For those that missed my first diary on Monday, allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Connie Saltonstall and I am running for Congress in MI-01. I got into this race to be a leader in the fight for healthcare reform and to ensure the protection of a woman's right to choose, but that is not the only issue I care about. I noticed the call for nominations for Orange to Blue here on Daily Kos. Below please find the answers to this year's Orange to Blue Questionnaire.
1. Do you support:
a) A public health insurance option, offered by the federal government and tied to Medicare reimbursement rates plus 5% (H.R. 3200 § 223, as introduced in the House)?
b) The Public Option Act (H.R. 4789), which would allow all citizens to buy into Medicare?
Yes, I support a public health insurance option, as proposed in H.R. 3200, but I think we need to go further. I believe in Medicare for all citizens, as put forth in the Public Option Act. Ultimately, I believe that the most effective way to provide health insurance to every American is a single-payer system.
In March, we won an unprecedented victory for the health and safety of our nation, when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. However, the fight for quality health care is not over. When I am elected to Congress, I will keep working to make sure that every American has the health insurance that he or she needs. That’s why I got into this race.
2. Do you support the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1409/S. 560), including the provision known as "card check"?
Yes. I was born and raised in Michigan. I have seen firsthand the importance of workers’ rights to the health of our economy. A strong labor movement benefits every American.
That’s why I strongly support The Employee Free Choice Act and card check – and that’s why I will fight to pass it in Congress. The Employee Free Choice Act will level the playing field and allow us to start rebuilding my state’s and our nation’s economy and our middle class.
3. Do you support a repeal of the policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (10 U.S.C. § 654)?
The "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy has been a failure. I agree with our nation’s military leaders that we must repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" – and we must do it expeditiously. It is long past time that we implement a humane policy that keeps our nation safe.
4. Do you agree that any immigration reform bill should:
a) Contain a meaningful path to citizenship - one that does not include overly-punitive fines or a touchback requirement - for law-abiding undocumented immigrants currently in the United States;
b) Ensure that expanded legal permanent immigration, rather than expansion of temporary worker programs, serves as the United States' primary external answer to workforce shortages; and
c) Ensure that any non-agricultural temporary worker programs maintain current caps on the total number of non-agricultural temporary worker visas issued, and also include a meaningful prevailing wage requirement keyed to the Service Contract Act and Davis-Bacon Act?
Any immigration reform bill should contain a meaningful path to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented immigrants already in the United States, without overly-punitive fines or a touchback requirement.
We should expand legal permanent immigration, rather than temporary worker programs. Too often temporary worker programs serve to undermine American workers and exploit foreign workers.
We must work to ensure that we do not accept more temporary workers than are needed to fill the demand for jobs that go unfilled by Americans. Furthermore, I believe any bill should include the prevailing wage requirements in the Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act, and in applying those requirements to any non-agricultural temporary worker program.
Our nation’s immigration system is broken. The dysfunction is hurting our workers, holding back economic growth, and undermining our standing in the world. We need comprehensive reform.
5. Do you think Congress should act to suspend regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency?
Climate change threatens our economy, our national security, and our children’s future. Congress should not suspend the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
The people of Michigan’s First District are well-equipped to perform the clean energy jobs of the 21st century. In Congress, I will lead the fight to create those jobs.
6. If elected to the House, do you pledge not to join the Blue Dog Coalition?
When I am elected Congress, I will not join the Blue Dog Coalition. I entered this race by standing up to a senior member of my own party in defense of a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions. In Congress, I will continue the fight to represent the values of Michigan’s First District.