The Land Of The Free: An American Political Roleplay (IC)

[Imperial Esplanade]

Las Vegas, Nevada
Presidential Campaign Rally - Rep. Emily S. Davenport (D|CA-34)

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Following the event in Reno, Davenport spent time back-and-forth between Washington, for her legislation being presented before Congress, and California, primarily for fundraising purposes and to organize her campaign and hire a small team of staff members. There was a fair amount of behind-the-scenes work that was done, and yet also having yet to be done... the sort of thing that doesn't give any one candidate headlines, yet at the same time gives them the infrastructure to compete deep into the race. Even so, there was a window to make a campaign rally in Las Vegas, a few hours outside of her hometown Los Angeles.

"Helloooo! Thank youuu!" Davenport exclaimed, waving and smiling at the assembled audience.

"Thank you! Thank you!... I am honored, deeply honored, to be here with each of you today! It's my greatest pleasure being able to visit my neighbors here, in your own backyard." Emily remarked, pausing a moment as she looked over the crowd.

"So... I know many of you are undecided--some of you are supporting me in this race, but I know many of you are undecided. And, I believe we have a strong field of candidates in this primary, but I am grateful for all of you being in attendance here tonight, and I'll get straight to the point. Everywhere I go, there is at least someone who comes up to me and shares a deep sense of anxiety as to the direction of this country. And I don't blame them! If I didn't feel a little of the same fear of continued incompetence at the White House, for example, I wouldn't have ever announced my candidacy for President in the first place!" Emily exclaimed, pausing for a moment to await the audience's response, if any, and continued on.

"As the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, I strongly believe I am the best-equipped candidate to take on the single-greatest existential threat of our lifetime, possibly in all of human history.... and that is climate change! I don't listen too much on what the other candidates say, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear if none of them are willing to say that they are going to make climate change the first, and greatest, priority of their Presidential Administration. But, I will! And I will fight the Republicans, and I will fight any of the Democrats, who continue to place their immoral priorities of profit over people, or continue to allow the dysfunctional status-quo that has led us to being here in the first place!"

"As Chairwoman, I oversaw the happenings in House Sub-Committees like Energy and Mineral Resources; National Parks; Water, Oceans, and Wildlife! I know the ins-and-outs better, I grasp the scope of devastation our planet is currently facing and the challenges our children and grandchildren will be left to deal with, and I understand and believe the potential and capacity our nation has... not just in defeating climate change, but in becoming the standard of the 21st Century global economy! But here's the thing, all of it will be for naught if we elect another climate-change denier into the White House, or just anyone to President who refuses to make the reforms necessary and the spine to make fighting climate change as the greatest initiative of their presidency! The planet cannot wait anymore, we've kicked the can down the road far, far enough! And, the cost of our inaction has only added up more and more and more!"

"As President, I will bring us back into the Paris Climate Agreement, immediately! As President, I will push hard for a Clean New Deal for tomorrow's energy coming to us today, a Green New Deal for carbon-neutral infrastructure projects that will put Americans back to work for well-paying jobs, and spur massive investments into our industries and do everything I can to make sure clean manufacturing makes their products right here in the United States of America! As President, I will fight to put into place a Carbon Tax and introduce measures and to cooperate with our partners to discuss initiatives on cleaning up our oceans, or at the very least stop dumping so much plastic waste into our world's oceans. Look, none of this is easy work and I won't pretend it will be smooth-sailing! It's not the kind of thing that will grab headlines, I'm sure, but we have to save us from ourselves!"

"As President, I will expand our National Park System and reverse the trend of slowly, gradually, gutting it from the inside-out, as the Wolf Administration has done to the complete silent nodding of agreement by the Republicans. The EPA will once more have the authority it needs, with me having its' back to reverse every single misdeed and every malicious executive action authored by Arnold Wolf. If the Republican Leaders don't like me now, they will definitely not like me when I call them out for their continued obstruction and for letting such an anti-science, anti-fact, anti-common sense agenda take over and dictate their beliefs in the first place. This is a fight I will challenge them on, and this is a fight I promise you that I will win. The Republicans have no skin in this game and have given in to complete lies and... I want to say a certain word, but I want to keep this G-rated."

"The point is, like with every other issue in this country, the Republicans have time and again shown zero interest in actually solving problems. They lied and shown they didn't care about the debt, after YEARS of shouting about the debt under Baharia, by cutting taxes and piling more debt than Baharia has ever had in a year! They lied and shown they didn't care about healthcare reform, voting against their own bill because enough of them openly admitted that they didn't think it was for the good of the country! They lied and shown they didn't care about the American people, because after promising to hire 'the best people' and to 'drain the swamp,' the Wolf cabinet becoming the living embodiment of the swamp as a cesspool of corruption! So here's the deal, if the Republicans didn't stand up to any of it then, then what makes you think they've suddenly changed now?! Opposing the ineptitude and the disgusting displays of corruption under Arnold Wolf was easy, should've been easy at least, so what makes you think it will suddenly get any easier when it becomes more subtle under a different President from their own party?"

"Yeah, of course it won't. Their voters wanted them to drain the swamp, but their records on the likes of supporting [Not-Betsy DeVoy] and [Not-Ryan Zinke] speaks for itself. I won't trust them, one bit, to hold themselves accountable and neither should you. And this is why, on the cusp of such massive looming environmental catastrophe that scientists are warning will be coming, we cannot trust them to do what is right by us anymore! We've seen their hand, and it's clear the direction they intend to go! This is why I am asking for your vote, because the Democrats need someone who will challenge their nominee, whoever it may be, head-on and willing to say it to their face, calling out the disastrous ambitions and bad policies that one only has to look back these last couple of years in order to see how it simply hasn't worked!"

"The minimum wage hasn't risen in about a decade, but yet wealth inequality has grown preposterously! Healthcare costs are too high for some families that forced countless to go bankrupt in order to get the life-saving healthcare that they need, and yet the pharmaceutical industry continues to remain as one of the most profitable in the entire world! This is the United States of America! We are the wealthiest nation on the planet, and you're telling me we can't have working class people afford their prescription drugs, while big pharma racks in even more billions in profits each year? You're telling me that, in the race to see how many American millionaires and billionaires we can pack on the Forbes list, we can't give our hardworking people the raise in minimum wages that they so desperately need to adjust and live their lives in a continually cost-inflating world?"

"I'll tell you this, as President, I won't be having any of it! Enough is enough! It's well past time to take our country back from them on election day, and I believe that I can, and will win, this election if I am the Democratic nominee. What's more is that I believe that we can, and will, win the heart and soul of this country again! So please join me, Nevada! Join the fight, and together, let's turn the page on Wolfism forever! Thank you!"

[Sao Nova Europa]

Des Moines, Iowa



Goldwater smiled at the camera. He was filming another YouTube video, which was then going to be shared by Twitter and Facebook accounts. He greeted his viewers and began in earnest talking.

"I've arrived in Iowa, as I stated in my last video, to get to meet with people here and listen to their stories, problems and ideas. I will be giving only one speech during this visit. The rest of the time, I will be listening to you, the American people. Because politicians need to sometimes shut up and listen. That's what I will be doing. This is the first step towards building a movement of working-class conservatism. A conservatism that works for everyone, not just corporate donors in DC and corporate CEOs. A conservatism that works for average guy and gal."

"My idea of conservatism is one that promotes patriotism, family values, strong communities and clean, honest government. How can we say that we are the party of family values if we destroy our communities and families with unrestricted influx of cheap foreign goods and neoliberal, Davos economics? How can we say we are the party of American patriotism if we aid corporate CEOs take away their capital and invest it in countries like Mexico or China? We need a conservatism that puts American families first! Not illegals, not corporate CEOs and certainly not self serving political hacks and bureaucrats in DC! America First!"

"By ending unrestricted free trade, we can bring backs factories and shops here in America. We can bring back millions of jobs and ensure that our communities flourish once again. We can thus empower the building block of a healthy society; the family. Without healthy families, there can be no healthy communities and without healthy communities, America will collapse. We need to stop the decay of American communities. We need to put an end to a consumerist, decadent individualism promoted by the Party of Davos and instead promote a traditionalist, community-oriented and family-values conservatism that places our families and communities at the forefront."

"Here in Iowa, we begin our crusade to take back power from the decadent, corrupt elites of DC and give it back to the people. I want you to empower me to put an end to the festering corruption in DC and to put in their place the corporate donors, political hacks and useless bureaucrats that have destroyed America! My message to them is this: your reign of corruption is coming to an end. We shall cleanse DC from you and we shall restore honest, good government that is accountable to the people of this country! Americans will be once again the bosses of the country! America belongs to Americans! Not to illegals, not to CEOs and not to bureaucrats! It belongs to the American people!"

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
Orange City, Iowa
March 22nd, 2019



The day after the Council Bluffs retail Richardson made his way to Orange City in Sioux County. He gave a guest lecture and Q&A early in the morning at Northwestern College talking about the development of economic policy in politics, it wasn’t geared towards promoting his campaign but gave his a great deal of increased visibility. He then took his staff and members of the College Republicans branch on campus to Pizza Ranch, a chain that was headquartered in Orange City. It was a good photo op of Richardson being a normal guy enjoying Pizza while also solidifying his support among Republican college activists.

In the afternoon he repeated his performance at Dordt College, giving a lecture and bringing several pizzas to a meeting of College Republicans where he did a Q&A. Afterwards he spoke to a number of faith leaders in the county in an unoccupied classroom. I spoke about his view of faith in politics and how he supported families before opening up the meeting to questions about faith, his bathroom bill, abortion and family values.

In the evening after work was over for most people Richardson held a rally in Orange City.

“Hello!” Richardson said to the passionate crowd “It’s an absolute honor to see you all here” Richardson took his time giving a wave and a positive smile to the crowd and made sure the assembled cameras saw him. He dressed in a suit and dress shirt but opted to not wear a tie, sporting a professional but approachable look.

“Thank you all for joining me here today. Behind me is the office building that once held ‘Richardson Realtors’ a business my parents founded when they were young newlyweds striking out into the world, they dreamed this business would help them make a better life for their future children. The American dream, that you can start out and make something of yourself, giving a better life to your family. Well mom and dad, my brother is a doctor, my sister is an architect, and I am the Governor of the great state of North Carolina!”

Richardson let the cheers die down a bit before continuing

“Because of the sacrifices my parents made, because of the chances they took, all their kids went and got an education, we followed our own dreams we have our own children and that is the work ethic they instilled in us. There wasn’t a single day that it was easy, there wasn’t a single day my parents didn’t put everything they had into making the business a success. All that hard work gave them a beautiful life that could only happen in America, the greatest country in the world. Now, their son is proud to be running for the Presidency of the United States! Let’s stand up for America and push the country forward!!!”

The cheers from the crowd were spirited, with a few campaign officials and activists scattered in the crowd to lead the chants and have the crowd applaud at appropriate moments.

“That’s really humbling thank you. Before I detail my plans for the country and how we move forward, I would like to take a few moments to pay tribute to President Wolf.”

