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Kathleen Bailey
Kathleen Bailey (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 5th Congressional District. She lost in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2022.
Bailey completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kathleen Bailey was born in Dallas, Texas. Bailey earned a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1971 and 1976, respectively. Her career experience includes working as the assistant director of the Arms Control & Disarmament Agency, with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as a commercial farmer, a photographer, a painter, a filmmaker, and an author. Bailey has served as a senior associate for the National Institute for Public Policy.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Texas' 5th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Texas District 5
Incumbent Lance Gooden defeated Tartisha Hill, Kevin Hale, and Ruth Torres in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 5 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lance Gooden (R) | 64.0 | 135,595 |
 | Tartisha Hill (D) | 33.9 | 71,930 | |
 | Kevin Hale (L) | 2.0 | 4,293 | |
 | Ruth Torres (Independent) (Write-in)  | 0.1 | 147 | |
| Total votes: 211,965 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 5
Tartisha Hill defeated Kathleen Bailey in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 5 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tartisha Hill | 52.7 | 10,689 |
 | Kathleen Bailey | 47.3 | 9,605 | |
| Total votes: 20,294 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Charles Gearing (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 5
Incumbent Lance Gooden advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 5 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lance Gooden | 100.0 | 47,692 |
| Total votes: 47,692 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 5
Kevin Hale advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 5 on March 19, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Kevin Hale (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kathleen Bailey completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bailey's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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After a few years at the Laboratory, I was recruited for a job in Washington DC as Deputy Director of Research in the US Information Agency, where I oversaw the conduct and analyses of foreign public opinion polling for US policymakers. I was later chosen by the White House to be Deputy Assistant Secretary in the US Department of State, with a portfolio including analyses of Moscow's disinformation and active measures, and Congressional intelligence liaison. I was then promoted by President Reagan and confirmed by the US Senate as Assistant Director of the US Arms Control & Disarmament Agency, responsible for nonproliferation policy.
After government service, I lectured at several universities and authored books and articles on defense, arms control, disinformation, and foreign affairs. Upon retirement from academia, I became a small farmer for 10 years. I returned to Dallas, where I was born, in 2012 and became a full-time artist. I am a painter, photographer, filmmaker, and author.
I am now running for Congress because I believe my extensive experience enables me to serve my fellow Texans, and the nation, in a competent and constructive manner. I believe in civility, getting the best experts' advice, and honesty.- Having RELEVANT EXPERIENCE sets me apart from my opponent.
- I'm a dedicated CONSENSUS BUILDER that gets things done.
- I'm PROVEN; I've managed large organizations and budgets and have a record of accomplishments.
The Earth is our home and Nature is our gift. We need to continue what has been started in terms of cleaning up pollution and changing over to renewable energy, but so much more is required. For example, we need to develop cleaner processes for creating steel, better batteries, and more efficient transportation.
Equality is a term that encompasses a host of needs. Our society is grappling with racism, mistreatment of minorities, unequal rights for women, brutality, and hatred. These issues can be tackled not only by our leaders speaking out, but by passing legislation to set standards and offer resources.
Covid has set back our students across the nation. And the restructuring of the economy has left many without jobs at the same time companies cannot find workers with the skills needed. We need to help our younger students catch up at the same time as we broaden adult education for trades and create apprenticeships.
Second, and even more importantly, President Biden is seeking to exploit information and expertise in a way that I admire and believe is essential for the progress of the nation. When he has a decision to make, he pulls together people who can present all sides of an argument so that he can understand the implications of each course of action, and which option is most likely to achieve the best results. What matters is not who is making the case for a policy, but rather what the import and quality of the argument are.
Third, he understands that negotiations should not be held in public and that his ego is not part of the equation. I truly believe that he puts the nation's interest first, without regard to his own or anyone else's political future. An example of this is the fact that he is willing to change his mind about events or policies based on new facts that come to fore.
And fourth, he places high value on continuity and coherence of government. He assures Vice President Harris is involved in all of the details presidential decision making. He not only seeks her input, but he also makes sure that she is fully informed.
One way to think about this is to draw a parallel with religion. It does not really matter whether a person is Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or whatever. What matters is whether integrity—a solid moral principle that is fair and equitable—guides their actions. For example if a person follows the Golden Rule, they are more likely to do right by their fellow man, regardless of what religion they practice.
