House Passes Equality Act-- Republicans Whine It Impinges On Their Right To Discriminate Against Gays

Aside from being Republicans serving in Congress, what do these 8 men and women have in common: Susan Brooks (R-IN), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Brain Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Will Hurd (R-TX), John Katko (R-NY), Tom Reed (R-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Greg Walden (R-OR)? They were the Republicans to stand up for their own LGBTQ constituents by voting with every single Democrat to pass David Cicilline's Equality Act (H.R.5). It's a simple, straight forward bill that prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. It allows the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. And it prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity.

The bill passed with a big bipartisan majority-- 236-173. McConnell has already signaled that he will not permit a vote on the legislation in the Senate, ironic since he's a lifelong closet case himself who was kicked out of the military many decades ago for fondling a private's privates. Republicans don't admit that they're bigots when they try to block this kind of legislation. They claim it-- equality itself-- imposes on their freedom. Banning anti-LGBTQ discrimination is against their bizarre religion and will lead, the insist, to persecution of Christians. (No, no they really tell each other that.)

A morally "upright" Republican hate-monger like Florida crackpot Ross Spano-- who stole his election and should never have been seated-- warned that HR-5 will "allow the government to force its rigid and unyielding fist inside the church... It would deliver a crushing blow to the base of the tree of religious liberty." Could you even image having a lunatic who talks like that as a Reprsentative? Another GOP gay-hater and bigot from the Sunshine State, Greg Steube, also voted no, he says, to protect women athletes.

The Florida Republican argued that the bill will inhibit competitiveness in women's sports and women's eligibility for athletic scholarships.

"A sports team couldn't treat a transgender woman differently from a woman who is not transgender on the ground that the former is male-bodied," Steube said on the House floor. "Yet, the reality is [when] putting male and female bodied athletes together in open sport ... females lose."

"This is fear mongering about trans women playing in sports," California Rep. Katie Hil largued in opposition to the amendment. "No person is trying to game the system to participate in women's sports. That is a sad scare tactic." The Republican motion to recommit failed with only one Democrat, Rep. Dan Lipinski, voting in favor of the amendment; seven did not vote. Lipinski was also the only Democrat not to cosponsor the legislation.

Republican opponents also argued the measure would restrict individual religious freedoms and mandate "specific accommodations" in shared facilities that would put burdens on small businesses, schools, and other community places.

"Its vague and circular definition of gender identity will lead only to uncertainty, litigation, and harm to individuals and organizations that will be forced to comply with a law the authors don’t even seem to understand," Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said on the House floor Friday. "This is a classic example of passing something now and figuring out what it actually means later ... If the devil is in the details, we’re in for a lot of devilish surprises."

In response, Cicilline, the measure's sponsor, argued that the bill "does not, nor could any legislation," supersede the First Amendment's religious freedom protections.

"H.R. 5 allows the standards set by prior civil rights law to not interfere with worship and religious practices by religious organizations," Cicilline added.

It's worth reminding people who Virginia Foxx-- one of Congress' most hateful and homophobic psychics-- actually is. Do you remember the name Matthew Shepard? He was the young gay man who was crucified-- literally-- and left to die next to a lonely Wyoming highway. While his grieving mother sat in the congressional visitors' gallery, this is what North Carolina 's premiere contribution to national evil and hatred had to say.



Foxx never apologized and has voted against every equality bill that has ever come before Congress-- proudly and loudly, always making sure everyone knows she stands for hatred and intolerance. Her district is safely gerrymandered so that she is re-elected year after year without ever doing anything for anyone but herself and other selfish multimillionaires. Meanwhile, yesterday, what's left of poor old Pat Robertson was ranting and raving on evangelical TV. Clearly, God has cursed him:





Austin and Houston are what you could call WOKE cities. Both Travis and Harris counties-- the westernmost and easternmost components of a gerrymandered shitshow (TX-10) by Tom Delay-- are open and welcoming parts of Texas where people expect everyone to be treated fairly and equally. By cutting Austin up like a pie, Texas Republicans succeeded in disenfranchising voters there-- putting them into 4 bizarrely-drawn congressional districts, 3 of which are predominately Republican. One of the conservative anti-LGBTQ congressmen that gerrymander had forced on Austin is multimillionaire-- he married well-- crackpot and Trump bootlick Michael McCaul. Progressive Democrat Mike Siegel held him down to a 51.1% win last year and Siegel has every intention of finishing the job next year, In fact, please consider contribution to his campaign by clicking on the Lone Star State ActBlue thermometer on the right. After the vote on the bipartisan H.R.5 yesterday, Mike told us he would have gladly joined the vast majority of congressmembers who voted for it. "The Equality Act is about making sure everyone can access work and housing and education and other public services, without fear of discrimination. Unfortunately, here in the Texas 10th, in a district that includes strong LGBT communities in the Austin and Houston areas, our 'representative' voted to legalize hatred. To legitimize oppression and bigotry. To endanger his very constituents, who he is sworn to protect. This is only the latest example of Michael McCaul failing to stand up for Texans. We are working hard to ensure this is the beginning of his end."

Next Big Primaries: North Carolina And Indiana

Building a team for real change starting in 2019- Jenny Marshall with Randy Bryce

On Tuesday, Marie Newman gave Blue Dog Dan Lipinski a run for his money. With over 92,000 votes cast, just 2,000 separated them. In the end, Lipinski won the primary, 51.2% to 48.8%, although losing the suburban parts of the district where the Cook County Machine was unable to tamper with results. The next primaries up are on May 8 in Indiana and North Carolina, where we have two outstanding candidates, Dan Canon (IN-09) and Jenny Marshall (NC-05). Both are running strong, issues-oriented grassroots campaigns and both need help with the final 5-week lap. I asked Jenny and Dan what good campaign contributions do this late in the game. Here's what they told me-- Jenny first:

Our campaign has been running a strong field program, but with 263 precincts spread out over 3200 square miles we need to ensure that we reach as many voters as possible. We have been out knocking doors for a month and calling voters for the past 12 weeks, but we have many more people to reach. We need to send out 20,000 mailers to those people who live in more remote and rural areas, hire 10 additional field canvassers for those areas we can walk so we can talk to people at their homes, and purchase campaign materials including 10,000 more door hangers, 20,000 4x6 handouts highlighting our campaign, 700 yard signs and to support our digital advertising in the district.  We expect to have 41,000 people turn out and vote in the primary. We estimate it will take $30,000 to secure the Democratic nomination on May 8th.

