Azekopolaltion wrote:(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com
Anyone who accuses myself or Levi of being anti-American/treasonous for our pro-worker advocacy is the one who is selling out, not us.
Retweeted by @JohnAtangNY3
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by Agarntrop » Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:44 am
Azekopolaltion wrote:(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com
Anyone who accuses myself or Levi of being anti-American/treasonous for our pro-worker advocacy is the one who is selling out, not us.
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:49 am
by Azekopolaltion » Sat Feb 22, 2020 10:39 am
"Thank you, thank you.
"I remember we used to call Lordstown and the industrial midwest 'the heartbeat of America.' You were our backbone. You made us prosperous, you pushed our nation to the top of the world. The hard work you put in to make the auto industry great was what made our country great the first time!"
"And what do I see as I stand here today? I see an example of corporate America and our country selling you out on its promise. I see a city of incredibly patriotic and brave citizens who have been cheated by a rigged system that doesn't give a damn about them. Once a burgeoning haven of America's manufacturing industry, GM packed up and left you guys behind thousands, jobless and destitute. They forced folks into languishing in jobs that aren't paid a fair wage. Countless residents being evicted from their homes, forced out into the streets. The executives, they just packed up and left."
"Lordstown, your betrayal tell us the story of how the American Dream died."
"In 2016, Ohio voted and chose Arnold Wolf. I would like to apologize on behalf of my party's elites. The best the Democratic Party could offer was someone who insulted you, plastering on the label 'deplorable' to working families who were fed up by the Washington elite class."
"I'm here to tell you that there is another way. The Democrats have run away from our roots. We used to be fighters for the working class. We used to give Big Business execs hell. If we dare to call ourselves patriots, if we dare to say our party has the moral high ground, we have to come to terms with this. We have to come to terms with what's wrong. We have to tell Washington, loud and clear: half the country is poor, you assholes!"
"We can't keep criticizing Wolf and his slogan, to Make America Great Again, if we don't realize that America isn't great for so many Americans. I'm here to tell you that my campaign for president is not about the phony populism of Wolf. My campaign is about building a movement of working people, of young people, of minorities, of anybody who feels disenfranchised and left out in today's world. I'm running to give you a seat at the table!"
"I know the difference a good paying job makes. My dad, he was a bus driver. He refused to join a union for much of his career; thought it would interfere with how he operated. We had to ration his meds sometimes, because he didn't make enough. When the transport workers did end up unionizing in my town of Freehold, it made such a difference. Folks had power. They had a voice. My dad had a voice."
"You guys in the working class, you didn't start working less. In fact, you've been working harder! Longer and longer hours for less and less pay. No, the quality of your work didn't change. What changed? The folks at the top decided they wanted to rewrite the rules."
"The political parties, they were owned by the corporate interests. They signed trade deals like NAFTA and PNTR with China; they were practically written by the multinational companies. As production in Mexico and China became a cheaper alternative with fewer trade barriers, GM just couldn't compete. They couldn't afford to meet the basic minimum standards that the UAW bargained for, and they couldn't make a profit at the same time. Why?"
"It wasn't unionization. It was globalization."
"The first policy proposal I released was on trade. I know how much of a difference it made. I know how NAFTA destroyed my community, your communities. I led the charge against it's passage, but we got shut out by the lobbyists. We can't let that happen in 2020. We will end the policy of giving multinational corporations like GM free reign to destroy American jobs. Instead, we will give workers and unions a voice at the negotiation table and ensure that fair trade standards are enforced in any trade deal we have negotiated and any trade deal we have yet to negotiate."
"We want to rebuild our crumbling middle class. Wall Street didn't build America - the middle class did! Back in the day, a good union job was enough to keep folks in the middle class. Now, two jobs doesn't even do it. When our working people were sold out and started to fall below the poverty line, we didn't bail them out. Instead, we provided a massive bailout to the crooks in the financial sector who destroyed our economy in the first place. Even if the corporations leave, it is the responsibility of the federal government to look after you guys, just like we looked after the bankers."
"We will subsidize any job you guys are in, no matter how low-paying, by more than doubling the Earned Income Tax Credit. It will be the biggest middle class tax cut for working people in history!"
Wolf lied to you about trade, he lied about taxes too and instead gave the rich a bigger slice of the pie. By expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to provide greater payments, to cover more people, and to give recipients the option of collecting a monthly sum instead of an annual payment, we can supplement the low wages of America's workers, and we can lift people out of poverty. This new Worker Tax Credit is an idea that will restore the promise of the dignity of work to every person in America."
"We will hold corporations to higher standards in order to really democratize the workplace. Wealthy shareholders of giant corporations have gobbled up trillions of dollars in surging profits. How do we build a system where giant corporations focus more on the interests of their workers? Well, we make workers the shareholders. The billionaires didn't do it on their own; you made their wealth for them! My plan for Workplace Democracy would share corporate wealth with workers by requiring the biggest companies to provide at least 2 percent of stock to their workers every year until the company is at least 20 percent owned by employees. In addition, at least 40% of corporate board seats would be elected by workers. The only way we can create an economy for all of us, not just the 1%, is by handing the reigns over to the workers."
