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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
September 20, 2022     Shelton Mason County Journal
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1.Why are you running for office? I’ve been recog-~ nized as one of the ‘ Representatives most committed to bringing people together, even work- ing with people with whom I dis- agree. But a lot of people in our area are suffering now because Mitch Mc- Connell and Trump, Republicans in Congress believe that blocking prog— ress [may help themwin elections. Rather than focusing on political games, I’m focused on helping folks in our community. People in our area are being squeezed by inflation. I’ve voted to crack down on price gouging by oil companies and lower gas pric- es. I wrote legislation to boost manu— facturing in America, which would re- duce inflation. I’ve pushed to expand Social Security to help seniors keep up with rising prices. I voted to pro- tect a woman’s right to choose. I voted w to protect voting rights. Unfortunate- ly, McConnell is blocking all of those things from becoming law. No wonder so many people are frustrated that Washington DC isn’t doing enough to help people in our Washington. I’m running for Congress to stand up for reform to reduce the role of money in politics, ban representatives from buying stocks, and stop repre- sentatives from being paid if they don’t do their jobs and pass a budget. I’m running to get government working again for people to clean up Puget Sound, expand Social Secu- rity, secure funding to lower the cost of housing and reduce homelessness, Kilmer and to make sure police get the fund- ing needed to keep our neighborhoods safe. ' I’m running to be a champion for folks who are struggling. What are the biggest challenges facing Washington’s 6th Congressional District? ' There are communities that contin- ue to struggle economically. I grew up in one of them. That’s why I worked in economic development profession- ally, and it’s why I ran for Congress. I believe that folks should have a shot to make it economically no matter what zip code they live in. My focus in Congress has been on .. creating more economic opportunity for more people in more places. It’s why I’ve worked to invest in rural broadband. It’s why I’ve fought to se- cure federal funding for Mason Coun- ty’s PUDs, so infrastructure invest- ments can be made without the costs being borne by local taxpayers. It’s why I passed a bipartisan provision to get more assistance to communities that have had economic challenges so they can create good jobs. We’ve also seen challenges related to housing affordability and homeless- ness. As a member of the Appropria- tions Committee, I’ve secured funding for our region’s housing authorities to build hundreds of additional housing units that folks can afford. I’m lead ing a bipartisan bill to remove regula- tory barriers that prevent new home see KILMER, page 36 Question from Elizabeth Kreiselmaier Kreiselmaier: How do you justify voting for the so-called Infla- tion Reduction Act when it will increase taxes on hard-working washingtonians just when they are hurting the most, and when even the Penn Wharton’s budget model reports that this Act will have very little impact on inflation and evenproduce an increase Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 Shelton-Mason County Journal — Page 9 GENERAL ELECTION -- ,6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1. Why are you running .: for office? My candidacy isn’t about me. It’s about America and Americans, Washington and Wash— ingtonianswpeople like you and me who live here, and love it here. Most Kreiselmaier of us Sense that America’s headed in the wrong direction, so my top prior- ity is to turn this ship around while a we still can. My main concerns are I the crushing. inflation and horrific increases in crime that are stripping us all of our economic security and personal safety. Unlike my opponent, I’m not a career politician and never intended to be“ However, I happen to have a servant’s heart for the coun- try, the ferocious devotion of a mom, and a particular skillset. The “why” behind all of it for me is that I want my son, and everybody else’s children and grandchildren, to grow up into an America that we’d recognize - the ~ one we know and love — that sup- ports and protects the security, liber— ty, and prosperity of all its citizens. What are the , biggest challenges facing Washington’s 6th Congressional District? Our District’s challenges are Amer- ica’s challenges. Inflation is the high- est it’s been in 40 years. We all feel pain at the gas pump and the grocery store. Crime and homelessness are ' surging. Public safety is threatened. Businesses are suffering. Biden’s administration,ywhich includes my Democrat opponent Derek Kilmer, isn’t solving the problems-it is the Five questions with Derek Kilmer, Elizabeth Kreiselmaier problem. Congress isn’t doing its job. is a pivotal election; in fact I call it an existential election, in that the existence of our country as we know it is on the line. I’m fighting for this Dis— trict and for all Americans, to defend what we all love: Strong Families, Strong Communities, and a Strong Country. That means: Rebuilding our economy by lowering taxes and debt; Eradicating homelessness; Restoring public safety by supporting our police and