Why this 29-year-old social worker is running for Congress

I need to tell you about a conversation that made me absolutely furious—and then gave me hope.Today, I sat down with Paige Loud, a 29-year-old social worker running for Congress in Maine's District 2. She's spent years working with adults and children with intellectual disabilities, and she's watching the system she knows intimately get weaponized for political gain.The story she told me about Maine's Medicaid "scandal" isn't what you've heard on the news. And it matters—because what's happening in Maine is a blueprint for what's coming everywhere else.Key Takeaways:The Maine Medicaid Audit Scandal Brief description of what's covered in Topic 1.Systemic Documentation Failures How overworked care providers are set up to fail by impossible documentation requirements that don't reflect the reality of providing careThe Reinstitutionalization Agenda Why attacks on community-based services may be part of a larger effort to return people with disabilities to institutional settingsBarriers to Running for Office The shocking costs of entering politics, including $6,000 just to access voter data through the Democratic PartyWhy Social Workers Matter in Congress How lived experience working with vulnerable populations creates better policy than talking points and political theory00:00:00 - Introduction & Welcome I introduce Paige Loud, social worker and Congressional candidate00:03:00 - The Maine Medicaid Scandal Explained Breaking down what the audit actually found versus the fraud narrative00:08:33 - Political Retribution in Maine How the Trump administration has targeted Maine repeatedly00:10:34 - The Reinstitutionalization Agenda Why RFK Jr. and others want to move away from community-based care00:12:17 - The Olmstead Act & Deinstitutionalization History of moving people with disabilities out of institutions00:15:07 - The Documentation Trap Why impossible paperwork requirements doom overworked care providers00:21:20 - Who's Actually Being Served? The question no one is asking about the audit00:27:03 - The $6,000 Barrier to Democracy How the Democratic Party charges candidates for voter access00:33:00 - Why Age & Experience Matter Paige responds to critics questioning her qualifications00:45:06 - Finding Joy in the Fight Final thoughts on staying positive while fighting for change Get full access to What do we do next? at whatdowedonext.substack.com/subscribe