He told the Pennsylvania Press Club on Monday: Rep. Chris Deluzio he made the case for what Democrats can do to fight for middle-class people.
“Fighting for the American Dream must be at the heart of what we do every day in Washington, every day in every election,” said the congressman from western Pennsylvania. “The health, safety, welfare and well-being of Americans should be a mission that every member pursues and should be undertaken by everyone who stands before voters and asks for a job.”
Deluzio, 41, who was the starting pitcher for Democrats in the annual congressional baseball game, told the story of his grandparents, who he said lived a good life but “probably seems out of reach for many people in Pennsylvania and across the country. It’s a series of choices that our government has made over the decades.”
“I think this is something that we in our government need to change.”
Deluzio cited a survey conducted last week by Franklin & Marshall College that found that 40% of respondents “don’t believe” their financial situation will improve in a year.
“I think the American dream is more than just being able to live your life,” he said. “Reaching our goal should simply be the foundation, not the ceiling, of our ambitions.
“I am talking about the good life, which means safety and dignity at every stage of life,” he continued. “It seems like you have the freedom to raise a family whenever you want, allowing it to live in a place where you have family roots, where you have a church and community, sports teams, where you have time to spend with friends, where you can take modest vacations, go to the doctor or dentist when needed, allow your children to play sports and youth activities, go to football games, retire with dignity, and so on. These are things that should not be a luxury in the United States of America, but for so many people yes. “When I talk about perks that are broader than just survival, these are things that I don’t think should be luxuries in our lives, and anyone who works tough and follows the rules should have a good life like that, it’s a piece of the American dream.”
The second-term congressman, who represents Beaver and Allegheny counties, placed much of the blame on Wall Street.
“I see an ideology driven by ultra-financialization on Wall Street that says only shareholder value matters, and that says only business matters for corporate America. I disagree,” Deluzio said.
“We have seen decades of bad trade deals and decisions in Washington to deindustrialize the country in order to erode the productive power, and in essence, our government, in doing so, has traded good jobs for cheaper goods, and now we actually have none of them. We have seen rising inflation, we have seen a deindustrialized country, and I have seen many elected officials of both parties carrying water to the same forces that have dismantled this part of the American dream for decades. I see corruption in Washington contributing to this damaged trust.”
Deluzio also talked about the corruption he sees every day in DC
“Corruption isn’t just in Congress, it’s not just in the White House, it’s even gifts and things taken by Supreme Court justices, and all of that is contributing to undermining trust in our government, and I see that happening in parts of our economy outside of government.
“Profits matter. I believe this is America,” he continued. “We should earn what we earn, but that’s not the only thing that matters. There has to be something else, whether it’s work, communities, our country, it’s the interests and stakeholders that have real value in all of this.”
The Iraq War veteran laid out a vision, but acknowledged that it was impossible to achieve all of his goals with one thing.
“If I do not confront the corruption of money in politics, achieving these goals will be hindered,” he said. “I would be absolutely clear about the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United. Congress should take it on, and we can do it. We have authority under our Constitution over the jurisdiction of the courts and the types of cases they can hear. I think Congress should start taking some of that power away and address the corruption of money in politics. None of these are small goals, but I’m laying out what I hope is a fairly ambitious vision of what the American government can experience in terms of restoring the American dream, and these are not small fights.”
During the question-and-answer session, Deluzio was asked if he would consider running for the U.S. Senate in 2028. Senator John Fetterman.
“I’ll take a look at it when it comes,” he replied. “I don’t know what the senator’s plans are for 2028.”
When asked about Fetterman’s support for the Iran war, he was more direct.
“They have no problem with cheerleading and sending our youth to war,” said the Naval Academy graduate. “I am a veteran of the Iraq War, which I believe at the time was a disaster that we should never have fought in. My generation of veterans will pay the costs of this war for as long as we live, and I do not want another generation of veterans to go through something similar.
“I am very furious and frustrated with many politicians, John Fetterman being one of them, and my own party and the Republican Party who have been rooting for this war, and I have a pretty basic standard. I believe that in the fall of 2021, my standard for deciding whether I would ever vote to send Americans into combat, potentially bleeding and dying, was to look the teenage people of my district, parents and grandparents in the eye and say that you, your children or grandchildren should risk their lives not I think it meets that standard.
Deluzio also addressed his bicameral “Let Kids Play Act,” which aims to combat the takeover of youth sports by private equity.
“I think we’re seeing private equity come into the industry and then they use all these vulture practices that drive up costs, push out, own the rinks and push out revenue,” he said. “They offer stay-to-play programs where families are forced to stay at a specific hotel for a specific negotiated rate or your child cannot play. So let me repeat that the problem is not that parents want to give their children a chance. I hope that some of the Republicans I serve with will start to agree with this, because this is an issue across the country and parents across the political spectrum want to make a difference.”
Looking ahead to November, Deluzio is positive about what the general election may bring for Democrats.
“We see candidates who are much more aggressive in the fight for the economy, as economic populists like Bob Brookswho win when Bob manages to form a coalition of me and Bernie Sanders AND Josh Shapirothat tells you something,” Deluzio said. “I think this is where the future of the party needs to go.”
Inside Elections Ratings Just Moved the PA-17 Deluzio Race from probable democrat to solid democratproviding some respite before fall. He said he plans to get involved in the Commonwealth by doing everything he can to support Democratic candidates.
“I plan to continue to show up in the Harrisburg area, Bucks County, the Lehigh Valley, all the way to northeastern Pennsylvania. These seats can be won by Democrats. I’m proud of the candidates we have there, who I supported in the primaries, and I keep saying that. The way members of Congress vote makes a real difference to my constituents, so I’m doing everything I can to help us win this House. There are a lot of seats in Pennsylvania that could define that.”
“I don’t accept the fact that America’s best days are over. They’re not. It’s a choice, and I think if we make different, better choices, America’s best days will be ahead of us.”