"Our campaign is fueled by the idea of economic justice. There is no justice when the top 1 tenth of 1 percent has more wealth than the bottom half of America combined. There is no justice when 50,000 people are sleeping out on the streets in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. There is no justice when we betray the promise of our Constitution by denying working families the right to the pursuit of happiness."
"This campaign is powered by the people. This campaign puts workers first. This campaign knows that workers are worthy of respect. This campaign is about fighting for all of us, not just the people in power."
"Lordswotn, as president, I know that I will owe it to you to fight for folks here everyday. I won't forget you like past administrations. So I would be humbled if you could join this movement to take back the White House."
"Thank you, may god bless the workers of America."
by New Cobastheia » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:11 am
Gordano and Lysandus wrote:FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Senator Abigail Winthrop], [Representative Emily Davenport], [Representative John Atang], [Representative Thomas Volker], [Representative Kathleen Nez]
I'm hoping to put this up on the docket tomorrow, and so if there any last minute changes that people want me to make to the bill, I'd rather it be made known to me before I put this up, I'm looking to keep this as a positive, bipartisan step, hence the concessions and compromises that have made on both sides.
Kathleen, I know you haven't sponsored this yet but I hope you will! Your opinion on this is one I particularly respect.
To everyone, I know this isn't an ideal act, but it is one which delivers - I hope - on providing a regulation that has agreement from both parties, and thus a fighting chance in the Senate and with the President, to make Americans' data safer. Thank you to you all for your work with me on this.
ATTACHMENT:Official Name: Insulating the Data of Everyday Americans Act
Nickname: IDEA Act
Sponsor: Representative Caroline Simone (D-NY-12)
Cosponsors: Representative Thomas Volker (R-MO-8), Senator Abigail Winthrop (D-MA), Representative Emily Davenport (D-CA-34), Representative John Atang (D-NY-3)
Overview: A BILL TO make provisions such that American consumers of internet services are protected from the non-consensual usage by corporations of their personal data, in particular information regarding personal browsing history, location data, or contact details.
Section 1: Summary
Internet corporations, especially social media companies like Facebook and Twitter, have achieved an extraordinary degree of control over both the market and everyday people’s lives. Whilst it is laudable that American businesses have pioneered the market, especially with social media, reasonable steps must be taken to provide at least minimal regulations to defend and protect the privacy and other rights of consumers. This Act seeks to resolve the matter by ensuring that the critical data usage of large social media companies is conducted in a purely consensual manner.
Section 2: Definitionsa. The term “large internet corporation” shall here refer to an internet-based business which possesses assets greater than $1,000,000.
b. The term “plain terms” shall here refer to text which is simple and easy to understand for ordinary consumers, in whichever language they are consuming the product or service (i.e. If the product or service is offered in English and Spanish, then the text must be available in both English and Spanish).
c. The term “protected personal information” shall here refer to personal data belonging to a consumer of an internet product or service concerning their address, contact information, personal browsing history or location data.
d. The term “consent” shall here refer, specifically, to informed consent, that is to say, consent given wherein the giver is substantially informed on the choice being made.
e. The term “executive officer” shall here refer to a person or persons acting as the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent for a large internet corporation.
Section 3: Regulationsa. Wherein a large internet corporation offers a product or service online, they must provide - in plain terms - a request for consent to access any form of protected personal information from a consumer.
1) A large internet corporation may reserve the right to refuse the custom of a consumer who does not provide consent for access.
b. Wherein a large internet corporation wishes to sell or otherwise provide the protected personal data of a consumer to a third party, on each occasion, they must provide - in plain terms - a request for consent to sell or otherwise distribute any form of such data.1) This does not apply wherein a large internet corporation is requested or otherwise compelled to provide such data to the United States Government, a State Government of the United States, or any law enforcement agency thereof.
c. The Federal Trade Commission will be empowered to use its authorities under Title 15 of the U.S. Code to order large internet corporations to cease and desist, and issue civil penalties, for failing to provide the consent requests required under subsections a and b, or for the access, sale or distribution of protected personal data without having received the required consent.
Section 4: Offenses under this Acta. An executive officer of a large internet corporation who knowingly or negligibly violates section 3 of this act will be guilty of an offense.
b. An executive officer of a large internet corporation who knowingly or negligibly violates the regulations prescribed by section 3 of this Act will be fined not more than $500,000,000.
This bill is then honorably presented to the United States House of Representatives for consideration in order to protect the civil liberties and freedoms of the American people and to improve the United States Law and is backed by Representative Caroline Simone on (date).
Do Not Remove: 1337
FROM: [Rep. Kathleen Nez]
TO: [Rep. Carrie Simone]
Can you promise me that after 2020 you'll support a bill that would patch up the problems I brought up about the bill when you first showed it to me?