The crowd applauded, some politely and some with great enthusiasm

“I make no excuses for the times I have disagreed with him, in policy or rhetoric. But I will say this, 4 million new jobs, more people employed than ever before in the country of which 400,000 are manufacturing jobs, the ones dems told us were never coming back… Hispanic, Asian and African American unemployment at the lowest rates ever recorded. Explosive economic growth, unemployment at a 49 year low, median household income at the highest level ever recorded, 3.9 million Americans off of food stamps. 95% of US manufacturers are optimistic about the future, highest level ever.”

“Wolf ended the ACA individual mandate, eliminated regulations, lowered taxes and delivered on his promises. Enacted tax cuts and reforms that put hundreds of billions back into the economy, back in the hands of taxpayers. Small businesses have the lowest tax rate in 80 years. The VA is more accountable and effective than ever before, our military has recovered from the cuts of the Baharia years. By every metric the economy is the strongest it’s ever been, our military is the strongest its been in decades and once again we can look to the future with hope. So thank you President Wolf”

“The flow of illegal immigrants has decreased sharply, for the first time in 65 years the United States has ceased to be a net oil importer. These are two areas specifically the last few administrations had promised action but failed to deliver… the latest information has shown that workers earning growth have grown at a rate of 3.4% a rate not seen since Reagan, the poverty rate is at the best rate since the 90s and unemployment the best since the 60s… This is not a trickle down economy, its a lifting up economy! Thank you President Wolf!”

“If you are a woman today, who is a single parent your income has jumped an average of 7.% in the last year… more than any other group. Poverty rates for women of color fell dramatically, and unemployment rates for African American and Hispanic women are now under 4.5%... thats unheard of. Thank you President Wolf.”

By the third “Thank you” the crowd had been applauding with enthusiasm, Richardson allowed it to crescendo, joining in the applause and letting it die before continuing his speech.

“The majority of our countries growth has been in the lower and middle income groups… That is the simple truth, its right in the numbers. Economic growth policies under Wolf did more to combat income inequality and poverty that the tax and spend policies of Baharia. The ENDLESS mantra coming from limousine liberals, is that the tax cuts and reform only benefited the rich… in truth it benefited the most needy. The numbers are in, and any way you swing it… the Republicans are just better for the economy.”

“Despite these successes every day I hear Democrats continue on about tax cuts for the rich and promoting 70% tax brackets, open borders, socialized medicine, and the Green New Deal.”

“Despite all the accomplishments we have made since 2016 in this country, unprecedented economic growth, a strong military and a protection of our rights and liberties, those who call themselves ‘Progressives’ want to roll back all our accomplishments, and then take more and more money out of the private sector, give it to unelected bureaucrats who couldn’t run a lemonade stand, and somehow hope it improves the economy. We have too much government, we need to shrink it.”

“Progressives are saying, ‘it's complicated, just trust us’... well I'm here to tell you it's simple. We either go forward together as a country or back, forward towards more freedom, lower taxes, regulation and fiscal responsibility, or back towards economic downturn, escalating deficits and the death of small businesses. Do you want to go forward or back?”

“Democrats tell us to trust Iran while it supports terrorism and continues its nuclear program unabated by the terrible Iran nuclear deal, they say just trust the news media when it produces hit jobs on conservatives while ignoring the worst of the left, they say just trust the socialists as they take away your healthcare. Voters trusted them when they said ‘if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, if you like your doctor, keep your doctor’ Why should we trust them again? Do you want to go forward or back?”

“I am a Republican, a Conservative because I trust the individual American citizen more than I trust someone in Washington. I am a Conservative because I trust that I know what is better for the education of my child, because I trust that I know how to best spend my own money, because I trust myself to make the best decisions for my own future. Democrats do not trust the American people! So let me ask again, do you want to go forward or back?”

Richardson’s emphasis on the “forward or back” phrase and the plants in the crowd had them repeating the line with him with force the third time, engaging them and making it appear as if they had one voice. It was an old effective rally tactic.

“I want to detail and tell you exactly how I plan to move our country forward, to greater heights than ever before… but first let me tell you a little about myself, my story and where I come from.”

“I have done all I can to devote my life to public service. I was born right here in Wilmington, NC... I am the oldest of three siblings born to Patrice and Robert Richarson who owned and ran the small business of Richardson Realtors.”

“I went to Duke University, and found my true calling working for the working men and women of this country. I worked with Conservatives around the country, advancing the cause of liberty as part of the movement, before returning home and working to do my part making North Carolina better.”

“In 2008 I was first elected Congressman, representing North Carolina’s 7th district. I had a strong conservative record and as a Congressman I authored many bills which I am proud of, I reformed the tax code for farmers and small businesses, but I am perhaps most proud of authoring the DC Voucher pilot program which today serves over 10,000 families.”

Some scattered applause from the audience continued

“In 2012 became Governor, eager to do my part to help my state recover from recession. Together we united behind a common cause, and delivered. We have a flourishing economy, the 10th largest in the country, unemployment has been cut in half and our labor market is the strongest in the nation. North Carolina is the fastest growing economy in the country, no state even comes close. We did this through $4.4 billion dollars in tax relief, investing in small businesses, entrepreneurs and the power of American spirit to innovate and overcome. We did this while doing more than just balancing the budget, we have the 4th largest surplus per capita in the nation. It is a brand of fiscal responsibility and tax relief I plan on bringing to the nation as a whole. We do not have a revenue problem we have a SPENDING problem, we need to take a look at all our programs, if they don’t work we fix them and if we can’t fix them we take the money we are spending on them and give it to a program that works”

“”We can not only make our tax cuts permanent, we can give the middle class even more tax relief. Regulatory relief as well is vital especially for small businesses, arguably tax and regulatory relief is the biggest achievement of the Wolf administration and it is something my administration would continue.”

“As Governor I lead the charge on Education Savings Accounts, on school choice and putting parents back in charge of their children's education. We have enacted transparency on college campuses for the job market, and encouraged trade schools so that those entering the workforce are trained for the most in demand jobs available. Together we have brought North Carolina from 30th in the nation in terms of education, to 25th, a trend I have every faith will continue. As President I would push for an ambitious national school choice program, creating education savings accounts and tax relief for education that will encourage school choice and help parents tailor their child’s education. Because it is an engaged parent that knows what is best for their own child, not some bureaucrat in Washington.”

“As Governor I took historic steps to protect the unborn, the most vulnerable among us. I signed a 20 week abortion ban into law. As President I will support measures such as the ‘Born Alive’ law which protects infants born alive after babies survive abortions. I will also push to restrict second & third trimester abortion except when it threatens the life of the mother.”

“Just in the past few years the legislature and we have created Carolina’s Choice Care, which emphasizes personal choice in healthcare, using the free market principles of competition and free exchange of ideas to provide the best healthcare possible to the most people at the lowest cost. We need to repeal and replace the ACA and institute a plan that works with the free market to lower costs and provide higher quality care.”

“What do I stand for? I stand for results, if something is broken I fix it, if it works I double down on it. I have balanced the budget, cut taxes, brought in jobs, lowered healthcare costs and improved education. North Carolina like every state struggles, we have our own challenges… Unemployment, quality of education, poverty, I have worked every day in and out to try and improve the lives of the American people, and by every metric we have made them better. That is why I am running for President, because its the best way I can serve, how I can make the biggest impact on the most people, I am first and foremost a grateful American just looking to give back.”

The applause line landed and the crowd responded with enthusiasm, he was playing the greatest hits for them.

“Not only am I a strong conservative that knows where we need to go as a nation, but how to get there. I will be constantly unveiling plans on how to reform our nation’s finances, healthcare and education. How to balance the budget and how to keep our military strong, how to fund schools choice and keep the cost of colleges low. I have done this in North Carolina and I will bring this to the country as a whole. All of my policy isn’t just based on labels, its based on what I have lived and what I know. I know first hand how easy it is for the government to take your hard earned money, under a Richardson administration it will get a whole lot harder.”

“I also have a not so secret weapon, my wife Amanda. She is a fighter, brilliant, bold and beautiful, a true mind at work. I could not do this without her support. She is a strong woman of faith, a mother, wife, an intellect, and a true patriot, every day I am reminded how lucky I am to have her as my partner.”

“But the first person I asked if I could run for President was another brilliant woman. My daughter Jessica. Jessica is a big reason why i’m doing this. This is a personal fight for the future my daughter will inherit from us. I want every parent to give their child what I have been able to give to mine, what my parents gave to me. Strong values of patriotism, faith and a personality driven for success, the ingredients that turn American Dreams into American Realities.”

“To do that we need a President that will balance our budget, that will reform and protect our retirement programs, that will repeal and replace the ACA, that fights for American businesses, that supports our military and our global alliances, that helps raise wages, that helps create better jobs and that provides policies that help not just our generation but generations to come.”

“I hope to be that President.”

Another applause line allowed Richardson to collect his breath and shift gears

“This election is about principles, principles held by working people and everyday Americans. Principles that you don’t need to get from the New York Times. These are principles enshrined in our Constitution, principles of faith and hard work.”

“Principles that affect our economy, our foreign policy, our healthcare policy, our border and the very way government works. Principles promised by our democracy, the promise of opportunity for all which is unfilled by too many.”

“We have seen what burdensome overregulation does to our small businesses, over taxation. From the time I was young and my parents ran a small business, to today when I have traveled all over the country speaking to small business owners, their number one concern and barrier to prosperity is always regulation. As I said before the Wolf administration has made great strides in fighting overregulation but we need to work to enshire protections into law that keep the unelected bureaucracy from strangling our small businesses in the future.”

“They want to raise the minimum wage… I admit I wanted the minimum wage raised once too… I was 15 and working a minimum wage job… I didn’t know any better so give me a break.”

The crowd laughs a bit

“Mandating an increase in the minimum wage not only leads to the closing of businesses who can’t afford it like we have seen in Seattle, not only leads to the laying off of countless workers, but stunts the ability to get new people into the workforce. It’s a job killer.”

“I am a Christian, I believe strongly in charity and the importance of helping those in need. If your neighbor is going through a tough time I believe in giving them a helping hand. But sometimes we can do more harm than good. Welfare eligibility needs reform, the kind of reform already started to programs like food stamps, creating basic work requirements for those who have the ability to work. 20 hours a week, if no jobs are available they can do charity work instead. Getting people working is the best way to get them off their feet and keeping them from dependency that can last generations. That doesn’t help anyone… as President I will measure the success of programs like food stamps by how many people we can get standing on their own two feet not by how many more people get covered by it.”

“We as a nation also need to be able to stand on our own two feet when it comes to the deficit. Contrary to the belief on the other side of the aisle, the remedy for spending too much money is not spending more money or raising taxes to 70%. They said ‘trust us’ they said passing the ACA and the Medicaid expansion would magically balance the budget… didn’t happen. Now they are saying taking away your private insurance and let them increase your taxes and somehow it will cost you less and the government less. Just Trust Them”

Richardson wasn’t a particularly mean politician, but throwing red meat to the base was necessary in the 2019 Republican party. The paragraph drew appropriate hisses from the conservative audience.

“Healthcare is the issue most on the minds of American’s today and I do not blame them. But unlike Progressives I don’t believe that putting the government in charge of anything makes it more efficient or improves its quality. We need a healthcare system that utilizes and works WITH the free market, the kind that I have established in North Carolina that has consistently reduced premiums and costs year after year. States need to be given more freedom to design health care systems and exchanges for themselves.”

