Agendas
HEALTHCARE
EDUCATION
ECONOMY
IRAQ WAR
IRAN
VETERANS
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & FIREFIGHTING
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH
IMMIGRATION
BUSINESS
LABOR
WATER
SENIOR CITIZENS
WOMEN & CHILDREN
Healthcare:
Over 48 million Americans, including 40% of working families in East County, have no healthcare insurance. Many more are paying high prices for premiums that cover less and less. The Institute of Medicine estimates that 18 million people die in the U.S. each year because they have no health insurance.
“This is unconscionable,” said Vickie. “Our healthcare system is broken. It’s time for the U.S. to join with other industrialized nations in the world and provide universal healthcare coverage for all Americans.” Vickie speaks with authority on medical issues, as past president of the National Medical Association Auxiliary, former Grossmont Hospital Foundation board member, and panelist with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Funding universal healthcare would cost far less than what the U.S. is currently spending on the Iraq War. “The healthcare system is complex,” Vickie said. “With my consensus building skills, I will push hard to address disparities in healthcare to assure that all Americans will have affordable, high-quality healthcare for themselves and their children.”
Education:
An educator who has taught at Grossmont Community College, at the California School for the Deaf, and in the Grossmont High School district, Vickie Butcher understands first-hand the importance of supporting strong public education. “The best investment we can make is an investment in our children’s future,” she said.
Vickie believes it is time to reexamine No Child Left Behind, which while well-intentioned has created unfunded mandates that caused more harm than good. “We must intensify our focus on strengthening, not weakening public education, the cornerstone of our children’s future,” she observed.
Vickie is also concerned over soaring costs and decreased diversity at the college level. “I will strive to make college education affordable and accessible to all deserving students,” she pledged.
Economy:
We must stem the outsourcing of American jobs to foreign countries, Vickie believes. Tax loopholes for companies that move offshore and outsource jobs overseas must be reexamined. Future trade agreements must require that foreign operations meet stringent labor, environmental and social standards, putting the U.S. on a level playing field.
“It is imperative to revitalize our economy,” noted Vickie, who supports investment in creation of “green jobs” such as manufacturing solar photovoltaic cells and wind generation. With world oil reserves peaking and the cost of oil rising to nearly $100 a barrel, relying on diminishing oil supplies in the politically turbulent Middle East is not a viable long-term strategy. “By converting the U.S. to renewable energy resources,” Vickie observed, “we will not only boost our economy and reduce global warming, but also strengthen our national security.”
Iraq War:
Supporting our military and our soldiers must be a top priority. Nearly 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed and more than 28,000 have been seriously wounded in the Iraq War. Our young men and women are coming home with brain injuries and missing limbs, and many veterans are not even receiving adequate care.
This war has cost taxpayers $700 billion so far—and President Bush has requested another $200 billion for 2008. Before the war started, the Bush administration told us the war would cost $50 billion. Today, we are spending $10 billion a month on the Iraq War—over $270 every single day! In addition, an astounding $9 billion of taxpayers’ money has been totally lost in Iraq—unaccounted for by our government. A new report from the Congressional Budget Office now estimates the total cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may ultimately reach $2.4 trillion.
According to the National Priorities Project, taxpayers in the 52nd Congressional Distirct will pay $1.2 billion as our share of the Iraq War cost through 2007. Next time a politician tells you that we can’t afford healthcare, more firefighters, strong public education or security measures to protect us, consider this. Our district’s share alone of the Iraq War cost could have purchased any one of the following items:
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Healthcare for 488,989 people
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22,152 public safety officers
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17,962 elementary school teachers
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182,839 scholarships for university students
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90 new elementary schools
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3,564 affordable housing units
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15,915 port container inspectors
Even top military experts now agree that continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is only increasing the insurgency, and that we must turn control of Iraq over to the Iraqi people. The best way to improve U.S. security, protect our soldiers and invest in help needed here at home is to implement a phased withdrawal and bring our troops home.
Iran:
President Bush has warned that attacking Iran could trigger World War III. U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter, a conservative Republican who voted for George W. Bush, has stated that Iran is at least 10 years away from developing a nuclear weapon.
Our troops are already stretched too thin fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Short of a draft, there would be no viable way to support yet another war in Iran—a country that has far more formidable military forces than Iraq.
“I believe the best way to deal with a potential long-range threat posed by Iran is through diplomacy and forging alliances with our allies—not a unilateral attack that can only serve to escalate anti-American hostilities around the world,” Vickie concluded.
Military and Veterans Issues:
America has a duty to honor our veterans and members of the military who have served our country.