FROM: [Rep. Kathleen Nez]
TO: [Sen. Abigail Wintrop]
SUBJECT: IDEA Act Question
Hi Senator Winthrop,
I'm just wondering if you could tell me why you decided to co-sponsor the bill. I'm still on the fence myself and was hoping a fellow progressive could help me figure out what side of the fence I should be on.
Thanks,
Representative Nez
Azekopolaltion wrote:(Image)
Tim Westra
@WestraNJ
timwestra.com
Anyone who accuses myself or Levi of being anti-American/treasonous for our pro-worker advocacy is the one who is selling out, not us.
by Gordano and Lysandus » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:28 am
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:Erika Goldman
Bridgeport, Connecticut
17th of March, 2019
Goldman, to promote herself a little further without officially going into full campaign swing, decided to hold a town hall in Bridgeport. It was nothing major, just an opportunity for her to answer increase her image of genuine politics. She simply introduced herself and asked for any questions.
by Gordano and Lysandus » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:36 am
New Cobastheia wrote:FROM: [Rep. Kathleen Nez]
TO: [Rep. Carrie Simone]
Can you promise me that after 2020 you'll support a bill that would patch up the problems I brought up about the bill when you first showed it to me?
FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Representative Kathleen Nez]
If we take back the Senate and win the Presidency, and such a bill has legs? Totally. I know we can achieve that in 2020, and if we have that trifecta, it should be high on our list of legislative priorities. This is just a stopgap measure, trying not to let the perfect get in the way of the good. Keeping Volker on board doesn't just help get it through the Senate, the man talks regularly with the President and considering how Wolf foams at the mouth about regulation, we'll need him to see off the threat of a veto.
I really do understand your anxieties about the holes in this bill, but it's better that we have this bill than nothing at all.
Good work on the 28th with Emily by the way. Whilst I don't see it surviving the Senate, you two have really done a lot there which is worthy of praise.
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:41 am
Gordano and Lysandus wrote:The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:Erika Goldman
Bridgeport, Connecticut
17th of March, 2019
Goldman, to promote herself a little further without officially going into full campaign swing, decided to hold a town hall in Bridgeport. It was nothing major, just an opportunity for her to answer increase her image of genuine politics. She simply introduced herself and asked for any questions.
A young black man stood up, clearly a college student, and wearing a "Little 2020" badge.
"Senator Goldman, honesty and forthrightness is a trait that many people see as lacking in politicians. Part of why people elected Wolf was that he didn't exactly hide his opinions, even if they are awful. So why did it take you three prompts to give a semi-straight answer on Senator Little's reparations bill? Why should we trust you if you're not in the habit of giving straight answers? How does that really differentiate you from Westra equivocating for days on Twitter when he was confronted on women's rights? You've not given me a reason to view you as any more honest."
by Dentali » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:50 am
Rudlang: Good Morning this is First News of WDAY and I’m Sarah Rudlang. Today we are join by Republican Presidential Candidate and Governor of North Carolina, Nathaniel Richardson. Governor thank you for joining us today.
Richardson: No problem, thank you for having me.
Rudlang: The country is experiencing a boom in natural gas and oil right now, and North Dakota is on the cutting edge of that boom. As many candidates on the democratic side of the aisle want to ban fracking and cut back on fossil fuels, where do you stand on energy?
Richardson: North Dakota is an amazing state, best quality of life in the nation, one of the fastest growing states for the past decade, the best state for millennials, low unemployment and high wages… This is for a lot of reasons, fiscal conservatism, good policies and a strong community bond… but also the god given natural resources of the state. Water, Coal, Wind, Gas, Oil… your state has made many bold investments that combined these resources with human ingenuity to grow and build a booming economy, one of the best places to start a business in the nation.
I am 100% behind fracking and better harnessing fossil fuels, though I think natural gas is the most promising. From ethanol to natural gas, to wind and solar, our nation is in an energy boom that is leading our current economy surge. We should be supporting that not undermining it… now I do have some environmental concerns when it comes to fracking and potentially polluting the water table but I feel confident if we maintain a high standard of quality when fracking we can avoid any issues that may arise. Programs like your Pipeline Integrity Program are the gold standard for the country.
Also I want to invest in projects like your state’s Project Tundra which captures carbon dioxide to revitalize oil wells, and the carbon capture technologies your state is spearheading. Transforming power plant emissions into a commodity is the best way to fight pollution.
Rudlang: A few days ago the Governor signed a bill title “Operation Prairie Dog”, which added hundreds of millions to the infrastructure spending. Do you support a national infrastructure program?
Richardson: I think its abundantly clear we need to upgrade our country's infrastructure, the only question I have is “how do we get it done.” As Governor of North Carolina we had massive success using private-public partnerships to get infrastructure done. Combining that with regulatory reform will unlock infrastructure investment across the country. We need to address the real needs across the country, focusing on the truly bad areas with subsidies while reducing the red tape and review processes everywhere else. Infrastructure to me also includes 5G across the country.
