Introducing Andrew Concannon
Dave Camp recently gave $400,000 to the Republican efforts for 2008. He has served in the House since 1990, and like many of his fellow Michigan Republicans, he hasn't done a thing for its people.
The only thing he knows how to do is vote yes when Bush asks him to.
It is time for a change...follow me after the jump to learn more about Andy.
Andy's Bio:
Andrew was born in Willoughby, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland), and grew up in Troy, Michigan. For the last 10 years, he has lived in Saginaw with his wife Tracy and sons William and Ethan.
Andrew is the son of a long-time General Motors employee and a teacher. Growing up in a Midwestern, middle class family, Andrew knows how important job security is to families in Michigan. When the General Motors' plant in Cleveland, Ohio was closed in 1982, Andrew's family was fortunate to move to Michigan when his father was transferred to the General Motors Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.
Andrew attended Michigan State University majoring in History and received his law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1993. He has practiced law at Smith Bovill in Saginaw, specializing in general and commercial litigation. As part of his legal practice, he has represented the interests of community groups, local farmers, and county governments within the Districts. Andrew carries an "AV" ("very high to preeminent") rating for legal ability (generated from reviews by other attorneys) from Martindale Hubbell. He is the youngest attorney in Bay, Midland or Saginaw counties to carry such a rating.
On the Issues:
EDUCATION:
No sound governmental policies- no matter how well planned- will long survive unless we educate our youth to take their proper place in moving our nation forward. Toward that end, I believe that the proper dedication of resources- not mere platitudes about leaving "no child behind"- will make the difference in whether our students ultimately succeed or fail in the global marketplace. As a nation we need to strengthen our skills in math and in the sciences; focus greater resources on pre-K learning and remove the impediments placed by the rigid mandates of the "No Child Left Behind" law. Mere sound bites, without any concerted action at the federal level, will not ease the burdens currently afflicting so many of our local school systems.
My education agenda includes:
- Working to rework the rigid application of "No Child Left Behind" requirements so that its ultimate goal of improved performance can be realized;
- Working to increase funding at the pre-K level where investment has more dollar for dollar impact in improving ultimate student performance;
- Improving access to post-secondary education with family tax credits for those who earn too much for most financial aid but who earn too little to fully afford college so that neither parents nor students mortgage their respective futures in order to obtain an education.
ENVIRONMENT:
The environment presents one of the more pressing challenges not only to
our nation, but to our planet. I believe the United States must pursue environmental policies now to safeguard our natural resources not only for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. I believe conservation efforts are one of the most critical components of a responsible environmental policy.
This dovetails with our need to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy.
We need leaders in Washington to work to strengthen energy efficiency and reduce oil dependence. We also need to be aggressive in supporting alternate means of energy, including those right in our own backyard, bio-diesel.
Among the items on my environmental agenda include:
- Promoting alternative fuel and energy efforts;
- Offering tax incentives to businesses utilizing alterative energy sources;
- Continuing to improve environmentally friendly emission standards in recognition of the need to reduce our impact on global warming;
- Supporting the Kyoto Treaty to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
HEALTH CARE:
More and more, access to healthcare is a key economic factor dividing the rich from the poor. As a Congressman for the 4th District, I will work with colleagues in the House and Senate to develop a sound, affordable solution that expands health coverage to Americans through strengthening existing programs, such as Medicare and S-CHIP, while working with health care providers and businesses to provide affordable, comprehensive health care to families and individuals at all income levels, regardless of pre-existing conditions. Rather than funding expanded health care coverage through new government debt, I support paying for such health care legislation by other avenues of revenue.
To expand healthcare in Michigan I would work toward these goals:
- Not merely renewing, but expanding, the Children’s Health Insurance Program to benefit working families;
- Working to expand health insurance coverage to moderate and lower income families by working with the health insurance industry, heath care facilities, drug companies and employers;
- Promoting greater affordability of insurance coverage through tax incentives for both individuals and employers.
- Providing incentives for both physicians and patients to focus on less expensive treatments aimed at preventing and managing diseases before they reach acute levels where medical expenditures are at their most costly levels.
- Working to create and implement new purchasing pools which will spread the risk for health insurers and which will drive down premiums for employers, individuals and families.
Drop by the campaign website to learn more about the issues...
And if you think about it...give a donation to remove one of the more odious members of Congress and replace him with a Representative that will serve the people...not George W Bush!
In order to maintain our momentum going into 2008, we have to keep the full court press going...that means a 50-state strategy that flies the Democratic flag everywhere!