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<h2>I'll work for you. Not special interests.</h2>No Mega-Corporate or Billionaire DonorsI believe mega-corporate and billionaire money should not be a part of politics, and I'll practice what I preach.No Corporate ConsultantsI'll run a campaign focused on you - the working and diverse people of Western Wisconsin - and not what a political consultant thinks I should do.A Campaign of ActivismI won't be waiting until the midterms to work toward change. I'll be a citizen leader working to limit attacks on our Constitution and civil liberties - working to be an active part of the solution.

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<h2>So, who am I?</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/1cb44ef6-9869-47ae-9100-17ecb9e9ea76/2bcd7c92-d111-4d67-85eb-0820a5e9472d/2bcd7c92-d111-4d67-85eb-0820a5e9472d.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C900%2C1291&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">My name is Laura Benjamin. And I'm ready to fight government corruption and companies who over-exploit our society, to protect LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and immigrants from divisive attacks, and to restore trust and integrity in leadership in government.I won't take a dime from mega-corporations or billionaires, even if puts me at a disadvantage. Because it's critical that you are able trust your leaders to work for you, and put your interests above wealthy and corporate donors.There won't be any pay-to-play leadership here.I'm a small business owner in branding and marketing. For more than 15 years, I've lead teams and guided clients through problem solving, strategizing, and clarifying their vision to ensure an outcome that meets their needs.I'm a recent YouTuber, publishing content about class consciousness, solidarity, and political action.I'm a wife to an amazing woman and a mom to two great kids. I'm a member of the LGBTQ+ community.I'm a 26 year resident of Eau Claire, WI. I came here for college and have been a proud part of movements including Voices for Growth, which brought the Confluence Project / Pablo Center to fruition. And Startup48, supporting new entrepreneurs on their journey to starting businesses.And I'm ready to get to work for you and all residents of the 3rd Congressional District.

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<h3>Midwest STRONG.</h3>The Constitution is more than a list of rights. It's a CALL TO ACTION.WE THE PEOPLE must fight for a MORE PERFECT UNION.And the fight starts here, in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, where we will build an America that works for ALL AMERICANS, no matter your race, your gender, who you love, or how much money is in your bank account.You can find my policy positions at the link below:<a href="/issues" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">Learn about everything we'll be fighting for</a> »

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<h2>Privacy Policy</h2>Privacy PolicyEffective Date: 4/21/2025Laura Benjamin for Congress (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share your information when you visit our website at <a href="http://laurabenjaminforcongress.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">laurabenjaminforcongress.com</a> (the “Site”).<h3>1. Information We Collect</h3>We collect the following types of information:A. Information You Provide Directly<ul><li>Contact Forms: Name, email address, phone number, ZIP code, and any message you include.</li><li>Newsletter Signup: Email address, Name, Phone</li><li>Donations: Name, address, phone number, email, occupation, and employer (as required by federal campaign finance law).</li><li>Event RSVPs or Volunteer Signups: Name, contact info, availability, and interests.</li></ul>B. 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You may not use the Site in a way that could harm, disable, overburden, or impair our infrastructure or interfere with others’ use of the Site.You also agree not to:<ul><li>Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site or related systems.</li><li>Upload or transmit malicious code, viruses, or harmful materials.</li><li>Use the Site to harass, threaten, or defame others.</li></ul><h3>2. Intellectual Property</h3>All content on this Site—including text, graphics, logos, videos, and images—is the property of the Laura Benjamin for Congress campaign or its licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws.You may view, download, or share content from the Site for personal, non-commercial use, provided you do not modify or misrepresent it. For media inquiries or content licensing, please contact us directly.<h3>3. 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In February 2025, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asked the American people what we could do - What power do we have?We can speak out. We can organize. We can take action now.And that's what I'll do, every day, for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.

