I am a practicing family doctor and I know healthcare can be affordable for all Americans. Other developed countries spend half what we do on healthcare with quality at least as good as ours.
As a doctor, every day I see where the money is wasted. I believe I can be an important part of shaping a healthcare system that maintains individual choice, and maintains or improves quality, while at the same time cutting costs to bring care within reach for all Americans.
The only good choice regarding Iraq was to not invade in the first place. Now that President Bush has led us into this quagmire we are now left with trying to choose the least objectionable of our bad options. I believe we should set a timeline. This is what the majority of Americans want, and it is also what the Iraqis want. We need to start withdrawing our troops immediately and do it in such a way as to minimize the potential for genocide.
If you examine the current crop of United States Congresspersons you will find they all have something in common: they are all very good at raising money. It is shameful that our system has degenerated to the point that the best thing that can be said about many politicians is that they are good fundraisers.
We currently have a system of government that forces candidates for federal office to raise millions of dollars to fund their campaigns. Incumbents spend more than half of their time in office focusing on gathering money for their next run.
I believe the federal government has an important role in protecting the environment. Our main focus needs to be on reducing the emissions responsible for global warming. The way to accomplish this is focusing on low- or no-emission renewable energy sources.
We also need to reverse the Bush Administration policies that have given away federal natural resources as rewards for campaign contributions. The "Dirty Skies Initiative" and the "No Tree Left Behind" programs are examples of the Republican plundering of our public resources which I will fight against if I am elected.
First the federal government needs to admit they have done a terrible job managing our nation’s affairs. Out-of-control deficit spending and a regulation policy that can be summed up as "see no evil, hear no evil" have left us deep in debt, with a dollar that is historically weak, and have indicated to the rest of the world that their investment dollars should be directed elsewhere. Until we identify, acknowledge, and then learn from our mistakes we will be doomed repeat them.
We must maintain and rebuild our nation's aging highways and infrastructure. This will create jobs, and possibly save lives by averting another horrible bridge collapse like the one in Minneapolis that killed more than a dozen people and injured 145 others. We can and must invest in an emergency bridge repair project that will fix the thousands of decaying bridges that need attention across this nation, including the Brent Spence Bridge.
We must also modernize our sewer systems, our power transmission systems, invest in passenger and freight rail transportation systems, and jumpstart the alternative energy industry with an Apollo Project style investment.
America is losing our competitive edge by falling behind in education. Raising more trade barriers and imprisoning even more of our most impoverished and under-educated citizens is not the answer. Every American deserves the opportunity to earn a world class education. Better education is the ultimate solution to many of our most pressing concerns. Unfortunately, kids can't vote, and improving education won't get our leaders re-elected in the short term, so it is doubtful education will ever get the focus it deserves.
In mid-2008 the U.S. House of Representatives took a very important step in promoting better health among Americans; it voted to extend FDA authority to cover tobacco. Since our Food and Drug Administration is charged with protecting and promoting our health, it stands to reason the FDA would have some say in regulating the number one cause of preventable health problems in America: smoking. Not only is smoking responsible for an enormous percentage of our nation’s healthcare problems, but it is responsible for roughly 25 cents of each healthcare dollar spent in America today.
