Posts about Michael Bennet
Dear GingersGotSoul,
Thank you for contacting me regarding amendment #178 to Sen.Con.Res 3. I appreciate hearing from you.
Allowing the importation of drugs into this country without giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proper authority to oversee their safety could pose serious risks. In 2005 the FDA intercepted imported drugs that consumers thought they were buying from Canadian pharmacies. Of the drugs they thought were "Canadian," 85% actually came from 27 other countries. Additionally, some of these products were found to be counterfeit. Because of these safety concerns, I voted against the non-binding amendment calling for importation.
Prices of medications increased 9.4% between 2006 and 2013. In 2015, prescription medications that are most commonly used by seniors have increased by almost 16%. The pharmaceutical industry has not been transparent about their business model or the need for exorbitant price hikes. In the face of cancer treatments that cost $100,000 or more, Coloradans are faced with daily decisions about what necessities they will sacrifice to pay for life-saving medications. After working on drug safety issues for more than six years, I believe we can have lower prices and safe medications.
There are important steps we can take to start bringing prices down. The pharmaceutical industry has expressed strong opposition to government negotiations, but I believe we should give the government the ability to negotiate lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies under Medicare Part D. Medicare's purchasing and negotiating power could provide real relief to America's seniors. Additionally, I was one of a handful of Senators who voted to take away all marketing rights for drug companies that are found guilty of fraud.
I will also continue to fight against repeal of the Affordable Care Act which has been instrumental in increasing affordable high-quality care for over 600,000 Coloradans.
Lowering health care costs - particularly for prescriptions drugs - is vital. This will continue to be a priority of mine moving forward, but we need to do it in a way that keeps us safe.
I value the input of fellow Coloradans in considering the wide variety of important issues and legislative initiatives that come before the Senate. I hope you will continue to inform me of your thoughts and concerns.
For more information about my priorities as a U.S. Senator, I invite you to visit my website at http://bennet.senate.gov/. Again, thank you for contacting me.
Sincerely, Michael F. Bennet United States Senator
I'm gonna do this every single day until I get this, and I want it to be available to only me cause I'm the only true Michael Bennet stan on this subreddit.
Today's post is gonna be about who Michael Bennet is, because I was looking Bennet's primary review and for some reason people who called themselves neoliberals were saying they didn't know who he was, or that they couldn't differentiate him from Bullock.
Iโm really disappointed that there are people who donโt even know who Bennet is here. Bennet without a doubt ran on the best, most neoliberal platform out of any candidate on the stage. From the start, his campaign was really more about bringing attention to his ideas rather than winning the primary. I absolutely would have loved for him to win, but in reality his campaign was about promoting a platform that down ballot Dems across the country could run on.
Bennet is sometimes referred to โThe Accidental Senatorโ. In 2009, Bennet was the Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, and his reform policies earned him a spot on Obamaโs shortlist for Secretary of Education. Although Bennet didnโt get this position, after Obama appointee Colorado Senator Ken Salazar to Secretary of the Interior, Gov Bill Ritter appointed Bennet as his replacement - an unexpected move not typically seen with Vacancy appointments. Bennet went on to win a close primary and Senate race on 2010, as a well as an astounding victory in 2016 where he set a record for the largest vote-getter in Coloradoโs history.
Despite having only spent 10 years in the Senate, he has racked up an impressive record, and earned a reputation as a pragmatic realist who is always willing to find ways to work across the aisle. He was also partially responsible for some great pieces of legislation.
Bennetโs most notable work was in 2013, when he was a member of the โGang of Eightโ that helped pass comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate
In 2017, Bennet introduced Medicare-X with Senator Tim Kaine.
Bennet, along with Senator Sherrod Brown introduces the American Family Act to the Senate - this bill expands the Child Tax credit to up to $3,600 per year per child, and it makes accessible to everyone. As of right now, this Bill is the closest thing to a UBI in Congress. In December, Bennet and Romney tried to make this a reality as part of a military spending bill.
In every session of Congress since 2011, Bennet has also been Sponsoring a bill every that would restrict members of Congress from becoming lobbyists, and is strongly opposed to Citizens United.
Most importantly, as some of you may know, Bennet was responsible for helping secure the $600/week for people currently unemployed due to Coronavirus. He is also fighting to help get stimulus checks to dependents, the plan he initially introduced called for $2,000 payments to everybody, phasing out at higher incomes, the plan also called for additional payments if the crisis continued. (Unemployment Plan) (Stimulus Plan)
On January 2nd, 2020, while on the campaign trail, Bennet released his main policy platform, entitled The Real Deal. The title was meant be a contrast to the progressive left's Green New Deal, which Bennet has criticized as unrealistic.
