newsminer.com

Ethan Berkowitz

Democrat

Age: 46

Residence: Anchorage

How long in Alaska: 18 years

Occupation: Business owner, attorney

Recent polls show the No. 1 concern of voters at the moment is the soaring price of gasoline, which is tied to record high crude oil prices. How would you address rising energy prices in the short term and what actions do you think Congress should take on energy policy in the long run?

Short-term solutions have to include price relief for Alaskan families and businesses. Long-term, our goal is energy independence, which requires structural changes in the production and consumption of energy. Alongside sensible energy conservation, Alaska must develop our vast renewable energy resources, build a natural gas pipeline, and keep our oil flowing. Alaska’s resources must be developed on Alaska’s terms and for Alaska’s benefit.

The entire Fairbanks borough is in the midst of a full-blown energy crisis. The high cost of energy has suffocated the region for far too long. Every time we import a dollar’s worth of diesel, we export an Alaskan dollar and miss the opportunity to create an Alaskan job.

We must continue to take advantage of proven technologies while we research and prospect for new energy resources. Here in Alaska, Chena Hot Springs already saves nearly 250,000 gallons of diesel per year. The wind farm in Kotzebue saves roughly 100,000 gallons of diesel per year. There are 80 other villages across Alaska that could benefit from wind energy. It’s time to innovate, to be bold, and to invest in transformative technologies. We need to act now.

The faltering economy, weakening dollar and growing unemployment are spurring middle-class concern about the future and whether they can maintain their current standard of living. What can Congress do to shore up the economy and reverse job loss?

America sends out $700 billion every year paying for our country’s dependence on foreign oil. We spend $10 billion a month to stay in Iraq. Those are heavy loads, even for the strongest economy in the world. Policies that encourage investments in energy independence – through increased domestic oil and gas production, renewable energy projects, and conservation and efficiencies – will lower energy costs, create jobs and fuel economic prosperity.

The essence of the American Dream is that if you work hard and live by the rules, your children will have the opportunity to lead a healthier, more prosperous life. Instead, too many of us worry about staying afloat rather than getting ahead. A big part of this election is restoring the promise of the American Dream – which means education opportunities from pre-school to post-secondary. We need to strengthen programs like Head Start, and lift the onerous provisions of ‘No Child Left Behind’ which impairs our K-12 educational system. We can provide student loans for vocational training so that we don’t import our work force while exporting our resources. We can fund University research so that we can lead the U.S. in Arctic science, technology, and policy development.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone on now longer than World War II. Should the United States continue its military campaigns in those countries and, if so, for how long? If the wars are to continue, would you support a national draft?

America’s troops have performed incredibly in Iraq – the White House acknowledges satisfactory progress on most key benchmarks for success. However, continued presence there poses challenges to our military ability in Afghanistan. The fiscal costs impact our competitiveness in a global economy, and the impact on our international reputation limits our diplomatic opportunities. Withdrawing from Iraq is in the national interest. I do not support a draft.

The American troops who have served in Iraq have done their job well. It is now up to the Iraqis to assume responsibility and control for their own future. It is time for our troops to come home, but they must come home to opportunity. I will always remember the conversation I had with a soldier who was worried about redeploying to Iraq and equally worried about finding a job when he came home.

Our continued presence in Iraq compromises America’s ability to protect our interests.

It drains our military resources and exhausts our economic strength. It undermines our ability to demonstrate diplomatic leadership. We should carry on as a nation that inspires hope around the world.

More and more American soldiers are returning from the wars with lifelong injuries, yet Congress and the president continue to disagree on funding for veterans services. What, if any, changes should be made to the health care and benefits veterans receive and how would any increases be funded?

Funding for veterans’ services constitutes a moral obligation deserving priority funding from Congress. Our veterans should be treated like the heroes they are, and Congress must make sure veterans receive the support and care they have earned. That means that the Veterans’ Administration gets necessary funding and top quality management. It is unacceptable when Alaska’s veterans have to leave the state for essential healthcare.