A second set of characteristics that an elected official should have is empathy and tolerance. If you understand and care about how the other person feels, it will result in better behavior on your own part. Tolerance is a complementary quality. Tolerance at its most basic manifestation is when you accept that another person's ideas and behavior, as long as they are not harmful or violent, is their right.
In addition to the above, I think the following do/don't list is important for an elected official.
Do
Understand and abide by the Constitution. Serve the interests of all the constituents. Think long term with regard to legislations' impact on the future. Focus on high priority actions and needs. Get the facts and perspectives from all sides before making decisions. Be considerate and civil.
Don't
Because my career has been so extensive and covered multiple professions, I have a very broad understanding and knowledge of multiple subject areas. I am a PhD graduate. In my career I have been a successful teacher, intelligence analyst, government official, farmer, and artist. I have managed large organizations and big budgets, and led large groups of people. I would come to office with a breadth of capabilities and experience that are rare in a public official.
I had been very excited about the President's trip to Dallas. My school, J.L. Long Junior High, allowed students who had parental permission to go downtown to see the President's motorcade. My parents agreed.
I left school that morning by myself and boarded a bus to take me downtown. I had studied the newspaper in advance and planned where I would stand to try to be away from the crowd so that I could see better. I decided to go to the very end of the motorcade route where the crowd thinned.
I was standing on the curb and could see the limousine convertible headed my way with motorcycles in front and back of it. The car was still moving very slowly as it reached me. When the first motorcycles passed by, I stepped from the curb and began to run alongside his car waving. I was just 6 feet or so from him and he smiled at me. He was so handsome and I could hardly believe that I was really seeing him. He motioned me backwards and I jumped back up on the curb as the motorcade sped up.
As I returned to school on the bus, I was elated and felt that I had seen a piece of history. I know I was smiling when I entered my classroom, in stark contrast to everyone else sitting very solemnly. The room was hushed. I took my seat and one of the students whispered to me that the president had been killed. I thought it was a joke. I said no, that I had just seen him. Then the school principal's voice came over the loudspeaker and told everyone that school was being dismissed because of the assassination.
This job was akin to going fishing and landing a whale. It required that I learn so many things: the basic physics underlying nuclear weapons design and manufacture; key technologies required for weapons and delivery systems; the organization and functioning of the Intelligence Community; and managerial skills to direct programs, people and budgets.
My initial role in the Section was as principal analyst, but I was rapidly given additional managerial responsibilities which led to my first being Group Leader and then Section Leader.
I found the story riveting and the prose exceptional. Because the book relates to current events and understanding the hermit kingdom, I found it to be insightful to current events as well.
Because of the smaller size of the election districts (versus statewide elections), the Members are more likely to have specialty interests based on the characteristics of their districts.
My decade of government service in Washington DC, in three high profile jobs in three different federal bureaucracies, has enabled me to understand well how the executive branch works. In addition, one of my responsibilities while working in the US Department of State was as Congressional liaison for intelligence. This involved my going to both houses on Capitol Hill frequently to brief staff, and sometimes Members, on foreign policy and intelligence issues. This experience, coupled with several testimonies before the Senate and House, have given me insight into the legislative branch as well. Also, I have been requested to assist staff and Members upon occasion regarding legislation as an expert adviser on arms control and defense.
The impact of politics on getting things done is universal, Regardless of whether it is in the private sector or government, you need to know the basics, which include how to communicate well, be inclusive, and work toward common goals. To some extent, politics is the art of giving in order to get.
China in particular threatens us militarily, economically, and in terms of our international influence and alliances . China's military might is growing both in terms of quantity and quality. By comparison, the United States is trying to confront 21st century threat with 20th-century capabilities.
I admire Senator Amy Klobuchar tremendously. She is not only articulate, she understand issues in-depth. I also very much admire her demeanor and behavior. She is civil, yet firm. I recall when she questioned Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court position, he was very rude to her, yet she did not respond in-kind. Likewise, during the debates for the presidency, she was civilized and her remarks were about ideas and policies rather than personalities.
Among all of the stories I have heard personally, I think that one of the most impactful was that of a young woman who received a botched abortion because she had difficulty finding proper medical care. She was needlessly harmed. Her story helped me commit myself to the principle that women should have control over their own bodies and that society-at-large should have no say in individual's personal health decisions.
