Now that Dems have the majority - what should our FIRST priority be?

[gully]

I'm talking FIRST priority not about making a choice between various goals.

*Note, I've added election reform after feedback.

Please K and R so people can vote throughout the day - THANKS!.

[JDPriestly]

1. I voted raise the minimum wage.

People are suffering from the low wages paid to those at the bottom income levels.

[gully]

2. The results so far are highly interesting.

I think your vote/issue is important.

[Larry Allen]

20. And while we're at it ...

Fix congressional pay to 12X the minimum wage, so in the future congress cannot vote itself a pay raise without addressing the plight of Americas working poor.

[Barnaby]

3. Raise the minimum wage

It's doable and will set the tone of getting what we want done.

[Maggie_May]

4. Stop shipping good paying jobs overseas!

[gully]

11. Excellent suggestion.

.

[Lasher]

5. I voted to bring the troops home

And I do think that should be our first priority. But due to tactical considerations, the first thing we need to do is shut down the K Street gang. Pelosi agrees, since that's the first item on her '100 hours' agenda.

[gully]

8. I agree with you personally.

And, I think we can accomplish more if we have the impeachment card at our disposal?

[Lasher]

9. Right, that might keep Junior in line

And here is what I think will be the first step in that direction:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2672456&mesg_id=2672456

[gully]

10. Indeed.

The big "I" is our trump card.

Good info, thanks.

[elocs]

27. The impeachment card is always at our disposal now.

The question is when or if to use it or to do the hearings and investigations and have a large majority of Americans screaming for impeachment. The ultimate goal is to remove Bush from office one way or another, not to simply impeach him and have the Senate fail to convict him. If the point is to impeach and convict Bush, then it is counterproductive to piss off and alienate as many Republican senators as possible. But if the constituents of these Republican senators are screaming for conviction, that might change their minds since they are probably also concerned about being reelected. In the end, how many here want to see a President Cheney, with his finger on the button and the armed forces at his command?

[bullimiami]

6. fix the election system.

we only have 2 years before it can come back to bite us in the ass again.

everything else is important too but this is imperative. we cant keep giving the republicans 5-10 point advantages before the elections even start.

[abburdlen]

7. election reform

whether it's Oregon's vote by mail model or just outlawing no paper trail voting machines, something must be done to fix our broken system of voting in this country. And with the stories of election problems still fresh in people minds now is time to get started.

[Larry Allen]

22. Repeal HAVA

Mandate paper ballots, hand counted at the precinct level for all federal elections.

[flpoljunkie]

12. Strip lobbyists of their power to raise money for members of Congress! Scandal is what's legal!

D.C. Dispatch January 24, 2006

Political Pulse by William Schneider (CNN's political analyst)

K Street's Capitol Connection

Republicans are hoping that the corruption issue won't hurt them in November.

Columnist Michael Kinsley once wrote, "The scandal in Washington isn't what's illegal. It's what's legal."

Consider, for example, what lobbyists do. They make campaign contributions. They chair re-election committees. They give money to foundations and political action committees controlled by members of Congress. They hold fundraisers that yield a lot more money than individual lobbyists are allowed to contribute. They sponsor retreats for lawmakers. They throw lavish parties to honor politicians.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200601u/nj_schneider_2006-01-24

[all.of.me]

13. election reform

my other big concerns are nationalized health care and ending the mess in iraq, not especially in that order, though. it's hard to say which is most important.

[insidious]

14. Physical Handover

of Cheney, Wolfowitz, Perle, Rove, and Mehlman to a radical islamic group in Baghdad. Halliburton can be given a no-bid contract for the DVD distribution rights.

[gully]

15. LOL

That would be "other."

[NJ Democrats]

16. I voted to raise the min wage

I did that because that is an issue that is easier to pass right now and will continue their goodwill so to speak. But Bringing the troops home should be dealt with soon.

[William769]

17. Other.

Multitask! Why start with just one issue?

