Economic Issues
A consumer economy depends upon money in the hands of ordinary people, and wages have not kept up with inflation or productivity gains, so I support raising them; and since automation continues to threaten jobs, I propose looking at new economic models that boost our standard of living.
I support a single-payer, Medicare-for-all system, as a way to lower prescription and medical care costs, and to ensure universal coverage.
The United States is the only country not to guarantee some form of paid leave for workers, which holds back productivity and harms families – this has to change.
We need to get back to a tax system which rewards hard work and investment, and which helps the middle and working class. It’s time to follow the evidence!
Too many people in the United States struggle to pay the rent or mortgage, and far too many remain homeless, especially in California. Why can’t the Congress help?
So that the taxpayer can stop bailing out Wall Street, a 21st-century Glass-Steagal act is needed, and banks “too big to fail” should be broken up.
US infrastructure continues to fall behind the developed world, costing us time, productivity, and lives. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives us a D+. We deserve better.
I support the essence of the Green New Deal, with its calls to invest in renewable energy and transform our infrastructure to minimize the damage from unfolding shifts in the climate.
Social Issues
In order to increase workforce participation and lower the cost of living, I propose a more robust childcare credit for the middle class and a subsidy for the working class.
To ensure a quality education for all, I oppose standardized tests and charter-school vouchers, and support better teacher pay and school lunches as a right.
National school meal programs follow a single standard in the contiguous states, leaving many children living in poverty ineligible, despite evidence linking nutrition to success. Why?
To prepare for the jobs of the future, public colleges, universities, and vocational schools should be made tuition-free using a small tax on Wall Street speculation.
The war on drugs has been a costly failure, leading to massive incarceration with no reduction in use, so I favor legalization of cannabis, decriminalization of other drugs, amnesty for non-violent offenders, and addiction treatment programs.
Gun violence is a significant problem in the US, and must be addressed; I am proposing expanded background checks with no loopholes, and national training and certification requirements.
To combat the spread of bias and fake news, I propose restoration of the Fairness Doctrine, and creation of strict firewalls between corporate owners and editorial boards.
While I dislike the practice of abortion, I believe the right is necessary on moral, legal, and social grounds.
I oppose the surveillance state and support equal rights for all Americans without exception.
Political Issues
To end the scourge of “illegal immigration“, I propose comprehensive reform, with a path to citizenship for those already here and the total admitted each year set to the needs of industry rather than a too-low arbitrary figure.
Supporting the troops does not mean cheering on endless war – it means providing top-notch services, letting qualified citizens serve, and getting our fighting men and women out of danger.
I am a principled non-interventionist, hoping to limit US involvement in foreign wars and reduce the influence of the military-industrial complex.
To break the power of big money and ensure clean elections, I propose public financing of campaigns, banning cash lobbying, and overturning Citizens United.
Congress can maintain balanced budgets and pay down the federal debt if taxes on the wealthy are restored to where they were after the Kennedy/Johnson tax cuts.