Mike Katz

Mike Katz's career experience includes working as an IT specialist.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

The tech industry has enjoyed a free reign for too long. Corporations are offshoring jobs and replacing them with AI, shedding ethical standards, lobbying against regulations and helping create a surveillance state which endangers us all. Billionaires escape taxation while the social safety net is gutted and healthcare subsidies eliminated. In the name of profit and greed, Americans are losing our human and privacy rights. We are waging needless wars, destroying the planet and killing innocent people.

I’m the father of two girls, a former School Board member, a lifelong Democrat, a techie and a human rights activist. As Director of Research for CeHRP and Oakland Privacy, I’ve fought to raise awareness of ICE’s use of Flock cameras and Palantir technologies. I’m running to revive privacy, labor and environmental rights, reign in Big Tech, abolish ICE, reduce military spending and end the genocide of Palestinians. I support Medicare for All, wealth taxes and sensible AI and crypto regulations. I oppose wars of aggression and support joining the ICC. I will fight for free speech on campuses and free college tuition. I stand with immigrants, the LGBTQ community, people of all colors, Muslims and the working class. Love triumphs over hate. Thank you for voting.

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 rule of law - the notion that the law must apply equally and fairly to both those in power and regular people -, is fundamental to our democracy, as well as to the peace, justice and the prosperity of the American people. I support strengthening the judiciary and revoking criminal and civil immunities for those acting under color of law.Freedom requires privacy. Technologies of mass surveillance - license plate and other surveillance cameras, cell site simulators, app and website trackers -, make it possible for both public and private entities to follow almost our every movement, action and thought. We've seen how ICE uses this tech to find and arrest its victims. I support strict limits in the use of mass surveillance technologies.Government matters. From building roads to assuring the safety of our food and water supply, from funding education and research to healthcare, and protecting us from harm and exploitation, strong government institutions are essential for maintaining our freedom and general welfare. Yet Republicans are working to weaken and destroy those institutions. In Congress, I will fight against those efforts.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My greatest public policy passion is the protections of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and privacy rights. I'm passionate about restoring the rule of law and transforming government into a force for good. I have fought for transparency in government and for making information about government actions easily available to the citizenry. I am also passionate about ending wars of aggression and supporting the worldwide victims of our aggression, both direct and through proxies.