Hey Team Beto, Rachel here! This week, Beto released two new policy proposals: a plan to combat the opioid epidemic devastating communities and families across the country and a plan to hold President Trump accountable for his lawless actions and ensure no future president can use the office or foreign powers for political or financial gain. So this week, we’re digging into what those policies mean for voters across the country and how Beto’s approach to policy is shaped by the people he’s met throughout his life and career.
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Roadrunner
During the first half of the week, Beto was in Washington, D.C. And less than 24 hours after President Trump called the emoluments clause of the Constitution “phony” (it is in fact not phony at all and was written to prevent presidents from profiting from foreign governments) Beto released a bold policy to stop Trump and any future president from taking advantage of their office for personal or political gain. Beto’s plan would prohibit a president (*cough* Trump *cough*) from pardoning anyone tied to an investigation involving the president or his family members. Beto also proposed actions to ensure that foreign interference in an election (*cough* Russia *cough*) is considered an emolument. Check out The Hill’s coverage of the policy announcement:
“Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke is eyeing reforms to strengthen enforcement of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution and prevent presidents from using pardons to protect themselves.
“The former Texas congressman's presidential campaign said in a statement on Tuesday that O'Rourke would make any presidential attempt ‘to secure or acceptance of assistance from a foreign power for personal profit or political gain a federal crime through both civil and criminal liability.’”
You may have also seen Beto across media platforms this week (the media barnstorming continues!), as he made appearances on CNN’s The Situation Room, MSNBC’s Politics Nation, NPR’s 1A, and participated in a Washington Post Live interview for their 2020 Candidates series. Check out some of the highlights below:
And for all you TikTok fans, Beto stood up for all Americans while standing on things in a special appearance on the Washington Post’s TikTok.
During the second half of the week, Beto made his way back to Iowa, where he held a town hall at Cornell College and gave a powerful answer about protecting and ensuring equal rights for transgender Americans. Watch the video from NowThis and share:
Alongside his trip to Iowa, Beto released a comprehensive plan to combat the opioid crisis which is devastating communities across America, from major cities to rural farming regions, from suburbs to tribal lands.
This is an issue Beto has long been a leader on, particularly as it relates to veterans and access to the care and support they need when they return from service. In Congress, Beto served on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and supported robust efforts, including 18 bills that were signed into law in 2016, to address the opioid crisis. These proposals included authorizing grant programs for veterans recovering from opioid use disorder and mandating safer opioid prescribing guidelines at the VA. In 2017, the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System that Beto represented led the entire nation on reducing opioid prescribing rates—cutting it by 66% since 2012 as the national rate fell by 41%. Beto also helped introduce legislation to make it easier for veterans to receive medical cannabis in an effort to cut down on the overprescription of opioids.
Here is some of the coverage of Beto’s bold proposal to combat the opioid crisis and treat substance use disorder as a public health concern rather than a criminal justice issue:
And here’s where Beto will be in the coming weeks 👀
November 1: Des Moines, IA: Beto to speak at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Liberty and Justice Celebration. P.S. Sign up to join a pre-celebration rally here.
🧐Looking to take action with the campaign? You can find an event near you on our map 🗺. And be sure to check the map frequently, as new events are added daily!
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Favorite Things
With two policy rollouts this week, we’re digging into how policy is shaping the presidential campaign, and how Beto’s approach to policy differs from the rest of the field.
Beto has always been motivated by the people he’s represented and those he’s met throughout his career. Their lived experiences have been central to the development of policies Beto has proposed and advocated, dating back to his time on the El Paso City Council and in Congress. And on some of the most critical issues facing our communities - from combating the opioid epidemic to supporting America’s veterans and confronting gun violence - people and those directly impacted by these issues have always been at the heart of the policies Beto develops and enacts.
Read this article from back in 2014 about Bonnie D’Amico, the mother of a veteran who struggled with mental health issues and took his own life, and how their story impacted Beto’s commitment to holding the VA accountable and expanding access to mental health screenings for all veterans.
And on the issue of gun violence, the terror attack on Beto’s hometown of El Paso directly informed his policies to end gun violence, combat hate and white nationalism, and remove weapons of war from the streets. Learn more from Beto’s op-ed in Teen Vogue about how he came to his decision to propose a mandatory assault weapon buyback after 22 people were killed by weapons of war while shopping for school supplies at the Walmart in El Paso.
This week, I sat down with Carmel Martin, Beto’s national policy director, where we talked about how Beto’s approach to policy is informed by the people he’s met and how that’s different from other candidates she’s worked with. Check out the interview below and follow Carmel on Twitter!
Q: How does Beto approach policy differently than other candidates you've worked with?
A: An amazing thing about working for Beto is how seriously he takes addressing issues brought to his attention by people he is meeting with on the road. He really cares about the people he meets, and sees it as his responsibility to propose solutions that will make their lives better. Just recently, he met a woman in Tuscon, Arizona, who talked to Beto about the challenges she faces with her power wheelchair. Beto shared her story with us, and asked that we put together a policy that might make her life a bit better.
You can read that policy proposal here and learn more about how this policy has a personal connection to Beto.
Q: With the opioids policy in particular, how did Beto's background and experiences inform the policy development?
A: Beto has traveled the country in this campaign, and has seen the impact this crisis has had on communities, particularly veterans that he met and worked with during his time in Congress. Beto wanted to ensure his policy prioritized treatment and recovery, and getting people back on their feet --not punishing them and distancing them from the care they need. His experiences have made clear the opioid epidemic is a public health issue, and our policy reflects that.
Q: What part of the policy development process do you enjoy the most?
A: It is a privilege to work for a candidate like Beto. He has shown a willingness to be both bold and pragmatic and is committed to being informed by the experiences of people not polls. One of the most enjoyable aspects of crafting policy on the campaign is having the opportunity to consult with people Beto meets while he is on the road or who he has met throughout his life. Whether it is the many veterans Beto has worked with in the past supporting our veterans policy development or doctors who offer insight on health care or students who offer ideas on access to voting, education and gun violence prevention, we are learning from their insights and experiences.
Q: What's it like to see policies you've crafted get implemented? Which ones are you excited to see Beto accomplish in the White House?
A: It’s truly exciting to see the policies we write impact the conversations happening in this cycle, and shift the public discourse on a given issue. It is difficult to choose which of our policies I’m most excited to see Beto implement during his administration because each of them would materially improve the lives of countless Americans. As a mother of two children, I share Beto’s sense of urgency around tackling climate change so we preserve the planet for them and for their children. As someone who has worked on health care policy previously, I am excited about Beto’s commitment to expanding access to and improving health care through Medicare for America. And as the daughter of immigrants, I am inspired by Beto’s vision for an immigration system that lives up to our values as a country.
C’mon Everybody
Which of Beto’s policy proposals are you most inspired by? Let us know!
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Rachel
@rachel_r_thomas