Daily sat with Civil Rights and Public Policy Ajwang Rading Lawyer Who running California’s 16th US Parliamentary Seat — Now Silicon Valley and Stanford University District hold Representative Anna Esch (D-Calif.)
Once legislative fellow Senator Cory Booker BA ’91 MA ’92 (DN.J.) and leader At the EqualJustice Initiative Community Remembrance project in Montgomery, Alabama, Rading said he hopes to: Take “New generation leadership” concentration Climate crisis, medical reform, housing policy in the 16th parliamentary district.
A nonpartisan primary election between Rading, Eshoo, two other Democratic challengers, three Republican challengers, and an independent person took place on June 7, followed by the top two performers in November. We will proceed to the general election scheduled for the 8th.
This interview has been edited slightly for clarity.
Stanford Daily [TSD]: 2022 is expected to be a very difficult year for Democrats, especially members of the House of Representatives. There are democratic incumbents in the district you are running for. Why are you running?
Ajwang Rading [AD]: I’m running because, first and foremost, I think Congress needs a new generation of leadership to take advantage of the brilliance of Silicon Valley.
Silicon Valley is known for bringing so many innovations. The boldest ideas in the world come from these very streets. But when we look at our policymaking from the seats of this parliament, it doesn’t match.
I say this in honor of Congressman Eshu, but I think it is the wealthiest parliamentary district in the country and this is the largest norm of wealth inequality. Why are there still people in places like Silicon Valley who don’t live, aren’t educated, and don’t have access to affordable medicines and health care?
TSD: According to FiveThirtyEight, Congressman Eshu Voted 100% in Biden proceedings. What do you think of the president’s legislative recommendations?
advertisement: I really want to be 100% with the President, and the Democratic President. It is the committees and subcommittees that we think our community needs to pay attention to.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is a member of the Diet, but does not provide bold ideas for climate change. Scientists and the global community say it will take about eight years to have a meaningful impact on climate change behavior, yet Democrats are still discussing carbon taxes as in 2001.
TSD: When it comes to climate, are you mainly focusing on policies that mitigate the effects of human-induced climate change, or are you focusing on investing in the renewable energy sector for work purposes?
advertisement: When we talk about climate change measures, it’s all the above approaches. First, we need to discuss funding. It’s one thing that the wealthiest municipalities talk about installing solar panels, but this needs to take a country-wide approach.
The goal is to get carbon neutral, but in addition, we will work on methane. Methane has the disastrous effect of trapping heat in the atmosphere — sometimes more effective than carbon. This country also contributes to large amounts of methane emissions, so we need to discuss our agricultural practices and meat production.
Finally, we need to talk about the role of the United States in the global community. China and other adversaries have invested in fossil fuels in developing countries as the United States has taken a step back in leadership on the world stage.
We need to conceptualize how to create effective trade agreements that promote renewable energy and encourage US companies to actually expand their markets to developing countries.
TSD: We expect the United States to adopt 100% renewable energy generation by 2035. This is an even more advanced plan than Germany, which relies heavily on fossil fuel imports. Do you think the United States can be self-sufficient in renewable energy sources?
advertisement: By 2035, definitely. We are not waiting for some new technology to be developed to get there. Most of the ideas for a carbon-neutral future exist here throughout the 16th arrondissement of California.
What I want to do is bring together the wise hearts of Stanford University and other universities, the biggest activists, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens to form a committee and do this. Is to create a climate innovation hub that will generate ideas, maybe by 2030.
If we could mass-produce hundreds of thousands of ships and planes during World War II, that would be possible.
TSD: What do you think would be the most powerful tool in tackling the homeless problem?
advertisement: First, work with private equity firms and forward investors who buy and leave single-family homes empty. Housing needs to remain local and human.
However, there is a need for a holistic care approach to the community that has reached its limits, including mental health resources, educational resources, and vocational training programs.
TSD: Do you see education in the same way on issues with multiple approach lanes? Invest in a public school system, voucher program, school choice, charter school, or all of the above?
advertisement: All of the above, but I think my two biggest priorities are education. For one, I think we have been late for a universal kindergarten for a very long time. The words you hear when your child is 3, 4, or 5 years old directly indicate whether you are going to a special facility like Stanford.
At the same time, we need to rethink the debt we are imposing on college students and rethink whether we are really hindering their entry into the workforce, entry into the owner-occupancy, and the opportunity to start a family. there is.
TSD: You mentioned on the campaign website that you want to secure universal health insurance. Are you looking for a public option that competes with a private insurance company, or are you looking for a “Medicare for All” single payer system?
advertisement: I love the “Medicare for All” system, but at the same time I need to think about where it fits practically and financially.
I don’t think our country has the bandwidth to drive it, but at the same time it has climate change measures for the next few years. From a spending perspective, I think climate is more important.
But in the meantime, that doesn’t mean we won’t fight for public options, free or affordable generics, and hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable.
TSD: If you are elected to Congress, you may have to work with a majority of Republicans. How are you ready to work on it?
advertisement: I want the opportunity to work with the Republican Party. I think there is a sense of division that both parties are participating, and I think that a new negotiator may be needed to enter the room.
Putin’s war on Ukraine and Europe’s reliance on fossil fuels for Russia will create a unique moment for the next parliament to talk about climate change through the lens of national security, and I will get a lot of Republican support. think.
I want to work with Republicans, but if there are Republicans who are still wondering if women have the right to choose to do with their bodies, we do it violently We must meet that strength with a fight and a deep commitment to human rights.
