Politics & Government

US Senate Hopeful Tammy Baldwin Talks to Area Residents

The candidate made a short stop at Wilson's Coffee & Tea on Washington Avenue in West Racine on Oct. 21, 2011.

Saying she will fight to preserve Medicaid and Social Security, US Senate hopeful Tammy Baldwin stopped in Racine on Oct. 21 to talk with residents and drum up support for her campaign.

After meeting and talking with supporters at Wilson's Coffee & Tea on Washington Avenue in West Racine, Baldwin gave a short speech about her reasons for running for the US Senate seat currently held by the retiring Herb Kohl and what she hopes to accomplish if she's elected. Baldwin is currently a member of the House of Representatives (D-Madison).

She said she was one of the first in the House to vote against the invasion of Iraq and voted against the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act.

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"If a few more people had stood with me and Russ Feingold, we may well have avoided the financial catastrophe that our nation has experienced," Baldwin stated.

She is calling for an immediate withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, saying they fulfilled their mission years ago. Baldwin also said she will fight tooth and nail to save Medicare and Social Security.

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"If you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to expect a secure retirement," she stated.

After her talk, Baldwin told Patch she wants to see more direct support from Washington for both early education programs like Head Start and better access to higher education.

"Federally, we can support struggling school districts, but when we have a direct impact like with Head Start and we choose to cut a program that has been proven to help at risk children be more prepared for school, we are hurting our students," she said.

Further, reducing Pell Grants and Perkins Loans for higher education means government is not living up to the "equal for all" mission of America.

"Higher education at two- and four-year schools leads to a strengthened economy and a stronger democracy," Baldwin stated. "When that path is not accessible for those with limited means, then we're not living up to anything near 'equal for all.'"


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