Tuna

4 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Collar

 

Greens

3 minutes ago, Jack said:

Door

 

Knob

2 hours ago, Hannah said:

piano

 

Keys

 

The Washington Post

 

 

 

 

President Biden has led the United States and her allies with distinction in the face of unprecedented challenges to democracy and the rule of law. Ukraine remains free and in the fight against Russia. China is second-guessing both its imperial ambitions and capacity to fulfill such goals. And he has reinforced America's ironclad commitment to both Israel and a two-state peace process free of Hamas' terror. 

 

However, while the Biden Administration has set all the correct priorities, it is abundantly clear that America's foreign policy, from Foggy Bottom across the Potomac to Arlington, desperately needs retooling and an updated playbook. Russia continues to wage an illegal war of aggression against their democratic neighbor Ukraine. Iran shamelessly funds and props up terrorist groups hellbent on spreading theocratic fascism through the Middle East. And the United States is quickkly falling behind China in critical areas that make a second Cold War a distinct and increasingly dangerous possibility. At home, both waste and incompetency in the Pentagon and a lack of critical investments in diplomacy efforts have left America flatfooted on the world stage. If ever there was a time to put aside bitter partisanship, now is that moment. The United States must equip itself for the myriad of challenges facing us in the days ahead.

 

First, the Department of Defense is long overdue for an overhaul. Our servicemembers who heroically put their lives on the line for our country every day deserve a President and Congress with a plan to make their jobs safer and easier. To do so, we need to modernize both the leadership structure and defense contracting to free vital resources for modernization.

 

Many have wondered why America's recent military leaders seemingly pale in comparison to the icons of Civil War, American Revolution, and both World Wars. It is a more than valid concern. Poor management in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan have left many wondering who in fact is running the Department of Defense. In truth, the problem is not with the generals themselves, but the deeply flawed military hierarchy put in place after World War II. Military historian and journalist Thomas E. Ricks underlined this problem in his exhaustive research for his book The Generals. Back in 1939, then-Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall prepared the United States for war by establishing a new model for promoting and demoting generals based strictly on their performance in war. Many of our greatest and most memorable war heroes were reassigned, fired, or demoted at various points of the Second World War. At the end of the day, the new approach helped top tier generals learn, adapt, and emerge. For instance, Eisenhower would have been completely unprepared for the challenges of D-Day were it not for this system. Tragically, Truman and subsequent presidents abandoned the Marshall model of military leadership. In so doing, they sacrificed accountability and innovation on the altar of careerism. The Pentagon's mission must be to win wars and secure the peace, not serve as an old boy's club or ego cushion for generals. Our military's top brass are tough and earnest people who know how to learn from mistakes and innovate. Let's go back to the Marshall Model of raising up strong and competent leaders of our Armed Forces. 

 

Yet the problems at the Pentagon are found not just in the upper echelons of decision making. The sheer amount of waste and fraud in the Defense budget has setback our capacity to reorganize and meet the demands of a new age of warfare. A recent audit of the Pentagon revealed our military could only account for 39% out of its $3.5 trillion in assets. That is completely inappropriate and wrong. Unless the U.S. Air Force sees fit to use Versailles as a forwarding operating base in the near future, it is more than reasonable to expect the Pentagon to avoid wasting $640 on a toilet seat.

 

There are many critical investments in peace and security that are needed. Many of our democratic allies need our immediate help and assistance to fortify their defenses and foster stability. Before we ask taxpayers to write another blank check, let's institute good budget practices that will enable us to recoup the missing $2.1 trillion and devote it to worthwhile investments. As historian Jean Edward Smith noted in FDR, the U.S. War Department's oversight of defense contracts and budgeting successfully kept waste and fraud to a minimum. It is time to reinstate those standards of reporting to both Congress, the Department of Justice, and the Pentagon to make sure products, arms, and results are first delivered before we spend taxpayer dollars. With the savings from these reforms, we can turn waste into critical appropriations for A.I. and cyber defenses with civilian oversight, modernizing our military for conventional warfare in the 21st Century, and providing military and humanitarian assistance to our international partners including Ukraine.

 

A common mistake in our foreign policy is leaning too heavily on the military to problem solve what simply cannot be fixed with bullets, bombs, and combat boots. The staggering cost of war for all parties should highlight that the best avenues for the United States to pursue abroad are often through the economy and diplomacy. If America is to shore up its security and long-term deterrence against potential threats, it must establish itself a depot for democracies. 

 

To start, we need to become the number one source for the bare raw materials of the modern global economy. China produces five times more rare earth minerals and metals than the United States of America. That deficit is even more daunting for our democratic allies who are hopelessly dependent on Beijing These are the essential resources necessary for civilian and military technology, renewable energy, and a self-sustaining economy. Right now, the average time from start to finish for building a rare-earth mine is more than thirty years. That is far too long. We need an Operation Warp Speed to cut permitting and approval for new mines down from several decades to five years or less. It is also an opportunity for us to reinvest and uplift abandoned mining communities in West Virginia, Ohio, Minnesota, and Nevada by retrofitting mine shafts and retraining workers for mineral extraction from coal and other rock. With new mines, we will also need new factories and refineries to process and sell American made minerals and metals to our businesses and allies abroad.  To generate more domestic manufacturing, my administration will permit businesses to write off up to 50% of the cost for factory and refinery construction and development here in the United States. This means millions of good-paying union jobs for American workers in the burgeoning fields, producing the military, economic, and humanitarian goods to stabilize and fortify the free world.

 

Finally, the United States must re-embrace the principle that stability is the best pathway to democracy. One of the most egregious errors of our foreign policy in the early 21st Century was the cavalier assumption that western style democracies could be artificially transplanted into our societies without any regard for the gradual nature of human progress. Our own country needed 176 years of internal struggle and perseverance simply to guarantee the right to vote for all. The disastrous consequences of the Bush Doctrine have reverberated for years as a fateful reminder of all that can go wrong when we do not approach geopolitics in a realistic and self-aware manner.

 

Our ultimate goal is to spread democracy. But without stability, time, and good faith efforts across multiple generations, establishing democracies in developing nations can quickly devolve into Hail Mary throws. At worst, it can backfire with violent groups and authoritarian governments exploiting the chaos. 

 

An underutilized asset of the United States in foreign policy is the compassionate heart of the American people. Foreign aid can be a transformative tool, if it is handled appropriately. One such successful model to build upon is the PEPFAR program established by President Bush. Not only did it save tens of millions of people from HIV/AIDS, it created new alliances in Africa with healthier populations and lower health costs. PEPFAR also established a protocol for holding foreign leaders and government accountable for their use of foreign aid. The U.S. should assist emerging nations. But our dollars deserve a return on investment with steady and marked progress on basic liberties, free press, and stability.

 

- Work to stabilize relations between Israel, the Fatah leadership of Palestine, and willing Arab nations to contain and counteract Iran's campaign of terror and instability. It should be our shared goal to eradicate Hamas and facilitate new partnerships in the region that restore stability and reopen the door for the peace process in the Holy Land.

 

 

 

- We should seek to engage with China in any and all ways to decrease tensions and guarantee no one power has hegemony over East Asia. A second Cold War is not inevitable and we must do what we can to avoid such a deterioration of relations. Nuclear disarmament, establishing clear terms of international law in cyberspace and AI, and cooperation on reducing carbon emissions are all paths away from a disastrous outcome.

- But should Beijing remain obstinately determined to bilk our working class, saberrattle at its neighbors, and align itself with Russia and Iran, America must then explore establishing a mutual defense agreement with our allies in Japan, the Phillipines, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, and beyond to protect the stability and democracy of East Asian states and beyond. 

 

13 minutes ago, JCD said:

Congrats, Mr. Chair.

 

I would humbly suggest that we open Senate Leader nominations so that we can have an SL as quickly as possible before/after (if contested) the 21st. 

 

I concur. 

 

 

Campaign Announcement

— Chicago Millennium Memorial, Q3, 2023 —

 

After the crowd in Millennium Park has gathered and "Ridgeway" signs have been distributed among attendees, the public address announcer speaks...

 

Public Address Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the next President of the United States of America, Patrick Ridgeway!" 

 

Governor Ridgeway bounds onstage to Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up". He waves to the crowd and gives a thumbs up and a wink to his family in the front row and approaches the lectern... 

 

"My friends, thank you for your warm welcome and support today. My wife and I are so honored that you are joining us today in the place we call home as we begin this exciting new journey. Nowhere else in America can quite tell the story of the United States quite like Chicago. Immigrants from every corner of the world drawn to a lakeside town by a single promise that defines both the human will and the American spirit: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There's no better place than the Windy City to mark the start of something brand new.

 

It was here in this city that a young man rose from a community organizer all the way to the highest office in the land, breaking down barriers of race and class once thought impenetrable.

 

And it was here in this state that another young man, born in a log cabin with no fortune to his name, lifted this nation out of the darkness of slavery and into the light of a more perfect union. 

 

It is their examples that we must look to in these trying hours. For there are forces in our politics seeking to divide us; desperately trying to drive a wedge in between Americans. This is no imaginary threat. It is here, it is real, and it is plotting to unravel all that holds us together. 

 

The breach in the American dream is widening. Not only is there a shortfall in the budget, but there is a growing deficit of investment and trust in our working class. The costs of the most basic goods and services have spiraled out of control while middle-income households sink deeper and deeper into debt just to avoid a catastrophe. Household income is down. From healthcare and groceries to housing and energy, the crisis of inflation has driven too many mothers and fathers into choosing between their child’s future and saving up for their own retirement. 

 

Democracy is in peril around the world as Russia continues its illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and China threatens the safety and security of its neighbors and our working class. The world looks to America. And their hopes are plagued with doubt.

 

The rights of women and minorities are under assault by the very institutions of power that were supposed to protect and defend them. Bedrock principles of our founding being eroded through conspiracy theories and political scheming. 

 

The forces dividing and tearing us apart are not ignorant. They know what they are doing. There is a climate crisis they refuse to address, gun violence they choose to ignore, and a generation of young Americans living without the same assurances of education and opportunity that their parents and grandparents enjoyed before them. 

 

And finally, there is a wedge being driven between you and the most fundamental right of every American: the right to vote. They tried taking away your vote four years ago when a lame duck president tried overturning the results of a democratic election, culminating in a violent insurrection. Times have not changed. Just today, the Republican National Committee Chair tried to cast out his own voters from the process by preemptively endorsing/anointing a candidate for their party’s nomination, only to blame it on the intern when we all caught him in the act. 

 

We all know the Republicans in Washington have never been particularly fond of anyone earning less than six-figures. But you have to admit, that’s pretty low, even for them. 

 

My fellow Americans, on every issue of national importance, you deserve far better than what you’ve been getting out of our nation’s capital. All those loudmouths do is pick fights about nonsense while the world unravels. I don’t want to hear another damn word about putting Trump on the $100 bill while our families can barely afford their mortgages or groceries. And I better not catch wind of another Beltway insider bragging about helping working folks while simultaneously throwing his most vulnerable employee under the bus for his own mistakes. 

