Greene County Democrat

Tag: Angela Alsobrooks

  • Newswire : Sen. Cory Booker and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries lead Democrats in sit-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak against expected GOP budget cuts

    By Lauren Burke and Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Reporters


    Sen. Booker and Leader Jeffries conduct sit-in on steps of U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C.
    In a show of solidarity against the congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration, dozens of congressional Democratic members of Congress gathered on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives from sunrise to sunset Sunday, April 27 to speak out against budget cuts.
    “The budget is a moral document,” said New Jersey Senator Cory Booker as he sat wearing a black shirt and pants next to the Democratic leader in the U.S. House, Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. The two started with only Senator Chris Coons of Delaware at 7:30 am on Sunday. As the day moved forward many other members, advocates, and curious onlookers joined them in support of their effort to bring attention to what may be a historic budget in terms of cuts to social programs.
    Throughout the day, lawmakers took turns sharing personal stories and reading testimonies from constituents whose lives have been transformed by government assistance. But since Trump took office for his second term in January, his focus has been on cutting the federal government and the jobs and programs associated that assist millions of Americans. “I was on the steps of the Capitol with Leader Jeffries, Sen. Booker, and many others to make the case for what’s at stake with Trump’s budget. Medicaid, food assistance, and social security. It’s all on the line. A moral moment” wrote Senator Amy Klobuchar, who may lead the Democrats as the next Leader of the Party in the U.S. Senate after the criticism of the leadership of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the retirement announcement of Senator Dick Durbin on April 23.
    Jeffries warned that the proposed cuts would devastate seniors, families, and vulnerable communities. “Republicans are crashing the economy in real-time,” he said. “Now, they want to jam a reckless budget down the throats of the American people that will end Medicaid as we know it, destroy Social Security, and rip food from the mouths of children, seniors, and veterans. As Democrats, we’re going to continue to stand on the side of the American people and we will not rest until we bury this reckless Republican budget in the ground.”
    Throughout the day, figures such as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, civil rights attorney Maya Wiley, Rev. William Barber II, and others joined the sit-in. Senators Chris Coons, Raphael Warnock, Angela Alsobrooks, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, Sarah McBride, Mark Takano, Tom Suozzi, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Steven Horsford, Suhas Subramanyam, Emily Randall, Sarah Elfreth, and Delegate Stacey Plaskett also participated.
    Wiley shared personal stories of Americans who would suffer under the proposed cuts. “The cuts, when we’re talking about cuts, people bleed and we should put names behind them,” Wiley said. “You know, Sarah in South Dakota had a son who had seizures one to five times a day and had to quit her job to try to save her son. It is Medicaid that helps pay for her health care to do that. Or Jasmine in Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, with two kids, who was taking care of other people’s children when she fell and became disabled, and it’s Medicaid that was taking care of her.” Booker said Democrats must move beyond “business as usual” and find new ways to confront injustice. “We can’t keep doing things like business as usual,” he said. “Speaking out and speaking up is how we will convince at least four Republicans in the House and Senate to do the right thing and vote no.”.

  • Newswire : Congressional Black Caucus reaches historic 62 members while preparing to challenge Trump policies

    Congressional Black Caucus members, Gregory Meeks (NY) Joyce Beatty (OH) Troy Carter (LA) and James Clyburn (SC) speak in 2024

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) will enter the 119th session of Congress with a historic 62 members, marking the largest number of Black federal lawmakers in U.S. history. In total, 67 Black lawmakers will serve, with five Republican members declining to join the caucus. However, this historic milestone comes against the backdrop of a new Trump administration that has signaled sharp policy shifts, including an almost entirely white Cabinet and the implementation of the anti-minority Project 2025.

    The CBC, established in 1971 to advocate for Black and marginalized communities, now represents 120 million Americans, including 41% of Black Americans. Yet its leaders face a steep challenge under a Trump administration openly pursuing policies that could roll back decades of progress in civil rights, healthcare access, and economic equity.

    “We’ve always been the conscience of Congress, no matter who’s in charge,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., a senior CBC member and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “But now we have a larger choir of leaders ready to call truth to power, ensuring the voices of the voiceless are heard. This administration poses a danger, and we’re here to counter that.”

    Project 2025 and the Challenge Ahead

    President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is advancing Project 2025, a policy blueprint critics say is designed to dismantle protections for marginalized communities while consolidating power among white conservatives. The plan includes eliminating the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, granting police broad immunity in cases involving unarmed citizens, and reversing diversity and inclusion initiatives across federal agencies.
    In addition to these policy threats, Trump’s Cabinet appointments include figures like Dr. Mehmet Oz, tapped to oversee Medicaid and Medicare, and Linda McMahon, his pick for Secretary of Education, raising alarms about the administration’s priorities. The nearly all-white leadership team underscores a stark contrast to the growing diversity in Congress.
    “It will be interesting to see how this administration interacts with a record number of Black lawmakers,” said Niccara Campbell Wallace, executive director of the Rolling Sea Action Fund. “The CBC’s growth means there are more voices to push back, to advocate for policies that reflect the reality of a diverse America.”

    Historic Firsts in Representation

    While the Trump administration doubles down on policies many see as anti-minority, the new Congress will also usher in a wave of historic firsts. Two Black women will serve simultaneously in the U.S. Senate for the first time. Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester and Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks join a small but growing list of Black women elected to the Senate, doubling the total from two to four.

