Q: How to improve healthcare in Kansas without Medicare?
A: Medicare is a Federal government program and the States have no say regarding it’s operation. Medicaid, on the other hand, is a joint program financed by both the State and the Federal government to provide healthcare to the underprivileged and needy children. It is a poorly run program; extensively wasteful of taxpayer money and contentious in its deliverance to the poor. Daily, as a physician that cares for Medicaid patients, I must answer coverage denials by Medicaid from non-medical people insisting medicines, therapies, medical equipment, and imaging are not “medically necessary.” That would be analogous to a carpenter having to justify the necessity for construction nails, screws, nuts, 2×4’s, etc. to remodel someone’s home.
We need to overhaul our healthcare system; get back to managing public money with Kansas public officials and keep Kansas taxpayer money in Kansas. Currently, private companies skim a commission off the top upfront of our public, taxpayer money.
We need to negotiate better drug, laboratory, and imaging prices. We spend $8700 per person, on average, on Medicaid. Australia spends half that amount. We extend Medicaid to twice the number of people in Kansas, from 370,000 to 750,000. Doing so would fundamentally change Kansas for the better by providing healthcare for everyone earning under $36,000. By insuring this many people, we would first improve the health of the most needy and second, much of this money would go to inner city and rural hospitals.
Q: Many Kansans are concerned about climate change and carbon dioxide issues, what say you about addressing this issue as Governor?
A: Our weather patterns are changing. Any Kansan over 50 notices that our winters are much different than when we were children. One suggested contribution to the change is the rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, largely due to fossil fuel burning. Much ado is made in the news discussing renewable energy sources such a wind, solar, hydro, tidal, and geothermal. Even if we converted most of our power system to renewables over the next 20 years, we are still left with the challenge of what to do about the carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. There are several carbon collection devices proposed, costing millions of dollars and requiring extensive raw materials and construction.
We have a simple, reliable, profitable, and scientific answer. It is the farm. We can sequester carbon in the soil via appropriate soil nutritional management. New Zealand data averaged over 10 years shows 1.2 tons per acre carbon sequestration while Canadian data shows the possibility of as much as 20 tons per acre. At 1.2 tons, we need only 1/3 of Kansas farmland to implement appropriate soil management to make Kansas carbons neutral. Doubling that amount is reasonable, meaning only 15% of Kansas farmland would be needed to make Kansas carbon neutral. This can be done in 5 years. Anything more begins to reduce the current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A side benefit of this approach to soil management is greater crop yield, reduced water consumption, reduced erosion, reduced weed, disease and insect presence, improved crop quality, and greater farm profit.
Q: Concussions are on the rise in the workplace and sports. What will you do as Governor to address this problem to public health?
A: We must look at policies to address the safety of children. Concussions cause long term medical issues including learning disabilities, headaches, and personality changes – all of which cost more healthcare and educational dollars. As Governor, I will campaign for insurance coverage of treatments already shown to be successful in treating and reversing the effects of concussions and traumatic brain injury.
Q: What is your position on school vouchers? The school voucher debate is often heated and all over the board. Many other countries do have voucher systems assisting parents to send their children to private schools.
A: The Department of Education report in 2010 evaluating the Washington D.C. school voucher program was quite revealing. It was funded under “The District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act of 2003, passed by Congress in January 2004.” SAT test scores in math and English were not significantly different, but there was a 22% increase in graduation rate for the vouchered children over the non-vouchered children. Of course there needs to be a re-evaluation of this data, considering the recent scandal of D.C schools being found to graduate children though they were not qualified to do so. Additionally, the 2010 report found that parents, but not students, rated the private schools as safer and better for their children. The voucher program was an expensive program costing the Fed about $7500 per voucher.
Among those students offered a voucher, but did not use it, 21.8% did so because they got into a charter school instead, 18.5% said there was lack of space in the private school they chose, 15.2% moved out of D.C., 13.7% had a transportation problem, and 12.3% said the private school lacked sufficient special needs services.
