ILDem

The right has claimed the mantle of “family values” for far too long. When my Republican colleagues use the term they’re usually talking about things like opposition to contraception, denying a woman’s right to choose, opposition to gay rights, and support for abstinence-only education. Family values: let’s talk about what those words mean. When a mother can’t spend time with her newborn child during the first weeks and months of life, that is not a family value. When a husband can’t get time off from work to care for his cancer-stricken wife, that is not a family value. When a mother is forced to send her sick child to school because she can’t afford to stay home, that is not a family value. When parents and children can’t spend any time on vacation together during the course of an entire year, that is not a family value. In fact, these things are an attack on everything the family stands for. When it comes to supporting real family values, the United States lags behind virtually every major country on earth. We are the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee its workers some form of paid family leave, paid sick leave or paid vacation time. Or, to put that another way: Workers and families in every other major industrialized country in the world get a better deal than we do here in the United States. That’s wrong. It’s a travesty. And it should be an embarrassment to anyone who claims to speak for family values in this country. TIME FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN It’s an outrage that millions of women in this country are forced back to work after giving birth, simply because they don’t have the income to stay home with their newborn babies. Virtually every psychologist who has studied this issue agrees that the first weeks and months of life are enormously important to a newborn’s emotional and intellectual development. It’s understood that mothers and fathers should spend this time bonding with the new person they have brought into the world. The Family and Medical Leave Act we signed into law in 1993 is inadequate for the task. Today, according to the Department of Labor, nearly eight out of ten workers who are eligible to take time off under this law cannot do so because they can’t afford it. Even worse, 40 percent of American workers aren’t even eligible for this unpaid leave. SICK LEAVE FOR ALL We must also make sure that workers in this country have paid sick leave. It is insane that low-wage workers for companies like McDonald’s must work when they are sick just because they can’t afford to stay home. That’s bad for the workers – and it’s also a public health issue. The Healthy Families Act, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, would fix that. It would guarantee seven days of paid sick leave per year for American workers. It would benefit 43 million Americans who don’t have access to paid sick leave today. It would also establish a minimum standard for employers who already do offer sick leave. WE NEED A VACATION Millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages. They are overworked, underpaid, and under enormous stress. Today 85 percent of working men and 66 percent of working women are working more than 40 hours a week. Millions of people are working incredible hours – some with two or three jobs – just trying to care for themselves and their families. That is why I have introduced legislation which would require employers to provide at least 10 days of paid vacation per year. This is already done in almost every country in the world. My proposal would allow workers to take two weeks of paid leave each year – to rest and recuperate, travel, visit loved ones, or simply spend time at home bonding with their families. Companies like Virgin Group and Netflix have adopted generous paid vacation policies aimed at boosting productivity and increasing worker loyalty. But nearly one in four workers gets no paid vacation time at all. Studies show that nine out of every ten Americans report that their happiest memories come from vacations. Vacations have been shown to reduce stress, strengthen family relationships, increase productivity, and even prevent illness. American workers are being denied a benefit that workers in every other advanced economy already enjoy. Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand … we are the only nation that doesn’t require employers to provide at least 10 days of paid vacation time. There is no reason for that. Our country is every bit as prosperous as theirs – and it is prosperous because the men and women of this country work so hard. I’m not asking for the most generous vacation policy in the world. This is nothing like what they get in France, Austria or Belgium. But I intend to push for a standard which befits a great nation. Last place is no place for America. It is time to join the rest of the industrialized world and live up to our ideals by ensuring that every worker in this country has access to paid family leave, paid sick time and paid vacations – just like they do in every other wealthy country on the planet. The next time you hear a politician talking about “family values,” you may want to ask whether they support measures which really help American families. Those are values every family can believe in.

