Why the 12 stars?

When elected I will work to protect Medicaid, Medicare & Social Security as we know it. My opponent and his cronies want to reduce and even eliminate these valuable benefits, making hard working folks who’ve been paying into this system for DECADES wait until they’re over 70 years old to use it. While my opponent wants to weaponize these issues to divide voters, I promise to come together to find long-term solutions that fund these programs and protect the benefits that working Nebraskans are entitled to. As Americans you have paid into and earned your Social Security. I will not support any proposals to “sunset” any part of Social Security and promise that any process for looking at Social Security options will be transparent and allow for extensive input from the public and organizations supporting our seniors. In order to protect Social Security, we must be sure that all proposals reflect our ever-changing workforce, the current economy and changes in demographics that may make it harder for workers to save enough for their future retirement needs.

All children should be provided the resources and opportunities they need to succeed regardless of where they live, where they come from or what they look like. Nebraskans love and value public schools and don’t want to see their tax dollars taken away from them and given to private schools that aren’t accessible to all students.

We must Invest in early childhood education all the way to higher education. What keeps our country strong is a well-educated workforce if we also want to keep our economy strong and be competitive. We must always remember that the path to success is not always a college degree. Success can come from many different paths, and a four-year degree isn’t the only way to achieve it. There are plenty of high-paying jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree.

We need to do a better job of listening to the needs of those who educate our children. We are losing teachers at an unacceptable rate and need to dress this not only as an issue of education but also our countries economic strength

Fundamentally speaking, I believe the hard working families of Nebraska deserve fair pay, access to affordable childcare, paid family medical leave and have enough food to feed their families. When I’m in the U.S. Congress I will support legislation that creates greater opportunities for Nebraska families so that everyone has a real shot at the Good Life.

We must help future generations build generational wealth by making sure the tools the government can provide are accessible and includes a holistic approach to preserving and growing wealth over time. America can, again, help young families create a financial legacy that can provide long-term benefits and opportunities for future family members as prior generations were able to do.

And as our loved ones age, we must do a better job of finding affordable ways that they can age in place and stay in their homes.

Congress is to blame for the under-resourced and understaffed immigration system that has led to the current crisis at our border; from a shortage of border patrol agents and immigration judges, to a lack of humanitarian resources for asylum seekers and refugees. The lack of compromise to pass a long-term budget bill to protect our borders sits squarely on the shoulders of my opponent and his colleagues. I will work diligently to pass a budget that provides the resources necessary to protect our borders. I also will listen to those working on these issues every day and will not involve myself with the “smoke and mirrors” rhetoric designed to scare and distract from the real issues.

It’s easy for many politicians to talk about problems, but few offer actual solutions. My track record shows I am a pragmatic problem-solver. The resolution starts with having a bi-partisan plan supported by a budget that funds these changes properly. I encourage you to read my blog to learn more about how we can better budget all priorities for hard-working Americans.

My opponent supports a complete and total ban on abortion. I believe that safe and accessible reproductive healthcare is a basic right that is supported by science, medicine and respect for human dignity.

We must prioritize monitoring maternal deaths and complications in pregnancies to prevent issues in the future. This includes providing research on infant mortality, chronic disease prevention for women of reproductive age and preventing teen pregnancy.

It is not up to politicians to decide how our families come to be. Often those are decisions made by women, their families, and a medical professional, especially for IVF. Every day 200 babies are born because of in-vitro fertilization in this country. What can be more pro-family than supporting the birth of these precious babies?

Congress must make it a priority to find legislative solutions for the chaotic patchwork of restrictions on reproductive care services