“When we talk about healthcare I would be remiss if I did not discuss abortion. I never thought I would see the day when states were enshiring abortion to the point of birth in their state constitution. We have democrats who are supposedly part of the mainstream advocating for the killing of babies that have been delivered, infanticide. It is more clear than ever that we must reaffirm our values, that life is sacred and that we have the right and obligation to protect the unborn with our laws.”

“In the first 100 days of my Presidency I will ask Congress to send to my desk a ban on all abortions after 25 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or life of the mother. It is not as far as I want to go, but it’s something I believe we can get done. It will get challenged in court which is all the more reason that we need to elect conservatives not just to the Presidency but the Senate as well, so we can appoint judges who are not just social justice warriors using judicial fiat and essentially writing laws. We need judges that call balls and strikes based on the Constitution, protecting individual liberty for everyone including those unborn.”

The Evangelicals in the crowd enthusiastically cheered the proposal, a major specific commitment that lined up with where the majority of Americans were. Not as far as some wanted to go but it was a big win for a candidate.

“I believe in balancing the budget, like we have done here in North Carolina, reforming welfare to ensure its sustainable and available not just for us but for our children. Its a cliche but we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We need to get tough on our budget. It is killing our nation slowly but with increasing speed, it will take hard choices that will piss off special interests but it is the only way to save our country and preserve the nation for future generations.”

“Democrats want to solve the budget crisis by raising taxes, heck that’s the first instinct of democrats… if it moves tax it. As President my first move will be cutting needless spending, my second will be reforming failing programs. I have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, no tax increases as your President.”

“As Governor I forged strong ties with Israel, and that is a friendship I want to continue as President, supporting the undeniable right of Israel to exist and defend itself. We need to strengthen relations with our allies, NATO, Israel and nations around the world united in common cause. Let me be completely clear, agreements like the Iran Nuclear Deal are a joke. The treaty, that’s what it is, was unenforceable lip service, immediately violated in letter and spirit, and sealed with secret cash bribes in the middle of the night. It did nothing to protect Israel, nothing to prevent a nuclear Iran. This is no way to conduct diplomacy, that is no way to keep our nation safe.”

“We must lead through the power of our example, negotiating from a position of strength, demanding respect and ensuring peace. We need to stand up to Russia in the Ukraine and the Baltic instead of letting Putin annex half the country like Baharia did, we need to stand up to nations like Syria that use chemical weapons on innocent people, and if we draw a red line we need make sure we enforce it with the righteous fury of the American Military.”

“Ukraine deserves our full backing, supplying them with weapons to defend themselves. In addition we need to work with NATO to expand our naval presence in the Black Sea and expand missile defenses to curb Russian aggression. I am not advocating a new Cold War, but we must act with moral clarity and show our resolute will in the face of tyranny and oppression. Whether radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East, the rights of Israel to self defense, the nuclear threat of North Korea or an expansionist China we must show American mettle.”

“Let us never forget 9/11 or the lessons learned. Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies must work together to thwart terror at home and we must deny terrorists safe spaces abroad. There is no overnight solution to terrorism, Islamic or otherwise. It will require constant vigilance and a network of allies, over time we will win, we will overcome, but we must not accept a bad deal just for the sake of temporary peace. We must seek lasting peace, a true peace that secures our nation and our people, future generations.”

“China is perhaps our greatest long term threat, from the South China Sea to North Korea to the growing influence of the nation in the UN we are challenged by them. They steal our intellectual property and are making inroads in Africa and in our own hemisphere. We need to respond, doubling our efforts to defend on the cyber front, protecting against aggression in the South China Sea strengthening regional alliances, and finally organizing an international and organized economic response to China’s economic foul play.”

“Only by getting tough on China can we stop it dishonest trade practices, stop its aggression and intellectual property theft and stop it constant human rights abuses.”

Moderate applause, the foreign policy section isn’t what most voters cared about and it was probably a bit long and detailed HOWEVER his lack of foreign policy experience required him to show he still knew his stuff.

“We face another challenge on our Southern Border. To the challenge of illegal immigration I give you this simple principle… ‘keep the lawbreakers out’. Our current immigraiton system needs drastic reform and while I do support a path to citizenship for Dreamers we cannot turn a blind eye to those who have broken the law and continue to break the law.”

“Many who cross our border illegally are indeed looking for a better life, I understand that, I respect that. But a significant amount are coming over intent on committing crimes, bringing drugs and violence, the very thing so many crossing the border are fleeing. Without being able to control our border we have no way of seperate the good from the bad, real families with those smuggling children across the border to sell into sex slavery. 20,000 people are trafficked across the southern border every year to be sold into slavery, many of them are children. We need stronger border controls to stop this scourge.”

“Immigration is the foundation of our nation, I believe it is a strength and it always will be. But I also believe a nation without borders is not a nation and that we have every right to make sure people entering our country are good hardworking people and not criminals.”

“The Presidency is a sacred trust, a great honor and a greater responsibility. I want to show the country and the world the best of what America has to offer. American’s live optimistic, positive and confident in the future, a unique American optimism. A nation of immigrants, who came to this country for the same reason my parents started a small business, to create a better life for their family. Americans pursue not just material wealth but the richness of life, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, religion, speech, self defense, the freedom to build a business with their own hands.”

“Our nation promises the opportunity for a better future. As President I want to help Americans put away just a little more, have a little more to save for college, a little more time to take care of sick loved ones, give a little more to charity. For small businesses, I want next year to be their best year, create an environment where they can hire more workers or give them a raise. I want to help create an environment where a college grad can get a good job and pay off their loans, build for the future instead of trying to dig themselves out of debt.”

“Americans don’t quit, when trouble hits you work harder, do more with less and try to stay optimistic. You deserve better, as President I want to make the good times better and the hard times easier. But in the end, I can’t do anything, the Government can’t do anything, not really… All we can do is set you on the right path, the right direction, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE GOING TO DO IT. The People! Are going to move us FORWARD!”

Roaring applause from the crowd, setting up an expectation and then coming back on an upswing is another classic rally tactic Richardson enjoyed employing

“Americans support each other, our communities, faiths and families unite us. And while today harsh rhetoric and anger are present on both sides of the aisle, I believe that tomorrow we can become more unified than ever before. “

“I intend to run hard, fight hard, to take a stand and to win. The campaign starts tonight. The Presidency is the most difficult job on earth, I will need all your help to get through it. I ask you all now to share my hopes and intentions, to go with me where I wish to lead. I want to lead the building of a better America, it’s a simple concept but a large one.”

“Our mission, our target. It is a mission the Republican Party has been pursuing since the 1850s, securing the blessings of liberty, protecting freedom and ensuring economic prosperity. I hear the democratic rhetoric today, they see an America in decline, an America founded on rotten principles. I say that America was founded on liberty and good principles, it acknowledged its flaws and gave future generations the tools to make a more perfect union and improve upon it. I say America was founded on idealism and principles that we as a nation have not always lived up to, but we can always do better.”

“I want an America where the only thing that can stop you is the limits you place on yourself.”

“That is my mission, to keep our country moving forward with those ideals in our heart. Thank you all, God bless you and God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd roared as Richardson left the stage. He would spend the next hour speaking with people in attendance, taking selfies and answering individual questions, shaking every hand he could.

[Puertollano]

Levi Murphy Meet & Greet at Allen University, Columbia, South Carolina
March 19th, 2019



"Thank you for hosting me, Allen University. It has been great touring your wonderful campus you have here, so it's been a great pleasure. It's awesome that we have a great turn out today. I thought I would start off with a few words, and then I will go around and meet you all, hopefully. We can snap some selfies or whatever, I don't mind.

I want to preface. My name is Levi Murphy, I'm currently the Senator for Minnesota and have been since 2013. During my time in the Senate, I have pushed stringently for progressive policy changes in this country, but I've come to realize we can only get so far when we have a Republican President in the White House. I don't say this lightly when I say that Wolf has been one of the worst Presidents in modern history. I think that is more so because he betrayed large swathes of the working class that he said he would fight for. Look at us, nearly four years later, poverty in stretched across this nation, people's wages are low and staying low and we are still losing our jobs overseas. It's pretty simple: President Wolf turned his back on those people that ballooned him into the White House. That's why I want to be the Democratic nominee, because I believe I can truly win them back. And bring progressive change with it.

I prefer not to talk about that man all often anyway, if only isolate ourselves solely on the corruption of the President, we will not get to the core of the corruption in the system. This all goes back to the work of the late Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Bayard Rustin. The mainstream media likes to sanitize the views of these incredible men, and leave out much of the important context that are keeping African-Americans back today. We're talking out inter-generational poverty, the corrupt and racist racial justice system, exploding college debts for our young people and poor access to healthcare. They, the establishment, leave out that Martin Luther King was in favor of universal healthcare! And when he said universal healthcare, he meant universal, none of this "opt-in" baloney. The Poor People's Campaign, during the last years of his life, were focused on the economic liberation of Black folks, coincidentally he was assassinated before he could take the fight any further. Well, what are we waiting for? I want to envision the Poor People's Campaign into my Presidential bid, and I am going to call for radical change to influence the lives of working class people across this nation. Whether they be a person of color in Columbia, South Carolina, or a white man in the coal fields of West Virginia.

It's all good and well to talk the good talk, but you need to also fight the good fight. I've co-sponsored many progressive bills to introduce multiple half-measures on healthcare, but that merely is not enough. You get check out my platform at Levi2020.com, but I'll quickly summaries my main policies. A $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All (not Medicare for "America", or "for those who want it"), College for All (meaning free college degrees, because education is a right), a Green New Deal (to create a future that is safe and livable for the next generations), ending the costly regime change wars (that rip money from social security, medicare and kill our brothers and sisters overseas) and more. This is only the beginning a new progressive renewal, one that believes in the fundamental rights of all, as American citizens, as humans no less. It's a society that works for the many, not just a select few. Because that's how this country is operating right now. Like George Carlin said; "it's a big club, and you ain't in it!". We need to get corporate money straight out of politics - clean out the corruption - and, in the words of the President, truly drain the swamp. He didn't drain it, he was the biggest swamp monster yet.

I appreciate you all coming today. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all now."

[Dentali]

Levi Murphy Meet & Greet at Allen University, Columbia, South Carolina
March 19th, 2019

(Image)

"Thank you for hosting me, Allen University. It has been great touring your wonderful campus you have here, so it's been a great pleasure. It's awesome that we have a great turn out today. I thought I would start off with a few words, and then I will go around and meet you all, hopefully. We can snap some selfies or whatever, I don't mind.

I want to preface. My name is Levi Murphy, I'm currently the Senator for Minnesota and have been since 2013. During my time in the Senate, I have pushed stringently for progressive policy changes in this country, but I've come to realize we can only get so far when we have a Republican President in the White House. I don't say this lightly when I say that Wolf has been one of the worst Presidents in modern history. I think that is more so because he betrayed large swathes of the working class that he said he would fight for. Look at us, nearly four years later, poverty in stretched across this nation, people's wages are low and staying low and we are still losing our jobs overseas. It's pretty simple: President Wolf turned his back on those people that ballooned him into the White House. That's why I want to be the Democratic nominee, because I believe I can truly win them back. And bring progressive change with it.

