My policy positions

Demand Newsome call in the National Guard to quell the massive crime wave that is eroding communal trust in our district, destroying our faith in local government and state and federal government along with it. Enough with nominal sentences for the murderers of children and the elderly, enough with the rampant crime in broad daylight tearing at the very fabric of our community, enough of our small businesses and residents dealing with the constant fear and repercussions of unaccountable felons. District Attorney Pamela Price needs to be recalled immediately.

Marginalize the extremes in both parties that make nothing but empty noise and create division, actively attempting to create dysfunction in an attempt to undermine our Democratic institutions (looking at you Gaetz, Boebert, Greene and their ilk, with their “dear leader” Trump hopefully imprisoned - if we still have a functioning justice system - or exiled to Russia) and allow moderates to find common ground and end the gridlock and acrimony in Congress. Our nations problems are not always black and white and shades of grey abound. Nuance and compromise are essential to pass any meaningful legislation.

Single-payer healthcare with affordable rates and fair compensation—Medicare for all.

Trim our bloated military budget to fund major investments in science and education.

Ban equity trading by any elected or appointed government official. Stricter controls on crypto currencies so they are not simply a means of laundering funds for illicit reasons or as a means for supposed whiz kids to create pyramid schemes, but a method to streamline financial transactions.

There should be no debate that felons like Trump or Santos are allowed to continue to run or serve. Congressional representatives (and especially the Presidency) need to be held to a higher standard and the barrier to entry should not be based on personal wealth. Just as we strive for a diverse congressional body that represents all American view points, we should elect representatives that reflect our full economic spectrum, not a bunch of multi-millionaire overlords who couldn’t tell you the price of a gallon of milk, let alone empathize with living pay check to pay check.

Justice in criminal and civil courts should not be dependent on wealth. White collar criminals are often not prosecuted and if so, usually coddled - people like Elizabeth Holmes deserve life in prison, causing far more damage than some drifter committing a crime so they can eat, by providing false hope for millions while stealing not just from private equity firms but investors with modest means. No more Madoffs! But then, in our district, many criminals, no matter their malfeasance, are not prosecuted given the blatant dereliction of duty by our District Attorney Pamela Price. Her callousness and cruel dismissal of families destroyed by violence (reminiscent of Trump’s actual mocking of gold star families - belittling soldiers that died for our nation while adding salt to the enormous wounds of their families) that allows murderers to go either unpunished or uninvestigated is beyond the pale and not worthy of a public official holding office. Many police officers I have spoken with ask what’s the point of charging anyone when, more often than not, they are never prosecuted.

End subsidies to fossil fuels. Reinvest in sustainable, renewable and green energy solutions. Impose severe taxes on greenhouse omitting companies. Climate change must be seen for the existential threat it is and our country needs to be a leader in its elimination.

Stronger federal support for all small businesses, especially those public facing that were devastated by covid. It is an unknown national tragedy that less than a third of bars and restaurants received a government bailout as the program ran out of funds. Can you imagine the public reaction if the federal government told United and American Airlines we got you during a bailout crisis for the airline industry, but sorry Delta we ran out of money? Yet that’s exactly what happened to the nation’s second largest employer and a significant reason for why your favorite eating establishments or bars no long exist. Why wasn’t the money spread evenly as opposed to the government picking winners or losers? Over a million in tax free Covid money for one restaurant while the one next door gets zero, as happened to us? We are party to an inquiry that is actively investigating that very question.

Encourage and subsidize national manufacturing with stronger unions and fair wages as opposed to outsourcing to countries that essentially provide slave labor.

I’m pro-choice and believe in the right of a woman to make her own decisions concerning her own body and health. Congress should enact a law ensuring this right.

Term limits for all members of congress as well as the Supreme Court.

I am a firm supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.

I oppose the death penalty and stand against corporal punishment. However, this is a useful position to say that while I do not agree with the death penalty I can understand why many would, especially families of the victims, but I do not believe the government should be involved in executions and in Texas we now have proof that an innocent man was wrongly executed and there will never be justice for him or his family.

Citizens United was wrongly decided. Corporations are not people. We need to remove as much money from political campaigning as possible, otherwise we turn into an oligarchy, and are already well on our way. Again, I can neither afford (as well as refuse to send Alameda County $14,000 on principal, which they will assuredly waste) simply to have 250 words in a voters guide.

End the Electoral College: the one nationally elected office, the President, should be decided by popular vote, not some archaic system that gives power to less populated states. Again, it’s not just that a Californian’s vote means less than an Ohioan’s and that Presidential candidates must focus campaigns on a few swing states and essentially ignore ours given it’s clear California goes Blue. Nor is it right that 40,000 Midwestern or Floridian votes sway the fate of the entire executive branch and that both Trump and Bush, despite neither winning the majority of nationwide votes (millions more in Hillary’s case - which were completely dismissed), became president because our vote simply doesn’t matter? How is that Democracy? And enough of, well, that’s how the founders wanted it, as they were imperfect human (as we all are) beings of their time. The founders wanted slaves to count as 2/3 of a person and were appalled at the thought of women suffrage. The constitution is a living document subject to change, indeed provides provisions for doing just that, not some static gospel from the 18th century, as many originalists on the Supreme Court (good riddance Scalia) would have you believe. If originalists like Clarence Thomas had their way, destructive and abusive child labor would still exist, there would be no FDA and industrialists would be able to do anything to make an extra buck even at the physical and mental health of the vast majority of citizens. Our constitution allows for change as the founders understood that the issues of the 18th century would be fundamentally different as the centuries wore on, hence the fundamental ability to allow for change via amendments.

