Powell. Leadership.

Pastor Powell Believes: views on the Issues of Today.

Economic Justice:

The wage gap has become a monumental problem in the United States, as is rising homelessness and poverty.

Pastor Powell supports…

1. Legislation that offers housing programs to the homeless, decriminalizing homelessness,

community job programs and a focus on a social safety net to keep our veterans,

families, and individuals from becoming homeless and give a hand up to fit whatever

their unique situation may be.

2. Supporting a livable wage. No one should be working full-time in America and living in

poverty.

3. Supporting low-income housing, financial aid, job training programs and small business

grant programs

4. New job creation in rural areas in industries that are booming.

5. Fully funding our social safety net programs such as WIC, food stamps, disability and

mental health services. Those who can work need a sliding scale of services to help

them get back on their feet or supplement poverty-wages. Those who cannot work

should not have to worry if they can feed their family.

“If there is a poor person among your brothers (and sisters) in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor neighbor.” Deuteronomy 15:7

 Immigration:

This nation was built on immigration. We need comprehensive reform that is fair, safe and moral with compassion at its center. Pastor Powell rejects the scapegoating and the fearmongering of immigrants and refugees or supports the policies of the Trump administration and family separation. Pastor Powell’s birth father was an immigrant from Poland after surviving World War II, he personally knows we need immigration reform. But reform needs to take place with the governing hand of compassion.

 Pastor Powell supports…

1. Protect “Dreamers” and make DACA permanent.

2. Make it easier for people to enter legally and apply for citizenship by following our

laws/rules, and to make it possible for those who are already here illegally to apply for status and begin paying taxes and living here legally. Except for a history of violent criminal offenses or gang activity, there is no reason for deportation of immigrants who have been here for decades – we must provide a way for them to come out of the shadows instead.

3. Stop illegal narcotics and human trafficking and create a more secure border with better technology and increased military and intelligence personnel by targeting venomous criminals and crooked governments instead of frightened families and innocent children fleeing violence.

4. Stop the mass-deportation force, increased authority and harsh practices of ICE. These goals line up with ours as Christians. The hate exhibited against immigrants must stop.

Except for our Native American brothers and sisters (which is a policy paper in itself), we are all immigrants.

“When a foreigner lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The foreigner living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34

Environmental Protections:

Global warming is real, and we are seeing more and more affects of it every year. The only debate on what we will do to act responsibly. Logic commands us to take care of the earth and all creation. You and I are responsible for this crisis and in so many ways we have failed. Pastor Powell supports government action and personal action to care for our planet and to protect and treat animals humanely and respectfully.

Pastor Powell supports…

1. Immediate Action to create the United States Department of the Environment!!!

2. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions sensibly.

3. Protecting our forests, national parks and arctic regions worldwide by investing in environmentally compassionate technology and jobs

4. Humane treatment of animals, a national animal rights ethics code that is stronger, and funding for better systems of animal control, adoption and tighter regulation on the meat and other industries for humane treatment.

5. Reinstating the restrictions against ivory, puppy mills and hunting that the Trump Administration rolled back!!!

 “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.” Ecclesiastes 1:4-7,11.

 Health Insurance Reform:

 Health insurance coverage is not a RIGHT for the elite, wealthy or Congress, it is a human right. A free market should not be able to dictate who is more worthy of living or dying due to lack of needed treatment and care. Quality care, required medication and medical services (including preventative care, dental health, prenatal/maternal care and mental health care) must be available to every person in this country regardless of status, past medical history or income level.

Pastor Powell believes…

1. Due to this domestic Emergency, Pastor Powell calls for legislation in January that will state: beginning July 1, 2021 all citizens earning a household income of $120,000 or less in 2019 will have immediate access to Congressional Health Insurance. Pastor Powell believes this enacted legislation will shame all Representatives and Senators to ACT on this issue immediately.

