Imani Oakley Issues Response to the State of the Union Speech

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Imani Oakley, a political organizer and activist running for Congress in New Jersey’s 10th District, issued the following statement in response to the State of the Union Address, responses to that address, and the elections in Texas:

“This was a big night for politics. We saw President Biden give his first State of the Union Address, we saw response speeches from diverse corners of the Democratic Party, and we watched as results began to roll in from the Texas primaries, and it could not be clearer that progressive policy and messaging are resonating with American voters,” said Oakley.

“Though President Biden is a moderate, the economic policies he laid out in his State of the Union Address clearly show that he’s sticking with the progressive wing on the Build Back Better framework, which will be a shot in the arm to working class Americans. I do differ with him on some policies, and would like to see immediate and universal student loan forgiveness, a significant minimum wage hike (ideally tied directly to inflation), and Medicare for All, and I think diverting funding into our communities and away from things like military equipment for police is key to health and safety. Still, I applaud his commitment to labor, the environment, and the bold economic commitments laid out in the Build Back Better framework. I also appreciate his steadiness during Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and continue to pray that President Biden and other world leaders seek a peaceful resolution to this conflict that places humanitarian and refugee support at the top of the list.”

“It’s not only me who finds strong progressive messaging compelling: as we watch the results roll in from Texas, it’s clear that candidates who run on popular legislation like Medicare for All and a Green New Deal, even taking on established candidates to do so, are resonating with their communities. This is not a surprise to anyone who’s done the actual groundwork of campaigning in the past few years. People are tired of low wages, high medical costs, inadequate schools, looming climate catastrophe, student debt, and more. Working class folks aren’t okay knowing that they pay more in taxes than most billionaires. Our communities are tired of seeing bloated police budgets being spent on military equipment instead of neighborhood development. People know what they want, and they’re coming out to vote for it. There has never been a better time to double down on progressive candidates or progressive values.”

Imani Oakley is a long-time political organizer and pro-democracy activist running for Congress in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. The seat covers parts of Essex, Union, and Hudson counties. Her time working in New Jersey political spaces has made one thing clear: our state suffers from rabid corruption. Her campaign is dedicated to ending this system and lifting up working-class communities. Look for her in Ballot Siberia (the area of your New Jersey ballot where primary challengers are found) in the New Jersey primary election on June 7.

For more information about Imani, please visit: OakleyforCongress.com