Issues

Economy

The economic agenda for 2010 must be recovery and reinvestment in America. To accomplish this, I propose serious job growth through:

• Tax credits for private sector job creation
• Tax credits for companies that maintain an American workforce
• Focus on small business incubation and lending
• Reconstruction of the US infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and sewer systems
• Public/private partnerships to vastly expand and improve efficiency of wind and solar micro systems

Further, stop bleeding jobs from the American economy through:

• Renegotiation of trade agreements (NAFTA, WTO, etc.) that favor wealthy and corporate interests at the expense of the middle class and working families
• Fair trade agreements with partners who support appropriate labor and environmental standards
• Rebuild important manufacturing sectors in America—offshored manufacturing undermines our national security

Afghanistan

We have 68,000 American troops in Afghanistan right now at a cost of more than $65 billion this year. Sending 40,000 more troops will cost another $40 billion per year. That’s a cost of $1 million per soldier per year to be in Afghanistan. Every one of those billions of dollars spent over there is one less spent here at home.

We could spend those billions of dollars to:

• Provide tax cuts to middle class families and small businesses to get our economy moving again
• Invest in schools, health care, and our local roads and freeways
• Provide job training
• Invest in clean energy so we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs, and reduce pollution and global warming
• Take on the special interests of Wall Street and the other subprime lenders that helped create our economic mess

We cannot afford to commit more troops to Afghanistan. There is too much at stake right now, right here at home.

We must develop a clear strategy for bringing our young men and women home, while continuing to support Afghanistan and its people through diplomatic and humanitarian support. We need to set a clear exit strategy, benchmarks, and timeline for drawdown of troops so we can take care of our own, and allow Afghanistan to do the same.

Health Care

"I believe access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans is a moral and fiscal imperative. The best answer to this economic and health care crisis, and the one I will work towards, is to establish a guaranteed health care system accessible to all Americans." -Bill Hedrick

Comprehensive Health Coverage.  Health Insurance coverage is eroding because the costs for businesses and workers are out of control. I will work diligently to ensure that all Americans have real and permanent access to affordable health care with a strong focus on preventive care.

Portable Health Insurance. Employees must not be shackled to a job just because they will lose coverage if they move to a new workplace.

Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions. Group and individual health plans must not exclude coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

Lower Prescription Drug Prices. Negotiation must be used to reduce the cost of prescription medications.

A Strong Public Option. Congress must not abandon a public option that will increase competition among insurers and keep prices down.

Education

"Investing in a well-educated citizenry is the key to securing our economic future, competing effectively in the 21st century, continuing to increase quality of life, and preserving our social fabric. Ninety percent of us attend public schools – it is the most common experience shared by Americans. We owe it to ourselves as a nation to ensure that experience is as rich and rewarding as possible." -Bill Hedrick

Fix or Re-write NCLB: Instead of punishing schools, we should encourage and reward growth. Let’s hold schools accountable, and at the same time, fully fund the tools they need to succeed.

Teachers: Training and retention of qualified teachers and support staff must be a priority.

Class Size: Smaller class sizes are necessary to improve student learning and significantly close the achievement gap.

Funding Higher Education: We need better oversight for tuition and fee increases. We must increase Pell Grants, HOPE scholarships, and low interest loans.  Students should be able to work their way through college through on-campus or other approved non-profit program.