Powerful Voices In Review
Salaam Bhatti, a public-interest lawyer running in Virginia’s First Congressional District, joins Nick Paro on Powerful Voices to lay out the “ABCs” of his campaign: Medicare for All, taxing the billionaires, and campaign finance reform. Salaam grounds the platform in his record at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, where he expanded SNAP for 25,000 families with unanimous bipartisan support, raised TANF cash assistance twice, and helped build the Snapscreener.com tool that has unlocked over $100 million in benefits for 2.5 million families. The conversation gets sharpest on guaranteed income: Nick presses for a truly universal basic income funded by future AI productivity, while Salaam pushes back that means-tested support — paired with rent control and an updated federal poverty line — is the only fiscally responsible route. Both agree the patchwork of veteran healthcare (VA, TRICARE, CHAMP VA) and the broader Medicaid/Medicare maze should collapse into one Medicare for All system that includes dental, vision, and mental health. Listeners get a candid case for using impeachment as a delay tactic against Project 2025, a Virginia-specific moratorium pitch against data centers that ties to the JD Vance / Peter Thiel network, and a closing call to volunteer at salaamforva.com before the August 4th primary.
Key Takeaways
Visit salaamforva.com to donate or sign up for door-knocking, phone-banking, or postcard writing — 78 days remain until the August 4th primary, and the campaign accepts no executive, lobbyist, corporate, or foreign-interest money.
Read about Courage for Democracy to see the pre-drafted articles of impeachment Salaam and his fellow candidates have committed to advancing on day one — Salaam frames impeachment as a delay tactic against Project 2025 even without a Senate majority.
Thank you Evan Fields, Beth Cruz, Donna Everett, Bluesin’ Bob, MLR, and many others for tuning into my live video with Nick Paro and Salaam Bhatti! Join me for my next live video in the app.
Actions You Can Take
Check out our new shared community calendar:
Sign the Petitions:
Call your public servants on important issues:
Join the efforts to de-flock the States:
Service members can get un-biased information on legal vs illegal orders:
Reach out on Signal: @TheOrdersProject.76
Banner & Backbone Authors’ Notes
Check out the new BroadBanner network and affiliate calendar!
You being here shows that you have already begun the process of unfurling new Banners and forging new Backbones for a more progressive America. Please, take the time to become a paid, or free, subscriber to the Network — supporting us all and ensuring everyone in America can hear these messages.
The America we strive for — it is one where we willingly remember the teachings of our past, humbly learn from our failings, proudly celebrate our successes, and boldly lead the way into a future for all people.
Reach out to the Banner & Backbone Media team if you are interested in volunteering time, supporting, and building these community driven platforms:
Submit feedback directly: Feedback Form
Banner & Backbone Media: info@bannerandbackbone.com
Support and subscribe to Banner & Backbone!
