The 2020 Democratic presidential primary is centered on some big ideas.
While some of the 20 candidates for the nomination have stayed away from specifics so far, a handful have shared some dramatic and detailed proposals on bread-and-butter topics such as health care and immigration.
Some of the candidates have been more aggressive in developing specific policies, while others say they are waiting to get into details until later in the primary.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been particularly ambitious on the policy front, putting forward proposals on student debt relief, universal child care, an “ultra-millionaire tax,” a tax on corporate profits, affordable housing and breaking up large tech companies.
Other candidates have focused more on a single, signature proposal, such as former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who announced an aggressive plan to fight climate change.
At the other end of the spectrum is South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has avoided detailed policy proposals, saying he doesn’t want to “drown people in minutiae” at this point in the campaign.
Here’s a quick guide to some of the biggest proposals so far.
Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All plan
Who proposed it? Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont
What is the issue? Some 27 million Americans were uninsured in 2017. The major reasons are that the costs of private insurance are too high, people aren’t covered through their jobs and/or they are ineligible for government assistance.
What’s Sanders’ plan? He has proposed a single-payer health care system where a government-run plan provides insurance coverage to all Americans. Employers would be barred from offering private coverage, and recipients of Medicare and Medicaid would be transitioned onto the new plan. The plan would cover everything from maternity care to vision and dental benefits. There would be no co-pays.
How would he pay for it? He doesn’t say exactly. The plan includes a list of options such as payroll taxes, expanding the estate tax, increasing taxes on capital gains and dividends, taxing big banks and repealing deductions that benefit the wealthy.
What’s Trump’s position? Trump has long called for repealing the Affordable Care Act and his Administration has sought to undermine it in court. But efforts to replace it with Republican alternatives failed in Congress. He has pledged to offer a “truly great HealthCare” bill after the 2020 elections but not given specifics.
Read More: “The Medicare for All Act of 2019,” Sanders, Senate website. “Bernie Sanders unveils new Medicare-for-all legislation, a key component of his 2020 presidential bid,” Washington Post. “Sanders unveils revamped ‘Medicare for All’ plan,” Politico. “Bernie Sanders’s Medicare-for-all plan, explained,” Vox. “Medicare for All: What it is, what it isn’t,” PolitiFact. “What Do 2020 Candidates Really Mean When They Say ‘Medicare for All’?” Money.
Elizabeth Warren’s free college plan
Who proposed it? Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
What’s the issue? The number of students taking out college loans has dramatically increased in recent years, leaving about four-in-10 adults under the age of 30 with debt. The median outstanding student loan was $17,000 in 2016, and all Americans combined now owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans.
What’s Warren’s plan? Warren would allow people making less than $100,000 a year to get $50,000 in student debt forgiven, with a sliding scale for those making up to $250,000. She would also eliminate tuition and fees at every public two- and four-year college in partnership with states; and give historically black colleges $50 billion in aid. Her plan would cost $1.25 trillion over 10 years.
How would she pay for it? By levying what she calls the “ultra-millionaire tax,” which would affect only the richest 0.1% of Americans. Households with more than $50 million in wealth would pay a 2% tax on every dollar they own above $50 million, and a 3% tax on every dollar above $1 billion. She also argues that erasing student loan debt would boost the economy, offsetting the total cost of her plan.
What is Trump’s position? In a 2016 interview, a Trump campaign official said “unequivocally no” to debt-free college proposals. As president, Trump has proposed streamlining student loan repayment options, capping the amount of federally subsidized student loans that parents can borrow; ending student loan forgiveness for public service; and offering more grants for low-income students in career training programs.
Read More: “Universal free public college and cancellation of student loan debt,” Warren campaign on Medium; “Elizabeth Warren Wants To Erase Most Student Loan Debt,” NPR; “Elizabeth Warren’s Higher Education Plan: Cancel Student Debt and Eliminate Tuition,” New York Times; “Elizabeth Warren has the biggest free college plan yet,” Vox.
Beto O’Rourke’s climate change plan
Who proposed it? Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas
What’s the issue? Scientists say that the world’s countries have about a decade to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from things like coal power plants, gas-powered cars and agriculture in order to avoid the most severe consequences of climate change.
What’s O’Rourke’s plan? He has proposed rejoining the Paris climate deal; ending oil and gas leases on federal lands; creating some kind of tax, cap or “price signal to the market” on carbon; spending $5 trillion on clean energy research and extreme weather preparations over 10 years; and directing federal agencies to buy materials made in more environmentally friendly ways.
How would he pay for it? By cutting tax breaks for oil companies and increasing taxes on corporations and the rich.