Vincent "Vinny" Brown The right has claimed the mantle of “family values” for far too long. When my Republican colleagues use the term they’re usually talking about things like opposition to contraception, denying a woman’s right to choose, opposition to gay rights, and support for abstinence-only education. Family values: let’s talk about what those words mean. When a mother can’t spend time with her newborn child during the first weeks and months of life, that is not a family value. When a husband can’t get time off from work to care for his cancer-stricken wife, that is not a family value. When a mother is forced to send her sick child to school because she can’t afford to stay home, that is not a family value. When parents and children can’t spend any time on vacation together during the course of an entire year, that is not a family value. In fact, these things are an attack on everything the family stands for. When it comes to supporting real family values, the United States lags behind virtually every major country on earth. We are the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee its workers some form of paid family leave, paid sick leave or paid vacation time. Or, to put that another way: Workers and families in every other major industrialized country in the world get a better deal than we do here in the United States. That’s wrong. It’s a travesty. And it should be an embarrassment to anyone who claims to speak for family values in this country. TIME FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN It’s an outrage that millions of women in this country are forced back to work after giving birth, simply because they don’t have the income to stay home with their newborn babies. Virtually every psychologist who has studied this issue agrees that the first weeks and months of life are enormously important to a newborn’s emotional and intellectual development. It’s understood that mothers and fathers should spend this time bonding with the new person they have brought into the world. The Family and Medical Leave Act we signed into law in 1993 is inadequate for the task. Today, according to the Department of Labor, nearly eight out of ten workers who are eligible to take time off under this law cannot do so because they can’t afford it. Even worse, 40 percent of American workers aren’t even eligible for this unpaid leave. SICK LEAVE FOR ALL We must also make sure that workers in this country have paid sick leave. It is insane that low-wage workers for companies like McDonald’s must work when they are sick just because they can’t afford to stay home. That’s bad for the workers – and it’s also a public health issue. The Healthy Families Act, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, would fix that. It would guarantee seven days of paid sick leave per year for American workers. It would benefit 43 million Americans who don’t have access to paid sick leave today. It would also establish a minimum standard for employers who already do offer sick leave. WE NEED A VACATION Millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages. They are overworked, underpaid, and under enormous stress. Today 85 percent of working men and 66 percent of working women are working more than 40 hours a week. Millions of people are working incredible hours – some with two or three jobs – just trying to care for themselves and their families. That is why I have introduced legislation which would require employers to provide at least 10 days of paid vacation per year. This is already done in almost every country in the world. My proposal would allow workers to take two weeks of paid leave each year – to rest and recuperate, travel, visit loved ones, or simply spend time at home bonding with their families. Companies like Virgin Group and Netflix have adopted generous paid vacation policies aimed at boosting productivity and increasing worker loyalty. But nearly one in four workers gets no paid vacation time at all. Studies show that nine out of every ten Americans report that their happiest memories come from vacations. Vacations have been shown to reduce stress, strengthen family relationships, increase productivity, and even prevent illness. American workers are being denied a benefit that workers in every other advanced economy already enjoy. Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand … we are the only nation that doesn’t require employers to provide at least 10 days of paid vacation time. There is no reason for that. Our country is every bit as prosperous as theirs – and it is prosperous because the men and women of this country work so hard. I’m not asking for the most generous vacation policy in the world. This is nothing like what they get in France, Austria or Belgium. But I intend to push for a standard which befits a great nation. Last place is no place for America. It is time to join the rest of the industrialized world and live up to our ideals by ensuring that every worker in this country has access to paid family leave, paid sick time and paid vacations – just like they do in every other wealthy country on the planet. The next time you hear a politician talking about “family values,” you may want to ask whether they support measures which really help American families. Those are values every family can believe in. View full PR

When it comes to business's concerns about my proposal, I would say this: if you are a business that cares for the dignity and well-being for your workers, then you should be supportive of my proposals. If you only care about the bottom line, then you clearly will have gripes with my campaign. It is really that simple.

2 Rallies in Iowa Targeting Progressives 2 Rallies in Iowa Targeting Moderates 2 Rallies in New Hampshire Targeting Progressives 2 Rallies in New Hampshire Targeting Moderates

