to hear some specific proposals that describe what the candidate will do, if elected, to achieve those goals.