These issues are further described in an October 6th piece by the Coast News Group, posted below:
Election 2020: North County’s U.S. Congressional Candidates
By staff
October 6th, 2020
Over the past two months, The Coast News sent electronic questionnaires in four batches to North County candidates in different levels of government, including federal (six candidates), state (four candidates), municipal/county (62 candidates for eight city councils and county board) and school boards (62 candidates in 12 districts).
The information contained herein is directly from all six congressional candidates in the 49th, 50th and 52nd Congressional District races (* = incumbent). We wanted to share this information with voters so they can decide for themselves who is best suited to represent their interests in public office.
In the short answer section, we limited the candidates’ responses to 350 characters (PDF version). For the relative priorities matrixes, we instructed candidates to please assign relative priorities to several issues. While these issues all have merit and aren’t always mutually exclusive, in a world of constraints, every issue can’t have high priority relative to the rest.
Scott Peters (D-52)*
Total campaign receipts (as of Sept. 30)
$1,515,380
Top 5 Donors
ActBlue PAC; Amalgamated Bank; Scott Peters; New Democrat Coalition PAC; D. Weiner
Briefly tell us about yourself and why you’re running
I’m a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee where I focus on climate change, renewable energy innovation, and ensuring access to affordable health care. I’m running for re-election to continue to fight for these and other priorities.
What are your top priorities?
I’ve passed bipartisan legislation to ensure infrastructure is more resilient to climate-related events like extreme weather. I introduced the GRID Act to address threats to the electric grid from nature, terrorism, or cyberattacks, as well as a bill to incentivize affordable housing near federally funded transit projects which protect taxpayers.
What’s your basic philosophy of deficit spending and national debt?
The national debt is at its highest level as a % of GDP since the ’40s; this badly hurts our ability to respond to emergencies and threats. I’ve worked toward a sustainable budget path, where debt grows slower than the economy. I voted against the irresponsible Republican tax cuts of 2017. I was named a “Fiscal Hero” by the Campaign to Fix the Debt.
COVID-19 illustrates health disparities, on the whole, between certain racial/ethnic demographics. What do you make of these differences and what can or should be done to address them?
These disparities are due to inequity in Americans’ access to affordable health care. Also, people of color make up a disproportionate share of our essential workers. The answer is access to health care. The COVID relief bills I helped pass boosted access to testing, health care, paid leave and Personal Protective Equipment for essential workers.
Where do you see an opportunity for fruitful compromise or collaboration across the partisan aisle?
The bipartisan USE IT Act I introduced promotes investment in carbon capture technology to reduce emissions. It has 23 Republican co-sponsors and recently passed in the Senate. My Employer Participation Repayment Act, which creates a matching program for employers to help workers pay off student debt, has 103 GOP cosponsors. It recently became law.
For your highest priority issue above, why is it your highest and how would you address it?
All of these are critical; it would be impossible to rank order them. I prioritize my time and my staff’s time based on issues to which I can lend the most expertise and those most important to San Diego’s economy: national defense, scientific research, trade, the border, immigration reform, climate, the environment, and access to healthcare.
For your lowest priority issue above, why is it your lowest and how would you address it?
There are many areas I care about a great deal that I don’t dedicate as much of my time or my staff’s time to because that legislation is better crafted by my colleagues who have greater direct experience or expertise. We learn from them and then do our own research. Congress is supposed to work together to get things done; that’s my approach.
Jim DeBello (R-52)
Total campaign receipts (as of Sept. 30)
$308,945
Top 5 Donors
Jim DeBello; P. Ralph; G. Lucier; D. Scheper; C. DeBello
Briefly tell us about yourself and why you’re running
I am a technology entrepreneur that co-invented mobile check deposit and have experience working in 6 different countries, including China. I am disappointed in the lack of leadership we are getting from Congress and believe change is needed.
What are your top priorities?
Our nation’s infrastructure has not kept pace with technology and is one of the most disappointing failures for those in a leadership position to change it. Government is both much needed, as well as the biggest hindrance to progress. There is far too much red tape between local, state, and federal jurisdictions. Cutting that is #1 top priority.
What’s your basic philosophy of deficit spending and national debt?
The question is when is a dollar of debt worth more to our future? The crisis we find ourselves in today is a clear example. But when we start leveraging our children’s future to pay for the mistakes we made today, without any sacrifice, then it becomes undesirable. This is a rampant problem in Washington and needs a much more thoughtful approach.
COVID-19 illustrates health disparities, on the whole, between certain racial/ethnic demographics. What do you make of these differences and what can or should be done to address them?
It is sad and unfortunate that these disparities exist. We must look at the data and work to resolve the root of the issue. Too often politicians want to take a picture for a camera rather than roll up their sleeves and fix the problem. These problems have been plaguing our urban communities for decades but their leadership remains the same.
Where do you see an opportunity for fruitful compromise or collaboration across the partisan aisle?
The beauty of America is our diversity. To me, every issue has room for collaboration. Whenever possible, we should push decision making to the local level so that communities can be making the best decisions for themselves. Specifically, at the federal level, the environment and immigration require us to come together with our best ideas.
For your highest priority issue above, why is it your highest and how would you address it?
Fiscal policy is the highest because that is what is most needed at this moment and for the foreseeable future. We must get the economy opened back up by using data, not emotions, to do it safely. This will require all tools at our disposal to ensure our economy recovers and gets back to thriving. Everything else on this list is 100% dependent on it.
For your lowest priority issue above, why is it your lowest and how would you address it?
To say that any of these issues are the lowest priority is a misuse of the word, but an issue that is very important but does not require our full and immediate attention is perhaps Trade. But even trade will factor into the success of our economy and is a tool we must implement.