Issues and Priorities
Voter Access
Simple, easy voting access, curtailing gerrymandering, supporting the passing and implementation of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act
In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, taking away the preclearance previously required before new voting laws could be implemented. Since then, hundreds of laws have been proposed and many passed restricting access to the ballot.
Republican jump on spurious voter fraud claims to implement laws and actions that make voting more difficult, such as limiting ballot boxes, stringent voter IDs, limiting hours and restricting vote by mail, as is the case in Florida, by requiring periodic re-registration.
Environment
Protecting and conserving land and water, transition to a renewable energy environment, and smart coastal adaptions.
We must be better stewards of the environment. Phosphate mining in Florida is a major pollutant. Waste products from the processing must be better regulated to avoid river and gulf water contamination, as well as its contribution to generating red tide.
Approaches also need to be identified to address other pollutants such as lawn and farm fertilizers as well as contamination from septic tanks and cattle fields. All these are part of our daily lives but must be addressed to prevent their harmful effects on the environment.
And as development goes wild in Florida, we must continue to push for approaches to mitigate the environmental costs. We must capture more land for preservation and parks before it is bulldozed for another development.
Women's Right to Choose
Let the decision on health care be between a woman and her provider, not the government.
Roe v. Wade established a precedent and liberty that has now been unjustly stripped away. Women must leave their state for the health care they need. State laws are becoming restrictive as in the case of Florida, prohibiting it after 6 weeks.
It is a question of woman’s freedom and autonomy. Dragging a woman through government offices or courts to consider her health care is absurd. I will push for laws protecting a women’s right to choose. Vote Yes on Amendment 4.
Climate Change
Climate change is a huge existential threat to our nation and the world. It contributes to more extreme weather, rising waters, loss of species, and forced human migration. Extreme weather means more powerful hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts and flooding. All of these have a huge economic cost in terms of repairs, building costs and loss of agricultural productivity.
Many insurance providers have pulled out Florida due to excessive claims and insurance rates have skyrocketing.
The US needs to be the leader in clean energy manufacturing, with the aim of heading off further climate change deterioration. Transition to a green economy will also have the side benefit of generating business opportunities and lots of jobs.
Immigration
Immigration reform is urgently needed because the laws in place now are not adequately addressing the problem. We need to address issues regarding improving and speeding up the administrative processing of immigrants, regularize the status of DACA recipients and long-term undocumented residents, allow for a greater flow of immigrants into the US, and implementing better monitoring of undocumented entry at the border.
We should address the humanitarian need and recognize the cultural and economic value of immigrants. We need an orderly documented flow of people into our country. Regularizing immigration status would allow people to become engaged and contributing members of society.
LGBTQIA+
I am a heartfelt supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.
LGBTQ+ people have been part of my life. I have family members and friends over the years living that life. I am personally sensitive to the experiences of those people around me and to the community at large.
I see these issues within the broader context of personal rights, liberty and mutual respect.
Obnoxious and evil voices in our country, in our society, were to some extent silenced in their bigotry and hatred. Trump’s abhorrent rhetoric has legitimized hate groups – anti LGBTQ+ – white supremacists – anti DEI initiatives.
Tragically, it seems we are losing ground. Where we once saw progress, we are now being pushed backwards. “Don’t say gay” laws, banning of books, restrictions on transitioning drugs, anti-trans laws, and usurping the professional role of doctors, librarians, and school boards, and instead putting fascist authority in the hands of bureaucrats and public officials. Those same public officials that condemn LGBTQ+ people, while privately not practicing what they preach.
LGBTQ+ rights are under assault with abominable legislative proposals in Florida and other states.
We must fight to resist such measures, hold onto the gains already made, at the same time that we work for greater progress. We should codify marriage at the federal level, protect individual rights, strengthen antidiscrimination laws, condemn the violence and ensure safety, and provide for additional AIDS research and support for those suffering from the disease.
All Americans should be treated with dignity and respect in their communities, workplaces, and schools.
Foreign Policy
Building strong alliances and working towards global understanding. Contributing to world development as necessary tools for promoting security and prosperity.
UKRAINE: Russia has violated the territorial integrity of the Ukraine in a clear violation of international law. We must support Ukraine, who is very ready to fight for itself. We cannot take our support away in the middle of the battle. Let give them the support they need, or it may lead to a wider war where we would have to do the fighting at a much higher risk level. Failure to act will embolden Putin.
CUBA: It has been 64 years and counting and what have we achieved with Cuba? Nothing. We have relations and big trade with other communist countries, China, Vietnam, for example. Our embargo is used as an excuse by the Cuban Government to continue its repression. We could have had much more impact and influence on Cuba if there had been a more open exchange.
ISRAEL AND GAZA: The attack on Israel was horrendous. Israel has a right to exist and to defend itself but its actions in Gaza is also horrendous and unacceptable. What will it achieve? More anger, hatred, and bloodshed. The quickest way to generate another generation of terrorist is to randomly kill Palestinian family members and destroy their homes. Tens of thousands dead and wounded. A large majority of them women and children.
Palestinians need a homeland. We must have a two-state solution. A place of stability without Hamas. The sooner we move in that direction, rather than decades long war, the better off the region will be.
Insurance Crisis
Reform is needed to correct the Florida insurance market as soon as possible
Housing Crisis
Address affordable housing through national programs supporting the building of lower income units and support for first home buyers.
Economics
Implementing a mixed economy, as well as making clean energy investments will help achieve economic development and job creation. Support President Biden's programs for rebuilding our infrastructure and revitalizing industry in America.
Gun Safety
The more guns around, the more people will be killed by them. Countries with high level gun control have far fewer gun deaths. In our country over 1,500 children and over 40,000 adults were killed in gun violence last year.
To make our country safer, we should begin by getting assault weapons off the market. These weapons of war are frequently used in mass killings.
Background checks, laws requiring safe storage, and red flag laws, essentially ensuring responsible gun ownership, will help to reduce guns getting into the wrong hands.
Hunting is a popular sport and an American tradition. There is no intention to take away guns used for hunting.
Social Security, Medicare and Health Care
We must protect Social Security, expand benefits for low-wage earners, and oppose any cuts.
The reality is that we need multiple measures to protect Social Security for generations to come. Some options include raising the earnings cap, expanding the tax base, and/or taxing the Social Security income of those with high income from other sources. Raising the age limit is totally out of the question, as this primarily hurts low wage earners and provides no immediate financial benefit.
This pie-in-the-sky approach sounds good at face value, but it is impractical and impossible to get through Congress. If you say rich people should pay more without getting additional benefit, the pay-benefit system is delinked, and Social Security becomes a welfare program. That would put Social Security at risk for future cuts. It turns out that throwing out the earnings cap is nothing but a short-term fix.
As your Congressional representative, I will pursue practical long-term solutions to secure Social Security. In Congress, I will analyze options based on hearings and negotiations with my colleagues. I will stand firmly for ensuring benefits are maintained, and even enhanced for low-wage earners, and for placing the burden of additional financing on high-wage earners. I will focus on equity and securing Social Security as quickly as possible. The longer we wait, the more difficult and burdensome it will be to correct.
Medicare must also be protected from cuts and should be expanded to provide universal coverage to those who otherwise would not have access to insurance. The United States is the only developed country that does not have health coverage for all its citizens. This is incomprehensible.
Every American should have access to quality health care.