 

It’s high time we stopped letting these self-involved fools make our politics all about them when the rest of this nation yearns for action. We are Americans! This is not a people or a country made for stagnation or indifference. Running through veins is an untameable passion for this country and an unparalleled devotion to our friends, neighbors, and children. And we are sick and tired of constantly playing defense and retreating. 

 

Well my friends, the days of retreat are over.

 

We resolve here today to restore the spirit of America. You deserve better than leaders who make you the scapegoat for their own mistakes. I have faith in you because it was folks like you who raised. It was this city of Chicago that made me into the man I am. And I know that this country is ready to begin again, to dream again, to believe again, and to make good on the promise of America.

 

Therefore, I am proud to announce today my candidacy for President of the United States of America!

 

The days of lace curtain liberals and cocktail conservatives steering our country are over. Right now, families face higher prices than ever due to inaction by Washington to address the fundamental flaws in the economy and government. And our efforts to preserve democracy and our planet demands bold leadership to meet the needs of the modern age. 

Therefore, I offer a fair bargain to every working American, dedicated to tackling the issues that matter to you so that we can guarantee freedom and prosperity for all.

The first step to doing so is defeating inflation. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris, we have made enormous strides in bringing down costs from their peak in 2022. But when it comes to the most essential needs like medical care, housing, and wages, there is so much work left to be done. We need to restore the authority and prosperity of working families. We have to put the people first again. So let’s not dawdle or dither any longer. Let’s get down to brass tacks.

 

Fourteen years ago, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act, a historic leap forward in the fight for universal coverage. We forever owe him and Michelle our gratitude for breaking through what many thought was impossible. But now, we must pick up the baton and finish the work. 26 million Americans remain uninsured as health insurance premiums continue to rise. The task is daunting, but thankfully the answer is simple: just go with what works. 

 

Medicare is the most successful healthcare program in American history because it delivers quality care at a low price for seniors. It’s tested and proven to work. Enough of over-thinktank drivel about hypotheticals. Let’s go with what works by allowing every American to enroll in Medicare if they so choose. Not only will it guarantee every citizen access to the health insurance they need, but it will introduce true competition into the marketplace and lower insurance premiums and copays for existing private plans. Second, let’s actually give patients some bargaining power. Thanks to the Biden Administration and the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries enjoy lower prices on select drugs because of price bargaining. Let’s expand that to cover the entire market with a Medical Rights Commission. You deserve to have financial peace of mind when you go to the pharmacy or for your checkups. The Medical Rights Commission will negotiate fair price ranges for everything from medications and premiums to copays and hospital stays. At the end of the day, everyone saves, everyone gets covered, and healthcare costs finally begin easing in the United States.

 

Next, we have to make housing a reality instead of a privilege for working families. There is no greater guarantor of long-term financial security than home ownership. But if you heard what regular folks are paying these days on their mortgages, you’d have thought the roof shingles were made of gold. Interest rates are above seven percent, the annual cost of a new thirty year mortgage has skyrocketed by $15,000, median rent has risen by more than 20% in the last five years, and Black homeownership has fallen almost 10% over the last decade. Go tell that to single-mother and see whether she still believes the American dream is alive for her. 

 

Inflation will not be defeated until we finally solve the housing crisis. That is why my administration will attack the problem from both angles: boost supply and invest in new home ownership. We will reward states and localities that roll back construction and zoning restrictions for affordable private housing with grants from a $20 billion annual development fund. If they clear the way for construction, we’ll help pay for the building. With that, I pledge to repeal the Faircloth ban on new public housing, rescind the One Strike policy, and require FICO scores include positive rent payments to shore up your power when you seek a mortgage. Not only will we create good-paying union jobs, but we will finally give you and your family the place you deserve to call your own.

 

From the roof over your head and the doctor you see to food security and energy bills, I am in this race because we need bold action now. Reining in inflation begins with investing in working families, not undercutting them. Tragically, that’s all Washington D.C. seems to know how to do these days. The do-nothing Republican Congress allowed the Child Tax Credit to wither, denied childcare and Pre-K to mothers, and is ambivalent to the daily struggles of ordinary people. We must do more than simply lower pricetags. I am determined and ready to put more of your money back in your pocket and make life easier in America for everyday citizens. 

 

First, the family unit is the single greatest source of social stability and progress we could ever ask for. So unlike extremist Republicans who want to defund the family, I’m going to invest in it. With my administration, we will pass and sign into law universal childcare, Pre-K, and paid family and sick leave for every American. No more forking over an average of $10,000 for daycare. Now, that $10k stays with you because your son and daughter is worth society investing in. I believe in your child’s potential and refuse to let it be squandered. And I believe that when your child is sick, you should be able to take off work and care for he or she until all is well. On top of that, I will work with Congress to restore and expand the Biden Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child to ensure no family lives in poverty in the United States. For the millions of households that depend on a union job, we will pass a national employee free choice law, allow members to deduct union fees from their taxes, and more. And for the tens of millions of undocumented families in our country, ostracized for no other reason than hoping for a better and more earnest life in America, I pledge to you that we will both pass the DREAM Act and guarantee every family that respects our country and laws can stay and become American citizens. 

 

Restoring the financial security and promise of the American dream is critical. Too many have been left and cut out of our economy for far too long. But we must also not forget those left behind by the Trumpian regression of liberties and human rights. Women and minorities have endured an unspeakable injustice to their standing and rights as Americans. Reproductive rights and the freedom of expression are under assault across the United States. Voting rights are being infringed upon by the insidious cancer of election denialism. And there can be no compromise on these core principles of what it means to be an American. I will appoint federal judges who will restore the right to privacy and individual liberty. We will pass a 21st Century Bill of Rights that will codify Roe, extend full civil rights protections to LGBT Americans. And I promise to sign into law the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to end the rampant voter suppression that has harassed society’s most vulnerable for far too long. 

 

And finally, the world calls for us to lead. The first step always to leading the free world is to set an example at home. That is why we owe it to ourselves to invest again in the working citizen, to prioritize our economic interests, and break the habit of Washington selling out in every instance. But while the United States cannot be the world’s policeman, we have the capacity and moral obligation to be the great lighthouse and depot of democracy. 

 

When we say Slava Ukraine, we are stating more than words. It is a promise to stand and support the people of Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. When we pledge to defend Taiwan and all of our allies in Asia from invasion or coercion by China, our pledge is backed by our might. And when we say ‘never again’ to the senseless killing and massacring of innocent Jews, we mean ‘never again.’ Where we can be peacemakers, we will always strive to the last second of the last possible hour to achieve peace. Where there is a chance at reconciliation, America will always extend the open hand of friendship. And when fate calls upon us in the hour of distress to defend liberty and all that we hold dear, we Americans will rise and meet the occasion. We do not duck from the challenges of our day, we welcome them.

 

My friends, though the future may be uncertain, I have endless hope for tomorrow. I see the sun rising over a country ready to rise up and be itself again. The spirit of America is fearless and ambitious. The spirit of America is good and kind. And the spirit of America belongs to you and I. 

 

It is time to turn the page on the footdragging and backsliding of days gone by. This campaign marks the beginning of a new age of action that puts the spirit of the people back in the driver’s seat. It's time to roll up our sleeves. I ask you to join me in this race, walk with me in this march, and stand with me as restore the promise of America! Thank you! God bless you all. And God bless the United States of America!" 

Mini-Game Turn #1

Quote

This Round's AP Budget

Fundraising - 8 APs

Endorsements - 8 APs

- Rep. Jim Clyburn

- Nevada Culinary Union

News Media - "Spreading the Message" 4 APs

Barnstorming - 10 APs

- NH, Hillsborough County

- SC, Richland County

- NV, Clark County

- CA, San Bernardino County

- GA, Fulton County

APs: 30/30

 

 

FUNDRAISING

8 APs - Galas, High End Events

Target - AFL-CIO (Unions)

Focus - I will deliver the Employee Free Choice Act, a ban on companies freezing benefit and wage growth during negotiations, establish complete and full unemployment benefit and SNAP eligibility for striking workers, and guarantee universal childcare and paid and medical leave. I will also make it a Class A misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine for obstructing or interfering with a picket line, allow union members to deduct membership fees from their taxes, and will appoint a member of a union to run the National Labor Relations Board. 

 

ENDORSEMENTS

4 APs - Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC)

I will double federal funding for HBCUs from $7 billion to $15 billion in my first term with an additional $5 billion for campus expansion, enact a national student loan refinancing and debt forgiveness of $50,000 for students earning less than $150,000 per year to alleviate the disproportionate burden of debt. And I will reverse the regression in Black homeownership by establishing a first-time homebuyer down payment assistance grant of $5,000, creating a $20 billion dollar housing and condominium fund to reward states that amend zoning laws and regulations to build quality and affordable housing, repeal the Faircloth Amendment, and crack down on discrimination in lending by requiring FICO scores include positive rent payments.

 

4 APs - Nevada Culinary Union

I will pass the Employee Free Choice Act, a ban on companies from freezing benefit and wage growth (akin to Gov. Whitmer's law) during negotiations, establish complete and full unemployment benefit and SNAP eligibility for striking workers, guarantee universal paid and sick leave, and allow union members to deduct membership fees from their taxes. I also support the right of the NCU to offer its own private health plan to its employees while reducing cost for the union through a national health price bargaining Medical Rights Commission.

 

NEWS MEDIA
4 APs- Spreading the Message

Outlets: CNN, NPR, MSNBC

• "Inflation is the issue we Democrats can win on. While Republicans in Washington want to milk any advantage they can out of your struggles, I'm here to actually solve the bread and butter issues that matter to working families. And to do so, we need to whip inflation by both lowering costs on the essentials and investing in real people again."
• "To reign in everyday costs, the first thing we can do is give regular people back their financial security. On healthcare, I will make sure every American has the option of enrolling in Medicare. And we will implement fair price bargaining for all medications, premiums, and billing that impact you and your family. When it comes to rising food costs, up by more than 20%, I will expand the National School Lunch Program to reduce the burden on working parents. And to solve the housing crisis, we will boost the supply by repealing the Faircloth amendment, rewarding states that ease zoning regulations, and investing in affordable homes and condominiums for all."
• "Second, we have to put money back in the pockets of working families. I will begin by restoring and expanding the Biden Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. Every mother and father will have access to universal Pre-K, childcare, and family and medical leave. And we'll boost homeownership for working folks with a national down payment assistance program to provide first-time homebuyers of up to $5,000."

 

BARNSTORMING

NEW HAMPSHIRE

2 APs - Hillsborough County

Target: Young college educated voters, working class voters

• "Anyone here today who is dissatisfied with their private health plan will be free to switch over to Medicare. No need to overthink it. Medicare not only delivers quality care for its beneficiaries, but has forced private Advantage plans to keep their prices competitive and affordable. Let's go with what works."

• "Second, we need to give consumers back their bargaining power. We need to finally put a check on the for-profit system. That is why my Administration will establish the Medical Rights Commission to bargain fair and lower prices every year on your medications, hospital visits, private insurance premiums, and beyond. Your health should not be at the mercy of corporate greed."