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<h2>What if I told you we've all been playing a rigged game for the last 45 years?</h2>You, me, and all Americans who aren't obscenely wealthy are forced to play this game - for most or all of our lives.It's a pretty simple game, and there are only 3 rules:<h4>1) Socialize Losses and Privatize Gains</h4>Corporations and the wealthy over-exploit our society in order to maximize their gains. Labor efficiencies haven't reduced YOUR workday or reached YOUR wallet - they've just made business more profitable. Regulations are being slashed that protected the environment, forcing communities to bear the cost of clean up after the bad behavior of corporations.Protections for workers are under attack, from removing rights to unionize and collective bargaining, to dismantling of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs, to permitting corporations to discriminate against employees.We need leaders willing to stand up to the wealthy and demand they do what's right - for the environment, for everyday Americans of all walks of life, and for you.<h4>2) Rules for Thee, but Not for Me</h4>Instead of facing the same consequences that everyday Americans would, the wealthiest Americans use powerful connections to exploit laws and escape justice, from Elon Musk and America PAC's violation of Wisconsin Chapter 12 Election Law, to Donald Trump's 34 felony counts in New York.We need bold and ethical leaders across all levels of government willing to be brave and hold powerful people accountable.<h4>3) Use the Infinite Money Glitch to Enshrine Their Power &amp; Influence</h4>Rich people aren't smarter than you or me. They are just willing to over-exploit people and resources. There is no moral justification to allow massive billionaire profits and tax cuts, when those outsized gains come at the expense of our healthcare and quality of life, and make social problems like homelessness and food insecurity harder to address.These people could choose to solve major issues practically overnight. Elon Musk alone could spend $100,000,000,000 (that's ONE HUNDRED BILLION) dollars to put 20 new food pantries in every state, and still be the richest man in the world by over $20 BILLION. But he doesn't.We need curious and forward-thinking leaders who are willing to learn from what works: from other countries, from current state programs, and from history. We need leaders who are willing to meet with and listen to the people they represent. We need to use every tool at our disposal to build a new social contract, where billionaires and their corporations may harvest the benefits of our work, but in return it is their ethical duty and civic responsibility to pay their fair share back into society, through:<ul><li>New Deal /Eisenhower Era Tax Policy (where our society saw the greatest 30 years of economic expansion in US history)</li><li>Infrastructure modernization</li><li>Free state college</li><li>Free daycare</li><li>Healthcare for all</li></ul>And more - so that all Americans, not just the mega-rich, can live and thrive.<h4>And it's time to stop playing their game, because it's rigged against us.</h4>Reaganomics is the greatest lie ever sold to the American people. The wealth has never trickled down. It has only flooded upward. Average Americans fall further behind other advanced countries in quality of life, wages, healthcare outcomes, life expectancy, home affordability, and even personal freedom.And freedom is the thing we're literally supposed to be the best at.And make no mistake, they are coming for more. The greed of the wealthiest of our society knows no bounds. So it's up to government leaders to set those boundaries and fight for their constituents every single day.

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Fair Play. Affordability. Rights. Trust. And an America that works for YOU.

<h3>Fighting for Our Community</h3>These are some of the top issues our campaign is focused on. Learn more about our issues <a href="/issues" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.

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We're not waiting until after the election to make a difference. Though we're just getting started, we're working to lead and take action every day.

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You've been working hard to make your way in America.Now I want to make America work for you.

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Share your thoughts, questions, or concerns. My team and I will read every email, and I'll be looking forward to learning what's on your mind.Use this form or email <a href="mailto:team@lauraforwi.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">info@lauraforwi.com</a> to get in touch with team leadership for General Inquiries.For Press Inquiries, please email <a href="mailto:press@lauraforwi.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">press@lauraforwi.com</a>.

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Website for Laura Benjamin, candidate for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District

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A long-term Farm bill is needed to help support our regional farms. Tariffs and labor shortages from immigration policies have created economic uncertainty. And I look forward to being a part of community meetings in 2025 in order to understand how to best represent the needs of farms in our district.While my views are still evolving as I learn more about the unique challenges facing farmers in Wisconsin, I support the following:<ul><li>Creating a more certain future through Farm Bill Legislation that gives farmers a more reliable idea of what to expect for commodity programs and rural initiatives.</li><li>I will favor policy that prioritizes the small- and mid-size farms that are critical to our communities, instead of prioritizing large corporate farms.</li><li>I favor policy, such as immigrant work permits and subsidies, to help provide relief for labor shortages on farms and to reduce the impacts of tariffs.</li></ul>

A long-term Farm bill is needed to help support our regional farms. Tariffs and labor shortages from immigration policies have created economic uncertainty.