I prefer not to talk about that man all often anyway, if only isolate ourselves solely on the corruption of the President, we will not get to the core of the corruption in the system. This all goes back to the work of the late Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Bayard Rustin. The mainstream media likes to sanitize the views of these incredible men, and leave out much of the important context that are keeping African-Americans back today. We're talking out inter-generational poverty, the corrupt and racist racial justice system, exploding college debts for our young people and poor access to healthcare. They, the establishment, leave out that Martin Luther King was in favor of universal healthcare! And when he said universal healthcare, he meant universal, none of this "opt-in" baloney. The Poor People's Campaign, during the last years of his life, were focused on the economic liberation of Black folks, coincidentally he was assassinated before he could take the fight any further. Well, what are we waiting for? I want to envision the Poor People's Campaign into my Presidential bid, and I am going to call for radical change to influence the lives of working class people across this nation. Whether they be a person of color in Columbia, South Carolina, or a white man in the coal fields of West Virginia.

It's all good and well to talk the good talk, but you need to also fight the good fight. I've co-sponsored many progressive bills to introduce multiple half-measures on healthcare, but that merely is not enough. You get check out my platform at Levi2020.com, but I'll quickly summaries my main policies. A $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All (not Medicare for "America", or "for those who want it"), College for All (meaning free college degrees, because education is a right), a Green New Deal (to create a future that is safe and livable for the next generations), ending the costly regime change wars (that rip money from social security, medicare and kill our brothers and sisters overseas) and more. This is only the beginning a new progressive renewal, one that believes in the fundamental rights of all, as American citizens, as humans no less. It's a society that works for the many, not just a select few. Because that's how this country is operating right now. Like George Carlin said; "it's a big club, and you ain't in it!". We need to get corporate money straight out of politics - clean out the corruption - and, in the words of the President, truly drain the swamp. He didn't drain it, he was the biggest swamp monster yet.

I appreciate you all coming today. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all now."

"I have a question about free college" A man in his early 50s and a baseball cap says standing "You talked about College for all, im assuming free college and loan forgiveness? Is that accurate?"

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
Sioux Center, Iowa
March 23rd, 2019



Richardson was betting big on tradition. Wolf had filled sports arenas and airplane hangers, completely abandoning the traditional Iowa campaigning style. He won the election, but lost the Hawkeye state. Richardson was banking on the first in the nation state to once again reward campaigning “The Iowa Way” something he was suited for, having excelled at retail politics since his first election. Saturday the 23rd was spent in a blur or restaurants, diners, small businesses, bars and taverns, local community centers, malls, and the cafeterias of middle schools.

He positioned himself as a strong conservative, a strong traditionalist, when asked about Prendergast he said “I didn’t have to campaign for President to know killing babies was wrong.” He talked about his staunch and highly successful record of getting things done, solving problems, working across the aisle and supporting the President. He met with volunteers, activists and those staunchly opposed to him, having cordigal conversations to prove you could disagree without being disagreeable.

He greenlit a program to recruit supportive pastors and faith leaders in all 99 counties of Iowa, taking every day in the state to meet with at least one faith leader, but preferably more at once. Today was (Not David Lane) who hosted an influential Pastors and Pews series. A one on one meeting for an hour tackling all of today’s biggest issues. 35% of the country belonged to a chrsistian denomination, but it was well over 80% in Sioux County, without evangelical support from faith leaders you couldn’t win the area.

He spoke to the local PTA at Kinsey Middle school about his education plan, did a small Q&A at the Sioux Center Public Library and gave a short address to the Boy Scouts of America Troop 211. And in the evening he held a decently sized rally inside a large auditorium. The teams priority was to have a full room, not necessarily a big one, as the visuals were better. He addressed the crowd confidently and with a strong sense of optimism and enthusiasm.

“Hello!” Richardson said to the passionate crowd “It’s an absolute honor to see you all here” Richardson took his time giving a wave and a positive smile to the crowd and made sure the assembled cameras saw him. He dressed in a suit and dress shirt but opted to not wear a tie, sporting a professional but approachable look.

“Thank you all for joining me here today. Behind me is the office building that once held ‘Richardson Realtors’ a business my parents founded when they were young newlyweds striking out into the world, they dreamed this business would help them make a better life for their future children. The American dream, that you can start out and make something of yourself, giving a better life to your family. Well mom and dad, my brother is a doctor, my sister is an architect, and I am the Governor of the great state of North Carolina!”

Richardson let the cheers die down a bit before continuing

“Because of the sacrifices my parents made, because of the chances they took, all their kids went and got an education, we followed our own dreams we have our own children and that is the work ethic they instilled in us. There wasn’t a single day that it was easy, there wasn’t a single day my parents didn’t put everything they had into making the business a success. All that hard work gave them a beautiful life that could only happen in America, the greatest country in the world. Now, their son is proud to be running for the Presidency of the United States! Let’s stand up for America and push the country forward!!!”

The cheers from the crowd were spirited, with a few campaign officials and activists scattered in the crowd to lead the chants and have the crowd applaud at appropriate moments.

“That’s really humbling thank you. Before I detail my plans for the country and how we move forward, I would like to take a few moments to pay tribute to President Wolf.”

The crowd applauded, some politely and some with great enthusiasm

“I make no excuses for the times I have disagreed with him, in policy or rhetoric. But I will say this, 4 million new jobs, more people employed than ever before in the country of which 400,000 are manufacturing jobs, the ones dems told us were never coming back… Hispanic, Asian and African American unemployment at the lowest rates ever recorded. Explosive economic growth, unemployment at a 49 year low, median household income at the highest level ever recorded, 3.9 million Americans off of food stamps. 95% of US manufacturers are optimistic about the future, highest level ever.”

“Wolf ended the ACA individual mandate, eliminated regulations, lowered taxes and delivered on his promises. Enacted tax cuts and reforms that put hundreds of billions back into the economy, back in the hands of taxpayers. Small businesses have the lowest tax rate in 80 years. The VA is more accountable and effective than ever before, our military has recovered from the cuts of the Baharia years. By every metric the economy is the strongest it’s ever been, our military is the strongest its been in decades and once again we can look to the future with hope. So thank you President Wolf”

“The flow of illegal immigrants has decreased sharply, for the first time in 65 years the United States has ceased to be a net oil importer. These are two areas specifically the last few administrations had promised action but failed to deliver… the latest information has shown that workers earning growth have grown at a rate of 3.4% a rate not seen since Reagan, the poverty rate is at the best rate since the 90s and unemployment the best since the 60s… This is not a trickle down economy, its a lifting up economy! Thank you President Wolf!”

“If you are a woman today, who is a single parent your income has jumped an average of 7.% in the last year… more than any other group. Poverty rates for women of color fell dramatically, and unemployment rates for African American and Hispanic women are now under 4.5%... thats unheard of. Thank you President Wolf.”

By the third “Thank you” the crowd had been applauding with enthusiasm, Richardson allowed it to crescendo, joining in the applause and letting it die before continuing his speech.

“The majority of our countries growth has been in the lower and middle income groups… That is the simple truth, its right in the numbers. Economic growth policies under Wolf did more to combat income inequality and poverty that the tax and spend policies of Baharia. The ENDLESS mantra coming from limousine liberals, is that the tax cuts and reform only benefited the rich… in truth it benefited the most needy. The numbers are in, and any way you swing it… the Republicans are just better for the economy.”

“Despite these successes every day I hear Democrats continue on about tax cuts for the rich and promoting 70% tax brackets, open borders, socialized medicine, and the Green New Deal.”

“Despite all the accomplishments we have made since 2016 in this country, unprecedented economic growth, a strong military and a protection of our rights and liberties, those who call themselves ‘Progressives’ want to roll back all our accomplishments, and then take more and more money out of the private sector, give it to unelected bureaucrats who couldn’t run a lemonade stand, and somehow hope it improves the economy. We have too much government, we need to shrink it.”

“Progressives are saying, ‘it's complicated, just trust us’... well I'm here to tell you it's simple. We either go forward together as a country or back, forward towards more freedom, lower taxes, regulation and fiscal responsibility, or back towards economic downturn, escalating deficits and the death of small businesses. Do you want to go forward or back?”

“Democrats tell us to trust Iran while it supports terrorism and continues its nuclear program unabated by the terrible Iran nuclear deal, they say just trust the news media when it produces hit jobs on conservatives while ignoring the worst of the left, they say just trust the socialists as they take away your healthcare. Voters trusted them when they said ‘if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, if you like your doctor, keep your doctor’ Why should we trust them again? Do you want to go forward or back?”

“I am a Republican, a Conservative because I trust the individual American citizen more than I trust someone in Washington. I am a Conservative because I trust that I know what is better for the education of my child, because I trust that I know how to best spend my own money, because I trust myself to make the best decisions for my own future. Democrats do not trust the American people! So let me ask again, do you want to go forward or back?”

Richardson’s emphasis on the “forward or back” phrase and the plants in the crowd had them repeating the line with him with force the third time, engaging them and making it appear as if they had one voice. It was an old effective rally tactic.

“I want to detail and tell you exactly how I plan to move our country forward, to greater heights than ever before… but first let me tell you a little about myself, my story and where I come from.”

“I have done all I can to devote my life to public service. I was born right here in Wilmington, NC... I am the oldest of three siblings born to Patrice and Robert Richarson who owned and ran the small business of Richardson Realtors.”

“I went to Duke University, and found my true calling working for the working men and women of this country. I worked with Conservatives around the country, advancing the cause of liberty as part of the movement, before returning home and working to do my part making North Carolina better.”

“In 2008 I was first elected Congressman, representing North Carolina’s 7th district. I had a strong conservative record and as a Congressman I authored many bills which I am proud of, I reformed the tax code for farmers and small businesses, but I am perhaps most proud of authoring the DC Voucher pilot program which today serves over 10,000 families.”

Some scattered applause from the audience continued

“In 2012 became Governor, eager to do my part to help my state recover from recession. Together we united behind a common cause, and delivered. We have a flourishing economy, the 10th largest in the country, unemployment has been cut in half and our labor market is the strongest in the nation. North Carolina is the fastest growing economy in the country, no state even comes close. We did this through $4.4 billion dollars in tax relief, investing in small businesses, entrepreneurs and the power of American spirit to innovate and overcome. We did this while doing more than just balancing the budget, we have the 4th largest surplus per capita in the nation. It is a brand of fiscal responsibility and tax relief I plan on bringing to the nation as a whole. We do not have a revenue problem we have a SPENDING problem, we need to take a look at all our programs, if they don’t work we fix them and if we can’t fix them we take the money we are spending on them and give it to a program that works”

“”We can not only make our tax cuts permanent, we can give the middle class even more tax relief. Regulatory relief as well is vital especially for small businesses, arguably tax and regulatory relief is the biggest achievement of the Wolf administration and it is something my administration would continue.”

“As Governor I lead the charge on Education Savings Accounts, on school choice and putting parents back in charge of their children's education. We have enacted transparency on college campuses for the job market, and encouraged trade schools so that those entering the workforce are trained for the most in demand jobs available. Together we have brought North Carolina from 30th in the nation in terms of education, to 25th, a trend I have every faith will continue. As President I would push for an ambitious national school choice program, creating education savings accounts and tax relief for education that will encourage school choice and help parents tailor their child’s education. Because it is an engaged parent that knows what is best for their own child, not some bureaucrat in Washington.”

