Diversity Rules Magazine

5 Diversity Rules Magazine December 2019 ta ves. Health care fears and the loss of it was the overriding issue that led to the fall of GOP control of the House. While many support a Medicare for All Program, Mayor Pete has advocated a slightly different approach which preserves choice, since it is America a er all, yet, will offer Americans a choice of a single-payer health care program, is one so chooses. Having a single-payer op on in the exchange will most certainly help provide more af- fordable coverage by offering Americans a compe - ve single-payer program. Forcing Americans onto a single-payer program is clearly not a palatable op- on … yet, anyway. Increasing the Minimum Wage to $15.00/Hour It is unconscionable that the minimum wage remains at $7.25/hour, and has been for the last 10 years. It is me to provide Americans with a working wage that will help them make ends meet be er. Most candidates agree with Mayor Pete on increasing the minimum wage. He also supports the crea on of re- training programs for workers as the na on con n- ues to move further into an automated economy. Taxes While he believes a 70 percent marginal tax rate, as proposed by some, may be divisive, and is open to nego a on, there is, regardless, a need to have the na on's wealthy pay more of their fair share. Green New Deal Supports the economic opportuni es as iden fied in the Green New Deal. Immigra on Mayor Pete supports comprehensive immigra on reform, a pathway to ci zenship, a level of protec- on for dreamers, a set of reforms to clear up the bureaucracy, and reasonable measures on border security. He does not support open borders, as many other Democra c candidates do. Women's Reproduc ve Rights, Abor on Mayor Pete believes the next president needs to be the strongest president ever on women's rights and equality and gender inclusion. He supports the appointment of jus ces that support reproduc ve freedom, and pass laws that prevent states from taking away those freedoms. He also supports funding for sex educa on and birth control programs that make it so fewer women are confronted with a choice of whether to have an abor on or not. He believes in order to undertake all these ini a ves, there is a need to have a president and an adminis- tra on that believes in science Gun Policy Mayor Pete supports comprehensive background checks and opposes guns in schools and permitless carrying. He has been quoted as saying, "It's one thing to own a gun. It's another to worship it, like a false god, believing it will make you a bigger man." Supreme Court Reform Mayor Pete supports the depoli ciza on of the Su- preme Court. One op on which he has advocated is to expand the Supreme Court to 15 jus ces with 10 appointed in the tradi onal manner via the US Sen- ate, and 5 jus ces appointed by a unanimous agree- ment of the other 10 jus ces. College Affordability Mayor Pete diverges from many of the other Demo- cra c candidates, in terms of free college educa on. He supports the investment of $500 billion to make college affordable for working and middle-class families. The 80% of families of public college stu- dents that earn up to $100,000 will not pay any pub- lic college tui on. The next 10% of families, earning $100,000-$150,000, will get reduced public tui on on a sliding scale. To keep tui on costs in check, in exchange for receiving federal dollars states will guarantee to invest in their public higher educa on systems and constrain tui on increases. Lower Housing Costs Mayor Pete supports greater access to affordable housing for over seven million families and will con- nue to support federal homeownership programs that have created pathways to the middle class for millions of Americans. He will enable more than 2 million more units of affordable housing to be built or restored where it is needed most, using billions of dollars of investments in the Housing Trust Fund, Endorsement - Con't on page 18

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