Nestor Garcia’s Answers to the PDH Issue Survey
To read Nestor Garcia’s answers to the PDH Questionnaire, please click on “more”.
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS OF HAWAII QUESTIONNAIRE
Nestor Garcia
1. REGARDING IRAQ AND IRAN
1a. The United States is now engaged in a very controversial war in Iraq. Please tell us your thoughts regarding the way in which this country entered the war.
“It has been said that the first casualty in war is the truth. The reasons we entered the war were largely two-fold: 1) we believed that Iraq was somehow linked to terrorists who attacked us on 9-11, and 2) we believed that the Hussein government was bent on unleashing weapons of mass destruction, as it did on the Kurds, on more of its enemies.”
“The two reasons have since been proven dubious, and bordering on the devious. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report released on July 9, 2004, stated that while CIA analysts had evidence that there had been contacts between the Iraqi government and al-Qaeda ‘the contacts did not add up to a established formal relationship.’ And there was no evidence proving Iraqi complicity or assistance in the attack of 9-11.”
“As to weapons of mass destruction – the administration relied on the infamous Oct. 2002 classified National Intelligence Estimate. Again, the Senate investigation concluded that most of the key judgments ‘overstated or were not supported by the underlying intelligence reporting.’”
1b. How do you assess the current situation in Iraq?
“I agree with General Abizaid, who recently stated that the most critical security issue in Iraq is sectarian violence.”
“According to a recently released report by the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq, nearly 6,000 civilians were killed during the months of May and June 2006 – with the violence having its genesis with the bombing of a revered Shiite mosque in Samarra last February.”
“We must first help Iraqis secure the peace – before Iraq can go on with the business of rebuilding its country.”
1c. What steps do you believe the United States should now take to resolve the situation in Iraq?
“Our government must work with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to train the police and the national security forces so that they can stabilize the country, hopefully, by the end of the year. We must also help the Prime Minister to reach out to all factions – most notably the minority Sunnis whom we turned out of the government they once dominated when Saddam Hussein ruled the country, as well as the majority Shiites, and have them agree to stop the violence so that plans and programs can continue to restore and maintain the peace.”
1d. The Bush administration is making sounds like it may attack Iran over their nuclear program. Please share your thoughts about this prospect.
“First of all – doing so would be a mistake. Any bombing would prove to be very difficult, militarily, because of the location of such facilities (deep underground, and within cities) and the topography of the country (hilly, not flat, like Iraq). A search and destroy mission must have ‘boots on the ground’ – and to have American troops on Iranian soil would compound the mistakes already made with respect to our actions in the Mid East.”
“More importantly, it has been proven that unilateral acts and so-called ‘cowboy diplomacy’ only lead to distrust and inflame anti-American sentiment.”
“We must first reach out to Iran – even if it means through third parties like Egypt and Saudi Arabia– to relay the message that we are truly interested in a diplomatic solution to issues that divide the region.”
2. REGARDING HEALTHCARE
2a. What do you think can be done to control rising healthcare costs, while expanding coverage for all Americans?
“A single-payer plan, with its economies of scale, is probably the best way we ensure that health care for the country is affordable, accessible, and reliable.”
2b. Please share your thoughts regarding proposals for a single-payer health care insurance plan similar to that in Canada.
“I would like to follow the blue print of the Americans for a National Health Program.”
“Everyone in the U.S. and in the Territories would receive a US National Health Insurance card and an I-D number once they enroll.”
“The program would cover all necessary services include primary care, inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, prescription drugs, and even mental health care and long term care.”
“The national program would annually set reimbursement rates for physicians and health care providers, and negotiate prescription drug prices, The national office would provide an annual lump sum allotment to each existing Medicare region, which would then administer the program.”
“The Congress would establish annual funding outlays for the program through an annual entitlement. It is estimated that it would cost $1.86 trillion a year.”
