More Plans for Times Like These
Dear Dream Big Fight On community,
Since publishing our petition and Open Letter to Vice President Joe Biden nine days ago, a lot has happened. We are confronting the unprecedented challenge of addressing a global pandemic while combating the worst economic crisis since the 2008 financial collapse.
Senator Warren always “has a plan for that,” and the current moment is no exception: she was the first Democratic presidential candidate to release a comprehensive plan to prevent and combat pandemics, including a plan to specifically address coronavirus (COVID-19). Almost immediately after suspending her presidential campaign, Senator Warren released her updated coronavirus plan.
Her updated plan calls for — among other things — free and widespread testing and treatment for all U.S. residents, a national emergency paid leave program, increased investment in our hospitals and healthcare centers, and redirected manufacturing efforts for essential drug components and hospital equipment, such as ventilators.
Senator Warren’s coronavirus plan also contains economic provisions, including unemployment insurance and direct payments to households, broad student debt relief, low to no-interest loans to affected businesses of all sizes, investment in affordable housing, and an increase in Social Security payments to immediately assist some of our most vulnerable populations. Her $750 billion stimulus proposal figure has been adopted by Senate Minority Leader Schumer.
Senator Warren outlined requirements for any taxpayer dollars used to bail out big businesses. Her stipulations include permanently prohibiting companies from engaging in stock buybacks, requiring companies to use funds to maintain their payrolls, and mandating that they provide a minimum wage of $15/hr one year after the emergency declaration ends. Her plan also calls for a congressional oversight body with real funding and the power to ensure these conditions are met.
Action is already underway to implement these plans. Senator Warren is collaborating with colleagues in both the House and the Senate — including Representatives Davis, Porter, and Pressley and Senators Brown, Durban, Murray, Sanders, Schumer, and Wyden — to call on the Trump administration to halt all evictions and foreclosures during the crisis, to propose immediate student debt relief, and to provide emergency funding for community healthcare centers. Today, Senator Warren announced that her Social Security expansion plan will be folded into the Senate Democrats’ stimulus proposal.
Senator Warren framed her presidential campaign around the need to fight corruption. She knows that only through targeting corruption can we successfully reshape our government so that it works for everyone, not just for those at the top. These plans are more relevant than ever as news reports revealed that Senators Burr (R-NC) and Loeffler (R-GA) allegedly used privileged information acquired through closed briefings on the coronavirus to enrich themselves by trading key stocks. Senator Warren’s plan to end Washington corruption targets this abuse of office and includes a complete ban on government officials trading individual stocks.
Vice President Biden is the prohibitive favorite to be the next Democratic presidential nominee, and it is imperative that he unite the party by adopting the best plans from across the field to move our country forward. He’s already demonstrated a willingness to listen. In a significant turnaround since our letter’s release, Vice President Biden adopted Senator Warren’s bankruptcy plan. Vice President Biden also embraced part of Senator Sanders’ plan to make public college free for all families making less than $125,000/year. This is a promising start, but we can and should encourage him to go further.
Please consider signing and sharing our petition. Let’s fight the righteous fights together.
Lastly, we urge you all to listen to the experts. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Disinfect surfaces thoroughly. Practice social distancing. Stay home if your job permits. If you are out doing essential work — from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Stay safe. We wish you all well.
Sincerely,
Dream Big Fight On
Contact at info@dreambigfighton.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