In addition to strongly believing in getting the best advice, I think the driving principle behind any spending legislation should include how to pay for it. If I am elected, I will make it my priority to assure that Congress is mindful of the burgeoning deficit and that measures be taken to reduce it.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Bailey's campaign website stated the following:
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National Security Threats & Challenges America faces increasingly dangerous threats, primarily from China, but also from Russia, Iran, and North Korea. There have been foreign-sponsored attacks against our cyber controlled infrastructure, disinformation to disrupt our public trust, challenges to our economic and political interests around the world, and theft of intellectual property and government secrets. Additionally, these nations continue their military build ups unabated and are using them to provoke and challenge us around the world. America faces increasingly dangerous threats, primarily from China, but also from Russia, Iran, and North Korea. There have been foreign-sponsored attacks against our cyber controlled infrastructure, disinformation to disrupt our public trust, challenges to our economic and political interests around the world, and theft of intellectual property and government secrets. Additionally, these nations continue their military build ups unabated and are using them to provoke and challenge us around the world. Space Vulnerabilities Today, the United States is more dependent than ever on space systems for everything from commercial navigation to military communications. For example, GPS (global positioning system) not only is integral to the functioning of our society, but it enables defenses that protect us from aggressors. Satellites control everything from tracking commercial shipments and financial transactions, to sophisticated military defenses. What if I told you that in 2020 China completed its own independent GPS system that is more modern than ours? And If I told you that China has demonstrated anti-satellite capabilities that could potentially be used to disable or destroy the satellites on which our society depends? Well, both are true. Budgetary Reforms Needed Meeting this challenge requires a strong defense and a strong defense budget. In particular, I am concerned that the Pentagon budget has been used as a piggy bank for priorities that should be funded elsewhere. Representative Anthony Brown, Democratic vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee, has written, “We spend $1 billion more on Medicare in the defense budget than we do on new tactical vehicles. We spend more on the defense health program than we do on new ships. In total, some $200 billion in the defense budget are essentially for non-defense purposes.” Our defense budget should be used for defense, not for worthy but unrelated domestic projects. Let me give an example. Breast cancer is a serious issue and deserves US government research support. For decades, the US Congress has given billions of dollars to the Department of Defense (DOD) for cancer research and charged it with managing those monies. But why is DOD tasked to do this rather than, say, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)? One reason is that it is easier to fund important domestic priorities in a big budget like the Pentagon’s, which generally enjoys strong bipartisan support, than it is through HHS, where consensus on health services is often more difficult to achieve. Yet, the bottom line is that taking a piece of the defense budget for cancer research is taking it away from meeting critical challenges we face in national security. Similarly, while I believe that the borders to the US should be closed to illegal immigration, it is not good policy to take money from DOD that should be used for sharpening our defenses and war-fighting capabilities and use it, for example, to build a wall instead. The dangers posed by illegal immigration are far different from those of major military threats that could coerce us and perhaps defeat us in conflict. It’s time we adopted sensible budget policies that don’t undermine our national security and focus on defending America and its allies against the real threats we face today and are likely to face in the future. The Environment Mankind has been very tough on mother nature; we need to mend our ways. This is not only for the sake of all the people who come after us, but also for the world’s animals, plants, and the oceans and rivers that sustain us. Climate Change I know that there have always been droughts, hurricanes and other natural disasters throughout time. But I also know that the carbon footprint we create is causing a rapid increase in destructive climate change. In many places the air is chokingly bad, the water undrinkable, and the land cannot sustain its animal and plant populations. And we are decimating species. It is time for this to end. As your Representative, I would work to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting energy-efficient technologies, and focusing on renewable energy. However, I would do so in a strategically panned manner. For example, if we reduce availability of fossil fuels before making replacement energy available, it will have dire economic effects. Forging agreement on policies and actions to save our earth and reverse damage done is difficult. But I am strongly committed to working to overcome differences and to making progress on environmental issues. Overpopulation is a Problem My personal interest in environmental issues began when I went to college. One of the first things I did was join an organization called Zero Population Growth. The central tenet was that each human couple should produce only two offspring. This would assure that future generations would not