Foreign Policy

Since October 7th, 2023 we have been watching a genocide unfold, perpetrated by Israel and supported by US arms and funds. We demand an immediate arms embargo, an end to the apartheid state, and safe aid distribution for Palestinians.

• Arms Embargo

• End the occupation and apartheid

• Right of return for Palestinians

• Human rights and liberation

• Ceasefire Now

• Divest from Israel

• Trials for war criminals in the US and Israel

Currently, our system contains major conflicts of interest, with lobbyists pushing our government toward military action motivated by profits for the defense contractors. War should be a last resort, carried out only for self-defense or in alignment with the UN.

A publicly controlled military complex can innovate and produce more efficiently than private companies. This is evident with our foremost military rivals, China and Russia, who spend significantly less and mainly rely on state-owned military complexes that outpace us in manufacturing and develop more advanced weapons, such as hypersonic missiles.

Cut Military Spending by at least 50%, which would still leave us with the largest military budget globally. In fact, we would still have a larger military budget than China and Russia combined. [Wiki]

Our for-profit military-industrial complex is bankrupting America.

It's time to end the endless wars that benefit defense contractors while neglecting our needs at home. Our priority must be our defense, not ruling the world. Our worldwide military presence heightens the risk of engaging in conflicts, puts our troops in danger, and depletes our resources. We need to refocus and reinvest in our future.

No War without a UN mandate. We should only be engaged in a war, directly or indirectly, if it is mandated by the UN Security Council or a UN General Assembly Uniting for Peace Resolution.

Stop interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.

Stop funding foreign media, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Attempts to shape the internal affairs of other nations is a violation of the UN Charter.

No Unilateral Sanctions. Promote diplomacy rather than punitive measures that undermine international relations.

Rejoin and Reinstate Treaties

INF Treaty (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces)

Open Skies Treaty (Unarmed surveillance)
ABM Treaty (Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty)

Renew

START Treaty: Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty discussions due to expire February 2026.

End the Genocide in Palestine

Prioritize International Cooperation

Stop War Profiteering

Stop Bullying & Meddling

Democratic Economy

Our small businesses are disappearing, being taken over by national chains that exploit workers. We need to break up these giant monopolies and provide opportunities to employees and customers to buy into small businesses, e.g. in the cases of owners retiring, which would help stabilize employment in the economy.

Employee-Owned & Consumer-Owned Businesses

Cooperatives are owned by their employees, customers, or a combination of the two, resulting in the prioritization of the welfare of those owners over profits. They have been in existence for centuries and there are successful examples in the US, e.g. REI.

The conversion of a business to a co-ops has a higher survival rate compared to when a business is purchased by a private entity. Converting private businesses to cooperatives represents a vital strategy to empower employees and consumers as well as sustain local economies, which is especially needed as national consolidation continues to rise. By providing grants and low-interest loans for these transitions, we can help stabilize employment and reinvest profits into communities rather than allowing them to be absorbed by larger corporations.

Tax the Rich

Provide Financial Support

Incentivize businesses to sell to their employees and customers, e.g. through tax breaks on the sale, giving the seller an opportunity to make more, while also providing the buyers with grants and low interest loans

Expand funding for the Food Desert Prevention Act, currently underfunded at $50 million annually, to support the establishment of grocery stores in underserved areas. Recognize that thousands of grocery stores may be necessary to effectively eliminate food deserts.

Leverage the USDA's food co-op seed money grant program to facilitate the creation of grocery cooperatives.

Tame Big Business

Mandate that large corporations have their employees elect half of the board members, who are responsible for key decisions such as selecting the CEO, using a one-person-one-vote system. This would contrast with the current system, where shareholders elect board members via a one-share-one-vote method, giving a few wealthy interests dominance over the corporation. German corporations have operated this way since the 1970s, which has produced such successful corporations as Volkswagen and BMW.

Enforce anti-trust laws. When breaking up large businesses like Walmart, Target, Dollar General and Amazon, convert the resulting smaller businesses into co-ops, controlled by a mix of employees and consumers.

Support the Unions

Support Nationwide Right to Unionize Act (H.R. 5159): Introduced in 2023, aims to eliminate “right to work” laws and reinforce the legal framework established by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). So-called “right to work” laws are designed to dismantle unions.

Increase funding for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) such that it is fully staffed. According to the AFL-CIO, the budget needs to be increased by approximately 50% to $400 million.

Wealth Tax: Create a constitutional amendment to impose a wealth tax on billionaires, with a rate set to shrink their wealth year-over-year. Given that billionaires, on average, increase their wealth by 10% per year, this tax should be higher still.

Capital Gains Tax: Tax capital gains (e.g., stocks, investment properties) at the same rates as ordinary income to ensure fair taxation.

Increase Top Marginal Income Tax Rate for those earning over $3.7 million per year to at least 90%, up from the current 37%. Historically, this rate was over 70% from the 1930s to 1981.

