Middle Class Tax Cuts

The best way to provide a Middle-Class Tax Cut is to lower public and private taxes on the services that most Americans use and need. According to the Supreme Court, premiums and deductibles are considered a "tax." This means that whether or not you are buying insurance from the government or a private company you are being "taxed." If we apply this principle to housing, healthcare, and childcare, we can begin to understand that we are being taxed more than almost any country in the world while only getting half of the benefit. Our goal is to make the following affordable and bring the overall cost down thereby implementing a Middle-Class Tax Cut: Healthcare: Medicare for All Childcare: Universal childcare Education: Fully-funded PreK-16th grade and trade schools Housing: Homes for All

Health Care Is A Human Right

We believe that health care is a human right. Universal Single-Payer Healthcare is not only a moral choice, but it is also the cheaper option. Right now in the United States, we pay more for less than any other country in the world. Even Republican studies show that Medicare For All could lower the overall health care costs by $4 Trillion Dollars. ​

Cut Drug Prices In Half

A bottle of insulin costs $6 to make and in some countries sells for just $12 a bottle. In the US, it can be as high as $350 per bottle. New research shows that nearly 25% of Diabetic Americans have been forced to ration insulin because they can not afford it. This issue hits home for me, because my dad is a type 1 diabetic. Simply put, we are being ripped off. We Will:

• Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices with the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act.
• Allow patients to buy low-cost prescription drugs from other countries with the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act.
• Pass the Prescription Drug Price Relief Act, which ties prices to the median drug price in five major countries: Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan.

The United States leads all other countries in Health Care Spending ​​ ​​

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Guaranteed Child Care

Currently, the cost of having a baby can be anywhere from $13,000-$30,000. After birth, the cost of childcare averages around $12,000 a year. We believe that new mothers and fathers should not be on the hook for $20,000-$40,000 simply because they had a baby. By guaranteeing childcare we would eliminate a large financial burden on new parents and allow them to return to work sooner, thus helping lift families out of poverty, increase workforce volume, and boost the economy.

Internet As A Public Utility

We believe that the internet is now as vital to live in society as Electricity, Water, and Energy. From receiving an education to applying for a job, the internet is crucial for achieving success. It is unacceptable that in the United States, 33% of American adults do not have access to Broadband Internet (https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology/internet-privacy/public-internet-option). As we have seen with COVID-19, the Internet is an absolute necessity and we believe that it is a human right. In these trying times, access to the internet is imperative to keep our society from grinding to a halt. We will make high-speed internet affordable and available for anyone who wants it, from small businesses to family farms. To do this we will: -Build publicly-owned broadband networks -Break up cable and service provider monopolies and reverse non-competitive mergers -Hold Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast accountable for price gouging. -Lower costs for internet service

Protect Our Planet By Creating Jobs

Most people in Central Florida are having a hard time making ends meet. They work 2-3 jobs just to afford a place to live. What we are proposing is that if you work 8 hours a day you should be able to afford a place to live and have the ability to raise a family without worrying about money. The good news is that we have the opportunity to do this while making sure that our community and environment survive for our children in the future. That opportunity is a federal jobs guarentee. It is a cohesive framework to completely transform our economy by placing the focus on families and community businesses. This federal jobs guarentee will make sure that everyone is able to get a decent paying job, similar to what our grandparents grew up with. It will also help us cut emissions to zero in 12 years, so that we don't experience the worst effects of a warming planet, such as more hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Learn More Here:
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Sustaining Our Agriculture

We believe that the food consumed by Americans should be the best it can possibly be. For too long, the only individuals benefiting from our agricultural practices are big ag businesses. We are working to create a system that allows for farmers, rural communities and the environment to thrive. We can do this by: -Putting an end to factory farming Mass meat production has a massive carbon footprint and detrimental effects on our environment -Banning antibiotics in animal husbandry -Reforming patent laws to protect farmers from predatory lawsuits from seed corporations Food should not be considered intellectual property -Strengthening Organic Standards This will protect small farms and agriculture businesses from competing with “big ag” corporations that are able to circumvent food standards -Developing Fair Trade partnerships that protect farmers both domestically and abroad -Enacting supply management programs to protect against shortages and surpluses. These protections will guarantee that farmers can earn a livable wage -Banning synthetic fertilizer -Eliminating overtime exemptions for farm workers -Rebuilding regional agriculture infrastructure

Fully Supporting Education From PreK-16th Grade

Public Education does not end when you graduate from high school. We believe that a well informed and educated electorate is necessary for democracy. We must support our students and our teachers to improve accessibility to a quality education and prepare the most eligible workforce we can create. We also understand that for every $1 invested in our schools we get a return on that investment of $44. That is why we will fight to: -Ensure no teacher makes less than $60,000 a year -Cover all out of pocket expenses for essential classroom materials -Fully fund universal school meals, year-round -Fully fund public education for PreK-16th Grade, trade schools, and graduate degrees -Expand after-school and summer education programs -Cancel all student debt

