U.S. Senate: LeAlan Jones
Political affiliation: Green Party
City: Chicago
Marital status: Single
Occupation/Firm name: Journalist
Campaign HQ address: 516 E 47th St Chicago, IL 60615
Campaign website: www.lealanjones.com
What is your campaign budget- $100,000
What are your top priorities for the nation-
-Creating good, green jobs and a sustainable economy
-Winding down our role as a Superpower and making peace profitable
-Passing single-payer health care for all
-Free education from pre-school to post-grad
What are your top priorities for the state-
-Creating good, Green jobs and a sustainable economy
-Winding down our role as a Superpower and making peace profitable
-Passing single-payer health care for all
-Free education from preschool to post-grad
The recession continues. What are its causes and how do we end it- Do you favor more federal "stimulus" spending to create more jobs-
The cause was greed. We end it by shifting our money out of big banks and Wall Street - and back into our communities through cooperatives and credit unions.
Unfortunately, the same corporations that caused the Great Recession are holding onto billions of dollars and refusing to create jobs. We must, as citizens, claim back that wealth so we can use it to rebuild a sustainable economy in all of our communities.
By bringing back the Estate Tax and the World War 2 Super Tax on the upper 2%, we can pay off both wars and the deficit, reduce taxes for lower and middle income Americans and finish what the New Deal started.
Is global warming real- Is it man-made- What, if anything, should be done about it- And do you favor a national cap-and-trade program to put a price on carbon emissions-
Scientists who have proven man-made climate change are motivated by their love of the planet. The modern-day Flat Earth Society that seeks to discredit those scientists are motivated by their love of money. I trust the scientists - for they choose good over greed.
In order to restore our planet's environmental stability, we must reduce our consumption and carbon output. This can be done through a number of behavior-changing efforts including a graduated gas tax to help small business owners and individuals transition to a low-carbon lifestyle, a fee and dividends system (I oppose Cap and Trade), $1000 tax credit for commuter bicycles, and a $50,000 departure tax on all private jets.
I believe we should increase funding for the Conservation Corps and return it to its former glory.
As an Illinois Senator, in the tradition of Paul Douglas, I would lead the Senate effort to eliminate all environmental racism and promote environmental justice.
Our young people must be protected, which is why I would work to establish clean air zones around schools, so that none of our students - especially our high school and college athletes - have to compete with pollution.
I would sponsor a bill to establish a program to give inner city youth summer jobs in America's national parks and forests--and rural teens jobs teaching city kids about urban farming.
As senator, would you favor changes in the health care reforms pushed through Congress by President Obama- What exactly-
The bill passed by Congress earlier this year was a giveaway to the health care industry. The proof: their stocks went up the morning after the bill passed. Without a public option, the new law requires Americans to give their money to for-profit corporations, enforced by the IRS agents. This is unacceptable.
Nobody should make a profit when you get sick. We need a Single-Payer Health Care system that covers EVERYONE. Such a system would be accountable to patients, put prevention first and end inequality. That is why I will fight for a real Single-Payer system from my first day in office.
This holistic system would allow us to more effectively address societal problems like alcohol and drug addiction by treating it like a disease, not a crime, and building new treatment facilities.
Single-Payer would better serve mentally-ill patients and expand research for cures and technology for our citizens with disabilities.
Even with the new health care reform, the cost of health care will equal the average American wage by 2025. Something's gotta give. Single-Payer Health Care is the only way forward.
What should the American military and political strategy be in Afghanistan- How would you define "success" for the United States in the war, and at what point could we withdraw our troops-
In his farewell address President Eisenhower told us to guard against undue influence from the military-industrial complex. At this task the subsequent generations have failed. U.S. military spending accounted for 43% of the global total last year. We are spending more than six times more than any other nation on defense.
To end this out of control spending I believe that we should nationalize the defense industry. Not only will it solve a fiscal problem, it would make sure that no one profits off of death, destruction or war.
