President Donald Trump meets with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 21, 2025.
A 10-Point Pledge for Democrats to 'Make America Affordable Again'
Democrats can show America that they can be better trusted than Republicans to bring prices down and real wages up by promising 10 things.
Trump’s economy is truly sh*tty for most Americans. Every time Trump or his lapdogs in Congress tell voters that the economy is terrific, they seem more out of touch.
A significant number of Democrats have won elections over the last 10 months — mayoral, gubernatorial, and special elections — by stressing affordability.
Democrats can show America that they can be better trusted than Republicans to bring prices down and real wages up by promising 10 things.
1. We’ll eliminate Trump’s across-the-board tariffs. They’re import taxes that are raising the prices of just about everything American consumers buy. We’ll eliminate them where their costs to consumers are far higher than any potential benefits in the form of new jobs.
2. We’ll bust up monopolies. Another major source of high prices is monopolies — especially in high tech, health care, food, and finance. We’ll vigorously enforce antitrust (anti-monopoly) laws so that corporations don’t have the power to raise prices. We’ll bust up giant corporations. We’ll bar large firms from merging or acquiring other firms.
3. We’ll fight for stronger unions. Workers need more bargaining power to get higher wages. Part of the answer is stronger unions. Democrats will make it easier for them to start or join them.
4. We’ll raise the national minimum wage to $20 an hour. No one who works full-time should be in poverty. And we’ll raise it even higher for employees of big corporations that pay their top executives more than 200 times the typical worker.
5. We’ll make housing more affordable. We’ll stop private equity firms from buying up large tracts of housing and colluding on prices. We’ll get rid of zoning laws that keep housing prices high. And we’ll raise taxes on big corporations that drive up housing prices where they’re headquartered or have major facilities and use the funds for more affordable housing there.
6. We’ll cut health care costs by making Medicare available to everyone. Giving everyone the option of buying into Medicare would bring health care costs down because it’s cheaper and more efficient than private for-profit health insurance.
7. We’ll get working families help with child care and elder care. Both are essential for working families who must now pay out large portions of their incomes to provide care for family members.
8. We’ll give working families paid family leave. Twelve weeks of unpaid leave has proven useful but not adequate. Every other advanced country provides paid leave; the richest country in the world should too.
9. We’ll provide a universal basic income if adequate-paying jobs are unavailable. Face it: Artificial Intelligence will permanently replace many jobs. No family should be left in the cold. The universal basic income won’t be so high as to make families comfortable, but it will be enough to keep them out of poverty.
10. We’ll raise taxes on the wealthiest to pay for this. Since Reagan, the rich have paid far lower taxes while accumulating a near-record portion of total income and wealth. It’s only fair that they pay more so that the rest of America can afford what Americans need. We’ll raise the top marginal tax rate to 70 percent — what it was before Reagan. We’ll also impose a 0.5 percent tax on wealth in excess of $100 million. We’ll also eliminate the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes, require that the ultra-rich pay annual capital gains taxes on unrealized income, and eliminate the stepped-up basis at death.
These 10 steps are crucial for making America affordable again. We pledge to back every one of them.
Please share this with any Democrat interested in running for or remaining in office. And ask them to make the pledge.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just four days to go in our Spring Campaign, we are not even halfway to our goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Trump’s economy is truly sh*tty for most Americans. Every time Trump or his lapdogs in Congress tell voters that the economy is terrific, they seem more out of touch.
A significant number of Democrats have won elections over the last 10 months — mayoral, gubernatorial, and special elections — by stressing affordability.
Democrats can show America that they can be better trusted than Republicans to bring prices down and real wages up by promising 10 things.
1. We’ll eliminate Trump’s across-the-board tariffs. They’re import taxes that are raising the prices of just about everything American consumers buy. We’ll eliminate them where their costs to consumers are far higher than any potential benefits in the form of new jobs.
2. We’ll bust up monopolies. Another major source of high prices is monopolies — especially in high tech, health care, food, and finance. We’ll vigorously enforce antitrust (anti-monopoly) laws so that corporations don’t have the power to raise prices. We’ll bust up giant corporations. We’ll bar large firms from merging or acquiring other firms.
3. We’ll fight for stronger unions. Workers need more bargaining power to get higher wages. Part of the answer is stronger unions. Democrats will make it easier for them to start or join them.
4. We’ll raise the national minimum wage to $20 an hour. No one who works full-time should be in poverty. And we’ll raise it even higher for employees of big corporations that pay their top executives more than 200 times the typical worker.