military; Protecting America’s sovereignty and our workers’ liveli- hoods; Preserving Constitutional free- doms; and Reclaiming parental au- thority over our children’s education. Our District, as well as our country, deserves nothing less. 3. If elected, what are your day 1 goals ' in Congress? Day one goal: Fire Nancy Pelosi and vote in a new Speaker of the House! And then hit the ground run- ning on the most crucial issuesfacing our country with solutions and bills as outlined in the Republican Com- mitment to America https://www. republicanleader.gov/commitment/ as well as the platform priorities and draft bills outlined on my own Eliza- beth for Congress website at www. CleanUpTheHouse.com. The fact ‘ of the matter is that the majority of Americans (upwards of 75%) believe that we are headed in the wrong di- rection under Biden, Kilmer, and the Democrats’ leadership. We need to change course, and QUICKLY, to ad- dress the pressing issues of inflation, crime, educational failures, and the " erosion of Constitutional freedoms. We also need to stem the-tide of cor- ruption in DC. and hold our elected officials accountable for malfeasance. It’s time to Clean Up The House in DC. and you can help me do that at www.CleanUpTheHouse.com. see KREISELMAIER, page 36 in inflation for the first few years? , Kilmer: My opponent is not telling the truth about the Inflation Re: duction Act. Former US. Treasury Department secretaries frOm Demo- cratic and Republican administrations put out a statement that income taxes will not increase for middle~class Americans. Rather, the new law which will reduce the deficit asks the very largest, most profitable cor- porations to pay a minimum corporate income tax. The folks I represent think that’s a good and fair deal. And the fact that it makes good on the president’s commitment not to raise taxes on families making less than $400,000 a year is a good thing. ‘ But,” beyond that, let’s look at what the passage of the Inflation Re- duction Act means for the falks 'I represent. It means lower health care premiums‘for thousands and thousandsof people. It means that Seniors-u will have their out-of-pocket drug costs capped at $2,000 per year. That’s a big deal When a lot of seniors are paying over $10,000 for medications: It means that seniors with diabetes will see their insulin costs capped at ‘ $35 per month. , g . _' It means our region will see the creation of good jobs tied to combat- ting the climate crisis. Talk to folks in the trades or, for example, folks who install HVAC systems; they are thrilled about What this will mean for them and for jobs. And because these investments willreduce our dependence on fossil fuels, it will mean that folks Will see gas prices and energy prices go down over time. ‘ ‘ ‘ ~ r 7 ‘ ' Listen politicians likemy’ opponent will say a lot to to anelecé"* I tion when they are far behind. But don’t take myword for-git. In fact, 126 leading economists —- including seVen Nobel'Prize winners,three former \ chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers, two former Treasury Secret tariesF— say the new law “will fight inflation and lower costs for American families while setting the stage for strong, stable, andbroadly-shared long—term economic growth.” I am committed to doing all I can to lower prices for the folks I repre- sent. It’s why I voted to crack down on oil companies that are price goug- ing. It’s why I voted to strengthen American manufacturing - because when we make stuff in America, we aren’t dependent on other countries and won’t have the supply chain problems we faced during the pandemic. And it’s why I’ll keep pushing to help people make ends meet. Questionfrom Derek Kilmer Kilmer: As part of the Inflation Reduction Act recently passed by Democrats in Congress, the federal government is empow- ‘ ‘ cred under Medicare to negotiate lower prices from drug compa- nies. Do you support this policy? Kreiselmaier: N o, I don’t support the ‘so-called Inflation Reduction Act , recently passed by Democrats, including its provisions that supposedly ‘:emp0wer Medicare to negotiate, lower prices from drug companies. Why not? Because while it has ‘a catchy title and its promises sound, good in the abstract, it’s entirely wrongeheaded and counterproductive in terms of its likely results. With respect to its regulatory provisions to introduce price controls, . for example, it will produce the exact opposite of its intended effect, be- ‘ causeit will actually cause the priCes of drugs to increase, not decrease. Price controls only serve to weaken the incentives forinnovation? so they ironically cause the prices of drugs toincre‘ase, causing patients and em— “Vployer-sponsored health plans to pay more for their drugs. Marketplace competition is what drives prices down, and thelnflation Reduction ACt discOurages the competitive process, which will result in higher,'not low- er, drug prices. . , ” . Moreover, the so-called’Inflation Reduction Act will raise taxes on any- ;oneimaking more than $30,000/year at a time when their wages are being eaten away by the inflation we are all suffering under, and which this Act does nothing to effectively address. Editor’s note: Due to the lengthof candidate answers and in an attempt to provide equal space on this page, responses are continued on Page 36 ‘19 Editor’s note: Candidate answers are being run in full, without editing.