Dana On The Issues

Our democracy and our national security are in the midst of a very serious crisis. We need our leaders in Washington, D.C., to stand up for the rule of law and defend our Constitution and our country. Unfortunately, once again, Congressman John Katko is failing to do his job, instead preferring to play the role […]

Our democracy and our national security are in the midst of a very serious crisis. We need our leaders in Washington DC to stand up for the rule of law and defend our constitution and our country. Unfortunately, once again, Congressman John Katko is failing to do his job, instead preferring to play the role […]

Sen. Lindsey Graham publicly promised that if the Republicans win Congress and President Donald Trump wins re-election, they will repeal the Affordable Care Act. That will put 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions at risk. It will mean that women can be charged more for healthcare, simply because they’re women. It will mean the return […]

It’s easy to leave the numbers of people in uniform who have died in the realm of abstraction. They are statistics to be recorded, managed, and messaged. But standing in front of the Watchfire wall on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, looking at all of the handwritten messages, brings those numbers hurtling back into the […]

According to the congressman, Democrats should work on policy instead of holding the Trump administration accountable. I understand why he might think they can only do one or the other. After all, the GOP Congress allowed this corrupt administration to operate unchecked in order to advance its radical, far-right agenda of making the wealthy wealthier at the expense of everyday Americans; dismantling environmental protections; jeopardizing healthcare for millions; and rolling back civil rights protections for students, women, people of color, people with disabilities and new Americans.

I’ve been inspired in life by my younger brother — who has cognitive disabilities — to stand up for the underdog and ensure that each of us has dignity and access. After working in disability services, I went back to school to study policy. I first moved to Syracuse in 2003 to attend the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. I became a PhD candidate and purchased my home in the Outer Comstock neighborhood of Syracuse in 2012.

Working families are the heart of central and western New York and I’m running for Congress to make sure that we put them first. I have a simple yardstick to measure every policy that I support: Will it improve the standard of living for the hardworking people of central and western New York?

Dana Balter, the Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives for New York’s 24th District, spoke on campus at Oswego State at a town hall meeting on Oct. 29.

Speaking to a nearly full auditorium, Balter took the opportunity to explain some of her policy positions, hear from the community on some of the issues important to them and discuss her thoughts on her challenger, Republican incumbent Rep. John Katko, as well as President Donald Trump.