A Progressive Checklist: 200 Things the Biden Administration Should Do in Its First 2 Years

For the most current version of this document see: http://tiny.cc/ProgressiveList
200 Things Biden Could Do in First 2 yrs rev 47.doc
A Progressive Checklist
200 Things the Biden Administration
Could Do—If It Held the Senate
Which Ones Can It Realistically Do?
An Affordable Action Plan for Effectively Dealing with
COVID-19, Healthcare, Justice Reform, Climate Change
With McConnell Controlling the Senate
Lead author: Elton Sherwin
Elton@EltonSherwin.com
650.823.9221

200 Things the Biden Administration Could Do in its First Two Years
2 | P a g e 200 Things Biden Could Do in First 2 yrs rev 47.doc
About the Lead Author
I am retired venture capitalist, environmentalist and author of two books, The Silicon Valley
Way and Addicted to Energy.
Since the 7th grade—when my father explained FDR’s monetary policy—I have been policy
geek.
Many have contributed to this white paper, including several lifelong friends and fellow policy
geeks whom I met in my high school’s Model UN Club.
Originally, I constructed this paper assuming, optimistically, naively, that the Democrats would
retake the Senate.
I had just put the finishing touches on the document when it became clear a Democratic win in
the Senate was a not a certainty. After several days in shock, President-elect Biden’s victory
speech inspired me to make adjustments reflecting this new reality.
I have focused almost exclusively on domestic policy, with two exceptions: Landmines, which
kill thousands of children each year, and international family planning supplies, which are not
available to over 200 million women. America has had a schizophrenic relationship with both
issues. It is time to rectify these past wrongs.
Those items which will most likely have to wait for a 2022 midterm blue wave are colored in
blue. Also, I call your attention to items with a “” as they are noteworthy, innovative or
controversial.
Email or text me if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
Elton Sherwin
Lead author

Table of Contents
COVID-19 Pandemic 4
COVID-19 Messaging, FOX News and Reuniting America 5
Senator McConnell 6
Reducing Foreclosures and Evictions 6
Emergency Economic Funds 7
Economic Stimulus and Recovery 7
Immigration 8
Police Reform 8
Criminal Justice Reform 9
Social Media Misinformation, False Flag Attacks and Influence Schemes 10
2022 Midterm Elections 11
Open and Fair Elections 11
A Congress Free from Moneyed Interests and Foreign Influence (on hold) 12
Free and Open Press, Free from Foreign Influence (on hold) 13
Cybercrime, Extortion, Fraud and Money Laundering 13
Government Transparency (on hold) 13
Recovering from the Excesses of the Trump Presidency 14
Health Care 14
Child and Young Adult Wellbeing 15
Women’s Health 15
Student Loans 15
Taxation Equity 15
Climate Change: “ A Lean, Green New Deal” 16
Economic Justice 16
Corporate Governance (on hold) 17
Governmental Organization 17
Fiduciary Responsibilities for Investment Advisors 17
Commonsense Gun Laws 17
Notes and References 18

COVID-19 Pandemic1
1. Mount a major messaging campaign emphasizing:
A mask protects you and your family, and helps keep businesses and schools open.
2. Require masks indoors including in schools and pre-schools. (https://tiny.cc/COVIDLessons)
3. Require masks outdoors whenever people are: talking, sitting, standing or walking together.
4. Develop a national COVID-19 scoreboard mapping the sources of infections, super spreader
events, overfull hospitals and deaths in every county, ranking each county and state.
5. Develop and fund rapid and group tests:
 Quick, low-cost self tests
 Canine sniffer dogs for retirement communities, schools, jails, airports, etc.
 Sewer water tests: As early warning for outbreaks and giving near instantaneous feedback
if mitigation measures are working. Include data in the national scoreboard.
6. Collect and publicize best practices and success stories for cities, schools, retirement homes, etc.
as well as lessons learned from super-spreader events.
7. Showcase simulation and visualization tools that help people understand how COVID-19
spreads in different settings and how it can grow exponentially and quickly.2
Focus on preventing super spreader events. In some areas these account for 60 to 80% of all
infections.3
The next four items focus on preventing these super spreader events:
8. Ban most indoor activities of more than 10 to 25 people (depending on the activity and the
amount of community spread).
9. Close or produce new more restrictive guidelines for: bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms, back-yard
parties, choirs and churches. They seem to be at the center of most super spreader events.4
10. Pause the opening of new onsite programs at colleges,
universities and perhaps high schools until better guidelines are
developed. Their fraternities, dormitories and parties are
responsible for a surprising number of super spreader events.5
11. Consider requiring face shields for some activities, i.e. outdoor
bars, soccer practice, and grocery stores.
Use information technology to contact trace. It is mathematically
impossible to manually contact trace in a country with 330 million
people connected by an interstate highway system.
 One of the most underreported stories in the West is the critical
importance of computers, AI, mobile apps and GPS for contact tracing
and defeating COVID-19. South Korea has one of the most
comprehensive and successful contact tracing systems in the world.
South Korea has produced a detailed “How to Guide” for other
governments.6
Copy all of the key elements from the successful South Korean use
of information technology to defeat COVID-19, including:
12. Develop a national contact tracing system and fully fund all
state and local contact tracers.
13.  Give people the option to opt out, then make all the
remaining cell phone records and GPS data available to health
officials for contact tracing and analysis.

14.  Select or develop a voluntary, personal risk management and contact tracing cell phone app
using both Bluetooth and GPS data, and that works whenever the phone is on.7
Please follow all
the specifcations in endnote 7.
Items 4-6 and 12-14 may require four teams: 1) Scoreboard development and management; 2)
Simulation, visualization and AI; 3) Cellular infrastructure data acquisition; and 4) Mobile apps.
15.  Pay $1,000 to anyone who tests positive and self isolates for 14 days.
Low wage earners, the uninsured and the undocumented often resist being tested and continue
to work because their families need the income.
16.  Provide a hotel room for anyone needing to self-isolate who has nowhere to do so.
17.  Launch media and social media campaigns featuring famous media and sports figures, and
YouTube contests for the best homemade and professional Public Service Announcements.8
18. Then, at the appropriate time, clearly communicate the endgame: Masks will be needed until
you and 80% of your community are vaccinated. Perhaps:
"It is up to you. When your community reaches 80%, say good-bye to masks.”9
COVID-19 Messaging, FOX News and Reuniting America
More American voters get their news exclusively from Fox than any other TV network.10
Another 100,000 Americans could needlessly die if Fox News continues to spread conspiracy
theories and Russian disinformation about COVID-19, mask wearing and vaccines. The pandemic could
linger for one or two additional years. Here is what could be done:
19.  Start COVID-19 weekly televised briefings before January 20.
No action plan until the inauguration, meanwhile focus on the facts of what is happening:
 Use lots of graphics and simulations.
 Review recent super-spreader events.
 Consider borrowing Steve Kornacki to update the nation—his smart board loaded with
COVID-19 data—to start each briefing.
 Emphasize what is working and what is not—with specific examples.
 Show “what if simulations.”
 Interview hospital administrators, state and local officials and family members.
 One person (not the President-elect) should emcee. Someone who plays well on FOX. For
example Francis Collins (Christian author), Chris Wallace or one of the taskforce members.
 Close with a re-broadcast of the PBS NewsHour’s segment: Honoring pandemic victims11
 Always follow with an appearances on FOX answering any questions and reinforcing.
These briefings may be the single most important thing you can do to reduce COVID-19 deaths.
20.  Rehabilitating Fox News (after January 20)
 Find someone as effective as Mayor Pete to be your FOX News spokesperson. This is the
third most important hire in your administration. Someone who wakes up and goes to bed
worrying about what Americans are seeing on every Fox show.
o This is someone Fox viewers should feel comforted by and confident in.
 He/she should be on Fox almost every day.12
o Calling in or appearing on Fox & Friends a minimum 3 times a week
o Appearing most nights after 6pm on one their non-news shows.
o Orchestrating a minimum of 10 times a week of content exclusively for Fox.

