We Know What They're Afraid Of

 

We Know What They're Afraid Of

by C. A. Matthews

Have you ever heard the old expression, When your enemy is making mistakes, don’t stop and correct him? I believe working class Americans are currently in this situation. And it gives me optimism we may just make it after all.

What makes me feel so positive? First off, The Revolution Continues blog was censored by Google (Blogger) for the second time in a week. Now, censorship is not usually something that makes me happy, but the probable reason behind what triggered the censorship reinforces my optimism. It's a sign that things are about to get very interesting, and they could work out well for the majority of us if we hang in there.

Check out last week’s blog, Weaponizing Free Speech, for the details of the first round of censorship the blog experienced and how it was circumvented. This second censored posting came from the same time period—about seven years ago—when the blog was still The Bernie Blog, and guess what? It also contained a short article about the Dems rigging the 2016 primaries against Bernie Sanders. This piece was actually a call for Berners to sign a petition for open DNC primaries. (The first censored blog had a piece about primary wins that were outright “stolen” from Bernie.) It seems somebody in authority has commanded Google to shut down any blog posts on the topic of trying to steal or manipulate the outcomes of Democratic Party primary elections.

Now, why would the Dems all of a sudden get twitchy about people reading an article about how their primaries have been “stolen” in the past? Could it have something to do with the recent announcement that both the Democratic Party primaries and the candidate debates are being canceled in 2024 so that Joe Biden can be crowned the party’s nominee with no need for him to undergo the hard work of campaigning? This announcement was made after both Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Junior announced they’re planning to run as Democrats.

Don’t believe me that the DNC is paranoid about Biden having to fight off competitors in a primary? Independent journalist Matt Orfalea reports on how faithful Dems are being banned and kicked off the the national Democratic Party r/democrat Reddit forum simply for stating they support either Williamson or RFK Jr.  Between the censoring of anything to do with Democratic Party primaries (even seven year old ones) and the banning of any talk of Williamson and Kennedy online in the subreddit for Dems, I've got a strong gut feeling that the big bosses of the DNC are very worried. 

I believe the Dem bosses are very concerned there will be a lot of upset blue voters demanding primaries and debates. Perhaps the bosses worry they'll be some very vocal and visual protests against Biden’s automatically assuming the throne without at least debating Marianne and RFK Jr.

These duopolists are afraid—and I mean very afraid—of We the People not wanting a clearly confused, elderly career politician in the likes of Joe Biden rammed down our throats. Recently, Biden was seen holding very detailed note cards at a press conference; the notes contained the questions that so-called “press members” were going to ask him and how he should answer these predetermined questions in front of the cameras. 

That's pretty clear evidence of why the Dem bosses don’t want Biden to be in a debate situation or have him go on the road, campaigning for the primaries. He’s not capable of answering questions that aren’t written out—and answered for him—when he’s out in public. There is something else they're deathly afraid of: They're terrified that We the People won’t stand for having a cognitively incapacitated president in office for another four years.

To pretend that President Biden is focused on trying to reach the American people by different means, and not avoiding the give-and-take of a news conference open to all, as a White House aide told the New York Times, is just horseshit.  --Seymour Hersh,  Confessions Of A Political Flack

This non-choice of DNC candidates is particularly obnoxious when you realize that Donald Trump is the likely Republican Party nominee. Here is where the duopolists’ hubris might get the better of them. They think every American has been brainwashed enough to never consider not voting in protest or instead voting for an alternative party or independent candidate. But intelligent folks know that this couldn’t be further from the truth. A recent Gallup poll shows over 49% of Americans don't identify as either “Democrat” or “Republican” but as “Independent.”

Unlike Biden, We the People can think for ourselves. We understand how the same billionaires have bought off both the Ds and the Rs. We realize they're working for the billionaires and not us, and do as they're told. An intelligent electorate is scary indeed for the oligarchy. 

Joe Biden's approval rating is at a record low according to Gallup: only 37% approve while 59% disapprove of the job he is doing. Of special note is that he's only at 31% with independents. The economy is the number one reason. No wonder the DNC won't allow debates.  --Professor Anthony Zenkus on Twitter

See what I mean about not correcting your enemy’s mistakes? The donkeys and elephants of the duopoly have felt confident for almost one hundred-seventy years that their man (literally a male, and a white, wealthy male at that) will be the winner of the presidential election. There’s been zero exceptions, although there have been some close calls. Could the 2024 presidential election be the upset of the millennium? Could Americans actually see a libertarian, socialist, eco-socialist, or even a professed communist assume the presidency? Could we witness some real change?

