Where do I stand?
A primary candidate doesn’t gain political advantage by being specific about the issues. But voters deserve better.
Health Care
A moral society cares for the health of its members. It is unacceptable that more than 600,000 Oregonians – 110,000 of them children – go without health insurance. We face a crisis in this state and country.
- Savings. Oregon should lower pharmaceutical costs through bulk purchasing, passing those savings on to seniors, small businesses, and the self-employed.
- Prevention. The Legislature should restore the 1.5 cent cigarette tax dedicated to education and prevention.
- Accessibility. Oregon should simultaneously pursue two courses to expand health care coverage:
- By raising the cigarette tax by $0.60 per pack, Oregon could provide health insurance to every child in the state. I support the Family Health and Wellness Act of 2006.
- Oregon should pursue even deeper health care reform. I support the Archimedes Movement – a project steered by former Gov. John Kitzhaber that is promoting a vision of health care rooted in traditional democratic values such as fairness, inclusion, and equality.
