In response to their trouncing in the November 2016 presidential and congressional elections, Democrats have unveiled their “A Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Wages, Better Future” economic agenda, in preparation for the 2018 midterm and 2020 elections. One thing that seems clear is that the Democrats have finally figured out that it’s not enough simply to be “against Trump” if they want to gain seats in the House and Senate in the next two elections, and eventually recapture the White House. While the platform contains numerous items that would benefit the masses of Americans, it doesn’t even reach a Bernie Sanders level of liberalism, and it is a far cry from the kind of progressive populist policies introduced in FDR’s New Deal and Johnson’s Great Society/War on Poverty.
The “Better Deal” proposal was reportedly a result of establishment Democrats’ efforts to reach out to Sanders supporters within the party. When drafting the proposal, Democratic Senate and House Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi consulted University of Missouri economist Stephanie Kelton, who stands firmly within the Sanders wing of the party. Kelton reflects positively on the collaboration: “I think it was significant that they reached out to me knowing that I had been an economic advisor to the Sanders campaign…I definitely think they understand that in order for the party to unify around a broad, ambitious, economic platform,…