“In order to raise that money, we would do the following:
- a payroll tax on all employers of 3.3%;
- maintain employee and employer Medicare payroll tax of 1.45%;
- implement a variety of mechanisms so that low and middle income families pay a smaller share of their incomes for health care than the wealthiest 5% of Americans;
- close corporate tax shelters; and
- repeal the Bush tax cuts.”
3. REGARDING TRADE
3a. What is your position in the debate over “Free Trade” versus “Fair Trade?”
“Free trade refers to a general openness to exchange of goods, services and information between and among nations, with few-to-no-barriers to trade. Fair trade refers to exchanges, the terms of which meet the demands of justice.”
“Both sides are concerned with global justice, both concerned with poverty alleviation, and global prosperity. The approach of free traders is that voluntary exchanges meet these worthy goals because each party to the trade leaves the table richer than he or she was before the transaction.”
“Those who believe in fair trade maintain that trade between and among nations happen in coercive and uneven ways. Smaller states become increasingly reliant on bigger countries, while the bigger countries, in turn, deplete the natural resources of the smaller countries and slows their progress. Fair trade guidelines would ensure that larger, more prosperous countries do not take advantage of weaker ones.
“I happen to fall in the camp of fair trade. Governments of rich countries spend $1 billion every day on agricultural subsidies, with the resulting surpluses being dumped on world markets, undermining the livelihoods of millions of small farmers in poor countries.”
“And when developing countries export to rich-country markets, the face tariff barriers that are four times higher than those encountered by the rich countries. These barriers cost the poor countries about $100 billion a year, twice as much as they receive in aid.”
3b. What do you think can be done to ensure high wages and good working conditions in an era of international trade?
“It is the role of the Congress to approve trade agreements with vigorous analysis and debate – and it must be afforded the opportunity to make changes to agreements to ensure fair trade practices. The Congress must hold the Executive Branch to legislation on trade promotion authority that was passed in 2002 (P.L. 107-210). In that Act, there are conditions for expedited legislative procedures that call on the Executive Branch to consult with Congress at various stages of the trade negotiations, notify Congress before taking specified actions, and submit reports as outlined.”
“If agreements are reached at the end of negotiations, Congress will face a decision on whether to approve statutory changes to implement those agreements. If all requirements are met, and unless Congress decides otherwise, the trade agreements will be considered under trade promotion procedures, or fast-track procedures. Under fast-track, an implementing bill is automatically introduced, considered in committee, and on to the floor, under specified deadlines, and NOT amendable.”
3b. What do you think can be done to ensure high wages and good working conditions in an era of international trade?
“Congressional oversight of the kind explained previously would go a long way towards achieving the goals of a fair wage for an honest day’s work.”
“The dilemma in a consumer driven economy like the United States is that we want to pay less for more. In recognition of this, companies move lucrative manufacturing jobs to countries where labor costs are lower and workplace rules and business practices are free from regulation – or not under careful scrutiny.”
“This fact of supply and demand must be acknowledged – but at the same time, we must be try to establish rules of fair play and fair trade – for all stakeholders in the global economy. The World Trade Organization is an attempt at achieving fairness – we just need to ensure that the WTO is living up to its mission.”
4. REGARDING POVERTY
4A. Please describe what role you think Congress can play in reducing the effects of poverty upon our people and in creating conditions that will increase economic equality, rather than continue the trend toward increased economic disparity.
“I see this as one of the major concerns facing our country. In this election season – the talk is often of blue states and red states.”
“I see two Americas – as evidenced by the fact that 85% of the nations’ wealth now resides in the hands of the richest 15% of American families. The average net worth of the richest 10% of American families rose to $861,000 last year, a 5.6% increase over 2001. What happened to the typical family in the bottom 25%? Net worth actually fell – by 1.5%.”
“The Congress can work to reverse this by making our nation’s income tax system more progressive. Progressivity used to mean that taxing the better-off to assist society’s less fortunate.”
