“If you vote, you have a right to complain. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain,” said Assemblyman Mike Honda who practiced backyard campaigning when speaking on political issues to a crowd of students at the patio stage on Thursday, Oct. 19.
“I’m running [for Congressman] because we need a change,” he said.
On health care
According to Honda, when Medicare was first established in 1965, prescription drug coverage was not included in the plan, nor was it included in most private coverage plans.
Seniors are finding it harder and more expensive to get access to the prescription drugs they need, he said.
“My opponent says that we should only give it to people of low incomes … [I think] every senior should get it.”
Honda says that in order to ensure that Medicare continues to be available for current retirees and well into the future, all social security surplus and a portion of the budget surplus should be used to pay down the national debt.
On education
“Specifically, I am dedicated to fighting for higher paid and better-trained teachers. Without a strong teacher corps, our students will not be prepared to participate in the new economy,” Honda said.
As a former teacher and principal, improving schools has always been his focus. That’s why he’s running for Congress, he says.
He says that more than ever, the competition for jobs and for a stake in the world marketplace will be won by the young people who are best educated.
He noted that people with a good education, but a weak background in math and science, often loose jobs.
public elementary and high schools should be changed to include a more diverse education. Maye says that it was not until he got to college that he learned about Black History Month and Latino heritage.
“I think the curriculum needs to change and become more diverse … Teachers need to be more educated,” Honda said.
On Israel and Palestine
During a trip to the State of Israel, Honda says he was able to understand the issues surrounding the relations between the U.S., Israel and its neighbors. He says that his trip, along with the experience of being interned as a Japanese-American during the World War II, have enabled him to develop an understanding of what it means to be persecuted on the basis of one’s heritage. “The issues currently facing the State of Israel must be addressed by the U.S. in order to maintain democracy in the Middle East.”
Whether or not the population at large votes for Honda, he encourages everyone to go to the polls on Nov. 7. He encourages students to vote Democratic because he said Republicans hold all the seats in Congress.