• "I don't need to tell anyone in New Hampshire about how much damage Big Pharma inflicted on this state. Not only will we end their shameless profiteering with the Medical Rights Commission, we will provide $5 billion per year to expand access to treatment centers and research that help people beat the curse of opioid addiction. We will open up new alternatives for treatment including medicinal marijuana and cannabis based treatments. And I pledge to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate and prosecute those at the FDA who were complicit in the crimes of the Sacklers." 

 

SOUTH CAROLINA

2 APs - Richland County

Target: Black Democratic Voters, Black Lean-Democratic Voters

•  “Black homeownership has declined every year over the last decade. In that same stretch of time, the average sale price of a home has skyrocketed by 38%. And in the last three years, annual interest on a new 30-year mortgage rose by $15,000. You don’t need to play Monopoly! to understand how this broken housing market has setback the Black community.”

• “I will establish a $20 billion housing development fund to reward states and localities that streamline permitting and zoning restrictions for building affordable homes and condominiums. On top of that, we will create a down payment assistance program to provide first-time homebuyers up to $5,000. To put it simply, we’re going to build more homes that affordable for you, not just some landlord or government bureaucrat.

• "For those not in a position to take out a mortgage, my administration will have your back. We'll going to repeal the Faircloth Amendment and ‘One strike, you're out’ so that public housing finally meets both the needs of the community.”

• “It is downright classist and discriminatory that credit rating agencies can exclude your positive rental payments from your FICO score. But that's what's been happening to minorities and lower-income tenants for years. That ends when I'm president. I will expand funding for the DOJ and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to provide legal assistance and oversight in lending for minorities.” 

 

NEVADA

2 APs - Clark County

Targets: Union voters, Hispanic Democratic voters

• “When I’m president, my administration will enact the national Employee Free Choice Act. For the tens of thousands of members of the Culinary Union here in Nevada, I will sign legislation to protect employees from the cumbersome workloads, steep cleaning quotas, and shore up legal protections from on the job harassment.”

• “Right under our feet in Nevada are the metals and minerals needed to produce the solar panels, E.V.s, and semiconductors of a modern, energy efficient economy. As President, I will slash the permitting time, build the refineries necessary, and get these mines up and running with the proud union members of the Nevada Mining Association.”

• “You and I both know that we need to solve the border crisis and protect immigrant families. But unlike Republicans who just want to pull the fire alarm, I actually have a plan to secure the home. My administration will deliver the DREAM Act and guarantee citizenship for all undocumented individuals without a criminal record who have lived here for more than a decade.” 

• “I will defend the right of unions here in Nevada to provide their members with their own quality health plans. Every citizen has the freedom to enroll in Medicare, pick a private option, or stick with their union plan. We will also establish a national commission to bargain fair prices on everything from premiums to hospital visits and medication."

 

CALIFORNIA

2 APs - San Bernardino County

Targets: California Hispanic Voters

• When I am president, the United Farm Workers and its half a million California Latino members will have a champion in the White House. In a Ridgeway Administration, I will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, pass the Employee Free Choice Act, and support farm workers with representation on approval boards to protect employees from harmful agriculture chemicals and pesticides. And mark my words, you will finally have a National Labor Relations Board and DOJ eager to take on the abuse of your dairy workers at Darigold farms.
• Latino-Americans with undocumented family members have been stuck in an unjust limbo and legal peril for long enough. I will pass the DREAM Act and deliver a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented persons without a criminal record have a job, have lived in the United States for more than five years. 
• Family values must matter again in our economy. As president, I will deliver security to households with universal childcare, medical and sick leave, pre-k, and by restoring and expanding the Biden Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. And I will make home ownership a reality for more Hispanic and Latino-Americans by establishing a first time homeowner down payment grant of up to $5,000. Invest in households now. 

 

GEORGIA

2 APs - Fulton County

Targets: Black Democratic Voters, Black Lean-Democratic Voters

• In the last four years, Trump and Brian Kemp tried minimizing and erasing the say of Black voters. No more retreating. When I am President, we will pass into law the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, pass a federal law ending the practice of racial gerrymandering, and make sure every county and precinct has enough early voting days, voting machines, and vote drop boxes to make exercising your constitutional right a liberty and not a hassle.
• Violent crime has afflicted Black Americans throughout Fulton County. We must get these guns off our streets and protect the children of Atlanta. I will enact a federal assault weapons ban, close the gunshow loophole, require universal background checks, and remove the guns from the hands of felons. We will also expand community policing and expand after-school programs, the School Lunch program, and guarantee universal community college and affordable university for all young people.
• I will establish a $20 billion housing development fund to reward states and localities that streamline permitting and zoning restrictions for building affordable homes and condominiums. On top of that, we will create a down payment assistance program to provide first-time homebuyers up to $5,000. To put it simply, we’re going to build more homes that affordable for you, not just some landlord or government bureaucrat.

Worker

I'll second the second of Brink

YES!

Shift

long

 

 

What matters most about the dollar is not the face on the bill, but the value and security it guarantees for working households. 

 

Casting blame without offering answers does nothing to cool inflation while only turning up the partisan heat in Washington.  

 

The best approach is to defeating inflation is to rein in costs for the most essential goods and services while investing in working and middle class families. It is clear that the four main drivers of inflation for working households are healthcare, housing, transportation, and food. The cost for all four have risen by more than 20% over the last few years with the roots of the spike going back decades. Reform is sorely needed, but more than doable. 

 

Despite the progress made under the Affordable Care Act, 26 million people remain uninsured. The average American household also spends $8,200 per year on healthcare. Tragically, most lower and working class families are forced to set aside upwards of 20% of their annual income just to pay their medical bills. All this dysfunction and the United States still leads the world by a country mile when it comes to percentage of GDP expended on healthcare costs. 

 

To solve the healthcare crisis, it is time Washington D.C. stopped trying to reinvent the wheel. Just go with what works. Medicare has proven itself to be a historically effective program at guaranteeing quality coverage with low costs for the elderly. Let's give every American the freedom enroll in Medicare if their private plan is too costly or inadequate for their needs. Not only would this immediately universal access to quality coverage, but the premiums and copays for existing private health insurance would also decrease to remain competitive with said public alternative. This is not conjecture. There is already precedence for this idea working. Traditional Medicare has kept in check Medicare Advantage alternatives below the rate of medical inflation. It's high time we applied this successful model to the rest of the health insurance marketplace.

 

We must also recognize that patient-provider relationship is distinctly different from other industries. If you are hungry, you have the choice between a grocery store, fast food joint, restaurant, and beyond with a myriad of possibilities inside to satisfy your cravings. But if you break a limb or get cancer, there are not a menu of drive-thrus and convenience stores to remedy the ailment. Often, only one or two treatments are available and most insurance plans only provide a small handful of options when it comes to providers. Families deserve a real advocate to protect them from profiteering. That is why we should follow the successful model of Germany by bargaining fair price ranges each year on premiums, medications, and hospital billing. Not only would this dramatically save families on their own health expenses, but it would also immediately reduce the strain of Medicare and Medicaid on the federal budget by more than $100 billion with greater savings in the long-run. 

 

Second, it is imperative that we get to the roots of the housing crisis in the United States. This is far greater than a homelessness problem. Owning a home and your own property is a cornerstone of the American dream. But regular, everyday families have been struggling to pay their mortgage and rent for years. The monthly interest payment on a new 30-year fixed rate mortgage has risen by $1,500 in just the last five years alone. That is not sustainable. To restore that foundation of our national economy, we need to boost both the supply of homes as well as the buying power of working and middle-class families. Investing in states and localities that streamline permitting and zoning restrictions for building affordable homes and condominiums is a no-brainer. Repealing the Faircloth Amendment as well will also expand the number of public housing options available while creating thousands of good-paying union jobs. Finally, providing first-time homebuyers up to $5,000 in down payment assistance and ensuring positive rental payments qualify for FICO scores will ease the burden on families trying to finally buy a place they can call their own. 

 

Next, we must adjust our efforts to update America's infrastructure and transportation to better fit the needs of the people. My colleagues on the right are correct that it is laughably unrealistic to expect a blue-collar family living paycheck to paycheck to buy a $50,000 electrical vehicle. When car shopping, most regular Americans like myself do not really prioritize touch screen computers with 4D graphics on their console on their lists of "musts". To us, it's all about the mileage, seatbelts, and cost.

What we are looking for is an affordable, dependable, energy efficient car that fits the budget of working families. Washington should immediately provide financial incentives to automakers to develop a green Model T for the 21st Century, a vehicle that is fully electric that suits the everyday routines of regular Americans. With that, we should also expand the buying power of said citizens by expanding the EV tax credit to $12,500 for households earning less than $100,000 per year. And to meet the growing demands of America's resurgent auto sector, it is key that the United States dramatically expand its mining and production of rare earth minerals and metals. It should be a bipartisan goal to cut permitting and approval time on new mines and refinery construction. This will not only create tens of thousands of good paying union jobs in the Midwest and beyond, but it will also help wean the United States off China's supply of natural resources.

 

Finally, grocery bills need to be a priority for our public officials. With prices up by 20%, parents are owed a plan to help them put food on the table. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement on Passing of Former President Trump
 

Press Release #001
Q2, 2023
 

Springfield, Ill — On behalf of my loved ones and all Illinoisans, I offer our condolences to the family of the former President President Trump at the tragic news of his passing. Our thoughts are with them, especially the former First Lady and their son during this difficult time.

Today is a somber reminder that death does not discriminate between Republicans or Democrats. At times, our partisan passions can distract us from the fact that there are human beings sitting across from us in the debate over our country's direction. This moment calls for us to set an example of what truly good, compassionate, and decent leadership is through our thoughts and prayers for the former First Lady. And with that example, we can, with God's grace, rediscover our own humanity as a nation." 

FULL NAME: Patrick Glenn Ridgeway
STATE: Illinois
PARTY: Democratic
LINK TO BIOGRAPHY: Link
LINK TO BANK ACCOUNT: Link
LINK TO PRESS OFFICE: Link
FACTION: New Democrat

PRESS OFFICE OF PATRICK RIDGEWAY

PATRICK RIDGEWAY BANK ACCOUNT

INCOME:

BirdBank Deposit #1: $100,000

Mini-Game Round #1: $4,250,000

Mini-Game Round #2: $9,000,000

Mini-Game Round #3: $11,000,000

Primary Round: $45,000,000

 

EXPENDITURES:

Primary Round 1: $18,500,000

 

BALANCE: $50,850,000

 

 

Name: Patrick Glenn Ridgeway
Party: Democratic
Avatar: Evan Bayh
Major Caucus: New Democrat
Gender: Male (0 Points)
Age: 51, DOB: April 12, 1973 (0 Points)
Sexuality: Straight, married with < 3 children (-5 Points)
Race/Ancestry: White/Caucasian (0 Points)
Religion: Roman Catholic (0 Points)
Family History: Working Class (10 Points)

 

Education History (20 Points)
B.A. in Political Science, Northwestern University, 1991-1995 (5 Points)
J.D., Notre Dame Law School, 2001-2004 (15 Points)

 

Career History (30 Points)
Bartender (10 Points)

• Old Neighborhood Grill, Evanston, 1994-1995
• McCormick's Coney Island Bar, South Bend, 1999-2001

Captain, U.S. Army, 1995-2003 (10 Points)
Civil Rights Attorney, Rock Fusco & Connelly LLC, 2004-2009, Chicago, Illinois (10 Points)

 

Political History (23 Points)
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives, 2009-2013 (2 Points)
U.S. Congressman from Illinois’ 11th District, 2013-2019 (9 Points)
Governor of Illinois, 2019-2024 (12 Points)

 

EARLY LIFE
Patrick Glenn Ridgeway was born on April 12, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, to Hugh and Alice Rhodes Ridgeway. Hugh worked for General Electric as an electrical engineer while his mother was a public school teacher. The Ridgeways lived in the Bridgeport community of Chicago where they shared a duplex with family friends, Michael and Janice McPherson. Hugh was a member of the IUE-CWA and Alice of the Chicago Teachers Union. The Ridgeways were proud Democrats who knocked doors for Ted Kennedy in the 1980 Democratic primaries. The one exception was in 1984 when Hugh voted for Ronald Reagan’s reelection, much to the chagrin of Alice. Ridgeway has Irish Catholic ancestry on his father’s side with English and Welsh through his maternal lineage.