One of the commitments we make as a country is that when our troops go to war, the entire country goes with them. When they come home, the entire country honors the promises made for their service. Funding shortfalls, program inadequacies and deplorable conditions in Veterans’ hospitals have outraged Americans. Alaska has the highest per-capita population of Veterans in the country. My priorities include providing excellent and comprehensive health services, such as psychiatric and mental health services for Veterans struggling with Traumatic Brain Injuries and PTSD. Similarly, we must ensure that Veterans receive the full extent of benefits they have earned, from a GI Bill-funded college education to federal support for Veteran-owned businesses to quality housing, life insurance benefits and better family separation allowances for military families.

The high cost of health care continually ranks as one of the top concerns of Americans. Does the current health care and insurance system need to be changed? Explain.

The system is broken and must be improved. Nearly 50 million Americans and 120,000 Alaskans are uninsured and risk bankruptcy from even the smallest of medical procedures. Getting sick shouldn’t mean going broke, and in the wealthiest country in the world, people who need healthcare should be able to get it – and people who provide health care should get paid.

I’ve participated in discussions across Alaska about our health care system. The conversations usually begin as stories about life – about our families, our businesses. They’re about the quality and availability of medical treatment. They describe the anguish of a parent unable to provide for children, or the desperation of an elder caught up against the crushing cost of medicine.

Providing health care for all Alaskans is a goal we must reach. In the short term, we can alleviate burdens on Alaskans by allowing small businesses to work together to pool their employees to make insurance affordable. We can expand the federal SCHIP – Denali KidCare -- program to cover more children. Ultimately, this debate is about making sure doctors can deliver quality health care and that Alaskans have access to that care without going broke.

How can health care for Alaska Natives best be improved, especially in rural communities?

Federal support for Native healthcare has not kept up with growing costs and inflation. There’s a chronic shortage of doctors and dentists, and many rural clinics and pharmacies teeter on the edge of collapse. These are solvable problems. We can work with non-profits and insurance companies to expand access to telemedicine. Congress must work with our rural communities to end the heartbreaking statistics on alcohol abuse, suicide, and diabetes.

Alaska should expand our telemedicine program to help those beyond the reach of hospitals, specialists and medical care. Telemedicine through rural clinics is ideal for providing health care to Alaskans in remote locations. This is one example of how technology can make health care available and affordable. Insurance companies need to recognize that telemedicine is a critical tool for Alaska and should be covered by health insurance policies just as office visits are. Increased federal funding for rural health initiatives and local-level approaches are essential components of a long-term solution.

What, if anything, would you change about federal law governing abortions?

Abortions should remain safe, legal, and rare. I believe that government should avoid intruding on the private decisions a woman makes in consultation with her doctor.

The use of congressional earmarks to fund state projects has been a major point of contention. Do you support the use of earmarks? If so, how should the system be altered to reduce abuse?

Government should be fair and transparent. If these principals are followed, earmarks can be an appropriate means to deliver federal funds to Alaska. Earmarks have funded critical Alaskan projects when the federal bureaucracy has failed to move quickly enough to respond to uniquely Alaskan conditions. Once reformed, a fair and transparent earmarking process can solve Alaskan problems and benefit our state in necessary ways.

Does the Endangered Species Act, as it is currently interpreted by environmental groups and the federal judiciary, and the listing of the polar bear present a threat to the economic future of Alaska? If not, why? If so, what changes would you support in Congress to address the issue?

Alaskans have always done a good job conserving our natural resources while developing our economic opportunities. I support the goal of protecting endangered species, and I believe Alaskans can continue to balance conservation and development. As demonstrated by the recent listing of the polar bear, the ESA can be finely-tuned to protect both animals and economic interests. Despite the bears’ listing, oil companies continue their resource exploration in the Arctic

For any policies that would require increased spending, how would you pay for them?

