10 Things Democrats Desperately Want to Restrict in America

Democratic Party has always wanted to restrict these things

Within the complex terrain of American politics, Democrats, like Republicans, frequently support social policy initiatives. The political party has expressed its intention to bring about significant changes in American culture, ranging from banning plastic straws to banning specific kinds of guns. Some of these ideas have been well received, but others have encountered opposition from politicians on opposing sides of the issue. Some of these proposals, according to their detractors, might impose restrictions that have far-reaching effects. Here's an in-depth exploration of 10 facets Democrats are often accused of wanting to restrict in America:

1. Gun Control

Democrats have long pushed for more stringent gun control legislation in the US. They think that more needs to be done to prevent dangerous people from obtaining firearms and that the laws that are in place now are insufficient, per The Guardian. Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2022, gun control gained popularity again as Joe Biden and other well-known Democrats renewed their calls for a ban on assault weapons for the general public. Speaking about the "scourge" of gun violence on Thanksgiving Day in 2022, Biden declared that he intended to enact legislation outlawing powerful weapons with the potential to be used for dangerous purposes.

2. Fossil Fuels

In an attempt to make climate change a major campaign issue in 2020, Democrats unveiled the "Green New Deal" in 2019, which would outlaw fossil fuels and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the United States within ten years, per Reuters. Introduced by Senator Edward Markey and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the document was the first official attempt by lawmakers to outline possible legislation to establish large government-led investments in clean energy and infrastructure to move the American economy away from fossil fuels.

3. Private Healthcare 

The idea to phase out and restrict private healthcare was one of the most contentious proposals made by Democrats, per Free Beacon. In 2019, a radical health care plan that would have prohibited private insurance coverage if it had been implemented received support from over 100 members of the House Democratic Conference, or nearly half of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 235-seat majority.

4. Death Penalty

Democrats in the Pennsylvania General Assembly brought up the idea of doing away with the death penalty earlier in the year. Governor Josh Shapiro declared he would not sign execution warrants and urged lawmakers to outlaw the death penalty as opposed to reforming the system in February, per PennCapital State. Reintroduced bills to abolish the death penalty in Pennsylvania are supported by Rep. Christopher Rabb (D-Philadelphia), Sens. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery), and Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia). They characterize the death penalty system as unworkable, expensive, and flawed.

5. Offshore Drilling

Democrats prioritized ending offshore drilling as soon as Congress reconvenes in 2019. Almost all of the waters surrounding the United States are home to offshore drilling, according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “The House will take up three bills that will block oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. These bills will help protect our environment and the economies of coastal communities that rely on tourism, outdoor recreation, and fishing,” Hoyer wrote in a letter, per The Hill.

6. Single-Use Plastics

In October, Democrats in the House and Senate reintroduced comprehensive legislation to cut down on plastic waste. A statement from Merkley, the chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight, "Plastic pollution is a public health crisis that can only be solved with bold actions." The bill would outlaw some single-use, non-recyclable plastics and set reduction targets for plastic bottles. A national fee for plastic bags would also be established. As per a fact sheet, the bill would prevent the construction of new plastic facilities until new regulations are in place and would institute a grant scheme to encourage reusable products.

7. Gig Work

The gig economy, which refers to freelance or contract work facilitated by digital platforms, has grown in popularity in recent years. Democrats, however, are worried about how the gig economy will affect workers' rights and job security. Reclassifying gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors is one suggestion made by some Democrats. A rule that would make it harder for businesses to treat employees as independent contractors has been proposed by the US Department of Labor. This move is anticipated to cause a stir in the delivery, ride-hailing, and other gig economy sectors.

8. Right to Work

Democrats have wanted to repeal Michigan's Right to Work law. The 2013 policy bans making the payment of some union fees a condition of employment, an important policy for Republicans at the time. A bill to reverse some of those changes is being sponsored by state senator Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton). According to him, the objective is for each party to contribute fairly to the agreed-upon benefits.

9. Carbon Tax

After the Supreme Court restricted the agency's authority to enact broad climate regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to use new limits on conventional pollutants like ozone and coal ash to help encourage the retirement of the country's remaining coal-fired power plants, according to EPA chief Michael Regan. The strategy demonstrates how US President Joe Biden's administration plans to move forward with plans to decarbonize the electricity industry. A quarter of the country's greenhouse gas emissions originate from the power sector, and Biden ran on a platform of eradicating the sector's net emissions by 2035.

10. Charter Schools

There is debate over a proposed rule for the federal Charter Schools Program, a long-running grant program that helps newly established charter schools grow and provides start-up funding for new ones, per US News. The program has received level funding for the last five years, totaling $440 million, or less than 1% of all federal spending on K–12 education. Should the new rule be enacted, potential applicants would have to perform a "community impact analysis" to ascertain whether the proposed charter school would increase school segregation, whether it has the support of the community, and whether it is being proposed in response to unmet educational needs, such as overcrowding in local traditional public schools.