Bring prices down

Keeping food on the table and lights on gets more expensive every paycheck. Whether it’s groceries, energy bills, or your rent or mortgage, the richest corporations in this country are squeezing us for everything we have. Politicians don’t do anything to fight against price gouging because they get campaign contributions from PG&E, United Health, and BlackRock to buy their silence. We all deserve to be able to pay a fair price to keep our families safe, and not a cent more.

Protect Social Security

Ask someone with a fixed Social Security income and they’ll tell you: their check doesn’t go as far as it used to. Inflation is putting our seniors at risk of falling below the poverty line, and we must make sure they are able to live their golden years with the dignity they deserve.

Universal childcare and family leave

The birth of your child should be the happiest day of your life, but so many Americans now face the reality of bills they can’t afford to pay. Families deserve to be together for the first months of a newborn’s life, and it’s time we joined other major countries in guaranteeing paid parental leave. New Mexico just became the first state to offer universal, no-cost childcare to all residents, and expanding it nationwide would ensure parents can continue their careers without pouring all of their income into breaking even.

Raise the minimum wage

If the minimum wage kept up with worker productivity over the past 50 years, it would be $25 an hour. Instead, it’s just $7.25. I dare any sitting DC politician to explain to ordinary Americans how they would survive on $7.25 an hour, let alone support a family. Many full time workers need government programs to survive, which means more middle and working class taxes for us. It’s time to raise the wage so everyone who works hard can have their basic needs met, and ease the burden on our support systems.