As a state legislator, I belonged to the bipartisan Fiscal Policy Caucus. We had the shared goal of balancing the state budget when faced with record low oil revenues. I have always stood for fiscal responsibility. I believe that government should “Pay as You Go”. It begins with ending the war in Iraq, saving billions of dollars. It continues by ending our dependence on foreign oil, saving $700 billion annually.

Should Congress continue to provide funding for the bypass mail system? If not, should some form of subsidy be provided to maintain air service in rural communities?

Rural Alaskans depend on bypass mail to bring the products and food they need to survive. It provides a huge service to rural Alaskans, many of whom live on fixed incomes. The high cost of fuel in the Bush is already forcing families to make choices between heating their homes and feeding their families. Canceling the bypass mail system would devastate rural Alaska. I am committed to continuing this program.

The ability of Alaska Native corporations to receive preference for federal contracts under the 8A program is currently causing a stir on Capitol Hill. Has the program been abused in Alaska? Should it be changed?

8(a) programs have been critical to the success of Alaska Native corporations and the Alaskan economy. Native–owned businesses create hundreds of jobs for Alaskans and generate millions of dollars, which are re-invested back into Alaska. The real success of 8(a) contracts has been to grow Alaskan-owned businesses, opening their doors to provide goods, services, and employment opportunities for Alaskans. Doyon Corporation is a great example of this.

Funding for the Denali Commission regularly comes under fire in Congress. Has the commission been a success and should it be continued? How would you pay for rural infrastructure projects, such as water and sewer projects, fuel tank farms and ports?

Rural Alaska has benefited tremendously from Denali Commission funds, and this innovative program should continue. Federal money allocated through the Commission results in better services to rural Alaskans and helps promote sustainable economies in the Bush. It is vital to promoting self-sufficiency and independence for rural communities, so that these economies will be ready to stand and prosper on their own. The work of the Commission should continue.

The work of the Denali Commission reflects the Alaska spirit. Alaskans are able to create long-term, innovative solutions to age-old problems. The Commission recently awarded $5 million dollars to develop renewable energy including wind, hydro, biomass, solar and geothermal power. This money will help lower fuel costs throughout our state, particularly in the hardest hit rural areas. The Commission has taken on workforce development around our state providing job training for hundreds of Alaskans. The work done by the Commission to build critical infrastructure creates opportunities for economic development. The contributions made by the Commission over the last ten years have been critical to promoting fundamental Alaskan values.

Do you support efforts to place a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions? How would you reduce the impact of such a cap on the national economy?

I support efforts to reduce emissions for economic as well as environmental reasons. Emerging international standards for capping greenhouse gases have the potential to produce a global trade in carbon emissions that would benefit our state’s economy. I have been consistently on record as wanting Alaska to take advantage of this emerging market. It puts us at the forefront of climate change policy and promotes our economic strength.

With vision, political will and strategic thinking, we can ease the financial burdens on Alaska’s families. As a state legislator, I led the call for a statewide energy plan and advocated for developing local energy resources. I fought hard to develop Alaska’s gas on Alaska’s terms, and to make sure we got full value for our oil resources.

Alaska’s natural gas is among the cleanest burning fuels on earth, producing far less emissions than other sources of energy, increasing its value in energy markets. In Washington DC, I will fight to bring Alaska gas to homes and businesses across the state and around the country. I’ll continue to explore ways to build the infrastructure to use renewable resources so we can reduce emissions while lowering the cost of energy across our state.

Warming global temperatures are opening up new opportunities for resource development and shipping in the Arctic, as well as new challenges. What changes to Arctic policy does Congress need to enact and how do they affect Alaska?

The United States should lead the international effort to ensure new shipping and resource ventures are done safely, and done in a way that protects Alaska’s economic and cultural interests in the Arctic. Congress must prepare for adequate transportation and safety operations in the region. As the nation’s lone Arctic state, Congress should further guarantee that any development done in the Arctic benefits Alaskans first.