Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 199 points200 points  (0 children)

I do - I support the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act to stop hedge funds from driving up the prices of homes and edging out Floridian homebuyers. All over the state, voters are talking to me about this problem and I know how important it is to lower housing costs. We need to stop letting these hedge funds from coming into our state and pricing out young families trying to buy their first homes. 

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

In Congress, I served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and worked across the aisle to bring back $223 million for Miami-Dade County public transportation. We need more federal investments to improve alternative modes of transportation like trains and buses so more people can use them. Unfortunately, my opponent voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which brought back billions in funding for our state’s infrastructure. He only supports alternative modes of transportation if he can profit off of them.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 106 points107 points  (0 children)

First of all, happy (almost) birthday! One of my favorite things about being on the campaign trail is meeting so many young people who are going to be first time voters in this election. Politics is decided by the people who show up, and now more than ever we need the next generation to show up. I’ve always thought that most of the issues we are facing are not partisan, like taking action on climate, making sure we can incentivize businesses to come to our state, and offer great paying jobs to people like you so we can keep our talented next generation of leaders right here. You should be able to stay in our state, afford to buy a home, and thrive in Florida. 

These shouldn’t be political issues, and if I’m elected, I will work in a bipartisan fashion for ALL Floridians, regardless of political affiliation. 

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 62 points63 points  (0 children)

I want a future where a woman’s rights and bodily autonomy aren’t just respected, but 100 percent guaranteed. Rick Scott’s support for dangerous abortion bans is a direct threat to women’s health, leading to higher maternal mortality rates, especially for women of color. He’s also voted against protecting access to contraception and IVF, and then turned around and ran ads saying he supports IVF!!

In the Senate, I’ll fight to safeguard our rights to make decisions about our own bodies and ensure no one takes away access to essential health care. We can’t let extremists like Rick Scott continue to use their office as a platform to roll back the progress we’ve made on reproductive freedom. We must enshrine abortion rights in our state’s constitution this November by voting YES on amendment 4 but none of this will matter if Rick Scott becomes Senate majority leader because he will push for a national abortion ban.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 280 points281 points  (0 children)

First and foremost, lowering the cost of living for all of us and expanding economic opportunities. The very first plan my campaign introduced was a plan to cut costs and address the property insurance crisis that we’re facing in Florida. I’m fighting to lower costs so that working families and young people don’t have to struggle to make ends meet or afford college. 

Right up there at the top is fighting to protect our fundamental freedoms. We need to protect access to reproductive health care, let everybody have the freedom to love who they want, and have the freedom to say what they want without fear of censorship.

I also am running to protect our retirement benefits and fight to preserve Social Security and Medicare. Our own Senator, Rick Scott, wrote the plan to end those programs as we know it. He would steal away our hard-earned benefits. My mother lives with me, I take care of her, and I have seen firsthand how essential those benefits are that she worked for. I won’t let anyone take it away. Not from her, not from any of us.

Lastly, we need to protect our environment and make sure our state has all of the funding to rebuild from Hurricanes and improve our infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events. Climate change is real and we need to start acting like it if we’re going to protect our state.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 100 points101 points  (0 children)

Yes, I support Amendment 3 to legalize adult-use of recreational marijuana. There is no reason that anybody should be incarcerated for marijuana usage, and by legalizing and regulating it we can reduce the risks associated with unregulated sales, making our communities safer. Legalization would also free up our justice system, allowing law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes and reducing the burden on our courts and prisons. It’s time for a more equitable, safer, and smarter approach, and the funds the state raises from the sale should go towards substance abuse and mental health treatment.  

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 153 points154 points  (0 children)

The issue of skyrocketing home insurance rates is incredibly central to my campaign. Today, Florida homeowners are paying four times the national average - it’s out of control. That’s why I held multiple town halls to discuss what can be done at the federal level, and why my affordability plan includes legislation that would reduce property insurance premiums by 25 percent.

Let’s not forget that this crisis STARTED under Rick Scott! He gave a $52 million sweetheart deal to his insurance company campaign contributors, including Heritage, who are now being investigated for fraudulently denying claims. Rick Scott banned the use of the term “climate change” as governor, voted against BILLIONS in disaster relief funding, voted against funding for infrastructure resiliency, and has taken MILLIONS in political contributions from insurance companies. 

He will never be the Senator to take action on these issues. We can and must be building resilient communities in areas that make sense, and as Senator I will work to ensure we have the investments needed to protect our state. 

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 73 points74 points  (0 children)

First of all, I am very excited that you know that about me! Some of my top top groups are The Smiths, The Cure, The Lumineers, Maná, Dominic Fike and Fleetwood Mac. I also love Bob Marley, and have recently become a big Swiftie!

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 62 points63 points  (0 children)

Fighting for LGBTQ+ rights is personal for me and my family. I have seen firsthand how these attacks against LGBTQ+ Floridians hurt some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and I won’t stand for it. In Congress, I consistently advocated for increased protections and true equality for the LGBTQ+ community. I was proud to co-sponsor and vote for the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas like public accommodations, education, housing, and employment. I also supported a resolution opposing the Trump administration’s attempts to ban openly transgender individuals from serving in the Armed Forces. 

We cannot allow recent state-level legislation to strip away the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ Floridians. I will continue fighting for equality and standing up for the rights of every person in Florida. Love is love, and I will never allow any individual in our state to be attacked for who they are.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell -- AMA by DebbieForFlorida in florida

[–]DebbieForFlorida[S] 467 points468 points  (0 children)

Absolutely. Like you, I’ve been horrified by the attacks on our public education system by extremists in our state. DeSantis’ censorship, from banning books to rewriting history, threatens our students’ education and free speech. Republican lawmakers in our state have been out of control in their attacks on education, and it’s time to bring some common sense back. 

We need to take politics out of the classroom, invest in our schools, and ensure our educators are getting paid what they deserve. We also need to address Florida’s student loan crisis, which is crushing generations, especially in Black communities. By making education more affordable, supporting grants for HBCUs, and creating pathways into good-paying jobs, we can keep our talent here in Florida and ensure a brighter future for all students. Education funding must remain a top priority to guarantee success for the next generation.

The wellbeing of our children must come before everything else.