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Massachusetts

Massachusetts U.S. House of Representatives, District 01

Michael Engel (I)

P.O. Box 118
Southampton, MA 01073

Visit Candidate's Website

michael@engelforcongress.org

BIOGRAPHY

Professor Emeritus, Political Science, Westfield State College (retired 2004); Author, State and Local Government: Fundamentals and Perspectives; and The Struggle for Control of Public Education. Selectman, School Committee member, Easthampton, 1990-1998 Owner, Cherry Picked Books, Easthampton, 2007- US Army veteran, 1966-1968

National Health Reform Implementation: In addition to expanding coverage through Medicaid, national health reform is expected to provide more than 17 million people with subsidies to purchase coverage through Exchanges. However, some people might still not be able to afford insurance. What measures, if any, would you support to help make health insurance affordable for families?

“Obamacare” is a financial and administrative mess. Ideally, it should be replaced with a plan that provides universal coverage and realistic cost controls. However, I oppose any plan that would make the federal government the sole provider, such as “Medicare for All”. Decentralized administration is essential. Consumers and health care professionals should be in charge, rather than insurance companies. “Hybrid” public-private plans such as those in several European nations provide useful models.

Childhood Obesity: More than one in six U.S children are obese, a rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of debilitating and expensive diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, several kinds of cancer, and other chronic conditions. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?

This is a job for the public schools. The straitjacket of mandatory testing restricts the curriculum and obstructs creative and innovative teaching. If freed, the schools could address health education of all kinds on a serious level, which would include nutrition, exercise, and basic medical information.

Children’s Budget: Representative Danny Davis and Senator Menendez have introduced the Children’s Budget Act (H.R. 3772/S. 3108), legislation that would require federal spending on children’s programs to be separately displayed and analyzed in the President’s budget, illustrating how the federal government allocates resources for children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children’s Budget and why?

I am certainly not opposed to this, but I question its practicality of application and its usefulness as an informative or educational tool--and I wonder how many other groups might start to insist on the same treatment.

Physician Shortages: A number of studies haven show that physician shortages can lead to more limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients, and a recent study of children’s hospitals found that shortages in pediatric subspecialties are adversely affecting patient care. What do you think can be done, if anything, to address the problem of physician shortages in certain medical specialties?

This could be addressed as part of a replacement plan for Obamacare. It could include educational subsidies and other incentives for physicians agreeing to work in underserved areas or specialties.

Child Care: Child care is a critical support for many parents, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively impacted by the recession. What measures, if any, should be taken to help more working families afford child care services?

Instead of one-shot “stimulus” plans that accomplish little or nothing to revive the economy or provide permanent jobs, federal, state, and local governments should work together to fund public service employment--and child care should be a top priority. It would pay for itself in a full-employment economy (another of my goals) by enabling parents to become taxpaying workers.

Juvenile Justice: In 2009, a Senate bill was introduced to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. What importance, if any, do you place on reauthorizing this piece of legislation and why? What changes would you make to the JJDPA, if any?

The basic 1974 law was an important step forward, and deserves reauthorization. But as noted by several professional organizations concerned with juvenile justice, its provisions need strengthening to further guarantee the rights of young people caught up in the system.

Secondary Education: Every year over one million American students fail to graduate from high school. What policy ideas are most important to you in working to increase graduation rates and strengthen America’s public schools?

The mandatory testing fetish is destroying public education, demoralizing teachers, and alienating young people. We need a brand-new system of public education (I oppose privatization of any kind) that encourages love of learning, offers a wide range of choices, promotes active democratic citizenship, and offers a curriculum that connects students to the communities they live in. 75 words is insufficient to explain--may I somewhat immodestly recommend my book instead?

Respond to Candidate

Bill Gunn (R)

94 North Street
Ware, MA 01082

Visit Candidate's Website
(413) 967-3800
bill@billgunnforcongress.com

BIOGRAPHY

The candidate's response will be posted as soon as it is received.

National Health Reform Implementation: In addition to expanding coverage through Medicaid, national health reform is expected to provide more than 17 million people with subsidies to purchase coverage through Exchanges. However, some people might still not be able to afford insurance. What measures, if any, would you support to help make health insurance affordable for families?

Childhood Obesity: More than one in six U.S children are obese, a rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of debilitating and expensive diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, several kinds of cancer, and other chronic conditions. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?

Children’s Budget: Representative Danny Davis and Senator Menendez have introduced the Children’s Budget Act (H.R. 3772/S. 3108), legislation that would require federal spending on children’s programs to be separately displayed and analyzed in the President’s budget, illustrating how the federal government allocates resources for children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children’s Budget and why?