What is Trump’s position? As a candidate, Trump repeatedly argued that climate change is a hoax. As president, he left the Paris agreement and repealed a number of Obama-era regulations aimed at climate change.
Read More: “Taking on Our Greatest Threat: Climate Change,” O’Rourke campaign website; “Beto O’Rourke Releases $5 Trillion Climate Change Proposal,” New York Times; “Beto O’Rourke guns for climate candidate mantle with $5 trillion proposal,” Axios; “Beto O’Rourke now has the most robust climate proposal of any 2020 presidential candidate,” Vox; “Beto O’Rourke’s offers a climate change plan, but some activists say it doesn’t go as far as the Green New Deal,” Washington Post; “Why Beto’s Climate Plan Is So Surprising,” The Atlantic.
Kirsten Gillibrand’s paid family leave plan
Who proposed it? Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
What’s the issue? Although some employers provide it voluntarily, the U.S. is the only developed nation without a national paid maternity leave requirement. Studies show paid leave improves worker retention and lowers the number of new parents on public assistance.
What is Gillibrand’s plan? Her FAMILY Act, modeled after programs in states like California and New Jersey, would guarantee new parents and caregivers of family members who are ill and people with serious illnesses up to 12 weeks of paid leave. Workers on qualifying leave would receive 66% of their salaries.
How would she pay for it? With a 0.2 percent payroll tax, split between workers and their employers. Gillibrand says that would amount to just under $4 a week for the average worker.
What is Trump’s position? In his campaign and a State of the Union address, Trump called for paid parental leave. A Republican bill drafted in part with ideas from his daughter Ivanka would allow parents to borrow from their future Social Security benefits to pay for their own paid leave, but the bill has not yet moved forward in Congress.
Read More: “The Family And Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act,” National Partnership for Women & Families. “Kirsten Gillibrand is making paid family leave a defining issue in her 2020 run,” Vox. “Paid family leave, explained,” The Week. “Yes, Gillibrand and DeLauro introduced a family leave bill. More important, Republicans are introducing paid leave bills, too,” Washington Post. “Paid Family Leave Gets More Attention, but Workers Still Struggle,” New York Times. “Are Any of the Paid Family Leave Plans Actually Any Good?” New York.
Amy Klobuchar’s criminal justice reform plan
Who proposed it? Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
What’s the issue? The U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration per 100,000 people in the world, with 2.2 million people in prisons and jails, according to the Sentencing Project. This has largely been driven by tough-on-crime laws and policy changes over the last four decades.
What’s Klobuchar’s plan? Klobuchar would streamline the process for federal inmates asking the president for a pardon or commutation, setting up a diverse, bipartisan advisory board to vet requests. The board would primarily review the cases of inmates serving long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, especially those who have shown rehabilitation while in prison.
How would she pay for it? The plan’s costs are unclear, but there would likely be minimal administrative expenses.
What is Trump’s position? As president, Trump signed a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that shortened sentences for some federal inmates and expanded job training and other programs aimed at reducing recidivism in federal prisons. He’s issued only a handful of commutations and pardons as president, mostly for high-profile people such as controversial Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Read More: “On criminal justice reform, it’s time for a second step,” Klobuchar op-ed, CNN; “Amy Klobuchar has a plan to reverse the war on drugs — and doesn’t need Congress to do it,” Vox.
Kamala Harris’ teacher pay plan
Who proposed it? Sen. Kamala Harris of California
What is the issue? Teachers earn 18.7% less than comparable college-educated professionals, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. (Including benefits, like time off, the so-called teacher wage gap is closer to 11%.)
What’s Harris’ plan? She proposes giving the average teacher a $13,500 raise, equivalent to a 23% boost in pay. The federal government would provide some money upfront, then match every $1 that states contribute with $3 in federal money. Teachers in high-need schools that disproportionately serve students of color would get more of a raise. Her campaign estimates the plan would cost $315 billion over 10 years.
How would she pay for it? By expanding the estate tax and ending certain tax advantages enjoyed by the wealthy.
What is Trump’s position? As president, Trump has proposed cutting the Department of Education budget, including federal grants for teacher training, and shifting spending to more grants for charter schools.
Read More: “America’s Teachers Deserve a Raise,” Harris campaign website. “Our teacher pay gap is a national failure. Here’s how we can fix it,” Harris in Washington Post op-ed. “Kamala Harris wants to give American teachers a $13,500 average raise,” Chalkbeat. “Kamala Harris Wants to Boost Average Teacher’s Pay by $13,500,” TIME. “Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wants to give every American teacher a big raise. Here’s how she plans to do it,” CNBC. “Kamala Harris’s plan to dramatically increase teacher salaries, explained,” Vox. “Inside Kamala Harris’ plan to raise teacher salaries,” CNN.
