Brady's Focus for 2007
This is what I'd like to work on in the 2007 session.
Health Insurance
In my opinion, health insurance is the single biggest impediment to economic development in Montana. We need more entrepreneurs and business start-ups, but getting health insurance is the hidden barrier for many folks going out on their own. And once in business, the cost of health insurance, or lack of it, is the biggest impediment to attracting top talent. We need to make health insurance available to more Montanans. In the 2005 session, we started the Insure Montana program, which is now oversubscribed. I think we need to figure out how to expand it.
Of course, the real problem is that our entire system of health care finance is broken. We need to replace it with a single-payer system.
Energy
We need to increase our production of sustainable energy, and get going on a conservation track. Using less will increase our national security and be the spark for the next economic boom.
College Tuition
I've been yelling for years about sky-high tuition at MSU and our other campuses. This is the result of a decade of Republican neglect, and an unaccountable Board of Regents. It appears that Governor Schweitzer has the Regents' attention, finally. Let's hold the line on college tuition, and provide scholarship support so that young folks who have the talent but not the money can succeed.
Take Back Our Government
At this point, the corruption in our campaign finance system is so deep that it would be cheaper for us to pay for the campaigns than to pay for the corruption. I think we need public financing of elections. And we need to stop the campaign money laundering that allows New York billionaires to mess with our politics without coming clean on whose money is paying for it.
Fair Taxation
I had the privilege of sitting on the House Taxation Committee in the 2005 session. You would not believe how badly average working people have been screwed on taxes, both at the national and state levels, for the past 25 years. Bottom line: everybody should pay a fair share, and right now, they aren't. I support Governor Schweitzer's property tax rebate. And we need to end the sweetheart deals for oil and gas companies here in Montana.
A Better Deal for Working Folks
We should increase the minimum wage. Yes, we should have Medicare for All. I especially want to stop predatory lending. You shouldn't have to get involved with a loan shark just because you are a few days short at the end of the month.
Privacy
Let's keep identity thieves out! You should be able to lock your credit report, so that you decide when someone is checking your credit.
Environment
It's time to do something about global warming, before it's too late. We need to figure out how to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. And remember, conservation is good business. Somebody is going to make a lot of money on this in the next few years. I believe that a bunch of those somebodies ought to be Montanans.