JaMelle's Focuses
JAMELLE HILL'S FOCUSES
Now is the time to create an America that works for all and not just a few.
Healthcare
GUARANTEED HEALTHCARE, NOT TIED TO YOUR JOB
Before the pandemic, over 30 million people in the United States were without health care, with another 75 million classified as underinsured. Now as a result of COVID-19 there are approximately 40 million people who have just lost their jobs, and, along with it, their employer tied healthcare coverage, in the midst of a pandemic. This is why JaMelle is calling to provide Medicare access to those without insurance for the duration of this pandemic.
Medicare for All uncouples healthcare from your job. It allows everyone to receive quality care that is affordable at the hospital, pharmacy or doctor’s office. It will cover primary, mental, dental, vision, women’s health, and emergency room care in addition to prescription drugs.
CURB COSTS
We pay 70% more in costs because of insurance companies, billing costs, hospital administration, and drug companies.
A national healthcare system has stronger buying power and can negotiate lower prices for drugs and medical equipment as well as curb the astronomically high administrative salaries.
Moreover, this pivot towards a national system unburdens thousands of companies that are saddled with onerous health insurance payments for their employees.
IMPROVE LONG TERM HEALTH
Under Medicare for All, Americans are far more likely to engage in preventative healthcare measures, like annual physicals, or to see the doctor before an illness progresses.
Medicare for All will improve long-term health by reducing underlying health conditions, which are both the main contributors to COVID-19 hospitalizations and more common in lower income communities both urban and rural.
Public Justice Reform
Ending Police Violence
People all over the country have risen in sustained mass protest against the police killing of George Floyd, as well as the murders of Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless other Black people. We’ve also seen police commit acts of brutality against protesters beating them with batons, pulling their masks off to pepper spray them, and pushing them to the ground without regard to life and injuries.
JaMelle has called for:
Incentivizing police officers with no reported violations.
Significant reductions in the police budget. She believes we must divest from policing as a one-stop-solution to community problems and instead invest in healthcare, housing, education, and supportive services. She recognizes that when people’s basic needs are met, we have real safety in our community.
Ending the school-to-prison pipeline, including decriminalizing truancy and taking police out of schools
Ending ‘qualified immunity,’ which shields police from liability for their illegal or unconstitutional acts
Ending the pipeline of military weapons and goods to police departments
Establishing a public national database that tracks all police officers decertified in any state or locality to ensure transparency when the same officers seek employment in law enforcement elsewhere
Making police disciplinary records and histories of misconduct transparent
Education
Support K-12 Public Schools
Any decisions made with regards to education reform should not be made without input from teachers from across the nation, at the local levels. Due to the strain COVID-19 has placed on local government budgets, many school districts are facing budget cuts. Our historic public school system should never be on the chopping block, even when budgets are tight. That’s why JaMelle supports the HEROES Act, which would provide funding to state and local governments and hopefully prevent many of these cuts to public education.
Tuition-Free Public College
Rising tuition costs have made college and trade school inaccessible for millions and saddled millions of others with student loan debt. That is why JaMelle is working to liberate people suffering from student-debt and make our public college system affordable once again. As an employee of the technical college system, she sees and understands the value of a technical education.
Other Issues
Veterans
The men and women who have served, and are currently serving, our nation honorably at all levels of government are deserving of our very best.
I view benefits as something earned. Examples of earned benefits include, but are not limited to, Social Security, Federal Employee Retirement Pay, Military Pay and Benefits, Military Retirement Pay, Tri Care, Veterans’ Medical Care, and Medicare. States have the right to place their state level benefits in their platform. I view unearned benefits as something given for simply existing and being a citizen within the borders of our great nation. These include, but are not limited to, welfare, housing assistance, Income Credit, and Medicaid. Earned benefits are not handouts, they are "Earned" and should not be infringed upon. They should be included as part of the federal budget not used or decreased as a means to balance the budget.
Welfare Reform
A comprehensive overhaul of the welfare and social system must be made to ensure those that truly need it, can receive it, while eliminating the abuses that exist. A workfare program to help Americans get back on their feet, learn a trade or return to school will better serve our nation and it's citizens. This will reduce costs and get people back to work, helping those that need help. The encouragement of charities will also aid in making our nation strong again.