5. We’ll make housing more affordable. We’ll stop private equity firms from buying up large tracts of housing and colluding on prices. We’ll get rid of zoning laws that keep housing prices high. And we’ll raise taxes on big corporations that drive up housing prices where they’re headquartered or have major facilities and use the funds for more affordable housing there.
6. We’ll cut health care costs by making Medicare available to everyone. Giving everyone the option of buying into Medicare would bring health care costs down because it’s cheaper and more efficient than private for-profit health insurance.
7. We’ll get working families help with child care and elder care. Both are essential for working families who must now pay out large portions of their incomes to provide care for family members.
8. We’ll give working families paid family leave. Twelve weeks of unpaid leave has proven useful but not adequate. Every other advanced country provides paid leave; the richest country in the world should too.
9. We’ll provide a universal basic income if adequate-paying jobs are unavailable. Face it: Artificial Intelligence will permanently replace many jobs. No family should be left in the cold. The universal basic income won’t be so high as to make families comfortable, but it will be enough to keep them out of poverty.
10. We’ll raise taxes on the wealthiest to pay for this. Since Reagan, the rich have paid far lower taxes while accumulating a near-record portion of total income and wealth. It’s only fair that they pay more so that the rest of America can afford what Americans need. We’ll raise the top marginal tax rate to 70 percent — what it was before Reagan. We’ll also impose a 0.5 percent tax on wealth in excess of $100 million. We’ll also eliminate the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes, require that the ultra-rich pay annual capital gains taxes on unrealized income, and eliminate the stepped-up basis at death.
These 10 steps are crucial for making America affordable again. We pledge to back every one of them.
Please share this with any Democrat interested in running for or remaining in office. And ask them to make the pledge.
Trump’s economy is truly sh*tty for most Americans. Every time Trump or his lapdogs in Congress tell voters that the economy is terrific, they seem more out of touch.
A significant number of Democrats have won elections over the last 10 months — mayoral, gubernatorial, and special elections — by stressing affordability.
Democrats can show America that they can be better trusted than Republicans to bring prices down and real wages up by promising 10 things.
1. We’ll eliminate Trump’s across-the-board tariffs. They’re import taxes that are raising the prices of just about everything American consumers buy. We’ll eliminate them where their costs to consumers are far higher than any potential benefits in the form of new jobs.
2. We’ll bust up monopolies. Another major source of high prices is monopolies — especially in high tech, health care, food, and finance. We’ll vigorously enforce antitrust (anti-monopoly) laws so that corporations don’t have the power to raise prices. We’ll bust up giant corporations. We’ll bar large firms from merging or acquiring other firms.
3. We’ll fight for stronger unions. Workers need more bargaining power to get higher wages. Part of the answer is stronger unions. Democrats will make it easier for them to start or join them.
4. We’ll raise the national minimum wage to $20 an hour. No one who works full-time should be in poverty. And we’ll raise it even higher for employees of big corporations that pay their top executives more than 200 times the typical worker.
5. We’ll make housing more affordable. We’ll stop private equity firms from buying up large tracts of housing and colluding on prices. We’ll get rid of zoning laws that keep housing prices high. And we’ll raise taxes on big corporations that drive up housing prices where they’re headquartered or have major facilities and use the funds for more affordable housing there.
6. We’ll cut health care costs by making Medicare available to everyone. Giving everyone the option of buying into Medicare would bring health care costs down because it’s cheaper and more efficient than private for-profit health insurance.
7. We’ll get working families help with child care and elder care. Both are essential for working families who must now pay out large portions of their incomes to provide care for family members.
8. We’ll give working families paid family leave. Twelve weeks of unpaid leave has proven useful but not adequate. Every other advanced country provides paid leave; the richest country in the world should too.
9. We’ll provide a universal basic income if adequate-paying jobs are unavailable. Face it: Artificial Intelligence will permanently replace many jobs. No family should be left in the cold. The universal basic income won’t be so high as to make families comfortable, but it will be enough to keep them out of poverty.
10. We’ll raise taxes on the wealthiest to pay for this. Since Reagan, the rich have paid far lower taxes while accumulating a near-record portion of total income and wealth. It’s only fair that they pay more so that the rest of America can afford what Americans need. We’ll raise the top marginal tax rate to 70 percent — what it was before Reagan. We’ll also impose a 0.5 percent tax on wealth in excess of $100 million. We’ll also eliminate the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes, require that the ultra-rich pay annual capital gains taxes on unrealized income, and eliminate the stepped-up basis at death.
These 10 steps are crucial for making America affordable again. We pledge to back every one of them.
Please share this with any Democrat interested in running for or remaining in office. And ask them to make the pledge.