 Give them a story every day: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays—The COVID-19 taskforce;
Thursdays or Saturdays—White House dinners; Tuesdays—The Truth and Justice Commission
public sessions (see #146); and so on.
 Keep your warriors off of Fox (put Chuck Schumer and Symone Sanders on MSNBC).
 Say nothing negative about Republican senators, especially Senators McConnell and Graham.
21. Similarly with Sinclair. Give them lots of exclusive content and access.
 Behind the scenes in the White House kitchen.
 The making of a state dinner, the planning of the Presidents day, etc.
 You need someone who gets up and goes to bed worrying about Sinclair’s 294 TV stations.
22.  Use White House dinners frequently and effectively to create Presidential specials.
 Take the 20 most popular, beloved Americans and invite them to dinner one at a time.
 Each one should result in segment on the evening news.
 For each dinner offer one media outlet an exclusive behind the scenes look at how it is done.
 When appropriate have the V.P. or President’s children or grandchildren co-host.
 Create Camelot 2.0, a beloved first family, a steady hand at the helm.
Senator McConnell
23.  Treat Senator McConnell as the second most powerful person in America. Give him respect
and some TLC. Despite his past deeds try to create an effortless pathway for him to step into
modernity.
 Hire some people he has a history of working well with.
 Give him, his family and donors the first choice of seats at all White House dinners
 Have your team consult with his chief of staff weekly, if not daily.
 Ask him what his legislative priorities are.
 Consult him on process. Ask him: “Is there any way to get carbon tax passed?”
 Brainstorm with his chief of staff: “How might we modify the tax code to make foreign
multinationals pay their fair share and stop offshoring their profits?”
 And don’t embarrass him by seating him next to Greta Thunberg—unless he wants to.
Reducing Foreclosures and Evictions
Foreclosures and evictions can scar families for years, sometime for a lifetime.
Everything possible should be done to avoid evicting parents and children from their homes.
24. Put a 60 day freeze on all evictions and foreclosures. And then….
25.  Implement a federal second mortgage program for homeowners and small businesses that
pays the primary mortgage for up to 2 years—paid back when the property is sold with 4%
annual interest. Homeowners in arrears or in foreclosure are still eligible and the program
should pick up prior missed payments and have few prerequisites (no appraisals or maximum
LTV). A similar program was used by FDR with great success and netted a small profit for the
government.13
26.  Likewise, implement a federal second mortgage program for landlords of residential and
commercial properties that covers all forgiven rents since February with zero percent interest as
long as the rent has been forgiven and the renters still occupy the property or can reoccupy it.
This will save many restaurants, theaters and “main street” businesses, as well as families who
rent.

Emergency Economic Funds
Millions of American workers have been excluded from unemployment
insurance. As the pandemic stretches on, the consequences for families and
children will be devastating. The following should help:
27. Fund $400/week unemployment benefits retroactively.
28.  Make $400/week unemployment available to essential workers who
have lost their jobs but are excluded from unemployment insurance for
any reason including their immigration status.
29.  Pay $300 a week unemployment for those who have paid social security but are excluded
from other programs for any reason (lack of documentation, recent job change, restrictive state
rules, immigration status, etc.).14
30. Give large, unrestricted grants to states and local governments. It will be spent quickly, mostly
on American labor (Police, fire, teachers, EMTs, doctors, nurses, etc.)
31. Rescue as many small businesses as possible. Items 25 and 26 are key to making this happen.
32. Fully fund FEMA.
33. Fully fund the SNAP program and other hunger alleviation programs.
34.  Pay any medical, testing or funeral bills for essential workers* not paid by insurance or
employers.
35.  Provide emergency housing funds for any essential workers* who are now sick, or being
evicted or foreclosed on, are homeless, or who have lost their jobs.
36.  Fund nonprofits helping undocumented Americans.*
37.  Fund the states to find, manage, develop or buy K-12 curriculum that is more effective for
remote learning. For example, interactive curriculum, video lessons for flipped classrooms or
videos loosely modeled on those used on Mexican TV.15
These enable teachers to spend more
time helping children and less time preparing Zoom lessons.
* Even when the essential worker is a non-citizen or undocumented. In agriculture, in some parts of
America, 75% of essential workers are undocumented.16
Many of their children are citizens and they are
hurting, their families excluded from most Federal programs. These should also help American families
with undocumented family members: items 25-26, 28-29, 33-36 and 39-44.
Economic Stimulus and Recovery
Many of the items in this plan are stimulative, however eight are the workhorses of the economic
recovery. The first seven are temporary measures that pump money into the economy getting cash to
the unemployed and to business while simultaneously preventing almost all foreclosures and most
evictions. These seven are: 25 to 31 above.
Numbers 25 and 26—eviction and foreclosure prevention—involve massive amounts of cash but
few taxpayer dollars since they are secured by American property loans. A similar FDR-era program
actually netted the government a small profit. It is credited with preventing 7 million foreclosures in
the 1930s.
The last major part of this stimulus package is item #179—Universal Carbon Tax 100% rebated to
all Americans 18 and over—it is budget neutral. Most economists50
believe a Universal Carbon Tax is
the fastest, most effective and cheapest way to lower greenhouse gasses (GHGs). I include it here
because it stimulates the economy as companies and individuals invest to reduce energy costs and
emissions. It is also redistributive, with most of Americans receiving more cash back than they will pay.49
I call this “The Lean, Green New Deal” (on page 16).
Key
Stimulus
Items:
25 thru 31
and 179