Jenny and her team have been running a bold progressive campaign to unseat arch-villain Rep. Virginia Foxx who has turned herself into a virtual rubber stamp for Trump and a terrible representative of North Carolinans. Jenny told us that while she's been out on the campaign trail, she's "talked to thousands of people who tell me that they are struggling to make ends meet and are afraid they are going to lose their health insurance. This coupled with those who just can't afford to use the insurance they pay for is just unconscionable!  Rep. Foxx has ignored the needs of the people for far too long. She voted no on raising the minimum wage back in 2007 when it was just $5.85 an hour. She voted to strip healthcare away from millions of people with her vote to repeal the ACA. She just doesn't care about the daily grind the vast majority of us are going through. Our campaign speaks up for those who have been ignored and dismissed. We are here to fight for them."

  Jenny is eager to take on Foxx but she's got to win the primary against a centrist primary opponent first-- that's the May 8th election. Her opponent is an establishment Dem who doesn't believe in raising the minimum wage beyond $10 per hour, who doesn't support tuition free public colleges and universities and who stated that our public education system is broken and would use her knowledge of the business world to "fix it." In other words, she is all about doing just enough to look like she is on our side, but not enough to actually help our families and our communities. Jenny is committed to raising the wage to $15 an hour and tying it to inflation and fighting for healthcare for all.

Dan's turn:

There’s an old adage in politics that "field wins campaigns." That is why this campaign has invested in a robust field program that has been up and running since mid-September. We have three offices open across the 9th District and have made over 125,000 (and counting) contacts thanks to a dedicated base of supporters who have been calling voters, pounding the pavement, and attending countless events since last summer. In the final month of the primary, the money you donate will be spent heavily on our field efforts to mobilize supporters and G(et) O(ut) T(he) V(ote)! By helping us keep our offices running full steam ahead through May 8th, as well as funding direct mail and digital advertising targeted to likely voters, a donation to this campaign is an investment that will help us build a movement here in the heartland. 

Throughout this campaign, Dan has been a strong proponent of a guaranteed public jobs program, a national UBI pilot program, and the abolition of ICE. "I am proud to say I am the only candidate in my race discussing these ideas that are crucial to creating jobs, investing in our workforce, and ensuring the dignity of all people. Hoosiers (those of us from Indiana) are tired of the duck-and-cover rhetoric that other campaigns use, and with your help we are going to prove that progressive candidates can take bold stances that offer real solutions for real people."



No one is going to be able to accuse Dan Canon of being another garden variety status quo Democrat. He's been on the cutting edge of social and economic issues for far longer than this campaign-- and his campaign has been engaging the folks in Bloomington, Martinsville and Bedford and from the suburbs south of Indianapolis to the suburbs north of Louisville in discussions from marijuana legalization to the impact of automation on job markets.

Recent estimates show 73 million jobs are on the line due to impending automation. These changes could come quickly and shifting labor demands will force many people into new fields.

On the high end, more than 54 million people may have to change jobs by 2030 if technology is adopted swiftly. That equates to roughly a third of the total workforce nationwide. What’s more, automation is expected to lead to depressed wages and a drastic reduction of jobs available to people with less than a four-year degree. Almost no industry is exempt from facing these changes and the impact will be massive.

Why aren’t more politicians talking about this?

First off, there is little political will to change this trend. Tech is sexy. Think about the frenzy of cities competing to be chosen as the next location of huge tech companies’ headquarters. Second, special interest groups donate millions to keep the downside of job automation out of focus while they work to further it and push for ever-greater profits.

I am proud to be the only candidate in this race who has worked to offer solutions on this issue. When in Congress, you can expect me to stand tall for workers every day, even when it isn’t a popular position. There are things we can do now to set people up for success in the future.

• We can create a guaranteed public jobs program that provides meaningful work to people who are willing and able to take it. Let’s focus this program on rebuilding and improving American infrastructure, energy grids, and rural broadband access for starters.
• We can raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour (allowing for regional variance) to help fight against impending wage decreases.
• We can invest robustly in career training and transition assistance, including union apprenticeships, technical schools, and public education systems to better prepare workers to move into other fields.
• We can pilot a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program to develop a foundation for providing people with basic financial security.

The problems of tomorrow demand that we invest in solutions today. We cannot wait even until the next election in 2020. An estimated 5 million jobs could be gone by then.

How Trump's Way Of Looking At Short Term Metrics Is Destroying American Innovation

In 2014 Oklahoma reelected conservative Republican Mary Fallin over conservative Democrat Joe Dorman 460,298 (55.8%) to 338,239 (41%). Although there have been some shocking recent special election wins by Democrats in Oklahoma, the state Senate has 39 Republicans and just 8 Democrats and the state House has 73 Republicans and 28 Democrats. The Oklahoma congressional delegation consists of 5 Republican congressmen and 2 Republican senators... and no Democrats. The state Agriculture Commissioner is a non-partisan job but every other executive brand job-- from Auditor, Attorney General, Treasurer and Labor Commissioner to Lt. Governor, Secretary of Commerce, Insurance Commissioner and Superintendent of Public Instruction-- is held by a Republican. Oklahoma is what you would call a one-party state.

Tangent: Democrats keep running conservative establishment types-- and losing. Last year Allison Ikley-Freeman's successful campaign for a state Senate seat in Oklahoma-- a seat where Trump beat Hillary 61.4-32.7%-- was in a very red district southwest of Tulsa. No one though she had any chance at all. It's the kind of area where the DCCC always says-- and always wrongly-- that only a rich Republican-lite Blue Dog could win. But Allison is a young progressive who was outspent 3-1, campaigning on Bernie-like issues. And she's a proud lesbian, married to an African-American. She doesn't fit the DCCC model at all.

Yesterday, Boing Boing ran a story about how Oklahoma schools have now gone on 4-day weeks so teachers can work at Walmart on Mondays to make rent. That's what one party conservative rule looks like. This is one party conservative governance:

In 1992, Oklahoma passed a ballot initiative saying that the state could only raise taxes with a three quarters majority in the state assembly, creating a one-way ratchet where every tax cut becomes effectively permanent, including the sweetheart deals cut for frackers and the deep cuts to taxes on the wealthiest residents of the state.

