John Delaney in Survey of 2012 House campaign websites

On Education: D.C. Opportunity Scholarship gives parents more options

A one-size-fits-all approach to education is wrong. While we need strong oversight and accountability, schools should have greater flexibility to manage and size programs, compensate top-performing educators, and embrace technology. We must also give schools the flexibility to create innovative solutions for pressing issues such as dropout prevention and achievement gaps.

Increasing flexibility in education also means giving parents more options for their children. Parental choice is vital to expanding opportunity and giving many greater access to a variety of educational programs. Charter schools, implemented appropriately, should be part of the equation.

The federal government, through the Department of Education, has a role in making our schools better and in improving educational outcomes. The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship uses federal funds to give parents more options and I support this program.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Energy & Oil: Institute a revenue-neutral national carbon tax

To preserve our environment for future generations, we need to address our dependence on the fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change. Instituting a national carbon tax is one way to create certainty for the markets and guidelines for industry that will help foster investment, research, and development for a clean energy economy.

According to a 2008 study by the Congressional Budget Office, such a tax would be the most efficient incentive-based option for reducing emissions and could be relatively simple to implement. A revenue-neutral plan will also protect families from increased energy costs.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Government Reform: Extend lobbying ban to 5 years; pass STOCK Act too

Extend the Lobbying Ban: Currently, Representatives must wait only one year after they leave office before lobbying. This "cooling-off" period is too brief. Members of Congress should not cash in on their time as public servants. This waiting period should be extended to five years to stop the revolving door between Congress & K Street.

Ban Insider Trading in Congress: Federal laws prohibit insider trading; Members of Congress should play by the same rules as everyone else. The Senate recently passed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act), which will prohibit members of Congress and Congressional employees from using any nonpublic information derived for personal benefit. This bill is an important step towards restoring trust and confidence in Congress. I am committed to going to Washington and putting a stop to special perks and unfair privileges that only our representatives in Congress receive. Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Health Care: ObamaCare ensures access to affordable quality health care

The Affordable Care Act is critical in ensuring families' access to affordable and quality health care. Here in Maryland, the ACA will save the state $829 million and cut the number of Marylanders living without health insurance in half by 2020. Nationwide, Americans are already seeing some of the benefits from health care reform. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 3.6 million people with Medicare saved $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs in 2011.

However, one of the problems with the ACA is that it does not do enough to address the long-term costs of the health care system. It is a testament to our health care development that Americans are living longer than ever, but the costs associated with healthcare necessarily increase. I will fight attempts to repeal this landmark legislation, but I believe it is necessary to refine the ACA to create a framework that will lower long-term costs.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Immigration: Enact the DREAM Act's conditional path to citizenship

John Delaney has a ten-point plan to make us more competitive, improve productivity, and expand the middle class:

Reform our immigration policy to ensure that the same spirit that brought people of all backgrounds to help develop this nation over the past 250 years continues to thrive: We must enact measures like the DREAM Act, which would have provided a conditional path to citizenship for qualified young people who complete a college degree or two years of military service.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Immigration: Support DREAM Act and more H1B1 visas

Seven Point Plan on Immigration:

Secure our border: We cannot allow people to cross our borders illegally and we should continue funding our border patrol efforts.
Crack down on employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants.
I support the DREAM Act to encourage high school students that have grown up here to go to college. But I also support additional H1B1 Employment Visas to allow the foreign students to stay here.
First we need to get undocumented people to register with the government to start the process of citizenship.
Then they need to undergo a criminal background check. If you are a convicted felon you should not be allowed citizenship.
Learning English should be a part of the pathway to citizenship.
And they should pay back taxes. Many undocumented workers already pay taxes, but it is only fair to those that play by the rules that folks who don't should pay their back taxes.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Social Security: Don't cut or privatize program that has been so successful

Social Security is a promise, and as your Congressman it's one I intend to keep. For more than 75 years, Social Security has remained one of our most important and successful government programs. Today this program keeps more than 13 million Americans out of poverty. For countless more it makes a middle class retirement possible. The last thing we need to do is cut a program that has been so successful.

We must preserve this crucial program for future generations without cutting benefits or making radical and irresponsible changes. In Congress, I will defend Social Security and fight any attempts to privatize it.

The program is generally sound, but some changes will need to be made to make sure we can keep this promise to future generations. I will support common sense measures such as making sure that wealthy Americans pay the same payroll tax rate into Social Security as everyone else.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

On Tax Reform: Allow the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to expire

Congressional candidate John Delaney has a ten-point plan to make us more competitive, improve productivity, and expand the middle class:

Reform our tax code to simplify the overall approach and eliminate loopholes: This will allow for appropriate corporate income taxes that will encourage businesses to stay in the U.S. and discourage tax avoidance. We must also extend payroll tax cuts for working families and allow the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to expire.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, delaney2012.com, "Issues" Nov 6, 2012

The above quotations are from Survey of 2012 House campaign websites. Click here for other excerpts from Survey of 2012 House campaign websites. Click here for other excerpts by John Delaney. Click here for a profile of John Delaney.
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018