    Blunt Rochester, the first woman and Black person to represent Delaware in the Senate, reflected on her groundbreaking victory. “This is a historic step forward for our state and our nation,” she said.

    Alsobrooks, a former Prince George’s County executive, highlighted the broader significance of her win. “In over 2,000 people who have served in the U.S. Senate, only three have looked like me,” she said. “I stand here because of the sacrifices of those who came before me.”

    Oregon’s Janelle Bynum also made history, flipping the state’s 5th Congressional District to become its first Black member of Congress. Bynum, who unseated a Republican incumbent, noted, “It’s not lost on me that I’m one generation removed from segregation. We believed in a vision and didn’t stop until we accomplished our goals.”

    Delaware voters made further history by electing Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress. These victories occurred even as the country faced deep divisions over affirmative action, LGBTQ rights, and racial equity.

    The Role of the CBC

    The CBC’s role as the conscience of Congress will be tested as it confronts an administration bent on undoing civil rights gains. Meeks emphasized that the caucus would oppose policies that disproportionately harm Black and marginalized communities, from healthcare access to police reform.

    “Instead of just a quartet, we now have a full choir,” Meeks said. “And we will be loud, clear, and consistent.”
    With Republicans maintaining control of both chambers of Congress, the CBC’s ability to influence legislation will likely depend on its capacity to build coalitions and galvanize public support. Wallace noted that the CBC’s growth, even in a Republican-controlled Congress, is a testament to Black voters and communities’ enduring belief in American ideals.

    “Black Americans have always believed in the promise of what America can be,” Wallace said. “Even when the odds are stacked against us, we continue to fight for a seat at the table.”

    As the CBC prepares for its largest-ever session, its leaders are already looking to the future. Meeks said the caucus is planning to spend the next two years opposing harmful policies and laying the groundwork for the 2026 midterm elections.

    “Two years go by fast,” he said. “We’ll be working every day to reverse the tragedies this administration will bring to our communities and the country as a whole.”
    Blunt Rochester added, “We’ve come a long way, but our work is far from over. Together, we will continue to fight for the future America deserves.”

  • Newswire: The Obamas rock Democratic Convention in Chicago

    Barack and Michelle Obama on stage at DNC

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    On the second day of the Democratic National Convention, the Obamas took center stage and delivered electrifying speeches that reverberated through the United Center in Chicago. The convention, already energized by a capacity crowd in Milwaukee where Vice President Kamala Harris spoke during a rally, reached new heights as the former First Lady and former President rallied Democrats with their powerful words.

    Harris, who spoke to a packed arena in Milwaukee, had her speech live streamed into the United Center, effectively connecting the two cities in a show of Democratic unity and strength. Her presence set the tone for the evening, with her words filling both venues.

    Michelle Obama took the stage before her husband in Chicago, immediately captivating the audience. “Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it? I’m talking about the contagious power of hope,” she declared as the United Center enthusiastically rocked. “America, hope is making a comeback. Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified people to ever seek the office of president. And she is dignified.”

    Obama didn’t shy away from addressing the twice-impeached and 34-times convicted felon and former President Donald Trump directly. “For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she remarked. “His limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking and highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. Who wants to tell him that job he’s seeking just might be one of those Black jobs?” she asked, eliciting raucous applause from the crowd.

    She continued to dismantle Trump’s rhetoric, particularly his attempts to question the blackness of Harris and other Democrats. “No one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American, no one,” Obama declared, her words striking a chord with the audience.

    Barack Obama then took the stage and immediately lifted the energy in the arena to a fever pitch. “I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling fired up,” he began, his voice booming across the United Center. “Even if I’m the only person stupid enough to speak right after Michelle Obama.”
    Obama then turned his focus to Harris, praising her as a leader who embodies the best of what America stands for. “This country has a chance to elect someone who’s spent her whole life trying to give people the same chances America gave her,” Obama said. “Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.”

    He also drew a sharp contrast between Harris’s vision for the country and the policies of Trump and his allies. “For them, one group’s gain is another group’s loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do what they please, whether its firing workers trying to organize a union, poisoning our rivers, or avoiding paying taxes like everyone else has to do,” he said, highlighting the fundamental differences in their approaches to leadership.

    Throughout the night, other prominent Democrats joined the Obamas in rallying the crowd. Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth delivered a searing critique of Trump’s attacks on reproductive rights. “I take it personally when a five-time draft-dodging coward like Donald Trump tries to take away my rights and freedoms in return—especially when it concerns my daughters,” Duckworth said.

    Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks reflected on her close relationship with Harris, emphasizing the vice president’s dedication to justice and public safety. “Kamala Harris knows how to keep criminals off the streets,” Alsobrooks said. “And come November, with our help, she’ll keep one out of the Oval Office,” a line that drew loud cheers from the Chicago crowd.
    New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham contrasted Harris’s healthcare policies with Trump’s, criticizing the former president’s attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. “Donald Trump and JD Vance want to dismantle our healthcare system, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and eliminate protections for preexisting conditions. Either these guys don’t get it, or they don’t care,” Grisham said.

    Barack Obama left the crowd with a final, resonant message: “If we work like we’ve never worked before, we will elect Kamala Harris as the next president and Tim Walz as the next vice president. And together, we too will build a country that is more secure, more just, more equal, and free.”