As a result, the state is going broke. Teachers haven't gotten a raise in 10 years and the only way they can afford to accept the pay-- third-worst in the nation-- is by negotiating a four-day school week in 90 districts, freeing teachers up to take jobs at Walmart on Mondays to make ends meet.

Teachers are fleeing the state in droves, including the Teacher of the Year, who quit his job in 2016 shortly after receiving his award, taking a better-paid teaching job in a neighboring state (the Dallas school system actively recruits Oklahoma teachers with Oklahoma City hiring booths).

Teachers are especially hard hit: their health plan was replaced with a private system that eats up more than $1000/month for a family of three-- one teaching aide was actually paying to work her job, spending $200/month more on health insurance than she was paid in salary. Teachers make ends meet with public housing vouchers and food stamps, and school food-bank drives sometimes give their leftovers to hungry teachers and their families.

It's not just teachers: the highway patrol has been given orders not to completely fill their gas-tanks at the pump, to help with state cash-flow; drunk drivers go free because there is no one available to process their tickets, and the prison system is on the verge of collapse.

Another example: Oklahoma

Looks bad, doesn't it. And it's not just Oklahoma. 7 states have failed education systems that are even worse than Oklahoma's. From bad to worse:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Mississippi
• West Virginia
• New Mexico
• Louisiana

And this is connected to an embarrassing new report from Bloomberg, the annual innovation Index. For the first time-- and you won't hear Señor Trumpanzee bragging about this one, the way he bragged about airline safety and a rising stock market-- the U.S. fell out of the top 10. Why? Education. And if Trumps-The-clown cuts off immigration... the U.S. will keep falling. The top 10:

• 1- South Korea
• 2- Sweden
• 3- Singapore
• 4- Germany
• 5- Switzerland
• 6- Japan
• 7- Finland
• 8- Denmark
• 9- France
• 10- Israel

There are 7 criteria Bloomberg uses to come up with their scores.

The U.S. fell to 11th place from ninth mainly because of an eight-spot slump in the post-secondary, or tertiary, education-efficiency category, which includes the share of new science and engineering graduates in the labor force. Value-added manufacturing also declined. Improvement in the productivity score couldn’t make up for the lost ground.

“I see no evidence to suggest that this trend will not continue,” said Robert D. Atkinson, president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation in Washington, D.C. “Other nations have responded with smart, well-funded innovation policies like better R&D tax incentives, more government funding for research, more funding for technology commercialization initiatives.”

Singapore jumped ahead of European economies Germany, Switzerland and Finland into third place on the strength of its top ranking in the tertiary-efficiency category.

“Singapore has always placed strong focus on educating her populace, especially in STEM disciplines,” said Yeo Kiat Seng, professor and associate provost at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It also has a “steadfast commitment to funding R&D and innovation,” added Yeo, who holds 38 patents.

  South Korea remained the global-innovation gold medalist for the fifth consecutive year. Samsung Electronics Co., the nation’s most-valuable company by market capitalization, has received more U.S. patents in the 2000s than any firm except International Business Machines Corp. And its semiconductors, smartphones and digital-media equipment spawned an ecosystem of Korean suppliers and partners similar to what Japan developed around Sony Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp.

China moved up two spots to 19th, buoyed by its high proportion of new science and engineering graduates in the labor force and increasing number of patents by innovators such as Huawei Technologies Co.

The U.S. did well in several of the criteria-- #2 in Patent activity, #1 in high tech density, #6 in productivity-- but got destroyed in 2 areas where the Trump Regime has no interest: educational efficiency (#42) and researcher concentration (#20). They're about the future and Trump is about the quarter, not about long term success. He's the worst thing that ever happened to America.

One of the first people I turned to, among the Blue America candidates, for a perspective on this was Jenny Marshall a an educator herself. "As a public school teacher in North Carolina I can tell you first hand that neither Trump with his disastrous pick of Betsy DeVos nor Virginia Foxx give one thought to bettering educational opportunities for all students. They seek to defund, deregulate and eventually privatize our public school system so that only those with the means will succeed. It feeds in to this elitist model that doesn’t look at the whole picture though. For our country to innovate we must broaden the base making education equitable for all students. That is why I am an advocate for fully funded, tuition free public schools from pre-K all the way through college. On the other side of the aisle Rep. Foxx is making it harder on students to obtain a college degree if her PROSPER Act passes. Even more horrible is that Rep. Foxx chairs the education and workforce committee in the House. The exact place that forward thinking ideas begin to shape into law. With Foxx in charge we will see little gains in education or workforce development."

There is no candidate Blue America has endorsed who is more passionate about education and its relationship to innovation and economic development than Lisa Brown, until recently Chancellor of Washington State University, Spokane. She knows what she's taking about and told us that "state and federal government can support innovation and real economic development that can actually reverse rising inequality by focusing on a critical factor, what economists call 'human capital.' Human capital is investing in the potential of the people-- from quality early learning  through ample K-12 and skills training, to medical schools, like the one I helped start in eastern Washington. The tax bill, supposedly focused on economic growth, missed this critical human capital element entirely, and  the version House Republicans originally passed was actively anti-education-- taxing graduate students and worsening the burden of student loan debt. Leaving the Dreamers to languish is the moldy icing on a stale cake-- not only a human rights violation-- but a significant anti-innovation move, that will cost us economically, as we lose the tremendous potential of these young people to transform their lives and contribute to their communities."

Antoinette Sedillo Lopez served as a Law Professor at the University of New Mexico for over 27 years, including eight years as Associate Dean of UNM’s Clinical Law program. She told us she's concerned that the U.S. has dropped out of the top 10 in innovation, but she's not surprised. "While we have some of the best colleges, universities and vocational/apprenticeship training programs in the world, our government doesn't sufficiently invest in the long term success of our people. In order for our country to continue to innovate and grow, we need to invest in research and quality education and training in science, technology, engineering art and math. And, we must also invest in human needs that allow for the type of innovation that takes place in countries like Sweden. Single-payer healthcare, livable wages, and debt-free college allow for people to commit themselves to R&D and innovation. Giving people the dignity and security of having readily accessible healthcare, employment opportunities, affordable housing, and educational and training opportunities without a debt-sentence, is the type of forward-thinking investments in human capital that we need to make. The costs of not prioritizing human needs not only affect the individuals in our communities, but affects our overall ability to thrive as a country."