Afghanistan, like Iraq, is a money hole. The chaos of guerrilla warfare leads to billions of dollars wasted on corruption and fraud. Eliminating private contractors will help independent watchdogs keep the Pentagon solely accountable for our taxpayer money. Afghanistan will remain a volatile region for decades to come, so we ought to spend 50% of the money we save on development and peace-building projects in the region.
The past ten years have been a moral disgrace. America has blood on its hands and debts with foreign governments. We must change our strategy in the larger region:
-Adopt the Israel-Palestine single state solution and end apartheid in the Middle East. Nations should be based on our collective humanity, not our divisive religions.
-Prosecute the Bush Six for war crimes or extradite them to Spain. Either would send a clear message: Americans do not condone torture.
-Stop creating our own enemies and limit the CIA to intelligence gathering only, ending its violent and deadly work.
-End the illegal Predator Drone bombings in Pakistan and Yemen. Every innocent civilian killed by an American bomb breeds a new generation of our enemies.
-Regulate the international heroin trade to undermine a major source of funding for al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
-Establish the US Department of Peace, create a new generation of community and international development workers through the Peace Corps and a renewed role in the United Nations, and put peace negotiators on the National Security Council.
What should be the American military and political strategy in Iraq-
Don't be fooled by the "end of combat operations". 50,000 American troops remain, largely to protect the interests of for-profit private contractors. We must get COMPLETELY out of Iraq and restore local control to the people.
When our troops do come home, we need a strong GI bill that delivers free education, a free home, and free, quality health care for all veterans and their families.
We must utilize the newest technology to address the unique mental illnesses and disabilities of US veterans. At the same time we should create peace & reconciliation councils between veterans and people from the countries we invaded to promote healing and create a common bond.
Service is our most honorable profession. We must honor those who serve our local and global community to create a world that's better than how we found it. That is why I believe we should establish pay and benefits equity for anyone who serves America--either in organizations like the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Teach for America, or in the military.
What should be done to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons-
We must take steps to move towards a nuclear-free world with a complete ban and disarmament. This will take time, but if done correctly will make us immeasurably safer. We must sign the Ottawa Treaty, banning the use of landmines. So far, 156 countries have signed the treaty. It is time to show the global community that we are ready to join them in banning these terrible weapons.
Will the United States ever have a comprehensive policy on immigration- What should it be- And what is your view of Arizona Senate Bill 1070 and the recent federal appellate court ruling striking down its key provisions-
Corporations and the world's richest individuals operate without borders in this age of globalization. It's time for the rest of us to have equal access.
By reforming free-trade agreements like NAFTA to include environmental and labor protections, we can reduce the main reason why folks desperately try and enter America.
By moving to a system of global citizenship, we can use our interconnected technology to strategically manage population shifts and the movement of jobs.
I applauded the eloquent appellate court ruling for rejecting the racism and nastiness behind Arizona's SB 1070. At the same time, I empathize with those who fear they will lose their jobs to a new immigrant. American workers have been played like pawns by Democrats and Republicans. It's time we take back our own destiny by building community wealth and worker-owned companies.
Please comment on the president's education agenda, specifically on the Race to the Top competition that emphasizes core national standards and tests and the use of student test data to evaluate and reward teachers.
Public Education is a right, not a race to the top. The very term is an insult to any school that struggles with challenges well beyond a child's ability to learn.
Our education machine is more efficient at shipping kids to prison than getting them ready for college. We should develop free-thinking citizens, not standardized robots. Every community is unique and they must be allowed to set their own standards for their children.
Teachers' unions are not the problem, they are merely the scapegoat. All dedicated teachers deserve more than $100,000 a year for often times they must double as social workers. By fixing the greater community, we will fix our schools.
In order to end the two tier system that sets the table for inequities as adults, we must close the gap between private and public so that private is affordable and public is top quality. Closing this gap includes making preschool free and universal, and combating childhood obesity by instituting a free lunch program with healthy meals.
With a new focus on vocational training in the green technology sectors, we can convert schools into high-tech facilities teaching computer science and environmental engineering. By establishing wi-fi cooperatives in our communities, it would provide free, Net Neutral internet access to all Americans.