“As Governor I took historic steps to protect the unborn, the most vulnerable among us. I signed a 20 week abortion ban into law. As President I will support measures such as the ‘Born Alive’ law which protects infants born alive after babies survive abortions. I will also push to restrict second & third trimester abortion except when it threatens the life of the mother.”

“Just in the past few years the legislature and we have created Carolina’s Choice Care, which emphasizes personal choice in healthcare, using the free market principles of competition and free exchange of ideas to provide the best healthcare possible to the most people at the lowest cost. We need to repeal and replace the ACA and institute a plan that works with the free market to lower costs and provide higher quality care.”

“What do I stand for? I stand for results, if something is broken I fix it, if it works I double down on it. I have balanced the budget, cut taxes, brought in jobs, lowered healthcare costs and improved education. North Carolina like every state struggles, we have our own challenges… Unemployment, quality of education, poverty, I have worked every day in and out to try and improve the lives of the American people, and by every metric we have made them better. That is why I am running for President, because its the best way I can serve, how I can make the biggest impact on the most people, I am first and foremost a grateful American just looking to give back.”

The applause line landed and the crowd responded with enthusiasm, he was playing the greatest hits for them.

“Not only am I a strong conservative that knows where we need to go as a nation, but how to get there. I will be constantly unveiling plans on how to reform our nation’s finances, healthcare and education. How to balance the budget and how to keep our military strong, how to fund schools choice and keep the cost of colleges low. I have done this in North Carolina and I will bring this to the country as a whole. All of my policy isn’t just based on labels, its based on what I have lived and what I know. I know first hand how easy it is for the government to take your hard earned money, under a Richardson administration it will get a whole lot harder.”

“I also have a not so secret weapon, my wife Amanda. She is a fighter, brilliant, bold and beautiful, a true mind at work. I could not do this without her support. She is a strong woman of faith, a mother, wife, an intellect, and a true patriot, every day I am reminded how lucky I am to have her as my partner.”

“But the first person I asked if I could run for President was another brilliant woman. My daughter Jessica. Jessica is a big reason why i’m doing this. This is a personal fight for the future my daughter will inherit from us. I want every parent to give their child what I have been able to give to mine, what my parents gave to me. Strong values of patriotism, faith and a personality driven for success, the ingredients that turn American Dreams into American Realities.”

“To do that we need a President that will balance our budget, that will reform and protect our retirement programs, that will repeal and replace the ACA, that fights for American businesses, that supports our military and our global alliances, that helps raise wages, that helps create better jobs and that provides policies that help not just our generation but generations to come.”

“I hope to be that President.”

Another applause line allowed Richardson to collect his breath and shift gears

“This election is about principles, principles held by working people and everyday Americans. Principles that you don’t need to get from the New York Times. These are principles enshrined in our Constitution, principles of faith and hard work.”

“Principles that affect our economy, our foreign policy, our healthcare policy, our border and the very way government works. Principles promised by our democracy, the promise of opportunity for all which is unfilled by too many.”

“We have seen what burdensome overregulation does to our small businesses, over taxation. From the time I was young and my parents ran a small business, to today when I have traveled all over the country speaking to small business owners, their number one concern and barrier to prosperity is always regulation. As I said before the Wolf administration has made great strides in fighting overregulation but we need to work to enshire protections into law that keep the unelected bureaucracy from strangling our small businesses in the future.”

“They want to raise the minimum wage… I admit I wanted the minimum wage raised once too… I was 15 and working a minimum wage job… I didn’t know any better so give me a break.”

The crowd laughs a bit

“Mandating an increase in the minimum wage not only leads to the closing of businesses who can’t afford it like we have seen in Seattle, not only leads to the laying off of countless workers, but stunts the ability to get new people into the workforce. It’s a job killer.”

“I am a Christian, I believe strongly in charity and the importance of helping those in need. If your neighbor is going through a tough time I believe in giving them a helping hand. But sometimes we can do more harm than good. Welfare eligibility needs reform, the kind of reform already started to programs like food stamps, creating basic work requirements for those who have the ability to work. 20 hours a week, if no jobs are available they can do charity work instead. Getting people working is the best way to get them off their feet and keeping them from dependency that can last generations. That doesn’t help anyone… as President I will measure the success of programs like food stamps by how many people we can get standing on their own two feet not by how many more people get covered by it.”

“We as a nation also need to be able to stand on our own two feet when it comes to the deficit. Contrary to the belief on the other side of the aisle, the remedy for spending too much money is not spending more money or raising taxes to 70%. They said ‘trust us’ they said passing the ACA and the Medicaid expansion would magically balance the budget… didn’t happen. Now they are saying taking away your private insurance and let them increase your taxes and somehow it will cost you less and the government less. Just Trust Them”

Richardson wasn’t a particularly mean politician, but throwing red meat to the base was necessary in the 2019 Republican party. The paragraph drew appropriate hisses from the conservative audience.

“Healthcare is the issue most on the minds of American’s today and I do not blame them. But unlike Progressives I don’t believe that putting the government in charge of anything makes it more efficient or improves its quality. We need a healthcare system that utilizes and works WITH the free market, the kind that I have established in North Carolina that has consistently reduced premiums and costs year after year. States need to be given more freedom to design health care systems and exchanges for themselves.”

“When we talk about healthcare I would be remiss if I did not discuss abortion. I never thought I would see the day when states were enshiring abortion to the point of birth in their state constitution. We have democrats who are supposedly part of the mainstream advocating for the killing of babies that have been delivered, infanticide. It is more clear than ever that we must reaffirm our values, that life is sacred and that we have the right and obligation to protect the unborn with our laws.”

“In the first 100 days of my Presidency I will ask Congress to send to my desk a ban on all abortions after 25 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or life of the mother. It is not as far as I want to go, but it’s something I believe we can get done. It will get challenged in court which is all the more reason that we need to elect conservatives not just to the Presidency but the Senate as well, so we can appoint judges who are not just social justice warriors using judicial fiat and essentially writing laws. We need judges that call balls and strikes based on the Constitution, protecting individual liberty for everyone including those unborn.”

The Evangelicals in the crowd enthusiastically cheered the proposal, a major specific commitment that lined up with where the majority of Americans were. Not as far as some wanted to go but it was a big win for a candidate.

“I believe in balancing the budget, like we have done here in North Carolina, reforming welfare to ensure its sustainable and available not just for us but for our children. Its a cliche but we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We need to get tough on our budget. It is killing our nation slowly but with increasing speed, it will take hard choices that will piss off special interests but it is the only way to save our country and preserve the nation for future generations.”

“Democrats want to solve the budget crisis by raising taxes, heck that’s the first instinct of democrats… if it moves tax it. As President my first move will be cutting needless spending, my second will be reforming failing programs. I have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, no tax increases as your President.”

“As Governor I forged strong ties with Israel, and that is a friendship I want to continue as President, supporting the undeniable right of Israel to exist and defend itself. We need to strengthen relations with our allies, NATO, Israel and nations around the world united in common cause. Let me be completely clear, agreements like the Iran Nuclear Deal are a joke. The treaty, that’s what it is, was unenforceable lip service, immediately violated in letter and spirit, and sealed with secret cash bribes in the middle of the night. It did nothing to protect Israel, nothing to prevent a nuclear Iran. This is no way to conduct diplomacy, that is no way to keep our nation safe.”

“We must lead through the power of our example, negotiating from a position of strength, demanding respect and ensuring peace. We need to stand up to Russia in the Ukraine and the Baltic instead of letting Putin annex half the country like Baharia did, we need to stand up to nations like Syria that use chemical weapons on innocent people, and if we draw a red line we need make sure we enforce it with the righteous fury of the American Military.”

“Ukraine deserves our full backing, supplying them with weapons to defend themselves. In addition we need to work with NATO to expand our naval presence in the Black Sea and expand missile defenses to curb Russian aggression. I am not advocating a new Cold War, but we must act with moral clarity and show our resolute will in the face of tyranny and oppression. Whether radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East, the rights of Israel to self defense, the nuclear threat of North Korea or an expansionist China we must show American mettle.”

“Let us never forget 9/11 or the lessons learned. Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies must work together to thwart terror at home and we must deny terrorists safe spaces abroad. There is no overnight solution to terrorism, Islamic or otherwise. It will require constant vigilance and a network of allies, over time we will win, we will overcome, but we must not accept a bad deal just for the sake of temporary peace. We must seek lasting peace, a true peace that secures our nation and our people, future generations.”

“China is perhaps our greatest long term threat, from the South China Sea to North Korea to the growing influence of the nation in the UN we are challenged by them. They steal our intellectual property and are making inroads in Africa and in our own hemisphere. We need to respond, doubling our efforts to defend on the cyber front, protecting against aggression in the South China Sea strengthening regional alliances, and finally organizing an international and organized economic response to China’s economic foul play.”

“Only by getting tough on China can we stop it dishonest trade practices, stop its aggression and intellectual property theft and stop it constant human rights abuses.”

Moderate applause, the foreign policy section isn’t what most voters cared about and it was probably a bit long and detailed HOWEVER his lack of foreign policy experience required him to show he still knew his stuff.

“We face another challenge on our Southern Border. To the challenge of illegal immigration I give you this simple principle… ‘keep the lawbreakers out’. Our current immigraiton system needs drastic reform and while I do support a path to citizenship for Dreamers we cannot turn a blind eye to those who have broken the law and continue to break the law.”

“Many who cross our border illegally are indeed looking for a better life, I understand that, I respect that. But a significant amount are coming over intent on committing crimes, bringing drugs and violence, the very thing so many crossing the border are fleeing. Without being able to control our border we have no way of seperate the good from the bad, real families with those smuggling children across the border to sell into sex slavery. 20,000 people are trafficked across the southern border every year to be sold into slavery, many of them are children. We need stronger border controls to stop this scourge.”

“Immigration is the foundation of our nation, I believe it is a strength and it always will be. But I also believe a nation without borders is not a nation and that we have every right to make sure people entering our country are good hardworking people and not criminals.”

“The Presidency is a sacred trust, a great honor and a greater responsibility. I want to show the country and the world the best of what America has to offer. American’s live optimistic, positive and confident in the future, a unique American optimism. A nation of immigrants, who came to this country for the same reason my parents started a small business, to create a better life for their family. Americans pursue not just material wealth but the richness of life, the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, religion, speech, self defense, the freedom to build a business with their own hands.”

“Our nation promises the opportunity for a better future. As President I want to help Americans put away just a little more, have a little more to save for college, a little more time to take care of sick loved ones, give a little more to charity. For small businesses, I want next year to be their best year, create an environment where they can hire more workers or give them a raise. I want to help create an environment where a college grad can get a good job and pay off their loans, build for the future instead of trying to dig themselves out of debt.”

“Americans don’t quit, when trouble hits you work harder, do more with less and try to stay optimistic. You deserve better, as President I want to make the good times better and the hard times easier. But in the end, I can’t do anything, the Government can’t do anything, not really… All we can do is set you on the right path, the right direction, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE GOING TO DO IT. The People! Are going to move us FORWARD!”

