Where I Stand

Southern California is known for being an expensive place to live in. However, that does not justify the absurd rents, grocery prices and utility costs. Every year, your rents rise, health insurance costs more, utility costs go through the roof and groceries costs more. Meanwhile, your wages stay the same, jobs become more scarce, homes costs more and your money buys less and less. Those at the top want to blame immigrants, minorities or Trans people. However, they are not to blame. Corporations and Billionaires are to blame.

I'm not just running against Lou Correa: I'm running against his corporate buddies that own him and all of Washington.

We should not settle for politicians that don’t take clear stances or speak vaguely on policy. So here are mine in plain English.

One thing to note, I want to hear from you. Please reach out to info@MendezForCongress.com with any thoughts or additions you might have, or to schedule a further conversation.

Overview

Billionaires and Corporations are trying to relive the Gilded Age. They starve the people while they hold lavish parties on their multi-million dollar properties. Let’s be honest, we have a government of, by, and for Corporations and Billionaires. This is a direct consequence of 40 years of corrupt politicians, consolidation of Corporate power and disastrous court decisions capped by Citizens United.

The proof lies in the data. I was born in 1991. At that time, there were only 66 billionaires. Today there are over 900. 5 Corporations own all the media you see. 10 Corporations own everything you eat and drink. With that, have you seen improved lives and communities around you? Has life gotten better at all? Personally, I had more rights when I was born than I do now.

If you elect me, my job as a Representative will be as follows:

1) Represent you, the people of California District 46. Not Billionaires. Not Corporations. Not Israel. Just you.

2) Make your life affordable at any costs. I’ll do whatever it takes.

3) Ensure you remain a person with equal rights.

I will be a Representative for those that can’t buy Representatives.

  • Rents are unaffordable and rising every year. Homes are unattainable for the average American. University is becoming a thing students can only dream of. Life is too expensive to live.

    Blaming Immigrants or Trans people will not solve anything. Immigrants are not raising your rents nor are trans people lowering your wages. Corporations and Billionaires are. In order to make items affordable, we must stop untethered Capitalism. That requires either penalizing corporations through taxes or lawsuits, writing better regulations to govern corporations, cutting taxes for those making less than 150k, heavily taxing those making more than 1 million dollars and involving the government in certain sectors of the economy.

    • Universal access to free or subsidized childcare (Depending on income) from infancy.

    • Establish Public Grocery Stores that sell Groceries at costs.

    • Freeze Rents. No more Increases year after year.

    • Forgive Student Loans.

    • Raise Federal Minimum Wage.

    • Tax the Rich with a modest increase of 5%.

    • Build More Homes and Apartments.

    • Provide Better Public Transportation.

    • Support Unions

    • Support PRO Act.

  • 1 Million jobs were lost in 2025 alone. Although this can be attributed to idiotic Economic policies, part of it is due to AI. As AI grows in capability, all manner of jobs will be at risk. Workers in the U.S already lack many rights. We must protect all workers in the U.S. I will support all of the following:

    • Increasing Union Strength.

    • Guard Rails to AI.

    • Stronger Regulations Against AI in Certain Industries.

    • Limit to Data Centers.

    • Open Source AI.

    • Research into Universal Basic Income.

    • Establish a Pilot Universal Basic Income program with Taxes on AI Companies.

  • Climate Change continues to remain an existential threat. American Foreign Policy and the Trump Administration continue an Oil first policy that worsen the state of our Planet.

    These are the ways I would tackle the issue:

    • Strengthen both the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

    • Endorse the Green New Deal

    • Increase funding to the EPA and FEMA.

    • Protect National Parks

    • Penalize Corporations that pollute the Environment.

    • Improve national Public Transportation.

    • Build a robust Bullet Train system.

    • Provide subsidies for Americans that switch to EVs.

  • Corporations have grown in power. So much so, they now have the capability to vote and buy their own cities. 5 Corporations own all the media you see. 10 Corporations own everything you eat and drink. This is not a competitive environment. This environment breeds complacency and corruption.

    • Break Up Monopolies.

    • Overturn Citizens United

    • Higher Corporate Taxes.

    • Stop Providing Subsidies to Certain Companies.

    • Involve the government in certain sectors to breed competition.

    • Lower Taxes on Small Business

  • Democracy has experienced a tumultuous period. It is currently under attack and at the brink of destruction. We can reverse the course and strengthen it by taking the following action:

    • Support Federal Efforts to Gerrymander Fairly and in a Non-Partisan Way.

