Dan's Insights: Answers to Your Top Questions

A large segment of our economy is struggling with wages or incomes that have not kept up with inflation. I will fight for more high-paying jobs and lower prices. Additionally, I will urge Congress to invest in education and skills training to prepare workers for the high-paying jobs of tomorrow. I will also fight to restore the state and local tax deduction with a tax credit for renters to place more money in workers’ pockets.

Securing women's reproductive rights is crucial, and I will advocate for national legislation to restore these freedoms while safeguarding our other liberties.

Affordable and accessilbe healthcare for all is imperative.  I will fight to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable and high-quality healthcare.

Climate change poses a significant threat to our planet.  I will strongly support the transition to renewable energy sources, implement stricter environmental regulations, investment in sustainable infrastructure and technologies, and advocate for a well-designed carbon tax.

I will start by ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education, particularly in reading and math, that will prepare them for college or vocational training. Too many public schools are failing our kids with very low reading and math proficiency scores.

Additionally, I will advocate for the investment of more federal money in education.  Currently, little more than 1% of the overall federal budget is invested in education.

We need to address learning loss due to school closures during the pandemic and invest in special education, mental health services, and remedial education to ensure that all students can read at grade level. I will prioritize education and skills training programs that equip every person with the necessary skills for the high-paying jobs of the future.

I support Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) policies that automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with government agencies, such as obtaining a driver's license or applying for social services. Additionally, I support the restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals upon completion of their sentences, including probation and parole.

Denying voting rights disproportionately affects communities of color and undermines the principles of democracy and rehabilitation. Furthermore, I support the establishment of nonpartisan or bipartisan redistricting commissions to draw electoral district boundaries in a fair and transparent manner, free from partisan gerrymandering.

I also endorse programs to engage in outreach efforts to historically disenfranchised communities, including communities of color, youth, and low-income individuals, to increase voter registration and turnout. Lastly, I support an independent election administration with clear and transparent procedures.

I believe that immigration reform is long overdue. It is imperative that we secure the southern border while expanding legal pathways for immigration and citizenship. I support family-based immigration, which allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor family members for immigration.

Additionally, I endorse merit-based immigration to enable our innovation economy to continue leading the world. Furthermore, I support temporary worker programs to meet the needs of industries that rely on immigrant labor. I advocate for humanitarian protections for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing persecution, violence, or natural disasters.

Moreover, I stand for providing protection and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers—undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and grew up in the country. Additionally, I support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented and law-abiding immigrants who meet certain criteria, such as paying taxes, passing background checks, and meeting residency requirements.

I would implement policies and regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture. Additionally, I would accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy by investing in renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power generation.

Furthermore, I would prioritize the preservation and restoration of natural resources and ecosystems that provide valuable climate mitigation services, such as forests, wetlands, mangroves, and coastal ecosystems. I would also engage in international cooperation and diplomacy to address global climate challenges, particularly with China and India, and facilitate their transition to fuels such as LNG to replace coal-fired power plants.  In addition, I would help implement measures to protect people and places, making them less vulnerable to the projected impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and increased flooding.

I strongly support women’s reproductive rights and would file legislation in Congress to restore access to safe and legal abortion nationally. I believe that safe and legal abortion rights are essential for women's reproductive health, autonomy, and equality. Moreover, I believe that abortion should be treated as a healthcare service and integrated into comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including contraception, prenatal care, and maternity services.

I believe that a lack of effective diplomacy is the largest foreign policy challenge facing the United States. I would maintain a strong military and strengthen strategic alliances such as NATO and the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.), all to serve as a deterrence and to negotiate from a position of strength.

Additionally, I would increase channels of communication and engagement with strategic rivals, such as China and Russia, to manage differences, prevent miscalculations, and pursue areas of cooperation where mutual interests converge. It is essential to make clear to Iran that we will continue to isolate them diplomatically and economically until they stop funding terrorist groups and threatening Israel.

Moreover, I would reengage diplomatically with North Korea to reduce tension in the region and the chance of war. I would offer food and other economic incentives to North Korea in exchange for a reduction in their nuclear program and threats in the region.