Cindy Banyai

Cindy Banyai was born in Bay City, Michigan. She earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree and Ph.D. from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Her career experience includes working as an evaluator and in the community development and organization development fields.[1]

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Video for [the profile publisher]

Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased June 16, 2020

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Dr. Cindy Banyai is running for Congress to be the servant leader Southwest Florida deserves, fighting for our water, our health, and our community. Born to teen parents, double majoring in undergrad, living abroad on her own, and being a professional boxer shows the breadth of knowledge and experience Cindy brings to her work and her community. Cindy moved to Southwest Florida and settled in the community she has come to love, growing her family and her career.

Cindy ran for Congress in 2020 because, at some point, you realize you can’t wait for someone else to fight for you. That race shocked everyone. Cindy successfully raised over $200,000 as a first-time candidate in an R+13 district, closing the gap from the last presidential cycle with a 4.6% increase in the Dem vote. She didn’t stop there.

Dr. Cindy Banyai is running for US House of Representatives Florida 19 again in 2022. She's a mom and small business owner working to create a Southwest Florida where the sun shines on everyone.

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?

Our water - holding polluters accountable, investing for clean water and climate mitigationOur health - ending medical bankruptcy, creating affordable access to care for everyoneOur community - putting families first, supporting small businesses

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I love public policy as an expert and instructor in political science and public administration. I am passionate about community development and ensuring people have a voice in government. I want to make sure our democracy works by protecting voting rights, civil rights, and human rights. We need to enact legislation that helps everyday Americans and does what we want, such as common sense gun regulations and access to abortion care. I believe in the value of our government and want to make it work better. I am passionate about it all and I bring that energy to this campaign and to serving Southwest Florida.

Campaign website

Banyai's campaign website stated the following:

Environment

Vision

Clean water and land where our businesses can thrive and our children can play today and tomorrow.

Ideas​

Amplify local efforts with national and international efforts through alignment and cost-sharing.

Incentivize businesses to make sound short-term and long-terms environmental decisions.

Plan

Align federal policy to international collaborative efforts on the environment, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Provide Congressional oversight to federal agencies ensuring they adopt practices consistent with evidence-based and market-savvy approaches, such as carbon off-setting and those found in Drawdown (Paul Hawken).

Support Green New Deal legislation that will hold polluters accountable for their actions while also creating clear federal guidelines for corporations to reduce their carbon footprint.

2nd Amendment

Vision

A country where everyone feels safe in public and their home.

Ideas​

Federal moratorium on the production and import of high-powered and fast-firing weapons.

Incentives for state to create local registration for existing firearms and new purchases, required initial and routine trainings on safety and use, and oversight of all weapons sales.

Annual recognition by state of safe firearms owner and distributor.

Voluntary buy-back for those wishing not to register.

Plan

Craft bi-partisan legislation on federal small arms regulation and join international safety efforts, such as the Arms Trade Treaty.

Taxes

Vision

All Americans can pay a reasonable amount for the public goods and services they enjoy, but still have ample cash to take care of their family.

Ideas​

Simplify the tax code to eliminate the loopholes elites use to game the system.

Plan​

Develop program within the Health and Human Service Department to develop nonprofit capacity and cultivate revenue streams to sustain operations through tax overhaul.

Social Security

Vision

All Americans will have all basic requirements met in old age.

Ideas​​

Fully fund social security.

Stop attempts to undercut program.

Expand the program to ensure all seniors have a good quality of life.

Plan

Propose Save our Social Security bill to ensure the full funding and implementation of the social security program, protect the program from executive overreach, and provide the necessary support to seniors to meet basic housing and nutrition needs where they live.

Governance Reform

Vision

A government that serves the people, not the elites.

Ideas​

Rules that prevent dominant party to manipulate system.

Curtailing the propensity of entrenched politicians.

Plan

Reform House rules that prevent minority voices and debate.

SWFL Housing Crisis

Vision

A community where all citizens can afford a place to live and raise their family.

Ideas​

Better understand the assets and gaps in our housing system.

Create relationships with developers who are willing to craft deals that benefit the current residents and housing crisis.

Plan

Subsidizing affordable housing.

Incentivizing low and mid income residences so that working families aren't being forced to the outskirts to find housing.

Establish housing supports, services for people experiencing homelessness to help the most vulnerable weather the housing crisis.

Tie legislature to creating affordable housing options for low and middle income families.

Cannabis

Vision

People can freely use and grow cannabis for medicinal and recreational use.

Ideas​

Legalize all consumption and growing of all parts of the cannabis plant.

Release and expunge the records of all people convicted for cannabis possession.

Plan

Re-introduce legislation for total federal legalization of cannabis and expungement.

Women

Vision

Women have the ability to access the goods and services they need to achieve the life they want for themselves and their families.

