On Tuesday, I had the privilege of taking the stage at the
first debate of this campaign and laying out my plan to make Rhode Island
ready for tomorrow. If you tuned in, you clearly saw that I am the only
candidate with a real plan -- one that I can put into action beginning on my
first day as governor.
As my campaign jumps into high gear, I wanted you -- as one of
my strongest supporters -- to be the first to see my first TV ad. This ad
helps Rhode Islanders to get to know me better -- by hearing about my values,
my experience, and my plan.
I'm running for governor because I believe that working
families need help now. That is why I am calling for an immediate raise in
the minimum wage. It's why I oppose changing the estate tax and giving a tax break
to the wealthiest among us at the expense of programs that serve low-income
Rhode Islanders.
I'll put our state back on course by fixing our
infrastructure; by advocating for a women's equality agenda; by ensuring all
Rhode Islanders have access to a world-class education through my Hope
Scholars and Hope Internship programs; and by ending the culture of cynicism,
cronyism, and pay-to-play politics that has bedeviled our state for too long.
This ad is the first step in getting our message out to Rhode
Islanders. And I know I can count on you to help me now, through the September
9 primary election, and beyond.
Click
here to watch my first TV ad -- and then make a contribution to help get our
message out across Rhode Island!
Thank you so much for your support. Together, we will make
Rhode Island ready for tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Clay
P.S. Want to help get the message out? Your contribution can help make sure folks across the
Ocean State see my first TV ad.
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Friday, June 13, 2014
Pell campaign, CDTC-endorsed candidate for Governor, releases first TV ad
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Whom do you stand by? Students or big banks?
Tell Congress to give students a fair shot -- it's
the right thing to do.
I know where I stand. I'm joining 24 of my colleagues --
including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, and Kirsten
Gillibrand -- to co-sponsor the Bank
on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act.
We're fixing a glaring problem with student loan interest rates
that's currently hurting young Americans. And we'll pay for this bill by
implementing the Buffett Rule, my legislation that requires
multi-million-dollar earners to pay a minimum federal tax rate of 30 percent.
Everyone in America striving for a college degree deserves a
fair shot at an education without crushing debt. Yet, the cost of college
has skyrocketed and middle-class incomes have remained stagnant.
We need you to stand with us before this week's vote on Senator
Elizabeth Warren's student loan bill. It's the right thing to do for
students, and it's the right thing to do to help build our country's future.
Passing this bill would mean finally implementing the Buffett
Rule, which I introduced to the Senate in 2012. It's a huge step forward for
fairness -- this bill would offer our students relief from costly loans, and
pay for the new plan by ensuring that millionaires and billionaires contribute
their fair share in taxes.
Making college affordable should be a no-brainer: there's no
reason hardworking students and their middle-class families should be paying
a higher tax rate than someone making millions of dollars a year. We should
invest in our students, not profit off of them.
When young adults shoulder loan debt, it shadows them for
decades and brings their big life decisions -- buying a home, starting a
family, launching a business -- to a grinding halt. This country can't afford
to set back an entire generation. Rewarding
hard work with loan relief is the right thing to do for students, and the
right thing to do to help build our country's future.
Last year, large bipartisan majorities agreed that federal loan
rates were far too high and voted to lower them for new borrowers -- but they
did nothing for existing borrowers, who are still paying sky-high rates on
more than $1.2 trillion in debt.
These students need our help, fast. This excessive debt burden
stands in the way of our students and the future they work so hard to
achieve.
We have a chance to bring fairness back to this system when the
Senate votes on the bill this
week, by allowing borrowers to refinance to new, lower interest
rates.
Thanks for all you do,
Sheldon Whitehouse
U.S. Senator |