Justin Kanew

Criminal Justice / Public Safety

Too many Tennesseans are in jail for nonviolent, minor crimes that usually involve drugs or even just an inability to pay fines. Learn more

I would also support programs that help lower recidivism rates, reforming people who are in jail so that they don't go back again and again. Much of this vicious cycle starts in the school system, where aggressive zero-tolerance disciplinary practices push kids out of school and into the criminal justice system. This is called the "school-to-prison pipeline", and it disproportionately effects students of color and students with disabilities. Learn more

The US has less than 5% of world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prison population. We imprison more of our own people than any other nation. Even as the crime rate declines, incarceration rates climb. Mass incarceration on behalf of private prisons needs to stop, especially since incarceration rates are skewed in favor of targeting minorities with longer sentences and higher arrest rates. Learn more

For-profit prisons should not be dictating how we govern. It's a systematic oppression that ruins lives and families, and holds us back as a society, and Attorney General Sessions calling for harsher sentencing for nonviolent offenders is a step in the wrong direction that disproportionately affects minorities. Learn more

Drug Policy

let's invest in drug diversion and mental health programs, which have proven to be far more effective at slashing drug use. We should work with states, the DOJ, and the Department of Health and Human Services to create drug diversion programs all over the country, which focus on treatment for those with substance abuse issues. Learn more

In the past 40 years alone, our government has spent over $1 trillion on the War on Drugs. It has been a failure, exacerbating our country’s massive drug problem rather than fixing it, especially in light of the ongoing opioid crisis, where it’s becoming clearer and clearer incarcerating people for nonviolent crimes does not fix the problem at all. Learn more

Economy

The marijuana industry is exploding, poised to create more jobs than the manufacturing industry has by 2020 to the tune of over 250,000 jobs. Those jobs, and the millions in tax revenue the industry creates, could be very helpful to Tennessee, especially in our struggling rural areas. It's also an issue of compassion and mercy, as over 90% of patients prefer cannabis to opioids when it comes to managing their pain. Learn more

Clean energy is where the jobs are. It isn't just cleaner, it's also cheaper. There are far more solar jobs than coal now, including nearly 4000 here in Tennessee. India will be selling only electric cars by 2030. Regardless of whether you believe in climate change, the fact is the world is moving away from fossil fuels. Learn more

We have a choice: invest in America’s cheap, renewable energy economy now, or fall behind the rest of the world. Let's not fall behind. This should not be a partisan issue. T Learn more

Invest in Modernized Job Training and Clean Energy Learn more

Give Corporations Tax Credits AFTER They Create the Jobs, Not Tax Cuts Learn more

Education

Lastly but most certainly not least, public money should stay in public schools. Betsy Devos is on a mission to push school vouchers as an alternative to public school funding, where money flows away from public schools into private, for-profit school coffers. That is not something I would get behind. Learn more

I'd also support any legislation that helps college affordable and accessible to all Americans, and reduces the over $1 Trillion burden of student debt young Americans are currently facing. Learn more

We need to stop the deep cuts to education in this administration’s budget which would leave teachers without training and students without the attention they need, while cutting billions from Pell Grants, and literacy and after-school programs that serve the children who are the most at-risk. Learn more

As your representative I will do everything in my power to readjust those priorities by working to ensure our schools get the resources they need to hire and keep great teachers, invest in technology and modernized job-training programs, and reduce class sizes. Learn more

Environment / Energy

I'm disturbed by the decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement - an agreement every other country in the world is on board for except Nicaragua (who didn't think it went far enough) and Syria. Every other country understands acknowledging and resisting the damage we're doing to this planet is a common obligation of humanity. Learn more

Government Reform

In my opinion, special interest money is the root of much of our troubles. It's where politicians stop thinking about what's best for the people they represent, and start thinking about themselves and their re-election campaigns. On that note, I'm in favor of any reform that brings transparency to politics and limits the role of special interest money in it, especially overturning Citizens United and term limits for Congress, which have bipartisan support. Learn more

When it comes to special interests, I'm not interested. I'd rather lose this race 100%-0% than compromise my integrity and not be able to look my kid, and yours, in the face. Learn more

anything that makes it easier for Americans to vote, we should do it. Voter Suppression, which Republicans freely admit helps them win elections, is one of the most un-American things happening in this country. Minority voter disenfranchisement is a throwback to a time nobody should want to go back to. Learn more

Guns

I support the 2nd Amendment. I'm not against gun ownership. That said, I don't believe supporting the 2nd Amendment and enacting common sense gun safety laws are in conflict. Learn more

Like many, i'm extremely frustrated with the NRA and their unwillingness to bend on any gun safety laws or to let the conversation progress, which is why I've taken a pledge not to take any NRA money (or any PAC money for that matter) - too many politicians have allowed themselves to be controlled by special interests. Learn more

Healthcare

I'm also in favor of legalizing medicinal marijuana, like Rep. Jeremy Faison has been trying to do in our state legislature - not only for criminal justice reasons, but for health and economic reasons as well. Learn more

Medicare For All. We pay our taxes, and we get to go see doctors when we're sick. Simplify a very complex system, and instead of throwing 23 million OFF their coverage, throw every single American ON. It would streamline the process, and we'd finally be joining the rest of the civilized world. Learn more

I'd like to see Republicans and Democrats come together to fix the Affordable Care Act and expand Medicaid, but I'd also like to see a MEDICARE FOR ALL plan that separates health insurance from employment and helps us live happier, healthier lives, stopping Big Pharma from gouging consumers with skyrocketing prices, while also enabling innovation and entrepreneurship. Learn more

Health care is a right, not a privilege. It’s also an issue that will affect every last one of us, and it's one of the main reasons I'm running. This is a campaign of many things, but above all it’s a campaign of mercy. Learn more

I support the 2nd Amendment. I'm not against gun ownership. That said, I don't believe supporting the 2nd Amendment and enacting common sense gun safety laws are in conflict. Learn more

Infrastructure / Transportation

Let’s keep the playing field level for everyone. Net neutrality preserves the regulatory scheme as it’s essentially been over the last couple decades, which even Justice Scalia agreed was a good idea. Learn more

Social Services

a complementary policy for working parents to have 12 to 16 weeks per family of partially paid, job-protected leave at the birth or adoption of a child would go a long way also. Paid maternity leave should’ve happened years ago. The fact that we’re one of the only countries without it is an embarrassment. Learn more

Instead of allowing a tax write-off for child care, which would mostly help the people who don't need it, and unpaid maternity leave, I'd support ideas like Ajay Chaudry's plan to combat inequality, which centers on a child care "assurance" that provides all families with a child under 5 with financial assistance to make good child care affordable. Learn more

Helping families with child care and paid parental leave are both things we need to address. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

Raise the Minimum Wage to a Living Wage Learn more

Poverty Is Not A State Of Mind Learn more