PUBLIC HEALTH | PUBLIC ENERGY | PUBLIC SECURITY | RELIGIOUS CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ | PUBLIC INTEGRITY | PUBLIC EDUCATION
Problems We Face Together

TOGETHER, WE WILL…

Wisconsin Congressman Steve Kagen strongly believes, “We must begin to think differently in America, and find a better way of doing things.”

During the past decade, our government lost its way and failed to listen to ordinary people. “We must restore faith in our government, for good government can make a positive difference in people’s lives. Let’s restore our faith in each other, as we guarantee access to affordable health care for every citizen, enact effective election and lobbying reforms, secure our borders, and move towards energy independence - even as we continue to protect and conserve our environment.”

“Abroad, we need to show our allies and our enemies that conversations, not confrontations, can solve even our greatest differences.”

“Let’s rediscover the American values that made us great. I believe we have chosen positive change and a new direction, and by working together, we will build a better future for all of us.”

Steve Kagen, M.D.
Member of Congress

PUBLIC HEALTH
Let me be perfectly clear: We do not need socialized medicine – period.

I have been working hard everyday in Congress to guarantee access to affordable care for every citizen. We need to put in place the essential elements of health care all across these United States: (1) openly disclose all prices; (2) secure the same discounts for all citizens, so we all pay the same price for the same health service or product; and (3) create the largest insurance risk pool possible - 300 million strong - to reduce prices for insurance and prescription drugs for all of us, with absolutely no discrimination against any citizen due to any pre-existing conditions.

I have also been working to establish a basic health insurance policy that covers you from head-to-toe; a basic policy that all companies must offer to any and all citizens. In doing this, we will finally allow health insurance companies to compete for us and against each other.

Plainly put, if it’s in your body, it’s covered. And if you’re a citizen, you’re in.

PUBLIC ENERGY
We must become an energy independent nation by establishing four essential goals, as we begin to confront climate change: (1) emit less carbon dioxide and other pollutants; (2) invest in renewable energy resources; (3) enable existing utilities to become renewable energy sources; and (4) begin to decrease the effects of human activities upon our environment.

Becoming energy independent will require sacrifices from everyone, but a well-conceived strategy will succeed when developed openly - and especially when based upon energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

In Congress, I helped to lead the way by sponsoring legislation to help consumers by empowering the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on price gouging refineries and oil companies.

COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY POLICY
Today’s impossible prices for oil have finally forced America to ask the essential question: “Where’s the Plan?”

We’re in a situation where every business, every homeowner, every retiree, every local and state government, and every U.S. citizen is being forced to live under ‘crisis planning’ – which is a recipe for failure.

On a national level, stumbling from crisis to crisis — from Iraq to Katrina to the current energy crisis - is not a plan to govern.

To become an energy independent nation, the first step we must take is to develop a plan. We must develop this plan together, out in the open – not behind closed doors.

A successful energy plan must include these three elements:

1. Drill for new oil in America, with any such oil obtained from within our territorial waters and national lands being sold to American citizens first. The Oil for America Act guarantees we do just that;
2. Invest in every form of renewable energy, and provide tax incentives for wind, solar, geo-thermal, biomass, cellulosic and any other form of clean, home-grown energy;
3. Prevent any price manipulation, or unfair practices in the world’s oil marketplace.

These three elements are the foundation for an independent energy future for America . Drill for new oil in America, Invest in renewable forms of energy, and Prevent energy price manipulation, everywhere in the world. And let’s make certain the more than 140 billion barrels of oil lying beneath our national boundaries and territorial waters are sold to Americans first.

PUBLIC SECURITY
As I have been saying for several years, “We must do whatever it takes to protect America and keep hostilities off our shores, for today we are all on the front lines.” I voted to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission on Homeland Security, but we must also secure our borders and dramatically reduce threats from thermonuclear weapons. “Terrorism is a tactic used by violent extremists, and we must do everything possible to defend ourselves within the laws set forth in our Constitution.”

COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY POLICY