Barbra Streisand is not very pleased with the political state of the country. Recently, in an email sent out by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, she said, “Have you seen Congress lately? It’s a mess.” She continues, “And it’s only going to get worse if people like Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers continue to treat corporations better than people.”
Streisand recently joined forces with the Democratic Committee, urging voters to contribute a minimum of $5 to the campaign effort. The jazz singer makes it clear that she feels there’s no time to waste around the implementation of her call to action, stating, “We have to act now. We’re running out of time and money.” Streisand’s email statement goes on to reference the Supreme Court’s recent passing of new voter ID laws — ones she feels are discriminatory — as a means of justifying her sense of urgency over changing the current state of congress.
For many, the strongly-worded email comes as no surprise, as Streisand has a long history of Democrat-partisan support. In addition to contributing to many a Democratic campaign and the party’s causes, in 1971, the singer was one of the few celebrities featured on then president Richard Nixon’s list of opposers. The email also highlights Streisand’s approval of a political figure who’s, quite arguably, a far cry from Nixon: President Obama.
“Unemployment is at the lowest level since before [he] took office, before the Great Recession started,” she states, going on to cite the fact that the national deficit is the lowest it’s been since 2007. She praises Obama’s Affordable Care Act as well, which she says has “helped millions of people around the country gain access to health care.” Streisand applauds President Obama for championing equal pay for women as well, and uses it as an opportunity to take a jab at Republicans.
“…[they] try to take away long-term unemployment insurance and kill minimum wage increase,” she states. The email concludes with the singer stating that “there is still so much more we can do. And that can only be achieved with an active Congress, not an obstructive one. That is why it is so important to support Democratic candidates.”