Wisconsin Farms Facing an Uncertain Future

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Kickoff Town Hall

Come meet me, Laura Benjamin, at my campaign kickoff.We're doing something a little different for this event. After my intro, I'll be inviting you, the public, to speak for up to 3 minutes. Tell me what's on your mind, your concerns for the district and the country, or ask me a question.Because it’s time our leaders listened.<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/laura-benjamin-town-hall-open-mic-and-campaign-kickoff-tickets-1330953631139?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Register to attend</a>

American students continue to fall behind international standards, due in part to funding plans that create haves and have-nots, and punishing struggling schools with funding reductions.Furthermore, a college education (a requirement for many information-era jobs) continues to get more expensive and requires many students to take on obscene amounts of debt in order to complete degrees. For this reason I support educational access and improvement through the following policy:<ul><li>Reform the Department of Education to be able to provide funding and staff that will work hands-on to improve underserved schools rather than penalizing them by reducing funding.</li><li>Fully fund 3K and 4K programs nationwide so that young children have access to early education opportunities.</li><li>Eliminate the school voucher program. Private, charter and homeschooling are valid choices, but not at the expense of our public schools.</li><li>Free nutritional breakfast and lunch for all children. No child anywhere in America should have to suffer or go hungry at school, for any reason.</li><li>Make public In-State college tuition free</li><li>Support of teachers rights to unionize, collectively bargain, and strike when necessary.</li><li>Cap public and private student loan interest rates at 5%, period. No business should be able to exploit huge profits at the expense of hardworking students, and students should not face a lifetime of debt from their schooling.</li></ul>Though it is not part of a House Rep's role, I support the Senate only confirming Secretary of Education candidates who have extensive education system experience and/or advanced degrees in education.

American students continue to fall behind international standards, due in part to funding plans that create haves and have-nots, punishing struggling schools with funding reductions, and the expense of college education. Let's change that.

Education Equality & Expansion

Humans exist in a variety of ways, and all people are entitled to human rights, including marriage equality, the rights to bodily autonomy and healthcare, and civil liberties for BIPOC and LBGTQ+ people.Diversity is our strength. We are not all the same, and that's a good thing. I believe:<ul><li>We must codify the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution</li><li>Women have a right to make medical decisions about their bodies with their doctors. The rights and lives of women matter, and we cannot permit the reduction of anyone's personhood to being a forced birther.</li><li>Two non-related, consenting adults, have the right to marry and start a family, regardless of the gender or birth sex of either adult.</li><li>BIPOC people have been the subject of generational discrimination, including slavery, segregation, redlining, and reduced opportunity. The ongoing effects of those policies persist to this day. For this reason, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility programs should be reinstated. These programs provide the greatest opportunity for all Americans.</li><li>LGBTQ+ people, particularly transgender Americans, have been the subject of extreme discrimination and Executive Orders designed to support the legal annihilation of an entire minority group of people. Medical research and historical evidence has proven that being Transgender is not a choice or preference, it is a deeply rooted part of who these people are, and is a natural and normal way to be human. I support policies that protect LGBTQ+ people, and that enable them to have the same rights to marriage, adoption, and family as all other Americans. I support policies that protect rights for Transgender people to exist in public spaces, utilize the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity, and transition from their assigned-at-birth gender to the gender with which they identify.</li></ul>

Humans exist in a variety of ways, and all people are entitled to human rights, including marriage equality, the rights to bodily autonomy and healthcare, and civil liberties for BIPOC and LBGTQ+ people.Diversity is our strength. We are not all the same, and that's a good thing.

