Election 2018: Congressional candidates on health care, Oroville Dam spillway crisis

Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA)

Sept. 20--U.S. representative (3rd district) Part 2

Q: How do you see changes in health care policy affecting our community?

Schaupp said he does not support Obamacare. He said government bureaucracy should not be involved in the process. He said people are struggling to receiving adequate care under Obamacare and prices are going up. He said it is time to get hometown care back.

Garamendi said the country is facing a serious issue. He said the Affordable Care Act provided insurance to a large number of citizens who had never had access to quality health care. He said the government can and must do better to ensure more people have access to health care.

Q: What can be done about the health of our forests?

Garamendi said there is new funding in place to help with the problem. He said the state needs to clear its forests and can use the material to create bio-energy.

Schaupp said foolish environmental policies are the reason the state has seen massive destruction. He said more needs to be done to clear the forests.

Q: There is concern over Social Security and Medicare for those approaching retirement. What's happening and what can be done?

Schaupp said too many are abusing the system, resulting in the current situation where some seniors could be short when they retire if the situation isn't corrected. He said there needs to be more common-sense actions taken in Washington to make sure drug prices remain reasonable.

Garamendi said the Trump Administration's recent tax cut is adding to the national deficit, leading to talks of proposed cuts to programs like Social Security and Medicare. He said it will be a huge battle over the next year and laws need to change to make sure drug prices are affordable.

Q: What's your response to the Oroville Dam crisis and should the federal government step in to help fund the repair efforts?

Garamendi said the federal government shouldn't pay for it, considering the burden would be put on the taxpayers. He said the Department of Water Resources, which operates the facilities, and other members of the State Water Project, which benefit from the resources at Lake Oroville, should be on the hook.

Schaupp said more needs to be done to make sure the state is adequately maintaining its dams. He said the state also needs to dredge the rivers and create more water storage to account for a growing population.

Q: Homelessness and poverty are top issues in the region. What are your thoughts on the current situation?

Schaupp said the state government is making it impossible to run a business, meaning there are fewer jobs available. He said homeless people need jobs to gain their dignity back, and the problem won't correct itself by throwing money at it.

Garamendi said Yuba-Sutter is considered a leader when it comes to addressing the homeless situation. He said the efforts being carried out by a large number of people in the community are encouraging. He also said other topics that need to be addressed include affordable housing and growing income inequality.

Q: How do we get over the fear and anxiety that persist over a gamut of political issues?

Garamendi said there is a narrowing of respect that needs to be broadened across the country. He said the president is trying to divide the nation on a daily basis and that the country needs to get beyond that.

Schaupp applauded the president's tactics, saying Trump is a leader who has the guts to tell the truth. He said he's thankful there are people in Washington now who aren't trying to put up a smoke screen, and citizens should be thankful they are being told the truth for once.

Q: How will the present administration's tax cuts affect average citizens? Why not go further and provide more relief?

Schaupp said the present tax cuts are stimulating the country's economy. He said it's putting people back to work and will actually result in more taxes being collected in the long run due to the increase in gross domestic product.

Garamendi said the recent tax cuts benefited American corporations and the super wealthy. For the rest, he said it's widened the country's income inequality. He said it's a huge social problem facing the nation that will be need to be addressed this year.

___

Visit the Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.) at www.appeal-democrat.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.