What I won’t do is greenlight a massive stimulus bill that will add billions and trillions to our national debt, or increase the tax burden on the American people.
Rudlang: The Governor has called North Dakota “A rich target” when it comes to cyber attacks. What will you do to help protect our states and our country from cyber attacks?
Richardson: We are LONG overdue with upgrading our nation’s cybersecurity. We are behind Russia and China who are effectively using cyberwarfare to punch above their weight class and undermine our technological capabilities. We need to invest in national cyberdefense in the present and in the future. That’s why I want to establish a military academy like West Point but for cyberwarfare, think about it… when it comes to cyber warfare we look for our warriors, but in other areas of the military we make them. Marines, Pilots, we don’t ask them to come knowing how to fight or fly a jet, we make them and mold them into the best they can be. We should do that with Cyberwarfare.
Locally I want to establish a grant program for state and local governments to improve their cyber security and increase resources and coordination for law enforcement entities going after cyber criminals. We see it time and again across the country cities and communities getting hit and held hostage, and they have no means of defense. That needs to end.
Rudlang: Recently Burleigh County had a debate over whether or to refuse entry to new refugees. Do you believe we should be accepting more refugees?
Richardson: President Wolf signed an executive order requiring state and local governments to give written consent before refugees would be allowed to settle in a community. I think it says so much about the goodness and charity of the American people that no county has ever refused entry to refugees. I believe the United States and ALL nations should be accepting refugees, until 2017 the United States accepted more refugees than the rest of the world combined, Wolf making other nations step up their game is great progress.
Every nation should be given a chance to assimilate groups of refugees should they require it, and if individual communities can’t take in more refugees at a certain time they should be well within their rights to deny more. I believe in vetting, I believe in assimilation, I believe many of our greatest Americans are refugees or the children of refugees, I believe immigrants make our country stronger, and I believe it it the moral Christian thing to do to help our fellow man in need.
Rudlang: Our state just repealed the so called “Blue Laws” which bar retailers from being open before noon on Sundays, how do you feel about Blue Laws?
Richardson: I don’t think the Government has any right to dictate when a business can or can’t be open. I do believe that we as a nation need to put more emphasis on setting aside time for family and community, which I believe was the intention of the Blue Laws.
Rudlang: The trade war with China has hurt American farmers especially in North Dakota, what trade policies will you pursue as President to help farmers.
Richardson: Firstly I want to say I fully support the USMCA and I believe it will be passed soon. Its a great deal and 2020 is going to be a much better year for farmers because of it. I also have faith that we will have a deal with China before our next President is sworn in, and one that puts our farmers first.
Beyond that I want to sign trade deals with Japan, South Korea and potentially Great Britain which are all major markets for our agricultural industry and a trade deal will only make them moreso. I also want to pursue a comprehensive trade deal with Taiwan, whose current ruling party seems to be moving to remove obstacles to agricultural products like beef and pork. All of these agreements not only help us economically, especially with farmers, but they help strengthen relations with nations that can help curb the influence of China.
Rudlang: Governor that’s all the time we have, thank you for joining us.
Richardson: My pleasure
by Nikaton » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:53 am
by Dentali » Sat Feb 22, 2020 1:52 pm
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sat Feb 22, 2020 3:59 pm
Main Nation Ministry wrote:The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Free movement. Open borders. Set the world free. We can increase trade across the world, increase economic growth, all if we let go of our fears of outsiders...I support progress, Governor. Don't you?"
"Foriegn relations are important, yes. Progress for the greater good is also important. It's possible to do this with government-sanctioned trades, though free trades can do the same with it's own fair share of pros and cons."
by New Cobastheia » Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:13 pm
Gordano and Lysandus wrote:New Cobastheia wrote:FROM: [Rep. Kathleen Nez]
TO: [Rep. Carrie Simone]
Can you promise me that after 2020 you'll support a bill that would patch up the problems I brought up about the bill when you first showed it to me?FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Representative Kathleen Nez]
If we take back the Senate and win the Presidency, and such a bill has legs? Totally. I know we can achieve that in 2020, and if we have that trifecta, it should be high on our list of legislative priorities. This is just a stopgap measure, trying not to let the perfect get in the way of the good. Keeping Volker on board doesn't just help get it through the Senate, the man talks regularly with the President and considering how Wolf foams at the mouth about regulation, we'll need him to see off the threat of a veto.
I really do understand your anxieties about the holes in this bill, but it's better that we have this bill than nothing at all.
Good work on the 28th with Emily by the way. Whilst I don't see it surviving the Senate, you two have really done a lot there which is worthy of praise.
FROM: [Rep. Kathleen Nez]
TO: [Rep. Carrie Simone]
Sign me on as a sponsor.
by Main Nation Ministry » Sat Feb 22, 2020 9:26 pm
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"There's nothing wrong with free trade, Governor. It is very economically beneficial to the country and to us as people."
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sun Feb 23, 2020 2:44 am
Main Nation Ministry wrote:The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"There's nothing wrong with free trade, Governor. It is very economically beneficial to the country and to us as people."