 

Ridgeway was accepted into Northwestern University and enrolled in their ROTC program in the fall of 1991. At Northwestern, he studied Political Science and was an active member of both the Speech and Debate team and College Democrats. He was also a bassist in a punk rock band “Burning Ferrico” under the stage name “McShlingus” with his friends and fellow students Mark Thomas “Mack Tally Whack” West, Shiva “Gouda” Goda, and Daphne “DeeCee” Carmichael. While the band recorded two mixtapes, they were rebuffed by every major record label and eventually disbanded after West graduated in 1994. During his time at Northwestern, Ridgeway was a slightly above-average, unexceptional student. However, he did excel socially and with the Speech and Debate team, helping him hone his political skills for his future career. In the summer of 1994, he began taking bartending lessons and earned his license by the start of his senior year. He graduated from Northwestern in the spring of 1995 and began his commitment with the U.S. Army.

 

US ARMY
After finishing basic training, Ridgeway began his active-duty service with the 101st Airborne out of Fort Campbell in the winter of 1995. In September and October of 2000, he was deployed with the 101st to help fight fires on the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana under the direction of Lt. Col. Jon S. Lehr. Captain Ridgeway concluded his active duty service in the Army in December 2000 and enrolled at Notre Dame Law School the next year.

 

LEGAL AND EARLY POLITICAL CAREER
Ridgeway began law school at Notre Dame in August 2001. Ridgeway proved himself to be a much better student at Notre Dame than he was at Northwestern, posting a 3.7 G.P.A. He remained active in the College Democrats and frequented many lectures and seminars by political figures. To earn money, he found work as a bartender at McCormick’s Coney Island Bar where he earned a reputation for being a charming, and at times an evidently flirtatious patron. One evening at McCormick’s in April of 2003, he met Miriam Lesnick, a doctoral student in the Keough School of Global Affair. Lesnick was just returning from a lecture by visiting scholar Roland Greene. The daughter of NBC television executives from New York City and an active member of the Notre Dame anti-war protesting the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Lesnick agreed to give Ridgeway her number. The two corresponded over the summer as Lesnick was participating in a fellowship at the Paris School of International Affairs and Ridgeway while taking summer courses and working at a law office in South Bend. In the fall of 2003, they began dating and moved in together that winter. He graduated with Juris Doctorate in 2004 alongside his classmate and friend John Cencich who would go on to become the senior American war crimes investigator for the Office of the Prosecutor at The Hague.

 

After graduating, Ridgeway was hired by Rock Fusco & Connelly LLC to work as a civil rights attorney based out of his hometown Chicago in August, 2004. Lesnick was finishing her doctorate at Notre Dame. Ridgeway rented a small apartment near the law offices downtown. When Lesnick graduated with her PhD in the spring of 2006 and began work at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the two moved into a new apartment in Naperville. During this time, Ridgeway started connecting and ingratiating himself with prominent Democratic officials in northeast Illinois. After he and Lesnick were married and returned from their honeymoon in the summer of 2007, they moved to a small home in Burr Ridge, Illinois. It was there he approached the chairs of the Will and Kendall county Democrats to line up their support for a run for the Illinois House of Representatives. In 2008, Ridgeway ran for and won his seat in Springfield.

 

As a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, one of the first issues Ridgeway confronted was the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich. He publicly backed the effort to impeach while aligning himself closely with Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn. Upon Quinn’s ascension to Governor’s mansion with Blagojevich’s removal, Ridgeway worked with the new executive to pass the “Illinois Jobs Now!” initiative delivering $29 billion in capital for construction and repair of roads, bridges, mass transit, and public works. Throughout his two terms in the Illinois House, Representative Ridgeway was a steadfast supporter of Quinn. 

 

That loyalty would be repaid in the spring of 2012 when Ridgeway announced his campaign to unseat the U.S. Congresswoman Judy Biggert in Illinois’ 11th District. Governor Quinn backed Ridgeway from the outset of the primary, giving the young state lawmaker a vital boost in a competitive primary. Campaigning on the economic recovery in a newly redrawn district, Ridgeway defeated Biggert 58%-41% that fall to become the United States Congressman from Illinois’ 11th District.

For info on Ridgeway's time in Congress, reference Congressman Bill Foster's RL tenure from 2013-2019. 

 

GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS
In 2017, with the encouragement of Democratic officials in the state, Congressman Ridgeway decided to challenge Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. Despite a competitive primary, Ridgeway came out on top over his Democratic rivals. Polls throughout the summer and early fall showed Ridgeway with a 15% point of Rauner. That briefly evaporated when in September, Ridgeway’s campaign caught negative press after an old cassette demo from Burning Ferrico was sent into and published by the Chicago Tribune. The demo included a verse of lead singer Daphne Carmichael calling Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole “Goering and Goebbels of Georgetown.” 
Ridgeway condemned the line and said it was a “one time jam session crap statement that was never played in public, never sold a copy, and was a horrible thing to say.” 
He personally called both former Senator Dole and Speaker Gingrich to apologize, though his old bandmate Carmichael refused to take back her statement. 

TapedeckGate eventually faded away and Ridgeway regained momentum. On election day, he would defeat Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner to flip the Illinois’ governor’s mansion back to the Democrats by a margin of 56% to 38%. Ridgeway took office as the 43rd Governor of Illinois on January 14, 2019.

To see Governor Ridgeway’s record, view RL Governor J.D. Pritzker’s tenure in office.

 

PERSONAL LIFE
Patrick and Miriam Ridgeway have two sons, David (b: 2010) and Joseph (b: 2012). The Ridgeway family splits their time between the Illinois Governor's Mansion as well as Burr Ridge. While their sons were raised in the Catholic faith, the family observes Jewish traditions, holidays, and holy days. Their home parish in Chicago is St. Edmund Catholic Church. Ridgeway is a Cubs, Bulls, and Bears fan. Sitting in his office on the table behind his desk are an Ernie Banks autographed baseball and a Chicago Bears helmet signed by Brian Urlacher. He keeps a vinyl record player and a box of his favorite albums in set up in the corner of his office. His most prized records are first press vinyls of Curtis by Curtis Mayfield and Led Zepplin's Houses of the Holy. Ridgeway occasionally fills in as a bassist at bars and jazz clubs in Springfield on weekends. He is also reportedly light smoker, often going a few weeks at a time without a cigarette, and has been seen on a few occasions with an E-Pipe. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INFRASTRUCTURE
Critical Infrastructure

Georgia - Level II ($3,000,000)

North Carolina - Level II ($3,000,000)

Tennessee - Level I ($1,000,000)

Texas - Level II ($4,000,000)

Virginia - Level II ($3,000,000)

 

GOTV

Georgia - Level II ($3,000,000)

North Carolina - Level II ($3,000,000)

Tennessee - Level I ($1,000,000)

Texas - Level III ($8,000,000)

Virginia - Level III ($6,000,000)

 

COSTS: $35,000,000

 

 

 

STUMP SPEECHES (24 APs)

Stump Speech #1, 12 CPs

Locations: Harris County, TX, Dallas County, TX, Bexar County, TX

Targets: Hispanic Voters, Black Voters, Traditional Democratic Voters

 

"Thank you! I am honored to join you all here today. A famous author once said that ‘Texas’ is not just a place but a state of mind. What others call swagger, Texans simply consider it walking. Your warm welcome has been a blessing to my family and me. As soon as we got here, I turned to my wife and quoted from the great Vince Gill. ‘Honey, I'll take Texas every time.’

 

My friends we all know why we are here today. It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to see there is a deficit of hope and trust in America. You look around this state and you see how elected officials have turned away. The highest uninsured rate in America with one in five citizens going without access to the healthcare and medicine they need. The second worst poverty rate with more than four million people living without the means to an earnest living. And a governor more interested in harassing and splitting up undocumented families than actually stopping gun violence and crime. 

 

These shortcomings are not the fault of the people. Rather it is a failure of those in public office to look beyond their pointing fingers and see the human being on the other end. That is not the America we know or were promised. Nor does it represent the best of Texas. It’s the hard-working parents, the immigrant family, the blue-collar Americans who built this land and state. Every day, you get up at the crack of dawn to make breakfast, go to work, and provide for your family. You do so because at the end of the month, you have to pay the bills, afford the rent or mortgage, and do your best to build a better life for your kids. 

 

What we need in our next president is someone who shares your results-first approach and mindset. Someone who truly cares about doing good, not just talking about it. My grandfather used to remind me as a boy of the words from the Apostle Paul. ‘No te niegues a hacer el bien a quien es debido cuando esté en tu mano el hacerlo.’... ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.’ 

 

When it comes to the question of doing right with the power you have, I heard a certain someone in this race has had a lot to say about my record and my home state. I’m sure you all saw that interesting ad from Senator and former Ohio Governor Justin Casanova-Davis. Now, I like Justin. He’s a friend. And I don't mind the back-and-forth tussle of politics. But I do care when the interests of good, regular working families hang in balance.

 

Justin Casanova-Davis was right to say there should be a discussion about our records. You and your loved ones deserve a President you can trust to put you first. So if Justin Casanova-Davis wants to talk about our records, then let's keep with the facts and you can be the judge.

 

As Governor of Illinois, I’ve put working families first by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, restoring collective bargaining and ending Right to Work laws, creating half a million blue-collar jobs with a $45 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill, and established a statewide job training program for construction workers so more families could find work and security in a good-paying union job. When Justin Casanova-Davis was Governor of Ohio, the Buckeye State was third worst in the nation for job creation. 48th out of 50. Almost 400,000 jobs were lost were lost on his watch, primarily in manufacturing.

 

When Justin Casanova-Davis was in charge of Ohio, he signed into law Ohio’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law with the Castle Doctrine. The National Rifle Association sure was proud of him. But the good folks here in Texas know just how catastrophic the Casanova-Davis ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws have been for young Black and Hispanic men. For all of his talk about legal cannabis, he apparently forgot to mention that he opposed legalizing even medicinal marijuana when he was governor in 2010. And on his watch, when he could have done something about the death penalty, he stood to the side and did nothing as Ohio executed multiple inmates.