Equal Rights for All Americans

First-time home buyers are struggling to find affordable houses. The skyrocketing cost of living means that unexpected bills can turn into ballooning debt. Younger generations are being squeezed like never before.There's no easy fix. But we can work toward effective policy solutions. I support the following:<ul><li>Explore potential policy decisions based on the recommendations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Joint Task Force studying reducing housing costs</li><li>Support legislation like the proposed $15,000 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act. Though not yet introduced in Congress, it's similar to the Bush/Obama era tax credit</li></ul>While consumer prices may never deflate, I will generally look to support policies that elevate the living wages of Americans to better enable them to adjust to the new higher prices experienced in the market, prevent price gouging, and help prevent Americans from falling into extreme debt.

First-time home buyers are struggling to find affordable houses. The skyrocketing cost of living means that unexpected bills can turn into ballooning debt. Younger generations are being squeezed like never before.There's no easy fix. But we can work toward effective policy solutions.

Personal Debt, Housing & Affordability Crisis

It is time for the United States to join every other advanced democracy and recognize that healthcare is a human right, and that allowing the profit motive in healthcare leads to inverse incentives.Negative outcomes of US private health insurance include worse healthcare outcomes, a less healthy population through delayed treatment, and massive medical debt in exchange for life-saving treatment. Putting profit first in healthcare also incentivizes lack of price transparency and price gouging.No person should go into immense debt to fight cancer or other major medical conditions. Thousands of Americans choose to forgo care or even die from not receiving needed healthcare for fear of, or sheer unaffordability of, the immense cost.For pharmaceuticals, corporations continue to price gouge patients, charging hundreds or thousands for necessary life-sustaining and life-saving medicines.Furthermore, healthcare in the US is unfairly tied to employment, removing access to care or creating an impossible expense for those between jobs or seeking work. For these reasons, I support the following policy:<ul><li>Medicare for All: Ensuring that all Americans receive the same level of healthcare that is available to current Congressional leaders</li><li>Phase-out of private sector insurance plans</li><li>Regulation on the cost of life-saving medications, including making insulin free</li><li>Regulation to give the government more room to negotiate for American taxpayers on the cost of medical care and prescription medication</li></ul>

It is time for the United States to join every other advanced democracy and recognize that healthcare is a human right, and that allowing profit to drive healthcare decisions leads to inverse incentives and worse outcomes.

Medicare for All &amp; Affordable Prescriptions

I'll be on with Pat Kreitlow this upcoming Monday, May 5th at 7:30 AM, on his Mornings with Pat Kreitlow show.Find your <a href="https://civicmedia.us/stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Civic Media</a> station for over-the-air radio, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@upnorthnewswi/streams" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">watch the live stream</a>.Looking forward to a great conversation!

Mornings with Pat Kreitlow Appearance

My next Office Hours will be held at the Chippewa Falls Public Library, May 5 from 11am-12pm.If you'd like the opportunity for some 1 on 1 time with me, come on in - I'll have an open discussion on things on your mind from news and national politics to your perspective on our district.For more info: <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/office-hours-with-laura-chippewa-falls" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://actionnetwork.org/events/office-hours-with-laura-chippewa-falls</a>

Office Hours 5-5 - Chippewa Falls

Unchecked money being allowed in political races creates incentives for bad behavior, where national politicians favor corporate interests, lobbyists, and the wealthy over the interests of the people they are supposed to serve. For this reason, I support creation of an even playing field that better incentivizes serving constituents, and gives everyday Americans who wish to financially support political candidates through the following policy:<ul><li>Reverse the Citizens United ruling through legislation in the short term</li><li>Propose a constitutional amendment affirming that corporations are not people</li><li>Eliminate corporate giving in campaign finance</li><li>Eliminate or heavily regulate PACs and dark money in politics</li><li>Cap maximum individual gifts at $1,500 for primary and general elections so donations from average Americans have a greater impact in campaign funding</li></ul>

Unchecked money being allowed in political races creates incentives for bad behavior, where national politicians favor corporate interests, lobbyists, and the wealthy over the interests of everyday working Americans.