“Today, taxes for the well-to-do are lower today than they have been in 60 years.”
“We can also reverse, or at least slow, this trend by ensuring that more Americans can earn a college degree. Tuitions at 4-year colleges have more than doubled, in real terms, since 1980. Congress should do more to ensure that grants or low-interest loans are made more available to all who seek a college education. Over the past 25 years, globalization and technology have increased the rewards for intellectual skills, vastly increasing the value of a college degree. The income gap between college graduates and those without university degrees doubled between 1979 and 1997. In the 1930s and 1940s, only half of all American chief executives had college degrees. Today, virtually all do, and three-quarters of them also hold advanced degrees like an M.B.A.”
“Finally, there are numerous studies showing that when education starts earlier in life, the foundation is set for life-long learning, with an enhanced potential for a well-meaning, well-paying job. That is why Congress should help in funding early childhood and pre-school programs.”
5. REGARDING VOTER’S RIGHTS
5a. What can be done to ensure that all voters have an equal chance of casting their votes, that the votes shall be counted on secure systems, and that the results can be verified in a manner that gives voters confidence?
“We must work to ensure that each voter has the right to inspect a physical, or paper, record to verity that his or her vote has been accurately cast and to serve as an independent check on the result.”
“Recently, it was learned that Diebold, the company that manufactures screen voting machines, along with the state of Maryland, have been aware of security flaws in that state’s system for at least two years.”
“During this time, Diebold allegedly has not chosen to fix the problems, and Maryland, allegedly, has not chose to alert other states or national officials about these problems.”
“The problem with Diebold is that the company included a ‘back door’ in its software, allowing anyone to change or modify the software. There are no technical safeguards in place to ensure that only authorized personnel can make changes.”
5b. Do you have concerns about the current method of funding election campaigns and the influence of special interests on elections?
“Yes – there is undoubtedly an uneven playing field when it comes to those who have the money to ensure access to politicians, and those who are unable to get ‘through the door’ of their elected officials.”
5c. Do you support legislation for public funding of elections, such as were enacted in Maine and Arizona, and proposed locally by the “Voter Owned Elections” initiative?
“I did not have the opportunity to listen to the debate and discussion with respect to locally proposed initiative – although it would appear to be similar to others in the past that went by the name ‘Clean Money, Clean Elections.’”
“I would be interested to hear the debate again – especially since I see that last year, the City Council in Portland approved Voter Owned Elections for its city elections, making it the first city in the country to adopt full public financing of elections, similar to systems already in place in Arizona, Maine and North Carolina.”
6. REGARDING EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
6A. What are your views regarding claims that President Bush, pursuing the doctrine of ‘unitary executive,’ has overstepped his Executive Authority, as granted in the U.S. Constitution, with actions such as warrantless wiretapping, indefinitely holding detainees, disregarding legislation, and presenting false information to Congress?
“He has clearly taken a liberal view of his role as chief executive and the authority conferred upon his office by the U.S. Constitution.”
“The unitary executive doctrine, in its mildest form, claims only that the President has the power to appoint, control, and remove executive officers, as well as the duty to interpret the law as it applies to his office. This administration, however, is using the doctrine to decide what is, and what is not, the law. The Decider!”
“Under the Constitution, the president’s role is to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Congress has the power to make laws, and the judiciary interprets the law. For more than 200 years, the United States Supreme Court has been viewed as the final arbiter of what is, and what is not, the law.” As Chief Justice John Marshall declared in 1803 – ‘it is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. This is the very essence of judicial duty.’”
“Last June, the SCOTUS ruled 5-3, Chief Justice John Roberts not participating, in Hamdan v. Rumsfled, that the president did not have the authority to set up tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and found the military commissions illegal under both military justice law and the Geneva Conventions.”
