Tracey Brooks
U.S. House, NY
Voters of New York’s 21st district have a rare opportunity this year to send Tracey Brooks, a dynamic, young, pro-choice woman leader, to Congress. A former civil litigator, district director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and rising star in the Democratic Party, Brooks is leading a crowded field of candidates vying to succeed retiring 20-year Democratic Rep. Mike McNulty in a Democratic-leaning seat. Open seats present the best chances to add newcomers to Congress — and Brooks, the only woman in this race, would be the first woman to hold this seat.
Brooks has devoted her career to giving a voice to those who lack the resources to speak for themselves. Her experience counseling pregnant and parenting teenagers after college led her to choose a career in public service. After law school, Brooks worked in the state legislature, as counsel to the Assembly Judiciary and Codes committees, where she negotiated legislation affecting education, homeowners’ rights, women’s rights, consumer protections, and access to the courts. As Clinton’s regional director in Albany, Brooks helped secure federal resources for upstate New York communities to foster economic development, expand access to health care, and strengthen public education.
Brooks is a tough competitor who does not shirk from a challenge. In 2002, she took on a ten-year Republican assemblyman who had never faced a strong opponent. The Albany Times Union endorsed Brooks in that race, calling her “a bright, articulate candidate who is not afraid to confront her opponent or the issues.” Brooks came within 3,000 votes of defeating the incumbent and earned the respect of local activists who see her as a strong choice to replace McNulty. Among her supporters are Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings; Green Island Village Mayor Ellen McNulty Ryan, the congressman’s sister, who is co-chairing Brooks’s campaign; and the congressman’s father, Jack McNulty, the former sheriff of Albany County and Green Island mayor.
“In 2008, people are calling for change, asking Congress to focus on the right priorities, and looking for leaders with the experience to make that change a reality,” Brooks says. “My years working for Sen. Clinton and with Congressman McNulty, listening to friends and neighbors, helping them find solutions to their problems, have given me the right experience to go to Washington in January and get the job done.”
The Political Situation
New York’s 21st district includes Albany, suburbs, and many rural communities whose economies have been hit hard by the decline in manufacturing. Agriculture is also important to the district’s economy, and a substantial union population provides a solidly Democratic vote.
McNulty’s retirement created a stir among ambitious Democrats eager to win a safe open seat. The field for the Sept. 9 primary is still settling, but Brooks is likely to face at least five opponents, including one of considerable means: Gary Mittleman, a former CEO, has already poured $100,000 of his own money into the race. Also running: Phil Steck, a county legislator and Democratic official; Lester Freeman, a city employee; and former congressional aide Darius Shahinfar. Former Assemblyman Paul Tonko, who served in the legislature from 1983 to 2007, is reportedly considering jumping in the race.
While this district is considered safe Democratic territory, Republicans will likely stage a takeover attempt. The party seems to have settled on Schenectady County legislator Jim Buhrmaster, former vice chair of the Petroleum Marketers Association of America.
Brooks has put together a top-notch campaign operation and is steadily amassing important endorsements from local officials, progressive organizations, and labor unions, including the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and the Albany Transit Workers. To rise above the primary field and then fend off a Republican takeover attempt, Tracey Brooks will need to raise at least $2 million.
The Issues
“My top priority in Congress is to get our country back on track,” Brooks says. “We must stop spending $12 billion a month in Iraq and focus on our problems here at home. My top three goals are bringing the troops home, restoring economic stability, and providing comprehensive health care for all Americans.”
Brooks will seek to allocate more funds for early childhood education, place a higher emphasis on math and science, cap class sizes, and restore funding for music and the arts. She believes that No Child Left Behind has been failing both children and educators for far too long. “Every child learns at a different pace,” she says. “Rather than punish them for that, we must help teachers address these differences so that no child is able to fall through the cracks of the U.S. education system.”
