I wrote the Michigan 2020, which was a free college plan, before Bernie Sanders ever offered it on the national level.
I was considered the most progressive person the whole time I was in the legislature. I negotiated health care, I negotiated a minimum wage increase.
I am proud to be a progressive.
You can be both progressive and want to get things done - they're not mutually exclusive and that's what I bring.
There is a racial element: It's undeniable. We've had inequitable funding of schools for decades in the state of Michigan.
The worst thing we can do is graduate kids who aren't prepared for the real world.
Flint's got so many hardworking, good people who just want a fair shake and it starts with making sure their government is responsive and protecting them and making sure everyone's got access to clean water.
The voices of the residents of Flint did not get heard by people that were making decisions and I think that's the most important thing. I want to make sure those voices are answered in the future.
I know that when we deprive communities of their voice, it can be dangerous.
We've got to create strategies of our own that ensure that our kids are going to get an education they need, that people are getting connected to skills and that we do more to draw investment into the city of Flint.
I do believe ultimately the role is of our state government to ensure every child in this state has a great public school education.
The goal is to make sure everyone has got their lead pipes replaced, and I know that's moving forward in the city of Flint. My job is to make sure that we have accountability and ensure we are getting the job done.
There's not one path for everyone, but everyone deserves a path that's right for them.
I'm not married to a 45-cent gas tax.
Our students are not broken. Our teachers are not broken. It's our system that has been broken.
There was nothing that amazed me more than parents that could channel the loss of their child into a crusade to protect other people's kids.
Michigan is a state that wants access for women to healthcare.
Community colleges are in every district in this state, they serve Republican and Democratic families and non-partisan and non-political families as well.
We are all better off when we raise skills in our state, and I know that Republicans and Democrats are going to hear from their communities, hear from their constituents, hear from the businesses in their areas about really making sure that we've got the workforce to make us competitive and raise wages in Michigan.
Let's fix our roads, and be the state that's not paralyzed by partisanship, but works together. And create the blueprint for rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure.
