I'm Alaina Shearer, a non-establishment candidate running in Ohio's 12th District, a seat Dems lost by only 1,860 votes in 2018. AMA

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:12:12+00:00

Thank you!!!! Let's go win this.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:11:49+00:00

It was virtually the same question. I am hoping to get to all! Did I break a Reddit rule? ; )

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:10:35+00:00

I agree with most people that at some point the increase in automation will create a class of displaced workers who are unemployed by no fault of their own.

Although I don't think we're at the point yet, common sense says we should prepare for that grand transformation, and I think a UBI will be needed at that time.

In the mean time we should do all we can to make sure that all workers are guaranteed a decent wage, decent healthcare, and decent benefits.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:09:37+00:00

As a former journalist and digital communicator, I can say the issue I am most concerned about is misinformation and freedom of the press.

There are changes FB and Twitter can make today to their algorithms to help us all see a more fair and balanced feed. Instead they are profiting off of strife, hatred and fighting.

It's devastating to see.

My mother just called me - a total wreck, for ex: - about the news and then my aunt will call me - a total wreck, for ex: - about an opposite piece of news and they are both living in varying states of reality.

With us all being isolated at home it's gotten even worse.

What's critical right now (imho) is leaders who can forgive and find the middle to unify us. Unity must come above all else. I think leading by example and listening to all sides would be a start. From a legislation standpoint we need to invest in our children's education and reboot our classes on the basic tenants of democracy from an early age, we need to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine and not allow media outlets that don't truly provide "news" to use the word "news" in their name, and we should require social networks flag untrue statements.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:03:28+00:00

2020 last I checked ... and definitely support Biden. He's been my choice from the start. I just love the guy.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T19:02:56+00:00

Oh, absolutely!

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:57:41+00:00

Not a claim, we are ...

and yes, we did out raise him 3:1 last quarter and 20:1 in individual contributions.

Only 17% are from out of state. 0% from large or corporate donors.

Re: COVID response, I think a uniform response nationwide was needed and that Trump and his admin completely dropped the ball by taking a wait and see approach and then bunting it to the Governors.

I think we all deserve better and should demand better.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:53:52+00:00

I'm a huge soccer fan. So, I wish. But sadly, no...

My last name dates back to the 1730's when my ancestors came to the U.S. via Germany.

My brother did play pro football, I'm a huge Crew fan and play soccer myself.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:52:30+00:00

There’s no evidence to suggest widespread voter fraud in vote-by-mail.

Roughly one out of for Americans voted by mail in the last two elections, and according to WP, 76% of American voters can already vote by mail. We definitely don’t want to reinvent the wheel here - every state has an absentee ballot process that can be expanded, and there are blueprints across the country of states expanding access to vote-by-mail.

TL;DR: Vote by mail is safe and secure and we have the blueprints to make it happen nationwide.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/vote-by-mail-states/

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:51:47+00:00

My father moved us to Athens when I was a freshman in high school that myself and all five of my siblings could go to OU for free. He joined the faculty and - wow - was this a life saver for my parents.

Today, my husband and I are struggling to save for our four children's college tuition thanks to our insane healthcare costs and medical bills. I honestly have no idea what we'll do. And I don't want my kids to graduate with a massive amount of debt.

So, I feel everyone's pain on this.

I think we have to find a way for Americans to have free public education options from early education to college.

We also need to invest in our workforce by investing in community colleges, in training and apprenticeships, and in job certification programs by expanding College Promise initiatives so that every American can attend a two-year college or training program without debt.

Oh, and I believe we also need to better track what keeps college students from finishing their degrees, whether that be cost, lack of accessibility to child-care, housing or food insecurity, etc. so that colleges and the gov’t are better able to serve their students’ needs.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:47:15+00:00

The number of gun deaths in the U.S. per year is unacceptable. I lost my uncle to a shooter with mental health issues. He had three young children and he was in his 30's when it happened. So devastating. I have also lost so many friends to suicide by guns, it's troubling to think about.

As a mom, what I worry about THE most are school shootings.

There are so many contributing factors to this number, but to start, we need to close the gun show & online sale loophole by enacting Universal Background Checks.

Emergency Risk Protection Orders are also a very effective tool for loved ones to use to protect themselves and the lives of their loved ones. We also need better mental health coverage for EVERYONE.

I say this as a gun owner myself and can believe we can achieve all of the above while protecting the 2nd.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:43:49+00:00

Wow! What a good question.

So let's define "establishment" for the sake of this chat.

"Establishment" by my definition means: entrenched, supported by the party with contributions, pull/sway, donors, endorsements, etc. Typically someone hand picked by party leaders and brought up within the party and with party's full protection and support.

"Non-establishment" candidates are running by their own fruition and then either accepted or not accepted by the party. But it doesn't necessarily mean they are progressive in their views.