Ideas​

Incentivize employers to provide family-friendly workplaces--including paternal leave, flexible schedules, remote working #options, job sharing, and childcare.

Support/Provide complete coverage and access to health care to all women’s reproductive health services.

Plan

Support the adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Legislate a mandate for family-friendly workplaces and offer recognition for best practices.

Include women’s health provisions in federal health care legislation.

Veterans

Vision

Everyone who serves America abroad deserves to be taken care of and respected back home.

Ideas​

Zero costs for ongoing veteran health care, including medications, home health care, and mental health treatment. Close tax loophole and have veteran health care come from Defense Department budget and not through Medicaid or Medicare.

Reduce barriers to education for veterans and predatory post-secondary institutions from accessing veteran education funding.

Credit counseling and financial literacy programs for veterans.

Job assistance including training and placement for veterans, federal subsidy for any size business that hires veterans.

Expansion of affordable housing options with preference and support for veterans to end veteran homelessness.

Plan

Propose a Save our Veterans Bill with all ideas from above list.

Transportation

Vision

Everyone in SWFL can get where they want to go easily and safely

Ideas​

Make sure Complete Street provisions are included in all federal transportation bills.

Promote public transportation investment.

Federal regulations of safety and efficiency in personal automobile transportation sales.

Investment in existing infrastructure improvements.

Plan

Re-appropriate funds allocated to suburban expansion to improvements to existing infrastructure.

Add a Complete Streets amendment to any proposed transportation legislation.

Everybody Goes Transportation Bill - Research on most effective and efficient public transportation options with consideration for climate change mitigation and development of funding through carbon taxes.

Education

Vision

All children in the US have access to high-quality education, preschool through post-secondary, leading to a prepare, qualified, and advanced workforce filled with successful individuals

Ideas​

Federal subsidies for preschool and high-quality, affordable early childhood education.

Research into primary education equity gaps that focus on the current reality of the situation and the reasons why it is occurring.

Federal incentives for public universities to reduce operation administrative costs and increase year-to-year progression and completion rates.

Federal incentives for high school dual enrollment programs in colleges, universities, and technical education.

Reform Common Core standards to focus on educational outcomes while decentralizing the implementation of curriculum and emphasizing a reduction in testing.

Reform and streamline student debt amnesty to 5 years of public service, including nonprofits, military, Peace Corps, Americorps, Foreign Service, and equivalent volunteering with local agencies.

Strengthen regulations on student loan provision to for-profit tertiary institutions to reduce predatory lending and low completion rates.

Ensure graduated students are not dragged down by economic debt due to student loans by forgiving student loan debts.

Plan

Introduce “Workforce of Tomorrow” bill in second year to include all ideas. Funding mechanisms include cost savings from tertiary reforms and re-appropriation from current federal education programs, including Common Core.

Health

Vision

Everyone in Southwest Florida can have affordable access to good health care and preventative care without fear of going broke or losing their loved ones.

Ideas​

Expand health care access to everyone based on a sliding scale of affordability.

Ensure a basic minimum level of care for everyone with no exceptions for pre-existing conditions.

Look into incorporating a Medicare for All-type healthcare program, where we can focus on streamlining the program by using Japan's system as a model to focus on cost savings and decentralization.

Plan

Preserve key tenets of the Affordable Care Act that ensure coverage for pre-existing conditions and young adults.

Eliminate marketplace plans and replace with an option for basic minimal coverage with a sliding scale monthly affordable pay-in administered through the Health and Human Services Department and promote supplementary private insurance plans available through employers or for private insurance.

Establish fair market set costs for procedures and pharmaceuticals to eliminate profiteering.

Eliminate gaps in coverage in Medicaid and Medicare by merging into one program for all basic health care coverage.

Workforce

Vision

A country where all employers can access the skilled employees they need and all workers are fairly compensated for their time and talent.

Ideas​

Better understand the assets and gaps in our workforce.

Determine national sustainable minimum wage.

Incentivize businesses to adopt minimum wage.

Train talent excess to fill talent gaps

Develop a federal jobs guarantee.

Plan

Commission a federal report on workforce.

Legislate federal sustainable minimum wage and employer incentives, including talent gap training.

Co-sponsor federal jobs guarantee legislation.

Foreign Policy

Vision

The United States retakes its position in the world as the beacon on the hill for democracy and civility.

Ideas​

Meet funding commitments to international organizations.

Fully participate in multilateral forums such as the UN.

Adopt and report on the SDGs at the national level.

Favor diplomacy over brinkmanship.

Engage in multilateral diplomatic approaches to address conflicts with Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Myanmar.

Withdraw troops from Afghanistan and continue technical assistance in governance and development through State Department.

Fully fund USAID and State Department soft power and diplomatic initiatives.

Plan

Join Foreign Affairs Committee.

