By Daniel Aldana Cohen @aldatweets; Julian Brave NoiseCat, @jnoisecat; Sean McElwee, @seanmcelwee

Today, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez released a policy package called “A Just Society,” which amounts to an ambitious ensemble of six distinct legislative projects—five bills and one resolution—that together would make dramatic reductions that would help fulfill the promise of a truly just and equal democracy. So far, polling by Data for Progress on some key planks of this package indicates that these are very popular. Most of the results released today are being made public for the first time.

Background:

All together, these packages would attack inequalities through reforms to public policies and investments to bring greater benefits to people in need: workers, tenants, communities of color, and immigrants. Are Americans ready for the more egalitarian, justice-oriented policies that these bills promote? Is there widespread support for policies that would assist stigmatized populations like people convicted of crimes?

The “Just Society” legislative package would update regulations to better recognize and eradicate poverty; protect tenants from eviction and unfair rent hikes; provide access to all relevant social services to people enmeshed in the criminal justice system; provide access to all relevant social services to immigrants; reform public procurement to benefit worker cooperatives and pro-worker businesses; and ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

So far, Data for Progress has polled key planks of the housing and criminal justice reform bills. Below, we report that polling, which finds strong support across the board for these policies. We also have forthcoming polling on other key planks of this package, especially with regard to immigration. We’ll release our findings as we get them.

Housing:

The “Just Society” proposal includes a wide range of tenant protections, of which the most dramatic is universal rent control. Our polling on this, released today for the first time, suggests strong majority support for rent control (all polling in this blog comes from Data for Progress and YouGov Blue polling of registered voters nationally).

In early September, 2019 Data for Progress polled support for “A policy to create a national "tenant bill of rights" that would protect tenants' rights to safe, accessible, sustainable, affordable housing; to organize tenants' unions; to universal rent control; to lease renewal protection; and to legal counsel in housing court.” 58% of respondents support this, 30% opposed, and 12% are unsure. Among Democrats, 80% support a tenant bill of rights, among Republicans 35% support, and among independents 51% support.