Everyone I speak with tells me they love the green and open spaces, and the tight knit communities. Unfortunately, most of the roads in northern RI are not pedestrian friendly. Families feel unsafe walking with their kids or letting them ride their bikes because of speeding drivers and no sidewalks. On top of that, public transit service is few and far between for most people. It is our job to design a transportation system that works for all people: pedestrians, bicyclists, cars and buses alike.
Climate Change is the largest existential threat facing us today. It is now the 11th hour, and if we do not act quickly enough, we will all be stuck with devastating environmental and economic consequences. The cost of solving the climate crisis is cheaper than if we do nothing at all. Rhode Island needs to step up to the challenge and enact its own Green New Deal. This means making it easier for families to switch to green energy while placing hard limits on corporations and their ability to pollute.
The middle class is the backbone of the American economy. However, the middle and lower class is continuously left to pick up the scraps left over by the top 1% of Americans rather than being treated as real, hard-working people. Even though productivity has risen exponentially, people are working more than they did 30 years ago, not less. Not only that, wages for the average family are also stagnant. I will stand for all working families to put more money in your pockets while also cutting the amount of time needed to work.
The goal of these reforms is to force big businesses like Amazon, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Target to treat their employees better. Small businesses would have different requirements and would also be provided aid by state government to help cover the costs of these reforms.
The goal of these reforms is to force big businesses like Amazon, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Target to treat their employees better. Small businesses would have different requirements and would also be provided aid by state government to help cover the costs of these reforms.
Healthcare is a basic human right, and yet, the United States is the only developed nation in the world which does not have universal healthcare. Rhode Island must do its job and take swift action to take on big insurance and big pharma. We must also invest in research into creating our own public healthcare option for all Rhode Islanders
Every child in Rhode Island has a right to a high-quality education, but we have a long way to go to reach this point. Our schools are underfunded, teachers and students overworked, and current curriculum fails to provide the necessary skills needed to succeed today. The lack of comprehensive education reform is just another punch in the gut to everyone, parents, teachers and students alike. As a special education teaching assistant in a public middle school, I understand the urgency of the situation and will act with haste.
When the internet first started going commercial, it was considered a luxury and not a public utility. Now, access to the internet is essential for everyday life. Applying for jobs, paying your bills and research for those school or work projects are all done online. The rise of the internet also brought along the rise of a small handful of mega-corporations that have vast control over how we interact with today's world. Telecom companies like Verizon and Cox refuse to compete for customers because it's cheaper not to. Social media companies have little to no legal limits on the data they collect on users and how they sell it to advertisers. Artificial intelligence programs can be used to deny you a credit card or loan application before a human ever has a chance to see it. We may be one small state out of fifty, but it is states that need to be on the forefront of updating our rules and regulations for the 21st century. At a minimum, we need to codify peoples' digital privacy rights, crack down on the addictive aspects of social media algorithms, and force our internet providers to actually compete with each other.
While only having 2% of the world’s population, the United States has almost 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. Rhode Island needs to do its part to fix our broken justice system. From policing to our prisons, we can do better. The goal of policing should be to rehabilitate people into society and not punish addiction and mental disorders.
Voting is one of the most fundamental components to any democracy. I want everyone to feel like they are represented, can make their voices heard, and that their vote counts. It is extremely important that we do everything possible to ensure that all eligible voters have easy access to the ballot box.
Our fundamental rights are under attack by an extreme right-wing Supreme Court. The radical GOP that made it possible to overturn Roe v. Wade is not ready to stop. There have already been calls to overturn precedent that protects the rights to same sex marriage, contraception, and more. We need to make clear that RI will stand up and fight for these fundamental rights.