"I'm sure it is. The government is making sure there isn't an abuse of power within free trade. Though, there are many other reasons."
by Sarenium » Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:12 am
Pittsburgh, PA
11.30AM
"HELLO PITTSBURGH!" she greeted the crowds, "when this campaign began, it was in my dining room in Virginia about a month ago. We knew we'd face headwinds, we knew we'd have ups and downs but we could have never predicted having support from every state so soon. As of two hours ago, we have supporters in every state, volunteers in every state and fellow Americans who believe that the next Generation of Americans deserve Fairness First. Fairness not in outcome, but in opportunity. Every American deserves the opportunity to succeed by their own merits, not by the credit cards of their parents. We are the richest country in the world, the fact that ordinary Americans are being squeezed for every dollar so that they may have their life saving medication, roofs and walls barely hold up in our schools and the Federal Government has no aim, no goal and no objective. I say, let's give it a goal. We used to wage Wars on Poverty not the Poor. We used to measure our success by the fortunes of the most unfortunate not the chance of the lucky. I don't believe these ideals of the past are obsolete. I don't believe the eradication of poverty in the United States of America is an obsolete goal. I don't believe less pay in the pockets of working Americans should be accepted as the new norm. I believe this can change. Join me, join my campaign, and together we can deliver Medicare for All who Want it, we can deliver affordable college now, we can deliver a better minimum wage, we can put Fairness First!"
...I'd like to do you slowly...
Just another Australian.
by Dentali » Sun Feb 23, 2020 6:36 am
Sarenium wrote:She waited for another question, her virtual town hall team had also plucked out some reserve questions from the comments section of the livestream to ask throughout.
by Dentali » Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:41 am
Turner: Good evening and welcome to CBS, tonight we are joined by Senator and Presidential candidate Tim Westra of New Jersey. Senator thank you for joining us.
Westra: My pleasure, thanks for having me.
Turner: Third quarter fundraising report is coming out soon (March 31st), feeling good about how your campaign stacks up to the rest of the field?
Westra: I'm feeling great about how our campaign is doing. We are not counting on big money donors to fund this campaign – I never have courted big donors to give to any of my campaigns, for that matter. We don't have a super PAC. And we don't hold fancy fundraising events to schmooze with the billionaire class.
That's because we have an insurgent movement that is willing to stand up and speak up, against the establishment and against the odds, to reclaim this White House from the corporate elite and put the power back into the hands of workers. The strength of our campaign comes from the thousands of contributions that have been made so far to build this movement, without accepting any big money. That's huge. So, when our fundraising is reported after the deadline, I'm feeling confident that we'll do just fine.
Turner: Potentially the biggest issue of the campaign is Healthcare, on the Democratic side it revolves around the conversation regarding Medicare for All. You have a Medicare Public Option plan, why not support Medicare for All?
Westra: Ok, good question. The fundamental question of our campaign is how we can restore economic justice to the working families of America. We cannot do that when healthcare is not guaranteed as a universal right of citizenship to all Americans.
I also believe in the inherent American value of choice. And in our current casino capitalist economy, choice is not flourishing in several industries where it is of the utmost importance. Healthcare is one of those sectors. I do not believe one is economically free when they are forced into buying a bad insurance plan because good insurance is too expensive. I do not believe one has “choice” when every option is too pricey, when everything is governed by the greed of the insurance companies.
And I don’t think that value of choice is emphasized in single-payer healthcare. I’ve heard this concern from workers who are part of unions. They don’t want to lose the insurance plans that they fought hard for under a Medicare for All system. In addition, literally no advocate for single payer is telling us about how they’d pay for it.
I’m all about progressive, popular, and paid for. That’s why I prefer a strong public option that also provides free coverage to the poorest in our country. This is the best way to drive down costs by forcing private insurance to compete with the public option, guaranteeing universality in our system while retaining the high quality care of our medical providers.
Turner: So if Medicare for All became politically viable and you could pass it through Congress you wouldnt?
Westra: My number one priority is extending healthcare to all. I acknowledge that there are many ways of getting there, which many proponents of single payer don’t believe. If a Medicare at 55 bill became viable, I’d sign it. If Senator Moore’s public option became viable, I’d sign it. If Medicare for All had enough support in some world, which it just doesn’t right now, I’d sign it. Healthcare for all is my goal, and anything is better than the current system. I would, however, warn my colleagues about the potential drawbacks of certain plans.
Turner: Many see Medicare for All as a litmus test… a hallmark of the progressive left… Do you believe you can really describe yourself as a Progressive if you don’t support medicare for all?
Westra: I don’t think it is a progressive idea to tax the middle class in order to pay for a system that forces them off of their current insurance in favor of a government plan which could quite possibly stifle the quality of care in our country by providing reimbursement rates that are way too low. It’s an ineffective way of bringing about a real change in the healthcare system. I want to bring about more competition to drive down costs around the board, while making healthcare free at the point of service for those who need it most - all while cutting taxes on the middle class.