Thus we see that three parts of the stimulus package (25, 26 and 179) involve few taxpayer dollars.
The other potential “budget buster” is health care. As we will see in action items 153-162 and 167-168,
the healthcare action items, are far more affordable than many other proposals.
Immigration
Also see the previous items 28-29 and 34-36 regarding undocumented workers.
38. Shut down the cages and reunite children with their families and relatives.
39. Reinstate DACA.
40. Expand DACA to cover more people and those who
missed various deadlines.
41.  Require Presidential approval to deport Veterans,
their spouses or children.17
42.  Put on hold the incarceration or deportation of
essential workers and their spouses or children.
43.  Ban the deportation of parents of minors who are
U.S. citizens except in extraordinary situations.
44.  Ban the deportation of spouses of U.S. citizens
except in extraordinary situations.
45.  Ban the deportation of all teachers and first responders, including firefighters, police, EMTs,
medical professionals/students and their family members except in extraordinary situations.18
46. Issue green cards to undocumented non-citizens who have lived in America over 20 years.
47. Close visa loopholes that have facilitated the offshoring of jobs.
48. Make it easier to bring in seasonal farmworkers.
49. Make it harder bring in seasonal restaurant and hotel workers.
50.  Require health Insurance for all work visas.
51. Hire many more immigration judges, attorneys and social workers.
52. Reverse the decision to charge asylum seeker fees.
53.  Allow towns and cities with surplus housing or worker shortages to volunteer to take asylum
seekers and immigrants (most are in the rural areas). Adjust quotas upwards to meet demand.
54. Increase funding to assist towns and cities to teach English and help with refugee and
immigrant resettlement (job training, building rehabilitation, etc.).
The LA Times reports: “Newly obtained data show that the U.S. government has detained more than
25,000 migrant children for longer than 100 days over the last six years.”19
Some appear to have
been detained for more than a year, perhaps several years. 20 days is supposed to be the limit.20
55.  Provide a full accounting of all incarcerated children. Apologize and make some sort of
restitution. This is one reason we need a Truth and Justice Commission (see #146).
Police Reform
 Most European countries kill less than 10% as many of their citizens as the U.S. does.21
The
countries with some of the lowest rates have national police academies.22
In America police are trained: To shoot to kill; To shoot when threatened; To shoot to protect
property. To shoot to make sure people obey the law.
It is a slave masters law.
This must change. Lethal force should only be used to save lives. Not to protect property. Not to
enforce curfew. Not to demand compliance.
“When a foreigner resides among
you in your land, do not mistreat
them. The foreigner residing
among you must be treated as
your native-born…”
Leviticus 19:33-34

We need to change American policing so that police officers treat everyone as a cherished
relative—their sister’s husband or their uncle’ son—someone they may not like, someone who may
drink too much or someone who makes foolish choices—but not some to kill.
How to do this?22
The following will help:
56.  Fund a National police Instructors academy. Hire instructors from other successful countries.
Require all instructors at state and local police academies obtain an Instructors certification.
57. Develop national standards for police training.
58.  Fund simulators for police training that better prepare police for “high-testosterone”
encounters.
59. Set up a Presidential taskforce headed by the Vice President to make recommendations on how
to reduce police killing and “blue on black” shootings. Study what the most successful American
cities and the most successful European countries have done.
60. Set up a nation-wide certification for all law enforcement officers who carry a weapon—similar
to what electricians, plumbers, general contractors and medical professionals must pass.
In the meantime we should:
61. Ban choke holds and the like.
62. Require (and fund) all police with weapons to use body cams which automatically turn on when
officers get out of their vehicles.
63.  Lethal force or chemical agents (tear gas, pepper spray, etc.) water cannons, rubber bullets,
flash grenades can only be used to protect the imminent threat to lives (not property) and only
when body cam and car cams are in use.
64. Reevaluate and reinstate the police consent decrees the Trump Justice Department cancelled.
65. Set up a nationwide database to track all officers involved in police shootings.
66.  Set up a special Justice Department team to review the officers and police departments with
the most per capita police shootings (top 20%).
67. Fund pilot programs for “mental health first responders” to offload and complement police
departments. Expand if successful.
Portions of this section, on police reform, and several of the following sections, have historically
been under the jurisdiction of the states. Some of these rules may be better implemented at the state
or local level. Federal guidelines, plus model laws for state/local governments to adopt may be more
appropriate (with perhaps a few carrots or sticks to encourage their adoption).
Criminal Justice Reform
"Six out of 10 people in U.S. jails—nearly a half million individuals on any given day—are awaiting
trial [mostly poor people of color]. People who have not been found guilty of the charges against them
account for 95% of all jail population growth between 2000-2014."23
They also account for 2/3 of deaths
in jail.24
Unless Senator McConnell wants criminal justice reform as part of his legacy there are limits on
what can be done. Several of these may be possible:
68.  Give voice to the community. Convene Citizen Sentencing Review Boards—that reflect the
racial mix of the community—to meet with individuals prior to sentencing and to approve
prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations and plea bargains, or recommend an alternative
sentences to federal courts.
69.  Convene a Presidential Sentencing Review Board with broad powers to adjust sentences
which seem unjust. Fund the states to do the same.

70.  Flag for Justice Departments review jurisdictions with a disproportionate number of “person
years” of incarceration compared to its population.
71. Develop, pilot and fund punishment and rehabilitation alternatives other than prison.
72. Remove Marijuana from controlled substance list. Make it a state’s rights issue.
The following probably need a blue Senate. In the meantime, encourage the states to:
73. Ban bail and pre-trial incarceration except for cases of: treason, national security, flight risk and
for accused judged to be a threat to themselves or others. Over 400,000 poor Americans are in
jail because they cannot meet bail.25
74. Over four years, reduce the total incarcerated population by half, from a total population of 2.3
million to about 1.2 million Americans by 2025 (~1% per month). This would still be more than
twice the incarceration rate in Canada.25
75. Ban automatic and minimum sentences.
76. Ban three strikes laws.
77. Require judges to meet in private with defendants prior to accepting plea-bargains.
78. Allow judges to hear testimony and read grand jury testimony prior to accepting plea-bargains.
79.  Set community review boards to review all existing (old) drug sentences with parole board-
like powers for non-violent offenders and that can recommend revised sentences of violent
offenders.26
Start first on incarcerated parents and then on those with longest time served.
80.  All prisoners must have their sentences reviewed in person by a new judge every 5 years.
81. Require state and federal sentencing guidelines to assign similar sentences for non-violent
thefts of similar dollar amounts regardless whether a crime is white collar. E.g. stealing $10,000
from grandma online should receive a similar sentence to a non-violent theft of a $10,000 car.
82. Hire more public defenders.
83. Reduce the maximum caseload of public defenders.
84. Require 1 month of post-incarceration cash stipend for housing and training for every four
months of incarceration or jail to aid in community reintegration and reduce recidivism. No one
should be released penniless from jail or prison.27
85. Reduce the number of crimes with “no parole” or life sentences.
Social Media Misinformation, False Flag Attacks and Influence Schemes
Russian disinformation about COVID-19 has been relentless on social media.28
If Russia can
convince or confuse about 15% of Americans not to wear masks and not to be vaccinated, the American
pandemic may stretch on for years. America must get foreign, state-sponsored actors off of our social
media. The following will make it much more difficult for America’s adversaries.
Until Russia is off of social media, we won’t be able to unify America—or hold free elections.
In a perfect world these items should probably done with legislation, but these markets are so
dominated by a relatively small number of players and these changes might be accomplished by directly
negotiating with major players: Google, Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Comcast, et al.
86.  Ban bots masquerading as people on social media.
87. Publish a disinformation website available to the public.29
88.  Require a unique, registered and active U.S. cell phone be associated with every U.S. user ID
on social media (Only one user ID per active cellphone).
89. Require country of origin flags associated with social media posts and “tweets” when they are
displayed in a country in which they did not originate.