  Philadelphia chemist Nina Ahmad completely agrees. "Our research funding has fallen behind 2003 levels when indexed for inflation, even with recent modest increases and despite the President's best effort to enact further cuts," she told us. "As a scientist, I have seen the way that investing in research can spur economic growth for people throughout the economic spectrum. However, this Congress decided we needed a massive tax giveaway to the wealthy first. We need to change our priorities. Soon."

Lillian Salerno, the progressive in the race against Pete Sessions in the north Dallas area told us that she grew up with meager resources and that her parents didn’t go to college, nor could they afford to send her. But she told us that she "depended on quality public schools and PELL grants to help me achieve the life that allowed me to become a business owner, provide jobs, and advocate for anyone without a voice loud enough to be heard in DC. My government invested in me and believe me, I paid them back ten fold. Without teachers like Mr. Erpamer, my English teacher, I likely would never have attended the University of Texas, dramatically changing the course of my life and my family’s life. Look, the American dream is built on a foundation of equitable access to high quality education. If we don’t elevate the teaching profession, pay teachers what their worth, and give all of our public schools, in every neighborhood across our country, what they need to be successful, we are putting the nail in the coffin of the American dream. And that’s what the GOP wants to do. Income inequality is working for them, but it sure as hell isn’t working for us. It is time we demanded that the rich stop getting richer on the backs of the rest of us-- our teachers, children, and public servants included. I have nieces, brothers, and sisters who are teachers and school and district leaders. Every single one of them is a passionate advocate for every kid, every single kid no matter their zip code or background, getting what they deserve from our public education system. I see how their passion translates into long work hours, working overtime with no pay, and spending their own money on school supplies. They deserve to be paid what their worth and given what they need to help our children soar to the greatest heights. What are our educators worth? Well, frankly, a lot more than the GOP lawmakers who are putting our children at risk of not reaching their fullest potentials. I can think of nothing more criminal than that." Before she decided to run for Congress, Lillian worked in the Obama administration as Deputy Undersecretary for Rural Development.

And how could we not end this with the progressive Democrat who has the best chance to break the Republicans' grip on the congressional delegation, Tom Guild, who's running for the House seat in Oklahoma City... and an educator himself.

Oklahoma has followed a trickle down economic model and has put the trickle in trickle down with great gusto. For the last decade, Republican legislatures have given away the store to the fossil fuels industry and the uber wealthy, aka Okies with God’s unlisted phone number. For the last eight years they have had a Republican trickle downer as governor and hold all statewide elected and congressional offices, a super majority in the state house, and a super duper majority in the state senate. They have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. They have defunded public education both K-12 and higher education. They have watched the Sooner State’s infrastructure crumble around us. They finally had to pony up money to refurbish the state capitol building when pieces of the sky like mortar etc. were literally falling on the heads and desks of public employees trying to concentrate on their work.

Four years ago the gross production tax was lowered from 7% to 2% to reward big individual donors and also PAC donors in the oil and gas industry. They continually lowered the state income tax mainly for the benefit of the wealthy and also the faulty automatic trigger for lowering income taxes they put in place triggered reductions even when the money coming into the state budget was falling. As a result, many Oklahoma school districts now have four day school weeks, so that teachers can work at Walmart three days a week to pay their bills. This results in inadequate education for our children and more financial pressure on parents to safeguard their children while they try to earn a living. Teacher’s salaries are pathetically low and as a result quality teachers are flocking to surrounding states in droves.

The state legislature made it ILLEGAL for municipalities to raise the minimum wage just as we were filing a petition to do just that in the state’s capital city. It’s so low that Okies can’t survive with just one job. The legislature made it ILLEGAL for cities and towns to regulate oil and gas production in their city limits just as Stillwater and other local governments were trying to impose reasonable regulations. This was to protect their huge wealthy donors.

The state of the state of Oklahoma is dismal and decaying. The Republican governor is one of the two most despised in the country even though she rules the roost in a DEEP RED STATE. The state legislature is so bad that a compensation panel LOWERED their pay just recently in a DEEP RED STATE.

Why is Oklahoma a failed state? Follow the money! The state chamber crowd that heavily funds local and state races yells “jump” and the governor and legislature ask, “How High Master!”  The fossil fuels industry unleashes their PACs on anyone and everyone who doesn’t bow to them and also heavily finances dutiful lackeys holding public office. Oklahoma is on par with the dismal track record of autocratic governments around the world. Just what you would expect from a wealthy selfish oligarchy with pliable politicians answering their beckon call.

What’s Wrong with Oklahoma? The same thing that’s wrong with Kansas!

A Miserable First Anniversary For Señor Trumpanzee, The Fake TV President

by Richard Serra

Tonight, Señor T has planned a gala celebration for multimillionaires only at his palatial Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Pikers will have to cough up $100,000 a couple but the ones who really want to kiss TRump's lard ass have to pay a quarter million dollars for a pair of tickets, which entitles them to participate in a "roundtable." Everybody who buys a ticket gets a notoriously shitty Mar-a-Lago dinner plus a picture of themselves with Trumpanzee and an opportunity to laugh at the working class suckers who voted for Trump in 2016. Members of Congress-- from both parties-- have noted that the optics of Trumpanzee taking off on Air Force One for his estate while the government is preparing to shut down-- something 32% of voters blame of congressional Republicans and 21% blame on Trump himself-- is less than ideal.

North Carolina congressional candidate Jenny Marshall noted that her opponent, Trump rubber stamp Virginia Foxx said she " hadn't given much thought to" Trump’s performance in his first year in office and that she "wasn’t sure if there was anything Trump hadn’t done well." Marshall reminded her Piedmont supporters that Foxx "sides with him on nearly everything, from his discriminatory travel ban to his attempt to repeal Obamacare to his appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education (the worst Secretary of Education in our nation’s history!) She’s made it clear, time and again, that she would rather toe party lines and cozy up to GOP leadership than stand for the people of the 5th district... [What] really angers me about Virginia Foxx’s recent interview is the fact that she didn’t even think about the performance of the leader of our country. As a representative of the people, it is her job to serve them and their communities, not ignore their needs by refusing to think critically about the policies being put in place by the leader of the free world. The bottom line? Rep. Foxx needs to be removed from office in November. More than that, she needs to be replaced by someone who actually does care about the people of this district and is willing to do the hard work needed to make sure they all enjoy economic, racial, social, and environmental equity-- no exceptions." Democratic candidates across the country are hanging Trump around the necks of incumbents like the albatross he has become.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Times reported Friday morning that As Trump's first year in office ends, his support base has eroded and the opposition is energized. They noted that he started his Oval Office occupancy as a polarizing figure and "ends his first year a beleaguered one." They cite a new poll to back up their assertion.

