Marcus Lewis, 2nd Congressional District Democratic candidate profile

Candidate profile

Marcus Lewis

Running for:U.S. Representative, 2nd Congressional District Of Illinois.

Political/civic background: Private Citizen

Occupation:Former U.S. Postal Worker

Education:DePaul University

Campaign website: marcuslewisforcongress.org

The Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board sent candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives a list of questions to find out their views on a range of important issues facing the state of Illinois, their districts and the country. Marcus Lewis submitted the following responses:

Please tell us about your civic work in the last two years, whether it’s legislation you have sponsored or other paid or volunteer work to improve your community.

I fight and stand “against” racial injustice in education, employment, housing and “for” receiving reparations for past injustices based on being black in this country.

What are your views on the decision by the U.S. House to impeach President Donald Trump? Has the impeachment process been fair or not? How so? If, in your view, the president should not have been impeached, would you have supported censure? Please explain.

From the information produced, impeachment of President Trump is necessary. From what I have seen it has been fair.

How would you reduce the federal budget deficit, which now stands at about $1 trillion for 2020? What changes, if any, to the U.S. tax code do you support and why?

Repeal the 2017 Tax Cuts Law signed into law on December 22, 2017 for starters.

What changes would you like to see made to our nation’s healthcare system? Would you shore up the Affordable Care Act or work to repeal it in full? What’s your view on Medicare for All? And what should be done, if anything, to bring down the cost of prescription drugs?

I am for Medicare for All.

The Trump administration is awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court as to whether it can end the DACA program — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — which shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation. Do you support or oppose DACA and why? Should a path to citizenship be created for the so-called DREAMers? Please explain.

I support DACA.

What are the three most important issues in your district on which the federal government can and should act?

Gainful employment.

Lack of resources for the masses of the residents.

Stamping out pervasive corruption.

The federal government must intervene with a jobs program on a massive scale to stabilize and compensate income that the overtaxed residents are simply and woefully overburdened by exorbitant property taxes, water bills and “underwater mortgages”.

What is the biggest difference between you and your opponent(s)?

I am not corrupt and disingenuous. I am for the uplifting of the masses of my Congressional District. Not for show but for real. I am not a puppet. As Michael Bloomberg made one as he intervened in our 2013 Special Election and manipulated the 2nd Congressional District residents in 2013 with his phony 2 million dollar “anti-gun” ads campaign on the targeted behalf to seat the “now” incumbent and fellow New Yorker.

What action should Congress take, if any, to reduce gun violence?

Come to realize and pass laws that regulate guns like liquor or food and drugs. It is time to stop doing nothing and watching countless citizens be murdered and maligned by this dangerous product used by other citizens.

Is climate change real? Is it significantly man-made? Is it a threat to humankind? What if anything should Congress and the federal government do about it?

Man has created and continues to wreck our environment, our oceans and land masses are a cesspool. This is the great topic of our lifetime and the federal government must act to clean up our filthy environment now, not in the future, but now!! This is a great jobs’ creator that must be a mandatory chore every day, every week, every month, every year without pause.

What should Congress do to ensure the solvency of Social Security and Medicare?

Pass laws and a constitutional amendment making Social Security & Medicare forever solvent and untouchable forever.

What should Congress do to address the student loan crisis? Would you use the word “crisis”?

Forgive each and every student loan. Most students could not afford them when these students were faced with no other financial option such as grants. I support grants not loans when it comes to education in this country. I support trade school grants as we must train those who will keep our country running.

What should our nation’s relationship be with Russia?

A peaceful one. Talk, not warmongering is the prescription for the day. Find common ground in all things to resolve differences and monitor and maintain this mentality as a policy. By all means.

What’s your view on the use of tariffs in international commerce? Has President Trump imposed tariffs properly and effectively? Please explain.

Tariffs are a useful and peaceful tool to get other countries to talk sensibly at the table to hammer out needed agreements that will benefit all parties involved.

I don’t have enough information at this time to give an answer on President Trump’s skill of negotiating good deals. It remains to be seen from where I am as a private citizen at the moment.

Does the United States have a responsibility to promote democracy in other countries? Please explain.

The United States has a responsibility to promote peace.

What should Congress do to limit the proliferation of nuclear arms?

Congress has the power to introduce and pass laws it believes would scale back the funding of such destructive weapons.

Please list all relatives on public or campaign payrolls and their jobs on those payrolls.

None.

What historical figure from Illinois, other than Abraham Lincoln (because everybody’s big on Abe), do you most admire or draw inspiration from? Please explain.

Mayor Harold Washington. He fought for the common man, woman & children against seemingly overwhelming foes and won gains for the common man, woman & children in Chicago. I will faithfully do likewise for the 2nd Congressional District Residents of Illinois.

What’s your favorite TV, streaming or web-based show of all time. Why?

I don’t allow the television to program my mind with its continual lies and foolishness it shows and promotes. I read the Holy Bible for my guidance in life. There is where the truth can be found for every issue and problem.