Brian Rouleau

Brian Rouleau was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts. His career experience includes working in sales.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Father of two, unabashed leftist, here to take power away from the rich and landed and bring it to the common people of NY-21.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The people of NY-21 have been sacrificed and ignored by their current Representative, who uses the office as a way to elevate herself and other criminals.NY-21 needs quality affordable housing, better jobs and a reason for medical and educational professionals to stay and prosper in our district. A rising tide lifts all boats.Being outside of the two party system means that the major parties will have to lobby for my vote on legislation, and I will not give those votes without making sure the residents of NY-21 see the benefit.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Equal rights, equal justice, progressive tax policies (especially removing the cap on Social Security taxes), energy independence (nuclear and other renewable means), uncapping and modernizing the House, statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.

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

I hope that I can take up the mantle for labor and the common man a tenth as well as Eugene Debs, Fred Hampton, Bernie Sanders and Cesar Chavez have.

I have a deep respect for people that work hard jobs for not enough pay. Our teachers, EMTs, military, CNAs all spring to mind.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

An Underground Education: The Unauthorized and Outrageous Supplement to Everything You Thought You Knew About Art, Sex, Business, Crime, Science, Medicine, and Other Fields by Richard Zacks

Walden Two by B.F. Skinner

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

It's not a springboard for higher office. It's a job to serve the constituents of NY-21 and advocate for the residents here. It's not a fundraising sink for the GOP or a position to hold while you sit on Fox News and write tweets about the "Biden Crime Family".

Customer service, empathy, humility, doing right by your neighbors. That's what are the responsibilities of the job are.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Being a New Englander, the Challenger explosion and the death of Christina McAuliffe resonated with a lot of us. I remember my older sister coming home from school and talking about it. I would have been 4 1/2 at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was 13 years old and a dishwasher at the Athol House of Pizza in Athol, MA. It was a good after school job that I worked for about a year.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Politics shouldn't be a career. You get elected by the people to accomplish a list of goals or policies, and once those are accomplished, it should be on you to ethically bow out and let the next generation lead.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I would support legislation for uncapping Social Security taxes so every American pays them on every dollar they make. This does two things - keeps Social Security solvent for longer, and moves wealth downward towards the poor from the incredibly rich.

I would also go after the bloated military budget and redistribute funds to make sure our rank and file soldiers were able to receive better pay and benefits, and that our retired veterans had the best care they can receive.