Last evening, August 25, I participated for the first time ever in a Candidates' Forum.  It was sponsored by the Dean Creek Volunteer Fire Department at their recently-built firehouse, about 20 miles southwest of Roundup.  Seating capacity seemed to be about 70 people (this time overwhelmingly Republican) and most of the seats were filled.  Statewide as well as local candidates were invited to speak.  I felt prepared, thus relatively comfortable.  There was time to speak to only two issues but I could have done with many more since I had studied them in depth. 

My Opening Statement below speaks to one aspect of the Affordable Care Act.  The other issue was ALEC, American Legislative Exchange Council, which I will address in my next post.

OPENING STATEMENT

"Thanks to Sally McRae, Christiane Sikora, and the Dean Creek Volunteer Fire Dept. for their efforts in making this Candidate Forum possible.

I say to you that I'm running as the Democratic candidate for the Montana House of Representatives.  What does that mean?  If I'm elected as your Representative of House District #40, how can you judge whether or or not I'm doing my job?  This is how I see it.

The first part of my job is to listen.  There are issues that impact you, there may be concerns you have.  What are they?  How do you feel about them?  How do they affect you?

The second part of my job is to do the research, the footwork.  That means finding out as much as I can about the issue, all sides of it.  What are the facts?  What's really happening as opposed to what someone else has said about it?  Are there aspects to the issue that are unclear?

And, last but not least, the third part of my job is to communicate.  It's not only important for me to get back to you with results but to also exchange information with others in the legislature.

Listen, research, and communicate is the method used in the following example.  Recently, I asked a friend to name an important issue for her.  She responded "Obamacare" and told me of an email she'd received recently that listed all the taxes we would have to pay as a result of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.  "You're kidding," I said.  "No," she replied.  "All the taxes are increasing!  I'll email you a copy."

On that list of taxes were the following:  "Top income tax bracket went from 35% to 39.6%; top income payroll tax went from 37.4% to 52.2%; Capital gains tax went from 15% to 28%; Dividend tax went from 15% to 39.6%; and Estate tax went from 0% to 55%.

To research, I went to the web and found an article at ConsumerReports.org.  The title is called, "Does Obamacare raise taxes on ordinary Americans?"  The answer is "...taxes have not been raised for ordinary, non-wealthy Americans to pay for the Affordable Care Act."

Out of the taxes in the ACA (Obamacare), only two apply to individuals.
1.  High earners -- Those with earned incomes above $200,000 pay an extra 0.9% Medicare tax on all earnings over that threshold.
2.  Wealthy investors -- This tax is applies to households with modified adjusted gross income of more than $200,000.  It is estimated that the majority of these revenues will come from the richest 0.1% of taxpayers.
3.  The rest of the taxes are directed at businesses, mostly those who stand to earn money from selling insurance, drugs, and devices to millions of Americans who are newly insured.  Tanning parlors are paying a 10% excise tax on their services.

I communicated this information to my friend who asked for a copy so she could email it back to the original sender, clarifying a misunderstanding of taxes within the ACA.  This communication is particularly important since the tax list sent to my friend made it sound as if all individual Americans would owe these taxes.

Clouding the facts of an issue does not help anyone, Republican or Democrat.  My efforts to listen, research, and communicate, however, can make a difference.  It is this method I will use with constituents and it will be the method I use when casting my votes in the legislature."

At the break, several people told me I had their votes.  A Roundup male suggested if I didn't win this time, I should try again.  He offered his help if and when I decide to try again (assuming that my competitor will be successful this last time, after which he will be retiring).  All in all, my feelings include a sense of pride and doing the best I could do in that situation; there were many candidates and limited time.  My fears did not materialize; I worked through them -- this time.

Letters to the Editor:

(Written by Jim Garvey, published by the Billings Gazette, July 17, 2014)
Title:  "Obama only has support in the Senate"

    "Recently The Billings Gazette apologized for endorsing President Obama and we all make mistakes, even newspapers.  This shows a mature approach to accepting responsibility; unfortunately President Obama is not a responsible leader.
     I will not go into the litany of events to which this president has shown a complete lack of responsibility and leadership with regard to domestic and foreign policy.
     To start impeachment proceedings against this president would be a waste of time and money.  Since the majority in the Senate is Democratic and the president is the leader of the Democratic Party, therein lies the problem with this country -- 'party politics.'
     If left up to 'the people,' he would receive an overwhelming vote of 'no confidence' along with the majority of those in Congress."  [Editor's note:  The Gazette did not apologize for or pull its endorsement of Barack Obama in 2008.]
 
(Written by Edith Sloan, published by the Billings Gazette, August 3, 2014)
Title:  "Without supporting examples, claims are meaningless"

     "Response to Jim Garvey letter of July 17:  The very first statement Garvey makes is false.  The Billings Gazette neither apologized for nor pulled its endorsement of President Barack Obama in 2008.
     Garvey makes only general statements like "...is not a responsible leader" and "...has shown a complete lack of responsibility and leadership..."  These types of statements mean nothing unless clarified by use of examples.
     Garvey makes charges but provides no evidence.  Thus the charges have no standing, no substance.
     [The biggest problems of the Republican Tea Party are illustrated in Garvey's letter.]  Today, much of what the Republican Tea Party spouts is inaccurate or false, includes general statements with no specifics, and makes charges without evidence.  False, unclear statements purposely lacking in facts seek to confuse but do nothing to add to the national debate -- they are only waste."