Before you laugh and say something along the lines of “That’s not possible,” I'll remind you of just how many damning duopolist-driven government lies and obscenities have been exposed lately. Who thought these embarrassing truths would ever come to light? Who knows how these revelations might persuade voters to vote for other than the duopoly?

This past week it was revealed the CIA recruited some of the 9/11 attackers from Saudi Arabia, covering up for them after the Twin Towers fell. Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden and independent journalists like Julian Assange have revealed how Americans have been spied upon and outright lied to, only to be exiled or jailed without trial. The Russiagate conspiracy has been totally debunked, and the Hamilton 68 dashboard was revealed as a government-funded troll farm to perpetuate these myths.

The US is perpetually at war for other countries' resources, making the military industrial complex CEOs ever richer and turning our children/grandchildren into casualty figures fighting the billionaires' wars for oil. Many Americans express horror at a possible nuclear war between the US and Russia and/or China. They know nuclear winter is not survivable.

In an attempt to bring an end to this war, China has taken the lead in advocating peace talks. Brazil's President Lula da Silva has backed Beijing's efforts. The West, on the other hand, has vociferously opposed all attempts at diplomatic negotiations and instead pushed to escalate the NATO proxy war on Russia, sending fighter jets and tanks to Kiev. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, are treating their country as a for-profit company, frequently traveling to the United States in search of lucrative business opportunities.  --From US Corporations Cash In On Ukraine’s Oil And Gas

Ordinary working Americans watch in horror as the billionaires who own the duopoly grow richer while the workers' food prices and rents skyrocket.

...It is profit-gouging, not wage hikes, that is the primary driver of inflation... the Times reported how giant food conglomerates have sharply raised prices and reaped higher profits. PepsiCo raised prices 16 percent and saw an 18 percent increase in profits last quarter. Nestlé raised prices 9.8 percent, growing its revenue 5.6 percent to $26.48 billion. Coca-Cola also raised prices, boosting its profits to $3.1 billion, a 12 percent rise. Beyond the food industry, one major corporation after another released earnings reports this week beating analysts’ estimates, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, Amazon and Caterpillar. --From US jobs massacre accelerates, as ruling class confronts growing upsurge of class struggle

The workers' “enemy” has made a lot of “mistakes,” and many of them have been revealed. Why should We the People trust the duopolists currently in power? They unquestioningly do the bidding of their billionaire masters. Why should we allow the billionaires and their puppets to prosper at the workers’ expense?

We’re already seeing the scales fall from the eyes of the French and the Peruvian workers. They have been marching and protesting in the streets for months now, livid at the evils of their respective governments. Even in the US this year  we’re seeing a record number of protests, strikes, and new unions forming. Apparently, a good number of We the People aren’t afraid to take our disputes public and shout down our oppressors any longer.

Then there are deaths of despair–-in its massiveness a nearly unique American phenomenon. These seemingly ubiquitous encounters with the Grim Reaper from suicide, drug overdose or cirrhosis of the liver predominately afflict middle-aged whites–-for obvious reasons, namely, this demographic has suffered a stupendous decline in its living standards in recent decades due to Wall Street-enforced deindustrialization. Good jobs just don’t exist in their old numbers anymore, and many people cannot “adjust” to this. As a result, according to Health System Tracker, “the U.S. has the lowest life expectancy among large, wealthy countries, while it far outspends its peers on health care. --From As American Life Expectancy Plunges, Political Bigwigs Stay Busy Not Noticing

As more and more Americans lose their COVID-related Medicaid health care and other tax breaks, I predict there will be even more protests and strikes. As the climate catastrophe worsens and more Americans find themselves dealing with floods, forest fires, and super-storms, I see more activism and demands for the billionaires to clean up their messes at their expense, not ours. 

As the “copbots” and "robo-dogs" shoot at protesters, I hope we’ll see even more protesting and demonstrating directed toward the useless duopolists who have militarized the police in their fear of us. They think we’re not courageous enough to take them on. But hunger, homelessness, desperation, and anger all can motivate a person, so perhaps we are.

A clueless president who can’t answer questions on the spot and speak to the people’s concerns doesn’t deserve our respect or support. A greedy ex-president who would rob us all blind doesn’t deserve a second chance. And neither of them deserve our vote.

