Building care infrastructure and economic equity
What do you see as the biggest barriers and challenges facing the care work industry and care workers, and what are your top policy priorities to address those challenges?
“It's about resources, and obviously the federal government is a principal source for those resources, so it should be the principal source, certainly to deal with disparities across the nation. And of course, Maine being a rural state and a poorer state, you know, we should be getting a lot more in terms of federal resources.”
"Maine being a rural state and a poorer state, you know, we should be getting a lot more in terms of federal resources.”
Ensuring reproductive and gender-specific healthcare
What do you see as the biggest barriers and challenges facing access to consistent, high-quality perinatal care?
“Short of, you know, a good comprehensive Medicare-for-all system which provided a lot more resources for rural clinics, hospitals, those kinds of things, which we certainly need. And not only in Maine, but throughout the United States. I would certainly support more money, federal money, rescinding cuts that the Bush administration and Trump administration have made to, perinatal care or maternal care, over the years… And the recent cuts to Medicaid and ACA subsidies, those kinds of things are obviously working against what we need to address.
“I would certainly support more money, federal money, rescinding cuts that the Bush administration and Trump administration have made to perinatal care or maternal care.”
Ending gender-based and carceral violence
What policy solutions do you support to address gun violence in our state?
“I'm actually probably the furthest along here of the three Senate candidates on the Democratic side… I've always supported an assault weapons ban, I've supported, you know, limiting, you know, obviously magazines, bump stocks, waiting periods, universal background checks, a whole panoply of gun safety laws and regulations. I would support what Chris Murphy has put forward in the Senate.”
“I would reject proposals to seek to use VOCA funds for other Department of Justice programs, and support a continued federal funding stream for VOCA funds to be used for tribal communities.”
Developing equitable & accessible government systems
How do you think the tax structure or state budget can be used to create more gender equity and reduce disparities?
“We need major, major tax reform in this country. There's so many loopholes, there are, you know, there are friendly deductions, there are friendly tax credits that need to be done away with, or at least adjusted. I support a very sort of progressive income tax. I support a wealth tax, although I'd want to make sure we protect seniors.”