Later this year, we’ll all flock to our voting locations and cast our ballots for the midterms. Every seat in the House of Representatives and 34 Senate seats are up for grabs, alongside entire state legislatures and municipal governments. Over the coming months, candidates will embark on familiar journeys and shake the hands of loyal supporters. Some may even pull off stunning upsets that shake up projections of Congress’ make-up until 2024.
Until that midterms election day comes, here are five key issues we hope remain constant, inescapable themes for candidates. In some cases, communities of color will rely on such attention.
First and foremost, we hope candidates of every stripe are forced to address voting rights on the federal level. Right now, multiple expansive, democracy-improving proposals are stalled in the Senate, which has thus far refused to erase the filibuster from its procedures. It’s truly baffling that parliamentary procedure can trump our God-given right to participate in government, but there is some hope. Late last year, the Biden administration signaled a more all-out push to expand voting rights, including absentee ballots, early registration, and even considering Washington DC statehood.
Immigration is the second issue we hope is seriously discussed later this year. Already, the Biden administration has abandoned its promise to shut down private immigration detention facilities and walked away from settlement talks with the families separated by the Trump administration. Those aren’t encouraging signs about the state of immigration reform, which always winds its way back into our national discourse during election years. We believe everyone seeking a better life deserves a fair shot and that our federal institutions stand in the way. It’s time we reexamine the role of ICE and end expedited removal policies.
The pandemic was a mask-off moment for our country in more ways than one. Perhaps most prominently, it revealed the striking inequities of our housing situation. Since the introduction of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, we’ve regressed in terms of homeownership among Black and Brown residents. Like several other policy areas where we see racial disparities, this is clearly linked to our history of redlining and financial discrimination. Now, with evictions rising as pandemic protections end, it’s important to keep the conversation going about how housing is a fundamental right for all, not a luxury.
Another is the misinformation surrounding critical race theory. It seems every state has somehow hit back against the misunderstood legal framework, which simply states that our institutions are rife with inequity and have been for a long time. In response to conservative fearmongering on the issue, states are banning books and outlawing classroom lessons that teach about our country’s historic injustices. We hope candidates can expose this grift for what it is: misinformation borne from a refusal to seriously consider the racial inequities Black and Brown folks see every day.
Lastly, we hope candidates speak on the importance of electric vehicles. It’s no secret Black and Brown citizens are more likely than their white counterparts to breathe in air pollution from cars. Electric vehicles is the most market-friendly and sensible way to address this disparity. However, a systemic change often requires foundational reform. In this case, Congress must create an infrastructure to charge electric vehicles. An inability of consumers to do so is the leading cause of buyer hesitancy. Supercharging our communities with infrastructure to charge electric vehicles will spike their market presence and address a longstanding inequity.
Of course, we hope the midterms are chock-full with other issues, like paid leave, cash bail, and public education. But if we had to pick five issues out of the thousands our country ought to address, these are our choices. What do you think the midterms will be about? Let us know on Twitter, where you can find us @neighborforward!
