IMPROVED DEMOCRACY
I believe our democracy is broken, but with a federal constitutional amendment and state legislation, we can get money out of politics, reduce the $6,000 maximum contribution for Maryland candidates that amplifies the power of the wealthy to maximize their selected candidates’ campaigns, ensure a fair electoral system, and ensure that non-privileged individuals can be empowered to run for office.
Key items to implement:
rank choice voting
electoral rules that are applied equally for all parties and candidates
currently independent candidates and non-primary parties are subject to stringent signature requirements to get on the ballot
public financing of campaigns
provide a public finance option for all gubernatorial and local offices in Maryland (the Montgomery County example is a useful model)
more transparency around the companies running our elections/voter registration
HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUITY, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
I fight for those who have been oppressed by systemic, conscious, and unconscious racism, indifference, ignorance and oppression. I also fight for those being crushed by inhumane policies perpetuated by a system that favors monopolies, large corporations, and the super rich.
I support:
Living wages for all
Adjusted with inflation
Health insurance for all
Reparations for the descendants of slaves and indigenous peoples (it is far time we lifted our brothers and sisters up so that they too may pass on generational wealth and use their resources for the betterment of society)
Housing as a human right
Equitable and affordable education for all
Child care for working parents
An equitable tax system that ensures that the most wealthy are paying their fair share and the less wealthy are paying less in taxes
Restoring fairness for small businesses
HEALTH
Our air is not as clean as our representatives and government represent. In fact we have high rates of asthma in Maryland. We should have air quality detectors throughout Montgomery County and Maryland so that we can better understand and address the scope of the problem.
Getting to 100% clean energy - especially for buses and cars - will go a long way to addressing this problem.
Our water is also not as safe as the WSSC and our leaders would like you to believe. In fact, a gas pipeline crosses the Potomac just upstream of the WSSC’s intake for water delivered to Montgomery County residents. And there was a recent spill on this very pipeline in North Carolina and the federal government declared the pipeline to be an environmental risk. We need immediate action to ensure the safety of our water supply and a long term plan for a cleaner source of water than the Potomac (preferably modeling New York City’s system which pulls water from reservoirs in the protected Catskill mountains). We can do the same from national forests in West Virginia and use the C&O canal as a conduit for the water.
CLEAN THE BAY
Polluted storm water runoff and feces from industrial chicken farms have severely damaged the bay and its ability to support aquatic (and other) species. We must pass laws to ensure that poultry feces are not able to reach the bay, encourage small, family farming poultry operations, and clean up our storm water runoff by using various techniques to limit runoff (including planting vegetation, porous surfaces, green roofs/buildings, and more ubiquitous use of architectural techniques that prevent water from reaching the bay).
The bay, once restored, will be an economic engine for the state. Primarily as a local food source (and exportable food source) and for tourism.
QUALITY OF LIFE
The air and noise polluting gas powered leaf blowers, mowers, snow blowers and edge trimmers need to be replaced with electric powered devices (and encourage non-powered methods for maintaining landscapes).