Candidates:

Erik Paulsen, Republican

J. Ashwin Madia, Democrat

Questions:

Priorities  Social Security  Enhancing Retirement Security  Making Health Care More Affordable  Long-Term Care 

The candidate was asked to check either the support or oppose boxes.

QUESTION:

What will be your top domestic issue priorities if elected? How will you work to break the gridlock to get things done on these issues? Please list your top three domestic priorities:

AARP RESPONSE:

AARP’s position: Millions of Americans worry about their health and long-term financial security. They fear the future will not be as prosperous for their children and grandchildren. They face competing demands: affording health care, saving for retirement, sending children to college and supporting aging parents. At the same time, soaring health care costs constrain businesses’ ability to grow and compete. Our elected leaders in Washington have become increasingly unable to solve major issues because of partisan gridlock. Americans want results from our elected leaders, not promises without action. It’s time for individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and government to come together to find solutions. AARP believes that providing quality, affordable health care and improving lifelong financial security for all Americans should be Washington’s top domestic priorities.

Erik Paulsen (Republican) RESPONSE:

Economy. To get our economy back on track and create jobs, I will fight to keep taxes low, reduce wasteful spending, and balance the federal budget. I firmly believe Congress should not bail out Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. Energy. We must explore for American oil and natural gas in the deep waters off our coasts; I support a comprehensive strategy to develop alternative energy sources, decrease dependence on foreign oil, increase supply, encourage conservation and build more refineries. Health Care. We need to expand access to health insurance and lower health care costs, while preserving quality. An increased focus on health information technology (electronic medical records/ e-prescribing) is key in leading us into the 21st century

J. Ashwin Madia (Democrat) RESPONSE:

I was proud to give back to my country by serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Now I am hoping to draw on my record of service, leadership and advocacy to restore our economy, balance our budget, and make health care affordable. While serving in Iraq, I had a chance to work with some of the bravest people I have ever met; brave Marines, but also brave Iraqis, who risked their lives just to come to work. It wasn’t just bravery in words, but bravery in action. I think we need more of that in Washington today. Not just politicians making speeches, but people with the courage to work with both sides to get things done and chart a new direction for our country.

QUESTION:

Will you support or oppose a balanced Social Security plan to continue the program’s guaranteed benefits for future generations? Will you support or oppose diverting Social Security payroll taxes to fund individual retirement accounts?

AARP RESPONSE:

Social Security has provided peace of mind for Americans for over 70 years. The program’s guaranteed, inflation adjusted benefit protects families when a worker retires, becomes disabled or dies. We all benefit from the shared responsibility of providing for today’s beneficiaries, with the knowledge that future generations will also share the responsibility for us. AARP believes that a bipartisan plan that balances additional contributions from higher income workers with modest adjustments in future benefits can maintain Social Security’s guaranteed benefits for future generations. AARP supports individual retirement accounts in addition to current guaranteed Social Security benefits, but believes diverting Social Security taxes from the Trust Fund to fund individual retirement accounts instead of Social Security would weaken the program and create a mountain of new federal debt.

Erik Paulsen (Republican) RESPONSE:

The candidate chose not to response by the deadline.

J. Ashwin Madia (Democrat) RESPONSE:

The essence of Social Security is the idea of shared responsibility for retirement security. That’s why I oppose President Bush’s risky scheme to privatize Social Security. We should protect Social Security from potentially disastrous stock market collapses. We need elected officials who will work to ensure Social Security’s future solvency, who will balance the budget, and stop Congress from “borrowing” against the Trust Fund. By keeping the promise of Social Security, we provide our seniors at least one real certainty during uncertain times.

QUESTION:

What options do you support to make saving for retirement easier for American families? Do you support or oppose guaranteeing employees’ access to automatic payroll deductions in the workplace to fund an IRA? Do you support or oppose creating retirement accounts in addition to Social Security?

