John Uebersax for Congress

May our differences unite,
not separate us

Stop the Wars!

Platform

Cannabis Reform | Government | Economic | Work | Right to Choose

Not a 'one-issue candidate,' I have a solid and diverse platform based on over 25 years' experience in health care, higher education and public policy, including positions at the RAND Corporation, Duke University and Wake Forest Medical School.

Peace

Under corrupt leadership that serves the military-industrial complex, Wall Street, and other special interests, the US has become a military empire. Our government lied to us about Iraq (twice), Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, the Ukraine, Yugoslavia, and more. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed, more made refugees, entire nations destroyed. The leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties are complicit in this. It is the patriotic duty of citizens to rein in our mad government. A vote for me is a vote against war.

Perpetual war has devastated our society and economy and wreaked havoc abroad.
Make peace not only our hope and dream, but our steadfast objective.
US to renounce foreign military interventions and covert regime-change operations
Follow just war principles: war only for just cause (e.g., self-defense), as last resort, with right intention, spares civilians, doesn't produce greater harms, etc.
Full disclosure of and reparations for civilian drone strike casualties.
Work with Russia and Syrian president Assad to defeat ISIS; stop Saudi funding of terrorist groups.
Per Founding Fathers and Constitution, only Congress (not President) makes war; this ensures full debate and public input as fits a true democracy.
Do not circumvent or manipulate available channels of international diplomacy and justice.
Achieve true national security through friendship, trade, investment and cultural exchange.

Though the overriding theme of my campaign is peace, I also have a strong platform on other issues.

Student Debt

As founder of Californians for Higher Education Reform I've taken a lead in documenting the problem of rapidly increasing college tuition inflation and in identifying common-sense steps to achieve debt-free college education:

Ban diploma discrimination; employers should base hiring on competence assessments, not degrees.
End the undergraduate student loan program and universities will find ways to drastically reduce tuition and fees.
Easy student loans have enabled unlimited tuition increases; end undergrad loans and tuition will drop.
Give students the option to self-teach or take private courses.
Then new course suppliers will emerge; competition will drive down costs dramatically.
See an actual example.
Universities would still have a unique role as an academic environment, but could no longer extort outrageous tuition and fees.

Health Care

With over 25 years' experience in public health and medical research, I have an insider's perspective on what's wrong with healthcare today and how to fix it.

The real issue is health: we have to get serious about preventing illness and creating a culture of health.
Tackle obesity, tobacco use, and alcohol abuse — which combined account for a major portion of health care costs.
Promote holistic alternatives to current model of intensive, invasive, 'corporate medicine'.
Make payments for fitness club membership, yoga classes, etc. tax-exempt.
Institute national physical fitness program in elementary schools.
Vast savings are achievable by investing in inexpensive tests and decision tools that predict which patients will respond best to which treatments.
Create/maintain climate that lets health care practitioners enjoy their work for better patient care and fewer costly medical errors.

Environment

I have lived close to nature all my life and protecting the environment is a high personal priority.

The key is to instill in people a love of nature; that will lead to ecologically wise behavior.
More support for the National Park system
Encourage communities to develop nature trails and youth programs.
Reforestation to combat climate change
No oil trains in the Central Coast!

Young Adults

Besides student loan debts, young adults are being forced to bear huge financial burdens of (1) propping up the social security system; (2) disproportionately subsidizing a dysfunctional health insurance system; (3) high housing costs, and (4) unsustainable national debt.
Youth are the future; develop specific government policies (e.g., home loans) that help, not oppress young adults.

Immigration

Immigration is good, but must be approached with common sense.
I support amnesty for undocumented immigrants, with clear path to citizenship.
Assist existing immigrants (free advice, counseling, legal assistance) who are seeking to comply with laws.
But restrict future immigration sensibly.

Cannabis Reform

Stop failed drug war that has contributed to massive violence and economic instability in Mexico which drive immigrants here.
Legalize cannabis use; being in the open (rather than a 'forbidden fruit') would make it possible to regulate usage and prevent overuse by peer counseling, social feedback, etc.
I have personally been involved in the scientific research and find no evidence of the so-called 'gateway hypothesis.'
Legalized cannabis would significantly reduce alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

Government

No government should be so big that it precludes personal interaction between officials and citizens.
Affirm states' rights, reduce federal government, decentralize government.
Term limits: two terms for Senators, three for members of Congress
Lobbying and campaign finance reform

Economic

Tax reform: flat tax or fair tax
Audit the Federal Reserve.

Work

'Redeemed corporations' — worker friendly companies.
Involve employees more in management decisions.
Move towards 32-hour work week.

Right to Choose

Abortion is being used as a wedge issue to 'divide and conquer' the American public.
Abortion is both a moral and a legal issue. As a strictly legal issue, no acceptable theory of government can permit the state to override a woman's ownership of her body.
For example, the state cannot require you to donate a kidney even if it would save another person's life; it could not say, "this other person's right to life supersedes your right to own your body."
Abortion, however, should not be treated lightly.

Paid for by John Uebersax