 

Now, let’s look at my record. Not only did we legalize marijuana, but I also pardoned 11,000 individuals who were unjustly convicted for cannabis use,  expunged half of a million criminal records of marijuana offenses, and codified the Obama plan to prevent racial profiling in traffic stops by law enforcement. While Governor Casonova-Davis was doing the bidding of the NRA, I signed the law making sure gun manufacturers could be help accountable in the courts. While Donald Trump was trying to break up families and put kids in cages, I made sure Illinois welcomed in immigrants, blocked the creation of private detention centers, and made sure no aspiring young person was denied their chance at college because they were undocumented. And I sure as hell never tried to exploit the suffering of Black Americans from systemic racism and gun violence as a cheap cudgel against a primary opponent. 

 

Finally, let’s talk about poverty and making sure everyone in America has a fair shot. While Justin Casanova-Davis was closing down hospitals, I tackled poverty head on by expanding food programs for the elderly, veterans, disabled, and homeless residents. While he tried cutting funding for K-12 schools and community health centers, I made it a priority to close the gap of opportunity by delivering real investments in education with more than $40 billion going to our kids. And while he vetoed legislation that would have provided veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan much needed financial support, I made sure we took care of our heroes by delivering over half of a billion dollars to veterans homes.  

 

My friends, you deserve a president whose record and word you can trust. We have a lot to do and little time to waste. And if you believe in a Commander in Chief who will do good when he has the power to act, I’m here. I’m ready. I offer you record and vision, and I ask for your vote.

 

When we get to Washington, we are going to implement the same common sense progressive principles and solutions we did in Illinois. First, we are going to reverse the wave of poverty and health insecurity in Texas. I will restore and expand the Biden-Harris Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. We will guarantee every mother and father here today universal childcare, Pre-K, daycare, and paid medical and family leave. Any American without health insurance or dissatisfied with their private plan will have the freedom to enroll in Medicare with dental, vision, and hearing coverage included. We are going to expand School Lunch programs, boost SNAP assistance, and ease the scourge of hunger in our schools. Finally, we are going to make sure every family, especially those who have never owned a home, can finally have peace of mind when it comes to affordable housing. Not only are we going to lift the Faircloth Amendment, we are going to boost the supply of housing and condominiums while providing every first-time homebuyer a $5,000 downpayment grant. Real financial security centered around pro-family policies.

 

Second, we have to restore the dignity of work in America. No more putting business before our brothers and sisters. For working-class Texans, we are going to protect you from exploitation by corporations. Not only are we going to pass the national Employee Free Choice Act, but we’re going to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and tie it to the cost of living index. On top of that, we are going to oversee the largest expansion of education in American history. Free community college, vocational schools, job training for everyone combined with an end to legacy admissions and prioritizing lower and working-class households for scholarship grants. Let’s make K-12 education a success story in Texas again. And let’s make sure everyone truly has the tools to succeed again.

 

And finally, we are going to stand for the promise of the American dream for everyone. As Governor, I fought for the rights of every earnest and law-abiding person to live freely in the United States. When I am President, we will pass the DREAM Act, and establish a pathway to citizenship for all individuals without any criminal violations on their record. I will personally see to it that Governor Abbott and every other executive in America respect and honor the rights of immigrant families hoping to come into America. No more throwing innocent women and children on buses or tossing buoys into the Rio Grande. This is America, a land built by immigrants. And MAGA Republicans are not about to change that on my watch. 

My friends, from the start of this campaign, I have committed to a mission of national renewal: To bring back good-paying jobs. To invest in working families and protect the dignity and place of every person in this country. To make healthcare a right and not a privilege. To produce generational wealth and financial security. To stand for the rights of minorities and immigrants. And to defeat inflation by embracing progressive principles and solutions that make life easier for regular folk. That is why I am in this race. That is why I ask for you vote. With your vote, America and Texas have hope for the future. It’s time to do good with the power we have to act. And the power you have is to get out there and vote this Tuesday. Thank you! God bless you all. And God bless the great state of Texas!”

 

 

Stump Speech #2, 4 CPs

Locations: Fairfax County, Virginia

Targets: Young College-Educated Democrats, Black Voters, Traditional Democratic Voters

 

"Thank you!  It is great to be here in northern Virginia! I am honored by your warm welcome. Driving in today, we passed by the memorial to the U.S. Marines who served at Iwo Jima. All across the Commonwealth, you are reminded of the immense sacrifices and heartfelt commitment from prior generations of Americans to the cause of freedom and liberty for all. and that same spirit of perseverance and patriotism lives on here with you.

 

 The great tragedy in America today is that while the people maintain their faith in this country, the politicians have lost the vision and courage needed to lead. We saw it here just two and a half years ago. The lack of a progressive vision in the face of MAGA conservatism led to a catastrophic upset in the gubernatorial race. 

 

When we progressives fail to stand up for what we know is right, we suffer backsliding as a nation. What sort of backsliding am I talking about? The kind where politicians spend more time taking books out of schools than making sure every child can get into one. What sort of regression have we seen? The type where Voter ID laws, mass incarceration, and gun violence threaten the fabric of our society and disenfranchise millions. And what kind of country are we becoming? The type where working people, everyday citizens, are forced to get by with less and less while paying more for the most basic of goods. 

 

The good people of the Commonwealth don't want any of that. But they know that the only thing that is going to stop that are results and action. What we need in our next president is someone who shares your results-first approach and mindset. That is what this race comes down to. Too many Americans are suffering for us to drag our feet, too many earnest hardworking Americans are being left without a voice. It is time for a change. 

 

When it comes to the question of change, your record matters. Now, I've heard Senator and former Governor Casanova-Davis agrees with me. And I'm glad to hear that because he’s a friend. Justin Casanova-Davis was right to say there should be a discussion about our records. And it's those records that should inform you who to trust at the ballot box.

 

As Governor of Illinois, I made sure working families finally got the investment they deserved by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, restoring collective bargaining and ending Right to Work laws, creating half a million blue-collar jobs with a $45 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill, and established a statewide job training program for construction workers so more families could find work and security in a good-paying union job. I tackled poverty head-on by expanding food programs for the elderly, veterans, disabled, and homeless residents. We closed the gap for education inequality by delivering more than $40 billion for our schools. And for the veterans coming home from war, like the many who live here in northern Virginia, I made sure we took care of our heroes by delivering over half of a billion dollars to veterans' homes. 

 

But we didn't stop there. We took on systemic racism and bigotry in our state by getting to the root. Not only did we legalize marijuana, but I also pardoned 11,000 individuals who were unjustly convicted for cannabis use,  expunged half of a million criminal records of marijuana offenses, and codified the Obama plan to prevent racial profiling in traffic stops by law enforcement. While Donald Trump was trying to break up families and put kids in cages, I made sure Illinois welcomed in immigrants, blocked the creation of private detention centers, and made sure no aspiring young person was denied their chance at college because they were undocumented. Finally, I signed the law making sure gun manufacturers could be help accountable in the courts.

 

I did all this because that is the sort of change and results you should be able to expect from your leaders. Now, let's look at my friend Justin's resume.

 

When Justin Casanova-Davis was in charge of Ohio, he signed into law Ohio’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law with the Castle Doctrine. If Casanova-Davis was not closing down hospitals, he was busy trying to defund K-12 schools and community health centers, For all of his talk about legal cannabis, he forgot to mention that he opposed legalizing even medicinal marijuana when he was governor in 2010. He vetoed legislation that would have provided veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan much-needed financial support. And on his watch, when he could have done something about the death penalty, he stood to the side and did nothing as Ohio executed multiple inmates.

 

My friends, you deserve a president whose record and word you can trust. We have a lot to do and little time to waste. And if you believe in a Commander in Chief who will do good when he has the power to act, I’m here. I’m ready. I stand on my record, and I am ask for your vote.

 

As president, we are going to apply the common sense progressive principles to Washington D.C. that we did in Illinois. 

 

First, we are going to reverse the wave of poverty and health insecurity in Virginia. I will restore and expand the Biden-Harris Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. We will guarantee every mother and father here today universal childcare, Pre-K, daycare, and paid medical and family leave. Any American without health insurance or dissatisfied with their private plan will have the freedom to enroll in Medicare with dental, vision, and hearing coverage included. We are going to expand School Lunch programs, boost SNAP assistance, and ease the scourge of hunger in our schools. Finally, we are going to make sure every family, especially those who have never owned a home, can finally have peace of mind when it comes to affordable housing. I've seen how much it costs to buy a home in Virginia and it's ridiculous. Someone needs to tell Glenn Youngkin not everyone is carrying around $100 million in spare change. Not only are we going to lift the Faircloth Amendment, we are going to boost the supply of housing and condominiums while providing every first-time homebuyer a $5,000 downpayment grant. Real financial security centered around pro-family policies.

 

Second, we have to give back young people their power when it comes to their education. The student loan crisis has saddled millions of young people, especially here in Fairfax County, with mountains of debt. That has to change. College must be affordable for everyone, but unnecessary to earn an honest and dignified living. The first thing I'll do is erase an additional $50,000 in student loan debt combined with a national student loan refinancing period. Every single person with student loans will be able to take whatever is left and renegotiate to a lower interest rate with the freedom of opting into an income-based repayment plan. No more scrounging to make it by. You pay on the terms that work for you, not the lender. Next, we are going to oversee the largest expansion of education in American history. Free community college, vocational schools, and job training for everyone combined with an end to legacy admissions and prioritizing lower and working-class households for scholarship grants. And finally, we are going to stop this anti-education witchhunt from Republicans. We will pass an education civil rights bill to make sure no politician can ever deny our kids access to great books again. 

 

Finally, we need to take a stand for equality and civil rights again. For too long, we have been playing defense as MAGA Republicans take away your voting rights and drag us backward to a Nixonian style legal system. I say no more. When I am president, we are going to begin a new era of civil rights. We are going to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, take on and defeat Voter ID laws, and protect your say in democracy by ending racist gerrymandering. We are going to end the era of mass incarceration by legalizing marijuana, eliminating sentencing disparities in our drug laws, and implementing true policing reform to make sure law enforcement protects and serves you. We are going to expand Black homeownership, prevent lenders from discriminating against you when it comes to your FICO score. And we are going to end this endless cycle of violence in our streets by getting weapons of war out of our communities. We will ban assault weapons, require background checks for everyone, close the gunshow loopholes, and reinstate the Brady bill so no son or daughter of America lives in a neighborhood too dangerous to go outslide and play. 

My friends, from the start of this campaign, I have committed us to a mission of national renewal: To bring back good-paying jobs. To invest in working families and protect the dignity and place of every person in this country. To make healthcare a right and not a privilege. To produce generational wealth and financial security. To stand for the rights of every citizen. And to defeat inflation by embracing progressive principles and solutions that make life easier for regular folk. That is why I am in this race. That is why I ask for your vote. With your vote, America and Virginia have hope for the future. It’s time to do good with the power we have to act. And the power you have is to get out there and vote this Tuesday. Thank you! God bless you all. And God bless America!”