90. Work with the social media companies to use AI and community moderators to remove or
“slow roll” (or deprioritize) false and misleading posts and tweets.
91. Work with the social media companies “slow roll” (or deprioritize retweets) users who
consistently post false claims.
92.  Ban the use of targeting or “micro targeting” by race, party or political beliefs on social media.
93.  Require emails and email IDs not associated with a registered U.S. cellphone or Employer
Information Number (EIN) be flagged when sent and when displayed.
94. Make it more difficult to send spoofed emails with misleading senders.
95. Make spear-fishing attacks more difficult.
96.  Require network and email providers to remove all known links to malware.
97.  Require browser and email providers to prevent unknown links from doing damage (perhaps
by limiting their function and access to data if they are opened by a user).
98. Require the registration of cross-border VPNs and other tools that hide the identities of non-US
users and computers doing business in the U.S. or accessing US-based websites.
This would also help ensure the midterm elections are free from foreign Influence.
2022 Midterm Elections
Several Republican Senate seats are vulnerable and much of the President’s agenda will require
holding the house and flipping the Senate.
99. Start working on the 2022 midterm elections now.
 Do a detailed analysis of what worked and what failed in 2020.
 Build a plan for another midterm blue wave. When Trump is not at the top on the ticket the
Republicans may be more vulnerable.
 Start recruiting candidates now.
 Plan a better, more “relational” ground game.30
 Brand the party more effectively. Perhaps, the Party of Truth, Justice and Progress. Instead
of the party with a backbone of black women (which is not wearing well on 5th
generation
Irish Catholic Democrats and some other demographics). Ban the use of “defund” and
“socialism.” Replace liberal democracy with American democratic values.
Open and Fair Elections
“Two of the past three presidents—the winner of the Electoral College was in fact the loser of the
popular vote.”31
Al Gore and Hilary Clinton. Third party candidates (Nader and Stein) combined with the
archaic, slave-era electoral college conspired to give the losers a victory.
The electoral college should be eliminated. In the meantime, Edward B. Foley, an Ohio State
University law professor, proposes we used rank choice vote for presidential elections in swing states.32
It is not a perfect fix. It may have unforeseen consequences, but it is worth considering.
Meanwhile, as many of the following that can be done—with a Republican Senate—should be
done:
100. Fill the empty seats on the Federal Election Commission.
101.  Put all counties that have significantly longer poll waiting times at minority polling locations
under federal oversight.
102. Reinstate, or codify into law, the 1982 Republican Party consent decree against voter
intimidation and dirty tricks.

The following probably need a blue Senate. In the meantime, encourage the states to:
103. Require hand-marked paper ballots.
104. Require non-partisan election redistricting commissions in all states.
105.  Establish numerical tests for gerrymandering that must be met for both federal and state
offices. See: www.mggg.org/basics
106. Strengthen and “Reinstate” the Voting Rights Act.
107. Make voting by mail an option for all Americans.
108. Require mail-in ballots be counted for up to 7 days after the election.
109. Make same-day registration available to all Americans (with provisional ballots).
110. Eliminate requirements for witness signatures and “double enveloping” on mail-in ballots.
111.  Any organization must disclose all sources of funding and ownership prior to engaging in
political speech or lobbying. This would include: Political Action Committees, 501c(4)s, think
tanks, non-profits, lobbyists, associations, companies, foreign agents and media properties.
112. Require that all polls stay open until everyone has voted who arrived before closing time.
113. Require that “disqualified” ballots (those missing double envelopes, missing a witness
signature, missing signature, etc.) be made provisional and the voter be contacted by mail or
phone (it is this way in San Mateo County).
114. Develop nationwide standards for “purging” voters from the voter rolls.
115. Fix the ambiguous rules around disputed presidential elections.33
A Congress Free from Moneyed Interests and Foreign Influence (on hold)
Studies show that when politicians are forced to choose between their donors and their
constituents, they choose their donors. Freshmen congresspersons are told the most important thing to
do to get reelected is spending a least 2 hours a day fundraising (across the street because they cannot
use their official office).
Americans want elected officials who work for America, not for moneyed interests. Americans
want elected officials 100% focused on solving America’s problems, not spending any hours begging for
money from the rich.
This Probably needs a blue Senate:
116. “Repeal” Citizens United (legislate around it).
117.  Get all dark money out of politics. No anonymous donations to: Politicians, political action
committees, political parties, unions, 501c(4)s, or spent on political ads or on social media.
118.  Ban all contributions from registered lobbyists and their affiliated organizations.
119.  Restrict congresspersons from voting on issues when they have received significant
contributions from an industry, union, PAC, company, interest group or individual.
120.  Require any legislation (bill) with bipartisan sponsorship in both the House and Senate and
which has passed one chamber, be voted on the floor of the other chamber in a timely manner.
121.  When language used anywhere in a bill is sourced outside of congress (from unions,
lobbyists, companies, non-profits, think tanks, other governments agencies, individuals, etc.)
require the authorship be noted in the bill. Bills with fraudulent authorship may be invalidated
by the courts.
122.  Require the “Gang of Eight” and all members of congressional committees or
subcommittees that have access to classified documents have security clearances prior to
assuming these positions. This is counterbalanced by items 142 and 143.

Free and Open Press, Free from Foreign Influence (on hold)
These probably need a blue Senate:
123. Reinstate and expand the restrictions on foreign ownership of U.S. media companies and
assets.
124. Reinstate and expand restrictions on media concentration.
125. Bring back the Fairness Doctrine in a form that works in the internet age.
Cybercrime, Extortion, Fraud and Money Laundering
126.  Ban robobcalls. And work with the phone companies to automatically detect and block
them.
127.  Ban spoofed caller-IDs. And work with the phone companies to ensure their authenticity.
128. Increase FBI resources on cybercrime.
129. Increase FBI resources on white collar crime.
These four, items 126-129, could be packaged with the Fiduciary Responsibilities for Investment Advisors
(items 200-203) for a bipartisan “Protect Our Seniors” laws.
To protect hospitals, businesses and government agencies from ransomware, and to stop drug lords
and international terrorists from cleaning their money in U.S. banks the following should be done.
Unfortunately, the following may require a blue Senate:
130. Set a state and federal objective to have 50% of new incarcerations of the non-violent crimes
be for white collar and cybercrimes (as opposed to shoplifting, vandalism, drug use, etc.).
131.  Ban real estate, stock and art purchases by unknown or hidden buyers or sellers (i.e. shell
LLCs).
132.  Require all banking transactions to have known parties (known people).
133.  Ban LLCs and corporations with unknown owners from doing business in the US, or using
banks doing business in the U.S. The Wyden-Rubio bill is a good start.34
134. Increase SEC enforcement resources.
135. Double IRS resources. Focus most of the additional resources on taxpayers earning over
$500,000 a year or with a net worth above $10 million, and on large companies paying little tax.
136.  Double the resources investigating suspicious activity reports (SARs) from banks.35
137.  Require all digital currencies and digital payment systems to keep records and know both
parties in all transactions.
138. Require all digital currencies and digital payment systems report suspicious transactions.
139.  Ban and block crypto currencies. They are widely used for cybercrimes, extortion and
terrorism.36
They have no redeeming social value and present a substantial risk to society.37
Government Transparency (on hold)
140.  Make the publishing of federal tax returns automatic for individuals running for federal
office or for positions requiring Senate confirmation, including temporary appointees.
141.  Require blind trusts for elected federal office holders and all Senate confirmed positions,
including ambassadors, temporary appointees, and lifetime judicial appointees.
142.  Establish a process by which the House or Senate Intelligence committee can declassify
material. This counterbalanced item 122.