Roaring applause from the crowd, setting up an expectation and then coming back on an upswing is another classic rally tactic Richardson enjoyed employing

“Americans support each other, our communities, faiths and families unite us. And while today harsh rhetoric and anger are present on both sides of the aisle, I believe that tomorrow we can become more unified than ever before. “

“I intend to run hard, fight hard, to take a stand and to win. The campaign starts tonight. The Presidency is the most difficult job on earth, I will need all your help to get through it. I ask you all now to share my hopes and intentions, to go with me where I wish to lead. I want to lead the building of a better America, it’s a simple concept but a large one.”

“Our mission, our target. It is a mission the Republican Party has been pursuing since the 1850s, securing the blessings of liberty, protecting freedom and ensuring economic prosperity. I hear the democratic rhetoric today, they see an America in decline, an America founded on rotten principles. I say that America was founded on liberty and good principles, it acknowledged its flaws and gave future generations the tools to make a more perfect union and improve upon it. I say America was founded on idealism and principles that we as a nation have not always lived up to, but we can always do better.”

“I want an America where the only thing that can stop you is the limits you place on yourself.”

“That is my mission, to keep our country moving forward with those ideals in our heart. Thank you all, God bless you and God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd roared as Richardson left the stage. He would spend the next hour speaking with people in attendance, taking selfies and answering individual questions, shaking every hand he could.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

CodeOrion: I'm Gen X, but barely. Which state are you from?

LeagueBoi: Can't really reveal lots of personal information, since that I_r0k jackass might dox or swat me.

CodeOrion: Imagine him trying to swat your entire state lol

[Main Nation Ministry]

LeagueBoi: Can't really reveal lots of personal information, since that I_r0k jackass might dox or swat me.

CodeOrion: Imagine him trying to swat your entire state lol

LeagueBoi: I don't want another incident back in Wichita. Especially since I_r0k was really toxic.

[Puertollano]

Levi Murphy Meet & Greet at Allen University, Columbia, South Carolina
March 19th, 2019

(Image)

"Thank you for hosting me, Allen University. It has been great touring your wonderful campus you have here, so it's been a great pleasure. It's awesome that we have a great turn out today. I thought I would start off with a few words, and then I will go around and meet you all, hopefully. We can snap some selfies or whatever, I don't mind.

I want to preface. My name is Levi Murphy, I'm currently the Senator for Minnesota and have been since 2013. During my time in the Senate, I have pushed stringently for progressive policy changes in this country, but I've come to realize we can only get so far when we have a Republican President in the White House. I don't say this lightly when I say that Wolf has been one of the worst Presidents in modern history. I think that is more so because he betrayed large swathes of the working class that he said he would fight for. Look at us, nearly four years later, poverty in stretched across this nation, people's wages are low and staying low and we are still losing our jobs overseas. It's pretty simple: President Wolf turned his back on those people that ballooned him into the White House. That's why I want to be the Democratic nominee, because I believe I can truly win them back. And bring progressive change with it.

I prefer not to talk about that man all often anyway, if only isolate ourselves solely on the corruption of the President, we will not get to the core of the corruption in the system. This all goes back to the work of the late Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Bayard Rustin. The mainstream media likes to sanitize the views of these incredible men, and leave out much of the important context that are keeping African-Americans back today. We're talking out inter-generational poverty, the corrupt and racist racial justice system, exploding college debts for our young people and poor access to healthcare. They, the establishment, leave out that Martin Luther King was in favor of universal healthcare! And when he said universal healthcare, he meant universal, none of this "opt-in" baloney. The Poor People's Campaign, during the last years of his life, were focused on the economic liberation of Black folks, coincidentally he was assassinated before he could take the fight any further. Well, what are we waiting for? I want to envision the Poor People's Campaign into my Presidential bid, and I am going to call for radical change to influence the lives of working class people across this nation. Whether they be a person of color in Columbia, South Carolina, or a white man in the coal fields of West Virginia.

It's all good and well to talk the good talk, but you need to also fight the good fight. I've co-sponsored many progressive bills to introduce multiple half-measures on healthcare, but that merely is not enough. You get check out my platform at Levi2020.com, but I'll quickly summaries my main policies. A $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All (not Medicare for "America", or "for those who want it"), College for All (meaning free college degrees, because education is a right), a Green New Deal (to create a future that is safe and livable for the next generations), ending the costly regime change wars (that rip money from social security, medicare and kill our brothers and sisters overseas) and more. This is only the beginning a new progressive renewal, one that believes in the fundamental rights of all, as American citizens, as humans no less. It's a society that works for the many, not just a select few. Because that's how this country is operating right now. Like George Carlin said; "it's a big club, and you ain't in it!". We need to get corporate money straight out of politics - clean out the corruption - and, in the words of the President, truly drain the swamp. He didn't drain it, he was the biggest swamp monster yet.

I appreciate you all coming today. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all now."

"I have a question about free college" A man in his early 50s and a baseball cap says standing "You talked about College for all, im assuming free college and loan forgiveness? Is that accurate?"

"Yes, that is correct."

[Azekopolaltion]

Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

Glad to have introduced my bill, the Cannabis Justice and Opportunity Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation to expunge criminal records for marijuana offenses, legalizes marijuana, and regulates the industry as we do with alcohol and tobacco. It also reinvests in communities that have been hard-hit by the War on Drugs, providing loans to jumpstart small businesses in those communities as well as investments in job training for ex-cannabis convicts.

Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

My friend @LeviMurphy is the only cosponsor on the bill; I have been turned down by a certain other presidential candidate, and have yet to receive responses from others. Hope we get the support we need to deliver justice to these communities. #LegalizeWeed #CannabisCommunity

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
@GovernorRichardson

@WestraNJ U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 7, clause 1. I would advise reading the Constitution before writing another bill

[Dentali]

"I have a question about free college" A man in his early 50s and a baseball cap says standing "You talked about College for all, im assuming free college and loan forgiveness? Is that accurate?"

"Yes, that is correct."

“My daughter just graduated college she has been working small jobs since she was 10. I have worked double shifts consistently for years, the money I could have spent on vacations I saved for my daughter to go to college. She went to a college we could afford and she worked through it all. Graduating without debt. We did everything right and now you’re telling people who were totally irresponsible get off scot free. Frankly I’m a bit mad. What does my daughter get for being responsible and hard working? Or was it all just for nothing?”

[Puertollano]

(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

Glad to have introduced my bill, the Cannabis Justice and Opportunity Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation to expunge criminal records for marijuana offenses, legalizes marijuana, and regulates the industry as we do with alcohol and tobacco. It also reinvests in communities that have been hard-hit by the War on Drugs, providing loans to jumpstart small businesses in those communities as well as investments in job training for ex-cannabis convicts.

(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

My friend @LeviMurphy is the only cosponsor on the bill; I have been turned down by a certain other presidential candidate, and have yet to receive responses from others. Hope we get the support we need to deliver justice to these communities. #LegalizeWeed #CannabisCommunity

Levi Murphy liked.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

LeagueBoi: Can't really reveal lots of personal information, since that I_r0k jackass might dox or swat me.

CodeOrion: Imagine him trying to swat your entire state lol

LeagueBoi: I don't want another incident back in Wichita. Especially since I_r0k was really toxic.

CodeOrion: Only if Sirius had been here...You wouldn't have to see him.

[Puertollano]

"Yes, that is correct."

“My daughter just graduated college she has been working small jobs since she was 10. I have worked double shifts consistently for years, the money I could have spent on vacations I saved for my daughter to go to college. She went to a college we could afford and she worked through it all. Graduating without debt. We did everything right and now you’re telling people who were totally irresponsible get off scot free. Frankly I’m a bit mad. What does my daughter get for being responsible and hard working? Or was it all just for nothing?”

"And you wish that for other families, too?"

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

Glad to have introduced my bill, the Cannabis Justice and Opportunity Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation to expunge criminal records for marijuana offenses, legalizes marijuana, and regulates the industry as we do with alcohol and tobacco. It also reinvests in communities that have been hard-hit by the War on Drugs, providing loans to jumpstart small businesses in those communities as well as investments in job training for ex-cannabis convicts.

(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com

---

My friend @LeviMurphy is the only cosponsor on the bill; I have been turned down by a certain other presidential candidate, and have yet to receive responses from others. Hope we get the support we need to deliver justice to these communities. #LegalizeWeed #CannabisCommunity

Theodore Vohoffsky
@CaliforniaLibertarian

Did I see what I think I just saw? Did you just submit a fiscal bill to the Senate?

[Dentali]

“My daughter just graduated college she has been working small jobs since she was 10. I have worked double shifts consistently for years, the money I could have spent on vacations I saved for my daughter to go to college. She went to a college we could afford and she worked through it all. Graduating without debt. We did everything right and now you’re telling people who were totally irresponsible get off scot free. Frankly I’m a bit mad. What does my daughter get for being responsible and hard working? Or was it all just for nothing?”

"And you wish that for other families, too?"

“I don’t want ill on anyone, but their is a difference between someone taking out half a million for an art degree at an Ivy League school and someone working their ass off for a degree that is a good investment. I just feel like my taxes are going to pay for people who made a bad investment. I chose to be responsible with my money and not go to college and get a ton of debt, my daughter worked her ass off to pay for college. Why should our taxes pay for people who didn’t?”

[Puertollano]

"And you wish that for other families, too?"

“I don’t want ill on anyone, but their is a difference between someone taking out half a million for an art degree at an Ivy League school and someone working their ass off for a degree that is a good investment. I just feel like my taxes are going to pay for people who made a bad investment. I chose to be responsible with my money and not go to college and get a ton of debt, my daughter worked her ass off to pay for college. Why should our taxes pay for people who didn’t?”

"Education for our young people - no matter what they study - is an investment. I want children like yours, and many other families across this nation go achieve a higher education knowing that they will not be saddled with debt. It is because of that position, that I also cannot support millions of young Americans burdened by their student loans currently.

Look at it in this way. Your next door neighbor made a poor choice by accidentally starting a fire in their house. Even if it's their fault, we understand as a society, that we can't let the house burn down and destroy everything and everyone inside. That's why we decided that the Fire Department should put out house fires. Your taxes go to the Fire Department, even though it was not your fault that is was burnt down. That is where I'm trying to get at. We all play a role in society; and burdening our young people with student debt is not something that should exist in society."

[Sao Nova Europa]

James Goldwater
@JGoldwaterSenator

---

Fake News Media have accused me of being divisive and have tried their best to paint me as an extremist and racist. I have expressed my support for a bill introduced by @WestraNJ, which showcases that I can work with the opposing side when needed and that I support aiding our disadvantaged communities, including African-American communities. I stand for opposing mass illegal migration AND aiding our communities of color. #YesToAmerica #NoToInvasion

[Main Nation Ministry]

LeagueBoi: I don't want another incident back in Wichita. Especially since I_r0k was really toxic.

CodeOrion: Only if Sirius had been here...You wouldn't have to see him.

LeagueBoi: Who the fuck is Sirius?

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

LeagueBoi: I don't want another incident back in Wichita. Especially since I_r0k was really toxic.

CodeOrion: Only if Sirius had been here...You wouldn't have to see him.

