10A • COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • OCTOBER 31, 2018
Q&A
from A9
system and pension program.
Next, we need to regain our sta-
tus as a national leader in health
care and Medicaid delivery, for the
sake of the hundreds of thousands
of Oregonians who depend on it.
In the past our health care system
was known for its compassion and
innovation.
Today, it is known for scandals,
mismanagement and waste. As
a physician, I will lead to ensure
that every Oregonian has access
to high-quality health care. Th ird,
homelessness is a humanitarian,
public health and public safety
crisis. I will lead with compassion,
and a little tough love to ensure
that in Oregon, a tent or a sidewalk
is never anyone’s home.
Finally, our rural communities
have been left behind and forgot-
ten by leaders in Salem for far too
long. Oregon’s rural-urban divide
is not an immovable feature of the
natural landscape. It is an artifi -
cial political divide resulting from
choices made every day in Salem
by elected offi cials and unelected
government employees. I will be a
leader for all of Oregon.
As Governor, I will make State
government a partner for growing
jobs and restoring hope and op-
portunity in rural Oregon.
BROWN: While our economy
is growing in Oregon, that growth
isn’t reaching everyone. Over the
next four years, I will bring togeth-
er Democrats and Republicans,
urban and rural Oregonians, to
tackle the state’s big problems and
make sure every Oregonian has the
opportunity to thrive.
First, we have to strengthen our
schools. I have a plan to expand
high-quality preschool in the next
two years to an additional 10,000
low-income children; reduce class
sizes, require a 180-day school
year, and expand career and tech-
nical education. For all Oregonians
to thrive, we must also expand
access to high-quality, aff ordable
health care. I will fi ght to pro-
tect our Medicaid expansion and
make sure that every Oregonian,
no matter where they live, has ac-
cess to the care they need.”
How do your positions diff er
from those of your opponents?
BUEHLER: I will challenge
the status quo and be a Governor
for all of Oregon no matter who
you are, where you live, who you
love, or how you register to vote.
In contrast, Brown has proven
that she is unwilling to take on
the powerful special interests in
her own Party that defend a bro-
ken system. I will bring moderate,
independent leadership to the
Governorship while working with
Democrats, Republicans and In-
dependent to help solve our most
pressing issues.
BROWN: Sometimes I feel like
I’m running against two diff er-
ent people because what candi-
date Buehler says does not match
what Representative Buehler has
done — especially when it comes
to health care. As a legislator, Rep.
Buehler voted against a bipartisan
package to fund Oregon’s Medicaid
expansion under the Aff ordable
Care Act.
By voting no, he voted to take
away critical health care from
430,000 Oregonians — including
80,000 kids. Rep. Buehler also vot-
ed against a plan that would have
covered 100% of Oregon’s children.
Th at’s not only dead set against Or-
egon values, it’s cruel.
scheduling bills.
We worked together to ensure
that 430,000 Oregonians have ac-
cess to aff ordable health care be-
cause everyone should be able to
see the doctor when they’re sick.
Congressional Race
Defazio and Robinson face off
for the fi ft h time.
Oregon has fi ve Congressional
Districts and Florence is included
in District 4. District 4 repre-sents
the southern half of Oregon’s coast-
al counties including Coos, Curry,
Douglas, Lane and Linn counties
and most of Benton and Josephine
counties.
Democrat Peter DeFazio has
represented District 4 since 1987
and is running for re-election this
year. DeFazio has a Bachelor of
Arts degree from Tuft s University
and a Master of Arts degree from
the University of Oregon. He is the
ranking member on the Commit-
tee on Transportation and Infra-
structure and is running against
opponent Art Robinson for the
fourth time.
Art Robinson has a Bachelor of
Science degree from the California
Institute of Technology and a Ph.D.
in biochemistry from the Universi-
ty of California in San Diego. He is
a well-known scientifi c and medi-
cal researcher having worked with
Linus Pauling co-founding the
prestigious Institute of Orthomo-
lecular Medicine.