Turner: what do you say to those that believe the savings to middle class families from Medicare will more than offset the taxes?
Westra: Even if that’s true, the quality of care would go down because reimbursement rates across the board would be much lower. I think a competitive public option is a better way of maintaining high quality care while having a universal system.
Turner: Let’s talk about something else... despite withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords the United States has hit the emission reduction goals set by it. This is in large part due to transitioning to natural gas made available through fracking. Do you support fracking?
Westra: I don’t from where we have come to the conclusion that the U.S. has hit its climate goals...we’ve actually set targets that were competitively lower than, say, the EU, who pledged to cut emissions by 40% and are on track to reduce emissions by 60% because of heavy lifting from nations like France and Germany. We’re not projected to meet our goals and, even if we do, they’re too low, as reported by climate scientists.
We’ve got a three year phaseout period for fracking under our climate plan. We want workers in the industry to have time to adjust, and we’ll guarantee them income replacement via a carbon tax. Also, our federal jobs guarantee will pay a good wage to workers who want to occupy a job that suits them.
I prefer transitional fuels like nuclear, and would increase investment in areas such as thorium reactors which could potentially be revolutionary in the realm of clean energy.
Turner: Do you support the green new deal?
Westra: I have one of the most robust climate plans in the field, and I recognize that we can’t combat the climate crisis with only federal expenditure. Government can’t do everything. It’s our responsibility to bring private industry along, so we can collectively build the financial power to take on this threat. My plan amounts to 12 trillion dollars in climate investment, but the vast majority of this is coming from public-private partnerships. We’re going to attract $9 trillion in investment from private companies through several policies; not just tax credit expansions, but more innovative policies. We can, for example, mandate a policy called “green weighting” among banks. Under this mechanism, analytical risk-weighted assets are reduced by up to 50% for green deals, while facilities that have a negative environmental and climate impact see their analytical RWA increased by up to 24%. So banks would be incentivized to finance green sector projects.
These are the kind of specific, innovative policies that will actually work in delivering a green America, in accordance with all of the goals of the GND.
Turner: Recently Senator Anderson tweeted
“Racism in this country was at an all time low until when demoRAT Baharia got elected! However, President Wolf has healed that divide and to be frank if you're black, and you haven't been successful under this great administration, it's your own fault”
Do you feel race relations have improved since the election of President Wolf?
Westra: I think the clear racist undertones in Senator Anderson’s tweet speak to how extremism and bigotry has flourished under this administration, and will continue to flourish under another reactionary presidency led by a Republican like Governor Prendergrast, who has been endorsed by Senator Anderson.
I can’t comment on how race relations are playing out throughout the country. All I can say for sure is that hate groups have felt emboldened to spread their evil message under this president, who shockingly claimed that there were “very fine people on both sides” in the violent events at Charlottesville where Neo-Nazis and racists clashed with violent counter protestors. It was ugly, and a very concerning vision of what our country might become should the legacy of Wolfism continue.
Turner: How would you improve race relations as President?
Westra: For the past few decades in our country, not only has the political elite waged a class war on all of our American workers, we have also systemically preserved injustices against the black community.
It’s about time we address our horrifically broken criminal justice system. I have introduced a bill this year, and have advocated for this my entire life, to legalize and regulate marijuana. It’s ridiculous that the crooks on Wall Street can wreck our economy and get away with it, while young black boys are overwhelmingly getting their lives wrecked by a justice system that puts them behind bars instead of in school just because of smoking a little marijuana.
We must end the private prison complex and it’s stranglehold in our government that is incentivizing politicians to put more people behind bars just for the profits of a few.
And finally, we must do better in the policing. I understand that I come from a background that just can’t understand the extent of the fear that young black men must feel when encountering the police. The relationship between law enforcement and our communities is symbolic of the relationship between the state and our people. I don’t want to demonize the police, though. They are also workers, many of them are doing their best to serve our country. The institution of law enforcement deserves all the respect in the world. Unfortunately our government has trained officers to behave like killers, not like peace keepers. I will sharply regulate private police instructors and reform guidelines in how we train officers nationally.
Turner: Do you worry that anti police rhetoric hurts police hiring?
Westra: I reject all rhetoric that generalizes the police as evil. They’re doing their best, many of them at least. I’m not at all anti-police. I believe racial harmony and progress is about working with all groups to advance our collective interests.
Turner: President Wolf is a divisive figure in the country, is their anything you feel he has done well in his tenure?
Westra: Look, I won't mince words: while I sympathize with the president's personal condition, his administration has been uniquely cruel and corrupt in its actions. He's separated babies from their mothers at the border, throwing them into cages; he tried to rip 20 million people off of the only health coverage they had through the ACA; he gave tax cuts to wealthiest 1% in our country while trying to kick people off their health insurance; tried to implement a travel ban on Muslims from several countries; he praised Neo-Nazis in Charlottesville; threw paper towels at Puerto Ricans who had lost their homes; butchered critical EPA standards and regulations; and ran away from a two-state solution in Israel-Palestine, to the detriment of both peoples.