LeagueBoi: Who the fuck is Sirius?

CodeOrion: One of our allies, and the youngest of the group. I think he's about 26.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Las Vegas, Nevada
Presidential Campaign Fundraiser - Rep. Emily S. Davenport (D|CA-34)

---

The day after her rally, Davenport spent a good part of the morning roaming the streets of Las Vegas to mingle and speak with various passersby, using what exposure she can get from simply shaking hands and speaking with people in a, mostly, apolitical manner -- something that would certainly garner attention on social media. Afterward, later in the morning and closer to noon, Davenport went to a particularly wealthy man's home in the outskirts of Las Vegas, who said would have been willing to host a fundraising event for the Californian Congresswoman. Rather than giving a speech, Davenport simply continued as to mingle and meet various profile, (mostly) high-dollar attendees at the house, with some simply wanting to use the opportunity in order meet and greet the Democratic Presidential hopeful while others wanting to donate to her campaign. Davenport would spend nearly the whole afternoon there, followed by dedicating her evening to touring the poor neighborhoods around the Las Vegas area, and after eating dinner at a local restaurant at that same area, would depart back for Washington, D.C. in a late-night flight, to get back to work in the House of Representatives.

[Main Nation Ministry]

LeagueBoi: Who the fuck is Sirius?

CodeOrion: One of our allies, and the youngest of the group. I think he's about 26.

LeagueBoi: You guys are professionals. I don't see any of you being toxic.

[Dentali]

“I don’t want ill on anyone, but their is a difference between someone taking out half a million for an art degree at an Ivy League school and someone working their ass off for a degree that is a good investment. I just feel like my taxes are going to pay for people who made a bad investment. I chose to be responsible with my money and not go to college and get a ton of debt, my daughter worked her ass off to pay for college. Why should our taxes pay for people who didn’t?”

"Education for our young people - no matter what they study - is an investment. I want children like yours, and many other families across this nation go achieve a higher education knowing that they will not be saddled with debt. It is because of that position, that I also cannot support millions of young Americans burdened by their student loans currently.

Look at it in this way. Your next door neighbor made a poor choice by accidentally starting a fire in their house. Even if it's their fault, we understand as a society, that we can't let the house burn down and destroy everything and everyone inside. That's why we decided that the Fire Department should put out house fires. Your taxes go to the Fire Department, even though it was not your fault that is was burnt down. That is where I'm trying to get at. We all play a role in society; and burdening our young people with student debt is not something that should exist in society."

“I’m sorry but are you kidding me?” The father says somewhat incensed “this isn’t helping someone in an emergency, in your metaphor these people intentionally burned down their house and you are charging people like me to pay for a mansion in its place. No one forced them to take out loans or go to college this was a 100% intentional decision on their part, just like my decision to work my ass off in a job that wasn’t fancy.”

[Gordano and Lysandus]

CNN Interview, Senator Levi Murphy

Will Callaghan: Good afternoon everyone, and welcome back to C.N.N. I’m Will Callaghan. Later on today, we’ll be reflecting on today’s headlines but right now, I have Democratic Senator for Minnesota Levi Murphy in the studio today, one of the candidates in the Democratic presidential race. Good afternoon, Senator Murphy.

Senator Levi Murphy: I appreciate you having me on, Will.

Callaghan: So, Senator. You’ve received a recent upswing in the polls after the ‘abortion police’ scandal surrounding Senator Westra, however, you’re still well behind moderate Democratic candidates like Secretary Whitaker and Senator Little. Do you think you have the broad-based appeal to win the nomination at the end of the day?

Murphy: It’s far too early to be making any statements about polling so far, and while I am doing very well, there is still a very long way to go. I think we will start seeing some important shifts in the polling once the debates begin. I think our campaign is positioned in a strong position to not only win the Democratic nomination, but also beat any candidate the Republican Party throws at us. As a Midwesterner, I understand what attracted many working-class class voters that were dissatisfied with the establishment. Wolf ran on a campaign against the anti-worker trade deals, against the endless and costly wars and against the loss of our jobs overseas. Obviously, he has not lived up to any of these positions, and I believe I can win them back on a progressive, working-class message.

Callaghan: You describe the positions that now-President Wolf ran on with a degree of approval, Senator. Let’s start on trade - the North American Free Trade Agreement quadrupled trade between its partners from 1993 to last year. This had an academically demonstrable effect on jobs and on bringing down the price of goods - especially food and energy, which affect all Americans. Do you think that the President imperilling those gains was a worthwhile exercise?

Murphy: The NAFTA was a disastrous agreement. Following NAFTA, we lost upwards of 4.5 million manufacturing jobs in this nation. Do you know what that did to working class communities? Devastated them. Not only did people lose their jobs, but people turned opioids - only escalating the epidemic ripping through the heartland of our country. Let me tell you now: as a union man, we achieved nothing, absolutely nothing from the criminal NAFTA agreement. Wolf, as the charlatan he is, has introduced another terrible trade deal in the form of the USMCA trade agreement that encourages the further outsourcing of jobs and does nothing to fight against climate change. What we need to do in this country is to rip up all of the anti-worker trade deals, including the USMCA trade agreement and permanent trade relations with China.

Callaghan: Where do you get the figure of 4.5 million jobs? The United States Trade Representative issued a report in 2008 outlining that between 1993 and 2007, U.S. employment rose by just under 27 million. A 2005 report from the Institute for International Economics posited an increase in employment in the five years following NAFTA of 709,988 jobs. That same report highlighted that unemployment was 2% lower than the preceding ten years. The report further outlined that U.S. industrial production, of which manufacturing makes up 78%, saw an increase of 49% between 1993 and 2005, compared to 28% in the preceding ten years. A 2008 report in the Journal of Economic Perspectives highlights that plant closures showed ‘little deviation from previous periods’. These statistics don’t line up with the 4.5 million figure you just gave me, Senator.

Murphy: My figures come directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau also said that we had job losses in all fifty states following the North American Free Trade Agreement, and that it has kept wages stagnant, concentrating the wealth to the top; while leaving everyone else behind. We cannot keep talking about infinite economic growth when we don’t look back and see how it is affecting the people of this country. The real people, not those sitting all high and mighty in Washington D.C. The truth is, following the neoliberal experiment from the 90s till now, we have lost millions of jobs, our wages have not been moving upwards and inflation is sky-rocketing. You cannot expect people watching this show here tonight go: “Well, we have lost millions of jobs, but look at how well the Dow Jones is going!” The system isn’t working for the vast majority of Americans, it is working for a select few. When, really, it should be working for the many. That’s why we need to end these terrible trade deals, bring jobs back to Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And that’s only the start.

Callaghan: I want to pick up on the point about ending trade deals. Raising tariff barriers with a great number of the U.S.’s trading partners pushes the burden, ultimately, onto the consumer. Raising the minimum wage will take time, Senator Murphy. How do you justify raising the prices of goods, and thus diminishing real wages, to struggling American people who would be putting their trust in you and your administration?

Murphy: That is not true. You can increase the minimum wage with an executive order, and that’s exactly what I would do as President. People don’t have time to wait when they’re trying to support a family, or paying off medical or student debt. Tearing up these rotten trade deals will not raise prices for ordinary Americans, instead, what will happen is a restoration of manufacturing jobs to many communities that desperately need them. I don’t know how much you’re being paid to say this Will, but none of that is true. NAFTA, USMCA have done and will do nothing for working class people. That is the kind of message I am taking to Iowa, the people who are sick and tired of the talking-heads in the media telling them that everything is fine and rosey. Well, it’s not. I’ve understood that for a long time now, as President of the AFL-CIO in Minnesota, you meet many people from all walks of life. Never in my life have I met a working man or woman defend the so-called merits of these ‘free trade agreements’.

Callaghan: I’m not being paid to say anything in particular, Senator, it’s my job as a member of the fourth estate to put those in power to the test, sir. Moving onto your comments about ‘endless and costly wars’, let’s discuss foreign policy. Do you think all of the U.S.’s present foreign engagements should be terminated? Why?”

Murphy: All? Not, all. Most. I definitely do not support our troops deployed in either Iraq and Syria, however I do support the U.S. playing a peace-keeping role in Northern Syria to protect the Kurds. I want to get our troops out of Afghanistan, that war has now been prolonged for two decades. A 20-year old in this country is the same age as the endless war in Afghanistan, and they’ve known nothing but war. Sometimes we need to think - all of this money we are purchasing on weapons, bombs and new jet planes, it is all money that could be put into education, infrastructure and healthcare. There is clearly no end goal in Afghanistan and military industrial complex would rather we occupy parts of the country indefinitely. That is not a solution. As President, I would also withdraw our American bases from Saudi Arabia and refuse to be complicit in the genocide in Yemen. Currently, President Wolf is content with the Saudi genocide in Yemen, despite a resolution going through the Senate to get us out of there. You know what he did? He used his executive powers to reject the bill. All it did was call for the removal of U.S. assistance to Saudi Arabia while they bomb weddings, hospitals and school buses. That’s the kind of foreign policy I would lead, one that emphasizes human rights and pursues a policy of peace, not endless forever-wars.

Callaghan: Thank you for your answer, Senator. If it was clear to you that a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq would imperil the Iraqi Kurds or lead to Iraq being subsumed to the will of Iran, or that a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan would lead to Afghanistan falling under Taliban rule once more, would you re-evaluate your policy priorities here, or are you committed to unilateral U.S. withdrawal?

Murphy: Let’s get this straight: Afghanistan is already falling under the rule of the Taliban, and we’re deployed there! So, what’s the difference. One is that we bring our troops home, save American lives and support the legitimate Afghani Government through non-military means. The other option is that the neoconservative and neoliberal establishment would prefer, where our troops are still deployed being killed overseas and the Taliban continues to operate. The war is obviously going nowhere, it’s only a matter of principle to end the war and start investing in the United States of America. On the topic of Iraq, as far as I am aware, the U.S. forces stationed there are not there for the protection of the Iraqi Kurds. They are left-over from our fight against ISIS and the Iraq War. Well, ISIS is defeated and the Iraq War concluded years ago. Why are we there? It’s all about the profit for the major arms manufacturers who buy-off our politicians. That’s the problem, and we can fix that by introducing a constitutional amendment barring corporate donations (or, more like bribes) to elected officials. That would stamp out the corruption and help end the seven or so foreign wars we are in currently.

Callaghan: Aside from a large scale U.S. withdrawal from the world stage and intensifying the existing tariff regime, what are your other priorities with regards to foreign affairs?

Murphy: You know what, Will, sometimes you make me laugh. Of course, other priorities would be promoting peace between Israel and Palestine, including holding back funding to the Israeli military should they refuse to support human rights. I would also cut all relations with the Saudi monarchy. They are no ally of the United States of America. If I were President, I would reconsider many of the unfair sanctions we have levied against countries like Iran and Venezuela. I would rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal and end the trade embargo on Cuba.

Callaghan is seen blinking a few times in surprise and disbelief during that segment.

Callaghan: Thank you, Senator. Moving back to domestic policy, whilst your progressive colleagues Senators Westra and Winthrop have both co-sponsored Senator Little’s bill to confront the legacy of slavery in the United States. Why did you not follow them in supporting that initiative?

