On the Motivation page I describe why I see democracy in crisis. Basically, corporate and foreign interests have bought up the US Congress. On the Theory page, I describe how I understand politics. Basically, excess power makes compassionate thought impossible and excess trauma makes rational thought impossible and there two together threaten our democracy. On this Practice page I describe how I would practice democracy.

 

The first responsibility of the US Government is the health and welfare of US citizens. For if citizens are not healthy and secure, democracy is not possible.

 

If you want to learn to play the piano, you have to practice playing the piano. Likewise, if we want to restore our democracy, we have to practice democracy. Currently, as 90% of Americans agree, money rules our political system and disenfranchises regular citizens. Elected officials spend an average of six hours a day dealing with big-money donors, trading cash for policy. I want to invert this and practice democracy Athenian style. When elected I will select citizens from my district by lottery to form a council of 100. These 100 will have the same access to my office as the big donors have to their politicians. This way just about everyone in my district will know someone who knows someone who has my phone number. Together we will rebuild democracy from the bottom up.

 

Based on the observation that power harms the human mind, I advocate for taxing the rich. It is for their own good. Since the Reagan Presidency, changes in the tax code and other give-ways transferred 50 trillion dollars to the top 1% and decimated the middle class of America. Let's revert the tax code on the rich to post WWII levels and restore our democracy.

 

Based on the observation that trauma harms the human mind, I advocate for a universal basic income, universal housing, and universal health case. In my America no one sleeps on the street, no one is crushed by medical debt, and no one suffers poverty. Ending homelessness and poverty is a lot cheaper than endless wars.

 

It would cost 20 billion dollars a year to guarantee housing for everyone. Under the current system, citizens are paying 30 billion dollars a year in emergency medical and security services for people living on the street. Let's do the right thing and save 10 billion dollars a year.

 

Our current for-profit healthcare system is the most expensive in the world and produces the worst outcomes of any developed country; our lifespans are decreasing and our infant mortality rates are increasing. Moving to a single-payer healthcare system will cut costs in half and improve outcomes. Let's do the right thing and save 500 billion dollars a year.
 

Endless wars and the genocide in Gaza do not benefit the life or liberty of US citizens. Rather, they burdens us with crushing debt - the interest payments alone on our national debt are a trillion dollars a year, or $1000 per month for a family of four. The US has over 800 military bases around the world. Let's start bringing them home, start paying down our debt, and give the next generation a decent chance at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

The corporate and foreign sponsored politicians have been paying lip service to campaign finance reform for decades. Yet we keep getting beat by money. The Democrat is this race was selected in the primary with two million dollars from AIPAC. These corporate and foreign politicians need big money to stay in power and will not reform the system of legalized bribery. Fellow citizens, we need to take money out of politics ourselves. Vote for candidates who refuse corporate and foreign cash. Vote Green. Vote Joe Meyer for Congress.