Earlier in the week, I mentioned a Workers Bill of Rights that would be my signature issue as President of the United States. It's time to give you all a taste of what exactly I am talking about. To me, these are common sense rights that all workers are entitled to. Working class folks in Ohio, and everywhere in this country, are scared. They are scared of the implications of our trade deals, of the various right to work laws being passed by Republican Governors and, unfortunately, not being fought enough by us Democrats. They are worried about the vanishing pensions, about the dignity of work that politicians don't appreciate. It is for these reasons that when I'm elected President I will push for a Workers Bill of Rights, which includes the following: 1.The Right To Balance Work And Family. I strongly support the FAMILY Act to ensure that all parents—men and women, gay or straight, married or single—are able to take at least 12 weeks of leave, with pay, in order to care for newborn children or other loved ones. I will also set a goal of guaranteeing that no family, especially low- and middle-income families, has to pay more than 10 percent of their income on safe, affordable childcare in a given year. 2. The Right To A Predictable Weekly Schedule. As President, I will lobby for, pass, and implement the Schedules that Work Act to give workers more control over their schedules, while still meeting the needs of employers. Erratic and constantly changing schedules leave many workers—especially in growing low-wage industries—unable to plan ahead to make ends meet. People who work hard should be able to earn a decent living while caring for their families. 3. The Right To Full-Time Work. I will launch a new, national campaign to promote full-time employment, including supporting policies like that give part-time workers the choice to take on additional hours before employers hire additional part-time workers. Millions of part-time workers want to work more hours but do not have the option of going to full-time work. 4. The Right To Overtime Pay For Overtime Work. I will ensure that people who work more are paid more. I supported the President Obama's initiative to update and restore access to overtime pay to millions of workers—and will fully enact these new overtime rules as president.  5. The Right To Earn A Living Wage. I will fight to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, indexed to inflation, while supporting efforts to make local minimum wages living wages. 6. The Right To Bargain Collectively For Better Wages. I will champion legislation to make it easier for workers to gain union representation by modernizing the organizing process, bolstering the enforcement power of the NLRB, and creating tougher penalties for employers who violate the law and stand in the way of democracy in their workplace. To fight wage theft and unfair labor practices, I will partner with worker centers and alt-labor organizations to enforce our workplace standards to the fullest extent of the law. 7. The Right To Retire In Dignity, Not Poverty. We must expand, not cut or merely “enhance,” Social Security benefits, while adjusting the benefits formula to help middle-class and lower-income Americans the most. My retirement plan will also dramatically expand access to employer-based retirement plans, while protecting seniors from risks to their financial security. 8. The Right To Equal Pay For Equal Work. I will make closing the gender pay gap one of the most priorities of the federal government. He will fight to finally enact the Paycheck Fairness Act, holding employers who do discriminate in pay accountable and preventing retaliation against women who speak up. I will also work to make pay data publicly available by sex, race, and ethnicity, so that all employees can see that they’re making a fair wage for their job. 9. The Right To Affordable Health Care. By implementing “all payer” reforms, we will overhaul our health care system to pay for the value, rather than the volume, of care—while expanding insurance coverage, bringing down prescription drug prices, investing in research, and providing better long-term care, working towards Medicare for All. 10. The Right To A Quality Education And Debt-Free College. I will fight to make a quality education available to every child in America, by investing to make pre-K universal, equitably funding schools, setting high standards for all students, making teaching America’s most respected profession, and preparing all students for college and a good- paying job. I will give every student in America the opportunity to go to college debt-free, within five years. 11. The Right To Read Trade Deals Before Our Congress Votes On Them. I will only support free trade agreements that establish strong and enforceable rules for fair competition and create opportunity for American workers. I will reject trade agreements like the TPP that are written by corporate lobbyists behind closed doors, and ensure that all workers are able to read trade deals before they are rubber-stamped by Congress.