“Among students who initially used a scholarship but then left the Program, the most common reasons for leaving were that the child was admitted to a preferred public charter school (21.8 percent), a lack of space at their preferred private school (18.5 percent), and that the family moved out of DC (15.2 percent).”
It all begs the question, is there an achievement and lifestyle difference today between those children that stayed in the D.C. public schools vs. those that received and used vouchers to attend private schools? We don’t know.
School voucher program is certainly an emotionally heated subject as it involves our children and grandchildren. It affects their future and our future society. It affects how and where we spend our tax money. As there are many different programs and proposals, there are as many arguments of pro and con. It seems that in some countries it works well and others, not so well.
In part, I believe it does go back to our view on privatization of public programs. Do we turn public tax revenue funds over to private industry? In Kansas, we have done that with Medicaid and the prison system, and it’s been an excuse for private pillaging of public funds – both with less than desirable public outcomes.
I think we must get teachers together in the various regions of the state of Kansas and get their views on how to improve classroom environment and student performance. We can then formulate a budgeting plan that has teacher buy-in. Certainly, a part of the plan must include better teacher compensation, as well as funding of para-professionals and classroom supplies.
Our current system is not working very well and Americans are not educating our children very well compared to the rest of the world. The OECD ranking of 72 countries in the world in math, reading, and science does not bode well for the U.S. http://www.businessinsider.com/pisa-worldwide-ranking-of-math-science-reading-skills-2016-12. Out of 72 countries ranked in 2015, the U.S. was 41 in math, 24 in reading, and 25 in science. We are quite below our major trading partners and industrial competitors in the world.
Agasisti, T. et al. (2018) “Academic resilience: What schools and countries do to help disadvantaged students succeed in PISA.” OECD Education Working Papers, No. 167, OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/e22490ac-en is a very worthwhile paper to read on how countries fare toward children with special needs and socioeconomic disadvantages.
Q: How do you propose we fund education?
A: Education is funded out of the general fund of the state budget. Various revenue sources are available to consider. I am not a great fan of property tax or sales tax, because they specifically target lower socioeconomic homeowners and peoples. Luxury tax is a possibility. The lottery and gambling casinos were supposed to be the “savior” of education revenue challenges, but that plan has come up short. A medical marijuana law could bring in more revenue to the state, relieve the court case load and prison population pressure, but is not the panacea some people would like us to believe.
Q: What is your plan as governor regarding the funding of Excel in CTE (formerly known as SB155)? Would you consider expanding this program further to include Junior Colleges?
A: Excel in Career Technical Education Initiative has been a very successful, technical education program for Kansas youth. It has grown from 3400 students to over 10,000 students. About 30% of students complete certificates or college level credits while still in high school. Two thirds of program students go on to earn more credits. The program leads to higher earning power, better prep for college, and improved talent for Kansas businesses. Unfortunately, in 2016/17, legislature shorted the funding by nearly $8 million dollars. As governor, I will insist upon full funding of this program with expansion of the program to Junior Colleges and perhaps more if communities and businesses deem it necessary.
Q: How do you plan to make college tuition more affordable and what can be done for high school students left out of federal grants?
A: We must look at where all the tuition money is going and consider any and every option for helping young people with tuition funding. One consideration is for the government to cover the cost of tuition. The loan is then paid back at 1-2% additional income tax to the student once their income rises above a given level, where they can reasonably afford it. Another option is to partner with local businesses that pay tuition in exchange for the student working for that company a minimum of a 1:1 pay back with a minimum of 2 years. This could also be part of a government program where the student agrees to pay back by staying in Kansas equal to the number of years they went to school, or perhaps something along that line. We should consider all options.
Q: What is your position on the value of the arts and music along with sufficient funding for these programs?
A: I believe that the arts and music programs should be fully funded as they are skills that make for better rounded, more cultured citizens in society and can be enjoyed for their entire lives. I was in band from the 6th-12 grade and am glad for the experience.
