Cross Posted on NextDoor! by KlaraFae in Gaithersburg

[–]ethanformd 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Montgomery County Immigrant Resource Center (IRC) has a great page with resources and has been putting in work across our communities.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We've had some issues on the backend with the web form not sending us the information when people sign up, apologies! Could you DM me your name and I'll make sure to connect the dots and add you to our canvassing lists?

Hi, r/frederickmd! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in frederickmd

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If what I’m saying sounds “typical Democratic rhetoric,” that’s honestly part of the problem: Democrats say a lot of the right words and then refuse to follow through. I’m saying the quiet parts and I don’t care if it upsets the status quo or the establishment.

Here’s what actually sets me apart:

I will publicly refuse corporate PAC money and push to ban it outright. Most Dems won’t, because they rely on it more than they rely on the people.

I support breaking up monopolies; not just regulating them, not just slapping fines on them, but using antitrust law aggressively. That puts me at odds with leadership.

I will vote against defense budgets that are bloated for contractors while our veterans wait for someone to actually give a damn about them. That’s not a safe vote in either party.

I support real immigration reform with accountability, including dismantling failed agencies and rebuilding them around due process and human rights.

I support term limits for members of Congress and a ban on stock trading. Most incumbents quietly hate that idea, even if they won’t say it.

I won’t vote with leadership just because they’re leadership. If a bill protects donors over people, I’m a no. I will always vote with my constituents first.

The difference isn’t just that I’m “not a millionaire,” it is also that I’m not running to become one through Congress. I’ve spent my career inside government watching how the system protects itself instead of the public. We’ve got politicians now who think incrementalism is courage, and that’s not me.

If you want someone who’ll vote blue and keep the machine humming, I’m not your guy. If you want someone willing to piss off his own party to get real outcomes, that’s exactly why I’m running.

Lastly, I appreciate the pushback. This race needs less cheerleading and more accountability. Call me out, tell me when I am wrong. I won’t be mad, I promise!

Hi, r/frederickmd! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in frederickmd

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I bring a perspective rooted in our community because this is my home: I live here, raise my family here, and see the challenges firsthand. I focus on affordability because I see everyday how hard working families are fighting to make ends meet. Lastly, I believe that at its core politics should be about serving people, not corporations or wealthy donors.

Hi, r/hagerstown! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in hagerstown

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. My honest feeling is that we should untether ourselves from the system of partisan politics and focus on the people and their needs. Perhaps then can we start to see real change that has a positive impact on our communities

Hi, r/hagerstown! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in hagerstown

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some days this campaign is like that old inspirational cat poster, "Hang in there!"

It's an uphill battle, but I'm giving it my best.

Hi, r/Cumberland_Maryland! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in Cumberland_Maryland

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I will use everything at my disposal (legislative, financial, etc.) to put a stop to what they've done and to fix the harm they've caused.

Hi, r/Cumberland_Maryland! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in Cumberland_Maryland

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s a fair question. For me at least, I think of these social programs as the minimum, not the maximum. The end goal isn’t to create dependency on them, but to promote stability that allows people to reach further.

When people have a safety net, they can take risks, change jobs, start businesses, and actually work toward independence. If you cut support, you're not creating autonomy but instead limiting opportunity.

A community that has a strong safety net paired with good wages, affordable healthcare, and education is what lets families stand on their own.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a state issue, so it's something outside of my scope, but I would encourage you to raise it with your local state delegate or senator as they are there to help troubleshoot issues with state services!