“I am deeply disturbed that this administration has failed to provide proper care for many our military men and women, especially those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Vickie Butcher said. “More than 10,000 U.S. veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are now homeless. Suicide rates among our young veterans ages 20-24 are two to four times higher than civilians the same age. Many have not even been able to obtain counseling for post-traumatic stress.”
Butcher also expressed concern over a USA Today investigation which checked records at military hospitals. That report proved that traumatic brain injuries among soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq are five times higher than the Pentagon admitted. In fact, nearly 25,000 U.S. soldiers have suffered brain injuries in these wars.
“Our government has added insult to injury by actually asking wounded veterans to pay back enlistment bonuses,” Butcher noted. “This sort of treatment is unconscionable. I believe we need legislation to require accurate reporting of war injuries to the American soldiers and veterans. All combat veterans must also have prompt and appropriate access to physical and mental health services. I will also introduce a bill to prohibit our government from demanding refunds of enlistment bonuses from wounded soldiers or veterans.”
Butcher also believes in providing education and job training to help our returning military men and women. “For this reason,” she added, “I support Congressman Bob Filner’s legislation to create a new G.I. Bill of Rights.”
Wildfire Prevention & Firefighting:
With half a million people evacuated, over 1,700 homes destroyed and several lives lost, San Diego County has suffered more than a billion dollars in damages from the recent fires. “My heart goes out to those who lost homes or loved ones,” Vickie concluded. “We can’t afford to suffer such massive losses in the future. It’s imperative that we have strong leadership at the federal level to oversee coordination of fire prevention and firefighting resources among all government entities.”
Vickie applauds the swift response of local officials to fire victims after the recent wildfires, but believes that much more should have been done at all levels of government to prevent the rapid spread of these devastating fires. “I watched fires burn on three sides of my home in El Cajon during the 2003 Cedar fire, the worst wildfire in California history,” she recalled. “Like many others, I trusted that our leaders would take action to prevent another wildfire from reaching such a destructive scale.”
Numerous reports published after the Cedar fire in 2003 warned of future catastrophic blazes if key steps were not taken, such as creating appropriate brush-clearing and firebreak programs. Yet those warnings were largely ignored. Funds to clear brush from only a fraction of necessary acreage were allocated, despite severe drought conditions. After the Harris and Witch Creek fires broke out in October 2007, it took days for military aircraft to arrive and fight the fires. Lack of spotter personnel from Cal Fire further delayed firefighting efforts.
“ I will fight for funding to provide adequate brush clearing and firebreaks,” said Vickie, who also seeks rapid deployment of firefighting resources to fight wildfires in the early stages. In addition, she supports overturning an obscure law designed to protect corporate owners of firefighting aircraft from competition. This reform would allow a state or local government to maintain its own, locally-based fleet of firefighting aircraft, assuring rapid response when the next wildfire strikes. We also need to focus on revisiting new development in fire-prone areas and implementing higher fire safety standards, she added.
Fiscal Responsibility:
Our national debt is now a staggering $9 trillion, fueled by costly wars and irresponsible spending under the Republican administration. We cannot afford to mortgage our children’s future. Vickie supports fiscal responsibility and a shifting of our national priorities. Corporations making windfall profits off the sweat of American workers should pay their fair share. We also must stop providing tax incentives to companies that outsource American jobs overseas.
America has a moral obligation to care for our poor, our sick and our elderly. “We must support our social safety nets,” Vickie declared. “I will oppose any efforts to weaken Social Security or Medicare.” Strengthening our economy while protecting those most in need must be a priority, she believes.
“I favor a shift away from an oil-based economy and toward investment in clean, renewable energy and manufacturing of products such as solar photovoltaic cells and windmills,” said Vickie. “This will create new “green jobs” and help revitalize the U.S. economy through sustainable energy production. We must also focus on water infrastructure to assure the long-term availability of clean water,” added Vickie, who has leadership expertise on water issues and organizing international trade conferences as executive director of Water for Children Africa.
Environment And Public Health:
“Signing the Kyoto treaty to reverse global warming must be a top priority. I also favor investment in renewable energy production,” Vickie stated.
The Bush administration has weakened protections for clean air and water, endangering our children’s health while placing dangerous extremists from the mining and timber industry in charge of agencies that are supposed to protect our environment.
“I believe that all Americans should have a right to a clean and healthy environment,” said Vickie, mother of five children. “I will support laws to protect our families from chemicals in air, water and food. We must also tighten restrictions on Chinese imports to assure that our children are protected against toxic and deadly contaminants in food and toys made overseas.”
Immigration:
Immigration is a highly complex issue that requires a leader with international consensus building skills to create a comprehensive immigration reform policy.
“We must protect our borders against terrorism, while creating laws that are fair and just to all,” concluded Vickie, who will apply her international leadership experience in both business and nonprofit organizations to address immigration issues in a fully comprehensive manner.
