The debates that go on in Washington – how much to cut Social Security, when to start the next round of corporate tax breaks, what Congress can do to make life easier on Wall Street – don’t reflect the lives the rest of us are living. That’s not going to change until we start sending senators to Washington who bring a working class perspective and passion for tackling tough challenges.
I’ve been tackling tough challenges throughout my entire career, from the Peace Corps to the Americorps to the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. More than anything else, those experiences taught me the power of making positive change happen one conversation and one person at a time. That’s what we did when I helped lead the successful Mainers United for Marriage campaign. It’s what I’ll do as Maine’s next U.S. senator.
You know this, but it's worth repeating: We can’t improve things without hard work and without getting involved. Democracy and the future of our country are too important for people with passion to stay on the sidelines. I believe in economic security – for students, working people and retirees alike – but it’s not enough to believe. You have to work to make it a reality. That’s what I’ve done in my career and as a candidate, and it’s what I’ll do for Maine in Washington.
This race is really about what kind of future we want to build for our children and grandchildren. Congress should be using its power to meet people’s needs and hopes. I’ve heard from voters all over Maine that we need to bring in new jobs, ensure equal pay for equal work and end the big-money stranglehold on our democracy. I support reforming the student loan system to make college more affordable, investing in universal broadband Internet access and cell phone service, increasing funding for schools and roads, and establishing universal health care to cover every American. We can make those changes with a new positive vision in Congress.
To me, those aren’t just policy positions – they’re the building blocks of a stronger, healthier, more prosperous Maine and United States. They’re the reason I got into this race. I wouldn’t be running for office without good public schools, and future generations should have that same opportunity. My mother is a home health care nurse, and I know how important affordable, accessible health care is for Mainers.
Not everyone shares the priorities I believe in. Mitch McConnell has promised his donors that he won’t hold votes on a minimum wage increase or student loan reform if Republicans win control of the Senate and he’s in charge next year. Instead, he’s promised he’ll cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, health care programs and financial regulators.
Rather than leading the charge against these radical proposals, my opponent, Susan Collins, has said she’ll vote for Mitch McConnell for majority leader and thinks he’ll do a good job. When I asked her in a debate last week how she could feed a family on nine dollars an hour – the highest minimum wage she says she can support – she admitted, “Well, clearly that is not a livable wage.” When I asked her just a few days ago in a debate on WCSH how much corporate political action committee money she’s taken in this campaign, she said, “I don’t know the number.”
I’m proud to be able to answer those questions very easily. You can’t live on nine dollars an hour, which doesn’t even get a family of three above the federal poverty line. I support increasing it to $10.10 an hour now and connecting future increases to inflation so working people don’t have to eat at food pantries or go cold through the winter.
I haven’t taken a single cent of corporate PAC money this entire campaign. I don’t owe any corporations favors, special deals or quid pro quos. When I get to Washington, I’ll be thinking about the families I represent, not the special interests who contributed thousands of dollars at a time.
Elections are about choices, and they’re about values. I still have the same working class values I grew up with – hard work, honesty, dealing fairly with people, and stepping forward when I see a lack of leadership. Maine families deserve more economic security and a higher quality of life. Working class values and the action to back them up can get us there. That’s why I ask for your vote on Tuesday if you live in Maine, and for your support no matter where you live.
Thanks so much for all you've done to help the progressive movement. Let's have a good night on Nov. 4.