Economy
Cost of Healthcare - The CEO of General Motors said, "The cost of health care in the U.S. is making American businesses extremely uncompetitive versus our global counterparts." This is because we are the only industrialized country in the world where health insurance is tied to employment status. Currently we spend almost 20% of GDP on healthcare. Reducing the cost of healthcare will make American business competitive again.
Vocational Training - Federal programs like Race to the Top have squeezed out vocational electives from our high school curriculums because administrators are evaluated based on the number of students their schools send to college. Though Rhode Island has the highest unemployment rate, companies like Electric Boat are unable to find hundreds of people with skills like welding, pipefitting, machining, and electrical wiring to build Virginia-class submarines. In contrast, Germany has advanced industrial capabilities and one of the lowest unemployment rates because of its world-class apprenticeship program. If Rhode Island wants to regain its foothold as a leader in manufacturing, we need to start with educational reforms.
In the push to get students to attend college, we have lost respect for blue collar workers. We need college graduates who can design computer systems, but we also need people who can operate these systems. It used to be that all a car mechanic needs is a wrench and a feeler gauge. Nowadays, a mechanic needs a computer to read diagnostic trouble codes and a computer to analyze carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions. Machinists no longer use metal lathe but now feed computer-aided designs (CAD) into computer numerical control machines (CNC). America still needs skilled workers who can build and fix things.
Human Capital - We should strengthen the economy by increasing productivity and encouraging creativity, not by "creating jobs." In the 1800s, everyone had a job: farming. 95% of the population worked as farmers and the unemployment rate was effectively 0%. That is certainly not the direction we want to head in. For example, adding ten administrative positions at the City Hall doing busy work only burdens taxpayers who get nothing in return. Certainly these ten jobs are a drag on the economy. We must be smart in what kind of jobs we are trying to "create."
Tax Code - The average person now has to pay for tax preparation help. This is a clear indicator of how complicated the tax laws have become. We need to remove the loopholes that industries have lobbied for and simplify the tax code. This will make for a more efficient IRS, increase revenue, help our budget deficit, and decrease government favoritism.
Financial Security:
Vocational Training - Federal programs like Race to the Top have squeezed out vocational electives from our high school curriculums because administrators are evaluated based on the number of students their schools send to college. Though Rhode Island has the highest unemployment rate, companies like Electric Boat are unable to find hundreds of people with skills like welding, pipefitting, machining, and electrical wiring to build Virginia-class submarines. In contrast, Germany has advanced industrial capabilities and one of the lowest unemployment rates because of its world-class apprenticeship program. If Rhode Island wants to regain its foothold as a leader in manufacturing, we need to start with educational reforms.
In the push to get students to attend college, we have lost respect for blue collar workers. We need college graduates who can design computer systems, but we also need people who can operate these systems. It used to be that all a car mechanic needs is a wrench and a feeler gauge. Nowadays, a mechanic needs a computer to read diagnostic trouble codes and a computer to analyze carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions. Machinists no longer use metal lathe but now feed computer-aided designs (CAD) into computer numerical control machines (CNC). America still needs skilled workers who can build and fix things.
Human Capital - We should strengthen the economy by increasing productivity and encouraging creativity, not by "creating jobs." In the 1800s, everyone had a job: farming. 95% of the population worked as farmers and the unemployment rate was effectively 0%. That is certainly not the direction we want to head in. For example, adding ten administrative positions at the City Hall doing busy work only burdens taxpayers who get nothing in return. Certainly these ten jobs are a drag on the economy. We must be smart in what kind of jobs we are trying to "create."
Tax Code - The average person now has to pay for tax preparation help. This is a clear indicator of how complicated the tax laws have become. We need to remove the loopholes that industries have lobbied for and simplify the tax code. This will make for a more efficient IRS, increase revenue, help our budget deficit, and decrease government favoritism.
Financial Security:
- More opportunities and incentives should be available for Americans to plan and save so they can have a more secure future
- Freedom from age discrimination is a fundamental right and critical to Americans’ ability to have a secure retirement. Every worker should be treated fairly, regardless of age
- We need to support family caregivers who make it possible for more seniors to live in their homes and communities, where they want, rather than taxpayers and struggling families paying for costlier care