Thread by @buschvalentine

I know facts can be stubborn, but one of the very first plans I released in this campaign was a plan to make things more affordable for Missourians.

🧵Allow me to break it down for you step by step:

https://twitter.com/Schmitt4Senate/status/1580247399939059712

We need to prevent another supply chain crisis like the baby formula shortage. We must prevent the next crisis by investing in American manufacturing, breaking up corporate monopolies, and ensuring our negotiated trade agreements allow for the quick import of basic necessities.

We need to increase support for American farmers and bring food prices down. This year, American farmers are slated to spend $40 billion more in farm production expenses, as compared to 2020. In the Senate, I will prioritize fixing supply chain issues that impact our farmers.

As a nurse, I know everyone should have access to quality, affordable health care, including prescription drugs. I will work to strengthen Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices with big pharma and push to allow imports of high-quality drugs from Canada and other nations.

More than 37 million Americans live with diabetes, including at least 685,000 people in Missouri. On top of that, nearly 1.6 million people in our state — one third of the total adult population — have prediabetes. That’s why I support capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month.

Affordable housing is becoming harder and harder to find for too many Americans. Rent is rising at the fastest rate in decades. We need to make housing more affordable by expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program and investing in the National Housing Trust Fund.

Gas prices are too high, further squeezing families who are living paycheck to paycheck. We need to give Missourians relief at the gas pump by enacting a federally administered emergency gas rebate program. Missourians are seeing energy costs rise when they can least afford it.

We need to stand up to price gouging. Americans are facing record-high prices while corporations rack in record-high profits. I will support legislation to prohibit price gouging and won’t be afraid to stand up to major corporations and hold them accountable.

We need to #RaiseTheWage federally to $15 an hour. No one should have to work multiple jobs just to afford groceries or putting a roof over their head. The federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised in 13 years and it’s far past time to invest in a living wage for all Americans.

We need to guarantee paid sick leave. I believe we must ensure no one has to choose between keeping their job and looking out for their health and protecting their loved ones. Paid sick leave is also good for the economy and ensures that illnesses are not rapidly spread at work.

Everyone should be guaranteed equal pay for equal work. I believe people who do the same work should receive the same pay, regardless of their gender. Equal pay is also good for our economy. If women were paid the same as men, we could cut poverty among working women IN HALF.

I would be a champion for union workers — the backbone of the middle class — by voting to pass the #PROAct. We need to protect workers rights to bargain and organize for safer working conditions, good pay, and better benefits. And we know, when unions fight, workers win.

We need to end the disastrous corporate tax cuts that unfairly benefit wealthy CEOs and massive corporations. They need to pay their fair share. I will be a leader in Washington who can’t be bought and will always put Missouri families, workers, and small businesses first.

We need to invest in in-home and community-based care for elders under Medicaid. Too many older Missourians are facing financial strains that prohibit them from aging safely at home. The average yearly cost of in-home care is $54,912 and is not covered by Medicare.

We need paid family leave so every parent has the option to spend time at home with their newborn children without worrying about losing their job or endangering their health. America is the only developed country without guaranteed paid family leave. I will work to fix this.

I would work to renew and permanently extend the #ChildTaxCredit, which helped families make ends meet and lifted three million of children out of poverty. However, the expanded tax credit expired and has not been renewed. Send me to the senate and I will change that.

We need to bring down the cost of child care by introducing a sliding scale limit on child care costs for families. The cost of childcare for too many Americans can be prohibitively expensive, forcing parents to make more difficult decisions.

We need to give every child the opportunity to succeed with two years of universal preschool. I want every child to receive a quality education from the start. Nearly half of all 3-year-olds and a third of all 4-year-olds in the U.S. were not enrolled in preschool in 2019.

These are tangible steps we can — and should — take to make things a little bit easier for Missouri families. I’d love to see what Eric’s plan looks like, but then again, you never need to solve a problem when you only want to use it to score cheap political points.

Thanks for following along. You can find more details on my plan to strengthen the middle class and lower costs here: trudybuschvalentine.com/issue/strength…