Campaign Finance Reform

Since the 1980s, tax reduction benefits have gone disproportionately to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, forcing working and middle class families to bear a greater share of the tax burden.Major tax reform is needed to make the wealthy and corporations fund a society that works for us all.Under FDR and Eisenhower policies, top marginal tax rates were as high as 90% for top earners - and our economy saw 30 years of incredible growth for the middle class and working families. And those top earners still earned enough after taxes to be incredibly wealthy.In order to return prosperity to the vast majority of people of the United States, I support the following policy:<ul><li>Reduce the marginal tax rate of the lowest 5 tax brackets (for people earning less than $243,725)</li><li>Create several new marginal tax brackets, including a 90% tax rate on earnings over $2,500,000</li><li>Increase the corporate tax rate to 35-50% for the largest mega-corporations</li><li>Create tax exemptions for SBA-classified “Small Businesses” (ranging from $1M-$40M in revenue or from 100-1,500 employees, with some variation in different industries.)</li><li>Direct the Department of the Treasury and the Congressional Budget Office to examine how a progressive tax based on the calculated asset value growth each year rather than earned capital gains, for people over a certain level of wealth, would impact the United States. A structured tax like this has the potential to recapture revenue from excessively wealthy people who avoid paying gains taxes by using loan schemes.</li><li>Tax penalties on companies using profits for tax buybacks rather than worker wage increases</li><li>Tax penalties on corporations where executive staff are compensated at a rate higher than 10x the median employee’s wages.</li><li>I do not support current efforts to repeal the Estate Tax (aka the "Death Tax Repeal Act"). This legislation, introduced in 2025, is one of the few anti-austerity measures in our tax code. Fewer than 0.1% of all estates are subject to the estate tax, and it is a way to prevent wealthy families from continuing to maintain excessive wealth and influence across generations.</li></ul>

Since the 1980s, tax reduction benefits have gone disproportionately to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, forcing working and middle class families to bear a greater share of the tax burden.Major tax reform is needed to make the wealthy and corporations fund a society that works for us all, if they are going to continue to exploit people, resources, and the environment for profit.

Tax Reform

Some elected officials demonstrate a greater capacity of priority toward wealthy donors, lobbyists, and special interest groups over the concerns and needs of everyday Americans. We also need term limits in order to bring innovative ideas to the government with each new generation. And there are too many doubts about Congressional access to insider information in making their investment decisions.In addition to Campaign Finance Reform in an effort to reduce time by Congressional members spending time fundraising instead of serving constituents, I support the following:<ul><li>Term limits on all congressional members as follows:&nbsp;<ul><li>12 years / 6 terms for members of the House of Representatives</li><li>18 years / 3 terms for members of the Senate</li></ul></li><li>Term limits of 10 years for Supreme Court Justices</li><li>A 10 year ban on Federal employees becoming lobbyists following the end of their employment or term</li><li>Passage of the TRUST in Congress Act (H.R. 396) requiring Congress members, spouses, and dependents to invest through a blind trust. No elected official should be able to use inside information to profit from stock trading.</li><li>No more "PAY TO PLAY" leadership! Regulations on members of Congress, the Executive, and the Judiciary receiving gifts or special perks from special interest groups and donors while in office, with penalties up to and including removal from office and criminal charges.</li><li>Regulations on corporate lobbyists and interest groups to reduce their outsized influence on politics over the voices of everyday Americans</li><li>A No Kings policy that criminalizes actions of Presidents and members of their Cabinet who violate the Constitution of the United States in defiance of Congressional and Judicial checks.</li></ul>Furthermore, though it is not part of the House's responsibility, I support making every effort possible to support State and Federal Departments of Justice to pursue criminal complaints against PACS and individuals engaged in election bribery to ensure free and fair elections. We MUST fight corruption, wherever it occurs, if our government is to be trusted again.

Some elected officials demonstrate favoritism toward wealthy donors, lobbyists, and special interest groups over the concerns and needs of everyday Americans. Term limits and the TRUST in Congress Act are also critical to restoring a government we can believe in.