The Real Deal would cost $6 Trillion, and focused specifically on ending poverty, while also addressing a variety of generational issues such as affordable housing, college and climate change. Unlike one candidate in the race, Bennet actually had a way to pay for his plan. Unlike another candidate in the race, Bennet's plan to pay for his platform was realistic.
I'm not going to into each policy proposal in depth here - I'll be saving that for later effort posts. Right now, I'll just list each basic policy with Bullet points.
Ending Poverty
Expanding the Child Tax Credit to $3,600/child under 6 and $3,000/children under 18
Expand the Earned Income Tax credit for workers without children to $3,000
Paid Medical Leave
$15 minimum wage, with exceptions for rural areas and small businesses (THIS IS GOOD)
Climate Change
Bennet has a plan guided by Five Principles
Reduce Emissions while Increasing Job Opportunities
This is the closest Bennet comes to directly supporting a carbon tax in his platform, although he does generally support it.
Conserve Resources to improve economic opportunities for the people working our lands
Focuses on the agricultural aspect of addressing Climate Change
Invest in Infrastructure, Innovation and Science
The Climate Bank - Arguably the best part of Bennet's plan
Empower People and Governments to address Climate Change
Climate-X
Promote Climate Security at Home and Abroad
Education
Free Universal Preschool ought to be prioritized over free college
Making Community College Free (This is something many community colleges in CO are on the path too)
Expand Career programs in High School and College
This is an indirect way of addressing issues with Occupational Licensing
Data Driven Regional Opportunity Grants
These prioritize community-based partnerships with community leaders, school districts, non-profits, unions, business leaders, and local government leaders to improve education quality.
Graduate high school with the ability to earn a living wage, not just the minimum wage
Making Public College's Debt Free
Housing - Michael Bennet Is a YIMBY
BUILD MORE HOUSING
specifically, affordable housing near good jobs
Support Transit-Oriented Development
Reduce Exclusionary Housing Policy that Stifles Opportunity and Segregates Communities
Bennet For Density
"We will provide financing support to multi-family developments that help increase density in areas of opportunity by supporting new financing tools through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Private Activity Bonds. These tools will be designed to help raise capital for private projects that support underserved populations or regions."
Expand Voucher Programs
Reform Current Housing Tax Incentives
Healthcare
Public Option through Medicare-X
Instead of simply allowing the Federal Gov to negotiate drug prices, Bennet wants to require the gov to do this.
Increase the tax credit for individuals earning less than 400% of the federal poverty line
End โpay for delayโ and monopolistic tactics that keep affordable generic drugs off the market.
Competition is good
Bennet had solutions for the COVID-19 Crisis before Bennet knew about COVID-19
Increase funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by 40% by 2025
Invest in innovative care solutions, such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring.
Trade - Michael Bennet Is Not a Protectionist
DEMOCRATS CANNOT BE AN ANTI-TRADE PARTY.Simply offering a list of grievances will not improve global trade practices or create opportunity for working Americans. We need to lead the work of lifting up standards for trade around the world and opening up export opportunities for American farmers, businesses, and workers. In this way, we can better distribute the benefits of trade.
Create a Trade Opportunity Fund
Trade War BAD
Supports TPP and other trade deals
Thank you for coming to my first effortpost of what may be many - I will continue to post these daily until I get my own personal Michael Bennet flair.
Here's my planned schedule of Michael Bennet related topics, for the next two weeks
Day 2 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Climate Plan |
Day 3 | Michael Bennet or Bernie Sanders? |
Day 4 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Plan to End Poverty |
Day 5 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Climate Bank |
Day 6 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Plan for PreK-12 Education - Equal Must Be Equal |
Day 7 | Here's How Michael Bennet can still win the Democratic Nomination |
Day 8 | Michael Bennet or Joe Biden? |
Day 9 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Housing Plan |
Day 10 | Michael Bennet or Elizabeth Warren? |
Day 11 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Immigration Plan |
Day 12 | An Explanation of Michael Bennet's Tax Policy |
Day 13 | Michael Bennet or John Delaney? (Duel of the Neoliberal Kings) |
Day 14 | Taking a Look as Michael Bennet's Legacy as Superintendent at Denver Public Schools |
If I reach Day 50, I will post a line by line analysis of Michael Bennet's speech ripping into Ted Cruz.
Give me my Michael Bennet Flair mods, I'm not gonna back down