Rick Bailey For Assembly

Affordability isn’t just a buzzword for Wisconsinites. It is a “reality” for all of us. About 1 in 4 households in America are forced to make impossible choices between paying for basic needs, buying groceries, or filling their gas tanks.  For too long, the cost of living has outpaced the wages of hardworking families. Families shouldn't have to drain their savings just to survive in the communities they helped build. We need policies that put people over special interests. We can lower housing costs and utility bills and cut everyday taxes. Together, we can build a stronger, fairer local economy and build a stronger, fairer Wisconsin.

Although there are many great things about our system such as quality doctors, nurses, and staff, cutting edge technology, state of the art hospitals and elite medical schools, but to be honest our healthcare system is broken. The government meddles in private health care decisions. Rural hospitals and clinics are closing. Health should NOT be determined by health insurance companies, but by doctor/patient collaboration! 

Healthcare is a fundamental human right. Too many of us are financially broken by health care costs. No American should ever face bankruptcy due to a medical emergency or ration their life-saving medication. I will fight to strengthen and expand Badger Care, add a public health insurance option to increase competition, and cap out-of-pocket prescription costs to guarantee quality care for everyone, regardless of their income.

Every child in Wisconsin deserves access to a robust, fully funded public education, regardless of their zip code or background. Unfortunately, our local public schools are being forced to do more with less. Years of stagnant state funding and inflation have pushed our district to the brink, forcing us to rely on referendums just to keep our doors open and our classrooms operating. 

Public education is the foundation of our democracy. It is time we stop forcing our kids to pay the price for state budget stalemates. Together, we will put politics aside, invest directly in our students, and restore the promise of Wisconsin's public schools. Our teachers deserve competitive wages, manageable class sizes, and the professional respect necessary to do the work they love. 

No matter where we come from or what our immigration status is, we are all in Wisconsin. By joining together, we can make Wisconsin a place that honors all families, no exceptions. We need to defend sanctuary spaces, limit local police-to-ICE collaboration, and provide civil legal aid to families. No one, citizen or immigrant, should be intimidated, abducted, or separated from their families. Wisconsin immigrants (and all immigrants) should not be held/ incarcerated/ deported by force back to their home or another country without due process of law.

Immigrants are foundational to the state's economy, particularly in dairy farming and the hospitality industry. Wisconsin should end local law enforcement cooperation with ICE and support the "Keep Families Together" legislative package. Simply incarcerating, holding, or deporting immigrants is not in Wisconsin’s best interest.