Reapportion representation in the Senate in line with population. (How is it fair that the Dakotas have four senators with 1.5 million in population while California has 40 million people and two senators?) Again, I understand at the constitutional convention almost 250 years ago, smaller states were worried about lack of representation, but that was when we had 13 former colonies still reeling from a brutal but essential and courageous Revolutionary War. That the Dakotas have twice the say as Californians in the Senate is simply undemocratic and again, the American public, thorough their representatives, have the ability to make the necessary changes via constitutional amendments.

We need to move away from divisive identity politics (like the debacle that was the San Francisco School Board) to focus on our shared experience and unite toward common goals. Hyper wokeness often ends good faith dialogue while ensuring the culture wars the right is so fond of, hurting liberal causes, and enabling pendulum swings so that criminals like Trump have a shot at a second term. Extreme identity politics polarize and exacerbate the division within our community, cutting off communication, ensuring that we all walk on egg shells fearing we will be canceled for saying anything even remotely triggering, and stymying the common ground that we as Americans all share. Of course African Americans were stolen, shackled and shipped from their ancestral homes in brutal, intolerable conditions, only to suffer horrific and vicious slavery for centuries and significant racism to this day; loyal Japanese Americans were interred during WWII, their possessions and livelihoods taken; Chinese Americans, many of whom were “coolies,” forced into bondage to create our railroads and other infrastructure while serving as scapegoats for unethical and unscrupulous politicians, especially in the 19th century bay area; Jewish Americans, depending on the century, where either forced from their home countries via pogroms (like my great-grandparents) or barely escaped total annihilation like my Uncle’s family in Austria mere months before the beginning of the genocidal Holocaust. And, of course, this land was never ours to begin with, stolen repeatedly and violently from Native American tribes while nearly wiping out an entire continent of indigenous inhabitants. History is violent, often based on conquest and certainly written from the “winners” point of view and it is our ethical obligation as a nation to see that discrimination in all its forms is eliminated and the sufferings of many of our descendants and the wrongs of our nation’s past demand accountability, however divisive reparations that are not economically feasible and give false hope, are not the answer. We must ensure a more equitable society and again, “that the moral arc bends towards justice.” We must be a nation with a strong moral compass to counter the dictators and oppressors of the world. And we must become the melting pot of immigrants that we are, not the salad we are living.

There is a misunderstanding in our nation that free speech is unlimited. You do not have the right to yell “Fire!” in a theater nor do you have the right to make menacing statements towards any ethnic or religious group, nor slander or libel another, be it a person or a business publicly with baseless lies e.g. the extortionist business model that is Yelp or the substantial increase in antisemitism even against those who think Netanyahu is a Trump clone.

All Public School teachers should earn a minimum six-figure salary given the importance and difficulty of their foundational work. Teaching is more of a calling than a career and to ensure a proper educational environment, class sizes must be smaller and more manageable, with all necessary educational tools available to educators. Ensure that arts in school receive proper funding as well as full technological literacy. History should be taught from a variety of view points so our children understand the nation they live in with all its plusses and minuses, and learn from our past so as not to always repeat the same mistakes. That, as a nation, we rank 35th in math and science among western nations is unconscionable and dangerous for our nation’s future. Our children should aspire to cure cancer, explore Mars, not reality show fame based nothing more on manufactured drama. And it should go without saying that there be equity among schools and that less wealthy districts are able to provide the same standard of education as wealthier districts. Parents shouldn’t be forced into moving decisions in order to place their child in a “better” district - all districts can and should be on par with one another.

We must return to progressive taxation and fairly fund essential programs and initiatives. Watching Ferraris drive by homeless camps proves that we are in late stage capitalism. The wealthiest .1% also cause a larger carbon footprint than the bottom 66% percent combined! Again, that .1% should, and can easily handle, a significant tax burden and any increase in climate change should be financially offset by their indulgence. Want to fly a private jet everywhere? Fine. But you then fund a wind farm in order to do so.

The government should pilot a program that provides Universal Basic Income (UBI) to all Americans below a certain income and/or net worth, with conditions.

