CampaignSpeechColinGarcia,ChloeVann,AlannaAlmeida

WearetheEqualityParty,andwearegratefulthatyouareheretolistentowhatwe
represent.Asthenamesuggests,weadvocateequalitybetweenallcitizens.Wealsowantto
implementpoliciesthatstrengthenoureconomy,providingabetterqualityoflifeforall
Americans.
Webelievethattheminimumwageshouldnotberaised.Asshockingasthismaysound,
wefeelthisisbestbecausethesejobswerenevermeanttohavelivablewages,butwere
designedtoputmoneyinthepocketsofyoungpeopleandserveassteppingstonesforpeopleto
learnentrylevelskillstowardscareeradvancement.Webelievethattaxesshouldstayaslowas
possibleforallcitizens,toincreaseeconomicspendingandfueltheeconomy,butitisstill
importanttotaxsufficientlyforthegovernmenttofundsocialprogramsthatsupportsitscitizens
whoaremostinneedandunabletofullysupportthemselves.
Onthetopicofmarijuana,wehavetheopinionthatmedicalmarijuanashouldbe
legalized.Marijuanaisanancientdrug,wellknownforitsmedicinalproperties,andshouldbe
usedtotreatpatientswhoaresufferingfromchronicorterminalillnesses.Wealsobelievethat
thecurrentdrugstatutesshouldberevised.TheUnitedStatesincarceratesmoreindividualsthan
anyothercountryintheworldandahighpercentageofinmatesareincarceratedforlengthy
sentencesduetodruguse.Moreover,therearealargeamountofpeopleinAmericanprisons
whoarefacingchargesforillegaldrugusethatsometimesareincarceratedforlongerdurations
thanconvictedmurderers.Notonlydoesthisshowhowskewedtheprioritiesofthelegalsystem
are,butitalsocausesissuessuchasovercrowdingtooccurwithintheprisons,whichleadsto
moreviolentoffenders,riotsandreducesthechancesofsuccessfulrecidivismuponreleaseback

CampaignSpeechColinGarcia,ChloeVann,AlannaAlmeida

intoacommunity.Weneedtoensurethatcriminalsareservinganappropriateamountoftimein
prisonfortheseverityoftheircrimes.
Wealsosupportpoliciesthatprotectourcitizenswithinreasonandwithoutundermining
therightsofthecitizens.Goodcitizenshavetherighttoownfirearms,butwebelievethatmore
extensivebackgroundchecksarenecessarytoprotectothercitizens.Everydaycasesoffelons
andpeopleundertheageof21areblastedacrossthemediaheadlinesinrelationtofirearms
offenses.Additionally,weshouldnotturnimmigrantsawayonthebasisoftheir
race/religion/nationality.Eventhoughthereisanissueintheworldwithterrorism,itisunfairto
targetandturncertaingroupsofpeopleawayfortheextremistviewsofafew.Thesamegoes
withtheSyrianrefugees.TheUnitedStatesshouldbeextendingahandtothemevenwhenother
countrieswon'tbecausetheyarevictimsofcivilwarandareinneed.
Anothercrisistheworldisfacingatthemomentisclimatechange.Itisdifficultto
disputethatitisrealandthatitiscausedbyhumanaction.Thisiswhywebelievethe
governmentshouldhelptakeresponsibilityforreversingthenegativeaffectsofouractionsby
promotingenvironmentalsafetyandcleanerenergysources.Innovationinthisfieldtocreate
moreeffectiveandenvironmentallyfriendlyenergyisalsohugesteptowardsenergysecurityin
thefuturewhenwemaynothavethesameresourcessuchascoalandoil.
Ourmajorfocusisalsotheprotectionofthepeople,sowebelieveitisinthebestinterest
ofthenextgenerationsthatgivingourchildrenvaccinesforpreventablediseasesberequiredby
thefederalgovernment.Thegovernmentshouldalsoworktocreateamoreeffectiveuniversal
healthcare.Webelievethatweshouldadoptasinglepayersysteminwhichthestatepaysfor
thehealthinsuranceofitscitizens.Anothersocialprogramwebelieveshouldbefundedis

CampaignSpeechColinGarcia,ChloeVann,AlannaAlmeida

RetirementSecurity.Intheiroldage,theelderlymayfindthemselvesunabletoworkormaynot
haveyoungrelativestosupportthem.Webelievethesecitizenswhohaveworkedtheirwhole
livesshouldhavepeaceofmindlaterinlife,soitisnecessaryforthegovernmenttoprovidethis
programandtostrengthenit.
Averyimportantissueinoursocietyisthefreedomofabortionaswell.Itshouldremain
legalforawomantoabortherpregnancybefore24weekswhichiswhenthefetusisdeemed
viableoutsidethewomb.Eventhoughabortionisawomanschoice,noteveryonesupportsit
andmanystronglydisagree,sowedontbelievethatthegovernmentshouldbeabletofund
abortionsforwomenthroughprogramssuchasPlannedParenthood.Thisprogramoffersmany
otherservicestoparentsthatgobeyondabortionsuchasprovidingbirthcontrol,sexeducation,
andtestsforSTIs.Itsimportanttokeeptheseprogramsalive,sothegovernmentshouldbeable
tofundPlannedParenthoodsolongasitisntusedonabortions.
Womenareentitledtotheserightsandshouldcontinuetomakeprogressinotherareas
suchasequalpayintheworkplace.Webelievethatcompaniesshouldbepayingallworkers
basedonthequalityofworkbecausethatswhatisfair.Whenthequalityofworkcannotbe
measured,thenthecompanymustpayeachworkerfairlybygivingthemthesameamount.This
principleextendsbeyondjustwomenandbeyondjusttheworkplace.TheEqualityPartystrives
togiveeachperson,despitegender,race,religion,sexualorientation,etc.,thesamerightsand
freedomssothatallcitizenswillbetrulyequalinthesightofthelawandsociety.