 

Stump Speech #3, 8 CPs

Locations: Wake County, North Carolina, Mecklenberg County, North Carolina

Targets: Young College-Educated Democrats, Black Voters, Traditional Democratic Voters

 

"Thank you!  It’s great to be here in the Tar Heel State. Driving along the highway near Randleman, I saw a sign for the Richard Petty Museum that wish my father were still here today. No one would have loved North Carolina more than my father. When I was five years old, he and I watched The King win the ‘81 Daytona 500. And it was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a racecar driver.

 

Unfortunately, there weren’t many racetracks around the south side of Chicago, nor was I ever quite good enough around those turns to make it to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. But I did make it to a different race, one all of us have a stake in: a race to restore the American dream for everyone and bring back the spirit of this great country. 

When you watched Richard Petty race, there was a magic in the air not unlike what it means to be an American. The promise we hold and cherish is that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can build an honest and dignified living in America. The great tragedy today is that while the people are still fighting and doing their best to stay in the race, our pit crew, the politicians, have turned their headsets off and wandered away to the concession stand. 

 

Noth Carolina, you deserve better than the same old uninspired politics.What we need in our next president is someone who shares your winning mindset. That is what this race comes down to. Too many Americans are suffering for us to drag our feet, too many earnest hardworking Americans are being left without a voice. It’s time America became a country of winners again. And there is nowhere better to start than right here in the state that gave us Richard Petty and Michael Jordan.

 

When it comes to winning, your record matters. Count up the trophies on The King’s mantle. And as I've heard, Senator and former Governor Casanova-Davis agrees with me. He’s a good man and someone I consider a friend. And you deserve to choose which leader, what pitcrew, you want working for you in the White House. So let’s take a moment and consider our records:

 

As Governor of Illinois, I made sure working families finally got the investment they deserved by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, restoring collective bargaining and ending Right to Work laws, creating half a million blue-collar jobs with a $45 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill, and established a statewide job training program for construction workers so more families could find work and security in a good-paying union job. I tackled poverty head-on by expanding food programs for the elderly, veterans, disabled, and homeless residents. We closed the gap for education inequality by delivering more than $40 billion for our schools. And for the veterans coming home from war, like the many who live here in northern Virginia, I made sure we took care of our heroes by delivering over half of a billion dollars to veterans' homes. 

 

But we didn't stop there. We took on systemic racism and bigotry in our state by getting to the root. Not only did we legalize marijuana, but I also pardoned 11,000 individuals who were unjustly convicted for cannabis use,  expunged half of a million criminal records of marijuana offenses, and codified the Obama plan to prevent racial profiling in traffic stops by law enforcement. While Donald Trump was trying to break up families and put kids in cages, I made sure Illinois welcomed in immigrants, blocked the creation of private detention centers, and made sure no aspiring young person was denied their chance at college because they were undocumented. Finally, I signed the law making sure gun manufacturers could be help accountable in the courts.

 

I did all this because that is the sort of change and results you should be able to expect from your leaders. When working people win, America wins. So now, let's look at my friend Justin's resume.

 

When Justin Casanova-Davis was in charge of Ohio, he signed into law their ‘Stand Your Ground’ law with the Castle Doctrine. If Casanova-Davis was not closing down hospitals, he was busy trying to defund K-12 schools and community health centers, For all of his talk about legal cannabis, he forgot to mention that he opposed legalizing even medicinal marijuana when he was governor in 2010. He vetoed legislation that would have provided veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan much-needed financial support. And on his watch, when he could have done something about the death penalty, he stood to the side and did nothing as Ohio executed multiple inmates.

 

My friends, you deserve a president whose record and word you can trust. We have a lot to do and little time to waste. And if you believe in a Commander in Chief who will do good when he has the power to act, I’m here. I’m ready. I stand on my record, and I am ask for your vote.

 

As president, we are going to implement the same common sense progressive solutions to Washington D.C. that we did in Illinois. 

 

First, we are going to reverse the wave of poverty and health insecurity in North Carolina. I will restore and expand the Biden-Harris Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. We will guarantee every mother and father here today universal childcare, Pre-K, daycare, and paid medical and family leave. Any American without health insurance or dissatisfied with their private plan will have the freedom to enroll in Medicare with dental, vision, and hearing coverage included. We are going to expand School Lunch programs, boost SNAP assistance, and ease the scourge of hunger in our schools. Finally, we are going to make sure every family, especially those who have never owned a home, can finally have peace of mind when it comes to affordable housing. Not only are we going to lift the Faircloth Amendment, we are going to boost the supply of housing and condominiums while providing every first-time homebuyer a $5,000 down payment grant. Real financial security centered around pro-family policies.

 

Second, we have to give back young people their power when it comes to their education. The student loan crisis has saddled millions of young people with mountains of debt. And the only mountains we want to see in North Carolina are the Blue Ridge. That has to change. College must be affordable for everyone, but unnecessary to earn an honest and dignified living. The first thing I'll do is erase an additional $50,000 in student loan debt combined with a national student loan refinancing period. Every single person with student loans will be able to take whatever is left and renegotiate to a lower interest rate with the freedom of opting into an income-based repayment plan. No more scrounging to make it by. You pay on the terms that work for you, not the lender. Next, we are going to oversee the largest expansion of education in American history. Free community college, vocational schools, and job training for everyone combined with an end to legacy admissions and prioritizing lower and working-class households for scholarship grants. And finally, we are going to stop this anti-education witchhunt from Republicans. We will pass an education civil rights bill to make sure no politician can ever deny our kids access to great books again. 

 

Finally, we need to take a stand for equality and civil rights again. For too long, we have been playing defense as MAGA Republicans take away your voting rights and drag us backward to a Jesse Helms style legal system. I say no more. When I am president, we are going to begin a new era of civil rights. We are going to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, take on and defeat Voter ID laws, and protect your say in democracy by ending racist gerrymandering. We are going to end the era of mass incarceration by legalizing marijuana, eliminating sentencing disparities in our drug laws, and implementing true policing reform to make sure law enforcement protects and serves you. We are going to expand Black homeownership, prevent lenders from discriminating against you when it comes to your FICO score. And we are going to end this endless cycle of violence in our streets by getting weapons of war out of our communities. We will ban assault weapons, require background checks for everyone, close the gun show loopholes, and reinstate the Brady bill so no son or daughter of America lives in a neighborhood too dangerous to go outside and play. 

 

My friends, from the start of this campaign, I have committed ourselves to a mission of national renewal: To bring back good-paying jobs. To invest in working families and protect the dignity and place of every person in this country. To make healthcare a right and not a privilege. To produce generational wealth and financial security. To stand for the rights of every citizen. And to defeat inflation by embracing progressive principles and solutions that make life easier for regular folk. That is why I am in this race. That is why I ask for your vote. With your vote, America and North Carolina have hope for the future. It’s time to do good with the power we have to act. And the power you have is to get out there and vote this Tuesday. Thank you! God bless you all. And God bless America!”

 

SURROGATE SPEECHES (10 APs)

Rep.  (4 APs)
Locations: Richland County, Charleston County
Target: Black Democratic Voters, Elderly Democrats, Elderly Black Voters

• "At this time when our civil rights and economic livelihoods are under attack by MAGA Republicans, America and South Carolina needs someone we can trust. Our vote is a statement of trust. And that trust must be earned. Of everyone in this race, there is one man who is head and shoulders above the rest in his commitment to defending and advancing equality for all in this country. And that man is Patrick Ridgeway."
• "Some in this race say the right things in public, but then scurry away to the corporate boardroom or Hollywood penthouse when it's time to fill in the details. Not Pat Ridgeway. He is here because he is a true believer in of social and economic justice for the Black community. He does come here to lecture. He's here because he listens. And he knows that we need a proactive president who will leave this country a freer and more just society than when he found it." 
• "President Pat Ridgeway will not only stand up to the advance of far-right MAGA extremists. He will reverse the tide so we can march forward again. He will pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, end the era of racial gerrymandering, double federal funding for HBCUs to $15 billion, and end the era of mass incarceration."
• "Above all, Pat Ridgeway has the plan to finally bring about sustainable generational wealth for Black families in South Carolina. His homeownership plan is one we can believe in: not only expand the supply of affordable houses and condominiums here in this state, not only will it guarantee every first time homebuyer a $5,000 downpayment grant, and not only will it expand public housing. President Ridgeway will make sure your good and honest credit score truly counts when you go to get a loan or mortgage. This is a man who knows and understands what has stood in our way. And he is determined to stand with us and overcome these barriers to equality." 

 

 

Sen. Erik Kaberle (2 APs)
Locations: Dallas County,TX
Target: Working Class Democratic Voters

"Governor Ridgeway is the real deal salt of the earth candidate. He didn’t start his career in Washington or in Hollywood. He grew up just like me and you, watching our parents work in jobs that no longer exist. That experience has informed his judgement. Both faced historic economic challenges - between the Great Recession and the pandemic - and the proof is in the results.

 

Under Governor Ridgeway, the minimum wage has risen 57% since he took office. During Senator Casanova-Davis’ time as Governor of Ohio, it rose only 55 cents. When he left office in January, 2011, unemployment was 9.3%. Today, in Illinois, the unemployment rate is half that. And while Governor Casanova-Davis stopped a scheduled tax cut, Governor Ridgeway delivered $1.8 billion in tax relief to working families across his state.

 

I am proud to work with Senator Casanova-Davis in the Senate. He’s a good man and has the best interests of the country at heart. But when you compare their records as Governors of midwestern states: Governor Ridgeway clearly stands out as the strongest one on creating jobs, raising wages, and leading the country forward by investing in the economy.

 

As President, I know Governor Ridgeway would build an economy that lifts up every American from every forgotten corner across our great nation. He will bring back goodpaying jobs right here to Memphis. He’ll make sure that good paying union jobs aren’t a luxury relic of the past but an opportunity to rebuild the middle class, stronger than ever, for working men and women in every town and state across the United States of America.  Let’s go all the way with Ridgeway!"

 

Sen. Erik Kaberle (2 APs)
Locations: Fairfax County, Virginia
Target: Black Democratic Voters

"The voters have given the message loud and clear; they expect and demand a spirited debate about the issues but will not accept deeply personal, over the topic attacks. South Carolina said no to trash and burn, so will Virginia. One of the things I like and respect about Governor Ridgeway is he deals with the facts, not hyperbolic rhetoric. He has a strong resume and I know there are things he did in Illinois that will benefit each and everyone of you if you make him President. And while Senator Casanova Davis had a lot to say Governor Ridgeway’s record, did you know he was a governor too? You wouldn’t know it if you ever listened to him. And in reviewing his record as Governor of Ohio, oof, no wonder he doesn’t want to talk about it.

 

By any metric you want to pick, it would be nearly impossible to call Justin Casanova Davis’s time as governor “a success”. Unemployment? Skyrocketed. Manufacturing jobs? Disappeared. School funding and teachers? Cuts all around. And what did he do after that one term? Did he face what he knew would be a tough election, put his all into knowing it would an uphill battle? No, he gave up. Since then, Ohio has been ruled by the far right, union rights have been obliterated and Stand Your Ground has become law and we all know who has bore the brunt of that disaster of a law. In short, when Casanova Davis was governor, he failed and bailed.

