Analysis Of 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Proposals For Government-Provided Benefits

The provided source material offers a critical examination of the policy proposals advanced by Democratic candidates during the 2020 U.S. presidential primary season. The central theme of these sources is the characterization of these proposals as promises of "free" goods and services, ranging from healthcare and education to infrastructure and cultural funding. The documents analyze the political strategy behind these promises, the estimated economic costs, and the potential societal impacts.

Source [1] highlights the competitive nature of the primary, suggesting that success was correlated with the volume of government spending promised to voters. It specifically notes that Senator Kamala Harris initially led in promised expenditures before dropping out, and that former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren proposed significant spending increases, particularly in the education sector. Biden’s proposals included making community college free and reducing student loans, while Warren’s were noted as being substantially more costly.

Source [2] provides a satirical critique, comparing the primary to a high school election where candidates promise amenities to win votes. It offers an extensive, non-exhaustive list of proposed "free" programs, including college, childcare, healthcare, drugs, alternative energy, debt forgiveness, raises, subsidies, benefits, sick days, pre-K, family leave, foreign aid, mental health counseling, agriculture, seawalls, reparations, infrastructure, art, housing, and even monthly payments to individuals. The source argues that while some services like roads and fire departments are legitimately publicly funded, the expansion of government-provided benefits to these new areas represents a form of electoral bribery.

Source [3] focuses specifically on the proposal to cancel student loan debt, a key component of the "free stuff" platform. It cites Elizabeth Warren’s argument that executive action to cancel student debt would serve as a massive economic stimulus by enabling a generation to buy homes, start businesses, and save for retirement. However, the source also presents counterarguments and warnings. It mentions Damon Linker’s prediction that such cancellation would provoke anger among those who did not attend college or who paid off their debts. Furthermore, it references a warning from Dayen that pitting different groups against one another regarding debt fairness is counterproductive. David Weigel is quoted noting that "giving people free stuff is popular" and that there was no evidence of a voter backlash against Donald Trump for utilizing similar populist strategies.

Source [4] critiques the economic feasibility of these proposals, citing cost estimates from House Budget Committee Republicans. These estimates include $3.2 trillion annually for a single-payer healthcare system, $9.3 trillion annually for the Green New Deal, and $125 billion annually for free college. The source contrasts these costs with projected revenue from a wealth tax, suggesting the numbers "don't add up." It further argues that the redistribution of wealth is morally equivalent to theft and that such policies would likely have minimal positive impact on economic growth. The source also mentions the concept of "free" existing services, such as the military and police, to contextualize the debate but ultimately characterizes the candidates' promises as a form of socialism relying on coercion.

Collectively, the sources portray the 2020 Democratic primary as a contest defined by expansive promises of government-funded benefits. The discourse centers on the popularity of these offers versus their economic viability and the ethical implications of wealth redistribution.

Sources

1. Reason.com - Presidential Candidates Promise Freebies for Everyone
2. The Libertarian Republic - List of Democrats' Free Proposals in the Debate/Election 2020
3. Common Dreams - Giving People Free Stuff is Popular; Democrats Urged to Go Big, Cancel Student Debt
4. Newsweek - Democrats Love to Promise Voters Free Stuff That Isn't Free (Opinion)