End Predatory Towing

Towing companies have become a critical service to consumers throughout the 20th century. However, despite the many helpful roles tow companies play in consumers’ day-to-day lives, some of their practices continue to get more abusive towards consumers. Predatory vehicle towing and storage practices cost consumers millions of dollars every year. We are committed to protecting the towing industries' place in society while protecting consumers from their more costly practices. -Hold Tow Truck contractors responsible for most of the financial strain caused by Towing companies Organizations that reserve the towing companies should pay the companies a larger sum. This would allow for the consumers directly affected to carry less of the financial strain. -Decrease city towing to only include direct dangers to public safety I.E. a blocked handicap spot or an effect on the flow of traffic -Towing companies must post all towing guidelines and requirements to make sure consumers are aware of their rights -Enforce the Fourth Amendment Protects individuals from towing by the government unless they are a direct threat to public safety An individual's car cannot be towed for debt collection or an unpaid fine -In private properties such as apartment buildings and restaurant parking lots: Set a minimum capacity that must be reached before towing can occur This protects companies from their spots being full by non-consumers and affecting their business, while also protecting consumers from predatory costs in unwarranted situations -Enforce penalties when tow truck companies fail to report a towed vehicle to police -Force towers to be open on weekends if they want to charge for storage on those days This will protect consumers from predatory cost build-up -Include payment options for cars beyond cash

Paid Family and Sick Leave

In today’s uncertain times, it is important that every American is equipped financially to ride out the COVID-19 crisis. No one should have to go out of business in order to cut costs. No students should have to worry about their loan payments not being paid because they were laid off from their part-time job. No one should have their electricity and water shut off because they could not pay their monthly utility bills. Financial relief on all of these fronts and more are necessary to ensure America comes out on top stronger than before the pandemic. It’s time to put our hard-working citizens first. I will work to implement: -Hazard pay for essential frontline workers Without our nurses, doctors, grocers, mail carriers, and more, our nation would grind to a halt. These are the people putting their lives on the line to keep America going strong, and they need to be justly compensated for their efforts. -Directing money towards our agricultural workers and farmers to help them stay in business and continue to adequately feed America -Territorial and Tribal funding for COVID-19 relief The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting minorities, especially Native American communities throughout the US -Suspension of monthly payments like rent, mortgage, and other debts -Cancellation of student loan payments -Moratorium on evictions and utility shutoffs from missed payments, as well as foreclosures

Trickle-Up Economics (ie. Freedom Dividend)

The wealth gap in this country has vastly increased over the last half century. Trickle-Down Economics, the rise of enormous Tech Giants such as Amazon have crippled any chance of competition in our markets, creating the largest wealth gap the country has ever seen. We are also in the middle of a global pandemic which has helped the wealthiest people in the world become even richer, while those struggling to get by are now barely holding on. This pandemic has made many things very clear, the necessity for a healthcare system that isn’t tied to your employer, and the necessity of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) during such a crisis. Millions of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck while working multiple jobs. UBI would put money in the pockets of millions of Americans which would allow them to not be scared to get sick, or not be forced to head back to work, risking their lives because they need to pay rent. What we are proposing is simple: $2,000/month to Americans during this global pandemic $1,000/month after the pandemic has ended Every year we are taxed for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and many other things. The federal government just gave trillions of dollars in tax cuts to large corporations and the wealthiest people in the United States, which is paid for through our tax dollars. We must instead provide true monetary and economic relief to all Americans, not just the wealthiest among us. Former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang proposed the implementation of the “Freedom Dividend,” which allows people to opt into either their current social programs (ie.Food Stamps) or accept UBI. UBI will be known as Trickle-Up Economics. It’s simple. Putting money in the pockets of Americans would grow the economy more than ever before. Mr. Yang said “[UBI] is capitalism where you don’t start from $0.” Not only will this protect American workers, this will help finally close the wealth gap that has been increasing exponentially for decades.

Honoring Our Commitment to Veterans

The Following Are Just Some Of The Ways We Can Help Those Who Have Sacrificed So We Can Live Here Safely. -We Will Fight To Eliminate The VA backlog -Reverse Privatization Of Veteran Services -Expand VA Caregivers Program -Increase funding to Veterans Affairs Hospitals -Increase treatment for Veterans with PTSD -Fill 50,000 vacancies currently open in the Veterans Affairs department -End the backlog for treatment at VA Hospitals -Provide funding to modernize the VA’s infrastructure -End the privatization of VA services -Improve care for survivors of sexual trauma in the military -Expand suicide prevention services -Ensure Gay and Trans Service Members rights -Expand services for women’s healthcare -Improve disability benefits -Support VA Staff by improving working conditions and allowing a formation of a VA Union Our campaign is in full support of universal healthcare (Medicare For All). However, no matter what happens in regards to this legislation, we pledge our full support to increased veteran healthcare benefits. We believe that veterans must be taken into special consideration when drafting all future healthcare bills because we believe that anyone who is injured, whether physically or mentally, should be able to afford and receive proper medical treatment.