We know what they’re afraid of—they’re afraid of us, the American workers, We the People. We're not all brainwashed. We see through their lies. We're determined to be rid of those who persecute and prosecute us for simply trying to live our lives. 

Let’s use their fear of us to our advantage. Let's put them on the spot. Let’s keep them guessing what we’ll do next. Let’s keep doing whatever it takes until they break and we get what we deserve.

Get off your sofas and out of your basements, Doomers and Gloomers! Take to the streets! Demand change! You have nothing to lose but your misery.

Related Links:

Biden Begins Reelection Bid at Low Point in His Presidency
https://news.gallup.com/poll/505202/biden-begins-reelection-bid-low-point-presidency.aspx

Democrats Censoring Democrats On Reddit https://censorednews.substack.com/p/democrats-censoring-democrats-on

Oops! DNC Says There Will Be No Debates--Because... Democracy! (video) https://rumble.com/v2l7q3s-oops-dnc-says-there-will-be-no-debates-because...-democracy.html

Confessions Of A Political Flack https://popularresistance.org/confessions-of-a-political-flack/

America is Doomed: Biden & Trump Announce Re-election Runs https://youtu.be/8n43PGH58io

As American Life Expectancy Plunges, Political Bigwigs Stay Busy Not Noticing   https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/28/as-american-life-expectancy-plunges-political-bigwigs-stay-busy-not-noticing/

Kamala Harris Drops EPIC Word Salad On College Students https://youtu.be/5OUWNYPq2Q0

Facebook censors journalist Seymour Hersh's report on Nord Stream pipeline attack https://geopoliticaleconomy.substack.com/p/facebook-censors-seymour-hersh-nord-stream

Your Messaging Service Should Not Be a DEA Informant
https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/27/your-messaging-service-should-not-be-a-dea-informant/

An Insider’s Guide to “Anti-Disinformation” https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/26/an-insiders-guide-to-anti-disinformation/

Biden cheat sheet shows he had advance knowledge of journalist’s question  https://nypost.com/2023/04/26/biden-cheat-sheet-shows-he-had-advance-knowledge-of-journalists-question/

Bombshell Filing: 9/11 Hijackers Were CIA Recruits
https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/27/bombshell-filing-9-11-hijackers-were-cia-recruits/

US Propaganda Backfires--Hard (video) https://youtu.be/VQ6EkK2WGfc

Federal agents barge into wrong Boston hotel room during training, handcuff pilot https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/revere-hotel-boston-fbi-botched-training-cheryl-fiandaca-wbz/

US Corporations Cash In On Ukraine’s Oil And Gas https://popularresistance.org/us-corporations-cash-in-on-ukraines-oil-and-gas/

Biden to Send Nukes to South Korea https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/27/biden-to-send-nukes-to-south-korea/

Joe Lauria: State Dept. & Senate Leaders Troll Assange
https://scheerpost.com/2023/04/27/joe-lauria-state-dept-senate-leaders-troll-assange/

How the Press Misled the Public on Russiagate https://therealnews.com/how-the-press-misled-the-public-on-russiagate

Oceans Have Reached Warmest Levels in Modern History. Scientists Are Worried. https://truthout.org/articles/oceans-have-reached-warmest-levels-in-modern-history-scientists-are-worried/

An Urgent Need To Fund Water Infrastructure
https://www.thebrockovichreport.com/p/an-urgent-need-to-fund-water-infrastructure

US jobs massacre accelerates, as ruling class confronts growing upsurge of class struggle https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/04/29/jobs-a29.html

Experts Cite the Health Impacts of Incarceration as US Life Expectancy Falls  https://truthout.org/articles/experts-cite-the-health-impacts-of-incarceration-as-us-life-expectancy-falls/

Warren Report Reveals Vast Pentagon-to-Defense Contractor Lobbying Pipeline https://truthout.org/articles/warren-report-reveals-vast-pentagon-to-defense-contractor-lobbying-pipeline/

From Military to Policing, Say No to a Federal Budget That Prioritizes Violence  https://truthout.org/articles/from-military-to-policing-say-no-to-a-federal-budget-that-prioritizes-violence/

Weaponizing Free Speech https://continuousrev.blogspot.com/2023/04/weaponizing-free-speech.html 

 

 

 

Whatever This Is, It's Not A Democracy

 

Did Not Vote is a powerful majority. Why are their voices suppressed?