Just under one-third of those polled, 32%, approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 55% who disapproved and 12% who were neutral. That 23-point deficit represents a significant decline since April and the last USC/L.A. Times national poll, which found Trump with a 7-point approval deficit, 40% to 47%.

Looking just at residents of 11 key swing states, Trump’s standing is virtually the same-- 33% approve, 54% disapprove-- evidence that his problem goes far beyond the big, Democratic coastal states.

Moreover, opposition to him has intensified-- 42% in the poll said they disapproved strongly of Trump’s job performance, up from 35% in April. A much smaller group, 15%, voiced strong approval, down slightly from April.

The 55% disapproval closely matches the average of other recent, nonpartisan polls; the 32% approval is several points lower than the average, most likely because the USC/L.A. Times poll explicitly gives people the option of saying they neither approve nor disapprove, which not all polls do.

Widespread disapproval of Trump’s performance has also dragged down his party’s standing. Asked which party’s candidates they would favor if the congressional elections were being held today, those polled sided with the Democrats by 11 points, 51% for Democrats to 40% for the Republicans.

Democrats have held their own supporters better than Republicans have: Eight in 10 people who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 said they definitely would vote for a Democrat for Congress if the election were held now. Just two-thirds of people who voted for Trump had a similarly definite intention of voting for a Republican.

History indicates that with a double-digit lead on the congressional ballot question, “the Democrats would be very likely to take the House” in November, said Robert Shrum, the veteran Democratic strategist who directs USC’s Unruh Institute of Politics, which co-sponsored the poll. “The Republicans could be in real trouble.”

...Most of those who had not made up their minds in April now have done so, and by almost 2 to 1, they have gone against Trump.

“The people who were ‘waiting to see’ in the spring have mostly moved toward disapproval,” said Jill Darling, survey director for the USC economic and social research center.

Even among those who voted for him, Trump’s popularity is tepid. Asked to rate him on a 0-100 thermometer, Trump voters gave the president personally an average score of 64. His policies won a score of 72. By contrast, the antipathy from Clinton voters was intense-- they gave Trump a personal score of 7 and a policy score of 9.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll also released yesterday isn't quite as dire for Trump... but still pretty dire. It would Trump's approval at 39%, which is still "the lowest mark in the poll’s history for any modern president ending his first year. Fifty-seven percent disapprove of Trump’s job, including a majority of respondents-- 51 percent-- who now say they strongly disapprove, which is a record high for Trump in the survey. That’s compared with 26 percent of Americans who strongly approve of the president’s job."

The only group that approves? Republicans (78%). Democrats' approval is 8% but what is catastrophic for the GOP's midterm election hopes is that among independent, just 33% approval of how Trump is doing his job. The biggest voting block in midterms, seniors, give Trump a 41% approval, and those under 35 give him a 35% approval.

"Asked which words best described how they felt about Trump’s first year as president, respondents' top answers (allowing for multiple responses) were 'disgusted' (38 percent), 'scared' (24 percent), 'hopeful' (23 percent), 'proud' (12 percent) and 'angry' (11 percent)... 'A dumpster fire,' said an independent male from California in summing up Trump's first year in office. 'He does not represent the values of the country,' added a female Democrat from Wisconsin. 'He has no compassion and he should not be our president.'"

Wisconsin voters have buyers' remorse-- and they'll take it out on Trump enabler and apologist Paul Ryan in November

Just A Few Dozen Republicans Voted Against Aid To Puerto Rico's Hurricane Victims-- Sociopaths Like Virginia Foxx

On Thursday afternoon, Ryan finally allowed Congress to vote on an amendment by Rodney Frelinghuysen to concur with the Senate on funding aid to hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico, something Trump, a lifelong anti-Puerto Rican racist, has been very sketchy on. The amendment passed by an overwhelming 353-69, all 189 Democrats voting YES, joined by 164 Republicans. The only NO votes were from 69 GOP crackpots-- lunatics and anarchists like Freedom Caucus chair Mark Meadows (R-NC), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Dave Brat (R-VA), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rod Blum (R-IA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Jody Hice (R-GA), Mark Walker (R-NC) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC).

Virtually none these purveyors of anomie have serious reelection challenges. The DCCC isn't taking any of them on. But in North Carolina, a school teacher and progressive Berniecrat, Jenny Marshall is running to represent the northern North Carolina district where hate-monger Virginia Foxx has her base. This isn't an easy district. Obama lost it both times with just over 40% of the vote. And last year, Trump crushed Hillary there, 57.4% to 39.8%. Still, a slightly redrawn district that added over 30,000 Democratic voters has made it slightly less unfriendly to Democrats-- or at least to Democrats running on populist ideas geared towards working families-- the perfect description of Jenny Marshall.

Earlier this week, Frank Schaeffer visited Winston-Salem in Fosythe County, North Carolina to get the lay of the land in the 5th district and interview Jenny. He came away with glowing reviews of the district and the candidate. Take a look at the short film he posted Thursday:



We reached out to Jenny this morning to ask her what she thought about Foxx breaking ranks with the House Republicans vote against aid to the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. She told us that "Foxx stands on the idea of fiscal responsibility, but how responsible is it to let our citizens languish or die when help is just a breath away? We have the resources to help, but some in Congress, like Foxx, turned a blind eye to the dire needs of our people. It is simply unconscionable and we deserve better from those who seek to represent us." And she concluded by talking about the hurricane victims specifically"

It honestly doesn't surprise me to find Rep. Foxx voted no to hurricane disaster relief for Puerto Rico. She has repeatedly voted to deny relief to the hardest hit areas after disasters such as Katrina, Harvey, and now the combined tragedy of Maria and Irma. With lives at risk, all of our members of Congress should act to protect and provide assistance to our fellow Americans. Sadly, Rep. Foxx chooses to hold the purse strings tight and ignore the cries of her fellow citizens. She must be voted out in November and I am working hard everyday to make that a reality.

Please consider giving Jenny's campaign a hand here on our Blue America ActBlue page. She's a regular middle class working woman and self-funding a campaign isn't in the cards. And she's in one of those districts where there aren't many rich campaign donors and the donors who are rich, tend to be Republicans.