To help parents balance the demands of work and the needs of their families, Brooks supports extending the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover 13 million additional American workers and guarantee at least seven paid sick days a year; ensuring access to affordable, high quality child care; and enacting legislation to protect parents from discrimination because of pregnancy or care-giving responsibilities.
At a time of economic uncertainty, trade policy is critical, Brooks believes. “International trade helps strengthen our economy,” she says, “but the policies governing trade must be fair and reflect the best interests of our labor force. Our standard of living cannot be compromised as a result of trade policy.” Brooks favors revising NAFTA so that it benefits the U.S. economy in the ways it was supposed to, and in ways that initiate stronger environmental protections around the world.
To quickly reinvigorate the economy, Brooks supports short-term immediate stimuli. She also has a longer-term three-part plan for growth. “First, diversify our economy and create new jobs. Second, support the growing technology industry to generate good jobs today and better jobs tomorrow. Third, encourage the development of alternative energy technologies to create jobs that lessen our dependence on foreign fossil fuels and put our country on the road to energy independence.” Brooks strongly advocates for restoring fairness to the U.S. tax system and providing tax relief for middle-class families struggling to make ends meet. “I support overturning the irresponsible tax policies put in place by the Bush administration,” she says.
Brooks notes that the U.S. is spending more money on the war in Iraq than on any other military endeavor in the history of our nation. “We’ve stretched our military beyond its limits, the body count is climbing, and the world is less safe than before September 11,” she says. She will fight in Congress to begin reversing U.S. involvement in Iraq, bringing troops home, and redirecting resources toward securing the nation’s ports, airports, and borders. More of the defense budget should be allocated toward rebuilding military resources, properly training soldiers before deployment, and taking care of veterans, she adds.
“As globalization continues, the world is getting smaller, while the foreign policy approach of the Bush administration has put our national reputation on the verge of disrepair,” Brooks says. “We must work to end the Bush administration’s ‘go it alone’ attitude and focus on repairing our international relations.” In Congress, she will advocate for a foreign policy that emphasizes diplomacy. “We must be open to talking with leaders from around the globe, both friends and enemies, and return to the use of diplomacy, not as a last resort, but as a first,” she says.
To help level the playing field for women and minorities, Brooks will push for the passage of legislation to guarantee fair pay and protect workers’ rights to sue for discrimination. Brooks also stresses that she will fight for inclusive legislation for gay and lesbian Americans and their families. “All families and couples in the U.S. should enjoy the same legal rights and privileges,” she says.
Law enforcement needs to have the necessary training and funding in order to responsibly manage crime prevention, Brooks believes. “We have a responsibility to ensure that our nation’s police forces have the resources they need to get their job done most effectively,” she says, including helping them upgrade technology to make sure first responders have the most advanced communications tools available.
Resolving the nation’s health care crisis by providing comprehensive health care is one of Brooks’s top priorities. “We must address the rising costs of health care in this country with policies that give people affordable options and coverage, with increased incentives for medical research and innovation to improve the quality of care for people living with diseases and disorders. Finally,” she adds, “I believe it is morally reprehensible not to provide coverage for every child in America.”
To reduce poverty in America, Brooks will work to promote job training programs, expand the earned income tax credit for families, and increase the minimum wage. In addition to making health care more affordable, Brooks will seek to increase funding for child care. “Families should not be forced to choose between their paychecks and their children,” she says.
Brooks supports an environmental policy that more aggressively focuses on carbon emissions and developing clean, renewable energy for the future. “We as a nation must address the economic and environmental impact of rising costs and consumption of oil, gas, and home-heating fuel,” she says. Among her solutions are setting a “cap-and-trade” policy to provide incentives for industry for reducing carbon emissions and increasing fuel efficiency standards.
Brooks has devoted considerable energy to expanding access to family planning services for women, particularly young women. “I am committed to protecting access to the full range of reproductive health care,” she says. “Freedom of choice is the cornerstone of reproductive rights.”
May 2008