Progressives have a new playbook. We tested it in Queens | America, Actually
“Progressive” and “affordability” are trendy political buzzwords today, but for most Americans, they feel more like abstract concepts rather than lived realities. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is trying to change that by launching a 10-point “Affordability Agenda.”
Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) joins America, Actually this week to discuss his caucus’s shift from focusing on identity politics and bills like the Green New Deal to kitchen table issues like banning AI surveillance pricing and capping childcare costs.
Later, we head to one of the country’s most Democratic congressional districts in the country to see if these Washington talking points resonate with voters.
00:00 Intro: New political buzzwords
00:33 Progressives roll out their “affordability agenda”
05:11 Shifting progressive priorities
06:22 Connecting the dots between climate and the economy
08:51 Redefining progressive for 2026
12:30 Reclaiming the narrative from Donald Trump
14:15 Rethinking “defund the police”
17:21 Voices from Queens, New York
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@kulik03
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
What happened to this once great channel?
@Clessandra
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
SOSAD (same old song and dance). The Medical and Unreal Estate Industrial Complexs are beyond control due to the wealth disparity in the world. The people running world governments HAVE NO IDEA what it means to budget for utilities; they've never seen a utility bill and would probably not know the name of the supplier of their electricity, water and, gas.
@matador677
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Price caps, more government spending and higher taxes? This will totally wreck the economy.
@ForAnAngel
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
You can't call yourself a progressive if you don't support UBI. Income & wealth inequality is what is driving all the problems in our society. UBI is the most progressive and most important policy we can fight for. It's literally taking money from the rich and giving it to the poor.
@Agigaherger
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
We tested it in one of the most progressive areas in the country. Give me a break
@tonys.1946
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
In my opinion, "progressive" means "making progress". So how can I get something done now? Not in 10 years. Take a step today in the right direction.
@jusletursoulglobaby
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
i have a tendency to look at people who say stuff like "i want to win" like 😒. that statement while on the surface seems innocuous, tells me your vision and values go with the moment. i want someone who is true to this. i dont need a fairweather politician. the aim should be working for the regular person. ensuing everyone has the ability to live a life with dignity and ensuring there are protections in place so they have that. winning is a byproduct of actually having integrity and vision.
@sakshambhadoria9998
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Focus on issues of daily concern like inflation, education and healthcare. Navigate the complex and intricated issues of identity, race and ethnicity with care, compassion and empathy. Avoid vitiating and coarse discourse. Maintain a clean image and put up a coherent agenda grounded in data and science. These basic characteristics can help you win elections everywhere.
@jackester6742
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
I'm a progressive. I want AI to take my job and all jobs it can do safely. My priority is not to have my labor extracted my whole life, especially if there is an alternative.
@christopher7824
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
When you import cheap labor to undercut working-class American wages, you also import housing demand. Increased housing demand causes rent to skyrocket.
So yes, wokeness did raise your rent.
@Ghostmage619
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
4:27 Why are democrats caring about appealing to trump voters and independents so much more than representing the people who voted them into power? Why does he act like appealing to 2/3 trump voters and 7/10 independents is a good thing? This is just another establishment democrat trying to redefine the same policies they’ve ran on and failed to implement, except now they’re promising even less and calling it affordability. Please everyone don’t fall for this. This is just more of the status quo and not real change
@dzanerdzafik5228
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Great episode. Super happy to hear the democrats are learning what the people need. Hopeful for America for the first time in a while. (Ur neighbor to the north)
@aurious5821
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
destroyed my entertainment and my sister though and so many friend groups
@will-by-the-bay4890
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
He’s over prepared and dodged chances to respond to mistakes from some people on the left.
@xero3038
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
S/O GREG CASAR ATX IN THE HOUSE BBY
@Eustacia-Tq
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Tax the rich. Fight the dystopian tech oligarchy future. Democratic Socialism is the way. ……
@ElyVODS
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Love this
@iguanasniper
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Keep going like that, Republicans will definitely win in the next elections. (;
@honeybadgerftuw
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
mass immigration contributes to rent costs and low living standards, along with foreign buyers
@Triro
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
God forbid we do everything and eveyrthing but limit state power, and go to a progressively smaller minarchist state.
I.e Libertarian Minarchism.
@mikeymansome
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Withhold your federal taxes
@lostyank
May 9, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Nope. Throwing a worldwide pandemic out there most definitely fueled the inflation we're seeing. Millions of illegal immigrants competing for housing stock doesn't help, either.