Jenny Marshall Gets A Visit From Frank Schaeffer In North Carolina

A couple weeks ago we talked a little about Frank Schaeffer's road-trip around America meeting progressive candidates working to take back the House in 2018. His first stop was Racine, Wisconsin, where he spent time with Randy Bryce, Paul Ryan's opponent. This week, he made his way down to Winston-Salem in Fosythe County, North Carolina to meet up with the progressive Democrat running for the 5th district seat held by radical right Republican Virginia Foxx. Watch the video above of Frank and Jenny talking about the campaign. And, remember, most people outside of North Carolina who have ever heard of this unfortunate batshitcrazy extremist just know Virginia Foxx for her tight embrace of bigotry and radical right buffoonery. In North Carolina, everyone knows she hates immigrants and she hates gays and she hates... well... she sure hates public education. She just doesn't believe in it. Like so many Republicans, she doesn't think education is for everyone, just for the wealthy. So it's completely appropriate that this year, she's fighting for her political life against Jenny, a dedicated public school teacher.

When Frank sent me the video, he also said that "I was stunned to meet Jenny Marshall. In this day and age intelligent sincere authenticity is shocking to encounter in a political candidate. I literally mean it when I say that my hopes and prayers are offered for Jenny. America is lucky to have her and THIS I pray is the new face of the Democratic Party. On to 2018!"

Five month ago, when we first endorsed Jenny, she told us that when she introduces herself to folks in the mixed urban, suburban and rural district they wish her luck, almost with a chuckle. Her response though is to tell them "It isn’t about luck, just hard work... hard work deep canvassing 263 precincts and a message that reaches out to voters. That is our plan, simple yet effective. Get out there and meet people where they are." And that's exactly what she's been doing for the last 5 months-- in a district Trump won 57.4% to 39.8%. It's worth noting, though, that in Watauga Co., Hillary won, albeit narrowly, but in the primary, where Jenny helped organize Bernie's field operation, Bernie didn't just beat Hillary in a landslide-- 5,811 (68.5%) to 2,514 (29.6%)-- he also beat Trump's 2,321 primary votes by more than double. In fact, Bernie won more votes than Cruz and Trump combined (5,040)!

Foxx, she points out, "feels so secure that she refuses to hold town hall meetings and her letters in response to voter questions are cut and pasted together from her website." Foxx's carefully gerrymandered district was a red district literally taylor-made for her-- until last year when a court order redistricted it, adding in something like 33,000 more Democrats. She told us that "The new district lines, coupled with the kind of campaign that we are amassing, is a recipe for us to send Foxx packing." Here's her formula for victory. If you want to help her with that, please consider contributing by tapping the Blue America Act Blue thermometer below.

Our campaign focuses on a strong economic platform of raising the minimum wage, providing opportunity for job skills training, and adding jobs through rebuilding America’s infrastructure. Everywhere I go in the 5th, economic issues are at the top among people’s concerns. From the teacher who is working a second job or the waitress who picks up a second shift just to make ends meet, people are struggling. In 2007, Virginia Foxx voted no to increase the minimum wage to $5.85 with a cap of $7.25. She does not support people earning a living wage. She has little empathy for people’s plight to make a better life for themselves. People have lost hope in our government. They need someone who will stand up and fight for their families and communities. I will fight to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 and include wage increases for service workers. I will fight for the right to unionize and will work to protect employees from pay schemes like comp time that can be controlled by their employer.

Another major worry of voters is healthcare. A recent survey found that 68% of Americans have less than $1,000.00 in the bank. One major illness can be financially devastating. Virginia Foxx wants to repeal the ACA and replace it with what I call The John Grisham’s Rainmaker AHCA where states like North Carolina will apply for waivers to gut provisions like pre-existing conditions and coverage limits. So, not only have you maxed out your insurance coverage, you are destitute and stuck in a high risk pool for the rest of your life. Thanks, Virginia. 40,000 people in the 5th district are covered under the Affordable Care Act. 30,000 receive substantial subsidies to buy their plans. They will lose their coverage when she votes yes on the repeal and replace. With 75% of Democrats and 60% of all Americans supporting single payer health plans, there is no reason for Congress to continue to stonewall the progress of bills like HR 676. I will be a strong voice in support of a single payer program.

We must protect our most vulnerable by protecting Medicare, expanding Social Security and Medicaid. I spoke to an elderly woman at the Earth Day festival who lives on $820.00 per month. She visits the food pantry and other charities just to scrape by, yet she still volunteers to help others in hospice care. In the wealthiest country in the world, why do we have people living their senior years in abject poverty? We all know the answer is greed. I support raising the cap on Social Security Income tax moving towards abolishing it completely. I will fight to prevent the privatization of Medicare and propose to increase the income eligibility guidelines to qualify for Medicaid.

You have to have the right message and the strength to stand up and fight for it. Bernie Sander’s progressive populist message resonated with the people in the 5th district as was evident in his primary results. These people of the 5th want equity from a system they feel has left them behind. They want a representative that isn’t bought out by corporate interests and big money. They want their voice heard and to know that their opinion matters. And I agree.

In the words of Bernie Sanders "Enough is enough." Let’s get to work.

A Labor Day Call for Action-- Guest Post By Jenny Marshall

Jenny Marshall and Randy Bryce

-by Jenny Marshall,
candidate for Congress (NC-05)

Labor Day: the one Monday of the year in which most American workers can count on a day off. On Labor Day, so many of us stay home from work only to find ourselves muddling through whatever at-home tasks we’ve been avoiding for a while. But Labor Day has its roots in something more powerful than that. The holiday was first created by machinist, union organizer, and secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, Matthew Maguire, in 1882.

On that day, workers took to the streets to celebrate with their friends and families, prideful of their contribution to the American workforce. While celebrations still exist, most often at workplaces with unionized labor forces, many Americans are left feeling that they don’t have a reason to celebrate their place in the workforce anymore.

According to Pew Research Center, 15% of people in the workforce are dissatisfied with their jobs. What’s really telling is that the level of satisfaction that people have with their jobs is heavily dependent on the amount of money they make and what type of job they have. So, people who make more money and have jobs in management are generally happier with their jobs than folks who work in manual or physical labor and make less money. This is unsurprising as right-wing politicians and corporate elites continue to deplete protections that once helped workers to thrive.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Congresswoman for North Carolina’s 5th district and my opponent for Congress in 2018, is one of corporate America’s most promising allies in government. Time and time again, she has voted on policies to bolster the profits of elites while depleting rights and protections for working class people. As Co-Chair to the 2016 RNC Platforms Committee, Foxx advocated for union-busting, right-to-work laws.

