Candidates:

Collin Peterson, Democrat

Glen Menze, Republican

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.

Collin Peterson (Democrat) RESPONSE:

As Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and a leader of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats I will do as I always have -- as my record demonstrates -- and work with Republicans to deliver compromise solutions for our nations' problems. My priorities are to (1) promote an "all of the above" Energy policy for the U.S., (2) oversee proper implementation of the new Farm Bill by the next Administration so that all the good programs it contains will effectively deliver the assistance to rural America that we intended, and (3) strengthen the U.S. economy by investing in our own infrastructure, expanding competitive opportunities for our own workforce and controlling federal spending to restore balanced budgets using strict "pay-go" rules.

Glen Menze (Republican) RESPONSE:

Economy Social Security and Medicare. By 2012 Medicare will pay out more money then it is taking in, by 2017 social security will pay out more money then it takes in. If nothing is done by 2040 these two and the federal debt will take up the entire federal budget. We need strong leaders who will insist that we fix this now. I will work across party line to get this done. Our economy needs to be strong to insure that tax revenues can pay for all our social needs. We must help businesses grow jobs and build our tax base.

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.

Collin Peterson (Democrat) RESPONSE:

Social Security Trust Funds should only be spent on Social Security. Congress should not reduce benefit levels for current or future retirees. I am not in favor of privatizing the Social Security system, but I believe we can increase the opportunity for individuals to save and invest their retirement funds without risking the safety and soundness of the Social Security and we should work to develop additional opportunities and incentives for people to save money.

Glen Menze (Republican) RESPONSE:

Young workers should be able to choose to put some of their social security taxes into federal bonds or treasury bills.

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.

Collin Peterson (Democrat) RESPONSE:

Employees should be guaranteed access to automatic payroll deductions to fund an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Personal savings are a key element for building future financial security and I am in favor of creating additional specialized savings accounts - controlled by individuals - that can supplement retirement funds in addition to those provided by our Social Security System.

Glen Menze (Republican) RESPONSE:

Retirement accounts should be part of everyones yearly budgets.

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.

Collin Peterson (Democrat) RESPONSE:

To build a strong future for rural Minnesotans and the 7th District we must have available, affordable and accessible health care, and to do that we must overhaul the Medicare payment system so that rural health care providers - doctors and hospitals - can stay in business and accept future Medicare patients I support Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Association Health Plans (AHPs) and efforts to make health plans modeled after the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) widely available throughout the country. I also support employer sponsored health insurance system and efforts to expand on public assisted health insurance programs that are State run. I have supported the Children's Health Insurance Program and believe that every child should have access to health care.

Glen Menze (Republican) RESPONSE:

A balanced health care system that puts patients incharge of care and cost must be top priority.

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.

Collin Peterson (Democrat) RESPONSE:

Most people I know would prefer to convalesce in their own homes and there are public and private sector services for people coping with chronic illnesses that allow them to do just that. However, people with limited incomes, and especially those in rural areas, do not necessarily have access to these programs. I support long term care tax credits and caregiver tax credits. Long term care insurance, health care expenses and health insurance premiums should be tax deductible. I support Health Saving Accounts, which provide people with flexibility on how they choose to spend their health care dollars. Medicare and other public programs should provide options for people on limited incomes, but they must also be responsible about the expenditure of our federal tax dollars.

Glen Menze (Republican) RESPONSE:

Personal choice must be part of any long term care system.