Transform Business Ownership

Public Services & Programs

Americans currently owe at least $220 Billion in medical debt and is the number one cause of bankruptcy in America. Every individual deserves access to high-quality, comprehensive healthcare, with decisions driven by patient needs rather than profit. Full stop. A Medicare for All system would eliminate the unnecessary costs associated with the insurance industry, reduce overall care expenses and increase quality of care.

Healthcare should be as accessible as roads, libraries, and schools—a basic societal need. Private insurance lacks real value; it creates inefficiencies and increases costs. A single-payer system is not only more fair, but would decrease healthcare expenditures by around $650 billion per year. [CBO.gov]

With a unified healthcare plan, everyone, regardless of income, can access necessary care, ensuring that wealth disparities do not determine access to essential services. Moreover, private insurance often confines individuals to their jobs, limiting their ability to pursue better opportunities.

• Implement a Medicare for All system to eliminate insurance industry costs.

• Lower the cost of care and prevent medical debt.

• Expand coverage to include vision and dental.

• Cancel existing medical debt.

• Eliminate federal barriers to state-run single-payer systems.

Housing for All

A university education should be as accessible as K-12. Education benefits the whole society. By making educational opportunities freely available to all from birth through PhD, we strengthen our communities, our economy, and our democracy.

• Tuition-free public universities, community colleges and trade schools.

• Cancel student debt (public and private).

• Invest in scholarships and grants for non-tuition costs (e.g. books, housing, transportation, and food).

Housing is a basic human right and should not be used to generate more wealth for Wall Street. The purpose of the housing sector should be to provide quality, affordable, safe housing for all. Housing costs are soaring, leaving average Americans unable to afford rent or own a home.

• Establish a robust social housing program with income-based rent.

• Implement a corporate excess profits tax on investment properties.

• Create public banking options for affordable loans.

• Utilize community land trusts to manage affordable housing and defend tenants' rights through rent control.

• Reallocate military spending to community programs for fair housing solutions.

  2025: Housing for All in CA’s District 19- Virtual Town Hall

Childcare for All

Education for All

The monthly cost of pre-K childcare for a single child is now comparable to the cost of housing. Adjusting for inflation, Childcare is now 160% higher than it was 30 years ago. Young families can’t budget for this.

Every child should have access to high-quality, free childcare. It should be as easy to access as K-12. It should be free at the point of use with no financial barriers.

Implementing a universal pre-k childcare system would cost an estimated $50 billion in federal funding, doubling the current budget, which is less than 1% of federal spending.

Healthcare for All

Publicly Owned Infrastructure

Publicly Owned Water: Studies have shown the privatization of water is significantly more expensive. [Water Privatization]

Access to clean and safe water is a basic human right. Public ownership of water systems safeguards this right, guaranteeing affordability, sustainability, and community control over our most vital resource.

Publicly Owned Energy: Prioritize the needs of the people over special interests (e.g. Data Centers). Transitioning to publicly owned energy sources allows us to prioritize renewable resources and equitable distribution. Public energy systems can invest in infrastructure that meets community needs while combating climate change and promoting sustainability.

Publicly Owned Transportation: Public ownership of transportation systems promotes reliable, affordable, and environmentally friendly transit options. By investing in public transit, we improve accessibility for all residents, reducing reliance on personal vehicles and encouraging sustainable urban development.

Publicly Owned Banks: Public banks can prioritize low-interest loans for housing, education, and small businesses, contributing to broader economic stability. By creating public banks, we can improve the distribution of wealth in our economy by providing opportunities to people who are exploited by for-profit banks.

Low prices and high quality should be prioritized over profits for essential services and infrastructure like water, transportation, energy and banking. This is best accomplished through public ownership.
Five Ways Privatization Degrades America

Environment & Climate

Transition away from fossil fuels through safe, renewable energy to prevent further damage to the environment, while also reducing our collective energy consumption.

• Prioritize long-term environmental health over short-term profits.

• Transition to renewable energy to combat climate change.

• Keep remaining fossil fuels in the ground.

• Nationalize the fossil fuel industry.

• Reduce reliance on extractive industries including lithium mining.

• Invest in electric public transportation.

• Ban private jets.

• Investment in renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydroelectric) to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

• Create jobs in emerging industries related to renewable energy.

End Pesticide Abuse

Our current industrial food system is a massive source of emissions and toxic chemicals, harming the very communities it feeds. We need to invest in organic and regenerative farming to create safer, healthier, and more affordable food. We should protect the health of people who work to harvest our produce and who are exposed to harmful pesticides and unsafe and unfair labor practices

• Shift subsidies from agribusiness and conventional monocrop farming to regenerative and organic practices.

• Uplift organic and regenerative farming practices

• Subsidize the cost of transitioning fields to organic.

• Implement strict regulations on pesticide use to protect ecosystems and communities.

• Invest in regenerative farming practices and organic alternatives.

• Reduce reliance on harmful pesticides for healthier food systems.

• Prevent long-term health issues associated with chemical exposure.

Safe Renewable Energy