As a member, and now the leader, of the Education and Workforce Committee, Virginia Foxx has repeatedly put profits over people. She voted against raising the minimum wage in 2007, but has voted to give herself a pay increase since then. She also voted no on the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007, which would have prevented employers from intimidating, harassing, or firing employees due to union membership. And just last year, she voted yes to the Workforce Flexibility Act of 2016, which would have allowed employers to give employees time off—notably, at the time of an employer’s choosing-- instead of overtime pay, rolling back regulations from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that created the 40 hour work week in America.

Foxx has worked to stifle collective bargaining, prevent fair wages, and allow employers to tread on worker’s rights. Most recently, she approved of Donald Trump’s order to roll back Obama-era protections for women and minority workers. Well, I’ve had enough of Virginia Foxx’s attack on American workers, and I think we ought to do something about it. The first order of business is unseating Virginia Foxx and her GOP allies who work in lockstep to disadvantage American workers at every turn.

But to fix this problem, we must go further. We must increase wages, put a stop to union-busting legislation, and bring good-paying-jobs back to the United States. We must demand that workers be paid fair compensation, allowed time off, and given substantial family leave options. We must donate, volunteer, and rally for campaigns that support the People’s Platform and demand that our leaders in Congress, regardless of political affiliation, are held accountable for their actions. Only then can we bring back the pride once associated with being a part of the American workforce. Only then can we remember what Labor Day is really about-- celebrating the collaborative efforts of our community.

This Labor Day, let’s come together as workers and stand up for our rights and livelihoods. Now is the time to demand the end of corporate greed and to recognize the strength in our community. Together, we can take on corporate America. Will you join me?

Paul Ryan And Virginia Foxx Are Lying About What TrumpCare Will Do To Folks In North Carolina

Among the standard GOP lies about TrumpCare-- promulgated by Ryan's office-- is that the process was not rushed or chaotic. When Ryan was on This Week with George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning, he responded to a question about the disorderly process by claiming such assertions are "a bogus attack from the left." Many Republicans have admitted they never read the bill; I suspect the majority hasn't read it and that the decisions most made to support it was a political calculation, not a decision based on policy considerations.

One Republican who showed Ryan up as a liar was principled North Carolina conservative Walter Jones, one of the 20 Republicans to vote NO. He explained his vote on his official congressional website and Ryan's disjointed process poisoning the well played into his decision.

“For over seven years, I have heard from the people of Eastern North Carolina about their trials and frustrations with Obamacare. It is clear that Obamacare is not working. That is why I voted against the bill that created it in 2010, and have continuously voted to repeal it,” said Congressman Jones. “Now in 2017, for reasons I cannot understand, instead of moving a bill to repeal Obamacare and replace it with reforms that will fix our broken health care system, the Washington Republican leadership jammed a bill through the House that does neither. Furthermore, the rushed, behind-closed-doors process they’ve used is shameful. Over the past several weeks, they cut deal after deal to secure members’ support, and then pushed the bill to the floor without a CBO score.  As a result, no one has any idea how much those deals will cost the American taxpayers, or how they might affect the cost, quality and availability of health insurance coverage for American families. Seven years ago, Speaker Nancy Pelosi infamously said of the Obamacare bill: ‘You have to pass the bill so we can find out what’s in it.’ Sadly, the Washington Republican leadership is repeating the same mistakes.”

 “Furthermore, there are many aspects of the bill that deeply trouble me because of their potential effects on Eastern North Carolina and rural America. For example, the bill discriminates against as many as 7 million American veterans by making them ineligible to receive tax credits provided in the bill. It would also result in low-to-middle income seniors paying dramatically higher premiums.”

“Over the past two months, thousands of Eastern North Carolinians of all political stripes have contacted my office about the AHCA,” Congressman Jones concluded.  “Well over 90 percent are opposed to the bill. I asked for this job to represent the people of Eastern North Carolina, and they have spoken clearly.”

And these are the most commonly used words by Americans to describe the GOP leader

Halfway across the state, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx represents a Piedmont district that includes part of Winston-Salem and points west. Foxx couldn't disagree more with Walter Jones and is a huge proponent of taking healthcare away from poor people. The DCCC doesn't target her-- not ever-- but this cycle, grassroots Democrats in NC-05 are ignoring the DCCC and going after Foxx themselves. Jenny Marshall is the progressive candidate in the race, endorsed by Blue America. She's working to hold Foxx accountable and make sure the district's voters know what her record really is all about. Jenny is making clear what Foxx's support of TrumpCare means for the district-- where 30,059 people will lose their coverage if TrumpCare is ever signed into law. Earlier today she reminded us that "Foxx once said 'There are no Americans who don’t have healthcare. Everybody in this country has access to healthcare.' She was wrong then and she is wrong now. There is no access when people cannot afford to buy healthcare insurance and cover the out of pocket expenses. There is no access when people wait for far too long to seek care because of the rising cost of doctors' visits, prescription costs and medical procedures. People have been priced out of the care they need, but Foxx has turned a blind eye. Her yes vote on the AHCA was confirmation of that. I on the other hand support moving to a single payer program that covers not only medical, but vision and dental care as well. We must step up and do what is right for the people of this country. Act now to send people to Congress who will represent the will of the people. Lives depend on it."

Even If The DCCC Doesn't, Economic Progressives Have A Message Voters In Red Districts Are Open To-- NC-05

Blue America's newest endorsed candidate, Jenny Marshall, who's running for the North Carolina seat occupied by Virginia Foxx, has worked on dozens of political campaigns over the years. But this last election cycle she saw the need to be more involved in the process. Here’s a snapshot of her recent accomplishments, accomplishments that attracted Blue America's attention:

She helped establish an all-volunteer-run office for Bernie Sanders’ campaign in Winston-Salem. After the North Carolina primary, the office was moved to a new location to continue operating a phone bank for the Sanders campaign throughout the rest of the primary season. In 2016 she was elected to serve the North Carolina Democratic Party on the Platform and Resolutions Committee where she helped reform the superdelegate process. She was elected to represent Sanders as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Jenny is a founding member and current president of Triad Progressives which helps voters find their way into the political process. This past election cycle, she helped organize her precinct and turn it blue for the first time in over a decade. In hotly contested North Carolina, Jenny canvassed door to door for down-ballot candidates throughout the general election.

