Billboards and ads on television and social media publicize candidates and their party affiliations. The positions of candidates on major issues are unclear, even on their campaign websites. In the absence of televised debates and news conferences how can we, the voters, determine where the candidates stand on these issues? Do candidates have a core set of political beliefs or do they see their role as relaying positions of their party to and from Congress? I pose these questions to candidates for the U.S. Congress:
Health care
In 2018, the U.S. spent $3.6 trillion on health care, or 17.7% of its gross domestic product. This translates into more than $11,000 per person. Although more than 20 million Americans gained health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, an estimated 27 million remain uninsured. What is your position on the ACA? If you favor repealing the ACA, what do you propose in its place?
Insured individuals face steadily increasing co-payments for prescriptions and medical services. How would you address rising prices for medications and medical devices?
U.S. health care is marked by large disparities in outcomes based on race and ethnicity. How would you narrow this gap?