 

When it comes to looking at past records, we owe it to you to be brutally honest. In 2010, when Senator Casanova Davis decided to not pursue a second term, that was a rough year for us Democrats. When Donald Trump became president in 2017, he inherited one of the most benevolent economic situations you could ask for and that was thanks to the prosperity we experienced under President Obama. But in 2010, we weren’t quit there yet and people were still struggling. So when you enter the voting booth, I implore you to think of a time when you were really struggling, what did you do? Did you fight, work your darndest knowing it was going to be struggle? Or did you just decide to throw in the towel and not work for 2 years? Our next President will have tremendous challenges, do you want a President Ridgeway who will fight endlessly for working Americans regardless of the political or personal cost? Or do you want a President Casanova Davis who will quit when the job gets too tough? Those are the stakes my friends, join me in supporting Governor Patrick Ridgeway!

 

When you look at where the strongest economies are in the US, they are almost all located next to strong universities whether its Silicon Valley, Austin or Atlanta. Atlanta has shown when given the opportunities, you can see an economically booming African American community. But we don’t think you should have to become a Bulldogs fan for that. HBCUs here like Clafin or Allen have the potential to do the same. A President Ridgeway will super charge HBCU funding, more than double. When that happens you will see even more start ups and you will see corporate America set up shop in those communities to take advantage of the local talent. That is just one way we can target the African American community so we can slowly reverse the impact of generations of discrimination.

 

So what do most people do once they get that first job after college? They start looking to buy a home. Unfortunately home ownership has never been more elusive and especially for those who don’t have a family member that can help out with a down payment. Governor Ridgeway has a series of proposals to help bridge that gap including an increase in first time home buyer aid. But what sets Governor Ridgeway apart is he knows that we flat out need to build more houses! We can do that by encouraging multi unit housing in areas that are closest to good paying jobs. The days of huge swaths of residential neighborhoods being off limits to new construction are over. Governor Ridgeway is the only candidate talking about the supply side of the housing crisis and with his comprehensive vision, we will see the greatest increase in African American prosperity ever!"

 

Sen. Arthur J. Callahan (2 APs)
Locations: Harris County, TX
Target: Black Democratic Voters

"Friends, America is facing a crisis today. It's not a new crisis. Not by a long shot. In fact, I was talking with Governor Ridgeway the other day. We talked a bit about his slogan, and I got to thinking, "Patrick... doesn't that sound a bit familiar."

 

Now, a lot of you are probably too young to remember this particular Democratic president. Hell, I was just in diapers myself. But I read this wonderfully comprehensive biography—perhaps one of the most detailed ever written—and, I'm reminded of the humble beginnings. You see, President Lyndon Johnson was a Texan, and he taught at a segregated school for Latino children. He saw poverty so desperate that children were digging through garbage bins and sucking whatever juice was left from the peels just so they'd have something to drink.

 

If I may quote his own words, "The children of Mexican-Americans have been taught that the end of life is a beet row, or a spinach field, or a cotton patch. So to their parents throughout the land this afternoon, we say, help us lift the eyes of our children to a greater vision of what they can do with their lives."

 

He said this during his presidency, and I don't think it's far-fetched to say this shaped his worldview on Civil Rights and The Great Society. Now, Mexicans don't make up the full Latino experience, of course. But, I think, in many ways, the suffering of the Latino community in America has shaped Democratic policy for over 50 years and most of us don't even realize it. Latinos make up nearly a fifth of the American population, and account for over $2 trillion in the American economy. Yet, over 10 million Latinos are living in poverty.

 

If we want to go by specific demographics, the numbers are bleaker. 33% of Mexican-Americans are experiencing hardship paying basic bills, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Nearly 40% of Puerto Ricans. 30% of Cubans. 50% of Salvadorans and Dominicans.

 

When we look back to the words of LBJ, it really makes you think. Not much has changed, has it?

 

All across America, our citizens are working over 40 hours for pennies, and no one feels that pain more than perhaps the Latino community. You are among the most productive of our workers, and yet you are disproportionately affected by chronically-low wages. That is not right.

 

We cannot deny the role racial injustice has played in these outcomes. I'm sure there are people in this very room—people who have probably been Americans all their life—who have been told to, "Go back to their country," just because of their brown skin. People who've been chastised for speaking Spanish in public, the language spoken by 42 million people in the United States. With such hatred against your own identity, is it really that difficult to believe your opportunities are being adversely affected in an economy that's already struggling for the working class?

 

By God! And we haven't even begun to talk about the suffering of Latinos who are truly undocumented. Latinos who are hurled slurs and called leeches, even though they may never be able to cash a Social Security check they're still expected to pay for. We're talking undocumented immigrants that are filling labor shortages that workers would otherwise be uninterested in, and getting exploited in the process. They alone make up 6% of the entire work force and $1.6 trillion of the U.S. GDP.

 

Undocumented immigrant? These workers are as American as apple pie, and they deserve the respect and rights that come with being an American citizen!

 

Now, we've not always done right by the Latino community. I know—next I'm going to say the sky is blue and the Earth is round. But hear me out. It's important to remember the stakes of this election. It's important to remember what Republicans really think of you, calling you "thieves" and "rapists". It's important to remember the wall they so desperately want to build, but couldn't get the check from Mexico—the wall they now want to name after the demagogue who separated untold numbers of parents from their children. The same man responsible for the detention centers where forced sterilizations of Hispanic women took place. It's important to remember that the GOP wants to strip down welfare programs that millions of impoverished Latinos rely on, and immigration problems like DACA the first chance they get. They'd rather spend that money on wars with Venezuela. Hell, they'd rather spend it on a war with Mexico, these days!

 

The GOP's heartless agenda must be defeated in 2024. That's not a question. However, we need to choose a real fighter to do that. Democrat hands have not always been clean either. I'm sure the older among you will remember the anti-immigration mania of the 2000s. I'm sure many on the left will remember the "deporter-in-chief". There is bipartisan guilt to be shared, and just having a 'D' next to your name hasn't always made you a friend to the Latino community.

We have candidates in this race, in fact, who have supported misguided policies. During his time as Governor of Ohio, Senator Casanova-Davis supported the ‘Stand Your Ground’ doctrine, which has been proven to be used as an instrument of racial violence. We don’t need young black and brown boys having a target on their back. We don’t need more stories like Trayvon Martin—stories that add to the already well-known hateful violence against blacks in our country, and to the woefully under-reported violence against Latinos.

This error in judgment alone is damning. Under his tenure, he lost Ohioans near-half a million jobs. Let me reiterate, nearly 4% of Ohioans lost their jobs under Governor Casanova-Davis. He oversaw record numbers of executions, of which 1 of 7 are likely to be Latino and 2 out of 50 are innocent.
 

That's why, after great thought and deliberation, I'm all the way with Governor Ridgeway! Sure, it's easy to talk a big game, and I have the utmost respect for any candidate that will stand up. I have respect for any man or woman that will change their mind when they have erred. But there's talk, there’s consistency and there's delivery. Patrick has consistently delivered!

 

As Governor of Illinois, Patrick stood up to Donald Trump and the profiteers of human suffering by shutting down their private detention center scheme before they could even open their doors. He welcomed immigrants and asylum seekers, and created a vanguard against Donald Trump's inhumane ICE enforcers.

 

But it isn't just the federal government the Governor took on. He changed Illinois's policing policy to combat racial profiling that is so often used to abuse young brown and black people. And thanks to Governor Ridgeway, undocumented immigrants can receive financial aid from the state to go to school, so they can have the better chance their mom and dad would want for them.

 

This isn't milquetoast. This isn't incrementalism. This is real, systemic change. This is what taking the fight back to power looks like.

 

The fight doesn't have to end in Illinois. If you put Patrick Ridgeway in the White House, he will take the fight all across America—to you, right here in California! He'll hit  the issues at the root of the problem.

 

I'm talking about a public option for Medicare. I'm talking about universal pre-K. Universal paid family leave. Student loan forgiveness. Free community college and jobs training.

 

He'll protect the undocumented from deportation with the DREAM Act and give them a pathway to citizenship!

 

He'll destroy the gerrymandering and voter ID nonsense meant to dilute your voice and the voice of black Americans! He'll reform the police just like he did in Illinois.

 

And he'll raise your wage to 15, and put you in a union so you won't have to suffer from scraps!

 

This is what a reckoning sounds like! I'm asking you to join us, my friends. I'm asking you to join us at the ballot box on primary day! I'm asking you to come with us all the way to the convention! I'm asking you to fight with us on Election Day, and to come with us to Washington, D.C. We will fight! We will continue to fight! And we will fight until we win!

 

Sen. Raphael Warnock (2 APs)
Locations: Fulton County, Georgia
Target: Black Churchgoers, Black Democratic voters, Democratic Churchgoers

• “We saw the worst of our politics over the airwaves last week. We saw a candidate come into our state and push the sort of rhetoric and falsehoods that can only divide us. I know Patrick Ridgeway. His record as a Governor of Illinois demonstrates he is committed to the cause of equality and civil rights."
• “It was Governor Ridgeway who implemented the Obama plan to end racial profiling in traffic stops. It was Governor Ridgeway who ended the era of mass incarceration in Illinois, making sure young Black men and women were not thrown in jail for marijuana. He expunged criminal records, pardoned thousands, and demonstrated a clear commitment to the principle of the Good Samaritan. We can trust him to keep his word." 
• “President Ridgeway is going to be our vessel and champion in word and deed. He will finally deliver on the promise of home and land ownership for the Black community with his $5,000 first time homeowner down payment grant and by building new homes and condominiums. He’s going to restore dignity in public housing by repealing the Faircloth Amendment, scrapping One Strike, and making sure every son and daughter of God has a roof over their head.”
• “A Ridgeway Administration will serve as a ministry of Good Samaritans. He is committed to reducing poverty by more than 50% in his first term starting with restoring and expanding the Biden Child Tax Credit to $4,600/$4,000. He will deliver universal childcare, daycare, Pre-K, and family and sick leave for every citizen. And he will expand the school lunch and TANF programs. Just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians in Chapter 5, Pat Ridgeway understands and believes in God’s calling to serve one another humbly in love and carry each other’s burdens.”
• "The time of empty words and platitudes are over. Governor Ridgeway is someone we can trust. Someone we can believe in. And he is someone who unabashedly marches with us as we stand for civil rights and justice for all."

 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (2 APs)
Locations: Ramsey County, MN

• "When it comes to standing up for working-class, everyday family values, I know Patrick Ridgeway is a man we can trust and depend on."
• "Governor Ridgeway delivered for Illinois and he will deliver for America as president. He will restore and expand the Biden-Harris Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child. We will guarantee every mother and father here today universal childcare, Pre-K, daycare, and paid medical and family leave."
• "In a Ridgeway Administration, workers will be put first. He will pass the Employee Free Choice Act, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and guarantee universal paid family and medical sick leave to all workers in the United States."