“And as for warrantless wiretapping – triggered by an Executive Order signed in 2002 allowing the National Security Agency to monitor the telephone and email communications of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States, with persons abroad, without a court order, as the law requires. This spying program violates rights to free speech and privacy under the First and Fourth Amendments of the US Constitution. This is also a violation of the Constitution because the president exceeded his authority under the separation of powers principles.”
“Congress has enacted two statutes – the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Title III of the federal criminal code, which are the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance and the interception of domestic wire, oral and electronic communications may be conducted.”
6b. Rep. John Conyers has introduced H. Res 635 to create a Select Committee empowered to investigate various allegations against President Bush and Vice President Cheney, and to determine if the alleged abuses might constitute grounds for impeachment. What are your views on such a resolution? What actions, if any, do you think should be taken by Congress?
“The resolution should be given an opportunity for a full and fair hearing (it has been referred to the House Committee on Rules). It essentially calls for an investigation into all relevant government agency actions and decisions relating to the Administration’s:
- intent to go to war before Congressional authorization;
- manipulation of pre-war intelligence;
- encouragement and countenancing of torture; and
- retaliation against critics.”
“This resolution was introduced along with one to censure the President, and another resolution to censure the Vice President.”
“Any actions that might be recommended by the Select Committee would then have to be carefully reviewed to determine a course of follow-up action.”
7. REGARDING ECONOMIC DEELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
7a. What role do you think Congress can play in reducing the destruction of the environment and moving us towards sustainable economic development?
“We can begin by drawing a line in the sand – or soil, out in the western United States, where federal and state policymakers in the are fighting the Administration’s attempts to go after oil and gas drilling rights in their jurisdictions, which would leave in its wake the destruction of 229 million acres of public and private lands, an area greater than the combined size of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.”
“I agree with the Western Governors who, in a recently written policy statement, said that in order to maintain their ‘commitment to a vibrant economy and a clean and health environment in the West, we need to pursue a national energy policy that will result in a diverse energy portfolio that will include conventional and alternative energy resource development, energy efficiency, and conservation.’”
“With respect to conservation, instead of drilling for an estimated 4.8 million barrels of oil in Colorado’s spectacular Roan Plateau, we could raise gas mileage standards for cars and light trucks to 40 miles a gallon by the year 2012. That would, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, save 1.5 million barrels of oil a day by 2010 – and in just 3 days, equal the amount of oil contained in the Plateau.”
“We should also prevent drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.”
“In Hawaii – we could also move to become more energy independent by helping to fund the creation of renewable energy resources – instead of relying on importing some 90% of our energy needs. At HC&S on Maui, we convert 60,000 to 70,000 tons of molasses into 5 million gallons of ethanol a year – which would supply about two-thirds of Maui’s government-mandated demand for the fuel.
“The state consumes about 400 million gallons of motor fuel a year. Maui uses about 78 million – so, 10 percent of that for ethanol, comes out to 7.8 million gallons of ethanol for Maui alone per year.”
“I applaud Maui Land & Pine, Kamehameha Schools and Grove Farm for their recent announcement to join efforts to explore biofuel
technologies that will complement Hawaii’s natural resources.”
“If we could follow Brazil’s example of converting cars to flex-fuel vehicles (at about $200 a car), and increase the content of ethanol to a blend or all ethanol, we could drastically reduce our need for fossil fuel in our gas tanks.”
“In Hawaii, ethanol from sugar cane is cheaper than from corn because, in part, it can be produced by burning bagasse rather than with oil or coal. And, the starch in corn must also be converted sugar, before it can be distilled into alcohol.”
8. OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
8a. In your opinion, what are other major important issues facing the country?
“I believe we need to modernize our immigration policies. We must move away from criminalizing undocumented immigrants by setting forth new policies and updated requirements that provide hope and a path toward U.S. citizenship.”
“I fully understand and agree that under current circumstances, the first priority of this nation must be secure borders. But surely those who are not citizens and who present no danger or threat to this country need to be treated with compassion and fairness.”