What is your position on gay marriage and the federal Defense of Marriage Act-
No government should be allowed to regulate love. Gay marriage and civil unions are a natural extension of the Green Party's platform on human rights and I do not believe that we need to wait any longer. Let's be honest: if we took interracial marriage to the voters, it would probably be rejected in some states. But we cannot tolerate bigotry whether it's based on race or sexual orientation. I believe "Don't Ask Don't Tell"--and any workplace discrimination--must be stopped immediately. What a person does in their bedroom does not affect their performance at work or on the battlefield.
What should be our nation's policy toward the manufacture, sale and use of marijuana-
As a former national spokesperson for the No Dope Express, I am willing to admit that the war on drugs is a failure. It's time for a new approach. I favor the legalization and taxation of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21. It is important that sales and production are restricted to non-profit cooperatives, so big alcohol and tobacco companies can't corner the market and exploit our young people like they do with their current products.
We must release all non-violent drug offenders and help them transition back into our society. This will save billions in prison and law enforcement costs - and make billions in tax revenue.
The United States continues to hold "enemy combatants," uncharged, at the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Is indefinite detention without charges acceptable- If so, for how long- And are military commissions an acceptable alternative to civilian courts-
The past ten years have been a slippery slope for America's respect for the rule of law. We have lost our morality in the process.
America must not condone torture. America must treat all prisoners equally. America must stop labeling people "terrorists" or "enemy combatants."
All U.S. operations at Guantanamo Bay must end immediately and the land should be returned to the Cuban people. The prisoners should receive an immediate trial in civilian courts.
Furthermore, we must repeal the Patriot Act and stop spying on Americans.
List your educational background
Martin Luther King High School, Chicago, IL Class of 1996
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 1997-2000 Criminal Justice major
Barat College, Lake Forest, IL 2003 BA Social and Political Science
Please list civic, professional, fraternal or other organizations to which you belong
Kappa Alpha Psi, Theta Eta chapter
Board Member, Sargent Shriver National Center for Poverty Law, 2002-2009
National Spokesperson, No Dope Express, 1994-1999
Member, Illinois Green Party, 2009-present
Volunteer High School Football Coach, 2004-present
Have you held elective or appointive political office or been employed by any branch of government-
No.
Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partners have had with government
None.
Name your five biggest campaign contributors and the amount they contributed
David Kerrigan - $1000
Elizabeth Evans - $200
Michael McKinney - $100
Jennifer Sullivan - $100
Chris Salituro - $100
Please paste a brief biography here
LeAlan Marvin Jones has been speaking truth to power for 17 years about poverty, inequality and justice. In 1993 LeAlan made headlines with his NPR documentary "Ghetto Life 101" which he made with his friend Lloyd Newman and producer David Isay.
Just 13 years old at the time, his honest portrayal of life on Chicago's south side earned him worldwide acclaim. He followed up his success with a tragic investigation into the murder of a five year-old boy in a Chicago housing project entitled "Remorse: The 14 Stories of Eric Morse".
For this documentary, LeAlan became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Peabody award and the Robert F. Kennedy Grand-Prize. Both documentaries were turned into the book "Our America: Life and Death on the Southside of Chicago" and a Hollywood movie called "Our America" produced by actress Angela Bassett and starring Josh Charles.
Just before the historic 2008 presidential election, LeAlan produced a follow-up to his first documentary for the BBC World Service called "Out of the Ghetto."
After training to be an investment banker with JP Morgan and work in Hollywood with Showtime, LeAlan decided to become a full-time legal guardian for two of his male relatives following the death of his grandmother. He is currently a linebackers coach at Chicago's Simeon High School where the youngest of his two boys is a varsity quarterback.
LeAlan Marvin Jones' middle name was chosen by his mother because she was a fan of singer Marvin Gaye. He lives in Chicago's Englewood Community. #Comments_Container, #Comments_Container1,#commentsonly,.StoryInteract{display:none;}
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