Murphy: Which exact bill are you talking about?

Callaghan: Well, you’re not listed as a co-sponsor for the Reparations for Historical Injustice Act.

Murphy: Oh, the Reparations Act. I thought the Act was too weak and that it was not strong enough on healthcare and education, something that I believe can be remedied through a universal Medicare for All and College for All system. The bill already has many co-sponsors, and I of course will support it when it will be voted on in the Senate.

Callaghan: Speaking of Medicare for All, you recently engaged in a brief Twitter spat with your friend and colleague Senator Westra over healthcare. Senator Westra described you as ‘simply not being realistic’. Do you maintain that the Senator is wrong?

Murphy: Yes, and it was surprising, actually that he came at me like he did. We had been good friends in the Senate and natural progressive allies, so it really came out of left-field, but the truth is, he is arguing in favor of a right-wing watering down of Medicare for All. When we take it to the Senate in the first place, the Republicans will try to water it down again. If Westra was attempting to pass his plan through the Senate, it will be torn to pieces and only the carcass of it will be left after compromises are reached. The fundamentals of negotiation is that you never concede before you reach the bargaining table, but Westra has already capitulated before he even meets the Republican Senate leadership. I’m running on Medicare for All because it is the only plan that ensures universal coverage now and into the future - a system that every major industrialized country on Earth has. It’s a real solution, not a bandage on a clearly broken private insurance profit system we have now like some of the other plans floating around there.

Callaghan: So, you see yourself establishing yourself in a position of strength, whilst you believe Senator Westra has failed to do so? Why then do you think Senator Winthrop, the progressive stalwart, has chosen to endorse him over you?

Murphy: I’ve been talking to Senator Winthrop recently. I don’t think what you said will be the case soon.

Callaghan: You believe Senator Winthrop will withdraw her endorsement from Senator Westra and endorse you?

Murphy: No, but I see no reason why she couldn’t endorse both of us for President. I think the Senator will let the media know what she intends to do, it’s not up to me to speak on her behalf.

Callaghan: Moving from healthcare to immigration, obviously it’s a given that you stand against the Wolf Administration’s current policies on immigration. However, a Gallup poll from late January suggests 75% of Americans support expanding the Border Patrol and an ABC/Washington Post poll from around the same period suggests 54% of Americans believe the Government is doing ‘too little’ to address illegal immigration. How do you address Americans’ concerns regarding immigration, Senator?

Murphy: We’ve got to understand, first of all, that the majority of illegal immigration does not occur at the border of the United States of America. The majority of illegal immigrants arrive by plane and overstay their visas, not crossing the U.S-Mexico border. That is why I clearly oppose the Wolf Wall on the Mexican border. What people should understand is that it is not immigrants, from central America or anywhere else, that are causing the problems in this country. Poverty, unemployment, crime. None of these problems started with immigrants in this country, and none of that will end if we somehow deport all immigrants. The truth is, the system is corrupt, and the people on the top would prefer if we blame the woman and her child from Nicaragua down the road. There is a really simple way to end illegal immigration and that is to make it easier for the people who have arrived into our country receive citizenship. We must also reopen many of the legal border crossings on the U.S.-Mexican border that President Wolf shut down. Further, the U.S. (and this brings me back to foreign affairs) needs to end the War on Drugs that has created many of these refugees and economic migrants. We’re creating these problems, then our government fires tear gas at the migrants who try to escape our chaos in Central and South America. It’s despotic, cruel and not how America is supposed to be.

Callaghan: You talk about ending the War on Drugs. Does this mean decriminalization or full legalization of presently controlled substances to you?

Murphy: It does for marjuana, I do support the full legalization and regulation of marjuana. What I mean by ending the War on Drugs is recalling our forces we have in Central and South America that are escalating the street violence in places like Mexico and Colombia. I’m not quite in support of decriminalizing all drugs.

Callaghan: So what is your strategy to counter the smuggling of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl into the United States, which you presumably intend to keep illegal and criminal?

Murphy: Stopping the mass incarceration of Americans, in particular African-Americans through the justice system. It’s a broken justice system and I would start by eliminating mandatory minimum sentences which disproportionately target African-Americns than it does White Americans. I’ve been visiting many places around South Carolina and you really come to understand the impact and effect this has on not only the people who are held in prison for so long, but also the impact it has on their families and communities. No one should go to prison for smoking a little bit of pot. We all have. I have, you probably have. Luckily, we haven’t been to prison. But the amount of African-Americans
locked away for doing the exact same as we did - it’s cruel, it’s unfair, and blatantly racist.

Callaghan: That’s all well and good, Senator, but that didn’t come anywhere close to answering the question that I just asked you.

Murphy: I was talking about in America, how we can improve our criminal justice system in how it treats people who have been found with illegal substances. I’m in no way interested in fighting international drug sales, we’ve tried that for too long and it has not worked. It has not worked and will never work. What I care about is that American citizens are not being treated unfairly and unjustly.

Callaghan: Senator Murphy, the C.D.C. estimated that over 72,000 people died in the United States in 2017 from drug overdoses, a 10% increase from the previous year. That increase is ascribed, in part, to the flow of fentanyl into the United States. More people are dying from drug overdoses than from car crashes or AIDS. Do you really have no interest in tackling this issue?

Murphy: You must’ve understood what I said. I care about the crisis in America, I am not interested in becoming embroiled in overseas quagmires that do not work. The Opioid Crisis is something I really do care about, and there are multiple things I will do as President to fix the crisis at end. We need safe needle exchange and put more money into rehabilitation for those addicted, we need to focus on treatment rather than punishment. As President, I would also like to see justice for all of those hurt by the criminal activities of the big pharmaceutical companies. Their lying advertisements are part of the reason that we are in this problem and some of them need to be brought to justice. I would introduce legislation as President to send them to prison for what they’ve done to working people in this country. Everywhere I go I see their damage. We need justice for them and we need action to treat people less like criminals and more like patients. Medicare for All will, of course, cover all rehabilitation costs.

Callaghan: Aside from marijuana legalization, what other policies do you have in mind with regards to criminal justice reform?

Murphy: Removing mandatory minimums for drug sentences would be a start, but there are many more policies that need to be enacted to make real change, rather than superficial change. Abolish the death penalty on a federal level. It is abhorrent that we allow such to continue in this country, we’ve had too many innocent Americans killed under this regime that prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation. Abolish for-profit prisons, private prisons that are incentivized by the amount of people they have in their facilities, not based off the fundamental human rights of these human beings. We have the largest prison population on the entire planet, more than China or Russia. Legalizing marjuana and expunging criminal records for marjuana use would drastically lower this amount. That’s why I also support community policing and a focus on building trust with Police, rather than fear. Those are some of the steps I would take as President.

Callaghan: Moving on finally to the economy: proponents of the President’s policies highlight the growth in job numbers and raw economic statistics under his rule, whilst detractors highlight widening inequality and growing uncertainty over the stability of the economy. How do you propose to address issues of inequality and stability in the economy without endangering jobs or growth?

Murphy: First of all, people need to know that they have job security. That is a major issue because if people are unaware as to whether they will lose their job next Tuesday, they will want to be saving the money that they’ve currently got. In turn, that cripples the retail sector. We need strong unions that protect American workers from dodgy bosses and criminal corporations, when we can do that and ensure the job security of millions of Americans, then we will start seeing the pendulum move in the retail sector (for which many other Americans rely on for work, too). Under the President, the stock market is looking real flash, but the fact is, none of that means anything to working people and small businesses that keep the United States moving. Most of the new jobs under Wolf was part of a trend under President Baharia too, and these jobs are not good-paying jobs. They are jobs that do not pay a living-wage, that create an under-class called the ‘working poor’. Inequality under this President is getting out of control and the ranks of the ‘working poor’ are rising and the middle-class is falling apart. To reverse inequality there needs to be an immediate wealth tax on the earning of the 1% and a raise in the minimum wage. Some of the largest companies, such as Amazon and Disney pay $0 in federal taxes, yet they continue to pay ‘working poor’ wages to their employees. Due to that, I support a cap on CEO salaries to drive down the bonuses they give to themselves, forcing them to spend on the wages of the good, hard-working people they employ.

Callaghan: What do you say to those who argue that sharp tax rises and penalties on executives could lead to capital flight, a decrease in investment and thus risks of jobs moving from the United States to markets with cheaper labor costs like Mexico, with whom you’ve lambasted our trading arrangements, and India, where there already exists a large customer service sector serving countries like the U.S.?”

Murphy: Personally, I think we’d be better off with the likes of Jeff Bezos and Bob Iger out of this country. But, in the end, I do not think they will leave the U.S. if we introduce a wealth tax on their elite earnings. You know why? Because they would have to abandon everything they built here and despite the cheapness of labor in places like Mexico and India, a company like Amazon would not be able to transport their goods fast enough from overseas. When you look at the wealth tax in comparison to the bigger picture, these men are billionaires, with a capital-B. To be a billionaire, you need $1,000 million dollars. To even have a million dollars, you need $1,000,000 thousand. Nobody needs to be that rich. It’s an absurd amount of money, a sum that does not belong in the hands of a single person. So, when you look at it in comparison, a wealth tax is nothing compared to their enormous coffers of wealth, that’s what Bob Iger and Jeff Bezos should think about if they want to leave and take their assets with them. If they did, I am not opposed to applying penalties to outsourcing businesses.

Callaghan: You’ve spoken of your background in trade unionism, and advocated the expansion of trade union activities. However, not all workers are happy with the idea of having union dues automatically deducted from their paychecks. Some workplaces have circumstances where non-union workers are penalized by the unions that hold effective monopolies there, as unions are immune to anti-trust laws. Do you think this is a fair deal for workers?

Murphy: That is not the problem facing the vast majority of workers in this country. From my position in the union movement, I’ve since learned that the rules are rigged against working people from the start and to blame trade unions for our problems is nowhere near the solution. It is a fact that unionized-sectors always have higher pay than non-unionized workforces because no company will grant you decent wages out of the love of their heart. Only when we unite and collectively bargain for better wages will we ever get wages higher than inflation, get wages back off the ground and improve the living standards of Americans. So, no, I am not going to go around union-busting as President. I will be using anti-trust laws against big business that gouge prices, monopolize industries and keep worker’s wages stagnant.

Callaghan: So it’s your belief that trade unions in the United States have not engaged in any behaviors which could be considered questionable or undesirable by workers, or otherwise that these behaviors are ultimately justifiable despite any drawbacks? Would a Murphy Presidency ultimately side with the trade unions in a labor dispute come what may?

Murphy: Under my Presidency, we will appoint pro-labor judges to every court in the land, you can expect us to be on the side of the workers, not big business. You cannot be pro-worker without being pro-union, the President of the United States should always be on the side of the unions, built off the back of the working class and still lead by union members from sea to shining sea. We will side with coal miners in Kentucky right now, who are blockading the rail lines until they paid for the work they performed.

Callaghan: Thank you for your answers today, Senator Murphy. I’m afraid that’s all we have time for right now, but it was good to have you on today, and I wish you the best of luck going forward.

Murphy: Thank you very much for having me on. Best of luck to you too, I bet it’ll be a busy time when 2020 comes by.