Senator Elizabeth Warren campaigned for president with shirts that said “It’s Time To Level The Playing Field” because in so many ways, workers are at a disadvantage when they sign a contract for a job. Now that Biden is President, he is making serious use of his executive power to bring some balance back to people’s lives.
Check out the LONG list of policies President Biden is pushing, at digby’s blog.
He’s offering real help on non-compete agreements, healthcare plans, importing prescription drugs from Canada, and regulation of hearing aids (to name a few). The last item I mentioned is the focus of a law Senator Warren helped pass years ago but the Republican administration dragged its feet on writing the regulations… so people who needed hearing aids did not get the benefit they should have.
Update: More info from Barry Ritzholz on Twitter, including an interview with a Biden official on these reforms. “Some mind-blowing examples: I had no idea landlords & condos got paid for exclusive cable deals eliminating broadband providers from competing in the same building. Ending these illegal deals will allow you to choose among competing providers. You know, like CAPITALISM.”
curious to read what JohnTMay thinks about this list… obviously new laws would be good, but we have Mark Warner opposing the PRO Act (which Joe Manchin is good on).
Biden’s new EO authorizes the FTC to enforce Right to Repair.
I am encouraged to consider the slim chance that some of this will make it to reality, but it’s the best thing we’ve seen so far.
EOs become reality on the President’s say-so.
POTUS 72 reform initiative EO promotes fair competition and raises wages.
Thanks Joel. I think the messaging from the WH could be better to keep
Progressives excited, since publicly he seems to be slow walking democracy reform, marijuana legalization, and filibuster changes. I get the politics of why, and I actually am happy with the two track approach to infrastructure where you get GOP buy in for the first half and reconcile the second. I do think he needs to be a little bit more vocal about the progressive accomplishments he has, since the base needs turn out as well as swing voters.
I really wish folks would stop looking to the President for filibuster reform. As a non-Senator that is not his job and would arguably be the Executive branch trampling on the prerogatives of the Legislative branch.
Well the legislative branch isn’t passing the Presidents popular agenda, and won’t, unless he pushes it to do so.
The only way it’s appropriate constitutionally IMO is to ask VP Harris to rule that it’s time to vote if nobody seeks recognition to speak. Otherwise this principle is pretty solid. Biden should keep his pushing to the merits, not the process.