At Issue: Election 2006
Re-elect U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow
U.S. Sen.
Debbie Stabenow
MEA's recommended candidate has a long history of strong support for public education.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow wants your
support as she seeks re-election. She is
MEA’s recommended candidate in the
Senate race because of her strong support
for public education. Her campaign Web
site is: www.stabenowforsenate.com.
Stabenow recently responded to a
series of questions from MEA to help inform
members in time for the November
election.
MEA: Why are you seeking re-election to the U.S. Senate?
Stabenow: I was born in Michigan, raised my family here. What is happening to Michigan is personal to me.
This isn’t just another economic downturn,
it’s a fight for our way of life, and it’s
a fight we have to win. We need to invest
in education and innovation to give our
children opportunities to compete.
We must stop corporations from breaking their promises to workers who have paid into their pensions all their lives. We must reduce health care costs. And we must get tough on countries that violate our trade laws and cost us jobs. With a level playing field and real investments in our future, Michigan can compete with anyone in the world.
MEA: What is your position on President Bush’s private school voucher proposal?
Stabenow: I do not support vouchers because they divert scarce funds from our public schools. I have opposed voucher proposals in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
We need to focus our efforts on strengthening the public schools through teacher training and professional development opportunities; smaller class sizes; safe and modern facilities; programs that facilitate parental involvement; and school-based before- and after-school programs that include extended learning programs.
MEA: Is the No Child Left Behind Act helping public education? Do you support any changes to the act (please specify)?
Stabenow: The NCLB Act had good intentions but has been poorly implemented. It has been dramatically under-funded and has overemphasized standardized tests. I am fighting for full funding of our commitments under this act.
MEA: How much should the state or federal governments invest in education?
Stabenow: There is no better investment that we can make than in education. The federal government needs to step up and fulfill its commitment to pay its full 40 percent obligation for special education and full funding for NCLB. This simple step would mean billions of new dollars for Michigan schools over the next several years that would give our educators the resources they need to provide the very best schools for our children.
MEA: Do you believe that higher education is being funded adequately in Michigan?
Stabenow: I think that our previous governor left the state in such financial trouble that all public colleges and universities in Michigan have suffered. We need to provide them with greater resources and give parents and students assistance in financing their college education.
MEA: In many school districts, employees are losing their jobs to privatization. How do you view such decisions—and what is the impact that privatization has on the local/state/ national economies?
Stabenow: I oppose the privatization of public sector jobs that is simply designed to pay contract employees less and provide fewer benefits to them.
Overall, privatization and outsourcing
are hurting our economy by creating
a race to the bottom where businesses
push down wages and reduce benefits to
increase profits. I believe, through innovation
and education, we can win a race
to the top, where Michigan workers are
paid more than those in other states and
other countries.
MEA: What can be done to help stop the assault on school employees health insurance benefits and to make health care affordable for all?
Stabenow: Soaring health care costs are
chipping away at our middle class way
of life. I believe we need a multi-pronged
approach to reducing health care costs for
all Michigan residents.
We need to cover the uninsured, so
that we can cut back on cost-shifting that
increases costs to those with insurance.
We also need to lower prescription drug prices and bring 21st century technology to health care to cut administrative costs.
Special Web-Only Questions & Answers from Sen. Stabenow
MEA: What are your perceptions of how the schools are doing in terms of providing an appropriate education to all children?
Stabenow: I am a product of public education – from K-12 to my graduation from Michigan State University. In addition, my two children are graduates of the Lansing public schools. Before running for public office, my first job was working with youth in the public schools.
As a member of Congress, I have worked closely with our schools, leading efforts to modernize our schools by organizing NetDays to wire schools to the Internet; securing funding for school violence prevention initiatives; promoting math and science education through efforts such the Great Space Adventures; and reading to students.
Our public schools, including so many dedicated teachers, do a great job fulfilling their mission to educate all children. I am committed to making sure they have the resources and tools they need to meet the challenges of our changing economy.
MEA: Do you have a plan to increase jobs? What is it?
Stabenow: There is nothing more important to our way of life than protecting and creating good paying jobs here in Michigan. We need to decide in this country whether we want the future to be a race to the bottom with other countries, with cuts in wages and benefits, or a race to the top, with a focus on education and innovation and a plan to keep us out front economically. My plan is simple. First, we need to level the playing field on trade. Our companies can compete with anyone in a fair fight—but that means holding countries that cheat America accountable under international trade laws. Second, we need to change the way we fund health care in America. We are the only industrialized nation in the world that puts the health care of our employees on the backs of business, and in the end we all pay the price. Third, we need to make sure that companies keep their promise to our workers when it comes to pensions. I can’t believe in this day and age that we would be debating whether you get a pension you have paid into your whole life. And finally, we need to do what America has always done best—race with a sense of urgency to invest in education and innovation to make sure we continue to lead the world in new technologies, new industries, and new ideas.
MEA: What does an MEA recommendation mean to your campaign?
Stabenow: Having started my career working in the public schools I understand that the professionals in our schools make the real difference when it comes to education, and that as a public official it is my job to make sure that Michigan’s teachers, administrators and support staff have the resources and support to do your jobs. This isn’t just about our schools – it’s about our future, our economy, and our way of life. Thank you again for your service and dedication, and I look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you as we continue in our fight.
MEA: What role does public education play in our democracy?
Stabenow: In our short history we have become a global leader politically, economically, and socially—and none of this would have been possible without our continued commitment to public education. As we move forward in the 21st century, we need to remain dedicated to providing everyone a quality public education in America. A quality public education is the key to a good paying job, a secure career, and a brighter future. America is strongest when everyone is given the opportunity to succeed.
MEA: What is your position on the so-called civil rights initiative on the ballot in Michigan?
Stabenow: I join a large and growing coalition that includes educators, labor leaders, business leaders, community activists, Republicans and Democrats from all over the state in strongly opposing the so-called Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.