Whatever This Is, It's Not A Democracy

by C.A. Matthews 

Some folks running for office can tell their story much better than I can, so here's one in the candidate's (Matthew Hoh) own tweets: 

When the Democratic Party decided to go to war to try to push a disabled Marine combat veteran off the ballot, they should have known: we’re not going to back down from a fight for our democracy.

We will stand up and fight this outrageous corruption.

— Matthew Hoh for Senate (@MatthewPHoh) June 30, 2022

"In recordings and eyewitness accounts provided to the Green Party and the media, Democratic Party operatives falsely claimed to be representing the Green Party and even the Board of Elections as they bombarded our petition signers with deceptive claims. (This video link shows what happened.) https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/nc-green-party-claims-harassment-amid-pressures-to-be-removed-from-ballot/

"The decision to deny our ballot line comes after a massive voter intimidation campaign from the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee aided by the Elias Law Group, targeting NC residents to pressure them to request their names be removed from our petition. https://www.matthewhohforsenate.org/hoh-slams-democratic-partys-voter-intimidation-campaign/

"At the @NCSBE meeting, the @NorthCarolinaGP's lawyer Oliver Hall of @voterchoice asked if there was any evidence why the NCGP's 15,953 verified signatures should not be certified. SBOE Chair Damon Circosta, 1 of 3 Democrats on the 5-member board, refused to answer the question...

"When the NC Green Party's lawyer Oliver Hall repeated that his only question was if there was any reason not to certify the Green Party petition, given NCGP's 15,953 verified signatures well exceeded the requirement, Chairman Circosta demanded the Green Party’s lawyer be muted.

"After silencing Attorney Oliver Hall, the only representative of the Green Party allowed in the meeting except for observers, the NC State Board of Elections proceeded to vote 3-2 against certifying the Greens’ ballot access petition, with all 3 Democrats voting No. 

 "Please watch yesterday's hearing where we were denied party certification by the NC State Board of Elections in a brazenly partisan manner. Most disturbing, among several concerns to me, was the lack of due process.  (This video starts where the vote to deny party certification begins.)  https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/State_Board_Meeting_Docs/2022-06-30/State%20Board%20of%20Elections%20Meeting-20220630%201300-1.mp4

 "Allegations that the Green Party committed fraud in the signature-collection process have come primarily from the ELIAS LAW GROUP, a FIRM THAT SERVES AS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE (DSCC)."

Watch some of the videos above (and below in the related links) and you'll get more of a feel at just how coordinated this effort at preventing the Green Party from having a senatorial candidate on the NC ballot is. Denying qualified candidates from having their names on the ballot without due process--under the cloud of possible illegal electioneering tactics by the DSCC's law firm--isn't what most honest Americans would expect living in a "democracy."  In case the NC State Board of Elections has forgotten what the word democracy means:

Free elections? The rule of the people is honored? The majority of Americans belong to the party called "Did Not Vote." Using bullying tactics via text, telephone calling, and actual door knocking by Democratic Party operatives to get NC voters to remove their names from Matthew Hoh's senate petition doesn't sound fair, does it? And yet, this unfair behavior is allowed because those currently in power in North Carolina (a.k.a. the Democrats)--who are backed by plenty of money from very powerful, very wealthy people (a.k.a the oligarchs)--want it to happen.

Competition during a very contested election year cannot be allowed by the Dems. In their opinion, the voters do not deserve to have choices at the polls. To quote our Australian friends from The Juice Media, makers of Honest Government Ads, the voters are expected to choose candidates from the "Shit Party" or from the "Shit Lite Party." And then voters are expected to shut up and put up with the whole stinky mess that voting for a "lesser evil" candidate causes.

You can see why the NC Democrats have gone to such extremes to keep Matthew off the ballot. Just by listening to him in the videos you can tell how intelligent and compassionate he is. He has served several tours of duty as a Marine and worked in the US State Department. He seems the ideal candidate--energetic, smart, experienced in government, and a true patriot. So, what's wrong with him? He won't take corporate money and lobbyists' dollars like the duopoly candidates do. He wants to represent the people--not Wall Street.

And the oligarchs can't have that, can they?

So, why won't the Dems even allow Matthew Hoh's name on the ballot for US senate as a Green Party candidate? Just let his name be on the ballot... Well, the biggest problem with that is the Democrats would have to campaign against him. And what bad things could they actually say about Matthew? Not much.