Fighting Homelessness, Not The Homeless

We start with the belief and understanding that every human has value and worth. We believe that in the richest country in the world, 57,000 veterans should not be sleeping on the streets. We also understand that housing affects all other issues and stability is impossible without a roof over one's head. Current policies that demean and attack any members of our community, regardless of their situation, are morally wrong and must be ended. Right now it costs Florida tax payers $30,000 a year per unhoused person to leave our veterans and community members on the street. We want to lower that cost by 60% with a simple idea: provide cheap and affordable housing to those who need it.

Legalize, Vacate, Expunge

It is time that we end the failed War on Drugs. It is too expensive, too destructive, and too incompetent to continue. Legalization and decriminalization of marijuana will provide a major boost to the national, state, and local economies via sales taxes, improve regulation and controlled testing of products, and allow our legal system to focus on issues that create actual threats to our society. If elected, I will fight to: -Legalize medical and recreational marijuana -Vacate and expunge all past marijuana-related arrests and convictions -Ensure proper testing regulations on medical and recreational marijuana products -Help create regulations to prevent legalized marijuana from turning into big tobacco -Put a permanent moratorium on advertising -Oversee the creation of antitrust watchdogs and enforce a total prohibition on tobacco companies entering the marijuana market -Ensure marijuana businesses are structured and incentivized to invest in local areas and to provide jobs and community growth -Use the revenue from legal marijuana to reinvest in the communities that have suffered the most from the War on Drugs

No More Mass Or Everyday Shootings

The threat of gun violence in America is all too real today, and it must be stopped. As a leader on the global stage, America should not be first amongst developed nations when it comes to gun deaths. About once every 15 minutes, an innocent child, a pedestrian, or a mother is shot. In 2017, three quarters of all murders in the United States involved a gun. In addition, gun suicides from 2006 to 2017 have increased by 41% . Almost all of these deaths would have been preventable had we examined the roots of the problem and acted upon them immediately. In a majority of these cases, the individual with the gun was disturbed in some way or had a mental illness. Furthermore, the lax laws that exist in this country have allowed such irresponsible and dangerous people to obtain these weapons with ease. Minors under 18 have a harder time obtaining alcohol legally than getting their hands on a weapon from an illegal sale. That needs to stop. When elected, I will work tirelessly to ensure that no gun will ever be in the reach of an unstable and dangerous person. To achieve a safer society, I will: -Advocate for universal background checks and licensing procedures This change has wide support from many Americans. Don’t believe me? Ask the 90% of surveyed gun owners who do Background checks that were already in place have stopped over 3 million people who were deemed unfit to own firearms from being a further danger to society since 1994 Let’s prevent more deaths and expand these checks to the whole country to prevent more irresponsible individuals from claiming innocent lives -Prevent the upward trend of mass shootings Advocate for red flag laws that allow a judge to temporarily restrict ownership of a firearm for a person deemed at risk by family or friends Raise the age to buy any firearm, assault weapon or handgun, to 21 years of age Expand mental health services in schools to counsel troubled students or staff and help them with their difficulties This will greatly decrease the 6 in 10 gun suicides each year -Work to end domestic gun violence deaths Loopholes in legislation, in addition to finite background checks, results in unstable people, often males, easily getting access to firearms and using them against their partners The presence of a firearm in a domestic violence situation increases risk of homicide by 500% I will introduce legislation to get rid of the Boyfriend Loophole that allows partners who are not married to obtain guns, even if they were previously convicted Also, I will fight to get rid of the Charleston Loophole, which allows gun buyers to purchase their weapon without any obstacles if a background check is not completed within 3 business days -Hold the gun industry accountable Eliminate state gun preemption laws which curb the authority of local officials to enact gun control legislation Prohibit the NRA from lobbying city officials to pass contradictory laws that allow guns in areas where other weapons (such as knives) are not allowed Further reading: -Five years apart, Armslist is a source that catalogs the use of guns in high-profile domestic violence cases -Association Between Connecticut's Permit-to-Purchase Handgun Law and Homicides -Effects of the Repeal of Missouri’s Handgun Purchaser Licensing Law on Homicides