 

ADVERTISEMENTS

“A Real Champion”

Location + Cost:

North Carolina, Morning TV Ad, $3,000,000

Texas, Morning TV Ad, $4,000,000

Virginia, Morning TV Ad, $3,000,000

(ad opens with Patrick Ridgeway walking down the aisle of a grocery store)

PATRICK RIDGEWAY: "Inflation is out of control and your share of the economy is shrinking. It doesn't have to be this way. And you deserve better. I'm running for president because it's time we put working families first again."

(screen changes to a montage of clips of Governor Patrick Ridgeway visiting a construction site and shaking hands with workers, visiting a school classroom, and clip of him shaking hands and hugging congregants at an African-American church in South Carolina)

PATRICK RIDGEWAY VOICE-OVER: "As Governor, I worked to create over a half of a million jobs and strengthened collective bargaining. We invested over $40 billion in our education system, prioritizing our kids. And we took a stand against gun violence and for civil rights."

(screen changes to a montage of clips of a family gathering around the kitchen table for dinner, young college students beaming with smiles during a class, and a diverse neighborhood enjoying a picnic together on the front lawn of a home)

PATRICK RIDGEWAY VOICE-OVER: "We need more of that in America. Let's defeat inflation by investing in families again with an expanded Child Tax Credit, universal Pre-K, community college, and paid family and medical leave. Medicare will be available and open to everyone. And we'll expand homeownership to everyone with affordable housing and protections against discrimination in lending."

(screen returns to Ridgeway in the grocery store)

PATRICK RIDGEWAY: "It's time to make Washington work for you again. I'm Pat Ridgeway, candidate for president, and I approve this message." 

 

Internet Ad, "The Record Left Unspoken"

Money: $5,000,000

(The advertisement appears in the banner or sidebar of the webpage. It features an unflattering image of Justin Casanova-Davis. In the background behind Casanova-Davis are massive logos for the National Rifle Association and American Legislative Exchange Council)

HEADER: "The Real Justin Casanova-Davis”

 Beneath the header is a subheader followed by a short bullet point list:

SUBHEADER: “The Record He Doesn't Want to Talk About”

BULLET POINTS UNDER SUBHEADER

• “Signed ‘Stand Your Ground’ law in Ohio with the support of the NRA.
• Approved multiple executions as Governor of Ohio, refusing pleas to intervene.
• Opposed legalizing even medicinal marijuana while running Ohio.
• Tried defunding K-12 schools.
• Closed multiple hospitals with budget cuts.”

BOLD TEXT AT BOTTOM: “We can’t trust Justin Casanova-Davis”

(at the bottom of the ad is a button reading “Delive Real Change”. If the user clicks the button or any other portion of the ad, it will take them to the Ridgeway campaign website

 

TARGETED OUTREACH (11 APs) 

Locations: (1) Fulton County, GA, (2) Wake County, NC, (3) Mecklenburg County, NC, (4) Fairfax County, Virginia

Topic: Civil Rights

Target: Black Democratic Voters

"I am committed to protecting and expanding civil rights for Black Americans. I will pass the John Lewis Voting Rights, end racist gerrymandering, ending the era of mass incarceration, taking on discriminatory Voter ID laws, and true police reform."

 

Locations: (1) Wake County, NC, (2) Mecklenburg County, NC, (3) Dallas County, TX, (4) Memphis, TN

Topic: Reduce Poverty Now

Target: Lower-income Voters

"I will restore the Biden Child Tax Credit to $4,600 and $4,000 per child, raise the minimum wage to $15, deliver universal paid family sick leave, guarantee childcare, daycare, and Pre-K, I will expand housing by lifting the Fairclotch amendment, establishing a firstime homebuyers down payment grant of $5,000, expanding SNAP and School Lunch programs for children."

 

Locations: (1) Harris County, TX, (2) Dallas County, TX, (3) Bexar County, TX 

Topic: Protect Hispanic Families

Target: Hispanic Voters

"I will pass the DREAM Act and establish a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented families. I will also protect Hispanic families from economic exploitation through organizations like the United Farm Workers by passing an Employee Free Choice Act, guaranteeing universal healthcare with a Medicare enrollment option, and expanding homeownership by boosting the supply of homes and providing a $5,000 downpayment grant."

 

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Targets: Civil Rights organizations, Construction industry, Unions

Fundraising Methods: Emailing List, High Dollar Galas

Fundraising Focus: 

Civil Rights organizations

• I pledge to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights, end racist gerrymandering, ending the era of mass incarceration, taking on discriminatory Voter ID laws, and true police reform.
• I will protect Americans from mass deportation by passing the DREAM Act and establishing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
• I will crack down on discriminatory financial practices by requiring positive rent payments to be included in credit scores and directing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to focus on redlining and unfair lending practices for minorities.

Construction Industry

• I will establish a $20 billion annual grant program to bankroll housing developments and condominium construction throughout the United States. I will also lift the Faircloth Amendment to make new public housing plans a reality again. I will also provide an additional $5 billion to builders per year to expedite worker training and navigation of complicated state and local laws. 
• I plan to expand upon the Biden Infrastructure bill with an additional $100 billion of infrastructure spending. This will be focused primarily on home and facility reconstruction and development.
• I will establish a 50% tax writeoff for the construction and development of new factories and facilities in the United States. This means more demand for builders like you from top businesses located here in America. 

Unions

• I will pass the Employee Free Choice Act, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and guarantee universal paid family and medical sick leave to all workers in the United States.
• I will require a representative from the National Labor Relations Board to present and involved in all trade talks and disputes. This representative will have a history with a union and will have final say on any trade deal before it is submitted before Congress. 
• I will require the Brown-Wyden Rapid Response mechanism from the USMCA to be included in all future trade deals to guarantee unions are protected and can stop any disastrous policy from being implemented by a future administration. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aye

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Q2, 2013

 

Dickens' Speaks on Senate Floor for Stability and Freedom Act

WASHINGTON D.C. — Senator Clint Dickens spoke on the Senate floor this morning urging passage of his Stability and Freedom for Syria Act. Below are his remarks.

 

 

Quote

 

"Mr. President,

 

As the lead sponsor of the Stability and Freedom for Syria Act, I thank this Chamber and our esteemed colleague, the Senator from the great Commonwealth of Virginia, for docketing this bill. For over two years now, the Syrian Civil War has spiraled out of control into a cyclone of death and destruction. Tens of thousands of Syrians have been killed, many due to chemical weapons being unleashed on the civilian populace. The satanic barbarity of Bashar al-Assad has bred instability in the region. And that instability has given rise to terrorism. Just as our inaction in Afghanistan, Yemen, and post-invasion Iraq gave way to destabilization and terror, so too will Syria become both a new breeding ground of senseless mayhem and the source of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in a generation.

 

Now, there are some in this chamber who are wary that any U.S. response to this crisis will lead to yet another prolonged Middle Eastern conflict. I share your concerns and join you in opposing any U.S. troops getting involved.

 

There are some who raise concerns about the unity of the Syrian resistance to Assad. I too share your worries.

 

And there are some who ask what will happen next for Syria, if and when Bashar al-Assad is toppled and either ends up either at the Hague or disposed of in an unmarked grave. Your questions are the questions that I and so many here have asked ourselves in the days leading up to today.

 

The best possible answer to these many questions is this bill. If you want to keep American boys and girls out of harm's way, the Stability and Freedom Act is our best hope. If you wish to provide the State Department and CIA the resources necessary to unify the Syrian resistance and flip both insurgent and bureaucrat alike, the Stability and Freedom Act is our best hope. And if you wish to see a new day for Syria where men, women, and children can live free of the clouds of both tyranny and chemicals, the Stability and Freedom Act is their best hope.

 

This bill does not authorize military intervention. It does not give the executive branch carte blanche. And it does not set goals out of reach of both the Syrian people and our own capabilities. The mission is clear: restore stability to Syria by replacing Assad with a unified and capable coalition government that respects the freedoms and liberties of the Syrian people. And this we will do by utilizing every facet of the Departments of Defense and State, the CIA, FBI, and beyond in a coordinated and unified effort. You cannot end this war with just guns or butter alone. And at the end of the day, what will decide the fate of Syria is not American boots on the ground in Aleppo, but our guidance and assistance right here and right now in Washington.

 

There are some in this chamber and in this country who are so numbed by politics or the trauma of past conflicts that they are blind to the suffering of the Syrian people. Do not shield your eyes any longer. Do not look away. And do not pretend that playing dead will make the wolf go away. Assad, his cronies, and the terrorists exploiting the situation will only go stronger if we fail to act now. If you wish to end the suffering, break the cycle of war and terror, and keep American troops out of harm's way, this is the opportunity to do so. 

 

Thank you and I yield the floor."

 

 

Mr. President,

 

As the lead sponsor of the Stability and Freedom for Syria Act, I thank this Chamber and our esteemed colleague, the Senator from the great Commonwealth of Virginia, for docketing this bill. For over two years now, the Syrian Civil War has spiraled out of control into a cyclone of death and destruction. Tens of thousands of Syrians have been killed, many due to chemical weapons being unleashed on the civilian populace. The satanic barbarity of Bashar al-Assad has bred instability in the region. And that instability has given rise to terrorism. Just as our inaction in Afghanistan, Yemen, and post-invasion Iraq gave way to destabilization and terror, so too will Syria become both a new breeding ground of senseless mayhem and the source of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in a generation.

 

Now, there are some in this chamber who are wary that any U.S. response to this crisis will lead to yet another prolonged Middle Eastern conflict. I share your concerns and join you in opposing any U.S. troops getting involved.

 

There are some who raise concerns about the unity of the Syrian resistance to Assad. I too share your worries.

 

And there are some who ask what will happen next for Syria, if and when Bashar al-Assad is toppled and either ends up either at the Hague or disposed of in an unmarked grave. Your questions are the questions that I and so many here have asked ourselves in the days leading up to today.

 

The best possible answer to these many questions is this bill. If you want to keep American boys and girls out of harm's way, the Stability and Freedom Act is our best hope. If you wish to provide the State Department and CIA the resources necessary to unify the Syrian resistance and flip both insurgent and bureaucrat alike, the Stability and Freedom Act is our best hope. And if you wish to see a new day for Syria where men, women, and children can live free of the clouds of both tyranny and chemicals, the Stability and Freedom Act is their best hope.

 

This bill does not authorize military intervention. It does not give the executive branch carte blanche. And it does not set goals out of reach of both the Syrian people and our own capabilities. The mission is clear: restore stability to Syria by replacing Assad with a unified and capable coalition government that respects the freedoms and liberties of the Syrian people. And this we will do by utilizing every facet of the Departments of Defense and State, the CIA, FBI, and beyond in a coordinated and unified effort. You cannot end this war with just guns or butter alone. And at the end of the day, what will decide the fate of Syria is not American boots on the ground in Aleppo, but our guidance and assistance right here and right now in Washington.

 

There are some in this chamber and in this country who are so numbed by politics or the trauma of past conflicts that they are blind to the suffering of the Syrian people. Do not shield your eyes any longer. Do not look away. And do not pretend that playing dead will make the wolf go away. Assad, his cronies, and the terrorists exploiting the situation will only go stronger if we fail to act now. If you wish to end the suffering, break the cycle of war and terror, and keep American troops out of harm's way, this is the opportunity to do so. 

 

Thank you and I yield the floor.