Massachusetts Peace Action endorses Jamie Belsito for Congress in Congressional District 6.
Belsito is far and away the most outstanding candidate on all the peace and justice issues that MAPA cares about and indeed holds the same positions and values that MAPA does. She is similarly strong and clear on the importance of all the social policy issues MAPA asks about and has advocated for.
There are a number of candidate challengers at the moment who hold progressive values, as does Ms. Belsito, on many, if not most, of the domestic policy issues for which MAPA advocates – Medicare for All, Universal Childcare, Green New Deal, Tuition Free Pubic College, Public/Social Housing and Vouchers, Increased National Minimum Wage, and opposition to current mass deportations policies.
But it is on the foreign policy and peace and justice issues that Ms. Belsito is outstanding and has been since her earlier run in 2020 and during her time in the Mass. Legislature.
Among her priorities for the campaign are her commitment to hold, not only Republicans but also Democrats accountable for their abandonment of the working class, the corporatization of heath care, and the funding of wars. She is the only candidate who takes this extra initiative. She also makes clear that campaign finance reform is a priority and that she refuses to accept corporate donations, including those from AIPAC and fossil fuel companies. As she correctly says she “has been an unwavering voice calling out the genocide in Gaza” since fall 2023 and openly called Israel an apartheid state while she was still in the Mass Legislature in 2023. She would also oppose legislation that sought to label pro-Palestinian protesters anti-Semitic and spoke up in these issues while she was in the Mass. Legislature and in the district in these intervening years.
On immigration she pledges to support legislation that protects sensitive locations, protects civil and human rights of immigrants, disband domestic paramilitary units such as ICE, hold officials and officers who violate civil and humanrights accountable, and work to stop the unlawful use of laws like the Alien Enemies Act of 1789.
She affirms her commitment to the necessity of congressional approval for any foreign intervention including past and current examples of Yemen, Iran, and Venezuela, while she supports reductions in the military budget of 25% as exemplified by votes against the NDAA, votes for US sustained abiding by the Leahy Laws, Foreign Assistance Act, UN, ICC, and other examples of international laws, including dropping sanctions on ICC members.
In relation to China she advocates for de-escalation of conflicts, working to prevent expanding nuclear proliferation, and care in regulating AI and other technologies, at the same time that she advocates for working with the UN and European allies on the human rights issues surrounding the Uyghur people. She states “it is key that we use international bodies like the UN rather than military intervention or sanctions to accomplish these goals.” She openly affirms not allowing the US to engage in military actions and sanctions taken without UN Security Council approval.
She affirms ongoing US participation in nuclear treaties including the New Start as well as endeavors to reduce the nuclear arms and help move the world toward nuclear disarmament including her opposition to new US nuclear weapons including Sentinel missiles, and given the opportunity would support seeking a nuclear agreement with Iran rather than considering war.
On Ukraine, she now believes the US ought to work for a ceasefire and a negotiated end to the war which has already cost so much through direct and indirect expenses as well as the lives of so many Ukrainians and the destruction to their country.
There is no other candidate for the open seat in CD6 who consistently aligns with MAPA’s positions on these issues and has continued to speak out on them over these last years since she last sought public office. There is no other candidate for this CD6 seat that in their responses to MAPA’s questions took the time to add more details as to why she held the positions that she does.
In addition to her strong positions on all these peace and justice issues, she has through her own work before and after her time in the Mass Legislature, been and continues to be, a strong advocate on mental health, especially that which affects women and child welfare issues. She is the founder and director of Policy of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance and has worked with many persons and organizations locally as well as in congress on these Issues. Additionally, this past summer/fall she formed a local PAC to raise funds and help support progressive candidates for local, municipal government positions. That support and exposure helped elect a very progressive candidate to Gloucester City Council, three to Beverly City council and two to Salem Council.
Jamie Belsito’s questionnaire: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17LkuyI9F6_aMOMgZ1HyYGe-50nhB6n6m/ and interview: https://youtu.be/53aEHC1_-n4