One Part of Politics that's Not for Sale
Meet Adam Tebrugge for NC Senate, here in Postcards and in person on Sunday
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris is a former prosecutor, so when she recently said of Trump, “I know his type,” she was fighting fire with fire.
Type is another word for brand, and that’s what Trump sells. Today in America, a mob of Republican down-ballot candidates are cashing in on his bully image with no focus beyond their own dominance.
But when Harris exposed the raging-bully brand as a mere “type”, she opened the door to another part of politics that we’ve forgotten; and it’s not for sale. It’s public service on behalf of the communities we live in.
This idea of public service is second nature to most Democratic down-ballot candidates, like Adam Tebrugge.
I live in the rural mountains of Western North Carolina, where over the past couple of decades people have suffered economic losses that have yet to be fully addressed. For example, public school buildings are showing years of neglect. Teachers are leaving because they can’t afford a place to live.
Last weekend I saw Adam at a precinct meeting, and he agreed to the following Postcards interview.
Q: Your opponent Kevin Corbin wrote the abortion bill that bans abortions after 20 weeks with some exceptions. How has this new law impacted people in your district? As a state Senator, would you try to reverse it?
Tebrugge: SB 20 has been the law for a little over a year. There was already a shortage of OB-GYNs and birthing centers in Western North Carolina. Some doctors have expressed reluctance to work in N.C. because of this law. I would like to see SB 20 repealed, but that will be hard.
Adam, I’d like take a moment here to thank you for your words on this subject at a rally in Sylva, N.C. You said to the crowd,
I checked the calendar and we are living in the 21st century. I won’t tolerate going backwards on equal rights for women.
Q: In our rural WNC county two huge issues have been the diversion of public school funding to private vouchers, and the cuts to teacher pay and benefits. As a N.C. Senator, could you help turn these around?
Tebrugge: Kevin Corbin and the N.C. Senate voted to give a half billion dollars in new voucher funding. This has not yet passed the N.C. House. Hopefully we can stall that transfer until after a new General Assembly is elected. This will be an ongoing fight.
Q: Are there other issues you’re interested in?
Tebrugge: I am making Equal Rights for all citizens a priority of my campaign. I view this expansively and it includes wage equity, access to health care and food security, in addition to equal rights for women and the LGBTQ community.
Affordable housing is perhaps the number one topic on people’s minds so I will make that a priority.
I believe that public dollars should go to public schools, not to vouchers. We need to think about the next 25 - 50 years and making sure we have responsibly developed our region.
Q: What particular life and/or professional experiences will you bring to your office as our N.C. Senator?
Tebrugge: I have been an attorney for 39 years and specialized in criminal justice and indigent citizens.
I was the chair of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness and helped guide the long rage planning. I worked on maternal health and infant mortality with Health Start of Manatee County.
Locally I work with Cleaning up the Mountains (litter pickup) and I was the first president of the board of directors of the Calliope Stage Company, a not-for-profit theater company in Jackson County, N.C..
Q: Our State Senator has a tremendous impact on our lives. Adam, what can Democrats in our rural area tell friends and other voters about you, to best promote your candidacy?
Tebrugge: I see this as a real leadership position because Senate District 50 covers eight counties.
If we start to work together as a region, we have the opportunity to really bring positive change to the area.
I believe in government that is responsive to the citizens, which means people will see a lot of me, just like they have during the campaign. I want to work for the best interests of the people of this area.
I’m happy to say that you will have a chance to meet Adam yourself this Sunday afternoon in Transylvania County, at one of two different times and places.
Thank you, Adam, for your service in support of democracy, the greatest experiment on Earth.