Op-Ed by Martin Shupp – Democratic Candidate for Texas House District 3
Who am I?
I am a firm believer that 99% of the world is made up of good hard-working people trying to squeeze out a life with their families and community.
It always seems to be the 1% of our World that are looking for an angle, a slight of hand, a power grab. Somehow those people do make it to the positions of power and then we the 99% hope the 1% do not bother us. Not so much in our current time.
I have the great fortune of having seen 6 continents, 117+ countries, and some 400 cities and towns in the world. Different Cultures, Religions, Foods, smells, comfort, discomfort, war, death, healing, and finally my family. The rock of myself, the roots to my eternity and immortality.
My family is more important to me than all the experiences of my past. But my experiences have molded me into the person I like, and who I am. The person who cares about people’s plight in the world enough to run for public office and run for a Union Leadership position (2001-2006). Each of these positions have come from my Spirit pressing me to do something, something that can help assert my beliefs of human empathy, help community to strengthen its resolve to fix social issues, help create higher education in the form of Trade Schools and Universities, for Americans.
Our community.
I want to help our communities create a safe, crime free, pollution free environment for a healthy work force that can sustain a good middle-class lifestyle, with benefits that all tax paying citizens should have.
Healthcare, Retirement, Vacation, sick leave, work rules that protect workers from abusive employers, and, protect employers from abusive employees. A balance that strengthens our communities and allows for success in both Ownership of businesses and for employees.
The status quo.
Currently, we do not have this balance in Texas. The richest companies have the strongest political voice. These ensure Lower tax revenues for the State and Local governments which need more monies for the future than ever before.
Consumers pay more for goods, and Large companies pay fewer and fewer dollars towards the infrastructure that helps their business flourish. What wrong with this picture? You know!
All the while, the middle class is eroding, most people are working harder than ever to try and pay rent and put food on the table. Not to mention all the other items that everyday life throws at the communities in our area.
Healthcare needs to be mandated through federal subsidies, Corporate taxes, and Income tax. I passionately believe that every Tax paying Citizen should have a comprehensive managed healthcare system that will create a healthy workforce for this country and our State. This includes a paid sick leave program and Long-term disability program, for workers hurt on their jobs. You pay into the system, you should have a tangible, tactile benefit from your Taxes. Healthcare should be a right of life’s pursuit towards happiness and a safety net that does not bankrupt a tax paying family.
This type of system has been a model of community’s health and economic prosperity in many Western Countries. We can do it in America!
Texas can do the same for its Taxpayers! These safety nets help ensure healthy communities and should be made available throughout our country. Texans just need to start thinking strongly about implementing these programs for all working Citizens. We can do it!
Texas is slated to double its population by 2050. That is not far down the road. If you are 20 years old and trying to start your working career with College debt, car payments, utility bills, rent, you are behind the curve by a long shot towards even trying to set aside money for a family, or retirement and forget about healthcare, its considered a luxury by some folks.
It is not the America I want for my kids and grandkids! These economics of American family life only describe a bankrupt system.
Greed for corporations and a broken path for its Citizens.
We need to start now towards a system that forgives college/trade education debt for hardworking Americans over their working careers and helps them save for retirement. There are good examples in the world that can be adopted to create a method for Americans to still attain the dreams of their Grandparents and their parents. Good income + good trades and skills = Healthy communities throughout TEXAS. We can do it!
But without a plan, the American dream will become harder to attain for working Americans.
I am lucky, I have a good paying job, good benefits, and still have a chance to fade away without doing anything publicly. But my conscience knows that a society that only cares about the Top Tier of income, cannot survive long term and that is not what I want for kids, and the future of this Country.
I cannot go into the future believing someone else should pay for the huge Debts of my generation’s malfeasance.
My generation has left a burden on the shoulders of young Americans and future generations that weighs upon my soul. We can restore the Dreams of Americans!
I want to see the next Generation find the means to a healthy family, safe neighborhood, and good clean environment for their kids, and my grandkids. That is why I am running for Texas House District 3.
VOTE and clearly speak this fall. America Needs your input. So Does Texas!
Thank you for your time,
Martin Shupp
Democratic Candidate House District 3
Martin Shupp
Democratic Candidate
“I am tired of the status quo! Are you? Then Vote for a different voice, a voice that intends to be inclusive of future initiatives for Texas success not just for big wigs, but for all of Texans.”
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