[sallyseven]

18. Please people. If we spend the nest year

trying to impeach bush we will fail and lose in 2008. The numbers are not there. That is what they want. Do the doable and get the wage increase, bring the troops home as soon as we can, Get the elections under control with a uniform law and change the tax laws for the middle class.

[Larry Allen]

19. Bulldoze K-street

Make corporate contributions to political parties and campaigns illegal, with stiff penalties including jail time, especially for Delay style money laundering operations.

If we can bulldoze Fallujah, if we can bulldoze New Orleans, we can bulldoze K-street.

[cleveramerican]

21. Iraq isn't the highest priority, its the only one.

The folks who make the situation in Iraq better will be in power for years, lauded far and wide by a grateful public. Its the political opportunity of this generation.

[slackmaster]

23. Immediate, unconditional, complete adoption of the Metric System

:nuke:

[citizen snips]

24. raising the minium wage

and bringing the lost jobs back.

[Crunchy Frog]

25. Investigations and subpoenas.

Start digging out the rot and exposing it all to daylight. Not that the other things aren't important too, but we need to drive a stake through the heart of this monster.

[Larry Allen]

29. Investigate all aspects of 9-11

Do this at the House committee and sub-comittee level, with subpoenas and testimony under oath for all. Do not even let that CYA cronies club, (The United States Senate) in on it. As the truth becomes known, impeachment will be swift and bi-partisan. The political landscape as changed folks. If you are not part of the 9-11 truth movement, you are part of the 9-11 truth coverup. Even liberal, progressive lawmakers should prepare to answer the question: What did you know and when did you know it?

[knight_of_the_star]

26. Clean out corruption

That would make a nice big contrast between us and them. They talked a lot, here in the first 100 hours we're DOING something about it.

[fuzzyball]

28. OTHER---> Clean out climate of corruption in congress...

The lobbying that goes on in Washington is the root cause
of corruption. Money corrupts most people. Make it illegal
to accept ANY freebees, limit campaign contributions to
$2500 by individuals or corporations, make it required by
law to immediately show who contributed, etc.

Once the corruption is minimized, the elected representatives
will have less incentive to pass laws which hurt the general
public.

[gully]

31. Agreed this is important.

Dealing effectively with corruption is the third choice.

[yojon]

30. It might take 9 - 12 months to complete investigations of

BushCo's crimes, 9/11, Katrina, etc etc. So if we attack the 'constructive' things first (bring troops home, minimum wage, election reform), then start the investigations in a year, when would the conculusions become available? hmmmm let me think...... :-)

[primative1]

32. PAYGO ....

Strip tax subsidies from big oil and roll the money right into EIC for working poor.

[Larry Allen]

33. Restore the Bill of Rights

Repeal the torture bill, patriot acts I & II, end massive warrentless wiretapping and internet eavesdropping on Americans, tear down the DHS detention camps.

[droidamus2]

34. Minimum wage

I chose raising the minimum wage because I thinks it is badly needed and it is something that can be done to help the american people in the short run. From a less practical point of view I want the troops home. One of my pet peeves that is not listed as an option is reform of the media and the conglomerates that own them. I want return of the fairness doctrine and stronger restrictions on ownership of media outlets. A free democratic society requires a free flow of information. Even though the internet and alternate press fills some of the need for information as long as a few large conglomerates, read a few very rich people, control the major outlets (tv, radio, newspapers, magazines) the 'free' flow of information is diminished. We as liberals/progressives should support the open debate of all ideas and ideals and to do so those ideas must be able to make their way into the public sphere on a regular basis. If those that lease our public airways and present our news are not willing to present all sides on a 'fair' basis, whatever that is exactly, then we the people through our government should force them We should also enforce diversity of ownership by the same means and for the same purpose.

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

35. revoke patriot act? military commissions act?

[cadmium]

36. I voted to bring the troops home---MC act is #2 for me

Not one more soldier should have to die or have to kill for a mistake.

That is #1 but I was torn.

The military Commissions act cannot be allowed to linger. I read on another threat that Leahy is working on a bill to restore Habeus Corpus as a fundamental right.

[cadmium]

37. What does K & R mean? I am not hip!