Candidate Answers to WLOS-TV Questions

 Bryan Overstreet, Special Projects Producer
WLOS-TV
Asheville, North Carolina                                      
Cell: 804-263-8551
E-mail: bsoverstreet@sbgtv.com
Re: Candidate Questions

1)  Why are you running for office?

I am a Green candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives-District 11.  For decades the environmentalists have exerted great effort to protect nature.  This week the UN Summit on Biodiversity gathered experts and leaders from around the world to talk about the progress we have made protecting biodiversity.  Our goals have not been met.  We are in the final hour of our fight to protect nature and our place in it.  If we do not act immediately, one million species face extinction in the next few years.  Human activity has already caused the extinction of a majority of our plant and wildlife, already.  I am running for office because our leaders are not taking this emergency seriously.  I want to preserve our planet for our children, their children and their grandchildren.  

2) What are your goals if you win the election?

When the people of Western North Carolina send me to Congress, my first goal is to immediately take steps to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its human and economic toll on Americans.  We must take action to bring a safe, effective and affordable vaccine to market as quickly as possible.  For those who are unable to pay for the vaccine, it must be provided at no cost.  Second, PPE and medications must be produced in the United States and Congress must pass legislation to fund the transition of industrial production back to America.  

The pandemic is a tragic example of how our failure to respect our natural surroundings has led to the death of 1 million people globally from the coronavirus.  The pandemic is the result of massive deforestation and displacement of wildlife species that carried the virus to other animals and then to humans.  

Furthermore, humans are the cause of the destruction of our natural habitat.  Over consumption; industrial waste; industrial and human water consumption; over farming; deforestation; over use of petroleum based packaging; have together depleted our food supply; destroyed 50% coral reefs; contaminated our marine life, rivers and lakes; caused droughts and wildfires; and warmed the planet, threatening our very existence, impoverishing millions and causing human diseases to multiply.

I will immediately pass legislation to create the National Department of Sustainability.  This federal department will be tasked with drafting and implementing the National Sustainability Emergency Plan.  According to the UN GA President  Volkan Bozkir, a “green recovery" that addresses these concerns, and leads to a more sustainable, resilient world will help unlock an estimated $10 trillion in business opportunities, create 395 million jobs by 2030, and encourage a greener economy."

Congress must play a role in this transition by securing income for Americans and subsidies for business to transition to a sustainable economy.  We cannot continue with business as usual.  To do this I propose protection for Social Security and Medicare along with transitioning people into Medicare USA to ensure health care coverage as business changes and workers change jobs as old industries die out.  Income protection must be on the table and to do this I propose a temporary Universal Basic Income.  My plan will save trillions of dollars in the long-term by taking care of people during the transition to a sustainable future.  

3) Why should voters choose you over your opponent?

Firstly, I am the only candidate who is unbossed and unbought.  I am beholden to no organization, Party, PAC or corporate entity.  I have not taken any donations, nor have I sought any endorsements.  Therefore, I am free to represent my constituents without restraint to favors owed.  

My opponent Madison Cawthorn has no education, no experience and no training to prepare him for the job of U.S. House Representative, an awesome responsibility that requires education, experience, ability and competence.  It takes more than being the "youngest person" and debate performance to address the emergency we are facing and to do the hard work of a Representative.  No one would let a lay person perform critical brain surgery on their child so why would you let an inexperienced, uneducated young man serve in Congress passing critical legislation that will impact your life, income and health?  We have too much to lose by electing him. He has made life altering choices that indicate he has poor judgment, on more than one occasion.  He has a history of addiction and a traumatic brain injury that can impact his emotional responses and ability to process and analyze complex information.  I am sure Cawthorn will find a path that is more suitable, but he is not Congressional material.  Cawthorn wants to cut the payroll tax and shift the burden to workers who are already struggling to pay their bills and stay housed.  He talks a good game about empathy, but what is empathetic about cutting worker pay and leaving younger workers with no future pension?  Millions of retirees, disabled children and adults depend on Social Security and Medicare.  What is empathetic about leaving them stranded?  Social Security is not an entitlement program.  Workers pay into it and employers join in the altruistic act, in lieu of providing employees with a pension.  We passed the Social Security Act to eliminate poverty in old age and we are not going backwards.  

Opponent Col. Morris Davis talks about his time in the military prosecuting the September 11 terrorist, but what he won't say today is he supported torture.  That should take him immediately out of the race.  Anyone who was alive on September 11, has no love for terrorists and most of us wanted to torture the perpetrators.  But what makes America different is, we know that the best way to gather actionable intelligence is to treat detainees humanly.  But, more than that, we know that we must abide by the Geneva Convention and refrain from torturing or mistreating detainees because that is the morally required of a civilized society.  When we torture detainees, we risk the lives our of service members because our enemies will retaliate.  

4) What will your priorities be when you take office?

The first day I am sworn in as your representative to Congress, I will activate a constituent outreach network to ensure that you go with me to Congress.  I want to hear from my constituents and make them an active part of my time in office.  I want to know what is important to you and how you want me to vote.  I am there to represent you, whether you voted for me or not.  I am not there with an agenda.

In addition to the previous goals that were specified, I will collaborate with both sides of the aisle to ensure we move forward quickly to address the pandemic and pass legislation to immediately move forward with sustainability efforts.  As a Social Worker, I am trained to collaborate, cooperate and get things done for the people.  Party politics has destroyed Congress, but I am the person to bring us together.  

This is our final hour.  It is up to the voters to take action to protect America for our children, their children, and their children's children.  We know, the Democrats and Republicans have not taken action to make this happen.  I will.  But, the choice is up to the voters.  It would be the highest honor to serve the public and I promise you, I will work harder than anyone in Congress for you and your family and our future.