Re-appropriate defense funding to Official Development Assistance through USAID and diplomacy through the State Department.

Immigration

Vision

Restoration of the American Dream!

Ideas​

Revise and streamline immigration process to reduce costs of administration.

Reduce costs and other barriers for those seeking legal migration to the United States.

Increase the number of refugees accepted into the United States in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Define a pathway to citizenship for any non-citizen in the United States.

Coordinate with regional partners to address root causes of South and Central American refugees.

End family separation policy at border.

Close migrant detention facilities and coordinate with NGO partners to assist refugees with documentation and re-settlement.

Congressional oversight of immigration policies.

Fund community programs for integration of migrants and development of community capacity between all people.

Plan

Introduce a "Restore the Dream Act" to include all ideas from above list.[2]

—Cindy Banyai's campaign website (2022)[3]

Video for [the profile publisher]

Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased May 10, 2020

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a mom and small-business owner fighting for our water, our health, and our community. I've served Southwest Florida nonprofits for 11 years and am dismayed by how the voices of regular people are routinely ignored. I'm ready to take my technical skills in good governance to Washington to be the servant leader the people of Southwest Florida deserve.

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?

Our WaterOur HealthOur Community

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm personally compelled to fight for healthcare reform after being the victim of profiteering by insurance companies while my youngest daughter was stricken with a rare blood disease. I also have experience in international development and seek to restore America's position as a global leader.

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

Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. I interned for him on the Senate Finance Committee and worked on the US-China Trade bill. He was the last of the true statesmen and I appreciated it even-handedness and bipartisan leadership. He is also considered the father of evaluation, which is my field of expertise. I hope the bring the same compassion and expertise to leadership in the US House.

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

Anything by Jeffery Sachs

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

I am committed through service to my community. I am qualified through technical expertise in public administration and governance. I am a mom and leader of future generations.

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

The US House of Representatives was designed to be the voice of the people. It is the responsibility of anyone holding this office to connect with and listen to their constituents and serve them. That means holding public and open town halls and gatherings. That mean showing up to vote. That means crafting, sponsoring, and supporting legislation that meets their needs and not one's own personal and political ambitions.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to see a return to data-informed decision-making in public policy. I want to be the first evaluator elected to Congress, bringing the principles of good practice in evaluation and policy making to the forefront of our legislature.

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

The first Gulf War. I would watch the new reports every night and take notes. I even had hero trading cards!

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

My first job was 2 jobs at the age of 16 - Toys R Us and a movie theatre. I had both jobs for almost a year before I moved on to the many other jobs I needed to put myself through college.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Geography of Thought by Richard Nisbett. This book was foundational to my understanding of how people across cultures think and interpret the world. We can literally look at the same thing and see different things based on our culture.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Arya Stark

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Say So - Doja Cat

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My struggles have been that of the average American - trying to make things work in a system designed to benefit the moneyed and the powerful. My family has also struggled with illness and disability in a healthcare system that puts profit over people. My youngest daughter is in that vulnerable population that some see as expendable amidst the COVID19 pandemic. We are at the whim of poor leadership and the denial of science. My daughter and the American people deserve better.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Congress holds the power of the purse and the House represents the people. These two qualities make it an important balance to the powerful and now corrupt interests of a crony president. We need to be good stewards of US taxpayer dollars to ensure they are serving the interests of the people and not the powerful.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it is important for representatives to have a good working understand of our government, something that I bring to the table. It's also important to ensure that there is access to everyday Americans to serve, if they are willing to take on the responsibility of governing and do the work to do it well.

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

We are going to need to move the country through the fallout of the COVID19 crisis. This includes fortifying our beleaguered government after years of disinvestment and political cronyism, so that it functions for the people. We also need to support the everyday American through the economic crisis and work to regain our standing as a global leader.

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

Select Committee on Climate Change

Appropriations

Oversight and Reform

Foreign Affairs

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes. More time would be great and move representatives away from continually campaigning, but the short cycle keeps us closer to the people.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Term limits move the power center away from individuals toward corporations and special interests. Additionally, term limits undercut the knowledge and network base needed to govern appropriately. For these reasons, I am not in favor of abrupt term limits. I am in favor of some limitations to bring innovation and new ideas into institutions.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I think I would make a good Whip because of my background in coalition building.

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

I really appreciate the younger women who have recently been elected to Congress, the Squad. I think it is important to bring energy and fresh ideas to address the most pressing issues in this country.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

A mom whose children went to school with mine shared a story of being worried about the safety of her mixed children and African-American husband in the wake of the Ahmaud Arbbury killing. Her heartfelt plea to end discrimination in this country went viral. It touched me specifically because of the of harassment that her husband experienced. They live in the same house my white family lived in without issue. It highlights the need for compassion and change when it comes to issues of race in this country.