November 01, 2012
While I appreciate the hard work that federal employees do, and believe that we must honor the commitments that we have made to them, we are all in this together. I don't believe that we can expect private sector employees to bear the burden of higher health care costs, lower return on retirement investments, and stagnant federal revenue alone. It is my sincere hope that improvements in the national economy will benefit all working men and women, and that federal employees will share equally in higher levels of compensation.
// The Congressional Budget Office projects spending on Medicare, Medicaid and other government health programs will more than double as a share of the nation's economy by 2037. What specific changes would you propose to reduce Medicare costs? //
As a physician, I see firsthand the effect that rising health care costs have on America's families, and I have compiled a list of more than 30 ways to reduce these costs. Some examples follow: Meaningful tort reform would create competent compensation boards and reduce the need for expensive litigation and consequently lower the cost of malpractice insurance, a significant expense for any medical practitioner. Empowering individuals to make and maintain healthy lifestyle choices would reduce the long term cost of health care, and improve the overall health of our society. Development of a universal standard for electronic medical records would facilitate appropriate decisions by medical providers and eliminate redundant testing and treatment. Investment in research, not marketing and packaging, by pharmaceutical companies will expedite the development of new treatment options, and lower the cost of prescriptions.
// Would you support increased federal spending on highways and other infrastructure as a way to boost the construction industry? If so, how would you pay for it? //
Absolutely. The economic growth of the last 70 years has been, in no small part, supported by the investment in infrastructure that helped us out of the Great Depression. Programs like the Tennessee Valley Authority and Works Project Administration created the public infrastructure that allowed modern transportation, energy supply, and education to grow our economy, but that same infrastructure is crumbling beneath us. Bridges, dams and schools go unfixed. Our power grid is outdated and vulnerable to outages. We must use this opportunity to reinvent and rehabilitate our public infrastructure, and we can't let long term deficit reduction goals stand in our way. Only by creating a solid base for economic growth can we realistically develop a path to a debt free government, and we must begin by investing in infrastructure today, funding it by any means available.
// Would you support U.S. military involvement in Iran if there were evidence that it was close to developing a nuclear weapon? //
While I believe that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable and counter to the goal of a peaceful global society, I support diplomatic efforts toward that end, and would only, reservedly, support military action if and when diplomatic efforts have utterly failed.
// Describe a specific policy you would pursue in Congress that would have support from members of the opposite party. //
I support the Saving American Democracy Amendment to the Constitution offered by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, which has already garnered bipartisan support, asserts that corporations are not people, are subject to regulation by the people, and which would prohibit campaign contributions or expenditures by corporations and affirm the power of Congress and the states to regulate campaign finance activity.
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[ 2nd Congressional District ]
The oddly shaped 2nd District is home to the state's largest military installations, Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground. It has traditionally been considered safe for Democrats, though redistricting has made the territory slightly more Republican. The incumbent is Rep. CA Dutch Ruppersberger, a Cockeysville Democrat.
Leo Wayne Dymowski, Independent
- City of residence: Dundalk
- Occupation: Lawyer in private practice; hearing officer, Maryland Parole Commission
- Experience: Paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Division, 1974-1977; cab driver through college; manager, Housing Authority of Baltimore City, 1982-1989; trial attorney, 1989-2003; hearing officer, Maryland Parole Commission, 2003-present.
- Education: B.A, UMBC, 1980; M.A., UMCP, 1981; J.D., University of Baltimore, 1989.
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime (not including minor traffic violations)? No
