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Basic living costs, such as retirement, appear to be on the mind of many working-class people. As a parent and someone who cares about the rising costs of living, I am concerned about Senator King’s proposal to raise the age of Social Security eligibility to 70 years old. He has not adequately addressed problems on his proposal. This concern is voiced in conjunction with the rise in elderly homelessness and the inability of younger generations to afford housing and education while being told they need to find spare income to save for retirement If senior citizens are struggling on Social Security benefits now, how does raising the eligibility age alleviate the trends for rising poverty?
In Maine, our largest trading partner is Canada, which has the ability to supply us with a greater renewable energy resources and boasts significant statistics for clean energy programs. Adequate energy is crucial to the development and sustainment of an economy. If elected, I would work closely with our northern partners to expand the market growth of renewable energy while minimizing the impact on Maine’s environment and ensuring fair benefits are received by Mainers.
The second major proposal would be focused on the fair taxation of assets and wealth in the nation. As seen from many sources, both political parties have wealthy supporters who appear to be unwilling to contribute to the nation’s welfare.
I would focus on expanding the availability of renewable energy, increasing competition in the marketplace, and establishing a fair contribution plan for personal taxes. I would also tackle price fixing and hold violators FULLY accountable. As a former law enforcement investigator from the trenches and not politically appointed, I am a hardcore believer of the principles of Equal Justice. As a former defense attorney and conservation officer, I am cognizant the law must be just and fair before it is enforced.
Addressing climate change is part of the policy considerations for the diversified energy plan and a priority for myself. I will review the Kyoto Protocol and will hear from commercial leaders on any negative impacts to their businesses. Where possible, I will determine if tariffs on certain imports created by non-renewable energy will alleviate the unfair burden on U.S. businesses. It would be extremely unwise to place environmental restrictions on U.S. businesses when their competitors provide much cheaper products and services without such restrictions. Logically, such measures would “gut” those U.S. businesses. It would also just shift the location of polluters from the U.S. to the other nations.
Congress needs to isolate the factors for rising housing costs such as obstacles to construction, the absence of capital investment with reasonable profit margins, and limitations on the commercial purchase of homes in areas where affordable housing is properly defined as a crisis by local governments. As an executor-style representative, I would study these factors and propose legislation to address the variables associated with the affordable housing crisis. As an executor of government power for all beneficiaries, I would hear all sides prior to making determinations, which will be transparent and communicated to Mainers prior to supporting a specific position officially.
Congress should establish a minimal level of restrictions on abortion in terms of scope, including the allowable time after conception to obtain a lawful abortion and circumstances for later terms (e.g., rape, incest, medical urgency). Once the minimal thresholds are placed, the federal government should defer to the state populations to expand or maintain those restrictions through initiatives and public referendums. This policy is very similar to the manner in which the U.S. Constitution was ratified and applied in all of the states. The federal government should set minimal standards for individual freedoms. Individual citizens can then expand beyond that threshold but are prevented from going below the rights expressed by Congress.
Mainer’s lack sufficient access to affordable housing and health care. To help in remedying the situation, I would back Senators Warren’s and Warnock’s American Housing and Economic Mobility Act which would increase and leverage federal funding to build millions of new homes and provide grants and tax credits to low-income renters and first-time home buyers. I would also support work to strengthen the Americans Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) by backing efforts to address remaining shortcomings, including the addition of a robust public insurance option (i.e., Medicare for all who need and want to participate). Additionally, I would back efforts to roll back the Bush and Trump tax cuts to fund the programs outlined above.
I would support efforts to ban partisan gerrymandering and voter suppression practices; back senate rule changes to end U.S. Senate holds and filibusters;” and work to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision and enact pro-democracy campaign finance laws. I would also propose legislation to establish more proportional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives (i.e., multi-winner districts with RCV) and restructure the Senate so that the allocation of political power is more in-line with a state’s population. I would work to advance these reforms to end gridlock in Congress so that universal pre-k, gun safety, women’s reproductive rights, social security benefit increases, and other important policy measures are enacted
I would support an increase in federal investment in education and work force training, transportation and communications infrastructure, and scientific research and development. I would also back efforts to: increase the federal minimum wage; expand the Earned Income and Child Care tax credits; establish federal paid family and medical leave, as well as universal preschool and aftercare programs; and as noted previously, back passage of the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act and the addition of a robust public health insurance option to Obamacare.
