NJ Governor Candidates: Why You Should Elect Me
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5 candidates for NJ governor were given 500 words to explain why they should be elected: Murphy, Ciattarelli, Mele, Hoffman and Kuniansky.
NEW JERSEY — On Wednesday, as per tradition, the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission released "position statements" from five candidates for governor in November's general election.
According to the commission: "Under the law, gubernatorial candidates in the November 2 general election can post statements up to 500 words about their candidacies to guide voters. The statements are available in English, Spanish, Korean and Gujarati."
Patch: Montclair, NJ
By Eric Kiefer
September 16, 2021
Madelyn Hoffman (Green Party)
As the Green Party of New Jersey's candidate for governor in 2021, I will take no money from Political Action Committees and no money from major corporations. I will be beholden to no one but the people of New Jersey!
I am running because there is no time to wait for the incrementalism of either the Democrats or the Republicans. Whether the issue is over-development, climate change gentrification or single-payer health care system (not the Affordable Health Care Act) granting all New Jersey residents access to quality health care, especially during the continued pandemic, or the expiration of the eviction moratorium or the termination of unemployment benefits, the state of New Jersey needs to take swift and decisive action to enact a real, eco-socialist Green New Deal. Hurricane Ida showed us how much New Jersey needs a Green New Deal. We don't have time to wait until 2030 for 50% of New Jersey's energy to come from renewable sources. We certainly don't have time to wait until 2050 for 100% of New Jersey's energy to come from renewable sources. It's already too late!! We must stop granting permits now for oil and gas pipelines or power plants burning fossil fuels.
HEALTH CARE: Tweaking the Affordable Care Act is not a solution to this state's and this country's health care crisis. As Governor, I will advocate for a single-payer, improved and expanded Medicare for All. Recent experience during the pandemic showed how seriously flawed our healthcare system is when 14 million people nation-wide lost their health insurance coverage when they lost their jobs. No one should have to worry about being treated for whatever ailment they have, be it COVID-19, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and more. No one should have to worry that they can't afford the medications or treatments needed to keep their illnesses at bay.
SOCIAL JUSTICE: The legalization of cannabis was supposed to help address decades of discrimination through restorative justice, but has failed. No Black, Brown or women-owned companies have been granted licenses as dispensaries or cultivators. Instead, NJ favors a Canadian company. We need permission to home-grow in New Jersey and automatic expungement of possession violations. We need reparations and a defunding and demilitarization of the police. ICE needs to be abolished and current contracts ended now.
EDUCATION: We need to reverse the trend toward charter schools and concentrate on improving public schools. We must keep remote learning an option during these uncertain times, continue to teach Critical Race Theory and restructure funding for education. Let's make college tuition-free and forgive student loan debt.
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