Meet the Candidate
(not published with the organization yet, will be on Monday. Any friends looking in are welcome to comment) and now that I hit my own publish button I see some circles aren't filled in. Earlier some wordy answers disappeared with out a trace, it's been that kind of morning!
1. How important is each of the following to job creation and economic recovery?
Investing in Education
Somewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
Providing tax cuts
Very importantInvesting in energy
Very importantInvesting in health research
Very importantSupporting small businesses
Very importantInvesting in infrastructure
Very importantcomment:
Each category is important. The fact that government has a terrible track record of watching how it's investment in each is spent, means we have to make excruciating- tough decisions now about who's getting less money next year- even though every one is deserving. This is precisely why candidates like the often ridiculed Senate candidate, Sharon Angle or unpublicized Gary Stein, even though they're on opposite sides of many issues, bristle when elitists say we can't eliminate the Dept. of Education, another department or two, or the myriad of sub-agencies often working at cross purposes and creating bureaucratic LOGJAMS. I'll take one Angle over one Reid even though Reid and I are for Gov't run health care. It's that kind of year. A throw the bums out kind of year.
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2. When it comes to rising health care costs, would you say research to improve health is part of the problem or part of the solution?
Part of the problemPart of the solution
Don't know
No opinion
comments:
I'm not as concerned with rising health care costs, or billions on research, as much as I'm concerned with uncontrolled- wasteful spending..... on National Security for instance, making us less safe- nine years after 9/11. The Washington Post's recent reportage confirms that. The government has created a national security monster. It's now one month since the Donna Priest articles, where's the fall out? Swept under the rug. Government apathy and arrogance!
Medical research has to continue- it shouldn't be a Hobson's Choice- a take it or leave it. Thousands die who could be cured- just spend the increased dollars wisely and lets be more vigilant about fraud and abuse, and make penalties for fraud----stiffer!
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3. As the nation implements health reform, what are your top priorities?
comment:
Health Care! I'm as fed up with wasteful government spending as the most hardened fiscal conservative, but I'm for a Government take over of health care, commonly known as Single Payer. There's absolutely no contradiction, and no connection with the founding fathers "intents" and the Constitution....or more government intrusion in our lives, yada yada. Most members of my former party, the Republican Party, would have you believe that, and the Tea Party people will pound away at it. Independent minded folks can lead the way and show these elected Republican "nabobs of negativity" we can't continue to be the only 1st world country in the world not offering government provided health care. How'd we get to this point? This would be like re-arguing the Civil Rights era. Republicans do make a valid point though. HOW do we pay for all this? A pox on both their houses!
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4. Which of the following statements most closely matches with your view of prevention and wellness?
Prevention and wellness reduce health care costsPrevention and wellness increase health care costs
Prevention and wellness have no impact on health care costs
Don't know
No opinion
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5. How important is research and development (R&D) to your state’s economy? Please comment on the importance of the federal government’s role in supporting R&D conducted in your state.
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
I don't know about Government supported R & D in my state, but I know there used to be an unmatched pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey. The high taxes in this state, used mostly to support a bloated state government, chased a lot of those same pharmaceutical companies away. So therefore, any Federal R and D was basically canceled out by high taxes!
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6. Many governments have set a goal to spend 3% of gross domestic
product on R&D and some, including Japan and Korea, have already
exceeded this goal. How important do you think it is for the U.S. to
achieve this goal?
Somewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
How ironic that those countries count on us to protect their national security. No need to get up on my soap box on this one- every American knows we're being taken advantage off. It's just a question of how much longer before we have to pull back and let an unappreciative rest of the world fend for themselves.
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7. How important would you say it is that the U.S. work to improve health globally through research and development? Please comment on what role the federal government and other stakeholders (non-profits, foundations) should play in global health R&D.
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
The focus in this question- is that our Government- not private companies- could and would- throw even more money around- which it has to first borrow, and then spend it on research and development globally. Sorry, dear interrogator, Bill Gates is doing plenty to protect our "brand" overseas. Our first responsibility globally, is to worry more about things like Iran and the lunatics running that country, not more and more spending on AIDS in Africa- a worthy cause- if we could be- everything to every body- like we were in the old days. Americans, like my wife, need better health coverage. Your question is moot in my opinion.
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8. How important do you think education and training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is to U.S. competitiveness and our future economic prosperity?
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
It's so important, we should increase the number of visas to exceptional foreign visitors wanting to live, work or go to school here, as well as make it easier for them to become citizens.
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9. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “Even if it brings no immediate benefits, basic scientific research that advances the frontiers of knowledge is necessary and should be supported by the federal government.”
AgreeDisagree
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
That's an appropriate function of government- the question is, where's the money coming from now that we've squandered so much money on other things? The question does present another instance where strict constitutionalists need to rethink their selective philosophies. Did our forefathers know about deoxyribonucleic acid- DNA? Or for that matter, what a vaccine is? They knew about firearms, they did provide safeguards for that.
