Abe Matthew

Abe Matthew ran for election to the Chicago Police District Council to represent District 9 in Illinois. He lost in the general election on February 28, 2023.

Abe Matthew did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

In Congress, Abe Matthew will be an advocate for:

1. Universal Health Care

We will fight for the right of every human being in the United States of America to quality healthcare. Our current healthcare system is a disorganized web of coverage options which fail to adequately provide care for a significant proportion of the population. The current system requires people to pay large deductibles and co-payments which prohibit those who need care but can't afford it from accessing the health care options available to them. Many seniors who are on Medicare cannot even afford the drugs they are prescribed by the doctors that they see. you need to stop ensuring the insurance companies meet profit targets and start ensuring people receive the care they need to stay healthy.

We need to pass universal health care. A system of Medicare for all could provide a workable option as long as the current coverage gaps in Medicare are closed. We must also fight for the ability of Medicare to negotiate for better drug prices from pharmaceutical companies that regularly gouge sick people. Eligibility for Medicare must be expanded to all people so that no person is left without coverage. We also need to ensure that Medicare does not discriminate against vulnerable populations in providing coverage for treatment. By expanding Medicare to cover all people we can streamline our system and end a system which historically discriminates against low-income and minority populations.

2. The Rights of Women

We need to end the systematic discrimination against women. Women make up more than half of the population and more than half of the voting population, yet still suffer from historic discrimination in business and in access to power. Our leaders regularly use issues of women's health to score political points against their rivals but fail make improving women's health care a priority. Women are consistently paid less for their work than men are and often have their career sidetracked after having children.

We will fight for legislation that requires women are paid equally for the same work as a man. We need to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. By passing the paycheck Fairness Act, we will ensure that any pay difference will be based on objective factors other than sex and require but any difference is due to a legitimate business purpose. We need to keep medium and large businesses accountable by requiring them to report wage differentials between men and women in the workplace. We must not allow taking time off to give birth to a child to be used as a basis for not receiving a raise.

We will fight to keep a woman's reproductive health decisions between her and her doctor. We must make contraception available over-the-counter at no cost so women are not required to navigate the health-care bureaucracy in order to make family planning decisions. We will fight against any policies that erode a woman's right to choose.

3. Families

We will fight to make life easier for families with children. My mother raised two children on the southside of Chicago while only earning $19,000 per year. When Shannon and I had our first child, we finally understood how difficult it is for new mothers to reintegrate back into the workforce after having a child. As the parents of two little boys, Shannon and I understand how difficult it is for two working parents to coordinate babysitters, child care, finding a preschool, and spending time with our children. Furthermore, we have first-hand experience balancing putting food on the table and paying for the exorbitant cost of child care.

Our current system is broken and disproportionately pulls women out of the workforce. The failure of our lawmakers to enact paid parental leave policies or even discuss a system of universal access to child care and preschool demonstrates how out of touch our leaders are with the needs of working families.

One of the most impactful ways we can help young families is to enact a system of paid family leave. Young parents need to know that they will be able to care for their children during the first year of their life. Paid Family Leave needs to be available during pregnancy, childbirth recovery, after the adoption of a child, or during periods in which a family member is suffering from a serious health condition.

Furthermore, young families need to know they will be able to send their children to a publicly supported daycare or preschool. By providing a public option for daycare and preschool we will ease the burden which is disproportionately placed on women of providing childcare after birth. we need to end the practice of allowing women to be mommy tracked and empower women to continue their careers.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. Equitable policies that enable people to participate in the economy

2. Protecting Unions and bargaining rights post-Janus

3. Civil and human rights

4. Treating immigrants with respect and in accordance with international law

5. Getting money out of politics and being a champion of publicly financed elections

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Lori Lightfoot, Jimmy Carter, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Humility, honesty, persistence

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a good listener and am at my best when advocating for others.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A healthier, happier, more peaceful world for my two boys.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

Independence Day - The United States of America is a great and diverse nation that stands as a beacon of freedom in the darkness of the world.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Climate Change and the Loss of Retail Jobs

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

1. Committee on Transportation

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Pramila Jayapal and Chuy Garcia - They are unabashed advocates for people.

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