143.  Establish a Congressional Declassification Commission that anyone who has access to
classified information they believe the public or congress should see, can anonymously and
legally submit to for review. This is also counterbalanced item 122.
Recovering from the Excesses of the Trump Presidency
144. Restore the jobs that the Trump administration cut or did not fund at the CDC, the EPA the
Dept. of Agriculture, State Dept. etc.
145.  Establish a Rehire and Compensation Commission for all federal employees who were fired,
forced out or who voluntarily resigned during the Trump administration.
146.  Establish a Truth and Justice Commission to offer no-sentence or greatly reduced sentences
to anyone who may have committed or enabled a crime if they step forward and tell all.38
147. Establish executive order working groups (for EPA, ICE, etc.) to advise which Trump executive
orders should be modified or completely rescinded.
Wait for a blue Senate:
148. Convene an independent Judicial Application Review Commission to review the truthfulness of
all recent and future lifetime appointees’ disclosures and “applications.”
149. Pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act.39
150. Review and propose legislation to update the President's statutory War and Emergency Powers
to reduce their scope for misuse, particularly in non-emergency situations. Legally terminate
most no-longer-extant emergency and war-powers declarations.40
151.  Establish an independent, non-partisan, Judicial Qualification Review Board. Judicial
nominees who are not recommended by this qualification review board can still be seated by a
supermajority of the Senate.
152.  Judicial and other presidential nominees are automatically confirmed after 119 calendar
days unless a vote of the full Senate has already failed to confirm. This “automatic
confirmation” would not apply to nominees not approved by the Judicial Qualification Review
Board.
Health Care
Vice President Biden has stated he prefers a public option. Consider doing these as well:
153. Remove all restrictions on negotiating drug prices with drug makers.
154.  End surprise medical bills. Limit the maximum charges to uninsured individuals to 150% of
Medicare reimbursable expense. This proposed 150% of Medicare is a reimbursement rate of
131% of actual costs.41
Today the uninsured are billed 300% to 1,000% of actual costs.41
155. Reimpose the Obamacare ban on substandard medical insurance.
156.  Limit the maximum Copay to 1/3 the Medicare reimbursement price (even when the
deductible has not yet been met).
157. Develop a Medical Service Corps for individuals from underserved counties that pays for
training and schooling for: nurses, doctors, PAs and medical technicians who commit to return
to an underserved county for a specified number of years.
158. Fund new medical schools and nursing and PA programs dedicated to training students
returning to underserved communities.
159. Increase funding for public health and pandemic response programs.
160. Increase funding for mental health programs.

Child and Young Adult Wellbeing
Vice President Biden wants to make universal preschool available and to make public colleges and
universities tuition-free for all families with incomes below $125,000. Consider doing these as well:
161. Auto enroll pregnant mothers and children under 18 in Medicaid if for any reason they do not
have health insurance.
162. Increase funding for school nurses.
163.  Pay financial stipends to all young adults who age out of the foster care system for five
years (18-22 years).42
164. Develop other innovative ways to help foster children when they “age out” of the system,
including paying for counselors, tutoring and providing transitional housing.43
165.  Pay for college or trade school for all young adults exiting the foster care system.
166. Sign the International Treaty Banning Landmines.44
Several thousand children per year are
victims of landmines.45
Women’s Health
167. Prioritize and fund women’s health education and family planning domestically.
168.  Focus on reducing unwanted pregnancies: Implement and fund the Colorado LARC model
nationwide.46
169. Work to ensure that the several hundred million women around the world who do not have
access to family planning gain access to it.47
Wait for a blue Senate:
170.  Forced deliveries. In pregnancies with above an average risk of mental or physical
deficiencies—including malformation, an abnormal ultrasound, genetic test abnormalities, the
parental use of drugs, cigarettes or alcohol, or parental mental illness—when the state impedes
the mother from voluntarily terminating the pregnancy the state assumes all financial
responsibility for food, clothing, medical and education expenses until the child is 25—longer if
the child has serious mental or physical deficiencies. The state will also reimburse any insurance
companies and the federal government for all related medical expenses. This only applies to
situations where the mother wishes to terminate a risky pregnancy and the state impedes her
from doing so.
Student Loans
171. Reduce (forgive) existing student loans by $20,000 per student.
172. Reinstate and expand programs reducing loans for medical professionals and teachers working
in low income or underserved communities.
Taxation Equity
Maybe the first three can be do with the current Senate. Maybe:
173. Work with the European Union to modify the tax system to inhibit and repatriate the
offshoring of profits.
174.  Give significant tax advantages to companies hiring domestically and paying for health
insurance. For example: Domestic labor is 100% tax deductible, health insurance is 150%
deductible, while all other expenses (e.g., imports and materials) are only 80% deductible. This

