Californians, I'm Steve Stokes and I am running to be your Senator in Washington, DC to represent the wishes of all who aspire to a brighter, peaceful, prosperous future.

I am a small business owner and advocate for upward mobility and grassroots causes. I ran for U.S. House of Representatives and won the primary in June 2014.

Although I have been a longtime activist for non-partisan politics and independent candidates, I am joining Senator Bernie Sanders as a Democrat, determined to restore democratic principles and processes to the Democratic Party and to our Nation.

Our battle is We The People vs The Corrupt Corporate State.

We must awaken the urgency of this moment in all minds. This is not an ordinary election, an ordinary candidate, or an ordinary time in our country's history. The freedoms and founding principles of our great nation have been abandoned by our short-sighted, self-interested leaders, who have been corrupted by the influence of money from multi-national corporations who care not about freedom but about profit.

Great concentrations of wealth have corrupted both parties which purport to speak for the American people. We The People demand our country back. Pervasive corruption has created a chain of interlinked problems and injustices in America. Our bright future demands that we undergo mass changes and reform of our democracy to return to a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

I am the first candidate in my race to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders (endorsed on 4/28/2015), the only major candidate that publicly denounces and actively fights to defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the only candidate that strongly opposes the #CISA which passed in the recent omnibus bill, and the only grassroots independent Democrat running to reform the Democratic Party.

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I want to #EndCitizensUnited and reform our campaign finance system to create a level playing field so that the corrupting influence of money is eliminated from the political process.

I will reinstate Glass-Steagall, break up any financial institution whose size poses systemic risk, and push for enforcement rather than simply more regulation so that bankers who break the law go to prison.

I will be a #PeaceMaker and keep us strong and secure by making overseas military involvement a last option, not the first, thereby saving untold human anguish and billions in wasteful, unnecessary military spending.

I will end unconstitutional mass surveillance, which wastes billions on unnecessary and illegal violation of everyone’s civil right to privacy. This has damaged our economy, as the world no longer trusts the products of our world-leading U.S. tech sector.

I want to see a country where laws are fairly and equally applied, where equal opportunity and #Justice4All prevail and where our political climate is restored from one of rancor, deception and division to one of civic involvement and open critical discourse so that we may confront and solve our most critical problems like #ClimateChange, #EconomicInequality and our massive #DebtCrisis.

I ask for your support, your small but incredibly meaningful donations, and for your vote in the primary June 7, 2016.

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I'm a Los Angeles native and life-long resident. I am not running for office because I aspire to be a politician or because I need a new career. I am compelled to run to uphold our Constitution because a majority of our current incumbents representatives have failed to do so. As American citizens, it is our duty to defend the nation we love.

I am outraged that warrantless NSA surveillance of our citizens has destroyed any notion of privacy in America as the government now monitors everything we do online. I will make it a priority to end this affront on our Constitution and on our free society. We must be able to keep our country secure without violating the Constitution.

I would certainly have voted against the NDAA 2012  (H.R. 1540) which authorizes the arrest and detention of our citizens without charges or trial. I will repeal the NDAA.

I would have voted against the "Monsanto Protection Act" (H.R. 933). I will support labeling of genetically modified foods (GMOs) and require that the seeds be made available for testing.

Most of our incumbents are not in favor of demilitarizing our police departments. Many are funded by the military-industrial complex who loves #WarForProfit. I would have voted for Alan Grayson's (H.Amdt. 918) to #Demilitarize our police departments . 

I want meaningful reform of warrantless surveillance and would have supported the well-regarded Massie-Lofgren Amendment (H.Amdt 935). 

California now has open primary elections where the top-two vote getters advance regardless of party affiliation. Running as an independent for California District 28 - Hollywood, I won my primary election for U.S. House of Representatives this past June 2014 as one of the top two.

I am ready to stand with all Americans to represent the interest of individual citizens over those of multi-national corporations. I will protect our Bill of Rights and our environment. We want a government we can trust, where laws are fairly and equally applied.

The two major parties and the divisiveness surrounding their incessant warring have stifled democracy and intellectually honest debate on the issues. This together with the disproportionate influence of money and lobbyists on American policy has disadvantaged the American public and threatens our ability to enjoy the blessings of liberty which is our birthright!

We must fix the problem of corporate money and career politicians dictating our political discourse before we can begin to have an unfiltered dialog to discover real, reasoned solutions for the rest of our important issues.

Should America should be structured to help the ambitious and industrious or is it more important to insure the safety and protection of the weakest? I know that both objectives can be reached if our resources are well managed for the benefit of all and not squandered on wasteful and corrupt government. I will stand up for those needing a helping hand while improving the management of government and creating a stable climate where businesses can thrive.

I have been a real estate and a mortgage broker in Los Angeles since 1983. I also worked in the tech sector as a developer-programmer during the dot-com boom. As a businessperson, I am a champion of free enterprise. But I will stand up to corporations who use the influence of money to gain one unfair advantage after another at the expense of the American people. We all want a government we can trust, where laws are fairly and equally applied.

I will make it a priority to overturn Citizens United and institute meaningful campaign finance reform.

I am concerned that America is losing our moral compass. The Patriot Act authorizes torture and can be used to suspend habeas corpus. This creates an America I do not recognize. I am the candidate who will stand up to the NSA to end un-American surveillance on our Citizens.

I humbly ask for your vote to serve as your U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C. With your voice and your vote, We the People will take back control.

We want Our Country back!

Thank you,

Steve Stokes