Questions posed by readers of HK-Now.com/Haddam Killingworth News for the candidates for Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District: Joe Courtney, Democrat, who has held this seat since 2007, and Justin Anderson, Republican, a resident of East Haddam.
It is well documented that some States send billions more to the Federal Government than they get back in the form of grants or assistance. In a report covering the years 2015-2018, the Rockefeller Institute of Government reported that Connecticut ranked number one in Balance of Payments per Capita. Plainly put, this means residents send more of their hard-earned money to the Federal Government than we get in return. What plans do you have to remedy this situation?
Justin Anderson: There are many reasons why there is a redistribution on wealth at the federal level. Democrats would argue that we have a lot of individual wealth. There are many who work in New York that reside in Connecticut, which drives up our per capita income. We have a small population when compared to other states and we do not have military bases or other large federal complexes within our state. Those play into the equation.
On the other side of the equation, Connecticut has a substantial property tax, income tax, sales tax…we have all the taxes. The middle class of Connecticut pays the price for these inequities. Ultimately the very rich and the very poor have protections that many hard workers do not. More money needs to come back to the state and our state government needs to lower taxation. This invites business, homeowners and stops the mass exodus of retirees. This only works with the cooperation of a state government which must allow a federal return to go back into the pockets of the workers and not into the State Budget. A little-known secret is that politicians often squander money, while that same money in the hands of workers is spent within small businesses, and widely supports the economy. Build up the economy and you build up the tax base.
Joe Courtney: I have always been committed to bringing as much money back to eastern Connecticut as possible. Right now, I serve as the Chairman of the House Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee – the first Connecticut House member to oversee a navy panel in 147 years. In that position, I have fought for and won significant investment in our region’s submarine industrial base, which is fueling the growth of jobs across the region. According to a report this year by the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Connecticut ranks as the top state for per-capita defense contract spending in the country.
This investment is vital to jobs throughout the defense manufacturing sector of our region and our state. This is why I am fighting so hard to reverse President Trump’s budget proposal to cut a Virginia class submarine from the budget this year. This plan, in addition to being totally divorced from the priorities of our top military leaders, would threaten jobs and stability at the Groton shipyard and the wider supply chain. I’ve won bipartisan support for restoring funding for the submarine in the House, and will continue to work to get it passed in the Senate.
My staff works diligently to pursue grants for municipalities, nonprofits, and health systems across our district. One of the biggest changes that has exacerbated Connecticut’s “donor” status was the 2017 tax overhaul, which capped the state and local tax deduction on federal taxes. For states like ours, this change hit hard and I have strongly supported efforts to restore this policy. One of the biggest areas of opportunity for investment in our state is in rebuilding our infrastructure, if given the chance to return to Congress as your Congressman, I will continue to work to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that can being more funding and more support to our state to rebuilding our roads, bridges, and transit systems – and with it, jobs and economic growth.
Q: Connecticut has suffered greatly due to the Covid19 pandemic. UConn Economist, Fred Carstensen recently stated, “If we recover from the pandemic, we are where we were in 2005 or 2006. We have a very unhealthy economy, and this has been something that’s happened over the past decade.” Clearly Connecticut’s problems cannot all be blamed on the pandemic. If you are elected to office, what steps would you take to improve Connecticut’s economy?
Joe Courtney: It’s no secret the pandemic has taken a toll on Connecticut’s economy, as well as the financial well-being of our state and local governments. I have twice voted for the HEROES Act which would fund increased testing, contact tracing, and isolation efforts to crush the virus and a second round of small business loans and direct payments. Among the financial infusion would be direct aids to state and local governments who are dealing with increased costs and reduced revenues. Hopefully the White House and Senate will wake up and agree to some version of relief, which even Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve Board has strongly endorsed.
Just last month, a committee I serve on passed the first-ever reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act, which would provide earn-as-you-learn, on the job training. I have also secured funding for the Eastern Workforce Investment Board to enhance a manufacturing pipeline to ensure more residents can find secure, good-paying jobs in our region.
Justin Anderson: The most important aspect of improving our economy is to elect the best representatives within the state. Currently we have a state government that does not understand economics and has forced out a lot of business through poor legislation. Connecticut needs to be more business friendly. We need less taxation, and we need to foster an environment where people find it fiscally reasonable to live here, as opposed to the mass exodus we witnessed, just prior to COVID-19.
Stating we cannot blame all of Connecticut’s problems on the pandemic, is entirely true. Prior to COVID-19, every state in the nation was seeing an economic upturn, except for Connecticut. When America begins its economic recovery, it should also be expected that Connecticut’s recovery will lag behind the rest of the nation. An overtaxed state does not invite new people, new ideas and new businesses. I will bring in money through grants, programs and other avenues, but the permanent fix needs to be a responsible, economically educated, state government. You, the people, must find out who legislates for lower taxes and fiscal responsibility, then get out and vote!
Q: Many Americans are very worried about the rising cost of Medical Insurance premiums. Some even question whether or not they will be able to afford to purchase adequate healthcare coverage. Many Seniors are concerned that a “Medicare for all” program would overburden and destroy the current Medicare Program. Millions of seniors could be left with inadequate coverage and services when they need it the most. What ideas do you have on how this urgent concern might be addressed?
