Meet the Candidates (Pt. 3) John Delaney

After a short hiatus to celebrate a birthday and focus on the Presidential debate (which resulted in the flinging of frosting and an angry cat), we hop a plane and head back east.  No time for driving, there's only three weeks until the election, and boy do we still have work to do.  We land at BWI, and hop in our rental car and head for beautiful Western Maryland.  America in Miniature, The Old Line State, she is the state of my birth.  I was born in a small town called Havre de Grace, minutes from the banks of the Susquehanna River. I am a New Yorker now, and proudly so, but Maryland will always be my home.  She is unique and special, a beautiful state.  I feel as if I have a personal stake in her future, as my eldest children have made Maryland their home.  

We're on our way to Maryland's 6th Congressional District, which comprises all of the Western part of the state as well as portions of Baltimore, Montgomery and Harford Counties.  The District is currently represented by Roscoe Bartlett, a Republican who made headlines for backing up and concurring with Todd Akin's now infamous "legitimate rape" comments.  Bartlett was quoted as saying, "There are very few pregnancies as a result of rape..."  Bartlett has also co-sponsored legislation that bans abortion with only an exception for the life of the mother.  There was no exception for cases of rape or incest.

John Delaney, Candidate MD-06

But enough about Roscoe.  We're here to meet his opponent, John Delaney.  When visiting Delaney's website, the first thing he shares with you is that he's the son of a Union electrician.  Look a little deeper into his site and you'll see just how important the men and women who make America run are to this man.  He's also a small business owner with some very innovative ideas for the economy and some very different priorities than those of his opponent and even from his counterparts in the Democratic Party.  He's innovative, pragmatic and a well reasoned-thinker.  His ideas are laid out with specifics on his website and open to public scrutiny; a bold move that shows the candidate's confidence in his ideas, and his commitment to transparency.  With John Delaney, what you see is what you get.

I've got to tell you that I've done countless hours of research on Congressional candidates across the country for this blog.  The thing that sets John Delaney apart is a passionate commitment to sharing his ideas in great detail.  His approach is, as we said before, very pragmatic.  He identifies the problem, and then offers a detailed approach to solving that problem.  His ideas are well thought out, organized and they consider the cause-and-effect, not only to business owners and corporate job creators, but to the labor force as well.  He's embraced that singular concept that is the key to an economic rebound that flourishes and is long term:  We must consider the needs of both groups of Americans; business owners and workers alike.  

John's views on job creation are a prime example of this notion.  We must first acknowledge that the way we did things in the past isn't working anymore.  We're now in a new era and operate in a global market.  We're not able to compete with other nations in manufacturing like we used to.  We need fresh, innovative ideas and we need to accept that reestablishing our competitive edge is the first step to increasing job growth.  Delaney's ten (yes ten)! point plan is laid out in crisp detail and touches on every aspect of job growth and development, from they types of jobs we need to create to sustain and improve the economy, to training the workforce to hold these jobs; from making the US a more attractive place to do business to the kinds of industries that will advance our pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-business agenda.  Most importantly, Delaney sees that these three elements are not mutually exclusive.  He proves that we can create an economic environment that does not put these three agendas at odds with each other.

Delaney goes on to emphasize that education is the foundation of our economic success.  Without the proper training (be it a college degree, job training or advanced technical training), our workforce will not be adequate to meet the demands of a growing and dynamic business climate.  In order to stimulate job growth, we have to address the education of our current workforce, and especially to invest in future generations.  

John believes that we have to make higher education and advanced training more accessible by supporting not only Pell Grants, but with work-study programs and by easing rules for student loans as well.  He is a strong advocate for technical and vocational counseling in high schools to benefit students for whom college may not be the right path.
He believes in attracting and retaining high quality teachers that are evaluated in a fair way--that while standardized tests, both locally and nationally have their place, they must not be the only means of evaluation for teacher performance or for student progress.  He supports flexibility and parental choice, and feels that charter schools, when implemented properly, have a place in our educational system.  One point that makes John Delaney's approach to education unique is his belief that "soft skills", such as job interview techniques and business etiquette are an important part of a well-rounded education and are equally important as traditional curricula.  

In matters of healthcare, the candidate supports the Affordable Care Act, but calls for it to go a step further and address the long-term care needs of seniors.  He calls for common sense ways to reduce costs such as switching to electronic medical records, which allows physicians to access vital patient information more efficiently, thereby improving care and reducing costs at the same time.  Delaney believes in the importance of Healthcare Exchanges, stating that they level the playing field for insurance companies, and allow individuals and small business owners to more easily compare and choose plans that best fit their needs.  He stresses the need for these Exchanges to operate with "accountability, efficiency and transparency."  John also believes in the importance of Planned Parenthood as a community health center.  For many women with low incomes, Planned Parenthood is their only option to receive vital healthcare, such as cancer screening, and access to family planning services.  Delaney has pledged to support Title X funding that provides women with access to preventive and reproductive care.

John Delaney has laid out his positions so thoroughly that to cover all the important issues here would require many pages, a cup of coffee, a cozy chair and perhaps a snack!  I encourage you to gather the latter elements and check out his views for yourself, here.
I have to tell you that this is one of the few candidates that make me want to pack up and move to his district.  He's going to make a great representative for the people of his community.  Rarely do we get to see a candidate with such thoughtful, insightful ideas coupled with a true devotion to the people he will represent.  John Delaney is facing an uphill battle.  Roscoe Bartlett is receiving a tremendous amount of "dark money" from outside sources (a nice way of saying PAC's).  The Republicans will stop at nothing to advance their agenda and hold on to their majority in the House.  Please show John Delaney some love in the form of a contribution.  You can contribute to the effort and support John Delaney HERE!!  I fully support and endorse John Delaney for Congress in my beloved Maryland's 6th District.  Get out there and vote for John Delaney on November 6th.

** Disclaimer--This blog is strictly my opinion.  It is not endorsed by any of the candidates or their campaigns.  Each candidate spotlighted in this series is thoroughly researched and presented in the fairest light possible.