On October 8, the Working Families Party, in conjunction with several of the Democratic Party’s most prominent progressives, launched the People’s Charter, which it describes as, “an aspirational but concrete agenda around which progressives can rally: for COVID relief, jobs and healthcare for all, police reform, and bold action on climate.”
To date, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), among several other Democrats, have signed the People’s Charter. More are sure to follow.
In short, the People’s Charter, if ever enacted, would transform the United States into a socialist nation. Here’s how:
- “Extend expanded $600 per week Unemployment Insurance … Make sure it’s available to everyone, regardless of immigration status.”
- “Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour everywhere.”
- “Make health care free and universal …”
- “Guarantee universal child care, paid family and medical leave and paid sick days, and income support for parents taking care of kids full time.”
- “Provide safe, affordable housing for all.”
- “Guarantee home and community based services for everyone, including mental health care.”
- “Cancel student debt, an unfair burden on working and middle class young adults.”
- “Tax the giant corporations who don’t pay their share, and the wealth of the billionaires …”
- “Create public banks to make needed investments whenever private markets fail to.”
- “Give the public ownership stakes in all corporations receiving bailouts.”
- “Instead of subsidizing and bailing out oil and gas companies, buy them out, to further our transition away from fossil fuels and towards regenerative energy sources, and create green jobs in the process.”
- “Protect our democracy from takeover by billionaires, corporations, war profiteers and bigots by getting big money out of politics and ensuring that every vote counts. Save the USPS to ensure we can vote by mail.”
This is just a small sample of the numerous socialistic policies contained within the People’s Charter.
Yet, almost every single one of these items are anathema to the fundamental principles of limited government and individual liberty, and several other bedrock institutions that the United States was founded upon.
The People’s Charter, despite its name, does not represent the interests of “We the People.” Instead, it represents the far-Left’s socialist agenda, which would destroy the already struggling American middle class.
According to Pressley, “Our country is facing overlapping crises of public health, economic inequality and systemic racism. The People's Charter offers a pathway to work together toward healing and justice for everyone.”
Pressley could not be more wrong. The People’s Charter, if ever implemented, would not heal the nation, it would further divide us, by unleashing unfettered class (and racial) warfare. It would not bring justice because it is predicated on injustice.
Khanna added, “It’s putting a stake in the ground that we believe Joe Biden can become a New Deal 2.0 president. He has talked about the crisis that Roosevelt faced. He has talked about wanting to have a new New Deal for the 21st century. That should be the direction he goes instead of the incrementalism of the ’90s.”
Khanna’s warning should be taken seriously. If Joe Biden wins the upcoming election, he will assuredly come under momentous pressure from the far-Left wing of his party to enact as much of the People’s Charter as possible.
The extreme-Left, including Biden’s vice presidential pick Kamala Harris (D-CA), will do anything and everything in their power to ensure that their radical socialist proposals, which are outlined in the People’s Charter, come to fruition.
If this happens, the United States will be put on the one-way, dead-end road to socialism.
Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is an editor at The Heartland Institute.