Teacher, Environmentalist, Recovering Politician (#MA08), Author: Hitchhike America 
Questions, etc: mrjonathanlott@gmail.com. 
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This morning I officially pulled nomination papers to run as an independent candidate for the U.S. House, district MA-8.
I put a lot of consideration into this decision and I want to outline some of the reasons and circumstances around this action. #mapoli THREAD:
Firstly, I have become convinced over the last 18 months of the serious possibility of an ecologically motivated (there are many other factors but the big one is the Environment) collapse of civilization as we know it. We need robust action here before we're far too late.
Secondly, our national government has, for many reasons, failed to adequately reckon with the healthcare crisis in this country—and I want there to be a single-payer healthcare advocate on your November ballot. COVID-19 has made this even worse.
Next, I think it’s worth taking a harder look at our rigged and exploitative economic situation—and commit to adjusting it. I look at some of these corporate bailouts and loans and stimulus programs and, frankly, they suck. I am a supporter of #UBI for Americans 18 and older.
I have to address the protests next. The United States has grave authoritarian, psychological, and trust issues, especially around race/respect/power generally, and Congress has never maturely dealt with them. This needs to change.
President Trump may yet win re-election this fall, and we need to be prepared and willing to impeach him a second (and third?) time, for his abdication of responsibility around the coronavirus and what are shaping up to be violations of civil liberties en masse.
I am still working on my campaign website, and I need to get 2000 signatures to appear on the ballot (please contact me if you want to help!), and campaigning in the age of COVID-19 is a complex and untested ordeal—so I will not be pestering anybody to donate to this campaign. 
There is no Republican running against the Democratic nominee this year, so a one-on-one election has a greater chance of having an Independent candidate win—but let’s be honest about how long my odds are. But I am determined to at least make an attempt!
I personally like Stephen Lynch, and I’d put him in the top third of Congresspeople, but I believe I would be better Representative for the people of District 8, and I hope that I can humbly convince you of that In the next 5 months.
We live in a very strange and interesting time, and I really don’t know what kind of place the world is going to be in another two months. I hope you all stay safe and sane during this distressing time. This thread is now complete. Stay tuned for further announcements later.
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