AARP RESPONSE:

Lifetime financial security is a cornerstone of the American dream, yet this dream is being threatened by the phasing out of many traditional pension plans, and an economic environment where people find it difficult to save. Social Security was never intended to be a worker’s only source of retirement income. AARP supports creating new retirement savings options and expanding existing supplemental retirement accounts that enable workers to accumulate retirement savings in addition to Social Security’s guaranteed benefits. Half of all workers have no organized way to save for retirement such as pensions or 401(k) plans. AARP supports guaranteeing workers access to automatic payroll deductions to an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) in the workplace if their employers do not already provide them a pension or 401(k) plan.

Erik Paulsen (Republican) RESPONSE:

I am deeply concerned by the decline in defined benefit plans and am convinced we must create more opportunities to save for a secure retirement.

J. Ashwin Madia (Democrat) RESPONSE:

I oppose privatizing Social Security. But with regard to other retirement accounts like 401(k)s, the unfortunate reality is that most workers do not save enough for retirement and many do not even realize it. We need better retirement options and greater protection for retirement savings of workers participating in 401(k)s. Employees should have the choice of setting aside part of their paycheck for a retirement investment account with a diversified portfolio. We can provide additional incentives to employers that encourage all employees to save for retirement.

QUESTION:

What policies would you support to make health care and health insurance more affordable and accessible for everyone? What policies would you support to make Medicare more affordable?

AARP RESPONSE:

We believe affordable, quality health care is a fundamental right for all Americans. Availability of coverage, rising premiums and the prospect of losing coverage altogether have become constant concerns for too many families, including older Americans, because Medicare cost sharing continues to increase as well. Making health care affordable is a shared responsibility among government, business, health care providers and individuals. We need to improve quality, eliminate waste, establish more efficient systems of care, and take individual responsibility to live healthier lives. AARP believes existing programs, both public and private, should be strengthened with incentives and subsidies to encourage greater individual and employer participation. Improving care for chronic diseases like diabetes and expanding preventive care and greater use of research on health outcomes will help reduce costs and improve overall health.

Erik Paulsen (Republican) RESPONSE:

The candidate chose not to response by the deadline.

J. Ashwin Madia (Democrat) RESPONSE:

We are losing ground on health insurance and costs are increasing rapidly. We should preserve our quality of care and choice of providers while expanding access to preventive care to identify and treat illnesses early on. We could save as much as $40 billion with electronic medical records that reduce errors and unnecessary procedures. Americans who don’t like their coverage should be able to buy into the federal plan available to every Member of Congress. This would be budget neutral if we simply let the government negotiate with pharmaceutical drug companies for lower prices in Medicare. That could save another $30 billion. We can’t solve health care by simply blaming any particular group or industry. We have to work together to get something done.

QUESTION:

How would you shift long-term care services and financing so that people can afford to stay in their homes and communities as long as appropriate?

AARP RESPONSE:

At some point, most Americans will need supportive services to help with daily activities (such as dressing or bathing). The vast majority strongly prefer receiving care in their homes and communities rather than in more costly nursing homes or other institutions. However, government programs for long-term care are often geared toward institutions, making home and community-based care much harder to receive. The caregiving burden—both physical and economic— is often overwhelming for millions of families. AARP supports shifting long-term care programs to more home and community services to help people stay in their homes and communities as long as appropriate. Consumers should have more choices and improved quality of care across all settings, and the caregiving burden on millions of families should be eased.

Erik Paulsen (Republican) RESPONSE:

The candidate chose not to response by the deadline.

J. Ashwin Madia (Democrat) RESPONSE:

We should change the way we use existing Medicaid resources to allow people to stay in their homes or to live in the setting that is most appropriate for their medical needs, rather than a nursing home. I support creating an eldercare tax credit of up to $2,500 per year to help middle class families with the cost of taking care of an elderly parent or close relative. We can also make long-term care insurance more affordable and consumer-friendly to help families manage long-term care costs and allow greater numbers of older Americans to remain in their homes.