I’m Rob Strickler, a longtime resident of Bucks and Montgomery counties. Like many of you, I’m appalled how Donald Trump has moved our country towards a cruel, corrupt authoritarian government in the style of Vladimir Putin’s Russia or Viktor Orban’s Hungary. He’s ignored due process, punished freedom of speech and used the power of the presidency to both attack political opponents and enrich himself. He's attacked the free press, judges, universities and law firms associated with those who've investigated him. Worst of all, he pardoned the violent thugs who attacked our capital on J6 to try and keep him in power after he lost the 2020 election. This is unforgivable and an insult to the officers who protected the capital and congress that day, including some of whom died from injuries sustained.

That said, Brian Fitzpatrick has not kept his oath of office to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. He voted against impeaching Trump after Trump "unlawfully overturn the 2020 presidential election and violating his oath of office on January 6, 2021" (Fitzpatrick's words). Fitzpatrick further condemned Trump at the time, saying “President Trump’s attempts to undermine the outcome of the 2020 election have been unconscionable. The combination of a false information campaign coupled with inflammatory rhetoric led to the devastation that I was a personal witness to on the House Floor on January 6th." But Fitzpatrick did and said nothing to oppose Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

Since Trump's second inauguration, I’ve called and visited Fitzpatrick's office, written to him via his website, asking him to fight against these newest attacks on our constitution. I even suggested he leave Trump’s party to become an independent and caucus with the Democrats. My hope was Fitzpatrick would lead others to out country over party, join him and remove the House of Representatives as a support for Trump’s disastrous agenda. I even offered to work for him in the upcoming election cycle if he did so. But I only received a generic emailed response.

So now I’m considering running for Congress as a Democrat in district PA-01. I have no ambitions for a career in politics. I'd much rather enjoy my life as is and participate as a voting citizen. But our constitution is under attack and our very democracy is in peril because we have a lying, vengeful fool in the White House and a sycophantic Congress unwilling to oppose him, including Brian Fitzpatrick.

I know this would be an uphill battle. Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie has already announced and he has a number of endorsements, but I fear that he’ll be seen as a standard political candidate, very similar to Fitzpatrick, who’s beaten the last five Democrats who’ve run against him.

So before I commit to doing this, I’d like to see if there’s any support for me, an average citizen, to run for this office. If you live in this district and think I should run (or not run), please let me know. I’m not seeking donations. This is an informal survey I put together myself. The Action Network form I’m using requires an email and zip code. Otherwise I wouldn't ask for that info. And note that you do NOT have to login or register to fill the survey.

I’ve briefly summarized my stance on a few issues below. Thank you for sharing your opinion.

1. Protect Our Democracy and Constitution

People are being disappeared off our streets with no due process. Others are being investigated and prosecuted simply for disagreeing with or criticizing Donald Trump. Barriers to legal voting are being raised higher and higher. Our country is transforming into a repressive autocracy and is well on its way to a Vladimir Putin (Russia) or Victor Orban (Hungary) style dictatorship where anyone can be declared a criminal and locked up with no due process. Brian Fitzpatrick should be loudly opposing this every day, but has done nothing. He won’t even meet with his constituents to explain his lack of action.

2. Tax Fairness: Relief for Low and Middle Income Americans

It’s gotten hard if not impossible for average wage earners to get ahead financially, let alone simply pay their bills. So I propose eliminating income taxes completely for all taxpayers on the first $20,000 earned. This benefits everyone from those earning minimum wage to high earning millionaires. To offset this cost, I propose increasing the current top tax rate of 37% for earned income above $609,351 back to 39.6%. Also, I propose adding an additional top rate of 45% on earned income above $900,000.

And to further offset this cost, tax long-term capital gains and qualified dividends at ordinary income tax rates for taxable income above $1 million and tax unrealized capital gains at death above a $5 million exemption ($10 million for joint filers). This is largely what was proposed during the Biden administration.

Additionally, I propose increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 25% as well as removing the cap on social security payments, to bolster social security payments for seniors.

3. Health care

Access to abortion care should not be left up to individual states to decide. This results in women and girls in some states having fewer rights to control what happens to their own bodies then those in other states. A national standard should be established. Based on current medical science, access to abortion should not be restricted until after the fifth month of pregnancy, which is when current science indicates the central nervous system of the fetus has begun to develop.

Additionally, the cost of prescription drugs is far too expensive. I believe the federal government should be able to negotiate lower prices, especially for insulin and other necessary ongoing treatments.

4. Fiscal Responsibility

The deficit spending that’s been going on for the past fifty years must stop. It’s estimated we will pay $952 billion in INTEREST on our debt in 2025. We are creating a financial burden on our children and future generations, so we must put our government on a path towards staying within budget as well as paying down our national debt. It took a long time to build up this debt, and it’s going to take a long time to address it. But we’ve got to get this done.

5. Global Warming and Protecting the Environment

Every year we're seeing more frequent and powerful storms, along with extended droughts and fires related to global warming. Trump's policies embrace fossil fuels while cutting back on green energy initiatives. Deregulation has allowed micro plastics and other harmful pollutants into our air, water and food supply. It's vital to the health and prosperity of the young people of today that we act to protect Mother Earth before millions and/or billions suffer due to inaction.

6. Election Reform

Our elections are being overpowered and corrupted by millions of dollars in donations, which buy those with the most to donate far too much influence over elected offices. The Supreme Court foolishly ruled over ten years ago that donating money equals free speech, which means that those with the most money have the most free speech. We've got to severely restrict the amounts or eliminate donations to election campaigns so citizens of average income can have equal "free speech" in our election. Alternatively, publicly funded financing for qualifying candidates would effectively keep people like Elon Musk from literally buying his way into government.

Additionally, we must eliminate partisan gerrymandering, which dilutes the votes of citizens to further political ends and helps extremists gain elected office. It's insane to allow political parties or elected officials to control drawing congressional districts. Independent commissions should be able to create fair and balanced congressional districts.

And finally, it's time to end the electoral college. In presidential elections, the votes of people in our least populated states have up to 3.5 times the weight of those cast in our most populous states. This is unfair and undemocratic. The original reasons for an electoral college are no longer relevant.