tilts the playing field in favor of paying health insurance and against the offshoring of American
jobs.
Requires a blue Senate:
175. Repeal Trump’s tax breaks for corporations and the very wealthy.
176. Enact Senator Warren’s wealth tax.
177. Eliminate the carried interest tax break and possibly the QSBS exemption.
178.  Develop an Alternative Minimum Tax , AMT, for corporations equal to 5% of total domestic
revenue above the first $50 million of revenue, closing the multinational or “Amazon”
loophole.48
Climate Change: “ A Lean, Green New Deal”
Rehire and fully staff the EPA (see recommendations 144, 145 and 146). Establish a panel of
experts to review all of Trump’s executive orders effecting the environment and recommend which
should be rescinded in part or in their entirety (see recommendation 147).
179.  Implement a universal fee on carbon emissions, 100% rebated to individuals and increased
over time until carbon emissions drop to safe levels.49
180. This “carbon tax” is supported by: Dr. James Hansen, Dr. Steven Chu, George Shultz, James
Baker and host of luminaries.50
It has received unprecedented support of nearly 3,600 US
economists, including 4 past Fed Chairs, 28 Nobel economics laureates, 15 Chairs of the
Council of Economic Advisors—The Largest Public Statement of Economists in History.50
Many
Fortune 500 companies also support it.51
181.  Cross border adjustments would be available to be spent directly on carbon mitigation
efforts: Protecting rainforests and arctic tundra, stopping underground fires and assisting poor
countries, etc.
182.  Consider using the 20-year CO2e not the 100-year CO2e for the first decade or two when
calculating emissions and carbon fees. This focuses on the items with the greatest impact on
the environment (e.g. soot and methane).52
183.  Quietly fund more research and modelling into geoengineering. We are so late reducing
GHGs it may be needed to save the polar ice caps, which must be saved.
Wait for blue Senate:
184. Phase out tax breaks for coal, oil and natural gas, especially “intangible drilling expenses” and
exemptions from the AMT.
Also see action items: 187 (home energy efficiency in underserved neighborhoods) and 169
(international family planning) and its associated endnote 47.
Economic Justice
185. Increase federal minimum wage to $12-$24 depending on the cost of living in the county with
an 80% of COLA automatic increase.
186.  Cap interest rates on “payday loans.”
187. Fund homeowners to upgrade their homes in underserved communities. Focus on energy
efficiency and use community labor and apprentice programs.53
Combine with #53.
188.  Guarantee every veteran a home. In each state fund one or more “veterans villages” of tiny
homes or trailer homes.
 In the areas with high gun violence, high opioid addiction or systemic unemployment:
189. Fund trade schools.

190. Fund after school programs, jobs and apprenticeships.
Corporate Governance (on hold)
191.  Require all corporations and corporate directors take into account worker, environmental
and community wellbeing—not just profits—when making major decisions, e.g. M&A.
192.  Encourage companies to have an elected worker representative on their boards.
193. Tax “B” corps—social benefits corporations—at a slightly lower tax rate.
Governmental Organization
194. Decide who has regulatory and enforcement authority over digital currencies, digital payment
systems and cryptocurrencies. Then give them more resources.
195. Replace the “Star Force” with Cyber Warfare and Defense.
196. Add an Undersecretary for Internet Commerce.
197. Add an Undersecretary for Internet Security in the State Department.
198. Add an Undersecretary of Climate Change or cabinet position in the White House.
199.  Rename the Bureau of “Indian” Affairs and promote its head to an Undersecretary.
Fiduciary Responsibilities for Investment Advisors
These Fiduciary Responsibility Laws can be packaged with items 126-129 in a “Protect Our Seniors” bill.
200. Require financial and investment advisors for 401k, IRAs and similar accounts put the best
interests of their clients first above their own financial interests.
201.  Expand these Fiduciary Responsibility Rules to mortgage brokers.
202.  Expand these Fiduciary Responsibility Rules to registered investment
brokers/dealers/advisors.
203. Expand these Fiduciary Responsibility Rules to life insurance salespeople.
Commonsense Gun Laws
204. Convene a Presidential commission on gun violence. Invite Sandy Hook parents, Parkland
students and Gabby Giffords to participate.
Maybe some of these can be done with a red Senate. Maybe:
205. Ban all sales of assault weapons.*
206. Ban “cop killer” and “hollow point” bullets.*
207. Ban the sale of large magazines.*
208. Ban bump stocks and other conversion kits.
209. Require universal background checks to buy guns.
210.  Require homes with minors to store all guns, bullets and shotgun shells in locked gun safes.
211. Subsidize the purchase of gun safes.
212.  Laser etch serial numbers on all bullets and casings.
213. Use a system similar to the controls on Sudafed for buying bullets.
214. Fund a massive national gun buyback program.
*Except when used by a well-regulated militia or by an insured and licensed gun range or gun club.
This untaxed ammunition should have uniquely colored shells.

Notes and References
1
Some of these rules may be better implemented at the state or local level. Federal Guidelines, plus model laws
for state/ local governments to adopt, plus some sort of carrot-and-stick arrangement may be more
appropriate.
2
Visualization examples:
Two important simulations and one famous diagram: https://quillette.com/2020/04/23/covid-19-
superspreader-events-in-28-countries-critical-patterns-and-lessons/
Use of cellular records to track super spreader events: https://youtu.be/F0qAT65V1P0 and
www.dailydot.com/debug/cellphone-heat-map-meat-industry
Western democracies vs. Asian democracies: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-data-
explorer?zoomToSelection=true&time=2025-08-
02&country=AUS~JPN~NZL~KOR~TWN~USA~SWE~FRA~GBR~ITA~ESP&region=World&deathsMetric=true&inte
rval=total&hideControls=true&perCapita=true&smoothing=0&pickerMetric=location&pickerSort=asc
Mask wearing democracies vs. the U.S. https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-data-
explorer?zoomToSelection=true&time=2020-01-
31..latest&country=JPN~KOR~TWN~USA~AUT~CZE&region=World&deathsMetric=true&interval=total&hideCo
ntrols=true&perCapita=true&smoothing=0&pickerMetric=location&pickerSort=asc
U.S. state death rates: www.statista.com/statistics/1109011/coronavirus-covid19-death-rates-us-by-state/
3
“By some estimates, 10 percent of [infected] people have been causing 80 percent of new infections.”
www.vox.com/21296067/coronavirus-covid-symptoms-superspreaders-superspreading-contagious-bars-
restaurants Also see the next two notes.
4
Bars, restaurants, gyms, and churches seem to be causing many super spreader events. This also shows the
importance of cellular records: www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/health/covid-indoor-venues-infections.html
5
Colleges and universities responsible for a surprising number of super spreader events: www.vox.com/future-
perfect/21494352/school-reopenings-covid-coronavirus-pandemic-in-person-teaching Also see prior 2 notes.
6
South Korea has produced a detailed “How to Guide” for other governments:
www.moef.go.kr/com/cmm/fms/FileDown.do?atchFileId=ATCH_000000000013739&fileSn=2
The South Korean guide contains detailed screen shots, flow diagrams and several examples of using AI to
defeat COVID-19.
7
The app will be controversial no matter how you build it. So build one modeled after the successful apps in
South Korea and Taiwan. GPS is a must. Talk with the government of France about the problems they had
with Apple and Google. Modeling and experience will show that watered down Apps don’t work when they
cannot tell people where and when they were exposed.
Lifesaving COVID-19 Apps have ALL of the following:
1. Location data for all contacts and logging all Bluetooth pings and beacons
2. Background operation: App does not need to be open to function
3. Basic health profile: age, are they members of vulnerable population?
4. A few simple health and behavior questions:
 Are you wearing mask? What % of the people around you are wearing a mask?
5. Daily temperature of the user recorded
6. The defaults for all of the above should be ON at installation.
7. Option to share the data with public health officials (opt out vs. opt in).
8. A simple way for parents, schools, hospitals, airlines and employers to check the app is installed correctly,
running and whether the user is share their data with public health officials.