    • Stop Dark Money From Entering Politics.

    • Overturn Citizens United.

    • Institute Ranked-Choice Voting

    • Institute Term Limits for Congress People and Senators.

    • Prevent Billionaires From Bankrolling Campaigns.

    • Institute 18 Year Term Limits to Supreme Court Justices.

    • Allow for the Public to Impeach Justices.

    • Increase the Number of Supreme Court Justices.

    • Investigate and Impeach Supreme Court Justices for Corruption.

    • Investigate and Arrest the Following People for Treason: Donald Trump, the Trump Family, Tom “Harkonen” Homan, Kristi “Puppy Catacomb” Noem, Stephen “Libido-Killer” Miller, Laura “Jigsaw” Loomer.

    • Investigate and Arrest ALL ICE Agents.

  • Education is a human right. It helps people learn from past mistakes, helps develop critical thinking skills and help people move to different wealth brackets. It not any wonder why the Rich attack Public Education.

    We need to improve education by:

    • Pay Teachers More: The amount they make is something they can’t survive on.

    • Tax Payer Money For Public Schools Only: Tax payer money should not be used to fund private schools that are only concerned with making money. Public schools need more funding. Not frivolous competition.

    • Affordable Schools: Public Colleges should be free.

    • Cancel Student Debt: Should’ve happened under Biden. Let’s fulfill that promise.

  • Republicans have been villainizing not only the Immigrant Community but the LGBTQ+ community as well. Centrist/Corporate Democrats have thrown them under the bus as well.

    Women’s Rights are also at risk due to Republican idiocy. Women in other states face persecution for having abortions or believing in body autonomy.

    This is something I will not support.

    No matter your race, gender or sexuality, you are human. You deserve your right to live. This is how we will take on inequity:

    • Pass the Equality Act: This will amend the Civil Rights Act to include gender and sexual orientation. This will also protect Gender care.

    • Protect Trans People: They make up .01% of the population. Demonizing 5 people in Utah is not solving anything. We will reverse all of Trump’s transphobic orders.

    • Medical Funding: We will increase funding and research for Women and LGBTQ+ medical research.

    • No Abortion Term Restrictions: Women don’t get abortions for fun. That’s such a stupid thing to have to say. Most abortions occur due to medical complications. Let the doctor and the patient figure it out.

    • Invest in maternal health: Mortality rates have increase in the U.S for maternal cases. We must invest to prevent such cases.

    • Protect Civil Rights: Right Wing Nazis, like Trump and Stephen Miller want to curtail the rights of minorities. They will be stopped and arrested.

  • The wealth divide between the wealthy and the poor has increased to levels close to Depression Era levels. Billionaires and Corporations use their wealth to stack the game against you. They buy our elected officials.

    There is a way to level the game again:

    • Lower taxes on those making less than 150K

    • Pass legislation implementing a 5% wealth tax on net worths over $50,000,000

    • Tax all income over $1,000,000 at 5%

    • Amend tax code to include real income.

    • Establish a Billionaire Minimum Tax

    • Tax trillionaires at 200%

    • Raise Corporate Taxes

  • Families are struggling to make ends meet. Even if you are surviving now, any one major event can put your living situation in jeopardy.

    This is what we must do:

    • Provide a year of parental leave.

    • Implement a major Child Tax credit.

    • Provide Universal Child Care.

  • The U.S Government loves to send Americans to pointless wars. Look at Vietnam. Look at Afghanistan. Look at Iraq. Not only does the U.S Government love sending young men to war, it loves to send U.S tax payer money to Governments that tend to be extremist, genocidal and right-wing.

    One of the biggest recipients of U.S Tax Payer money is Israel. Israel, despite having free healthcare and free education, receives U.S tax payer money to fund its genocide. Despite agreeing to a cease-fire, it continues bombing and killing 200 Palestinians every day.

    Under Trump, we have abandoned our Allies and left the world to rot.

    Here is what I propose:

    • No more endless wars.

    • No support for Un-Democratic states.

    • Stop all support to Israel.

    • Sanction Israel.

    • Arrest Netanyahu and other Israeli war criminals.

    • Create stronger partnerships with Allies.

  • Gun violence has been a constant in American life. A whole generation of children grew up under the real threat of having their schools shot up. I am advocating for sane legislation:

    • Ban Assault Weapons.

    • Enact Universal Background Checks.

