New Year, New Laws: 2024 Edition
"Both parties are the same!"
No, they most certainly are not.
While the media loves to bothsides the issues, the truth of the matter is that Democrats are exponentially better for the health and wellbeing of everyday Americans. Each year on January 1st, a slew of new laws are enacted thanks to due diligence from Democrats at the local, statewide, and national levels. These laws are often subtle, requiring time for those to feel their full impact. But there can be no doubt that these policies, often fully rejected by Republican legislators, can and will make a difference in the lives of the American people. As we ramp up to the 2024 general election, these are exactly the laws that Democratic candidates should champion on the campaign trail to draw a clear distinction between them and their opponents. A quick recap of some new laws now officially on the books:
Federal Policy Changes: Student loans/prescription drugs
Having been dealt the least productive Congress in a half-century due to Republican incompetence, President Joe Biden has been sure to utilize every tool at his disposal to enact new laws heading into 2024. On the student loan front, the Secure Act and the Secure Act 2.0 have created an opportunity for employers to match their employees' student loan payments with a contribution to the employee's retirement account. The Department of Education has also updated its FAFSA form, making it shorter and more accessible for families seeking federal financial aid to send their children to college. On the healthcare front, 2022's Inflation Reduction Act is set to continue to build upon its successes over the past 17 months. Starting on January 1st, the low-income subsidy program (LIS) will be expanded up to 150% of the federal poverty level under Medicare Part D. This will lower drug coverage premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs for a large pocket of our nation's most vulnerable residents. Specifically, this means that 90% of all Insulin sold in the United States will be subject to a price cap and seniors on Medicare with diabetes won't have to pay more than $35 for Insulin.
Gender-Affirming Care
An issue where we've seen a clear Republican-Democratic divide over the past few years has been gender-affirming care. While red states such as Idado and Louisiana voted to restrict care in 2023, Maryland approved legislation that requires Medicare to provide coverage in a "nondiscriminatory manner" to those seeking such care starting on January 1. Maryland follows fellow blue states Colorado and Minnesota which also voted to help protect the transgender community in 2023.
An issue where we've seen a clear Republican-Democratic divide over the past few years has been gender-affirming care. While red states such as Idado and Louisiana voted to restrict care in 2023, Maryland approved legislation that requires Medicare to provide coverage in a "nondiscriminatory manner" to those seeking such care starting on January 1. Maryland follows fellow blue states Colorado and Minnesota which also voted to help protect the transgender community in 2023.
Abortion Protections
In the post-Roe world, protections for women's bodily autonomy have fallen on state legislatures and governors. While blue states have enshrined basic protections, they have also been forced to address Republican opposition seeking to punish them for being safe havens for women seeking abortion procedures. In Washington state, any health insurance plan issued or renewed on January 1st will be prohibited from cost sharing for abortions, which helps undo the previous practice that included out-of-pocket costs as co-pays and deductibles for the procedure. In California, the Democratic supermajority enacted a law that shields healthcare providers from out-of-state litigation if they provide abortion services to individuals traveling from states with restrictive abortion laws. Democratic legislatures throughout the country continue to support women, an issue that will be front and center in November.
Minimum Wage
Voting blue will once again pay dividends for millions of Americans in 2024 as the minimum wage is set to increase in 22 states and over 40 local municipalities thanks largely to Democratic activism and policymaking. With the federal minimum wage having been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009 and Congressional Republicans intentionally keeping it that way, Democrats have led the way to increase the minimum wage at the local and state levels. While it has taken far too long, even Republican-led legislatures have begun to catch on. The year 2024 will see minimum wage increases in traditional red states such as Alaska, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota. Like abortion, minimum wage increases have proven to have strong bipartisan support wherever they have appeared on the ballot.
Gun Violence Prevention
By acknowledging that "It's the guns, stupid", Democrats are the only party actively trying to save lives through gun violence prevention legislation. Starting on January 1st, the state of Illinois will ban high-powered semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, a law recently upheld by the United States Supreme Court. Heading west, Minnesota will become the 20th state to enact red-flag laws that enable protection orders to take away guns from people deemed an imminent threat to themselves or others. And across the Rocky Mountains, the state of Colorado will join a dozen others in banning ghost guns, a 3D-printed weapon without serial numbers that allows owners to avoid background checks.
These are just a splattering of small but critical laws that Democrats helped make happen in 2024 but they represent the broader view of the role of government. Republicans in power choose to help the wealthy and well-off while Democrats consistently fight for the vulnerable and underrepresented. These laws represent a perfect encapsulation of the Democratic Party in 2024 as being one concerned with the health and financial security of all citizens regardless of race, class, or gender. A rising tide lifts all boats is not merely words, but verifiable policy from Democrats. There is no sector of society that has not been improved by Democrats over the past two decades and there's a reason why Democrats have won the popular vote in 7 out of the last 8 national elections. These are good politics and good policies, and they make a measurable difference in people's everyday lives. Politics is like an automatic car: use the 'D' to go forward and the 'R' for reverse. It may be a cliche, but it's true as we're already seeing the value of voting Democrat in local, statewide, and national elections a mere 2 days into 2024.
Imagine what we can do with a Democratic House, Senate, and White House come November.
Gun Violence Prevention
By acknowledging that "It's the guns, stupid", Democrats are the only party actively trying to save lives through gun violence prevention legislation. Starting on January 1st, the state of Illinois will ban high-powered semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, a law recently upheld by the United States Supreme Court. Heading west, Minnesota will become the 20th state to enact red-flag laws that enable protection orders to take away guns from people deemed an imminent threat to themselves or others. And across the Rocky Mountains, the state of Colorado will join a dozen others in banning ghost guns, a 3D-printed weapon without serial numbers that allows owners to avoid background checks.
These are just a splattering of small but critical laws that Democrats helped make happen in 2024 but they represent the broader view of the role of government. Republicans in power choose to help the wealthy and well-off while Democrats consistently fight for the vulnerable and underrepresented. These laws represent a perfect encapsulation of the Democratic Party in 2024 as being one concerned with the health and financial security of all citizens regardless of race, class, or gender. A rising tide lifts all boats is not merely words, but verifiable policy from Democrats. There is no sector of society that has not been improved by Democrats over the past two decades and there's a reason why Democrats have won the popular vote in 7 out of the last 8 national elections. These are good politics and good policies, and they make a measurable difference in people's everyday lives. Politics is like an automatic car: use the 'D' to go forward and the 'R' for reverse. It may be a cliche, but it's true as we're already seeing the value of voting Democrat in local, statewide, and national elections a mere 2 days into 2024.
Imagine what we can do with a Democratic House, Senate, and White House come November.
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