Consider this: How bad would it look for the Democrats to say disparaging things and make spurious claims in commercials and printed materials against a disabled veteran? A veteran who served his country and was wounded in the process… It would be pretty low behavior even by the dirty Dems' standards, the same party who openly screwed over Bernie Sanders in their 2016 and 2020 primaries.

Whatever this voting system we've got in this country is, it sure ain't a democracy.   

We The People who believe in democracy and fair play shouldn't allow stunts like this to happen. No political faction should be able to prevent third party or independent candidates from being on the ballot. Support Matthew's cause to get his case heard in time for him to appear on the NC ballot so voters there have a choice of one decent candidate for senate. Support the Green Party US so they can easily get their candidates on ballots everywhere.

Who knows? These types of shenanigans might be happening currently in your state, too. Why would you want voters stuck choosing between the two "lesser evil" choices? How will We The People ever hope to change the corrupt status quo and make the world a better place if we're stuck choosing between "Shit" and "Shit Lite" candidates? It's time to flush the dirty duopoly tactics down the drain forever!

Related Articles and Videos Links:

Blatantly Partisan: NC Green Part Candidate Slams State Dems For Denying Ballot Petition https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/07/01/blatantly-partisan-nc-green-party-candidate-slams-state-dems-denying-ballot-petition

Hoh Slams Democratic Party's Voter Intimidation Campaign https://www.matthewhohforsenate.org/hoh-slams-democratic-partys-voter-intimidation-campaign/

Dems Illegally Kick 3rd Party Off Ballot in North Carolina (video)  https://youtu.be/sn1nQCEr5JU

Matthew Hoh Joins JB (A very thorough video interview. JB asks some very good questions, and Matthew opens up on a variety of topics.)  https://youtu.be/kVmpl3OndEg

Court Concedes DNC Had The Right to Rig Primaries Against Sanders https://observer.com/2017/08/court-admits-dnc-and-debbie-wasserman-schulz-rigged-primaries-against-sanders/ 

What Would a Real Opposition Party of the People Do? https://scheerpost.com/2022/07/04/what-would-a-real-opposition-party-of-the-people-do/

Matthew Hoh for US Senate  https://www.matthewhohforsenate.org

Ballot Access Fund--North Carolina Green Party https://www.ncgreenparty.org/ballot-access-fund  

Seen on Twitter:

Either we live in:

1. A democracy where citizens can run and vote for candidates under whatever political party we want.

or

2. An oligarchy where 2 corporate controlled parties who can literally pick their nominees in a smoke filled back room dictate who can run for office.

— The Progressive Michigander (@Progress_Mich) July 1, 2022

Democrats just fought harder to kick a Green party candidate off the ballot than they’ve ever fought against Republicans. They make speech after speech about saving democracy as they’re actively destroying it by suppressing the people from having better choices at the ballot box.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) July 1, 2022

What's being done to @MatthewPHoh, in North Carolina is a shameful act by the "Democratic" Party to deny the people of a candidate they will probably want to vote for... when Dems should be working on #ReproductiveRights.

If you want to help... please RT.https://t.co/DauEEfWnhl

— JustinBGreen (@JustinBGreen1) July 2, 2022

Democrats vs the Right: There’s nothing we can do, the parliamentarian said so!

Democrats vs the Left: We will do whatever it takes to destroy you. https://t.co/fUAWPPsyLs

— Matthew Hoh for Senate (@MatthewPHoh) July 3, 2022

Democrats are mistaken if they think kicking third parties off the ballot will help them win. There are a growing number of us who will not vote for a party whose sole purpose is to keep us trapped in this corrupt duopoly because it’s made them and their corporate donors rich.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) July 2, 2022

😂

Once people see what the Democratic Party really is, it can never be unseen. https://t.co/E2G6ZSlIqW

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 2, 2022

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A Berniecrat in Ohio's 5th District

The Revolution Continues is proud to feature an exclusive interview with an up-and-coming progressive candidate for the House of Representatives...

A Berniecrat in Ohio's 5th District:
An Interview with M. Xavier Carrigan


https://www.mxc2020.com/

TRC:  Your web page proudly states “Progressive, positive, and proactive” and “making the American Dream an opportunity for everyone.” How exactly do you define “the American Dream”? In what ways will you be proactive in bringing about these opportunities?

MXC: I think the “American Dream” has different meanings for different people, but it generally encompasses having a job that pays fair wages and has upward mobility, owning a home, and raising a family in a peaceful, safe, and secure environment. Certainly, the reality of life in the US has changed considerably from the white-picket fence and 2.5 children ideal of the mid-20th century. However, the underlying spirit remains, and it remains for both those who were born here and those who have immigrated.

