BCDP Pre-Election Guest Column in the Brunswick Beacon, 11-03-22
Republicans Fight for Power, Democrats Fight for You
In January 2021, Democrats inherited the worst pandemic in 100 years and worst economy since the Great Depression. Americans were hurting, so Democrats passed landmark laws to combat both. Congressmen Ted Budd and David Rouzer opposed everything. So did nearly every Republican.
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (ARP)
Daily COVID deaths peaked under Trump at 3,323, a 9/11 every day. Unemployment hit 14.8%, the highest ever. We lost three million jobs, making Trump the worst jobs president ever.
Democrats passed ARP and helped Americans survive the health and economic crises Trump left behind. ARP’s COVID vaccination program delivered 600 million free doses, fully vaccinating 68% of Americans. Daily COVID deaths dropped 90%. ARP created 10 million jobs, the fastest job growth ever. Unemployment fell to 3.5%, the lowest in 50 years.
Putting politics over patriotism, every Republican voted against ARP.
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA)
Trump promised to rebuild America’s roads and bridges while Republicans controlled Congress. Republicans refused. Trump’s oft-promised, never-delivered “infrastructure week” became a long-running joke.
Where Republicans failed, Democrats delivered. IIJA brings historic investment in America’s roads, bridges, and broadband access, and hardens our electrical grid against increasingly destructive storms. It represents America's largest investment in clean water.
NC got $456.8 million to rebuild 11,035 bridges Frank Iler neglected as Chair of NC’s House Transportation Committee since 2011. The new Cape Fear Bridge he failed to deliver will cost much more.
Ignoring NC’s needs, Budd and Rouzer voted against IIJA. So did 88% of Republicans.
SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT (SCA)
In May, a white supremacist with an AR-15 killed 10 African-Americans in a Buffalo, NY supermarket. Ten days later in Uvalde, TX an 18-year-old used an AR-15 to murder 19 children and two teachers in their elementary school. Democrats passed SCA, funding mental health and school safety programs and making it harder for violent offenders and the mentally disturbed to get guns.
Protecting killers instead of children, Budd and Rouzer voted against SCA. So did 88% of Republicans.
CHIPS ACT
COVID shut down the economy. When it restarted, supply chain bottlenecks made computer chips scarce, drove up prices and exposed our strategic vulnerability to China. CHIPS returns production to America, increases supply and fights inflation. NC could reap billions from new manufacturing plants and jobs. China lobbied against CHIPS.
Serving China instead of NC, Budd and Rouzer voted against it. So did 84% of Republicans.
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA)
COVID caused inflation. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine made it worse. Democrats responded. IRA expands energy production, reduces federal deficits, lowers healthcare costs, allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and caps out-of-pocket costs. It represents America’s largest investment to combat climate change and develop clean energy.
Refusing to fight inflation, every Republican voted against IRA.
REPUBLICANS CONDEMN WOMEN
For the first time, Americans lost a constitutional right: a woman’s freedom to control her own body. House Democrats passed the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore that right.
Condemning women to second-class citizenship, every Republican voted “No.”
Budd, Rouzer and Iler sponsored bills banning women’s right to choose. If Iler wins, Republicans will override Gov. Cooper’s veto and end choice in NC.
REPUBLICANS FIGHT FOR POWER
Republicans ignore your needs and threaten Democracy in pursuit of power. On Jan. 6, 2021, Budd, Rouzer and 145 other Republicans voted to overturn the 2020 election. A violent mob overran the Capitol, injuring 140 police officers and causing seven deaths. Budd and Rouzer voted against investigating it and whitewashed the insurrection. Budd said, “It was nothing. It was just patriots standing up.”
Iler supports Moore v. Harper, a U.S. Supreme Court lawsuit brought by NC’s Republican-controlled legislature. It challenges judicial review of elections. If Republicans win, they can declare them invalid, throw out your vote and pick election winners themselves.
DEMOCRATS FIGHT FOR YOU
Republicans promise to sunset Social Security and Medicare in five years. Only Democrats can stop them.
Cheri Beasley raised her family in NC, served as an NC judge for over 20 years, and was Chief Justice of NC’s Supreme Court. She will fight for the Rule of Law, affordable housing, public education, infrastructure, expanding Medicaid, and a woman’s right to choose.
Charles Graham has served in the NC House of Representatives since 2011. He’s an educator and healthcare small business owner who supports a woman’s right to choose. The State Employees Association of North Carolina endorsed Graham because he’ll fight for well-paying jobs, affordable healthcare, and first-rate public schools for all our children.
Retired Marine Colonel Eric Terashima served eight combat tours. He raised his family in NC since 1992, including 16 years at Camp Lejeune. His 30-year military career was spent bringing together people from different backgrounds to get the job done. He supports a woman’s right to choose. Terashima’s “can-do” leadership is what we need to meet Brunswick County’s challenges as one of NC’s fastest-growing communities.
Save Democracy. Elect Democrats on Nov. 8. They’ll fight for YOU!