9. Color coding to tell you, a parent, a school, a restaurant or bus driver if you are likely to be infected:
green, lime green, yellow, red.
10. Interoperability with other states (for travelers and truckers).
For more information see: https://tiny.cc/COVIDLessons
Even if only 10% of the population downloads it will catch most super spreader events more quickly and save
thousands of lives.
8
PSAs from around the world: www.france24.com/en/europe/20201117-the-best-medicine-around-the-world-in-
clever-covid-19-adverts and www.radio.com/kluv/news/german-health-department-releases-funny-covid-19-
psas
9
Could it be 70%? Maybe, but it may take 80%.
Can’t we go without masks if community spread is low like New Zealand and several providences in Canada?
It is mathematically impossible to keep community spread low without masks for 300M people, unless you are
willing to lock state borders and shut the interstate highway system. No large democracy has ever been
successful doing this. Look at Europe. It works for a while, until it doesn’t.
10
It is possible that more American voters get their news exclusively from Fox than all other TV networks
combined as viewers of other networks tend to get their news from multiple sources.
11
www.pbs.org/newshour/show/remembering-5-victims-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2
12
Don’t repeat this mistake: The Washing Post reported: “In 2018, [Fox host, Jeanine] Pirro complained personally
to the president that she had been unable to get any White House staffers to appear on her show for two
weeks running. Little wonder, said one administration official: “No one wanted to do it every week because it
was on Saturday night, and it screws up your weekend.” But Trump came to the rescue — volunteering to call
into the show himself. After that, his staff set up a rotation system to make sure one of them would perform
the duty for Pirro’s show every week.”
13
Second mortgage program for homeowners. Objections have been raised that there is not a mortgage
delinquency problem and that direct cash payments to the neediest world be more effective.
Why a mortgage loan program for homeowners is wise: 1) Some families desperately need mortgage
assistance. 2) A mortgage crisis can snowball quickly, let’s get out ahead of it. 3) This does get money to middle
and upper middle class homeowners who have tightened their belts and will enable them to increase
discretionary spending. Which is exactly the point. 4) It is a loan secured by American property and has to be
paid back. 5) Trillion dollar government bailouts of companies and the poor that ignore families may not end
well for politicians. 6) Many relatively well-to-do families are supper stressed. This gives them the financial
breathing room to hire a nanny (or manny) or for one spouse to stay at home. 7) The Fed needs another way of
putting money in the economy besides buying stocks and bonds. This is one way to accomplish this
14
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you
must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD
your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34 See https://truerichesradio.com/seven-biblical-commands-regarding-immigrants
15
Mexico’s innovative TV model can be adapted to U.S. distance learning. Each state selects several of their best
“zoom” teachers for each grade level and subject area to prepare or select instructional videos. This enables
classroom teachers select some or all of each days videos and to spend more time working with, encouraging
and monitoring students. This is what is known as flipped classroom. Evidence-based research has shown
them to be very effective. Info on the Mexican model:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/mexicos-school-year-to-begin-with-instruction-on-
television/2020/08/03/8083dd8a-d5ea-11ea-a788-2ce86ce81129_story.html and www.bbc.com/news/world-
latin-america-53917882

flipped classrooms in elementary classes: http://www.ala.org/tools/future/trends/flippedlearning
www.kdp.org/pdf/covid19/NTA-Apps-for-Flipped-Learning.pdf and
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7414784/ and https://blog.pearsoninternationalschools.com/the-
benefits-of-a-flipped-classroom-for-distance-learning/ and www.edsurge.com/news/2020-07-20-revisiting-
blended-learning-principles-with-school-plans-in-limbo and
www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2020/04/13/the-coronavirus-pandemic-has-unleashed-a-revolution-in-
education-from-now-on-blended-learning-will-be-the-benchmark/#521dbf2a536f
Flipped classrooms at universities: https://news.wsu.edu/2015/10/27/flipping-the-classroom-to-improve-
learning/ and www.washington.edu/trends/the-global-flip-a-new-model-for-international-learning/ and
www.washington.edu/uwit/partnerships-2018/panopto-poll-everwhere-classroom-technology/
16
Undocumented workers in agriculture: www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/us/coronavirus-undocumented-
immigrant-farmworkers-agriculture.html
17
It breaks my heart to see America deporting its veterans or their families:
www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/17/deported-veterans-fought-for-this-country-its-
time-to-fight-for-them-too and www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/11/09/veterans-day-stop-deporting-
veterans-make-them-citizens-column/2527994001/
18
Deporting a California firefighter: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/22/california-inmate-firefighter-
ice-deportation
There is a theme throughout the criminal justice sections of this document to allow the local community a
greater voice in decisions of how long community members should be locked up and if they should be
deported.
19
25,000 children detained: www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-30/migrant-children-have-
languished-in-u-s-custody-for-as-long-as-7-years
20
Flores imposed a 20-day limit for detaining migrant children:
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/24/new-trump-administration-rule-allows-children-be-detained-
indefinitely-heres-what-you-need-know/
21
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_by_country
22
https://theconversation.com/why-do-american-cops-kill-so-many-compared-to-european-cops-49696
23
About half of those incarcerated in jail are awaiting trial or have not been unable to meet bail. This is over
500,000 individuals. Most are poor or people if color.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States Also see the prior note.
24
Most people dying in American jails have not been convicted: www.reuters.com/investigates/special-
report/usa-jails-deaths/
25
Mass Incarceration statistics: www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2020.html and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_United_States_incarceration_rate_with_other_countries
26
America has far too many people incarcerated and for too long: www.aclu.org/issues/criminal-law-
reform/drug-law-reform/fair-sentencing-act and www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/us/politics/law-to-reduce-
crack-cocaine-sentences-leaves-some-imprisoned.html and www.sentencingproject.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/05/Still-Life.pdfand www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/189106-2.pdf
27
One early reviewer of this document wrote: “Did I tell you about a guy I picked up on release [from jail] at 6 pm
with no money, no ID, and only the clothes he had on his back? No local family. He couldn't even get into a
shelter because of no ID…”

