{"id":396005,"date":"2017-07-27T08:19:28","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T14:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=396005"},"modified":"2017-07-27T08:19:28","modified_gmt":"2017-07-27T14:19:28","slug":"resistance-isnt-enough-democrats-need-to-offer-real-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2017\/07\/resistance-isnt-enough-democrats-need-to-offer-real-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Resistance isn\u2019t enough. Democrats need to offer real solutions."},"content":{"rendered":"

COMMENTARY:\u00a0<\/strong>Resist.<\/p>\n

For many of us scared and angry about our current president, it\u2019s become a mantra for a good reason. Protecting basic health care, opposing turning our schools over to corporations, and defending America\u2019s credibility worldwide are all vital to our future.<\/p>\n

\"Bill

Courtesy photo<\/p>

Bill McCamley<\/p><\/div>\n

But it is not enough. Recently, 52 percent of Americans<\/a> polled only define Democrats by our work to fight Trump. If we are going to really change communities for the better, and regain people\u2019s trust, we have to be proactive and bold in pushing for real change. What does that mean?<\/p>\n

While unemployment is low and the stock market continues to rise thanks to President Obama\u2019s work after the Great Recession, wages have stayed flat<\/a>. So while the average CEO now makes 335 times<\/a> that of the average worker, most people feel like no matter how hard they work the best they can do is keep pace on a treadmill. And if working families have any problem, like unexpected health bills or a major house\/car problem, that treadmill kicks them right off.<\/p>\n

Higher minimum wages that rise with inflation, paid leave plans allowing for people to take time for ailing kids or aging parents, and increasing the earned income tax credit for people who work hard for a living can all help them keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.<\/p>\n

Globalization and new technology are generally good, but international supply chains and new robotics\/artificial intelligence systems are making many traditional jobs obsolete. Of the 11.6 million jobs created since 2009, 11.5 million<\/a> of them require some form of college education. Because of this, we have to keep public universities and community colleges affordable, flexible, and make sure they provide the new skills necessary to find work in a 21st\u00a0Century economy.<\/p>\n

While Obamacare has been a success<\/a> in allowing more people to see doctors and decreasing costs per patient, it obviously still needs work. Insurance costs have risen for some because more sick people are part of insurance plans and companies have pulled themselves from health exchanges, decreasing competition. Real solutions need to be offered.<\/p>\n

For instance, Medicare is popular and works. Why not allow younger individuals to purchase a Medicare insurance plan as a public option for health care? Furthermore, giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices is a no-brainer that will lower prices for the people that need them most.<\/p>\n

We also cannot be afraid to work with Republicans when we can. For instance, a majority of Republican voters want a realistic pathway to citizenship<\/a> for those that want to come here, work hard, and live the American dream. Let\u2019s try and work with their representatives to get it done.<\/p>\n

Engaging private sector investment while protecting public tax money for infrastructure like broadband internet and the repair of crumbling bridges and roads has been embraced by states as diverse as Texas and California<\/a>. And Gov Jerry Brown in California recently got Republicans to vote<\/a> for his bill to fight climate change by embracing a cap-and-trade policy using private sector concepts.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, though, our message has to be simple. Democrats aren\u2019t just a road block. We need to always ask, \u201cHow do we get better?\u201d and offer real, courageous and effective ideas that create jobs, keep people healthy, and continue the role our nation has as a world leader.<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s make them happen.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Bill McCamley<\/a>, a Democrat, is the\u00a0state representative for the Las Cruces-area District 33.\u00a0Agree with his opinion? Disagree? We welcome your views. Learn about submitting your own commentary\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We need to offer real, courageous and effective ideas that create jobs, keep people healthy, and continue the role our nation has as a world leader.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":54772,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192,16,19],"tags":[3590,3307,107,116],"class_list":["post-396005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-guest-columns","category-mccamley-columns","tag-bill-mccamley","tag-donald-trump","tag-roundhouse","tag-washington"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/396005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=396005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/396005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=396005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=396005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=396005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}