On Election Day, the American people, all across the country, sent a very powerful message to our country’s ruling class.
asserted
people → send → class
In a loud and surprisingly unified voice, they said NO to Trump’s pathological lying, his contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law, his narcissism, his corruption and his disastrous policies.
asserted
they → unify → law
But they also said something more.
asserted
they → say → something
At a time when 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck, when we have unprecedented income and wealth inequality, when we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any industrialized nation, when millions of seniors are unable to retire with dignity, and when our younger generation may end up having a lower standard of living than their parents, working families voted for change, REAL change.
uncertain
families → live → change
Despite billions of dollars in ugly and dishonest TV ads, Americans made it clear.
asserted
it → make → ads
They want an end to status quo politics and status quo policies that prop up a rigged economy and a corrupt campaign finance system.
asserted
that → want → economy
According to a recent AP poll, 80% of registered voters want either "complete and total upheaval" or "substantial change" in how this country is run, including 97% of Democrats, 90% of independents and 58% of Republicans.
uncertain
country → accord → Republicans
On Election Day, Democrats won a massive victory.
asserted
Democrats → win → victory
When the new Congress convenes, Democrats will have more than 250 members in the House and at least 55 members in the Senate.
asserted
Democrats → convene → Senate
Democrats now have the votes to pass legislation that will greatly improve the lives of millions of working families.
asserted
that → have → families
And that’s exactly what they must do.
asserted
they → ’ → what
No more telling people, over and over again, how terrible Donald Trump and the Republicans are.
asserted
Trump → tell → people
The new Democratic majority must deliver for a long-neglected working class.
asserted
majority → deliver → class
Will Trump veto that legislation?
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Trump → veto → legislation
If he signs the bills, the American people will benefit and be grateful.
asserted
people → sign → bills
If he doesn’t, Republicans will pay a terrible political price.
asserted
Republicans → do → price
In my view, here is some of what the new Democratic Congress must focus on:
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Congress → focus → what
We spend twice as much per person as other major countries, yet more than 90 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured, over half a million go bankrupt each year because of medical debt and more than 60,000 die unnecessarily because they cannot afford care.
asserted
they → spend → care
Democrats must pass Medicare for All, now supported by 66% of Americans.
asserted
Democrats → pass → Americans
As a first step in a four-year transition, we must lower Medicare eligibility to 55, expand coverage to include dental, vision and hearing, and guarantee health care for every child from birth through age 19.
INCOME AND WEALTH INEQUALITY:
asserted
we → lower → age
We have more income and wealth inequality in America today than at any time in our history.
asserted
We → have → history
The top 1% now owns more wealth than the bottom 93%.
asserted
% → own → %
Elon Musk alone owns more wealth than the bottom 53% of American households.
asserted
Musk → own → households
Democrats must pass a 5% wealth tax on billionaires, supported by 61% of Americans.
asserted
Democrats → pass → Americans
The new funds raised would provide working-class families of four with a $12,000 direct payment, build 7 million affordable housing units, make public colleges and universities tuition-free, establish free child care for 13 million children and improve public education.
asserted
colleges → raise → education
While the rich get richer, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
asserted
% → get → paycheck
We must raise it to at least $20 an hour and pass the PRO Act to make it easier for workers to organize unions.
asserted
workers → raise → unions
A job must lift people out of poverty, not keep them in it.
asserted
job → lift → it
At this extraordinary moment in our history, we must restore faith in democracy.
asserted
we → restore → democracy
One way we do that is by delivering tangible benefits for working families.
asserted
we → do → families
One-third of seniors are struggling economically, and more than 20% try to survive on less than $15,000 a year.
asserted
% → struggle → 15,000
Nearly half of older Americans have no retirement savings.
asserted
half → have → savings
Meanwhile, billionaires pay the same amount into Social Security as someone earning $184,600.
asserted
billionaires → pay → 184,600
We must apply the Social Security payroll tax to all income above $250,000, including capital gains and dividends.
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We → apply → gains
This would increase benefits by $2,400 a year, lift millions of seniors out of poverty and extend Social Security's solvency for generations, without raising taxes on the bottom 91% of Americans.
asserted
This → increase → Americans
We must also restore guaranteed pensions so workers can retire with dignity.
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workers → restore → dignity
Big Tech oligarchs are investing trillions in artificial intelligence and robotics with virtually no regulation.
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oligarchs → invest → regulation
Left unchecked, it could destroy tens of millions of jobs, devastate children's mental health, eviscerate privacy, drive up electricity rates and strain water supplies.
uncertain
it → leave → supplies
Uncontrolled superintelligence could even threaten humanity's existence.
uncertain
superintelligence → threaten → existence
We cannot allow a handful of oligarchs to dictate our future.
asserted
handful → allow → future
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