I would support stronger regulations and incentives to zero out our planet’s greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and draw down increasing amounts of carbon for many years thereafter. I would back initiatives to progressively price and limit GHG emissions; substantially increase carbon sequestration; expand clean energy, clean transportation and energy-efficiency incentives; enact more sustainable development rules; and establish greener appliance standards and building codes. I would also work to ensure that our communities, farms, and businesses have adequately prepared for the costs associated with extreme weather, wildfire and other impacts of climate change.
As noted previously, I would back Senators Warren’s and Warnock’s American Housing and Economic Mobility Act which would increase and leverage federal funding to build millions of new homes and provide grants and tax credits to low-income renters and first-time home buyers. I would also support Vice President Harris’ similar proposals to increase homeownership and reduce rental costs.
I would, at the very least, support legislation to codify Roe v Wade. I would also back legislation to guarantee women's access to contraceptive care and morning after pills, and increase federal funding for women’s health care organizations, like Planned Parenthood.
Our nation faces a series of challenges from voting rights and saving our democracy, to housing costs, healthcare, supporting our seniors, energy and climate, ensuring our safety and security, and many more. That is why I have proposed legislation across issue areas. Just this Congress, I have introduced 64 bills and cosponsored 487 others. These bills cover topics from Committees I serve on, like the Energy Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, to Committees I do not serve on, like the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
How do you get it done? The answer is never simple. However, one of the first things I learned upon arriving in the Senate is that perseverance is important. My first Op-Ed as a candidate in 2012 focused on the need to bring broadband to Maine, especially to our rural areas. While it didn’t happen right away, I was pleased to be a part of a bipartisan group that brought this important investment to Maine through the bipartisan infrastructure bill. I also dedicated time to capping the cost of insulin and investing in clean energy in the Inflation Reduction Act. Persistence is the key. That’s how I’ve operated during my tenure, and that’s how I will continue to get things done on behalf of all Maine people.
Everything seems to cost more – groceries, rent, gas, a night out. But the cost we see as consumers is a conglomeration of factors: workforce, packaging, keeping the lights on, gas for distribution etc. So lowering costs will require creative ideas.
Take for example healthcare. The Inflation Reduction Act enabled the government to negotiate lower costs of highly used prescription drugs which will save Medicare (and taxpayers) money. The bill also caps out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors and limits the price of insulin to $35/month. These are two crucial ways to keep more money in pockets while maintaining access to life-saving medications.
There is no one size fits all approach, but unique approaches are the key to lowering these costs.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges in our lifetime and affects everything from our state’s forests and rocky coasts to prices at the grocery store and heating in our homes.
Despite these challenging events, innovation, investment, and hard work in Maine can improve our present and future. To achieve a clean energy future, we will need a massive build out of clean energy resources, energy storage, transmission, and associated projects through an extensive permitting reform process.
That’s why we must build on the examples led by the passage of legacy bills like the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, our nation’s largest investments ever in clean energy.
The only law that Congress can’t repeal is that of “Supply and Demand,” so we must take action to create more housing availability.
More housing, however, does not mean just building more units. We need to be creative and use existing infrastructure. I introduced legislation to provide tax credits for those who want to renovate historic buildings into apartments or condos. I also continue to look at ways that allow farm owners to make use of extra dwellings and space to turn into housing units.
We also must help make existing housing more affordable so I introduced a bipartisan bill to allow police officers, fire fighters, and public-school teachers who want to be first-time homeowners access to more affordable no money down mortgages.
I am a strong supporter of a woman’s right to choice in their own reproductive health care. The Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade was a dangerous, blatantly political ruling that continues to rob millions of women the fundamental right to make decisions about their own health, safety, and lives. The subsequent state-level laws in the post-Roe world have been even more dangerous. Examination rooms are small, with only enough space for a patient and their medical provider—not the government. That is why I am in full support of reinstating, and passing into law, the protections guaranteed under Roe v. Wade.
As we look toward the next Congress, I am planning on voting for any legislation that protects these fundamental rights.
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