Lisa McCormick, the founder of Democrats for Change, criticized corporate-controlled establishment neoliberals for merely applying the brakes, as Republican MAGA extremists try to turn back the clock on civil rights advances during the 20th Century, instead of trying to save the world and presenting a bold progressive agenda.
McCormick called for a reversal of Reaganomics, the economic policies based on discredited ‘trickle-down’ theories that have exploded the national debt, undermined America’s middle class by driving millions of workers into poverty and cause massive inequality.
“Reaganomics is the root of all our dramatic losses in the United States,” said McCormick. “These policies of widespread tax cuts, increased military spending, and reckless deregulation that have caused catastrophic consequences on domestic politics and global economic markets, ultimately infecting society with decreased social spending, unprecedented corruption, and now fantasy-driven incompetence.”
“Before President Ronald Reagan and Democratic majorities in Congress slashed top tax rates from 70 percent to 26 percent during the 1980s, this country had a booming economy that enriched almost everyone,” McCormick said. “Since then, the national debt has climbed over $30 trillion, and our middle class has been shrinking. The wealth of lower- and middle-income families is still comparable to 1989 levels but there’s far less upward mobility and almost no shared prosperity.”
According to McCormick, these outcomes were not accidental, but the planned, predictable, and intended result of trickle-down policies supported by a new aristocracy served by a political establishment that no longer cares about ordinary Americans.
“The richest seven percent of the US population shields fully one-third of America’s personal income from the FICA tax that finances Social Security,” said McCormick. “By contributing almost nothing into the retirement fund, the new aristocrats imperil Social Security, which is expected to cut a typical monthly $1,827 pension check to just $1,370 when the program becomes unable to pay full benefits in the next decade.”
Democrats for Change is working to fix that, and McCormick is calling for genuine American heroes to step up and lead the way.
“Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi are more interested in staying where we are than in moving forward,” said McCormick, who suggested that her 2018 campaign exemplified the fact that ordinary Americans are capable of disrupting the system.
McCormick invited Americans to nominate people they admire and trust to lead the change. “We are not seeking someone who aspires to seek political office, but Americans who would do their duty with integrity if given the chance to serve,” she said.
In 2018, McCormick ran for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, where she won 159,998 votes with only a team of volunteers and a $5000 budget, despite being vastly outspent by her opponent.
McCormick has been a tireless advocate for social justice, economic equality, and environmental protection. She has been a vocal opponent of Reaganomics, the economic policies of Ronald Reagan that have led to the enrichment of the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and working families.
McCormick pointed out the folly of Reaganomics, which she believes has been detrimental to the American economy. She has criticized the slashing of top tax rates from 70 percent to 26 percent during the 1980s, arguing that it has caused a one-third reduction in the American middle class and the accumulation of a vast national debt.
Noting how the wealth gap between the rich and poor has widened since the implementation of Reaganomics, McCormick said the policies have enriched the wealthy while leaving many working-class American families struggling to make ends meet.
In addition to opposing Reaganomics, McCormick has also been a critic of the economic policies of President Bill Clinton, which contributed to the growing wealth gap in the country, deregulation of Wall Street and out-of-control pay for top executives: the famous 1% versus the 99%.
She has pointed out how Clinton-era policies, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), have resulted in the loss of American jobs and the further concentration of wealth in the hands of a few.
Clinton lowered capital gains taxes, repealed Glass-Steagall, and crushed the proposal by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Brooksley Born to regulate financial derivatives.
Instead of these failed trickle-down policies, McCormick has advocated for a progressive Democratic agenda that prioritizes the needs of working-class families and promotes economic equality. She has called for policies that provide a living wage, affordable healthcare, and access to education and job training programs.
McCormick has also been a vocal advocate for environmental protection, supporting policies that address climate change and promote clean energy. She has emphasized the importance of investing in renewable energy sources and reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Overall, McCormick’s progressive Democratic agenda represents a stark contrast to the failed trickle-down policies of the past. Her advocacy for economic equality and environmental protection has the potential to create revolutionary change and build a better future for all Americans.
In addition to her advocacy work, Lisa McCormick has also been a formidable candidate who has taken on great odds in her political campaigns. In 2018, McCormick challenged incumbent US Senator Bob Menendez in the Democratic primary, despite facing a well-funded and heavily favored opponent.
Despite the odds, McCormick was able to earn more support in her campaign than the entire number of statewide votes cast in the 2015 Democratic primary election, highlighting her ability to mobilize voters and build a strong grassroots movement.
Furthermore, McCormick gained a greater percentage of the vote in New Jersey than Bernie Sanders did in either of his two presidential races, demonstrating her popularity and appeal among voters.
“Lisa McCormick’s campaign was not just about winning an election, but about challenging the corrupt and entrenched political establishment that had long dominated New Jersey politics,” said campaign manager James J. Devine. “She spoke out against the influence of money in politics and demonstrated that a people-powered operation can connect with the grassroots even without millions of dollars, because the need for more transparency and accountability in government starts with ordinary people rising up to the responsibility of citizenship.”
While ultimately unsuccessful in her bid to unseat Menendez, McCormick’s campaign was a groundbreaking effort that laid the groundwork for future progressive candidates in the state.
Her impressive showing in the primary demonstrated the hunger among New Jersey voters for a more progressive, grassroots-oriented politics that puts the needs of working families first.
In the years since her campaign, McCormick has continued to be a vocal advocate for social and economic justice, using her platform to promote progressive policies and push back against the corrupt political establishment.
You must log in to post a comment.