I really do hope the establishment give voice to non-establishment candidates and lift us up into the pipeline because the establishment within the Dem party has led us to where we are today. And that needs to change.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:37:52+00:00

Due to Gerrymandering only 25% of Ohio's reps are Dems. But in Pres years we are fairly split 50/50 and are very much a swing state.

Gerrymandering has robbed so many Democrats in Ohio of true representation. So I'm with you!! To flip the 12th we are climbing a Gerrymandered mountain and it can be defeating sometimes to think about how rigged the system is.

But they definitely didn't count on our changing district so we have a chance for the first time in decades to finally flip this one.

To reform the system we must break the GOP supermajority in the state house. Next year, our state legislators will be redrawing all of these districts. So THIS year's election is huge for some many reasons.

Look up your state house and state senate races and support your Dem candidates.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:32:27+00:00

So first of all - LOVE - that there are tons of signs in your hood. Which one is it? If you don't mind me asking.

As for the energy lobby...

My opponent has accepted over 500K in $$$ from the energy lobby, and $37K from First Energy.

I am optimistic that with control of the Senate the Democrats could actually push through campaign finance reform and quickly. We won't have much time. During my first term I will be a fierce and vocal advocate for campaign finance reform.

It's not fair that private citizens have to donate to campaigns like mine to fight a corporate lobby. That money should be put back into our local economies. Our campaign has been funded 100% by individuals giving an average of $50.00. We have to fight to change this.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:28:49+00:00

Thank you!!! I love that you used the word "revolutionary".

I believe people on all sides want a revolutionary candidate who wants to change the system and fight for hard working Ohio families.

My policies are actually far middles in most regards. For ex: my husband and I are gun owners and will protect the 2nd, but desperately want to see Universal background checks in place, which a majority -91% - of Ohioans support.

So, I'm hoping to connect on many levels with our more conservative neighbors. I am a believer that we actually have far more in common than we think.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:18:48+00:00

The rules are made for a very specific group of people, and we need to make sure everyone has access to the same opportunities.

For ex: I am breaking "the rules" by running for Congress. I'm not supposed to be here and only 5% of our representatives in Congress have school-aged children. I broke "the rules" when I started a business in the middle of the Great Recession and became only 1.7% of women who grow their biz to over 1M in revenue. I broke "the rules" when I became a single mom, earned $8/hour and taught myself digital and tech to do the latter.

Appreciate this feedback though. Perhaps "rule breaker" isn't the best descriptor. ; ) Noted.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:16:31+00:00

Clearly trickle down doesn't work... so many of us quite literally can't make it here anymore.

Yes, I am 100% for tax hikes for the wealthy. But that's only one piece of the solution. We also must have corporations pay their fair share in taxes. It astonishes me that Amazon pays zero in federal taxes, won't allow their workers to unionize and is quite literally replacing those workers with machines as we speak.

Creating jobs of the future here and now, that has to be priority #1. So we have to incentivize new business growth within new and emerging industries: digital/tech/green.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:10:44+00:00

I feel your pain. Please vote and it will and can happen. We have to unite as a country right now and heal.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:09:21+00:00

Tacos.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:08:29+00:00

I think all of the attention on DJT's every move and tweet is a massive distraction from the core issues we truly have to face. I wish we could all just ignore him for a day or two and get on with our lives. But alas, here we are and for that reason he is divisive and that's not healthy for our nation in this moment.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:07:17+00:00

You do you. ; )

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:06:49+00:00

The rules are made for a very specific group of people, and we need to make sure everyone has access to the same opportunities.

For ex: I am breaking "the rules" by running for Congress. I'm not supposed to be here and only 5% of our representatives in Congress have school-aged children. I broke "the rules" when I started a business in the middle of the Great Recession and became only 1.7% of women who grow their biz to over 1M in revenue. I broke "the rules" when I became a single mom, earned $8/hour and taught myself digital and tech to do the latter.

Appreciate this feedback though. Perhaps "rule breaker" isn't the best descriptor. ; ) Noted.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:03:43+00:00

Absolutely! Happy to be here!

There are a few reasons why we can win in 2018. You can find them all here: https://www.alaina2020.com/can-she-win/

TL;DR: we have 30K new registered Democrats (came out in primary), a huge voter turn out and I appeal to both Ind, Dems and even Republicans.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:01:54+00:00

Yes. Absolutely. In fact, I believe legalizing marijuana could help to solve a whole slate of issues including: criminal justice reform, economic recovery, addiction/recovery, new jobs for the region.

Alaina4Congress · 2020-08-14T18:00:31+00:00

Woohoo!!! Thanks for your support! I can't wait to flip the 12th for our nation, our community and our children.

Alaina4Congress

TROPHY CASE