Cory Booker’s baby bonds
Who proposed it? Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey
What is the issue? Experts say the U.S. has a growing racial wealth gap on everything from retirement savings to student loan debt. One study found the average white family has $919,000 in wealth, compared to $140,000 for black families and $192,000 for Hispanic families.
What’s Booker’s plan? He proposes giving all newborns savings accounts seeded with $1,000. Each year, children up to age 18 in low-income households would receive up to $2,000. The money would be kept in a low-risk savings account managed by the Treasury Department with a roughly 3% annual rate of return. Children could only withdraw the money after turning 18 for things like going to college or buying a home.
How would he pay for it? By lowering the threshold for the estate tax and taxes on capital gains from inherited stocks and property.
What is Trump’s position? Trump has argued that his economic policies have helped reduce the black unemployment rate. Fact checkers say his frequent claims that it’s the lowest in history are inaccurate, the rate was decreasing before he came into office and it remains higher than for other ethnic groups.
Read More: “An exclusive look at Cory Booker’s plan to fight wealth inequality: give poor kids money,” Vox. “Study: Cory Booker’s baby bonds nearly close the racial wealth gap for young adults,” Vox. “Cory Booker wants ‘baby bonds’ for every newborn. How would that work?” Philadelphia Inquirer. “Cory Booker wants to give ‘baby bonds’ to every newborn. Here’s how that would work,” CNBC. “Booker Campaigns on Baby Bonds Program to Combat Inequality,” New York Times. “How Cory Booker’s ‘Baby Bond’ Proposal Could Transform the Reparations Debate,” The New Yorker. “Cory Booker’s 2020 policy agenda: ‘Baby bonds,’ criminal justice reform, action on climate change,” Washington Post.
Julián Castro’s immigration plan
Who proposed it? Former San Antonio mayor and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro
What is the issue? There were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2016. While overall apprehensions of border crossers have dropped, a record number of families, many fleeing violence and economic problems in Central America, are now seeking asylum.
What’s Castro’s plan? He would reverse Trump’s travel ban, provide a path to citizenship for people in the country illegally, and make illegal border crossings civil, rather than criminal, offenses. He would also end agreements that allow local police to perform immigration duties, overhaul Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and create a “Marshall Plan” to aid Central American countries, among other things.
How would he pay for it? He does not address costs in the plan.
What is Trump’s position? As president, Trump enacted a travel ban on eight countries, nearly all of which are majority Muslim; reduced refugee admissions; attempted to cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for people brought to the U.S. illegally as children; and ended Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan, among other things.
Read More: “Putting people first,” Castro campaign on Medium. “Julian Castro unveils immigration plan that rolls back Trump, Bush-era laws,” CNN. “Castro unveils immigration platform, laying an early marker in the 2020 presidential contest,” Texas Tribune. “Julián Castro wants to radically restrict immigration enforcement,” Vox. “2020 Democratic candidate Julián Castro just released the most detailed immigration plan of any contender and it would reshape the US system,” Business Insider. “Democratic candidate Julián Castro rolls out first detailed 2020 immigration plank,” NBC News.
Andrew Yang’s universal basic income
Who proposed it? Silicon Valley entrepreneur Andrew Yang
What is the issue? Estimates vary wildly, but experts agree that automation will cost more Americans their jobs, with one-fourth of U.S. jobs already considered at high risk. Meanwhile, America’s safety net is divided among multiple federal agencies and state governments.
What’s Yang’s plan? He proposes a “Freedom Dividend” that would allocate $1,000 a month to every American adult from ages 18 to 64, a form of universal basic income that has been floated periodically over the years by Americans such as Martin Luther King and Richard Nixon and has been tried in countries such as Finland. There would be no restrictions, conditions or work requirements.
How would he pay for it? With a value-added tax, a consumption tax levied on goods at each stage of their production and eventually passed onto the consumer.
What is Trump’s position? Trump has said he will bring back American manufacturing jobs by cutting regulations, lowering taxes and levying tariffs on foreign-made goods. As president, he has proposed budgets that would cut safety net programs like housing assistance, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and giving states block grants instead of targeted entitlements.
Read More: “What Is Universal Basic Income?” and “The Freedom Dividend,” Yang campaign website. “This Presidential Candidate Wants to Give Every Adult $1,000 a Month,” TIME. “Andrew Yang, the 2020 long-shot candidate running on a universal basic income, explained,” Vox. “If Elected President, Andrew Yang Wants To Give Every American $1,000,” WGBH. “2020 hopeful Yang: $1,000 a month dividends would boost the economy,” Axios. “Why it’s legal, if unusual, for presidential candidate Andrew Yang to give out $1,000 a month to one lucky Iowan,” MarketWatch.