Physician Shortages: A number of studies haven show that physician shortages can lead to more limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients, and a recent study of children’s hospitals found that shortages in pediatric subspecialties are adversely affecting patient care. What do you think can be done, if anything, to address the problem of physician shortages in certain medical specialties?

Child Care: Child care is a critical support for many parents, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively impacted by the recession. What measures, if any, should be taken to help more working families afford child care services?

Juvenile Justice: In 2009, a Senate bill was introduced to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. What importance, if any, do you place on reauthorizing this piece of legislation and why? What changes would you make to the JJDPA, if any?

Secondary Education: Every year over one million American students fail to graduate from high school. What policy ideas are most important to you in working to increase graduation rates and strengthen America’s public schools?

Respond to Candidate

John Olver (D)

P.O. Box 819
Amherst, MA 01004

Visit Candidate's Website
(413) 259-9898
olvercampaign@gmail.com

BIOGRAPHY

I earned a B.S. from RPI, a Masters from Tufts and a doctorate from MIT. I initially taught chemistry at UMass. I was elected to the Massachusetts House in 1969 and the Massachusetts Senate in 1973. In 1991, I was elected to the U.S. House where I’ve served since.

National Health Reform Implementation: In addition to expanding coverage through Medicaid, national health reform is expected to provide more than 17 million people with subsidies to purchase coverage through Exchanges. However, some people might still not be able to afford insurance. What measures, if any, would you support to help make health insurance affordable for families?

The new health care reform law also provides insurance premium tax credits to limit the amount individuals and families up to 400% of the federal poverty level are required to spend insurance premiums. The law subsidizes co-pays and patient cost-sharing on a sliding scale basis, phasing out at 400% of poverty, to help keep plans in the Exchanges affordable. At the same time, Medicaid eligibility rises to 133% of the federal poverty level.

Childhood Obesity: More than one in six U.S children are obese, a rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of debilitating and expensive diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, several kinds of cancer, and other chronic conditions. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?

In the ways that the government impacts children, through public education, public health care and social service outreach, we should engage in a targeted focus on childhood obesity in order to combat this worsening problem. Healthy eating and healthy physical activity can be reinforced in routines and reactions to children’s needs and the government’s responses. Indentifying obesity, measuring obesity, fighting obesity, and educating kids and parents about obesity should all be part of this effort.

Children’s Budget: Representative Danny Davis and Senator Menendez have introduced the Children’s Budget Act (H.R. 3772/S. 3108), legislation that would require federal spending on children’s programs to be separately displayed and analyzed in the President’s budget, illustrating how the federal government allocates resources for children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children’s Budget and why?

I support the idea of a separate budget accounting for children’s health programs as a way to increase the focus on children’s health and underscore great value of keeping children healthy to our shared societal goal of keeping everyone healthy. Boosting birth health, immunizations, healthy diets, and prevention of preventable diseases that beset children are efficient and affordable ways to boost America’s health as a whole.

Physician Shortages: A number of studies haven show that physician shortages can lead to more limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients, and a recent study of children’s hospitals found that shortages in pediatric subspecialties are adversely affecting patient care. What do you think can be done, if anything, to address the problem of physician shortages in certain medical specialties?

I support scholarships and loans to draw more young medical students and doctors into practice areas of need and physician shortage. I also support the expansion of America’s network of Community Health Centers into medically underserved populations. The new health care reform law invests $11 billion to expand these important Centers as part of an effort to double their total patient capacity over the next five years.

Child Care: Child care is a critical support for many parents, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively impacted by the recession. What measures, if any, should be taken to help more working families afford child care services?

Juvenile Justice: In 2009, a Senate bill was introduced to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. What importance, if any, do you place on reauthorizing this piece of legislation and why? What changes would you make to the JJDPA, if any?

I think JJDPA should be reauthorized, and I support strengthening the prevention and rehabilitation aspects of the Act in that process. I also think that funding levels for JJDPA programs need to increased from their real and nominal declines during the mid- and late 2000s. I additionally support including more of a focus on community-based and community-supported alternatives to criminal detention for youth offenders.

Secondary Education: Every year over one million American students fail to graduate from high school. What policy ideas are most important to you in working to increase graduation rates and strengthen America’s public schools?

When schools fail it’s often due to inadequate resources and inability to accommodate the unique needs of differing schools and students. We must invest in schools to counter this. We should also develop versatile assessment standards so teachers aren’t forced to “teach the test” at the expense of a meaningful education. Finally, making college affordable and reducing the pressures of college loan debt would encourage students to finish high school and continue their education.