The Issues
We can all feel that our politics are broken: every major issue facing our nation lacks serious conversation, and the fantasy that one person can fix this has failed. It is illogical. Only we can fix this.
In order to improve policy in every issue, we must have more choice and more voice in our politics. We must prioritize policy looking for the best outcomes for security, tolerance, access, fairness and prosperity in every category.
While every policy discussion will improve by reforming our political system some are more acute in the damage they are doing than others. This is why we are prioritizing the opioid challenge we have in NY-21 as an acute healthcare issue that is killing our people and is the most obvious example that our politics are broken.
Political Reform
Two centuries ago, the people of the United States birthed modern democracy into the world. It was a system prized for equality, fairness, and self-government. Today, our politics are broken, and our system allows money to buy policies for a favored few. By engaging in politics, together we can restore and reform our democracy, once again making it an effective tool for us to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
#wecanfixthis
Health
In terms of per capita health expenditures, the United States leads the way among all nations. However, we rank near the bottom in healthcare coverage, accessibility, and outcomes. Our life expectancy is shorter than 30 other countries and a higher percentage of people go without health coverage than many other countries. Because of our broken politics, healthcare has become first and foremost a massive profit machine for large insurance, drug, and medical conglomerates. The opioid crisis in NY-21 has been instigated by huge pharmaceutical companies, who’ve made billions of dollars off the destruction of our communities. We need to make healthcare accessible to all, expand access to preventative healthcare options, cater to the needs of the individual, and eliminate wasteful medical practices.
#wecanfixthis
Banking/Finance
Only by reforming our banking and finance systems can we build an effective system that serves, as it used to, the people of this country. We need to reform our banking system so it works for local communities and local economies as it once did. A healthy banking system makes money by helping people build businesses that meet each communities’ needs.
#wecanfixthis
Education
We need an education system that emphasizes and prioritizes local control. The ability to understand and adjust education policy according to the needs of our communities is paramount to unlocking innovation and creative solutions. The United States’ per-student expenditure at the elementary/secondary level is 31% higher than many other countries, yet many of our teachers remain badly paid. Because of our broken politics, we spend too much on education administration and not enough educating our kids. High spending with poor returns has stagnated our once dynamic educational system. This is a risk to our future as we cultivate and raise the next generation of American leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
#wecanfixthis
Trade
Free trade is a lie. The people who pay a price for trade agreements are the less elite of rich societies, 100% of the time. Rigged trade has destroyed the industrial sector of this country over the last four decades, and working people of America have suffered greatly. Yet, major corporations continue to advocate for overseas cheap labor. With our broken politics, big multinational companies have an outsized influence in our political system. The false notion of free trade has contributed to social decay all across our country. We must begin a real conversation about how to respect the actual humans that populate this country at a time when the economic shift in the world is bigger than just lost jobs.
#wecanfixthis
Energy
The United States must embark on a nation-wide shift to all renewable energy resources, full stop. Our continued extraction of the planet’s resources, with such destructive environmental consequences, can no longer continue. Yet, oil and gas companies and old electric utilities run our broken politics. Nations like Sweden, who threw down the gauntlet in 2015 to eliminate fossil fuel usage within their borders, and Costa Rica, who generated 99% of its electricity in 2015 from renewable sources and aims to be carbon-neutral in 2021, have demonstrated true leadership in the race to save our planet. It is time for the United States to rise to the occasion.
#wecanfixthis