“We must remember that this nation was built by immigrants seeking a better life. The vast majority of Americans can trace their roots to another country. It is vital that we do not dishonor our own history. That’s why I prefer the U.S. Senate’s version of new immigration legislation. It’s moving in the right direction.”
8b. What are your personal legislative priorities, and why should Hawaii’s voters choose to vote for you?
“As an elected official currently representing communities within the Second Congressional District, I know that the hands down, the biggest issue facing our friends and neighbors is how we manage growth and its related problems and opportunities. We want to maintain a quality of life that keeps Hawaii a special and unique place in our hearts.”
“Concerns over inadequate infrastructure, traffic congestion, and affordable housing are tied to government’s ability to keep pace with economic growth. We can’t stop growth completely, but I certainly believe that government can put in place laws and policies to guide and direct that growth.”
“I also believe it is the communities themselves that know what is best for their future. Rather than having politicians and bureaucrats tell them what they need to do to make their towns better, government’s role should be to help community members and leaders plan their vision and then help to fund its implementation.”
“My own experience in Waipahu taught me that. Waipahu used to be a quiet town made up largely of folks who worked on the sugar and pineapple plantations. But when those agribusinesses began to falter in the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s, Waipahu was faced with uncertainty and choices.”
“I am proud to have been part of a community wide visioning effort that resulted in the creation of the Waipahu Town Plan. The plan largely mapped out what Waipahu is today and what it can be tomorrow – a vibrant, culturally rich community that is a great place to raise a family and own a business.”
“But, plans in and of themselves do not make a community, people do. Since taking office, with the support of community leaders, I have done all I can to help implement elements of the Town Plan. Where there once were abandoned mill equipment and lands, we now have a fee-simple light industrial park where many small entrepreneurs operate their various repair, warehousing and distribution operations.”
“There is also the Filipino Community Center, which is open to people of all ethnicities to celebrate weddings, birthdays and hold community events. Instead of tearing down the old mill smokestack, the Leeward YMCA is incorporating it within its multi-million investment to construct a new facility in Waipahu, complete with swimming pool.”
“At historic Hans L’Orange Field, Winter League Baseball will make its comeback this fall. We’ve taken an old cane haul road and turned it into a vital pedestrian and roadway connection that links the communities of Village Park and Royal Kunia to Waipahu so that our kupuna and keiki have a safer way to access their shopping and service needs.”
“And, in the coming year, there are plans to construct a Festival Marketplace where there once stood a boarded up supermarket that will assist small farmers in selling their wares.”
“These improvements have come about primarily through the dedication of community leaders and their desire that the plan be a living document worthy of consideration. I believe that every community in Congressional District 2 deserves the same attention and commitment from their elected officials.”
“Even more recently, I introduced Honolulu City Council Bill 40 to help pay Oahu’s share for a mass transit system connecting Honolulu and the Second City. I continue to believe that we need to plan for what Honolulu will be like for our future generations. If rail is selected as the mass transit option, I acknowledge it’s a large public works project, perhaps the largest in State history.”
“But in introducing and supporting it, I also had in mind to focus future growth on Oahu’s primary and secondary urban centers, where the infrastructure largely is in place. Doing so makes more sense to me than to encourage urbanization of rural areas where infrastructure costs would be greater and where the stresses related to new development would be felt more acutely by residents. In this manner, we can ‘keep the country, country.’”
“In my view, the one thing that will really help us manage our growth issues is good planning – planning that incorporates community vision. As your Congressman, I will make it my highest priority to work with the leaders of each community to support their community visioning and to work with the State and County governments to ensure that federal moneys are there, on time, for roads and schools when needed.”
“For me, it’s not about building houses, but creating communities we can call home.”
“We have to look at communities that have successfully moved away from the automobile as the primary transportation mode. As leaders, we can push for changes in the law and establish planning requirements that guide us toward this future. Planning is the key.”
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