Restore Trust in Government

Mental health care continues to be a critical need for veterans. VA services can take a good deal of time to connect with, causing delays in critical care. And homelessness and economic instability is a concern.While my views are still evolving as I listen to veterans and research the most critical needs, I support:<ul><li>Funding healthcare, mental health, and suicide prevention programs for veterans</li><li>Funding and staffing the VA for more timely access to needed services</li></ul>

Mental health care continues to be a critical need for veterans. VA services can take a good deal of time to connect with, causing delays in critical care. And homelessness and economic instability is a concern.

Veteran Services

Issues surrounding our shared online spaces evolve quickly. New technologies like AI are developed every few years, and social media networks continually shift and evolve. Bitcoin and digital currencies continue to be a hot topic.Tracking and advertising technology has advanced to widespread use across media, and people are facing more and more targeted advertisements based on collected data. Corporations have a much easier time placing ads for users most receptive to ad messages, and have used profiling to manipulate everything from consumer behavior and ideological beliefs. I support:<ul><li>Requiring informed cookie and user consent to be tracked for all websites engaged in profiling.</li><li>Requiring all digital platforms to provide an easy option for users to opt out of tracking.</li></ul>Digital online goods and services are now part of our daily life. Corporations sell digital goods, such as movies, video games, or TV shows, for “purchase” or “sale,” when Terms of Service indicate that the user’s purchase is not truly a sale and is instead revocable in the future by the vendor.&nbsp;Such companies may also remove cancellation options from online portals, forcing users to “call to cancel,” wasting consumers’ time or forcing them to pay additional renewal fees for not cancelling a service in time. I would seek to use the following policy to put an end to these dishonest practices:<ul><li>Require sellers of digital goods to clearly state whether an item is a permanent purchase or revocable digital license at point of sale</li><li>Require subscription service providers to provide an obvious method to cancel service through their online account, and not force users to call.</li></ul>The emergence of Bitcoin as a unique, decentralized store of value over the last 15 years can't be ignored. This public-owned technology represents a way for anyone to self-custody funds without risk from a secondary party. It's been added to countless portfolios worldwide, including the State of Wisconsin's pension fund, and leaders around the world are showing interest in Bitcoin as part of strategic asset reserves. I support the following:<ul><li>Pass the BITCOIN Act of 2025 for the US to acquire 5% of the total Bitcoin supply, demonstrating American leadership in adapting this technology</li><li>Initiatives that support Green Bitcoin Mining</li><li>Federally recognize Bitcoin as a unique digital commodity</li></ul>With the emergence of Bitcoin, other cryptocurrency tokens have also been developed using Bitcoin as a model. However, these tokens are privately owned by corporations, and are abused for digital financial scams. For those reasons, non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies must be subject to higher scrutiny and regulation, and I support the following approach:<ul><li>No recognition of other cryptocurrencies as stores of value, due to centralization and corporate ownership</li><li>Create legislation aimed at ending predatory behavior of of social media "influencers" who scam their audiences through digital token sales and "rug pull" schemes</li></ul>

Issues surrounding our shared online spaces evolve quickly. New technologies like AI are developed every few years, and social media networks continually shift and evolve. Bitcoin and digital currencies continue to be a hot topic. Let's make plans for our digital futures.

Privacy, Bitcoin, and our Digital Futures

Every American working a job is entitled to earn a wage that will enable them to afford a reasonable standard of living. In addition, all employees in the public and private sectors must be able to unionize and utilize collective bargaining to ensure fairness in wages and benefits. For this reason, I support prioritizing working Americans through the following policy:<ul><li>Increase the minimum wage to a living wage standard, with consideration given to regional variations in cost of living.</li><li>Supporting the Department of Labor through better funding, and increasing their ability for impact: <ul><li>Reinstate the Trade Adjusted Assistance program targeting jobs lost to automation and AI</li><li>Expand the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to help workers in declining industries retrain, and work with State programs to build greater consistency and standardization modeling on those programs which are most successful.</li><li>Increased funding will also allow for greater reach into rural areas, so less workers will fall through the cracks.</li></ul></li><li>Better support and protection of union members rights: collective bargaining and right to strike.</li><li>Impose higher taxes on corporations where executive staff are compensated at a rate higher than 10x the median employee’s wages.</li><li>Guarantee the same benefits that other advanced economies have access to, including:<ul><li>Paid leave for new parents, both moms and dads</li><li>Free and reduced-cost daycare through subsidy</li></ul></li></ul>

Every American working a job is entitled to earn a wage that will enable them to afford a reasonable standard of living. In addition, all employees in the public and private sectors must be able to unionize and utilize collective bargaining to ensure fairness in wages and benefits.