Vincent "Vinny" Brown Earlier in the week, I mentioned a Workers Bill of Rights that would be my signature issue as President of the United States. It's time to give you all a taste of what exactly I am talking about. To me, these are common sense rights that all workers are entitled to. Working class folks in Ohio, and everywhere in this country, are scared. They are scared of the implications of our trade deals, of the various right to work laws being passed by Republican Governors and, unfortunately, not being fought enough by us Democrats. They are worried about the vanishing pensions, about the dignity of work that politicians don't appreciate. It is for these reasons that when I'm elected President I will push for a Workers Bill of Rights, which includes the following: 1.The Right To Balance Work And Family. I strongly support the FAMILY Act to ensure that all parents—men and women, gay or straight, married or single—are able to take at least 12 weeks of leave, with pay, in order to care for newborn children or other loved ones. I will also set a goal of guaranteeing that no family, especially low- and middle-income families, has to pay more than 10 percent of their income on safe, affordable childcare in a given year. 2. The Right To A Predictable Weekly Schedule. As President, I will lobby for, pass, and implement the Schedules that Work Act to give workers more control over their schedules, while still meeting the needs of employers. Erratic and constantly changing schedules leave many workers—especially in growing low-wage industries—unable to plan ahead to make ends meet. People who work hard should be able to earn a decent living while caring for their families. 3. The Right To Full-Time Work. I will launch a new, national campaign to promote full-time employment, including supporting policies like that give part-time workers the choice to take on additional hours before employers hire additional part-time workers. Millions of part-time workers want to work more hours but do not have the option of going to full-time work. 4. The Right To Overtime Pay For Overtime Work. I will ensure that people who work more are paid more. I supported the President Obama's initiative to update and restore access to overtime pay to millions of workers—and will fully enact these new overtime rules as president.  5. The Right To Earn A Living Wage. I will fight to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, indexed to inflation, while supporting efforts to make local minimum wages living wages. 6. The Right To Bargain Collectively For Better Wages. I will champion legislation to make it easier for workers to gain union representation by modernizing the organizing process, bolstering the enforcement power of the NLRB, and creating tougher penalties for employers who violate the law and stand in the way of democracy in their workplace. To fight wage theft and unfair labor practices, I will partner with worker centers and alt-labor organizations to enforce our workplace standards to the fullest extent of the law. 7. The Right To Retire In Dignity, Not Poverty. We must expand, not cut or merely “enhance,” Social Security benefits, while adjusting the benefits formula to help middle-class and lower-income Americans the most. My retirement plan will also dramatically expand access to employer-based retirement plans, while protecting seniors from risks to their financial security. 8. The Right To Equal Pay For Equal Work. I will make closing the gender pay gap one of the most priorities of the federal government. He will fight to finally enact the Paycheck Fairness Act, holding employers who do discriminate in pay accountable and preventing retaliation against women who speak up. I will also work to make pay data publicly available by sex, race, and ethnicity, so that all employees can see that they’re making a fair wage for their job. 9. The Right To Affordable Health Care. By implementing “all payer” reforms, we will overhaul our health care system to pay for the value, rather than the volume, of care—while expanding insurance coverage, bringing down prescription drug prices, investing in research, and providing better long-term care, working towards Medicare for All. 10. The Right To A Quality Education And Debt-Free College. I will fight to make a quality education available to every child in America, by investing to make pre-K universal, equitably funding schools, setting high standards for all students, making teaching America’s most respected profession, and preparing all students for college and a good- paying job. I will give every student in America the opportunity to go to college debt-free, within five years. 11. The Right To Read Trade Deals Before Our Congress Votes On Them. I will only support free trade agreements that establish strong and enforceable rules for fair competition and create opportunity for American workers. I will reject trade agreements like the TPP that are written by corporate lobbyists behind closed doors, and ensure that all workers are able to read trade deals before they are rubber-stamped by Congress. View full PR

Mr. Fitzpatrick, Will your leadership use the 50 state strategy using more conservative democrats in Red States, or is that an outdated strategy?

2 Hr Fundraiser in Iowa 2 Rallies in Iowa targeting Progressives 2 Rallies in Iowa targeting Moderates 2 Rallies in New Hampshire targeting Moderates

Presidential Candidate Vinny Brown dropped in at a union hall in Charleston, South Carolina to answer questions from workers.

Vincent "Vinny" Brown Although the economy has improved significantly since the Great Recession, and while corporate profits now exceed their pre-recession levels, far too many middle class and working families are still struggling just to get by. Despite huge advancements in worker productivity, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages. The real median income of male workers is $783 less than it was 42 years ago, while for women workers it is $1,300 less than it was just nine years ago. There are more Americans living in poverty today than at any time in our history, and the middle class is slowly disappearing. Moreover, more than half of all Americans have less than $10,000 in savings, and millions have no idea how they will ever retire in dignity. An unforeseen car accident, a medical emergency, or the loss of a job could send their lives into an economic tailspin. Meanwhile, the vast majority of new income since the Great Recession has accrued to the top one tenth of one percent of the population. It is no wonder that America now has more wealth and income inequality than any major developed country on earth, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is wider than at any time since the 1920s. I believe we must take bold action to put the economy back on track, and to address the obscene levels of wealth and income inequality in our country. I propose we put millions of Americans back to work by rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure and by bringing our electric, data and telecommunications networks into the 21st century. To help reduce the inequality, we must stop profitable Wall Street banks and corporations from sheltering profits in the Cayman Islands and other tax havens to avoid paying U.S. taxes. I also believe that capital gains and dividends should be taxed at the same rate as other income. View full PR

