(The Center Square) – Democratic U.S. Representative Christopher Deluzio called out his party for solely focusing on opposing Donald Trump while other factors continue to keep the American Dream out of reach in a Pennsylvania Press Club meeting Monday.
“Just opposing Donald Trump is not enough,” Deluzio said. “I think the Democratic party has to have a vision more than just ‘He is doing bad things in the White House.'”
Threatened by the president with indictment, arrest, and hanging for taking part in a video encouraging U.S. military personnel to disobey unconstitutional orders, Deluzio is no Trump supporter, but thinks his party’s current strategy is too limited.
“I see a democratic party overly obsessed with just beating Donald Trump,” said Deluzio. “I see such a fixation and I see, frankly, folks in my own party who are too comfortable with just wanting to return things to the status quo.”
As reported by a Franklin and Marshall poll in June, 47% of Pennsylvania voters feel they are ‘worse off’ financially than a year ago. Deluzio argued that ongoing corruption within Congress, the White House and even the U.S. Supreme Court has created this financial insecurity and has directly threatened the middle-class lifestyle.
“I serve in the House and I see colleagues who regularly get access to sensitive information just as I do, but then go turn around, trade stock, and get rich on it.” Deluzio said. “It undermines trust in our government.”
Deluzio challenged his party to break this cycle.
“I want us to be unsparing and vicious in the fight against corruption.” Deluzio said.
Pointing a finger at the One Big Beautiful Bill, which he claimed only provided tax cuts for America’s wealthiest while pudding the nation in another $4.7 trillion in debt, Deluzio urged Democrats to do more than just recognize its errors but to uphold antitrust laws and strengthen union rights.
Deluzio applauded Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in this fight, believing his strong emphasis on worker freedom and apprenticeship training programs has sustained Pennsylvania’s economic growth while others in the region have faltered.
However, addressing government corruption for Deluzio is bigger than Pennsylvania.
“I want to be crystal clear about taking on what the Supreme Court decided in Citizens United as something that Congress should take on.” Deluzio said.
A decision from 2010, which allows the financial beneficiaries behind political campaigns to remain largely confidential, the Citizens United ruling has received criticism since its beginning. Accused of allowing big money to put their preferred candidates in power while keeping voters in the dark, the decision, for Deluzio, is within Congress’s power to be repealed.
“We have powers in our Constitution about the jurisdiction of the courts,” said Deluzio. “Congress should start taking back some of that power and tackle this corruption of money politics.”
Deluzio sees both sides of the aisle as culpable in allowing ‘money politics’ to take precedence over providing for everyday Americans.
“I think it’s time to beat back this corruption, to shape our government, to restore the American dream,” Deluzio said. “I refuse to accept that my generation and the one that follows us will be charged with simply managing the decline of America. I’m not interested in that.”
