Cianna Hope Reeves
Managing Editor
Citizens of Jackson, democratic supporters, college students, local and state representatives all assembled at Jackson State University to hear the mission of Senator Elizabeth Warren.
This event served as the first-ever CNN Town Hall moderated by Jake Tapper in the Rose E. McCoy auditorium on Monday night.
Televised at Jackson State University, the town hall gave Mississippians an opportunity to weigh-in and ask questions regarding significant issues many encounter as a working class resident.
It also allowed the nation to obtain a vision of what to expect if Warren is elected president.
While the 2020 presidential election is underway, candidates are eagerly jockeying to serve as chief executive by kicking off campaign trials in key areas nationwide.
Jackson, Miss. was one of the major stops where Sen. Warren wanted to express her manifesto.
A Massachusetts native and longtime champion of working families and the middle class, the democratic candidate addressed topics ranging from the future of healthcare in America to her plan to break up company giants like Amazon and Facebook for more than an hour.
In addition to her proposed plans, she presented a policy known as the Green New Deal (GND) that could come with a price tag of $93 million, according to a former director of Congressional Budget Office.
Some policies in the GND include the implementation of universal childcare from birth until the children enter school, slavery reparations, and healthcare coverage.
As the democrat spoke on the initiative, she received an abrupt handclap and praise from the audience, given that Mississippi was the primary hub of slavery. She also discussed closing the racial wealth gap and the possibility of paying reparations to the descendants of slaves.
“I believe it’s time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations,” Warren said. “That means I support the bill in the House to appoint a congressional panel of experts, of people who are studying this, who talk about different ways we may be able to do [reparations], and to make a report back to Congress so that we can as a nation do what’s right and begin to heal.”
When asked by Tapper if monetary compensation would be included, she stated paybacks could be formulated several different ways and the first step is simply apologizing publicly for the racist economic structure that the country was founded upon.
“We have a lot of experts around the country, a lot of activists, who have a whole lot of different approaches to it,” she said. “Let’s bring people together, and let’s open that conversation as Americans. Let’s see what ideas people want to put on the table, and let’s talk them though, because I must tell you, ignoring the problem is not working.”
An additional matter the presidential-hopeful is critical about is the Electoral College. Many Americans have questioned the usage of electoral college, after 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won by nearly 3 million votes, however loss to Donald Trump who won majority swing states.
On Monday, Warren called for its elimination because it hurts voting power and is “not exactly the sign of a healthy democracy”.
“Every vote matters, and the way we can make that happen is that we can have national voting, and that means get rid of the Electoral College,” proclaimed Warren as the audience abrupted in cheers.
She also expressed the need for more presidential candidates to come to states like Mississippi and Massachusetts because all votes are essential, regardless if it is a nonbattle ground state.
Another hot topic that received heavy buzz was her strong support of removing the Confederate emblem from the Mississippi state flag and adopting a new one. It is a conversation that has been proposed within the legislation for years; however, state representatives oppose the modification of the historic banner.
Warren admitted, “I believe removing the Confederate celebrations from federal land and putting them in museums, where they belong.”
She also spoke about the possibility of implementing a new policy that would counteract the ongoing problem met by college students and graduates—student loan debt.
Understanding that this is affecting the livelihood of millions of Americans while big banks thrive from interest rates placed on unpaid loans, the democratic candidate is pushing for change even after her failed attempt to pass the Bank on Student Loan Fairness Act in 2013 according to
warren.senate.gov.
As the town hall came to a close, the diverse audience cheered with joy after relishing in the global exposure.
Justin Jordan, a junior political science major from Seattle, Wash., said he enjoyed the momentous occasion and advises students to continue to stay abreast throughout campaign season.
“This was inspiring for me. As a political science student, it is impactful to see someone of such caliber to campaign at my university because we are oftentimes overlooked,” said Jordan.
He added, “For those who are contemplating whether they should vote, I say, if you choose to complain but don’t vote you are wasting your time, if you vote and still complain, I understand. Just know your vote is crucial and it will always be accounted for.”