Reviewing and Renewing our Police Force

Not much has changed in the structure of policing over the roughly 200-year period of when policing in America came to be. Police were intended to prevent political unrest and workforce disruption. Policing started to monitor immigrants in the 1800s “who looked and acted differently from the people who had dominated cities before.” What has changed is the expansion of police omnipresence into black and brown neighborhoods in a discriminatory manner. In order to improve our society and to act in light of the massive injustice done to communities of color and the injustice done in regards to the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor and many more, The For The Many Campaign would like to announce a new policing policy which takes into account the failures of the past: -Shift Funds From Policing To Community Programs Police forces carry too much weight in the general community. Policing includes monitoring and managing a sprawling range of issues: drugs, domestic violence, homelessness, mental health issues, immigration issues, school safety, sex work and sex traffickers, youth violence, and political resistance. Shifting these funds will give the ability to fund other local oversight organizations outside of the police force, minimizing the necessity for police presence in a majority of cases. Get police out of schools and majority-black communities. Police killings have harmed the mental health of black communities, according to The New York Times. Policing-incidents in schools disproportionally target Black and Latinx students. With this fact, they no longer need to have a presence in the school system. Instead of police, a local, community-led organization needs to be present to protect students and faculty. End federal programs providing military equipment to police forces. -Take immediate legal action following police killings and violence 99% of police killings from 2013-2019 have gone without criminal charges pressed against the officer. When someone is killed, a full-scale investigation must take place from an outside, non-political group. The immediate removal, criminal charge and arrest must take place for any officer’s killing of an unarmed person of color, or any unarmed individual. -Organize community-led policing structures As stated, our current policing system gives too much power to the police force. We must divide the work up among other community-led organizations. The money taken from defunding police will go towards organizations meant to address the homeless population and lack of substantial health care system. Investing in life-affirming services and other community-led services. Provide state and federal funding for the establishment of civilian-led oversight agencies. -Establish stricter use of force revisions Establish clear standards for Use of Force. Force must only be used when there is a clear and undeniable necessity for it. When force is used, the victim and the police officer involved must have their names released within 24 hours of the incident occurring. This will provide more transparency to situations that result in the death of an individual. Make body cams for law enforcement a mandatory requirement nationally. Body Cam footage from the police officer must be reviewed immediately by an unbiased organization. Officers must carry non-deadly weapons. Outside groups must closely monitor police actions to proactively hold officers accountable for the actions they take. -Require a comprehensive de-escalation training and inclusivity training Require and fund police officer training on implicit bias (to include biases based on race, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion, ethnicity and class), cultural competency, de-escalation, crisis intervention, adolescent development, and how to interact with people with mental and physical disabilities. Training will be done in a meaningful way meant to be enforceable through independent oversight committees. There are currently 34 states that do not require de-escalation training. We must require and fund de-escalation training in all 50 states, and require de-escalation tactics to be used before any other tactics are used. Only 6 States currently have some form of inclusivity/diversity training. We believe making a mandatory comprehensive inclusivity training that includes education on sexuality, gender, race, socioeconomic status, etc., is key to having a law enforcement force that knows how to properly use its power. -End Qualified Immunity For more information, please see the links below: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/us/police-shootings-black-mental-health.html https://www.endzerotolerance.org/police-in-schools-policy-reforms http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2016/09/get_police_out_of_schools_coalition_of_student_parent_groups_say.html https://newrepublic.com/article/157875/pandemic-right-time-defund-police https://time.com/4779112/police-history-origins/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/03/new-york-millions-march-nyc-black-lives-matter-defund-police https://theintercept.com/2017/10/15/alex-vitale-interview-the-end-of-policing/ https://theintercept.com/2020/05/29/george-floyd-minneapolis-police-reform/ https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/four-years-in-a-row-police-nationwide-fatally-shoot-nearly-1000-people/2019/02/07/0cb3b098-020f-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html https://berniesanders.com/issues/criminal-justice-reform/ https://www.joincampaignzero.org/force https://www.apmreports.org/story/2017/05/05/police-de-escalation-training

Dignity and Justice for All

As a campaign, we stand for dignity and justice for all. This means that if elected, I will: Fight for LGBTQ+ visibility and rights on all fronts Learn more here Ensure that disabled individuals are protected and taken care of Learn more here Fight for Gender Equality Learn more here
Immigration Reform
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Vote by Mail

Transparent election practices are a cornerstone of our democracy. As we face unprecedented times, America must use this opportunity to improve our voter practices and that starts with how we address absentee ballots and vote by mail options. Below, you will find a list of policy points aimed at making voting accessible to all Americans. -Set Federal Standards for Federal elections Create standardized guidelines regarding voting machines, voter registration, and absentee voting options for all states This will protect citizens from voter purging, gerrymandering and registration issues that plague our voters -Implement incentives for states that meet all federal election mandates Allow the state to receive federal funding to offset the economic strain of a new election system Added incentives for states that see a rise in voter turnout -Fight to get absentee ballots distributed to all registered voters in every state Do away with the need for necessary reasons in states where that is still required -Create a bipartisan team tasked with maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the mailed-in ballots This team should be outside of the sphere of political activity and truly bipartisan to protect from any possible bias