expand to such a great degree that it would tax the ability of the earth and waterways to feed and house us. Also, as a longtime pet guardian, I have understood well my duty to make judgments on behalf of the Earth’s non-human inhabitants who do not have the power of reason. I am committed to using the power of reason, as well as the tools of science, to protect and restore our environment. In the environment, all things are interrelated at some point. When there are too many people, they crowd out habitat for other animals and for plants, which is why there have been thousands of extinctions under the stewardship of mankind. And people require food, which further stresses Nature. At present, agriculture uses half of the world’s habitable land and accounts for more than 30% of global emissions. Already there are widespread instances of human undernourishment and starvation, and not all due just to warfare. As the human population continues to grow, the competition for arable land and water resources will only increase. By reducing humankind, we can spare the earth, and therefore our children, the effects of industrialized agriculture and food shortages. Technology is Key to Progress I believe that renewable energy is a sound pursuit upon which most of us can agree. I also believe that energy efficiency is something that we can support in a bipartisan manner. But there are so many initiatives that need continuing support, or need to be undertaken, that it is difficult to pick a priority to use as an example. Nevertheless, let me mention one—steel production. Steel is and will continue for some time to be essential to not only economic growth, but our very civilization. Yet steel production is also extraordinarily taxing on the environment in terms of its energy and water consumption and pollution. I believe we should incentivize the steel industry to develop new processes to enable more environmentally sound steel production. Sound environmental policies are directly related to improving physical and cyber infrastructure. When we invest in our ports and harbors, we enable cleanup of past mistakes and prevention of future ones. Improving or building new water treatment facilities enables clean water for people and for Nature. Government has a tremendous, positive role to take in directing environmental and energy policies. But we must do so with an eye toward assuring economic competitiveness. I do not think the two are antitheses. We can move forward with both a strong economy and an improved, sustainable environment. Racial Injustice and Police Brutality Equality and Justice Racial injustice and police brutality have long been part of the fabric of America. While I always known it was very wrong, I’ve had few ideas of what we citizens could do about it. Marching and making speeches may be useful to some extent, but they don’t solve the problems. I believe America is now ready to undertake meaningful steps toward addressing racial injustice and police brutality. The day I saw film footage of Eric Garner being cornered and tackled into a lethal chokehold by police lit a fire in me. I knew I had to somehow become a stronger advocate for better police training and weeding out bad cops. But it was the murder of George Floyd that threw gasoline on my fire, as it did with many people around the world. That horrific video continues to play in my mind and incentivizes me to do more than talk. That murder on May 25, 2020 is of the reasons that I began to think of running for Congress. Ideas for Reform Before I state some of the proposals I think have promise, let me be very clear on one point: I do not advocate de-funding police. We need law enforcement. But we can and should make it better. I believe that laws, and their enforcement, can make a huge difference toward improving racial justice in America. There are so many things that we can do from ending cash bail, to banning chokeholds and neck restraints, to creating a national database of cops who have engaged in racist or other brutal actions. They should not be allowed to go from one city’s police force to another’s. Setting standards for specific training for police is a good idea too. How can it possibly be that someone could not tell the difference between a handgun and a taser? How can it be that a no-knock warrant was served in which innocent people were “accidentally” murdered? How can it be that a youngster holding his hands in the air in surrender was shot and killed by police? Training should be so complete that there would rarely if ever be such mistakes. Wearing body cameras should be universal among police forces in the US. And there must be consequences for anyone who breaks the rules as to how they are worn, operated, and maintained after incidents. Laws can also address bias and discriminatory conduct in sentencing. We must increase transparency about prosecutorial decisions, including by collecting statistics on charges, plea deals, and sentencing recommendations. We should invest in conviction integrity units to increase post-convention sentencing reviews. Police Equipment Matters It is also important to demilitarize police forces. For the last several administrations, too much excess military equipment has been transferred to the states where it has ended up being used by police. The use of war-fighting military equipment and weaponry should be prohibited in all but the most dangerous and dire circumstances. Other technologies also are of concern. Facial recognition software, for example, can be used for illegitimate intrusion into people personal lives and can be abused for nefarious purposes. Cellphone triangulation technology can be used to locate criminals, but there should be limits on how and when it can be used. We need to examine the pros and cons of new technologies in policing and assure that laws are in place to monitor, control, and