Those with extreme wealth should not be able to simply separate themselves from our community (we are not Venezuela), let alone our nation, nor should they be able to take what is a part of our community (I’m thinking Fischer and the A’s here) so Fischer can have 1.55 billion as opposed to the 1.5 billion he already inherited. Major League Baseball is granted a monopoly by the federal government and there should be extreme restrictions on what “owners” can or cannot do with a team that is more affiliated with its community than luxury boxes or the play thing of a spoiled billionaire. Major League Sports have seemingly labeled our district so toxic that all three of our professional teams have left for what they believe to be greener pastures in the past four years, simply because they see more profit, disgustingly and unaccountably ignoring the impact on our community. That said, Go Ballers!, a new minor league baseball team founded by and for Oaklanders in a similar vein to the Oakland Roots, a highly entertaining soccer team that offered an affordable, positive community experience. for which Make Westing supported.

Simplify the tax code and eliminate tax avoidance loopholes and workaround deductions for the wealthy. A minimum tax rate of 99% on anyone making over $5 million annually. No one needs $5 million a year to live, but by doing so the nation allows white collar crime to thrive along with the glorification of environmentally damaging consumerism. Side benefit: the nation’s growing debt might actually be tackled in addition to a whole host of economically starved entities. Narrowing the chasm of income inequality can solve a whole host of societal issues. In northern Europe, indeed in many Western nations, it’s not normal to see so many hungry people sleeping on the streets. America is an unfortunate anomaly among western nations in this respect, the 12th district especially so.

The U.S. should not engage in war unless attacked first, but we should certainly support our allies that share Democratic values throughout the world.

We should do everything possible to avoid direct conflict between nuclear armed nations (WW3). For example, there should be no U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine, though they require our support in establishing a western style Democracy, not subsumed by Putin’s dictatorial desire for conquest.

The U.S. should adopt policies to make Russia a pariah state like Iran or North Korea until it ceases its war of aggression and abides by international law.

Regardless, of one’s position on the current conflict in Israel, there is no place for islamophobia or antisemitism in the public sphere. As far as my position on the current conflict, a bullet point cannot do justice to all the intricacies at play, however, I will say that ALL human life is precious and deserves respect, dignity and protection and I’m more than willing to expand at length on my opinions in any forum. Bottom line: there needs to be a cease fire immediately with the hostages returned and movement towards a two state solution needed to happen yesterday. Also bottom line: the flat out conspirators, reminiscent of 9/11 deniers, at a recent Oakland City Council meeting were an abomination and a stain and embarrassment on our community, and the fact that the majority of our cowardly Council members took seriously some of their extreme false flag notions and beyond the pale antisemitic rhetoric, placed them squarely in league with the disgraced, despicable, company of misinformed, dangerous election deniers and insurrectionists on the right. Again, the extremes/bullies on both sides, that create false realities, are destroying this country and need to be marginalized, not given a pedestal to promote lies and propaganda that only serve to divide us.

The U.S. has a role to play on the global stage. As such, we must not engage in isolationism.

“Dreamers” should immediately receive citizenship. We are a nation of immigrants and our ethnic makeup is constantly changing as it has for hundreds of years and is indeed our greatest strength, not a liability. But unfortunately, we are less of a melting pot these days and more of a salad, content to stay within the confines of those that are familiar to us and sometimes taught to fear the “other,” when we are all Americans.

We should enforce current immigration laws while also providing a clear, fair, legal path to citizenship.

Push China to play by fair international economic rules. Strictly enforce all copyright and trademark laws related to “stealing” of American intellectual property.

Stricter enforcement of current gun laws (and in our district’s case, all laws!) and more stringent requirements for gun ownership, including safety training and mental health evaluations. Why is it significantly harder to get a drivers license than a gun license? I support Ethan’s Law and a ban on assault weapons.

The government should provide free contraception and birth control.

The government should provide Universal Internet Access.

Equal pay for equal work. There is no place for sexism, racism and ageism in our community.

The government should provide free or subsidized pre-kindergarten (Pre-K).

Increase mental health services and job training for veterans (and everyone, frankly).

Ban single-use plastic bottles.

If social media refuses to regulate itself, the government should regulate it.

All vaping products should require an age limit of 18 or older.

Make it easier for voters to vote, whether in person or through mail-in ballots. Enforce existing elections laws.

Modernize and update zoning laws to increase the supply of affordable housing by allowing for smarter, denser neighborhoods.

Government should encourage renewable energy. Solar tax credits should not expire and electric vehicles subsidized.

In order not to make this section endless, I will end with a personal passion: space exploration is key to understanding our place in the universe and indeed, the very nature and origin of ourselves. Space truly is the final frontier and I assumed we’d have a human on Mars by now when I was a child. Great feats of NASA engineering that have everyday value to the nation (GPS, weather forecasting, even satellite TV) to name but one of thousands, inspire new generations to reach beyond our limits and to pursue their curiosity while continuing human’s innate drive for exploration. The federal government needs to sufficiently fund all of NASA’s endeavors so that today’s generations can experience something of the pride and wonder of the Apollo missions that captured worldwide imagination and truly established our country as a nation capable of nearly anything when we work together towards common goals. It’s hard to imagine our current congress do anything but cut our social safety net while a slim minority hold our payment obligations hostage, damaging our credit rating, so they can pass broad legislation that only a narrow slice of Americans agree with. The status quo is not working and I know the word change has become cliche in politics, but with no apologies, it’s past time for change.