Federal Jobs Guarantee
A
Federal Jobs Guarantee
would create a baseline standard for employment that includes a $15 minimum wage (pegged to inflation), full healthcare, and child and sick leave for all. This proposal would dramatically upgrade the quality of employment in the United States, by providing training and experience to workers while bringing much-needed public services to our communities in areas such as parks service, childcare and environmental conservation.
National Defense and Security
The security and safety of our country and people is the highest priority. This is the responsibility of the Federal government. The strength of our nation is our military. Having a strong, well trained, all volunteer force is essential. The military forces of the United States of America belong to the United States of America and are not to be used for foreign entanglements that do not directly threaten our nation’s security. The President of the United States is Commander in Chief of the armed forces and has constitutional authority to mobilize troops (Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1). But long-term deployments and financial support of troops engaging in war must be authorized by a formal declaration of war from Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11). At no time will the needs of National Security violate the inalienable rights guaranteed in the Constitution.
Furthermore, a federal jobs guarantee program would establish a floor for wages and benefits for the nation’s workforce. This program would provide a baseline minimum wage of $15 an hour and guarantee for public workers a basic benefits package, including healthcare and childcare. By investing in our own workforce, we can lift thousands of American families out of poverty.
The Aging and Elderly
No sector of our population has been hit harder by COVID-19 than those over the age of 65, particularly those living in long-term care facilities.
Nursing homes are meant to be safe places for the elderly population to receive residential care and age gracefully. But, all too often, that’s not the case. Across the country, about a third of all COVID-19 deaths have occurred at nursing homes and adult care facilities.
One way to address the lack of quality long-term facilities is to enable our seniors to age at home. JaMelle supports expanding Medicaid to include home health care, so seniors can stay in the homes they love and age in place.
JaMelle also believes we should continue to build affordable housing complexes for low-income seniors. The Corona Senior Residence is a model for the country to follow because it is one of the largest low-income senior housing developments in the nation to meet Passive Housing Institute Design Standards, which cut energy consumption by up to 90%.
The soon to be Congresswoman also believes we must protect, strengthen, and expand Social Security and Medicare -- and increase access to affordable prescription drugs. She is running to ensure that wealthy individuals pay the same percentage of their income into Social Security as middle class and working families. And, she will work to end price gouging and monopoly practices by pharma companies.
Job Recovery
America is in a major economic crisis. Jobs are the key to our recovery. To address the problem of crumbling infrastructure across the nation, I encourage the formation of private sector businesses to bid on federally funded repair projects. In order to maintain and attract business in the U.S., we must be more competitive in the global economy.
Border Security
Before Immigration and National Security can be brought into perspective, our borders must be properly secured, with adequate crossing points and transit lanes for legal entrance into America. This is not to hinder legal transit, but to protect our nation. While the federal government is responsible for international borders, airports, and seaports; individual states shall be allowed to also guarantee the security of their borders with foreign countries, international airports, and seaports that have transit with international waters.
Resource Sustainability
As a matter of basic survival and national defense, JaMelle believes sufficient efforts must be made in adopting, implementing, and managing sustainable and reasonable Resource Management Programs. These Resource Management Programs include, but are not limited to: water, soil, timber, fauna, agriculture, fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, and waste management. Resource Management is a state jurisdiction issue. However, the Federal Government must be involved in establishing reasonable minimum guidelines, as well as for assisting with coordinating Resource Management efforts for multi-state resources.
JaMelle believes reducing our carbon footprint is a noble effort. It is a fact that global temperatures have risen over the last century. We cannot passively sit on the sideline as resources are consumed and damaged with reckless abandon by aggressive industries seeking profits.
Our stance is to be prudent when seeking answers to reducing our carbon footprint and conserving what we have today for future generations. We will support reasonable legislation to do so without overburdening our industrial production and growth. We want clean air, water, and healthy habitats for our wildlife along with jobs and economic development. It is our belief that we can achieve all by working together in a prudent and reasonable manner.
Election Reform
Elections should return power to legal voters. Corporations are not voters and should not be allowed to contribute to political campaigns. Only voters legally entitled to vote for or against a candidate should be allowed to financially contribute to their campaign. Funneling money across political lines should be prohibited at all levels. Every candidate should have equal access to elections. Discrimination by parties against non-members should be an Equal Rights issue. No taxpayer money should be used to support a closed or private primary.