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10. The following federal agencies play a role in improving the
health of Americans through research and development. How important is
it to increase funding for…
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Somewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
Food and Drug Administration
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
National Institutes of Health
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment;
The first agency, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, sounds like one of these government bureaucracies that duplicate another agencies good works, slowing down the process, getting into turf wars and using up precious dollars. If I just hit a bulls eye- then we just identified a department that could be eliminated with no adverse consequences to the well being of any Americans. The department might actually be making us less well- if it's hogging precious resources If I'm elected, I'll "google" that agency and see what it does.
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11. Would you say that the average amount of time it takes for the Food and Drug Administration to approve a drug, biological product or medical device and allow it to be sold to consumers is…
Too longAbout right
Not long enough
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
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12. More than 80% of the National Institutes of Health’s budget is
distributed through grants to colleges, universities and other research
institutions in every state across America. Which one of the following
do you feel should have the most influence on how government funds for research to improve health are spent?
Patients
Scientists
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
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13. Certain health issues are more prevalent among people with lower incomes and among certain racial and ethnic populations. How important do you feel it is for the federal government to support research to understand and eliminate these differences and achieve health equity?
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
If certain groups are more prone to obesity because their diet is terrible, how much more government spending is necessary to understand or eliminate it? That I could generalize like I just did and not be too far off the mark- or not care- is an example of the slow motion corrosive effect on the attitudes and opinions of regular folks like me, caused by the billions of dollars- do I dare say trillions- of wasteful- unaccounted for, government spending in the past.
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14. The health reform law established the Patient Centered Outcomes
Research Institute, a nonprofit corporation to support comparative
effectiveness research, which is meant to compare ways to prevent,
diagnose, treat and monitor health conditions in order to assist
patients and health care providers in making informed decisions. What
effect do you think the work of this Institute will have on our health
system?
The work of the Institute will limit health care options
The work of the Institute will have no effect on health care
Don't know
No opinion
comment:
Hey, it all works out fine with these Institutes, if they do their jobs efficiently and live up to their "Charter," then yes health care will improve. Sometimes organizations charged with looking out for the public good, become beholden to the group they're in charge of regulating. Like the Bureau of Minerals and Mines, for instance, who should have been in charge of policing offshore oil development in the Gulf of Mexico. That's my one snarky answer, 13 questions down, 3 to go. And what about my Congressman- my opponent? I'll bet the ranch- he didn't bother filling out this questionnaire or any others. If his staff sees this, he'll know to fill out the League of Woman Voters, questionnaire due back in September. Even though he poses as one of us, he's actually an insiders-outsider. He's been an entrenched Washington player, from day one in 1994- even though he said at the time- 6 terms and out.
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15. Do you support or oppose expanding federal funding for research using embryonic stem cells?
SupportOppose
Don't know
No opinion
Comment:
My opponent is against it and voted that way. In my opinion he's too timid to be for stem cell research- if he's pro-life- which he is. But wasn't he pro-choice back in the day? It get complicated and the ironies of being against stem research, but pro-life are secondary- when there's an election coming up. What about flip-flopping elected officials? Everyone can separate a politicians excruciating evolution in his thinking, from one who's just being expedient. I'll remind LoBiondo, as I did in another questionnaire, it's possible to take tough stands. In this instance, he'd have Nancy Reagan- an advocate of stem cell research- as cover. In 1994, running in his primary for an open seat in Congress, against a socially liberal and well known Republican opponent, Bill Gormley, Frank LoBiondo was pro-choice by necessity. Don't career politicians stink? Does Frank LoBiondo have contempt for us?
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16. How important do you think it is for Members of Congress to work on a bipartisan basis with civility and respect for one another to make research to improve health a top national priority?
Very importantSomewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Don't know
No opinion
Comment:
Bipartisanship and to a greater extent, civility, has gone the way of the late Tip O'Neil and Ronald Reagan, old adversaries who could still be friends at the end of the day. My opponent is a perfect example a new generation who score never ending political points every chance they get. But he goes one better, he doesn't even have the courage of his convictions. I'm sorry if I have to resort to negative answers like this in order to point it out. If I'm guilty of incivility, blame it on the times we live in. No Marquess of Queensberry this time Mr. LoBiondo. Dave Kurkowski was more than your match in 2008, and where did civil get him? Cap and Trade, turning your back on Unions who give freely to your campaigns, are only two recent examples of no convictions- (not filling out questionnaire is another) and this is one of the few forums available to me to point this out. . Frank LoBiondo experimented with bipartisanhsip in 2007-2008- when Democrats were riding high in the polls- now when things unexpectedly changed, he not only switches, he takes cues from select Republicans, and throws cheap shots at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Cheap shots and no convictions, that's why voters are so upset. There's 435 Congressman, they serve two year terms- no single one is that important. Elections and turnover; that's a timeless aspect of the Constitution which Tea Party activists, Republicans, Democrats and registered Independent can rally around. Sweep a few Incumbents out, and we'll all feel a lot healthier.
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Contact Information: What_If@steinforcongress2010.com
