It’s a privilege to speak to doctors, a community that has my profound respect. I’ll be working toward a stronger healthcare system that blends the best aspects of Medicare for All with the existing strengths of the Affordable Care Act.
I’ll first use these few minutes to answer specific questions I know you have.
Regarding growing a larger physician workforce in Montana, I feel interfering in the present expansion by two Osteopathic Medical schools would be unhelpful until all the issues of clinical and residence training have been addressed. Over my first term in Congress I would try to increase the flow of EMT-trained volunteers in our Volunteer Ambulance service across the state, by instituting two-year scholarships for Pre-med or Nursing programs for those qualified to enter such programs after serving as EMTA’s for two years, available 24 hours per week. We’d be improving the flow of volunteers and starting rural-based individuals into the physician/nursing pipeline. Regarding medical malpractice insurance premium costs that I realize must weigh on physicians, I would support capping non-economic costs. Regarding funding my campaign, I am purposefully not raising campaign funds and intend to remain under the $5,000 personal expenditure reporting threshold established by both the U.S. Federal Elections Commission and the U.S. House of Representatives. I’ve concluded that a lot of the disruptive behavior we’ve seen in the last few congresses stems from congressmen performing for badly needed campaign contributions, much like bears in Yellowstone Park looking for that next peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As of today, September 27, 2024, allowing for the $500 deductible repair of deer collision damage experienced September 23, I have $870.77 left to spend for gasoline, truck stop showers and possibly a rental car during two weeks in late October when the car has been scheduled for repair. That amount is sufficient to continue introducing myself during walkabouts of the communities in the eastern Congressional District. I’ve been endorsed by the Montana Brotherhood of Locomotive and Railway Engineers, I think, because of my proposal to help electrify the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad so it can remain in business during the economic adjustments required to respond to climate change.
You have asked what distinguishes me from the other candidate and I will first point out how we are similar. We’ve both been elected Commissioners, him with one term as Montana Securities Commissioner, myself with three terms as Montana Public Service Commissioner. We both have the benefit of military experience, and have been sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, which I take most seriously. Probably the biggest differences between us derive from (1) my responsibilities as an elected Montana Legislator, serving as House Majority Leader in 1975-76 and as House Speaker in 1977-78, when I learned how to balance budgets and to create and enforce conditions for Legislators to talk to each other in order to use the committee system to solve complex problems in short periods of time, (2) of my many assignments over 32 years, my responsibilities for Operational Security of the Montana National Guard during the period of intensified anti-government activity by The Order, the Militia of Montana, the Freemen and the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building. You will find those years summarized in a Strategic Research Paper for the U.S. Army War College, “A Chaordic Threat, Right Wing Terrorism in the United States,’ published by the Defense Technical Information Center (https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA308596) and the Department of Homeland Security (Chaordic Threat: Right Wing Terrorism in the United States), and (3) the fact that on 9/11 I was a Colonel serving on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon’s new section in front of American Airlines Flight 77, while Commissioner Downing by contrast, by then a private pilot and entrepreneur, was motivated by the attacks to join the military for 8 years. I believe many of the former officers and NCO’s of our U.S. Military, still sworn to protect and defend our constitution, would take a much more dim view of present common talk of a crushing a “deep state.”
Specific areas where I think our health care system requires strengthening are care for the unsheltered, transportation to specialty care for our Native American citizens, more mental health care for our rural population, better funding for our Indian Health Services, broader funding for veterans requiring prolonged treatment outside the Veterans Administration facilities. I think the best approach is to blend the central concepts of Medicare for All with the recent gains and choice available in the Affordable Care Act. Such hybrid model could offer better care, universal access, and improved affordability, while keeping flexibility and choice at its core.
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