Candidates:

James Oberstar, Democrat

Michael Cummins, 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.

James Oberstar (Democrat) RESPONSE:

Throughout my service in Congress, I have worked across party lines to craft bipartisan legislation to address our transportation needs. Next year, I will have the primary responsibility to write a new surface transportation law, and that will my top domestic priority. I have also worked to support bipartisan health care initiatives, and it is imperative for the next Congress and Administration to enact comprehensive health care legislation to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality and affordable health care. This is my second domestic priority. I also believe strongly that Congress must address the current crisis in the financial services and housing sector which threaten our economy. This issue is central to the retirement security of Americans and represents my third domestic priority.

Michael Cummins (Republican) RESPONSE:

I believe that there are solutions; it just is not with the state or federal government. I will work towards privatizing health care and giving control to individuals and the families. I support making premiums and deductibles 100% tax deductable. I will support bipartisan solutions that do not include federalized health care.

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.

James Oberstar (Democrat) RESPONSE:

I strongly support a balanced Social Security plan that provides guaranteed benefits for current and future retirees. The Bush Administration first rejected President Clinton's call to "Save Social Security First," with misguided tax breaks for the wealthy that squandered the federal budget surpluses that they inherited. Not content with their fiscal irresponsibility and deeply-flawed Medicare prescription drug program, the Bush Administration next attempted to advance a reckless privatization plan that would have undermined Social Security. The American people rightly rejected this dangerous proposal, but I remain concerned that Senator McCain seeks to revive plans to privatize Social Security. I strongly oppose diverting payroll taxes to fund individual retirement accounts. It is imperative to preserve the fundamental Social Security components of guaranteed benefits and social insurance.

Michael Cummins (Republican) RESPONSE:

I believe once again that the individual, not the federal government should have more control of their retirement. It should not be automatic, if an individual is not comfortable with diverting to IRA's, then they should have the opportunity to keep their money in Social Security.

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.

James Oberstar (Democrat) RESPONSE:

For many reasons, it is important to encourage Americans to save for their retirement. Increasing the national savings rate helps to finance economic development, and also helps Americans achieve their goal of retirement security. Yes, I support additional efforts to promote more savings options for American families. I support an automatic payroll deduction for employee IRAs, and I also favor the creation of retirement accounts that would supplement, not replace, Social Security.

Michael Cummins (Republican) RESPONSE:

I do support allowing individuals to create IRA's and having automatic deductions put into their individual accounts.

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.

James Oberstar (Democrat) RESPONSE:

I understand the great challenges that Minnesota families experience with obtaining access to affordable health care. Our nation spent $2.3 trillion on health care in 2007, and yet 45 million Americans do not have health insurance. We must expand access to the uninsured and improve health care, for I strongly believe that health care should be a right and not a privilege My preference is for a national single-payer system. I also strongly support effective government policies to provide employer incentives and expand public programs to ensure affordable health care. I support the Obama health care plan that would improve care for those with chronic diseases and would limit out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries by fixing the problems in the Medicare prescription drug program.

Michael Cummins (Republican) RESPONSE:

Bottom line, our health care in this country is out of control and the worst programs are the ones that are run by our government. There is too much waste and fraud. Hospitals billing our government for work not done, patience taking advantage of the system and everyone is looking to the government for solutions. There are always going to be families and individuals who are going to need our help, but we need to create incentives for families to take control of their own health care.

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.

James Oberstar (Democrat) RESPONSE:

As part of comprehensive health care reform, it is essential to promote long-term care in home and community care settings. I understand very well that those who require assistance with daily activities want to receive care in their homes, and this option is more cost-effective and promotes dignity and independence. To promote home care, we need to assist family care providers with both financial assistance as well as respite care to ease their burdens The Medicaid program was never designed to be the primary source for long-term care, and we must change the financing of long-term care> Consideration should be given to providing long-term care services as a Medicare benefit.

Michael Cummins (Republican) RESPONSE:

We need to create meaningful solutions to families who wish to provide long-term care for family members. Nursing homes are sucking the life out of families as the cost of care continues to rise. As I have stated on a questioner for those who have family members who have handicapped children, home care is far superior to group home care and creating meaningful tax incentives to the family will make providing that care affordable.