They Don’t Live in the Country they Govern! Who is America…

About this episode

What happens when the people making decisions about our lives have never had to worry about making rent, paying for healthcare, or watching student debt grow despite making every payment? I sat down with Dr. Mariah Lancaster, a veterinarian, former federal employee, and congressional candidate in Massachusetts, to talk about why she believes our political system is fundamentally failing working people.Mariah and I get into the issues that politicians often try to separate: healthcare, education, student debt, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, foreign policy, and the economy. Are these really separate issues—or are they all symptoms of a system that puts money and power ahead of people?We also talk about trans rights, Palestine, and the responsibility we have to stand up for people who are being scapegoated or pushed to the margins. Mariah is unapologetic about where she stands: protecting vulnerable people isn't a "culture war" issue. It's a question of whether we actually believe in equal rights.And then there's democracy itself. Who gets heard? Who gets elected? Who is buying influence? We talk about publicly funded elections, expanding the House, getting money out of politics, and what it would take to make government genuinely representative again.What kind of country could we build if we stopped accepting broken systems as inevitable? Learn more about Dr. Mariah Lancaster below:Website: http://www.MariahLancaster.com FacebookInstagramTikTokSUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN HERE! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ml-web Chapters00:00 - Dr. Mariah Lancaster and her run for Massachusetts' 6th district02:44 - Why Congress should be made up of working people04:51 - Replacing a politician who sold out trans kids12:50 - Palestine, Semitic identity, and the case for coexistence17:45 - What being non-binary means to her23:22 - Family conversations, coming out, and the limits of old labels28:07 - Autism, eugenics, and why she sees warning signs in current politics34:33 - Social isolation, school experiences, and higher risk for queer youth38:00 - Why parents should prioritize a child's safety over conformity45:17 - How safe blue seats still shape the future of the Democratic Party50:54 - Rebuilding the House through reform and public financing55:23 - Private equity, essential industries, and rising costs60:53 - Why debt and policy failure pushed her into the race62:18 - Why she refuses a return to 1850-style politics64:40 - Mariah Lancaster's platform and how to support the campaign Contact Tabitha:staringdownthestorm@gmail.comhttps://tabithazeigler.com/