A bolder, better deal for all Americans 

Our Democratic Party recently unveiled the Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Wages, Better Future platform with an economic focused message. With Hurricane Trump wreaking havoc on our nation, this jobs agenda comes not a moment too soon. But as we expand upon our message, the time has come for us to be bold!

We must think beyond the present, conventional debate, beyond the next election cycle, and set our sights upon the future. We must present solutions not only to meet the greatest challenges of our times, but put forth an agenda that looks to decades beyond. 

{mosads}America is at its greatest when we challenge ourselves, boldly charge into the unknown, and dare to do the impossible. When Abraham Lincoln declared slavery to be over, freedom rang. When Franklin Roosevelt stood up against world domination by the Nazis, we were victorious. And when President Kennedy declared we would go to the Moon, we did.  

Here are five bolder, better goals we as Democrats should strive to achieve within the next decade:

• Energy Revolution – We can create millions of new jobs and combat climate change by generating 100 percent of our energy on renewable and nuclear power.
• Transportation Evolution – We can finish the job by requiring 100 percent of new cars and trucks be electric vehicles. We can bring commuter rail to every major city and connect major regions through high speed rail. 
• Technological Advance – We can create a Wi-Fi nation, triple our investments in National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation, and cure most cancers and other major diseases. And we can incentivize integration of additional new technologies and discoveries at a faster pace to all Americans.
• Education Revolution – We can ensure free college, technical or apprenticeship education to every high school graduate who volunteers for the military, peace corps or qualified non-profit for three years. We can ensure every grade student gets a tablet or computer to learn on, require K-12 computer science and coding, and produce millions of new computer programmers and engineers.  
• Space Exploration Renaissance – We can send humans to Mars and beyond. We can vastly expand our space station and establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. And we can greatly expand our astronaut corps to forge 21st Century space dominance.

These goals are audacious, will require a huge concerted effort and resources of epic proportions. They will also create millions of better jobs with better wages along with new innovative technologies. And I believe that Americans are ready to be inspired. We must only have the courage and vision to show the way. We must set our sights on a bolder, better deal and lead America valiantly into the future with a 21st Century vision!

Rep. Darren Soto represents Florida’s 9th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Osceola County, as well as parts of Orange and Polk counties. Rep. Soto serves on the Agriculture and National Resources committees.

The views expressed by this author are their own and are not the views of The Hill.