Democrats Have Bold Ideas For New Social Programs. What About The Old Ones?
By Michael Hobbes and Arthur Delaney
The Democratic Party is as ambitious on policy as it’s ever been. Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have put forward proposals to expand Medicare, establish universal child care and transform the economy to combat climate change. In Congress, Democrats have declared their intention to pass sweeping reforms and transformative social policies regardless of the political barriers.
But there is still one area of U.S. policy this ambition hasn’t reached: Expanding America’s existing social safety net. Neither congressional Democrats nor 2020 hopefuls have shown much interest in expanding the monthly benefits low-income Americans receive, even though they have a proven track record of helping families escape poverty.
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