28
Russian COVID-19 disinformation: This document gives examples and lists the sources in its appendix:
https://tiny.cc/COVIDLessons Also see the next note.
29
An example of a disinformation database: www.euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-can-kill/ and
www.euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?disinfo_keywords%5B0%5D=106935 Also see the previous note.
30
Published on Apple News as: There’s one simple, remarkably effective trick to get people to vote. Are
Democrats listening? www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/relational-organizing/ The implications of this
are that young people 1 to 6 years out of high school can be invaluable in finding hidden voters.
31
History of disputed elections: www.history.com/news/presidents-electoral-college-popular-vote
32
Electoral College reform: www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/04/electoral-college-reform-2020-226792
33
More clarity about the rules surrounding: a Presidential candidate who dies shorty before or after an election;
disputed electors and disputed election results.
34
Rubio, Wyden, Whitehouse Introduce a Bill to Combat Financial Crime by Ending Anonymous Shell Companies:
www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/6/rubio-wyden-whitehouse-introduce-bill-to-combat-financial-
crime-by-ending-anonymous-shell-companies
35
The government’s inability to monitor suspicious banking activity: www.buzzfeednews.com/fincen-files and
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suspicious-activity-inside-the-fincen-files/id1531918384 and
www.icij.org/investigations/fincen-files/
36
Cryptocurrencies are widely used for tax evasion, cybercrimes, extortion, money laundering and terrorism.
www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR3000/RR3026/RAND_RR3026.pdf and
www.justice.gov/opa/pr/global-disruption-three-terror-finance-cyber-enabled-campaigns and
www.natlawreview.com/article/examining-national-security-implications-cryptocurrencies and
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01495933.2020.1718983?journalCode=ucst20 and
www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-expects-a-rise-in-scams-involving-cryptocurrency-related-to-
the-covid-19-pandemic and www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/06/cryptocurrency-blackmail-scam-alert and
www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/150761/TAX3%20Study%20on%20cryptocurrencies%20and%20blockchain.
pdf and www.cnbc.com/2018/04/06/hosptial-ceo-forced-to-pay-hackers-in-bitcoin-now-teaches-others.html
37
Cryptocurrencies and digital currencies present risks far beyond their criminal use:
https://blockchain.news/news/oxford-law-researchers-call-for-strict-cryptocurrency-regulation-to-avoid-
another-financial-crisis and www.dni.gov/files/PE/Documents/9---2017-AEP_Risks-and-Vulnerabilities-of-
Virtual-Currency.pdf and www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/150000/BRUEGEL_FINAL%20publication.pdf and
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45427.pdf
38
Truth and Justice Commission: Architects of this commission should review how South Africa and Rwanda
managed their end-of-conflict commissions. The Allies had a similar process after the WWII. These are very
different situations, but they all developed a rehabilitation process for those asked by state authorities to
commit crimes. Portions should be behind closed doors and portions should be televised.
39
The Protecting Our Democracy Act: https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-democrats-
introduce-landmark-reforms-package-the-protecting-our-democracy
40
War and Emergency Powers. Congress has the constitutional authority to set tariffs, but there is an antique war
powers act, dating to WWII, "Trading with the Enemy Act" that gives the president sweeping emergency
powers to control trade and set tariff unilaterally in wartime. Nixon used in 1971, and Trump used it to break
up NAFTA and individually punish foreign governments that crossed him.

41
Medicare calculations and sources of information:
Inputs: Source of data
Percent of actual costs paid by Medicare 87% www.healthcarevaluehub.org/advocate-
resources/publications/medicare-rates-benchmark-too-
much-too-little-or-just-right
Percent of actual costs paid by Private
Insurance
145%
Percent of medical costs reimbursed at the
proposed 150% of Medicare rate (for the
uninsured)
131% 87% * 150%
"List Price" billed to uninsured patients 300% https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facscholar/207
TODAY as a percent of actual costs to
1,000%
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-
science/why-some-hospitals-can-get-away-with-price-
gouging-patients-study-finds/2015/06/08/b7f5118c-
0aeb-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html
42
Foster care to prison pipeline: https://jlc.org/news/what-foster-care-prison-pipeline Also see the next note.
43
Foster youth aging out - Statistics, examples and government programs: https://finallyfamilyhomes.org/the-
problem/ and www.covenanthouse.org/homeless-teen-issues/foster-care and www.turntablehousing.com/
and www.huduser.gov/portal/youth_foster_care.html Also see the prior note.
44
International Treaty Banning Landmines: www.icbl.org/en-gb/home.aspx
45
Children victims of landmines: www.unicef.org/french/protection/files/Landmines_Factsheet_04_LTR_HD.pdf
46
The Colorado model reduced unintended pregnancies and helped lift women out of poverty, while saving the
government/taxpayers money. www.nytimes.com/2015/07/06/science/colorados-push-against-teenage-
pregnancies-is-a-startling-success.html www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/upshot/set-it-and-forget-it-how-better-
contraception-could-be-a-secret-to-reducing-poverty.html and http://www.larc4co.com/ and
https://chambersfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2017-Taking-the-Unintended-Out-of-Pregnancy.pdf and
www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/cfpi-report
47
International family planning: This is one of my few excursions into “foreign policy.” Estimates of women who
would like to use family planning and can’t get supplies worldwide start at 200 million with some estimates
being much higher.
International family planning could just as well have been listed in the climate change section. Some
calculations show that reducing unwanted and accidental children is one of the most cost effective ways to
reduce GHGs. Any family planning programs designed today should be mindful of the tremendous success of
Colorado so experiment. See note 46.
It’s also critical to have media and social media support. The world’s leader in using media to inform
underserved families about their options is the Population Media Center: www.populationmedia.org
48
Why a revenue based Alternative Minimum Tax? Because profits are easier to hide than revenues. Most AMTs
are focused on profit, but profits is easily manipulated, particularly by multinationals. Whereas American
revenue is far more difficult to hide. Foreign multinationals are particularly adept at showing low profits in
America. A modified gross revenue should also be considered, calculated as: Total sales- personnel expenses,
Enough with the trickery, simply tax the revenue. A revenue based AMT ensures that foreign multinationals pay
their fair share. Also see: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/tax-corporate-revenues-rather-than-
profits/article22346737.ece1 and http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=116253

49
A universal carbon tax with a full rebate: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/energy-innovation-and-carbon-
dividend-act/ and www.gci.org.uk/Documents/FeeAndDividend.CliveEllsworth.July2014.pdf and
https://clcouncil.org/our-plan/ and www.ashland.or.us/Files/ScienceBasedTargetsInformation.pdf and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tax and https://bravenewclimate.com/2011/08/05/hansen-energy-kool-
aid/ and https://medium.com/basic-income/this-idea-can-literally-change-our-world-107cbc94057a and
www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/22596/413132-Tax-Policy-Issues-in-Designing-a-Carbon-Tax.PDF
and https://inthesetimes.com/article/carbon-tax-dividend-climate-change-green-new-deal and
https://scholars.org/page/building-support-us-climate-reforms-universal-benefits and www.carbontax.org and
www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2016/05/04/9-things-you-should-know-about-the-carbon-tax-2
A carbon tax with 100% rebate—with an equal amount going to all Americans 18 and older—is redistributive
and is most helpful to the poor and to young adults at the beginning of their careers—groups hard-hit by the
pandemic. Also see the next two notes.
50
Support for a carbon tax: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/about-ccl/advisory-board/ and
https://clcouncil.org/economists-statement/ Also see the next note.
51
Corporate support for a carbon tax: https://clcouncil.org/founding-members/ Also see the prior two notes.
52
Near-term climate mitigation- why a 20-year CO2e is better: The 100-year CO2e discounts the impact of soot
(carbon black) to near zero while it is helping melt the polar ice caps. It also undercounts the near-term effects
of methane. This use of the 20-year CO2e need not be permanent, just until these short-term stressors are
eliminated. www.pnas.org/content/110/35/14202 and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential
53
Residential upgrade projects in poor communities can be combined apprenticeships. Residential upgrade
projects with apprenticeships are important because: They cannot be “offshored;” they have a high economic
multiplier; they put money into poor communities; and they take young people off the streets and train them
for good paying jobs.

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