 “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.” Jeremiah 33:6

 Criminal Justice Reform:

 America needs a complete overhaul of our criminal justice system, from the overpopulation of our prisons to abolishment of the death penalty

 Pastor Powell supports…

1. Focus on rehabilitation, not harsh punishment.

2. The total elimination of the use of torture or inhumane treatment of prisoners for any reason at home or abroad.

3. Mercy and value rehabilitation, when possible, over harsh punishment. This means advocating for humane treatment of prisoners, lesser prosecution for drug and minor arrests and favoring rehabilitation over long prison sentences unless public safety is at risk. Pastor Powell supports increased budgets for joint FBI, DEA, DIA, DHS anti-gang and international political corruption taskforces commanded by the Secretary of Homeland Security and reporting directly to the President of the United States.

4. The absolute abolishment of the death penalty.

5. The immediate elimination of private prisons have led to mass fraud and abuse. Americans are the most over-incarcerated people in the world and this disproportionately affects minorities and the poor. THAT is not justice and needs to be overhauled.

6. That any law enforcement officer and member of the United States military who commits crimes are held accountable and that proper training and funding is provided to every police district and military base.

“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3

Firearm Safety:

 Children, country music fans, the LGBTQ community, college students, worshipers at  Church…have been victims of the mindless menace of violence which affects us ALL and it ought to bring us together across partisan lines for common sense reforms. More than half of Americans – both Democrats and Republicans – support firearm safety by keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and broader background checks without gun show loopholes.

 Please know Pastor Powell is for the People keeping their firearms and that includes hand guns and long barreled weapons.

 Why?

 Pastor Powell’s father Joseph was born in Kielce, Poland in 1928. He was 11 when the National Socialists (Nazis) invaded and 16 when the Stalinist Communist Socialists took over after the Nazis. It was a miracle Joseph survived the Displaced Persons camps and came to the United States via the Port of New Orleans and to Chicago where he met and married Pastor Powell’s mother. When pastor was a small boy his father told him there was no difference between the Socialists…Nazi or Communist…they both outlawed private gun ownership and the people were at the mercy of the merciless. So not on Pastor Powell’s watch will Second Amendment Rights be abridged.

Pastor Powell believes and will support…

1. Any common-sense firearm safety legislation such as expanded background checks,  keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and severely mentally ill, closing the gun show loopholes.

 “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Middle East Policy:

What is needed is a determined American Foreign Policy that provides a FAIR DEAL to the nation of Palestine and the nation of Israel. 

With a Co-Capitol of Jerusalem of both States, secured by U.N. peacekeepers until there is no longer a need on both sides, both sides must feel cared for and protected. Even this would only be the beginning development. For true peace to endure it will take long past my lifetime for trusting and profitable relationships to be established and maintained.

That is why in part I'm running for Congress in Indiana 9 TO BEGIN a theopolitical solution for ultimate peace and justice in Jerusalem and the surrounding states.

As a Christian Democrat believing with the "Correct" President peace will be attained for all of our brothers and sisters in the City of Peace...these are theopolitical problems with theopolitical solutions.

American Foreign Policy in the Middle East must be as a Mediator for peace not a Moderator of the Status Quo.   Let us begin. 

"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."   Psalm 34:14

On the Question of my position on Roe v. Wade:

As a Lutheran pastor, I preach life from the pulpit, as a parent I taught life to my daughter. Those are my personal and spiritual views as a private citizen.

Here is my political This is an issue that has affected the body politic long before 1973. Simply, in my view,  this is a woman's issue.

I have and never will have had the decision to terminate a pregnancy. 

BECAUSE individual women need to decide this matter, I leave it to women to decide the policy. I will vote to abstain and encourage my male colleagues to do the same.

 This is why I support a woman nominee for president this year. Supreme Court nominees will be appointed in the next 4 years. I would rather women decide instead of men who oppress women in so many ways...salary, sexual harassment in the workplace, et al.

As the father of a 24 year old daughter her choices should be equal to a man. Ultimately a good father could teach and hope but not dictate. Free will is humanity's greatest gift ...and greatest curse. I choose FREEDOM and on this issue the judgement is with the woman and men should stay out of it.

"Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free." - Psalm 118:5

 Note: Pastor Mark would like to thank and give credit to the Christian Democrats of America ® who have been a lighthouse on the current stormy political sea. May God continue to bless their political ministry which benefits our nation and the entire world.