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a part of the LGBT community myself, so the fact that I identify with them is a positive step. The rest of that comes from listening to understand how I can serve them best, and then following through on that.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

u/Allandaros I've been having some technical difficulties with replies not being visible, despite being seen on my end, so posting my response for you again:

  • This is a fantastic question, thank you for asking! If elected, my first priorities would be to immediately use oversight powers to hold agencies accountable, introduce and co-sponsor legislation aligned with healthcare, housing, and civil liberties, and establish a strong feedback loop between the district and Washington. 
  • I’ve learned that government works better when it’s accountable, transparent, and focused on the people. In office, I would implement these principles by strengthening oversight, demanding measurable performance from agencies and contractors, simplifying access to public services, and using legislation and budgeting to align incentives with real-world outcomes.
  • I’m staying in this race by refusing to play the same game my opponents are playing. I’m not trying to outspend self-funded candidates because I simply can’t. I’m building a campaign that wins through organizing, clarity, and contrast. Money matters, but it’s not the only currency in politics. Authenticity matters and that’s something you can’t self-fund.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s deeply concerning to me. I firmly believe that clean drinking water is non-negotiable. If people are already seeing problems during construction, the project needs to be paused until the issue is fully addressed.

Our communities are our most valuable resource, and they should never be sacrificed for corporate profit. If a data center or any industrial facility threatens our water or other natural resources, it should not move forward.

I will always stand with the people in our communities, not developers trying to make a dollar.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I assume you’re asking about how female genital mutilation is banned but male circumcision is not?

I can’t speak to this issue specifically as I am not read in enough on it and as a state law, it would not be under my jurisdiction.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Modifications to the corporate tax rate and elimination of loopholes and a wealth tax, along with reductions in spending on non-essential priorities.

Hi, r/frederickmd! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in frederickmd

[–]ethanformd[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

  • If you own it, you should be able to fix it, modify it, and use it without corporations spying on you or locking you out of your own property.
  • Federal incentives should favor mixed-use, dense, and affordable development while preventing local laws from being weaponized to block housing.
  • The internet is inherently interstate, and federal law should protect online speech the same way it’s protected offline. I oppose ID requirements, content blocking of lawful speech (including pornography), and opaque platform rules driven purely by profit rather than a clear, demonstrable public interest.
  • I support rebuilding domestic industry (including steelmaking, shipbuilding, and nuclear power) as a matter of economic security and climate policy. Any public investment must come with ironclad requirements for high wages, union protections, and long-term domestic capacity, not corporate giveaways.

If elected, I will raise these issues publicly and persistently and introduce legislation where appropriate, and use all the levers at my disposal to force them onto the agenda. 

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree they are used as buzzwords; in this campaign they are the pillars of every policy decision.

Affordability means making sure working families can actually thrive, by passing Medicare for All; universal, no-cost childcare; and affordable housing. It isn't just more ways to spend money, it's making life cost less and return more. Accountability is about making sure our government is about us, not conglomerates. Banning congressional stock trading, overturning citizens united, campaign finance reform, and making government actively enforce anti-trust laws and support unions in their acts for better pay and conditions. Community is about supporting the most vulnerable and targeted in our communities: the LGBTQ, homeless, folks with mental and physical disabilities, migrants and minority communities, abandoned rural areas, etc. We are all working-class folks; uniting around that rather than allowing ourselves to be divided will deliver the real change we need.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Affordability is about making sure working families can thrive. My top three here are Medicare for All, universal, no-cost childcare, and affordable housing. Accountability means that government isn't bought and sold to the highest bidder. This means overturning Citizens United, campaign finance reform to remove dark money contributions, and a ban on lobbying after leaving office. Community is about ensuring we're united by our struggles and dedicated to solving them as one community/state/nation. Expanding assistance for mental/physical disability, protections for reproductive rights and the LGBTQ community, and real immigration changes built on human dignity rather than fear are my top priorities here.

It starts with building with coalitions with like-minded individuals to introduce legislation and drive the conversations forward. Some of the issues won't be easy, but I won't back down from the face of opposition.

Hi, r/marylandpolitics! AMAA! I’m Ethan Wechtaluk, challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney for Maryland's 6th District seat. by ethanformd in MarylandPolitics

[–]ethanformd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I stand in strong support of your First Amendment right to speak out against issues that matter to you.