    • Mandatory Gun Safety Training.

    • Mandatory Waiting Periods.

    • Close Gun Show Loopholes.

    • Close Ghost Gun Loopholes.

  • The American Dream can be a dream again. Corporations and Billionaires have bought up housing and apartment buildings. Their goal? To make you an eternal renter. Tackling the problem is easy. Here is what I will support or propose:

    • Freeze Rents: Prevent rents from rising year over year. Will be indexed to inflation for some units (single family homes included).

    • Fund and Revamp HUD: The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development used to provide affordable homes and apartments for U.S citizens up until the 80’s. Once Regan arrived, Republicans have been cutting funding. I will raise funding for HUD.

    • HUD Built/Managed Housing: With improved funding and revamping, HUD will be instructed to build homes and Apartment buildings. They will be built according to safety and environmental/Green regulations.

    • Cap Rents and Affordable Homes: Once these building are built, they will be sold or rented to Americans. Apartments will be rented at a max of 25% of a household income. Homes will be sold at affordable rates.

    • Ban Hedge Funds From Buying Houses

    • Vacancy Taxes that grows exponentially based on time.

    • Higher Tax rates for parking lots and garages.

  • Currently, immigrants have no viable pathway towards citizenship. On top of that, they are being abducted, treated inhumanely and being held in concentration camps. ICE, DHS and Trump's administration as a whole are starting to turn America into Nazi Germany. 170 Billion Dollars of tax payer money is being used to detain, arrest and imprison Immigrants and AMERICANS.

    • Amnesty for qualifying immigrants: Regan used Amnesty to help immigrants back in the 80’s Let’s do it again to help law-abiding immigrants that have lived here for some time and DREAMERs.

    • Abolish ICE and arrest any ICE agent for actions taken during Trump's reign: ICE agents seem to believe they are above the law. Utilizing a Congressional power known as “Inherit Contempt,” we can detain ICE agents that have treated immigrants inhumanely or have illegally detained U.S citizens or immigrants.

    • Release all immigrants and residents held unjustly in prison: Self-explanatory.

    • Pardon any protestor arrested by ICE: U.S Citizens that protect their own do not deserve to be thrown away. They are heroes that require our help.

    • Create a viable pathway towards citizenship: The process as it is, encourages immigrants to completely forget about it. The system takes decades. Let’s fix that.

    • Penalize employers hiring immigrants without the appropriate paperwork: Employers illegally hire undocumented workers to get away from paying pathetic wages and to abuse workers. Penalizing employers will prevent this.

  • Every American, regardless of Employment Status deserves healthcare. That’s why I’m advocating for a Universal single-payer healthcare system. Obviously, can opt out but the option will remain.

    You’re already paying for healthcare. Your taxes are not being utilized correctly and you’re paying an expensive middle-man. Let’s stop that.

    • Universal Healthcare: A single public agency that finances healthcare for all residents, covering essential services without the need for multiple private insurer. No deductibles, no denial of coverage, no “out-of-network,” no wait times, no more medical debt. Just healthcare.

    • All-Inclusive: Dental, Eyes and Mental healthcare. All aspects of health contribute to your life. No reason to deny it.

    • Drug Price: Pharmaceutical companies have used tax-payer money to fund their research. Well, it’s time to pay up. Drug companies will no longer rip Americans off. Drugs will be offered at reasonable prices.

    • Innovation: Trump and his Republican Party have devastated research within the Science and Health Communities. We will fund them again. Not only that, if new emerging treatments arise, we will help connect people in need to those new treatments.

  • Trump the Con Man and his Republican Party want to make cuts to Social Security. Cuts are unacceptable. Should cuts become inevitable, I will call for a General Strike and take any opportunity to disrupt cuts in any way, shape or form.

    I will also support any attempts to expand Social Security, lift caps on Social Security funding by the Rich, increase payouts and support any attempt to lower the retirement age.

  • Veterans make the heroic choice of choosing to protect their fellow citizens. Yet President like Trump and George W Bush, throw them away as if they’re meaningless. They come home and find life to be a difficult transition. Too many times, they are forgotten and left without any help or resources.

    Veterans deserve more than just praise at some sporting event. They deserve housing, healthcare, mental health treatment and an opportunity to work.

    • Reverse Cuts to the VA

    • Increase Funding and Expand the VA

    • Develop a robust transition system that helps Veterans get jobs.

    • Establish support groups for Veterans.

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