Celebrate Democratic Policy Wins: The 5 Working Class Policies Already Succeeding in Blue America

While Washington drifts further from the social policies common across developed nations, something worthy of celebration is happening closer to home. American states and cities are quietly building the infrastructure of a modern state, proving that democratic programs aren't fantasies requiring a cooperative federal government. In fact, they're policy choices that any jurisdiction can pursue right now.

To start, New Mexico just became the first state in the nation to offer universal free childcare. Starting November 2025, every family in the state, regardless of income, can access free early childhood care. No means testing. No copays. No bureaucratic hoops.

The program saves families an average of $12,000 per child annually. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham didn't wait for Congress to solve America's childcare crisis. She built a system funded through multiple revenue streams. The state's Early Childhood Trust Fund, established in 2020, draws directly from oil and gas revenues and has grown to nearly $10 billion, producing over $300 million in fiscal year 2026.

Additionally, following a constitutional amendment that New Mexican voters approved by 70 percent in 2022, the state now allocates an additional 1.25% of the Land Grant Permanent Fund's value to education, with 60% directed to early childhood programs. This separate constitutional funding stream provides approximately $150 million annually. Combined with federal funding sources, the program transforms the lives of working parents who previously chose between paying their bills and caring for their children.

Nine states now provide universal free school meals to every public school student. California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, and New York have eliminated the stigma and administrative burden of means-tested lunch programs. Every child eats breakfast and lunch at school, paid for by the state.

These programs do more than feed kids. Research from the USDA Economic Research Service found that universal free school meals reduced food insufficiency among school-aged children in states that extended the programs beyond federal pandemic waivers.

When Colorado voters approved funding for universal meals through a 2022 ballot initiative, participation rates jumped. Children who previously qualified for free meals but never applied because of stigma now eat regularly. Children from families earning slightly above eligibility thresholds, who often went hungry because their parents couldn't afford the daily cost, now have guaranteed nutrition.

Another major win comes from California, where Newsome signed the nation’s strongest worker protection against exploitative exit fees. Assembly Bill 692 bans stay-or-pay contracts that trap employees in jobs by threatening them with debt if they leave.

Hospitals had been requiring nurses to sign agreements promising to repay thousands of dollars in training costs if they quit within two or three years. PetSmart forced dog groomers into contracts requiring $5,000 repayments for on-the-job training.

These Training Repayment Agreement Provisions locked workers into unsafe conditions, abusive management, and below-market wages because leaving meant financial devastation. California has ended the practice. Workers can soon quit bad jobs without facing collections agencies. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, and covers most forms of employer-driven debt, with penalties of at least $5,000 per affected worker for violations.

A healthcare victory comes from Washington state, which operates Cascade Select, a modified near public option health insurance plan available statewide as of 2025. While it isn't single-payer healthcare or a state run public option, the program demonstrates how states can use their purchasing power and regulatory authority to drive down insurance costs.

Cascade Select plans must meet state-designed standards and face cost controls, including provider reimbursement rates capped at 160 percent of Medicare. The program has grown significantly since launching in 2021, expanding from 19 counties to all 39 counties by 2025. In 26 counties, Cascade Select offers the lowest-premium silver health plan available on the marketplace. This is an important reminder that activists in every state should heed, that states don't need federal permission to create public options. They just need political will.

More wins can be found in the fourteen US jurisdictions guaranteeing paid family leave through mandatory insurance programs. Workers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia can take paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, or recover from their own medical emergency.

Delaware began collecting contributions in January 2025, with benefits available starting in January 2026. Maine began collecting contributions at the same time, with benefits starting May 1, 2026. These programs operate through payroll taxes split between employers and employees, creating sustainable funding streams that don't depend on annual legislative appropriations.

The pattern across these successes is clear. Democrat states are not waiting. They're building universal programs that deliver material benefits to working families. These policies share common elements worth replicating. They eliminate means testing wherever possible, reducing administrative costs and removing stigma. They establish dedicated funding streams rather than competing annually for general fund appropriations. They recognize that universal programs build broader political coalitions than targeted assistance, making them more durable across election cycles.

Your state can do this. Your city can do this. The blueprints exist. New Mexico proved that universal childcare is achievable. Nine states demonstrated that feeding every school child costs less than managing a byzantine system of applications and reduced-price tiers. California showed that banning exploitative labor practices requires only legislative courage. Washington built a public health insurance option that lowered costs without a constitutional amendment or federal waiver.

The question of how to fund these programs without regressive tax increases deserves its own examination. States have more revenue options than most policymakers acknowledge, from sovereign wealth funds capturing resource extraction profits to public banking systems that keep financial returns in state coffers rather than enriching Wall Street. I've written about these non-tax revenue sources and how states can build sustainable funding for universal programs here: https://open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage/p/how-states-can-beat-wall-street-at

The developed world figured this out decades ago. The Democrat run American states are catching up one policy at a time. Yours can be next.

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References

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California Legislative Information. (2025). Assembly Bill 692. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB692

Covert, B. (2022, November 9). New Mexico is the first state to guarantee a right to early childhood education. Universal child care could come next. Early Learning Nation. https://earlylearningnation.com/2022/11/new-mexico-is-the-first-state-to-guarantee-a-right-to-early-childhood-education-universal-child-care-could-come-next/

Delaware Department of Labor. (n.d.). Delaware paid leave. https://labor.delaware.gov/delaware-paid-leave/

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