He served as president, director
and tenured research professor at
the research facility aft er it was re-
named the Linus Pauling Institute
in 1971.
Please share whatever else you
feel would be important for our
readers to know about your candi-
dacy?
BUEHLER: Brown has been
in elected offi ce for 30 years and
the past four as Governor. She
has more money than any other
Governor in Oregon’s history, yet
our most pressing problems con-
tinue to get worse — teachers are
still getting laid off , class sizes are
getting bigger and our graduation
rates are still third-worst in the na-
tion.
We have a growing homeless-
ness crisis and vulnerable foster
kids are not getting the care they
need. Brown had her chance to
show that she is capable of solving
the big problems facing Orego-
nians.
We need new leadership. I will
lead where Kate Brown has failed.
BROWN: As governor, I
brought legislators from both par-
ties together to fi ght for Oregon
families.
We passed a transportation
package that will reduce traffi c,
create 16,000 new jobs and make
our roads safer. We passed a fi rst
in the nation pay equity and fair
care, make investments in job-cre-
ating infrastructure programs and
make college more aff ordable. I
will work with the Trump White
House or anybody else to meet
those goals. But when I disagree
with the President or my party I
will use my voice and my vote to
stand up for our Oregon values.
I have built seniority that puts
me in position to be the Chair-
man of the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee if
Democrats win the majority. I will
be part of craft ing an agenda that
makes investments in our roads,
bridges, ports and airports, creates
jobs and strengthens the economy.
ROBINSON: I am running be-
cause I think I can do a good job.
I have been successful in medical
research and I have been a success-
ful educator and scientist. Most
importantly, I have been successful
in the real world. Mr. DeFazio has
served in congress for 40 years and
he has no real-world experience.
As a scientist I am a problem
solver. Mr. DeFazio does not want
to solve the problems we face, he
just wants to fi gure out how he can
benefi t from them. All he really
Why are you still interested in
representing Oregon District 4?
DEFAZIO: Most Oregonians
are tired of partisan bickering and
gridlock in Washington. And so
am I. But I have a fi re in my bel-
ly and a lot of good ideas about
how we can make progress for the
American people.
I would like the Congress to
work together to improve health
cares about is making sure he gets
re-elected.
What issues are you most con-
cerned with at this time?
DEFAZIO: Many Oregonians
are one serious health issue away
from personal fi nancial crisis.
Quality aff ordable healthcare is the
top concern of most Americans
and a top priority for Democrats
in Congress. It’s time to reduce
healthcare costs by expanding cov-
erage, protecting consumers, creat-
ing a public option outside of the
for-profi t insurance industry, and
allowing the federal government
to negotiate lower drug prices for
Medicare recipients.
ROBINSON: I am really con-
cerned with improving access to
medical care. Th ere are estimates
that as much as 20 percent of the
earnings of real people go to paying
for their medical costs and medical
care. I have spent a life time work-
ing in the medical fi eld and know
we can make a lot of progress there.
Th e economy has improved under
President Trump and we need to
take this opportunity to support
the President’s initiatives to reform
healthcare.
Again, Mr. DeFazio has no inter-
est in providing good health care to
people, all he wants to do is fi gure
out a way to secure votes, while
continuing to postpone meaning-
ful changes to the healthcare sys-
tem.
What are the most signifi cant
challenges facing the House this
term?
DEFAZIO: If Democrats win
the majority in the House, it will
be a message from the electorate
that they want Congress to uphold
its constitutional duty to serve as a
check on the Trump administra-
tion. As Chairman of the House
Transportation Committee with
oversight of the General Services
Administration, I plan to inves-
tigate the President’s confl ict of
interest as both the lessee and les-
sor of the Trump Hotel and White
House involvement in the siting of
a new FBI Headquarters.
It will be a challenge to fi nd
common ground legislatively, but
I’m hopeful that we can come
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