John Atkinson

John Atkinson was born in Syosset, New York. He earned an associate degree from Suffolk County Community College in 2014. He earned a bachelor's degree from Stony Brook University in 2018. Atkinson's career experience includes working as a support staff member. He has been affiliated with Long Island Activists.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is John Atkinson, born and raised on Long Island. I received two degrees from Stonybrook University, a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Sociology. Throughout my life, I have had the desire to help people. I have organized many food drives to feed people that are struggling to get bread on the table. In my professional life, I enjoy an incredibly fulfilling job, assisting developmentally disabled individuals in becoming more independent in their daily lives. I am running for Congress because for far too long, the working class continues to struggle every day, while a few at the top reap the fruits of their labor. Corporations and special interest groups are able to invest seemingly infinite amounts of money into the political process, and prohibits progress. And because nothing happens, tens of thousands of Americans die every year due to lack of healthcare. Millions of Americans do not have access to clean water. The nation is grappling with environmental and economic racism, and the United States is not even ranked in the top 20 in the world for education. But we are number one in highest military spending, highest number of incarcerated people, and highest number of COVID-19 deaths. I believe that we can do better. Bring back power to the working class, empower and educate the people, and finally get things done.

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?

Returning power to the peopleEradicating corruptionComprehensive infrastructure overhaul

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Policies important to me:

Anti-corruption, money out of politics

Wage increases

Tax reform

Environmental protection

universal Healthcare

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

Bernie Sanders because he created a movement that inspired so many to become involved in the political process and inspired us to help each other when we are down.

Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi because they inspired earthshaking movements that brought peace and a pathway towards equality. Movements that were done through peaceful means.

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

Honest

Passionate

Determined

Grounded in principles

Decisive

Empathetic

Patriotic

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

-Protecting the people of the nation

-Defending the Constitution

-Uphold the truths that we hold to be self-evident, that all are created equal

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

9/11 and I was 7 years old. I remember being extremely confused when I left school early and was upset to find out that a friend from class lost her father in the towers. He was a fire fighter and a hero. It was so upsetting seeing fire fighters who had to fight for the care they needed on the house floor because our government didn't want to give them care for their health issues caused by 9/11.

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

Carvel and I was there for about 6 years.

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

-Eradicating systemic racism

-Climate action

-Economic restructuring

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe they are needed. I feel not having term limits leads to more corruption and more politicians representing themselves rather than the people.

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