I myself am a product of the American Dream. My father emigrated here from Iran, and I am a first generation American. I watched my father work relentlessly to make his own businesses successful and to make sure that his family benefited from his efforts. I will never forget that, and that is what fuels my bid for the 5th District seat in the US House of Representatives. He overcame all the obstacles that immigrants face when setting up homes in a new country, and he worked tirelessly.

I will be proactive in bringing about these opportunities to all of my constituents by supporting an increase in legal immigration, an area in which the Trump administration has failed miserably. I will work to normalize the status of Dreamers as well as resolve the immigration status of countless other undocumented immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding residents. I will also fight to embrace refugees fleeing violence in Central America and not send them back to where their lives are in danger. I will also support citizenship for the translators and other locals who worked with American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other places in the Middle East, who were critical to our operations despite the fact that helping us put their lives and the lives of their families at risk.

But the American Dream is not just the domain of immigrants. We must fight to support the ability of the US working class to participate in all of the benefits this country can offer. I will fight to prioritize the rights of the individual over the rights of corporations and to implement a minimum wage that supports a decent standard of living – one that is emblematic of our shared perception of the American Dream – to reduce the horrendous disparity between CEO and worker pay and to guarantee that our education works for everyone, not just the privileged.

It is disheartening that today we must fight to keep the American Dream alive, but that is the situation that an unfettered corporate culture of greed and a complacent, compliant government have foisted upon us.

TRC:  As a supporter of the Democratic Party’s Green New Deal, you realize that our current system of government isn’t always on the side of the climate, the environment, or the health and welfare of its citizens, and there are many in the status quo who will fight for the rights of polluters such as CAFOs (factory farms) to continue polluting. What kinds of tactics do you envision using to press forward to make positive inroads on this important issue? What kinds of legislation will you introduce to Congress to help fight climate change and better the lives of not only your constituents but for all humankind?

MXC:  The issue of climate change must be defined as, “How are we going to protect our planet and its people?” and not, “How are we going to protect corporate profits?” So, the first order of business must be to reinstate the vast majority of environmental regulations that the Trump Administration has rescinded, and I don’t mean just the ones for which Trump sat in the Oval Office like a kid at show-and-tell holding up a document with his scribbled signature on it. Because, as foolish as those actions and his behaviour have been, there are countless other regulations that have been decimated by cabinet secretaries appointed to positions that they have essentially been charged with destroying. The behavior of the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Commerce has been shockingly duplicitous and aimed solely at propping up corporate profits, the people of the US be damned.

I will follow the leads of other countries around the world that have reduced their carbon footprints by developing high-speed rail systems which also produce new jobs. I will fight for California’s fuel efficiency standards to go national. And I will fight for increased research and implementation of alternative renewable energy sources that will not foul the air that we all must breathe. Trump has done untold damage to our ecological development and that must be reversed ASAP.

TRC:  Have you heard of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) citizens’ initiative that was passed this past year in Toledo? What is your take on citizens taking the initiative to save their—and about 11 million others’—drinking water from animal effluence-caused toxic algae blooms? Since you would represent constituents in western Lucas and Wood Counties who receive their water from the lake via Toledo’s water treatment facilities, as well as representing agribusiness and farmers in the Maumee River Watershed, how do you see yourself balancing these two opposing factions for the good of the many?
 
MXC:  Drinking toxic water is unacceptable whether it is in Flint, Michigan, or any municipality that gets its water from Lake Erie. Keeping Lake Erie and all of our waterways clean is not negotiable. Corporations do not have a right to destroy our water supply for their profits.

The only way we can resolve the matter of a water crisis as large as the algae blooms in Lake Erie is by making decisions that will not appease everyone. More importantly, it will hurt the pockets of those who profit the most, and I have no problem telling Big Ag that they must reel in their poor environmental practices and must lead the industry in means of mitigating contamination of one of the world’s largest bodies of fresh water.

Recently, a federal judge decided that LEBOR was unconstitutional. I have met many of those who have worked tirelessly for years to get this Bill of Rights made into law, and now have nothing to show for it. When we live in a time where a non-tangible entity like a corporation has more rights than most human beings, this is appalling. I will make sure that this fight does not end on the whims of this court decision and will bring a national media spotlight to LEBOR.

