Ideas for Democratic Access, NAFTA, New Deal for Higher Ed, and More

1. Ballot Box Battles

North Carolina’s most discriminatory voter-suppression law might be dead but the battle is far from over in the fight to expand democratic access. The Roosevelt network rolls out their fourth week of this year’s top student-generated policy ideas with a selection of proposals for democratic access.

2. Politics of Trade

In response to a Washington Post piece on globalization, Roosevelt Fellow Todd Tucker writes that any attempts to sever economics and politics from trade policy explains much of our current struggles with trade. Also, check out Todd’s blog on the politics of Trump’s NAFTA renegotiation.

3. New Deal in Higher Ed

How do we fight the large inequities built into today’s higher education system? Senior Program Associate Aman Banerji explains why Senator Sanders’ and U.S. Representative Jayapal’s College for All Act offers a framework for the structural changes we need to prioritize students over profits.

4. Medicaid Mayday

Roosevelt Fellow Andrea Flynn joins BoldTV to discuss how the American Health Care Act could affect low-income communities and their access to Medicaid. Watch Andrea at the 35:49 mark.

5. Swipe Left versus Right

Some Democratic pollsters seem to think that if Democrats want to win elections, they must move to the right on core issues. Researcher Devin Duffy argues that if Democrats want a real data-driven strategy, then they should instead listen to polling data that shows that voters prefer a bold and progressive economic agenda.

What We’re Reading:

Writing for the New York Times, Richard A. Oppel Jr. reports on growing movement in the states to roll back draconian War on Drugs era prison expansion and penalties, while U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has charted the opposite regressive course.

Event:

On May 22 at 7pm ET in New York, Dissent Magazine hosts Roosevelt Fellow J.W. Mason and panelists to discuss how the left can challenge the surging populism that has spread economic discontent while advancing a compelling economic vision. This event is free and will be live streamed on the Dissent Facebook page. More info here.