In addition to her commitment to progressive candidates and causes, Jenny is a full-time public servant at a high needs Title I priority school, teaching history to 8th and 9th graders. She lives with her husband and their large, blended family in Winston-Salem. She earned two degrees while raising a family, has owned a successful small business, and even helped start a school before returning to the classroom. While teaching in Indiana, she fought back against the Republican state government’s assault on education and organized labor. She formed a group that opposed terrible legislation being shoved through the statehouse, eventually becoming a leading resource for information and action items for others in the state. Her move in 2012 to North Carolina landed her in a state with a similar stance toward schools, and Jenny’s activism continues unabated to this day.

Her opponent is Virginia Foxx, the notorious right wing Republican who, on the House floor, called Matthew Shepard's death a hoax while his mother, Judy Shepard, was present in the chamber. Said she thinks the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution is unconstitutional and was voted the meanest Representative on the Hill in a survey of congressional staffers. She is the queen of defund, deregulate and dismantle. Foxx, who boasts she was "tea party before the tea party started," is blunt about her agenda "I’m going to push to diminish the role of the federal government in everything it’s in that isn’t in the Constitution," Foxx said in an interview in her district. "That’s education, health care. All the things that the federal government does that it should not be doing. I’m happy to diminish its role."

24 hours after Matt Coffay's guest post-- the other compelling progressive running for Congress in North Carolina, we've asked Jenny to do her own guest post introducing herself to DWT readers and helping us understand how an outspoken, unapologetic progressive wins in a deep red district that gave Trump a 57.4% to 39.8% win over Hillary. If you like Jenny's approach and think she would make a better member of Congress than Virginia Foxx, please consider supporting her campaign by contributing here.

DC Democrats Aren't Trying To Oust Virginia Foxx, But That Doesn't Mean It Can't Be Done
-by Jenny Marshall

"Good luck," they say when I tell them I am running against Virginia Foxx. My response is always, "It isn’t about luck, just hard work." Well, hard work deep canvassing 263 precincts and a message that reaches out to voters. That is our plan, simple yet effective. Get out there and meet people where they are.

For the past 7 election cycles, Foxx has handily won her seat in North Carolina’s 5th district. She feels so secure that she refuses to hold town hall meetings and her letters in response to voter questions are cut and pasted together from her website. She was a safely gerrymandered R+11 until a court order forced a redistricting that added 33,000 more Democratic voters in 2016. Had there been a candidate in the race that ran a competitive campaign she would have been in deep trouble. Even with raising no money and no field program, the previous candidate lost by only 16.8%. Not quite the clock cleaning one would have expected from such lopsided race. The new district lines, coupled with the kind of campaign that we are amassing, is a recipe for us to send Foxx packing.

To win, you need the right candidate. The 5th district is urban, suburban, and rural. Stretching from the piedmont to the mountains, it takes a candidate that can "fit in" in all three. That is where I come in. I grew up in a small town where it was more common to see gun racks than wine racks. I understand what it is like to grow up in a community that struggles to remain viable. Downtown storefronts are abandoned, poverty is growing, and the young people are leaving and not coming back. 10 of the 11 counties in the 5th District are considered rural. They look like the place where I grew up.

I work in the urban center of Winston-Salem at a high poverty Title 1 school. It is singularly the hardest, yet most rewarding job I have ever had. My students’ lives are riddled with issues that plague the urban center of Forsyth County. Systemic poverty, low wage jobs that provide little benefits, the gentrification of their neighborhoods and racial injustice cripple their opportunities to provide an economic stable future for themselves and their families. In contrast, my neighbors in the suburbs seem like they have everything going for them, but in reality many are living one major crisis away from ruin. The economy has only been good to the very wealthy. Those lucky enough to be born at the right time in the right zip code, well they won at the lottery of life.

Our campaign focuses on a strong economic platform of raising the minimum wage, providing opportunity for job skills training, and adding jobs through rebuilding America’s infrastructure. Everywhere I go in the 5th, economic issues are at the top among people’s concerns. From the teacher who is working a second job or the waitress who picks up a second shift just to make ends meet, people are struggling. In 2007, Virginia Foxx voted no to increase the minimum wage to $5.85 with a cap of $7.25. She does not support people earning a living wage. She has little empathy for people’s plight to make a better life for themselves. People have lost hope in our government. They need someone who will stand up and fight for their families and communities. I will fight to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 and include wage increases for service workers. I will fight for the right to unionize and will work to protect employees from pay schemes like comp time that can be controlled by their employer.

Another major worry of voters is healthcare. A recent survey found that 68% of Americans have less than $1,000.00 in the bank. One major illness can be financially devastating. Virginia Foxx wants to repeal the ACA and replace it with what I call The John Grisham’s Rainmaker AHCA where states like North Carolina will apply for waivers to gut provisions like pre-existing conditions and coverage limits. So, not only have you maxed out your insurance coverage, you are destitute and stuck in a high risk pool for the rest of your life. Thanks, Virginia. 40,000 people in the 5th district are covered under the Affordable Care Act. 30,000 receive substantial subsidies to buy their plans. They will lose their coverage when she votes yes on the repeal and replace. With 75% of Democrats and 60% of all Americans supporting single payer health plans, there is no reason for Congress to continue to stonewall the progress of bills like HR 676. I will be a strong voice in support of a single payer program.

We must protect our most vulnerable by protecting Medicare, expanding Social Security and Medicaid. I spoke to an elderly woman at the Earth Day festival who lives on $820.00 per month. She visits the food pantry and other charities just to scrape by, yet she still volunteers to help others in hospice care. In the wealthiest country in the world, why do we have people living their senior years in abject poverty? We all know the answer is greed. I support raising the cap on Social Security Income tax moving towards abolishing it completely. I will fight to prevent the privatization of Medicare and propose to increase the income eligibility guidelines to qualify for Medicaid.

You have to have the right message and the strength to stand up and fight for it. Bernie Sander’s progressive populist message resonated with the people in the 5th district as was evident in his primary results. These people of the 5th want equity from a system they feel has left them behind. They want a representative that isn’t bought out by corporate interests and big money. They want their voice heard and to know that their opinion matters. And I agree.

In the words of Bernie Sanders "Enough is enough." Let’s get to work.