Although the economy has improved significantly since the Great Recession, and while corporate profits now exceed their pre-recession levels, far too many middle class and working families are still struggling just to get by. Despite huge advancements in worker productivity, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages. The real median income of male workers is $783 less than it was 42 years ago, while for women workers it is $1,300 less than it was just nine years ago. There are more Americans living in poverty today than at any time in our history, and the middle class is slowly disappearing. Moreover, more than half of all Americans have less than $10,000 in savings, and millions have no idea how they will ever retire in dignity. An unforeseen car accident, a medical emergency, or the loss of a job could send their lives into an economic tailspin. Meanwhile, the vast majority of new income since the Great Recession has accrued to the top one tenth of one percent of the population. It is no wonder that America now has more wealth and income inequality than any major developed country on earth, and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is wider than at any time since the 1920s. I believe we must take bold action to put the economy back on track, and to address the obscene levels of wealth and income inequality in our country. I propose we put millions of Americans back to work by rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure and by bringing our electric, data and telecommunications networks into the 21st century. To help reduce the inequality, we must stop profitable Wall Street banks and corporations from sheltering profits in the Cayman Islands and other tax havens to avoid paying U.S. taxes. I also believe that capital gains and dividends should be taxed at the same rate as other income.

Vincent "Vinny" Brown As you may well remember, I endorsed Erik Travere for Governor and he is certainly better than any Republican candidate. However, I must take objection with something he said in a recent PR. "I'm gonna run this country like a business." This is a statement that can be taken a variety of ways, but my gut reaction is one of caution and uneasiness. We have a President that is a businessman and only cares about the bottom line, not about the workers all across this country. To run this country like a garden variety corporation, is to leave millions of Americans in poverty, to continue to decline in organized labor, and, to be frank, abandon progressive causes. Gov. Travere had a good list going, but if his contention is that he will run America like a business, I wouldn't count on even one of those pro-worker ideas getting signed in the Oval Office. We need a shakeup, not a standstill. A Workers Bill of Rights is my goal. But we cannot coddle the corporate cabal any longer if we want to enact a pro-worker agenda. America should be ran like a democracy, not an oligarchy. View full PR

As you may well remember, I endorsed Erik Travere for Governor and he is certainly better than any Republican candidate. However, I must take objection with something he said in a recent PR. "I'm gonna run this country like a business." This is a statement that can be taken a variety of ways, but my gut reaction is one of caution and uneasiness. We have a President that is a businessman and only cares about the bottom line, not about the workers all across this country. To run this country like a garden variety corporation, is to leave millions of Americans in poverty, to continue to decline in organized labor, and, to be frank, abandon progressive causes. Gov. Travere had a good list going, but if his contention is that he will run America like a business, I wouldn't count on even one of those pro-worker ideas getting signed in the Oval Office. We need a shakeup, not a standstill. A Workers Bill of Rights is my goal. But we cannot coddle the corporate cabal any longer if we want to enact a pro-worker agenda. America should be ran like a democracy, not an oligarchy.

Friends, The Democratic Party is a big tent. I've said it once and I'll say it again. As Ms. Gonzalez points out, 1 in 3 Democrats are pro-life. While I think it is important to have these views represented, we must also reinforce that Roe v Wade needs to be protected. So my concern, to be frank, is the Supreme Court justices when it comes to electing a pro life Democrat to the Oval Office. A woman's right to choose is not negotiable and as President I will oppose any attempts from to circumvent that right. I've always been 100% pro choice and that will never change. I welcome all views into the Democratic Primary but when it comes to picking our candidate, this issue cannot go under the radar. I support progressive measures to reduce the number of abortions like affordable birth control, stregthening adoption services, and improving prenatal care. I know that like minded Democrats who identity as pro life can get on board with that, as well as pro choice people like myself. We owe it to all sides to have a clear mind on this issue, while not abandoning the women who us Democrats have been sticking up for.

Vincent "Vinny" Brown Friends, The Democratic Party is a big tent. I've said it once and I'll say it again. As Ms. Gonzalez points out, 1 in 3 Democrats are pro-life. While I think it is important to have these views represented, we must also reinforce that Roe v Wade needs to be protected. So my concern, to be frank, is the Supreme Court justices when it comes to electing a pro life Democrat to the Oval Office. A woman's right to choose is not negotiable and as President I will oppose any attempts from to circumvent that right. I've always been 100% pro choice and that will never change. I welcome all views into the Democratic Primary but when it comes to picking our candidate, this issue cannot go under the radar. I support progressive measures to reduce the number of abortions like affordable birth control, stregthening adoption services, and improving prenatal care. I know that like minded Democrats who identity as pro life can get on board with that, as well as pro choice people like myself. We owe it to all sides to have a clear mind on this issue, while not abandoning the women who us Democrats have been sticking up for. View full PR