PLATFORM
I came of age while one of my six siblings was practicing his Patriotic duty in Vietnam, and another was in the streets advocating peaceful solutions. Civility was a hallmark at my family dinner table, and we learned to discuss our differences rationally and without personal attacks. We remain a close family today. It is in this spirit that I hope to advocate for all members in our common communities. I have highlighted some of the issues that need resolution below, though I’d be first to say that the list is not all-inclusive.
Lucius
Parshall
LIST OF ISSUES
Equal Education regardless of Zip
I believe in a government that promotes education of a strong workforce. Make education affordable to all, regardless of zip code. Resolve the mandate that was given over twenty years ago with the Claremont Decision. Mostly, we need to fund education without driving people out of their homes with burdensome property taxes.
The New Hampshire Advantage isn’t for working people that send their children to our schools. It isn’t for those that try and live in community and give their neighbors a lift when needed. It benefits the rich. We are fifth on the list of millionaires per capita, as they seek our favorable tax laws. We had one great Republican that saw the need for a fair and level playing field in Eisenhower. We had a “trickle down” economy since Reagan that is not working. I’m not saying that broad based taxes are the direct answer, but we need to consider every resource and make sure that everyone is paying their fair share. Taxes are patriotic.
Restore the vote to the People
We need to end the practice of seeking political office as a path to riches. True reform will happen when we legislate against politicians that auction off their principles to the highest bidder.
We need to develop solutions to benefit the citizens of New Hampshire, and not shadow lobbyists like “Citizens United” who are anything but citizens. As I have never been for sale, my campaign is funded by individual donations. You can be sure that I’ll support legislation developed here in New Hampshire and not some Wall Street Think Tank.
Worker's Rights and Minimum Wage
I support a $15.00/Hour living wage as a first step to restoring the American Dream. I also believe in worker's rights to collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. We have asked much of our essential workers, and time and again it has been shown that businesses do not fail because they pay fair wages to their workers, but more often fail when they pay exorbitant wages to their CEOs and shareholders.
Health Care is a Human Right
87% of Democrats support Medicare for all. With employment plummeting we see the foolishness of tying our health coverage to employment. I won’t stop fighting for a reasonable way to provide health as a human right. I won’t back-pedal in deference to big Pharma and big insurance. We can no longer allow CEO’s to profit on human misery, it is unconscionable.
I fully support the NH Democratic Party Plank that states "Public health and emergency preparedness are essential responsibilities of government, including seeking federal support to implement robust public health programs and combat the current pandemic and all future public health emergencies."
Black lives matter.
America has engaged in a class war and race war for decades. Four years ago that war was intensified with horrible rhetoric coming out of Washington. We need to respect all life, and in particular, black lives that are under increased assault daily.
We need to end the two systems of justice in America. While, thankfully, we have no private prisons in New Hampshire, we should never let these plantations enslave the most vulnerable. We need quality care in out community, not just from police, but from public health officials and workers trained in crisis intervention. Mostly, we need to put and end to systemic racism.
Climate Change and the Environment
Let me begin by returning to the NH Democratic Platform "We believe climate change is an issue that exacerbates all others, and that it is a monumental impediment to achieving our values of social, economic, and environmental justice..."
I support science, and know that if we don't cut our carbon reliance the our days will be numbered as a species. We need a Green New Deal such as what is outlined in 350NH's Renew New England policy. It won't wait, and there is no plan "B" for our environment.