Progress isn’t accidental. It never hurts to remind voters (and politicians) of the importance of progressive leadership.
Who invented Social Security? Who started Head Start? Who hired out-of-work Americans to create 711 state parks? Which president and senator helped bring peace to Northern Ireland? (If you have time, each of those links is worth visiting.) Below, I list some of the national and international initiatives which came to fruition because of the passion, inspiration or crucial assistance of Democratic leaders. I invite you to use the comment section to discuss personal, historical, or topical examples of the positive impact of Democratic leadership.
Former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins (left), the “mother of Social Security,” with Eleanor Roosevelt, March 1961
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) ▱ The Works Progress Administration (WPA) ▱ The Rural Electrification Act ▱ The Fair Labor Standards Act (Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay, Prohibition of Oppressive Child Labor) ▱ Social Security ▱ The United Nations ▱ Executive Order 9981 (Desegregation of the Armed Forces) ▱ The Marshall Plan ▱
The National Science Foundation ▱ The Peace Corps ▱ The Community Mental Health Act ▱ The Equal Pay Act of 1963 ▱ The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 ▱ The Wilderness Act of 1964 ▱ Job Corps ▱ The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ▱ The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ▱ Upward Bound ▱ Medicare ▱ Medicaid ▱ Head Start ▱ The National Endowment for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Humanities ▱ The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) ▱
The Apollo Moon Missions ▱ The Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) ▱ The Camp David Accords (Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty) ▱ The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund) ▱ AmeriCorps ▱ The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ▱ The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ▱ The Good Friday Agreement (Northern Ireland Peace Agreement) ▱
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act ▱ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) ▱ The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ▱ The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) ▱ The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act ▱ The Paris Climate Agreement ▱
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) ▱ The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ▱ The Inflation Reduction Act