Reich's ten 'pledges' - admirable but we need to use methods that work

Robert Reich if a fine and brilliant fellow... who shows no sign of understanding how the USA makes progress.

A couple of weeks after I posted my big missive about a Democratic Newer Deal -- 30+ promises that both learned from and satirize the GOP “Contract” maneuver of 1994, while offering voters a clear agenda of positive steps -- economist and columnist Robert Reich issued a shorter list of “What Democrats Must Pledge to America.” And no, I am not asserting that I triggered this from him. Well, probably not.

What Democrats Must Pledge to America

Reich’s list overlaps with mine in overall intent and direction, aiming to make progress toward better health care, aid to parents and children, while limiting the power of oligarchies and cheaters and monopolies. Alas, Reich’s ‘pledges’ also make up a wish list that might as well be directed at Santa Claus, for all of its political impracticality.

What distinguishes even very smart/moderate leftists like Reich from their centrist allies (like me) is not the desired direction or even our degree of passion (you all know that I have plenty), but awareness of one pure fact, that most of our progress across the last 250 years – even under FDR – was incremental.

Moreover, not one of Reich’s proposals satisfies the “60%+ Rule” that was so effective for Gingrich, politically, and for Pelosi-Schumer-Sanders in 2021-22. Start with steps that can be steam-rollered quickly, with 60%+ strong public support, right away.

Seriously? Offer wager stakes. Big Gulp endeavors, like Clinton and Obama tried, tend to get bogged down and then savaged by “Who pays for it?” and “they want communism!” And then the GOP wins the next Congressional election, and that’s that.

What we found in 2021-22 was that you can make great strides in MULTIPLE directions, if you start from that 60% consensus to push solid increments that create a new plateau! One that people can get used-to and then build upon, from there.

Go ahead and compare my Newer Deal with Reich’s “pledges.” My list emphasizes restoring a functioning republic - civil service, reliable institutions and elections and rule-of-law - in ways that cannot be withdrawn by future demagogues... along with some incremental steps toward our shared goals. (For example, getting all CHILDREN under Medicare, in a single stroke, easily afforded and canceling every objection to Medicare-for-all.)

See my own Newer Deal: https://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-contract-part-three-aggressive.html

While I like and respect Robert Reich, he ought to have added an equally realistic 11th wish to the other ten... that every American gets a unicorn or pegasus, or at least a pony. Sure, that snark of mine is way unfair! And it is exactly what his list will face.

What Democrats Must Pledge to America