The Localist at the Capitol: A Conversation with Marie Glusenkamp Perez

Last month, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) joined Adam Smith with Front Porch Republic to discuss the need for Congress to bring local lenses together, focus on a positive policy agenda, and address root causes of the issues facing Southwest Washington and our country. See an excerpt below:

AS: Is there anything in politics or policymaking that has you actually feeling optimistic, hopeful, something you’re excited about? What good things do you think are happening?

MGP: I think in many cases people are hearing and reflecting at some level on the national demand for domestic manufacturing, and on how to address farm consolidation. You know, we’re importing 40% of our fresh fruits and vegetables. I think people are starting to see the depths of the fentanyl crisis.

But identifying the problem doesn’t mean that you’re using the right tools to address that problem. Rather than just refuting and moralizing on whether or not you agree with the terms that someone’s presenting the problem in, let’s have a careful and honest discussion about what the experience of living in America today is like, and what do we want it to look like? And how do we get there? What are the policy solutions that are durably effective?