TRC:  You’re not taking any corporate PAC donations, relying instead on individual donations from the grassroots. Yet the Republican incumbent for Ohio’s 5th District, Bob Latta, will more than likely receive numerous large contributions from Super PACs and lobbyist organizations. How do you see yourself competing against such a moneyed opponent in the general election? What ways will you as the financial underdog take on the status quo? Does having less money mean becoming more inventive in your campaign strategy? What does that look like?

MXC:  Our average donation is $10. Why? Because we truly represent those who want to see change in our political system, not those who are looking to influence legislation aimed solely at filling their own pockets. We seek the support of those who are not just focused on money but on formulating policies that make a difference to all Americans.

I have watched multiple candidates on the national stage not just raise a fraction of the incumbent’s take, but also spend a fraction of what the incumbent spends, and still win. Because it’s not just about how much money you raise, it is about the platform and the policies that you have that ring true across this entire district. Unless you have those policies, forget the rest. That has been proven in this election, as well. No matter what you think of Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg, it became crystal clear that the untold millions they spent on their candidacies did not win them much of anything in terms of the nomination for president.

We don’t need $1 million to beat Bob Latta. I would estimate anywhere between $250,000 and $500,000 is more than enough to make that happen. What it's going to take is boots on the ground -- volunteers who are willing to talk to the people. And that is what our campaign has: people who don't need to be fed tons of money to help a candidate get elected that they truly believe will help them.

We have been out-raised nearly 10 to 1 by our top Democratic opponent, and yet we are still contenders, because every single person on our team is in it for the right reason. And when you’re in it for the right reason, you find ways to do things no one ever has before. You innovate. You re-invent. We need someone who can go on to the general election and not have to compromise their values just to be a contender. That is the only way forward for progressives. And my team and I have already shown we can do that.

This is not to say fundraising is not a part of our strategy at all. We regularly phone bank, e-mail, and text to seek donations from people across the country and here in Ohio’s 5th. I am not naïve, and, as with just about any major undertaking, funding is essential. In political races, however, it is essential to regulate how and from whom that funding comes. I am a huge proponent of doing away with the Citizens United decision that unleashed a torrent of corporate money into American politics and has taken power from the people through an absurd decision that made corporations “people” and money “speech.”

TRC:  You’re not the only Democrat in this March’s primary. How would you say you differ from your opponents, Mr. Redinger and Mr. Rubando? What makes you the strongest candidate to face off against Bob Latta in the fall? How will you inspire the base to show up for you both in the primary and the general?

MXC:  I am the only true working-class candidate and the only true progressive in this race. Before I started driving truck, I had two main careers and a plethora of jobs throughout my lifetime, in three different states and four different countries, and in a wide array of industries. This has provided me with unique insight into the needs of all workers and the concerns of all of my constituents.

Our campaign is truly grassroots, and we rely heavily on volunteers who are also working-class Americans. That’s what we’re made up of. And, more importantly, our entire campaign is made up of working-class individuals, not just here in Ohio. Our message is a national message. We want to take our local issues to the national stage, and that's going to take a national effort. That's what our team consists of. We have volunteers from New York City all the way to California, and it continues to grow. 

This is a right, red, MAGA kind of district. But the reality is, a lot of these people who are right-wingers, especially the ones who are MAGA, are just like us. And the only way we win this district is by engaging with those on the right. It isn’t enough for us to just engage with the people that we know that have the same views as us.

In order to beat Bob Latta, we have to reach across the aisle to those who see the writing on the wall: Latta is a do-nothing representative. He is a known name, but, for most people in the district, he is an unknown quantity. People go along because they know the name, but the more they know about him, the more disenchanted they become with his performance in the House. And I have been working hard to make sure the electorate knows that. Three quarters of the people in my profession (truck drivers) are Republicans. And I talk with these people every single day.

I have encountered these right-wingers and you know what they tell me? You win that primary you already have my vote. My campaign has that message to flip the fifth, to take it out of the hands of the people who don’t care about the constituents and who are solely concerned with putting more money in the boss’s pocket.  

Mine is a grassroots campaign within the Democratic Party and it is an outlier campaign. We are not part of the Democratic establishment in the district unlike, in particular, one of my opponents. But an outlier is the only candidate who can flip the district blue. Ohio’s 5th District has not been represented by a Democrat since 1939. I think that says it all as far as the efficacy of the out-of-touch Democratic organization in the district.

