I received many different reactions from people when they first heard I had won the June primary write-in campaign and would be facing Barbara Lee in November. As you can imagine, some people were shocked that anyone would challenge the most progressive congressperson in Washington. Others, however, immediately started sharing with me their everyday struggles and challenges that they wanted ME to pressure Barbara Lee about. Mission accepted. This campaign is all about PRESSURE! We are compiling these issues of concern to our community and will bring them to light to demonstrate that when we lack the very basics, in the most progressive district, of the most progressive state, with the most progressive representation, we need change.

Let me give you one very critical example, HEALTHCARE!

I remember clearly when Obama was running for president, and it looked like he might really win. People started giving advance excuses for what he would NOT be able to do relative to the hopes that his eloquence inspired in people. Supporters said if he didn’t get both houses of Congress, he would not be able to get anything done. Both houses began to look likely, and then they said if he didn’t get filibuster-proof majorities then he wouldn’t be able to get much done.

Voters gave Obama filibuster-proof 60% super majorities in both houses.

single-payer healthcare was off the table, even though Obama had been a proponent earlier! As promised, healthcare was on the table in 2009, but, even though Obama had been a proponent earlier! We were assured that with a “public option” the healthcare system would evolve toward the kind of healthcare that other countries have taken for granted for decades. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, of which Barbara Lee was a chair leading up to 2009, said their support firmly hinged on having a “robust public option.” They quickly backed off “robust” and said at least some kind of public option, and when it came down to it the Progressive Caucus folded with no public option. The last Congressperson holding out for the public option was Dennis Kucinich. He was taken up in the presidential jet and soon after he went along with the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare. In some ways US healthcare is better than before, but while costs to patients continue to skyrocket, this system is not nearly as equitable, comprehensive and efficient as a single payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all system. Healthcare is just one example where the progressives in Washington fall far short of what is needed by everyone, from seniors to students to babies. There’s no excuse for this in the wealthiest country in the world.

Congress needs our support in the form of PRESSURE!