I can't even list everything, but at least I got the greatest hits out of the way. But, credit where credit is due. I will thank the president for this: he has marshaled an energy within our party, an energy we haven't felt in years. He has inspired a will on our side of the aisle to fight hard for the forgotten, to not spare an inch to the corporate conservative establishment who would rather see us crushed by their collective ambitions. He has triggered a backlash, a progressive political movement, a more enduring form of hope and change that will endure far beyond Election Day. And for this, I would like to thank him.
Turner: What did you think of the First Step Act?
Westra: It was a good start, and I think the president certainly deserves credit on that front. I certainly don't think we're done on criminal justice reform; we need to ban for-profit prisons, we need to legalize and regulate marijuana, and decriminalize drugs. We have to start treating victims of drug abuse as patients, not criminals. We also have to revitalize our nation's public schools; I have a plan that would boost teacher pay with a refundable tax credit for educators in low-income districts, and the plan overall would invest over $1 trillion in ten years to boost our public education system. We have to end the school-to-prison pipeline, and make sure our kids are ready for productive, fulfilling careers.
Turner: Can you go into a bit more detail on decriminalizing drugs? Do you just mean drug use or more than that?
Westra: Foreign cartels and domestic gangs who flood our communities with harmful drugs for blood money should continue to pay a steep price. However, my presidency would apply the rule of law to everyone. The corporate drug dealers like the execs at Purdue Pharma, people who destroyed our communities with the opioid crisis, should also pay the price in the form of jail time. I have no sympathy for the corporate criminals in Big Pharma.
We also have to understand that in poor neighborhoods where there is a lack of opportunity and a lack of quality educational centers, it becomes very easy for young Americans to get sucked into the gang culture as a means of finding a place in this world. I think we need to take a holistic approach at solving this problem, and that starts with heavy educational investment, that starts with boosting small businesses and creating a federal jobs guarantee to provide our youth with good-paying work. We can find ways to decrease drug dealing.
Turner: So the heroin dealer on the corner, do they still go to prison?
Westra: Yes, correct. That won't change. Heroin is not marijuana, its sale cannot be made legal.
Turner: Let me ask you a somewhat different question. A lot of people might like what you are trying to accomplish but are hesitant to grow the government and give it more power, not trusting it to efficiently spend taxpayer dollars. What will you do to make the Government more efficient?
Westra: Right. So, inefficient bureaucracy in the federal government is a real problem. It's resulting in almost 1/5 people who are eligible for welfare to not collect their benefits. It means the taxpayer is subsidizing an oversized, ineffective federal workforce instead of paying for public services that all of us can benefit from.
So the first step, in my view, is to work with the OMB and independent firms to conduct an exhaustive audit of all federal agencies, including the Pentagon which could quite possibly be wasting billions a year. After this audit we must compile a complete list of those agencies; right now, no such list exists. Then we must be working to hire a younger workforce in federal agencies, and work towards higher retention rates so we can improve efficiency. That also means updating the technological infrastructure with which we operate.
To me, the question is not big government or small government, it's a question of who the government is serving. Are we going to continue to be lackeys of Corporate America, or will we actually step up and pass an agenda that works for working families? Right now, the political establishment is okay with "Big Government" when it comes to invading foreign countries and increasing our military presence. They're okay with "Big Government" when it comes to infringing upon civil liberties, when it comes to giving the NSA the unconstitutional power to wiretap our phones, steal our data in bulk, and go through our personal searches in online life. They're okay with "Big Government" when it comes to mass incarceration and keeping our kids behind bars instead of school.
I'm against those forms of Big Government. My question is, when it comes to expanding healthcare access, or improving affordability in education, or raising worker pay, why are those attacked as evil "Big Government" proposals? Maybe it's not a question of government size, it's a question of who benefits.
Turner: You mentioned the Pentagon there, do you believe we are spending too much money on our military?
Westra: I will be releasing a budget consolidation plan very soon. I don't believe in spending a lot on military, I believe in spending smart. The nature of warfare is changing, with hostiles like Iran and China taking over in the realm of offensive cyber capabilities. I think we should invest in our own cyber systems, which could potentially save a lot. I do think it's a waste to be operating 800 military bases, when our nearest rival has, like, five.
Turner: I have a twofold question for you... firstly how important is it to balance the budget, and secondly are there any other areas of the budget, besides military spending, where you believe cuts should be made? If you do not have a specific area in mind, what guidelines would you follow when determining what to cut?
Westra: I would consult with economists from several sides of the spectrum to determine how much of a problem the national debt really is. You have Nobel laureates like [not-Krugman] who are now arguing that in times of growth, there is virtually no upward ceiling on U.S. debt...there are others from the MMT strain of economics who argue that debt doesn't matter at all for nations with strong currencies. I don't know if I agree with that; more work has to be done.
