Moms will do anything to protect their kids. Moms, and women in general, are at the center of the policy issues driving the 2020 elections. We need to make our voices heard so we are better represented in government and can drive the policies that affect us today and in the future.
I’m the only progressive Democrat running in my congressional primary race in NY3. So let’s talk about what that means, practically, to all of the moms out there.
Introducing…
It’s broken out into three parts:
For our children
Progressive policies mean a future our children deserve.
Ending Gun Violence
Our kids have enough things to worry about in school—a mass shooting shouldn’t be one of them. I‘m fighting to expand background checks, close gun show loopholes, enact federal red flag laws, ban 3D printed ghost guns, assault weapons and high capacity magazines. Common sense gun safety laws are proven to keep kids and our communities safe.
Improved Education
Every child should have the resources and opportunity to succeed. I support extended public education including Pre-K, public colleges and trade schools. I propose increasing federal funding for our schools, up from their current rate of 8% and increasing Title 1 funding so every school is able to meet the demands of their students. We must also fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to ensure that every child has a right to a free and public education.
What a child learns is just as important as how they learn. We must provide funding for culturally relevant curriculums and Social Emotional Learning as well as increased and updated education on topics critical for children and teens for inclusiveness (gender / orientation, bullying, identifying and stopping hate, eating disorders and depression).
We must stop funding the expansion of charter schools and ban for-profit charter schools. We must also eliminate high-stakes testing, encouraging schools to use assessments to demonstrate learning in multiple ways.
Universal Childcare
The brunt of childcare falls on women. Affordable & high quality childcare should not be a barrier for women who choose to continue their careers. I support free and low cost childcare options that meet National quality standards to ensure that every child is cared for and every woman has the same opportunities as men.
Universal Family Leave
Childbirth is traumatic physically and exhausting emotionally. Parents need adequate time to adapt and care for their newborn. We need universal family leave, which means 6 months maternity for women and 8 weeks for men.
Ensure a Habitable Planet
The climate crisis jeopardizes our children’s future. If we continue with half-measures and empty promises our children will suffer the consequences. We must eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels, curb carbon emissions and bring about a Green New Deal to ensure our children have a habitable planet to live on.
For our families
Stay healthy— physically and financially
Medicare for all is the morally and fiscally responsible solution to our country’s healthcare crisis. It would provide healthcare to every single person regardless of age, employment status or pre-existing condition. It would cover dental, vision, mental health, hearing aids and long-term care. Under this proposal, there would be no copays, deductibles or premiums. Your family would be able to see a doctor when they want and not have to worry about going into debt to do it.
Creating a fair tax system
Working class families should not have to pay more in taxes so billionaires and corporations can pay none at all. Everyone should pay their fair share. We must also bring back the SALT deduction for struggling Long Island families.
For ourselves
Financial equality
Women earn 81¢ for every $1 a man earns, with that gap widening for women of color. We must mandate equal pay for equal work and enact a true living wage.
End workplace discrimination
As of 2017, over 42% of women faced discrimination in the workplace. We must end at-will employment.
Protect our rights
No one should tell us what we can and cannot do with our bodies. We must protect Roe v. Wade and repeal the dangerous and discriminatory Hyde Amendment.
Protect ourselves
We must end financial abuse against women by clearly defining it, standardizing reporting and legislating solutions to help women break the cycle.
Elect more moms
Right now only 5% of Congress is made up of moms. If we want a more equitable America that puts the safety and future of our families first, then we need to elect more moms.
I am proud to have the endorsements of Moms In Office, the National Organization for Women and Matriarch. Three groups fighting every day to have more women representing the needs of women in government.