TRC:  Your web site states, “We need working class people on Capitol Hill to represent and fight for the working class of America.” Now this is a refreshing statement! Your goal to introduce legislation to create more workers co-operatives sounds fascinating but also controversial, at least to some CEOs who enjoy their mega-salaries at their workers’ expense. How do see yourself handling the probable intense opposition from Wall Street tycoons and Big Bankers? How do you see yourself inspiring working class people into believing in themselves and their dreams to own their own place of employment?

MXC:  Indeed, the opposition from Wall Street will likely be formidable. Wall Street and Big Banks inevitably do not want worker co-ops to proliferate in America, because they give more power to the people. But the record is pretty clear that corporations that have transformed themselves into employee-owned entities have done quite well both in terms of profits and employee satisfaction.
 
The key to success here is the people. And it has always been the people. One of the biggest tasks ahead of me is simply educating the public, the workers, on what worker co-ops are and how they can be of benefit to them. Your question about how I will inspire the working class to believe in themselves is precisely the right question to ask! And luckily, this, talking to the people face to face, having frank conversations with them, educating them, is exactly the thing I do best. 

My ability to meet that opposition from Wall Street will come on the heels of the progressive movement in this country that seeks to wrest control away from the elites and put it back in the hands of the workers. The energy and momentum that movement has, coupled with multiple voices that have been lifted up to the national level, is how we inspire the working class to demand their power back.

TRC:  Student loan debt forgiveness—yes or no? Can we as a nation afford to pay for everyone to attend college or higher training after high school? (More likely, how can we afford not to!) Do you regret going into debt to finance your own education?

MXC:  How we will pay for student loan forgiveness, which is something I wholeheartedly support, is actually one of the easier questions to answer: by adding a half of a tenth of a percent tax (0.05%) on speculative trading on Wall Street. This is a small ask, given how much welfare they have received from us. It will not just pay off student loan debt within the next decade, but fund free public college and trade schools for everyone, now and in the future. The Republicans are screaming, "How are you going to pay for this?" If we are the greatest country in the world, the richest, the most powerful, the kindest, the most compassionate, why can’t we take care of our own citizens as is done in countries that are not the greatest in the world, the richest, the most powerful, the kindest, and the most compassionate?

No, I do not regret going into debt to finance my own education. But, like so many others, I did so with the expectation that I would eventually be able to pay it off while still pursuing my chosen career and having the life I want to lead.

Though this financial burden has weighed heavily on me and forced me to stray away from the job I love--teaching--it has also taught me an invaluable lesson. I might not be running for office were I not, like so many others, struggling to keep afloat in this economy, with the weight of student loan debt holding me down. Whatever the drawbacks, it has helped spur me to take up this fight. 

TRC:  You state that you are an ardent supporter of the progressive candidate Bernie Sanders and his bid for the presidency and that you believe in his “Not me, us!” motto. Have you received any word yet that Bernie will endorse your run for Ohio’s 5th District? And if Bernie doesn’t receive the Democratic nomination, will you support the eventual nominee or will you follow Berners who support a more progressive candidate for the White House?

MXC:  We are still working on endorsement from the Bernie camp. Our values and campaign goals are very well aligned, and I am running in part to ensure he has more support in the House when he gets elected.

As far as it goes with supporting whoever the DNC nominates, I am a man of principle. If their principles align with my principles, then yes, I will support them. We need to take out Donald Trump. That must happen. But if we’re going to just serve it up to someone else who’s going to spout more platitudes and get nothing done for the American people, what’s the point?

I am the type of person who stands behind his principles no matter what I am fighting for. I was raised as a Republican but spent my entire voting life as an independent until Bernie Sanders came along. Then I finally decided I was a Democrat. I always believed the Democratic Party is the party of the working class, and it needs to return to that. 

Whoever is nominated, if they’re fighting for the working class, I will stand by them. But if they are going to compromise and be bought off, we’re just getting the same stuff as usual. I cannot accept that. 

Given how the primaries are going so far, and from what we are seeing in national polls, I think Bernie not winning will cause a fundamental breakdown within the Democratic Party, sooner rather than later. I hope this is not the case, but if Bernie has the nomination stolen from him, I think the question will be far more interesting than whether or not his supporters will go on to support the Democratic nominee.

TRC: Interesting it will be, no doubt about it! Thank you for answering our questions and best of luck in the primary, Xavier. Ohio voters don't forget to vote early now or on primary day, March 17.

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