Justin Anderson: We are now faced with allowing a single payer system to become the new standard. With that, over 150 million hard working Americans, with insurance, will lose those plans and we will all be placed in the same system governed by the government. This is not acceptable. Not for any one of those Union workers, or those who can afford premium plans, or those who have exceptional employers. I will support a plan that is more inclusive for all, regardless of whether ACA is made better and has a public option, or simply replaced. The concerns must be placed on cost transparency, lowering the cost of medication, protecting pre-existing conditions and making sure we provide for our retired community first. Government has not proven it can run anything with fiscal responsibility, from the Postal Service to Social Security. Additionally, people should not work their entire lives and lose everything, they worked so hard for, just to stay healthy in their later years. Seniors are the priority. Even the Veteran Hospitals now offer the choice to go to a private doctor (Veteran’s Choice Act), if the VA cannot provide adequate care in a reasonable time. This is the opposite of moving to a single payer system. This also begs the question; in a single payer system, are veterans forced into that, or do they continue through the VA systems already in place? A single payer system will destroy the best medical treatment available in the world. We need to move forward, but the plan must allow for cost effective insurance for more people, without sacrificing the level of care for all.
Joe Courtney: Health insurance and prescription drug prices are too high in Connecticut and I have spent my time in Congress working to lower premiums and out of pocket costs for Connecticut residents. For example, I led the effort to repeal the 40% excise tax on employer sponsored health plans, for which the United Steelworkers awarded me the Paul Wellstone Award for my work to protect quality health care coverage for working families.
One of the biggest drivers of healthcare costs are prescription drugs which account for approximately 23% of our health care premiums in Connecticut. I cosponsored and helped pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would empower the federal government to finally negotiate the price of prescription drugs, saving hundreds of billions for Medicare and American patients. While we passed this measure in the House, it remains blocked in the Senate where special interests have succeeded stalling this vital work. With a new Senate and a new administration, I will continue to make this issue a top priority.
I also support building on the successes of the Affordable Care Act to further lower out-of-pocket costs, and achieve the goal of universal coverage through a public option, by lowering the Medicare eligibility age, or by allowing younger Americans to buy into Medicare. Crucially, I will continue to strongly oppose any proposed cuts to Medicare that come before me in Congress. This year, I supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act which would start by reversing some of the Trump Administration’s attacks on the ACA, and make the ACA’s savings more robust for individuals and families.
Q: Connecticut’s infrastructure problems are visible throughout the state. I-95, one of the country’s most heavily used interstates highways is constantly clogged with traffic. What would you propose to improve our infrastructure?
Joe Courtney: Connecticut is long overdue for an infrastructure overhaul. Much like the recent upgrade of the Niantic River Bridge under President Obama, much of the funding for projects like this will need to come from the Federal Government. Earlier this year, I cosponsored HR 2, the Moving Forward Act, which would invest in upgrading and improving highways, bridges, airports, rail, ports, and harbors. I strongly supported this legislation and urge the Senate to take it up and provide much needed investment in infrastructure across our state and nation.
Justin Anderson: Our state is in a critical location connecting New York to Boston. In the upcoming administration (from both parties), national infrastructure will be, and should be, on the agenda. We need to leverage the idea of not imposing tolls upon out-of-state travelers and commerce, with the condition that Connecticut gets a large piece of infrastructure funding. Tolls will clog smaller streets and historic districts and cause more issues, yet our highly travelled highway need to be open for interstate transportation. Toll cost to truckers will ultimately drive up consumer costs. A solid federal infrastructure plan to increase flow and upgrade our highways is a benefit to everyone.
Q: Congress is more divided than ever on almost every single issue we face today. Many leaders vote strictly along party lines without giving a thought to the possibility of compromise. With both sides digging their heels in, little gets accomplished and Americans suffer. Currently many are in desperate straits due to loss of employment, homes, and healthcare. What would you do to help break the constant state of gridlock in Congress?
Justin Anderson: This is one of the reasons I entered the arena of politics. All too often, party-line and ideology stop progress. I have said this many times; I do not care who gets the credit for good legislation, as long as it helps Americans. I would like to see bills presented to fix specific issues, and not bills laden with funding for issues that would not otherwise see the light of day. Good ideas can come from anywhere. Congress needs to have the courage to act on those ideas regardless of who presents them.
“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the Right answer.” John F. Kennedy
Joe Courtney: Since my days in the Connecticut State House, when I was voted “Democrat Most Admired by Republicans,” I have been focused on finding opportunities for bipartisan cooperation. During this past Congress, several priorities I led on became law on a bipartisan basis- health coverage for ‘blue water’ Navy veterans, a restoration of GI Bill cuts to military families, and a enacting standards and training to protect vulnerable frontline workers. In fact, the bipartisan Lugar Center ranks me 83rd the House on its bipartisan index out of 435.
Q: Many Americans today feel that we need Term Limits when it comes to members of Congress. They feel that the roles of Senators and Representatives should not be “lifetime” positions. Would you be willing to fight to introduce legislation pushing for Term Limits?
Joe Courtney: I believe elections are the best check on how long someone serves in office, and ultimately the decision about how long a person should serve the people should be made by the people. In a legislature with heavy turnover, the institutional knowledge resides with unelected staff and special interests who would have an outsized influence on the people’s business. With regard to legislation, establishing term limits would actually require a constitutional amendment, which is a much more difficult and complicated process. I have, however, cosponsored a bill in this Congress, HR 1, that would help make districts more competitive by creating independent redistricting entities to combat gerrymandering, and create a nationwide, small-donor based campaign finance system, similar to what Connecticut has done with the Citizen’s Election Program for statewide and legislative races.
Justin Anderson: I am a supporter of term limits. I have listened to the arguments that we need knowledgeable people in politics, and term limits can cause the loss of institutional knowledge. I disagree. We need a system where there is enough time for politicians to become well versed at their job, but not so long, that they become complacent or intrenched in party interests above American interests. We need a system where knowledgeable politicians teach and mentor upcoming politicians. When you must teach someone else everything you do… you tend to do things more honestly.
