Strong families, strong middle class

After a long and very expensive election, many of us would like to forget about politics and get back to our daily lives. But lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and Juneau aren’t about to do that, so we have to remain vigilant to defend our Alaska values.

The election raised some important issues: Why have wages for the Middle Class remained flat for most Americans? What can the government do to support the growing number of families in which both or all parents work full-time jobs? How can we reduce the cost of student loans to ensure that families can afford to send their kids to college? How can we continue improving our health care system so family members can make employment decisions that aren’t constrained by unavailable health insurance?

Our economy has changed a lot during the last 50 years. Alaska Democrats think that the government should evolve, too, with policies that support strong families and a strong middle class. Too often, these priorities have gotten lost amidst debates driven by lobbyists or well-financed special interest groups.

Take Social Security, for example. This is a successful program that largely eliminated poverty among seniors. Yet many interest groups in Washington, want to privatize Social Security, reducing Americans’ economic security. Democrats defended Social Security from privatization attacks, but we can do better than that by discussing positive policies to improve working families’ economic security.

For example, a growing number of families have either both parents working, or are single parent households in which one parent works full-time. Unlike in the 1950s, we can’t assume that one parent can take care of the kids. Daycare is very expensive today, and not all daycares focus on the kinds of educational and social skills that can help our kids succeed.

Democrats in the state Legislature have proposed expanding pre-Kindergarten education, which would help parents save money but also would improve students’ educational futures. A wide range of studies suggests that children learn most rapidly at a very young age. But Pre-K isn’t enough by itself. We need to be realistic about the realities of raising children in working families, including costs of daycare, flexibility to take care of kids when they get sick, and the cost of saving money for college.

Last year, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich worked hard to lower college student loan rates. In the end, Congress passed a compromise bill that holds down college loan rates in the short-term but doesn’t contain rates in the long-term. We need a low, fixed rate for student loans. Many families are helping their oldest child attend college while other children are still in middle or high school. Bringing down the cost of student loans certainly helps students get the higher education they need, but it also improves working families’ economic security.

Since most Alaskans are not college graduates, the state also should focus on economic opportunities for bluecollar workers. The previous governor Sean Parnell cancelled Alaska Hire, a bad decision that puts our workers at a disadvantage. Our new governor Bill Walker is a supporter of Alaska Hire, and Democrats support efforts to restore Alaska Hire and the training that can equip Alaska workers to do the job. We also applaud Gov. Walker’s longstanding support of Project Labor Agreements, which provide stability for big construction projects and support working Alaskans who build them.

Finally, we need to acknowledge international economic changes that continue to affect Alaska. The price of oil has fallen, so we need to bring in investment in other industries. Medicaid expansion is a good start, since it will bring in billions of dollars in investment while reducing health costs for Alaska families. We also can continue the progress we’ve made growing the fisheries and tourism economy, both of which support many Alaska small businesses. When it comes to our fisheries, we shouldn’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

Alaska faces big challenges with the budget deficit left behind by Parnell and falling oil prices. But with a focus on strong families and a strong middle class, we can protect Alaskans’ higher-than-average wages and our world class quality of life. But we’ll have to drive the agenda, and not let lobbyists in Washington, or Juneau take us backward.

Mike Wenstrup is the chairman of the Alaska Democratic Party.