Business:
Vickie’s balanced perspective and experience assure that she will protect the vital interests of both businesses and employees in the 52nd Congressional District, while working to revitalize the American economy to benefit labor and business.
“Small business is the backbone of the economy in my district,” said Vickie. “As a former owner of small businesses, including an import/export company and a community bookstore, I understand the needs of business owners and their families.” Vickie has also organized 11 international business and trade conferences and through the U.S. Department of Commerce, helped American small businesses obtain information and forge win-win, fair trade partnerships with farmers and artisans in Africa.
In addition, she supports incentives for businesses to revitalize our economy by shifting America toward sustainability and energy independence.
Labor:
“I grew up in a working class family in a neighborhood grocery business,” recalled Vickie, who supports the Employee Free Choice Act. “I will protect the rights of workers and their families to have a safe, healthy workplace free of discrimination. I also believe that laws to protect workers and union members must be enforced at the federal level. We must also stem the outsourcing of American jobs overseas by requiring labor and environmental provisions in trade agreements, helping to level the playing field for companies that keep jobs here in our country.”
Vickie will also be a leading voice to reform our broken healthcare system, recognizing that the high cost of healthcare is crippling for businesses, employees and their families. “We must have affordable, accessible healthcare for all Americans,” said Vickie, who brings expertise to the table as past president of national, state and medical organizations and a former FDA medical panelist. “Forty percent of working people in my district have no healthcare insurance, and that is wrong. Access to affordable healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.”
In addition, she supports training in “green collar” jobs with good wages and tax incentives for start-up businesses helping to revitalize our economy by shifting America toward sustainability and energy independence.
Water:
“Water quality and access to water are issues that will become critically important in the coming years,” Vickie predicted. “Water is life. This is a issue that requires focus, insight and an ability to make laws that will provide safe, sustainable water to all Americans. As executive director of Water for Children Africa and past member of the California Water Quality Control Board, I have the expertise necessary to take a leadership role on this important issue.”
Senior Citizens:
“The needs of America’s aging population are under-funded and deserve far more attention in Congress,” Vickie declared. “Seniors have spent a lifetime contributing and supporting our nation. We must empower seniors to remain active members of society while also providing appropriate safety nets to lift our senior citizens out of poverty. I will oppose any effort to weaken Social Security or MediCare.”
Vickie supports legislative reform to assure dignity, affordable comprehensive healthcare and appropriate long-term care for our nation’s senior citizens.
Women & Children:
As a mother of five and a woman who has succeeded in breaking the “glass ceiling” to attain leadership positions in many organizations, I understand the challenges faced by women at home and in the workplace. We must provide fair and just protections for women against gender discrimination, while also assuring that all women and their children have access to appropriate medical care. I was honored by the March of Dimes with their Mother of the Year award for my commitment to protecting the health of women and children. As Executive Director of Water for Children Africa, I helped bring clean water and medical care to children in 15 countries, including providing AIDS kits to children of HIV-infected mothers.
In my global travels, I have seen first-hand the horrific conditions many women must endure. I believe it is high time for the U.S. to ratify CEDAW, the United Nations Convention for Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. Also known as the Treaty on Women’s Rights and the Bill of Rights for Women, CEDAW has been ratified by 185 countries. It provides protections to women worldwide from acts of brutality such as rape, domestic violence, and human trafficking (slavery).
Here in the U.S., we must protect the rights of women in the workplace. Women workers still make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. We must protect the rights of women like Lilly Ledbetter, who after working at Goodyear for 19 years, learned that she was being paid far less than all of her male coworkers with similar jobs. A jury agreed that she had been paid unfairly and awarded her back pay, as well as punitive damages. But the U.S. Supreme Court took away every penny of her back pay and other damages, ruling that a 180-day limit to file suit had begun when the very first paycheck showed lesser pay--even though Ledbetter didn’t know she was being underpaid at the time. This is wrong, which is why I support the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act of 2007 to protect all working women’s rights to fair and equal pay.
I also protect women’s rights to privacy. I believe that pregnancy-related decisions should be up to a woman and her physician. Outlawing abortion would put women’s lives at risk, particularly here in San Diego County, where women desperate to terminate a pregnancy could simply go to Mexico as they did before Roe v. Wade--risking infection, sterility, or even death from procedures under unsafe conditions.
I do, however, favor safe and humane ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The ability to afford a child is one of the main reasons women give for seeking to end a pregnancy. Today, 48 million people in America have no health insurance. Childbirth and prenatal care cost thousands of dollars—money that poor mothers often need to care for existing children. A more humane way to lower the abortion rate would be to provide affordable, universal healthcare for all Americans—starting with pregnant women and their children. We should also assure that all women have access to affordable contraception and information about adoption services.