Personally, I just want to make our budget more efficient for the American people. In 2008, President Baharia and the Democratic Congress did the right thing by increasing government spending and increasing the debt ceiling in response to a devastating financial crisis and recession. That’s what governments should do: try to stimulate the economy with new spending to help avoid or minimize the impact of a recession. In that case, given the depth of the problem, with millions of people out of work and millions losing their homes, Congress should have had an even stronger and faster response to help struggling families and get the economy back on track more quickly.
That's the kind of spending I support: putting money back in the hands of the working class to be used productively, whether that's through investments in expanding the EITC, or educational expenditure, or reducing the burden of small businesses providing health insurance to their workers. This is all good for growth, while utilizing more spending - just like FDR and the New Deal.
So apart from military, I would probably use existing spending to boost more generous, sweeping programs...like Medicare for America, which would use the current Medicare budget and then some to provide comprehensive coverage to everyone who wants it. I think welfare is probably in need of reform; not just the EITC, which I have a bill and a plan to expand, but also in other areas. I think work eligibility standards need to be removed from programs like SNAP, which are basic rights.
Turner: Their was some recent controversy regarding a plan you unveiled regarding abortion. Basically creating an agency to regulate it and ensure it only took place before a certain point. This was criticized on the left and the right and you changed your position. What is your current position on abortion and why did you change it?
Westra: I have a very diverse and wonderful campaign; diverse in terms of identity and viewpoints. I always come from a place of ethical responsibility - that's what influences my decision making first and foremost. I am a Catholic, and that obviously influences some of my views, but I have often bucked tradition in that respect - for instance, I have been pro-same sex marriage for pretty much my entire political career, because it is my belief that God would not hold it against us for loving one another a little bit more.
However, on abortion, I did think that it was an ethical concern to terminate the pregnancy at the point when the fetus can feel pain, which I thought was generally accepted to bet at the 20 week mark. Admittedly, I was not as well-informed in the topic as I thought I was. I made a mistake in publicly expressing my prior view without doing the heavy lifting, without consulting my female staffers and with women's rights groups. Indeed, there is a lot of scientific debate about whether that is true, and there is even more philosophical debate about what constitutes a life. I think the one thing we can all agree on is that this is a woman's body, and I think it really is an abhorrent "Big Government" move to regulate what a woman can do with her own body.
Of course, I respect voices on both sides - not the folks who bomb abortion clinics, but respectable pro-life voices are out there. There are some women even who see this topic differently. If they wish to meet with me, I'm open to it. But, as my female staffers told me, most cases of late-term abortions are to protect the life of a mother. And why would I value the life of a fetus over the life of a living woman? How is that a "pro-life" position?
So, to me, there is no easy answer here. It's a sensitive topic, and I want to hear all sides out. The thing is, the GOP has this strange obsession for regulating a woman's body without even knowing all that much. That's what Governor Prendergast recently did in his state, where he passed a so-called "heartbeat law," and I don't know if he's aware of the fact that some women don't even know whether they're pregnant at the point when the ban kicks in!
So this requires a lot of thought, a lot of discussion, a lot of care, not sweeping bills and regulation of a woman's body without getting the facts first.
Turner: So are you going to try and limit or expand abortion? Or are you going to not touch the issue as President?
[b]Westra: Safe, legal, and rare has been the Democratic slogan on abortion for as long as I can remember, even Diane Clifford believed that. And that's what I'm sticking to.
Turner: What measures would you take to make it safer, and rarer?
Westra: Make birth control free and over the counter, that seems like a good move to me.
Turner: Thank you for your time Senator
Westra: Thanks for having me on!
by Main Nation Ministry » Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:45 am
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Well, you know how many xenophobes are in the country these days..."
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:54 am
Main Nation Ministry wrote:The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Well, you know how many xenophobes are in the country these days..."
"Understanding your background, I understand how much of a problem it is. Free trade for foriegn policy is often restricted due to national prejudices from other countries. Which is why you want the big companies to not have their products restricted from entering foriegn markets."
by Gordano and Lysandus » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:02 am
Sarenium wrote:She waited for another question, her virtual town hall team had also plucked out some reserve questions from the comments section of the livestream to ask throughout.
by Main Nation Ministry » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:08 am
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Indeed it is. It is rather difficult trying to ship in cheap electronics from China to sell here with these new Wolfist trade rules. Politics and business are very intertwined, and we need to keep the best interests of economic actors in mind when we write our laws and our regulations."
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:49 am
Main Nation Ministry wrote:The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Indeed it is. It is rather difficult trying to ship in cheap electronics from China to sell here with these new Wolfist trade rules. Politics and business are very intertwined, and we need to keep the best interests of economic actors in mind when we write our laws and our regulations."
"Aren't some American products made in China?"
by Main Nation Ministry » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:55 am
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"Yes, they are, but many dislike that."
by The World Capitalist Confederation » Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:59 am
by Main Nation Ministry » Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:26 pm
The World Capitalist Confederation wrote:"People must learn to adapt with the economy. We can always offer them new jobs, as there's currently a massive skills shortage in the upper echelons of work."
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