Labor Rights & Living Wages

Environmental protection is about our health - both today and into the future. And there's also an economic reason to create regulation. Corporations should not be permitted to damage our waterways through PFAS dumping and large-scale nitrate pollution. We need to take care to protect drinking water in all our communities, and we cannot permit businesses to pass the cost of cleaning up after them onto us when they create environmental issues.I look forward to community meetings in 2025 with environmental experts and leaders to understand how to best support their efforts with good policy.While my views are still evolving as I learn more about ways in which our district can benefit from environmental policy, I support the following:<ul><li>An easier path to forcing polluters to take fiscal responsibility and pay to clean up chemical pollutants such as PFAS and nitrates.</li><li>Improved regulation on businesses that seek to shift costs of proper waste disposal onto populations of the region.</li></ul>

Environmental protection is about our health - both today and into the future. And we cannot permit businesses to pass the expense of proper cleanup onto the people of our state.

Environmental Protections

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Laura Benjamin, business owner and former member of Eau Claire City Council, today announced her intention to run for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.“I’m running because our district - and our country - deserves better than corporate giveaways, constitutional violations, and a representative who’s asleep at the wheel while working families suffer," she said in a statement.She looks forward to meeting with people district-wide, and building a united vision for Wisconsin and the US.

Laura Benjamin files candidacy for WI-03

After a great town hall kickoff and 3rd Congressional conference, I'll be <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/office-hours-with-laura-downtown-eau-claire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hosting my first local office hours</a> at the Eau Claire Public Library, April 30 from 11:30-1.If you'd like the opportunity for some 1 on 1 time with me, come on in - I'll have an open discussion on things on your mind from news and nationaFor more info: <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/office-hours-with-laura-downtown-eau-claire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://actionnetwork.org/events/office-hours-with-laura-downtown-eau-claire</a>

Office Hours 4-30 - Eau Claire

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Over the last 45 years, the Democratic party has continually moved to the political Right, favoring the rights of corporations and monied interests instead of prioritizing the rights of workers, families, and diverse people.As a result, the vast majority of Americans have become disillusioned with politics and disenfranchised as they don't feel they are benefiting from policy.Therefore, I support the following:<ul><li>Promotion and passage of legislation that serves the common good of all American people - policies that support working people, families, and are inclusive of minority identities</li><li>Rejection of legislation that further empowers billionaires, corporations, or disparagingly segregates any minority group</li><li>I will refuse campaign donations from mega-corporations or billionaires</li></ul>

Over the last 45 years, the Democratic party has continually moved to the political Right, favoring the rights of corporations and monied interests instead of prioritizing the rights of workers, families, and diverse people.More and more Americans have become disillusioned with politics as they don't feel they're benefiting from policy. Let's fix that.

Democrats for Labor, Families, and Progress

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These three American institutions are under attack every day, and are necessary safety nets for our citizens. I support moving to Medicare for all, as well as expanding Social Security and preserving Medicaid.I also support the following policy:<ul><li>Remove the wage base cap on Social Security. Earnings of more than $176,100 are not subject to Social Security tax, meaning someone who earns $1 Million pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who earns $176,100. Instead, the person paying in should pay the full 6.2% (or 12.4% for self-employed individuals) into Social Security to ensure solvency of the system for future generations.</li></ul>

These three American institutions are under attack every day, and are necessary safety nets for our citizens. I support moving to Medicare for all, as well as expanding Social Security and preserving Medicaid.

Protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

Official website for Laura Benjamin, Candidate for Wisconsin's 3rd District