Issues

TAXES, INCOME INEQUALITY AND CORPORATISM

Emory believes the income gap has become far to large to ignore. Where he lived on the streets in San Francisco, mere steps from mansions people go hungry. The richest one percent benefit greatly from loopholes in the tax code and even go so far as to move to other shores while still benefitting from American protections and consumers. Corporate interests and political lobbies threaten to reduce our democracy to a theocracy and this must be treated like a cancer in the body of our great system. Emory sides firmly with Bernie on this issue and will vigorously fight for the rights of those with no voice in today’s politics.

POLITICAL & ELECTORAL REFORM

Emory believes that the country is in dire need of political reform. Too many elections are stolen by special interests by those with money. Corporations have no business in politics. Emory will support all efforts to overturn the Supreme Court decision to protect corporate donations in Citizens United and put elections back where they belong - in the hands of the people.

IMMIGRATION

Emory believes in a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The rhetoric coming from the right on this issue is bigoted and closed-minded. This country was founded by immigrants yearning for a better life. Emory will support and sponsor all legislation that helps law-abiding, hard-working individuals find their place out of the shadows and into the light of this great country.

ENERGY / ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Emory has long been a supporter of alternative fuels. His 79 day hunger strike to bring awareness to biomass fuels was just one effort in a lifetime of activism supporting innovation and bold exploration of new technologies. The burning of fossil fuels and coal; as well as the increasingly dangerous methods of extracting these finite, ancient resources have driven us to the brink of an avoidable climate catastrophe. We need to support and subsidize our pathway to the future - not just for the replacement of burned-out old-world industries; but for the survival of humanity and our amazing planet.

DRUG POLICY

Our prisons still choke on the glut of inmates serving time under decades of mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent crimes. Emory believes in decriminalization and regulation of all drugs, especially marijuana. Brave initiatives in states like Washington and Colorado have proven successful. Not only have our overcrowded prisons seen relief, but the economies of those states with legal recreational marijuana have been busting with millions in new tax revenue - to say nothing of the new jobs created in a bustling new local industry.

FOREIGN POLICY AND TRADE

Emory believes that we need to fix things at home before being a hero to the world, with exceptions made for genocide or large-scale human rights violations. With respect to trade, Emory believes that deals like NAFTA, CAFTA, and TPP should better benefit workers and consumers at home and he would closely scrutinize any future deals that appear to hurt Americans more than it helps them.

LGBTQ RIGHTS

Emory has long been a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights. In fact, he is a strong supporter of HUMAN rights and will actively block any attempts to interfere with an individual’s right to love or marry whomever they like.

SOCIAL PROGRAMS

As a man who lived on the street, Emory has strong personal feelings about our country’s responsibility to give to those in need, to feed those in hunger, to care for the weakest among us. To Emory, a rising tide lifts all boats and it takes a village to raise a child.

EDUCATION AND STUDENT DEBT

Modeled after our industrial beginnings, America attempts to churn out young adults in an assembly-line educational system. Further, students exiting higher education with crippling debt does nothing to help the economy. Emory believes we should revolutionize education and start putting out citizens ready to compete with the best in the world.

ABORTION / WOMEN’S HEALTH

Recent efforts to restrict abortion in states like Texas and Mississippi are reprehensible. Emory will support any legislation that attempts to reverse this devious trend to undermine Roe v Wade.