Albany, NY—In response to the 2019 State of the Union address, Jessica Wisneski, Co-Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, has issued the following statement:
“It comes as no surprise that Trump used the State of the Union as a platform to spread hate, racism, and fear. At a time of rising authoritarianism, our elected leaders must reject the Trump agenda and offer a powerful countervision built on true democratic principles.
“As Stacey Abrams said in her rebuttal address, ‘The foundation of our moral leadership around the globe is free and fair elections, where voters pick their leaders–not where politicians pick their voters.’ However, under Trump, voter suppression has become the rule rather than the exception, and big money interests continue to wield enormous power in Washington and around the country.
“A healthy, thriving democracy is the strongest antidote to the Trump agenda. We applaud the Democratic House for making HR1 the first bill introduced this year. Only by getting big money out of politics and strengthening voting rights can we elevate the voices of marginalized groups and elect leaders who truly reflect our values.”
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