Providing for the Condemnation and Denouncement of Socialism in All its Forms, and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, whether socialism, a Twitch streamer, working-class candidates, or immigrants, my colleagues believe that there is always a bogeyman to condemn.

Let's get into it. What are the actual positions they feel that we must denounce today? Is it every family having access to affordable, quality healthcare, housing, or education; or is it maybe working people retiring with dignity; families earning enough from just one job so they can put food on their table, a roof over their head, and keep the lights on; or our dollars staying in our communities and not being used to bomb children and destabilize countries across the world?

Today, my colleagues thought it was a good use of people's time to come back after the August work period to come after a working people's platform and the people working to make that platform a reality.

Do you know why? They are afraid to get honest about who they really work for here. Spoiler alert: It is not working people. That is okay because we have their vote records to tell us who they represent.

They cut your Medicaid because they work for Big Pharma and for- profit insurance providers. They won't pass the stock trading bill because they work for Wall Street and the venture capitalists. They won't end mass detention or take on the criminal legal system reform because they work for for-profit prisons. They won't end wars and genocide because they work for defense contractors. They won't assert their authority because they work for authoritarians and fascists.

As long as they and their bosses profit from the policies of racism, colonialism, capitalism, imperialism, white supremacy, and patriarchy, they don't care if you are sick, starving, deported, detained, or even dead.

I bet that they take issue with those of us who are standing in their way. Bottom line, my colleagues are afraid of the American people seeing through their cowardice, greed, and lust for power.

Every day, more Americans are courageously sharing their truth. The truth is that the current system we have right now doesn't work for them. It doesn't reflect our values, and it does not serve working people. It is why it is more important than ever that we don't just fight back. We are not actually lowering the cost of living right now. We are denouncing a resolution that, frankly, you have because you are so afraid of working-class people coming to the next Congress.

Let me be clear: Not only do I call on my colleagues to vote against this stupid resolution, as I just heard a moment ago, but also to put this much energy into creating a world, a system, that actually works for working people.

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