VICTORY

And Why We Must Dream Big Now

Even in the worst of the worst moments of the last five years, when it seemed all was lost and democracy might not survive, I made a request to all those within my purview to do something radical.

At every turn, I implored followers of #ResistanceLive to continue to envision the world we would want to create when this was all over, to save just 1% of their time for this endeavor, and to never give up the hope that it might be possible. 

Now you know why.

On Tuesday night, in the late hours of the night, it became apparent that not only would Reverend Raphael Warnock, the heir to Martin Luther King Jr.’s pulpit and the pastor of John Lewis, be the first Black senator from Georgia, but also that Jon Ossoff would be the youngest senator since a man named Joe Biden.

This is a historic moment. The Senate has flipped, and real change is possible.

We are lucky to be alive to witness it.

The world we have been envisioning is now truly within our reach.

We get to dream big, and put vision into action.

Democrats control the House, the Senate and the presidency. That means that things that weren’t possible even 24 hours ago are possible now.

And that means now is the time to ask what we are going to do with victory.

THIS is the moment to put it all on the table. Everything we want, every change we need to make, every hope we have and every need that must be met. All of it. We must ask for it, and we must push for it, and we must leverage everything we have for the real change we can now achieve.

We have to claim this victory for the good of everyone, fearlessly, and create the change we want, as soon as possible.

So today, I’m giving you a big list, in no particular order, of what I would like to see.

This is just for starters. I’m certain as I sit here that I’ve forgotten something.

But for now, here is the change I would like to see in the immediate future, and as soon as possible.

Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act

This election has shown us all the reasons why the right has tried so hard to suppress Black and brown votes. We must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act right now.

Student Loan Jubilee

Last month, I had a chance to ask Nse Ufot, the head of the New Georgia Project, what her goals would be on the assumption that Georgia flipped the Senate, and how I could be a better ally in the fight. The first item she mentioned was the elimination of student debt, followed shortly thereafter by Medicare for All.

Joe Biden can eliminate all student debt on day one, and he should. The difference that would make for all Americans would be enormous.

Medicare for All

The pandemic has put into stark terms the need for everyone in this nation to have access to free healthcare. Medicare for All is the quickest way to achieve that.

Reparations for Slavery and Indigenous Genocide

I can’t even begin to express how long overdue reparations are in this country. We need them. Now. They will fundamentally shift the future of this nation.

COVID Relief for the Duration of the Pandemic

We desperately need immediate financial relief, as well as rent and mortgage suspension, for the duration of the pandemic. This will save lives, right now.

Universal Basic Income

Relatedly, UBI would create an immediate social safety net. No American would have to worry about starving ever again.

Raise the Federal Minimum Wage to $15 (and beyond-- I’d like to see $22/hour minimum)

This is profoundly overdue. Period.

Tax the Ultra Wealthy

We need a rollback of the tax benefits conferred to the uber-rich under President Trump, and new taxation enacted to pay for every social safety net that is desperately needed right now.

Reform the Credit System

The credit system in this country is a tool of systemic oppression. Indeed, the entire credit reporting system is designed to keep those who are poor in poverty. We must reform it immediately as a part of creating economic justice for all.

Criminal Justice Reform

Tackling the carceral state and the school to prison pipeline should be among the most pressing priorities. We need to end cash bail, eliminate the death penalty, and seek social interventions for crimes related to poverty and addiction rather than incarceration.

Gun Control Legislation

My friend Fred Guttenberg has made it his life’s mission to destroy the NRA since his daughter Jaime was murdered at Parkland. Now we must live into this vision further and enact real gun reform legislation that creates a national registry and eliminates accessibility to assault weapons. 

Free Public College Education

Higher education should be available to all who want it, free of cost.

D.C. Statehood

This would create two additional Senate seats. DC has a greater population than a sizeable handful of states who are already represented, and DC has been taxed without representation for long enough. 

Overturn Citizens United

Dark money must be removed from politics, as soon as possible.

Pass the Equality Act

We must make federal nondiscrimination for LGBTQ Americans the law of the land.

Pass the Green New Deal and immediate related Climate Change Legislation

We should pass the Green New Deal and immediately institute sanctions on the biggest polluters in the nation, so that we can roll back climate damage and begin to heal our environment.

Codify Roe v. Wade

Abortion must be codified as a federal right, so that we never have to worry about losing it again.

Immigration Reform

Never again should anyone seeking asylum in this country be incarcerated. Never again. We also need immediate reparations and free mental health services for every family separated by the Trump administration.

Trump Crimes Commission

We need a commission with criminal authority to investigate all of the criminal conduct and corruption of the Trump administration, with concomitant prosecutions.

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Again, this list is just for starters. Consider it a basic roadmap to a better future.

I urge you, too, to dream big now. Take off all your internal limitations, and live into optimism.

Claim the vision of the nation we want. Work like hell to make it happen. We’re only just getting started.

We have bent the arc of history, and now it’s time for justice, and equity, and freedom.

This moment is the whole point of so many years of hard work.

Let’s make the world we want to live in a reality.

Let’s GO.