Q: What is the last book you read?
A: Ally
Q: What is your position on privatization of parts of the state government, such as prisons?
A: No privatization of public funds. Such measures always pull away public dollars for private profit, leaving fewer dollars in the fund to work with and achieve the ultimate objective. It also motivates industry to expand yet minimize services to make more profit.
Q: What is your position on infrastructure, roads, and bridges?
A: First, we review the engineering criteria for road quality, up grade it for longer lasting roads, and fund them.
Q: What is your position on preschool in Kansas?
A: I think we need to work toward funding full pre-school.
Q: What can be done to help rural hospitals?
A: We deprivatize and overhaul Medicaid so that we can extend it to 370,000 more people. By doing so we cover many people in rural Kansas, which helps fund rural hospitals. We formulate a funding program where medical students are funded by local communities on a 1:1 or similar payback so these young doctors come back to that community for at least 2-4 years to practice, much like the current Indian Health Services scholarships. This can include dentists as well. Yes, we will have some turn over, but a few will stay long term and we will have a plan to keep the clinics staffed.
Further we need to further fund SB155, Excel in CTE to get more vocational job training for students. That would help fund rural community and junior colleges as well as high schools.
Q: What is your position on immigration reform as it relates to Western Kansas?
A: This is a federal issue, not really something the states have much say in changing. I would suggest a “purple card” system that gives legal status, but not citizenship, so these people are here without fear of deportation. Certainly, we need to deport the known criminals. Additionally, I suggest we increase the skilled work visas.
Q: Would you support a Turnpike Authority 4-lane on US 83?
A: I suggest we need to determine traffic count and predicted future traffic, then consider a toll road if warranted.
Q: Do you support the death penalty?
A: We need to repeal it. There is something between 8-10% of people who are found not guilty as forensic technology improves.
Q: Will you support the democratic nominee and what will you do to help that person?
A: I have stated in the past that I would support the democratic nominee if not me. I will do my best to get the word out.
Q: What can you do to improve voters’ understanding of how their votes in the past 8 years have been against their own self-interest?
A: Everyone has 20/20 hindsight and we can focus on disparaging people or we can look to how we can improve our state. People make the best decisions they think they can with the information they have been given. There were a lot of people that voted for Lyndon Johnson for President, only to then riot against him, his policies, and the Vietnam war a few years later. I continue to talk actual solutions to our healthcare system, our educational system, infrastructure, economics, the budgetary deficit, and agriculture. I have the personal experience in these areas to know how to change things, and the professional leadership education as a Colonel in the Air Force reserves to get the job done. People want their vote to count. I may be the face you don’t know, but I will be the governor you’ll never regret.
Q: How would you encourage young adults to stay in or move to Kansas?
A: I would work to set a new culture for education and teacher funding, infrastructure, deprivitization of public services so they better serve the community, work for a medical marijuana law, work out a plan for better curbing/addressing student debt/cost of education, be an active and available governor, get into the communities of the state, be visible and interactive with all people so that minorities, young people, and anyone that pays attention will see that I, as governor, really do care about them as fellow Kansans.
Q: How will you attract moderate republicans to your campaign in order to win and how will you work with moderate republicans to govern?
A: First, I set the tone and a new culture of moderate approach so as to not alienate any group. Stop partisan rhetoric and name calling as we are all Kansans, and I would be the Governor of ALL Kansans. Then we addresses the budget deficit by auditing for government waste and work at cleaning that up wherever we can. Moderate of both parties want better management of tax payer dollars. It’s important to talk about addressing issues every Kansans care about: roads/infrastructure, education, jobs, healthcare, public safety, our future, our present, local businesses, water conservation, farm profitability, food safety – I have the professional leadership, training, and experience to do this and the personal expertise to understand the specifics.
Q: What is your opinion of the current democratic super delegate process?
A: I think it is very unfair. Bernie Sanders would most likely have been the party nominee in 2016 had it not been for the superdelegate process.
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