IT'S NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE, IT'S AN AMERICAN ISSUE

It's no secret that the cost of simply existing is on the rise. Groceries are on the rise, services are on the rise, and housing costs are on the rise. Jokes about wishing we should have purchased homes when we were in kindergarten hit with truth when you look at how the dream of homeownership is quickly becoming out of reach for millions of Americans.

17 million people are set to lose their health care under the provisions in the "Big, Beautiful Bill". Over 1.9 million of that is in Florida alone, with one state losing more insured people than us.

When we live in a country where simultaneously billionaires exist and also have people who ration their life-saving medication because they cannot afford to keep them in full supply, the system is broken.

There are currently 30 states with a minimum wage greater than that of the federal minimum of $7.25, which has not seen an increase since 2009. Florida's is set to increase to $15 by next year, which would be nearly double the Federal minimum wage, yet would still only earn a full-time employee roughly $26,000 per year, after taxes.

We need to ensure that any American working full-time can support themselves in this country.

Water pollution in Florida has endangered our most majestic creatures and threatened our way of life. Polluters have been able to get away with minimal fines and continue with their business. Something needs to change.

As other countries around the globe have shown, the movement towards clean energy benefits all people. From expansive job creation to the elimination of our dependence on costly fossil fuels that keep Americans paying high utility costs, clean energy has proven itself time and time again as worth investing in.

 If you paid $1.00 in Federal Taxes in 2023, you paid more than GE. 

General Electric earned nearly $7 billion in 2023, yet instead of paying any federal income tax on those profits, they got a refund of $423 million.

Corporations and Billionaires are avoiding taxes while hard-working Americans are paying the price. It's time to even the scales.

The federal elimination of protections that oversee funding for education is already in place. Areas with disadvantaged populations are set to be hit the hardest. With those areas, also special education programs, after-school programs, and even school lunches, will all be threatened.

Political efforts to censor or restrict what is taught in schools, particularly in areas like race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues, can stifle intellectual freedom and harm students' understanding of the world.  

Budget cuts under the current administration have repeatedly targeted the Veterans Administration, including reductions in administrative jobs, funding for facilities, and healthcare positions. Along with these cuts, proposed reductions in VA benefits, delays in acknowledging the link between toxic exposure and Veteran health, defunding mental health, and the consistent attack on transgender service members have all caused a pattern of behavior that very clearly shows that this administration cares more about saying it supports our troops than providing actual support.

Cuts to staffing and restructuring have significantly impacted the Social Security Administration's ability to process claims. Proposed increases in the age of retirement also go directly against the stance that this administration has taken, stating that they have no plans to "cut Social Security". The ability to believe what you are told by the government and trust that your future is secure is a fundamental right of all Americans. 

Cutting enforcement staff and civil rights offices, undermining special education compliance, removing ADA guidance resources, and targeting healthcare access related to disability classifications are all serious attacks on Americans who face disability issues today. Students with disabilities will also face reduced support, delayed services, or weaker enforcement of individualized education plans. We need to reinstate and bolster these protections for the betterment of all those who rely on theseresources.

One of the largest beneficiaries of DEI protections was, in fact, women. The dismantling of this and similar programs will cause a significant reduction in support for protecting women and other marginalized groups from discrimination. 

The unjust rollback of Roe V Wade protections has already caused deaths of women across the country and will continue to infringe on rights and the basic dignity to decide what happens with their own bodies. We need to continue to fight to support women across all avenues of care.

This administration's ability to scapegoat an entire marginalized group that makes up roughly only 1% of the population is honestly sickening. The transgender community is far more likely to be the victims of hate and abuse, and this administration has made sure that its base cares deeply about demonizing a group that merely seeks to exist in peace and respect. 

Ensuring all Americans feel safe and secure is an essential part of the freedom that we hold dear as a country.

Unions protect. Whether it be federal, agricultural, special trade, or another valued union, we rely on unions to protect a vast majority of our workforce. Disrupting the National Labor Relations Board, delaying union elections, and advancing deregulation and changes to labor rules have all led to a political climate that is less favorable to union organizing and growth. We must expand protections around unions in order to create a more stable workforce within our country.

The lie that we were all fed that this administration is only going after the violent criminals has been proven to be wrong. 

We are seeing Veterans, citizens, mothers, and children being taken away with no due process and no accountability. People are being taken away at citizenship hearings, outside of schools, and even from church. The war on People of Color is not new, but has received new life under this current administration and is something that no American should turn a blind eye to.

No group is safe from the constant attacks from the President. Whether it be political adversaries, celebrities, or even members of his own political party, we deserve leadership that is for ALL Americans. Leadership that respects, that protects, and that cares about not just those with something to exploit, but all Americans.

Already a proposal in the House, banning stock trading at the Government level will increase integrity across the board.

Buying elections by way of major donors and PACs is a corrupt tool of the elite that ensures Politicians stay in the pocket of their largest donors. Increasing regulations will increase the chances for an honest government. A Government for the people, not the few.

If elected, I will work tirelessly to ensure that any increase in pay to the House or Senate (that is voted on themselves) will enact a commensurate increase in the national minimum wage, creating a more honest system of wages.

The ability to work together, regardless of where a great idea comes from should NOT be controversial. We should all be working towards the benefit of all Americans, regardless of political party.