limit their use so that Americans’ rights are protected. Gender Equality and Women's Rights LGBTQIA+ I will fight to protect LGBTQIA+ rights and end discrimination in employment, healthcare, housing. I will also fight to ensure that our laws are inclusive of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and protect rights and opportunities for all people. Healthcare Almost all politicians say they support “more affordable and universal healthcare.” In fact, there have been many laws both proposed and passed in recent years, and healthcare companies are still changing their own rules and processes to deal with the challenges brought by the upheaval in the healthcare system. I will not introduce some unthought-of-before idea here, but what I can offer is to spotlight some emerging problems with which we must deal. Doctors Leaving Medicare Currently, there is a trend for many doctors to opt out of Medicare and decline new patients. Some have moved to a cash-only basis, dispensing with insurance altogether. Additionally, many young people may reconsider whether it is worthwhile to enter the medical profession. I worry that America will move toward a two-tier system, one in which the wealthy have superior care and those who depend on government programs have lesser care. For many decades America has provided a high standard in terms of its medical capabilities and progress. To keep our expertise, we must think not only about making healthcare more broadly available, but also ensuring that there is incentive for our healthcare system and medical research to be the best that it can be. Consolidation of Healthcare Companies Another unintended consequence of recent legislation is that it further enables the trend of consolidating large healthcare companies, which may end up increasing prices for consumers. The Provider Relief Fund was part of the Covid relief law. It gave $178 billion in aid to the wealthiest hospital systems. These funds enabled them to spend on acquiring competitors and doctors’ practices. Rep. Katie Porter (D,CA) was quoted in The New York Times as saying, ”It was not intended to be a capital infusion to the largest and most financially stable providers to allow them to simply grow their slice of market share.” And Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D, MN) has declared that anti-competitive mergers must be stopped. I agree. Another issue is drug prices. How can it be that the same drug can cost twice in a US pharmacy as it does in a Canadian one? I support allowing importation of safe, less-expensive drugs. Moreover, we must end the practice whereby big drug manufacturers pay generic competitors to delay providing less expensive generics. Also, on the topic of drug prices, I believe we must end the practice whereby big drug manufacturers pay generic competitors to delay providing less expensive generics. But I am not anti-big-drug company in many respects. For example, I am well aware that it takes a company with resources to do the extensive, intensive research to develop new drugs and I will work to protect their intellectual property rights. Gun Control I believe in the right to bear arms and am myself a gun owner. I do not believe that gun registration is a good idea but do believe that more can be done to prevent murders and mass killings. Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has told the story of Ku Klux Klan mobs coming to her neighborhood when she a child. Her father and neighbors owned guns that they would fire into the air as warning that they’d protect their families and homes. Like Condi Rice, I believe that we need to have a serious assessment of whether gun registration is a threat to Second Amendment rights. The Role of Mental Illness Most of the mass shootings in America would not have been prevented with the gun control laws most often put forward. Also, much of the gun violence that occurs in families and against women by abusive men wouldn’t be prevented by the proposed laws. These problems seem intractable, but there is often a common theme: the shooter is frequently mentally ill and known to be so. There are things that can be done with legislation to address this. In particular, more can be done to restrict ownership and access to guns by the mentally ill. In quite a few cases, the shooters in cases of killings in schools, in workplaces, and public venues, as well as shooters who are abusive family members or friends, are people who have been previously identified as being a danger to themselves and/or others. Many have been reported by those who know them well as being a risk that could result in gun violence. One idea that could be explored is the construction of a national database of such reports of mental instability, often made by family and friends, but also by mental health professionals. The database could be used as part of the determination of whether an individual passes a background check or not. The danger of such a database, of course, is that it could contain individuals who are not a risk due to mental illness. Measures must be put in place that this does not happen. These might include a mandatory periodic check to determine whether an individual indeed belongs in the database, fair criteria that must be met before an individual is entered into it, and a system for challenging one’s inclusion in the database. The database should be used for no other purpose. Mental illness is a pervasive problem that afflicts many families who have few resources to deal with it. I would support an effort by appropriate government agencies to study new ways to assist families in treating and dealing with mental illness, including access to medical programs. This guidance could be used to recraft existing programs to make them better address potentially violent mentally ill individuals, without creating yet another bureaucracy. Training As a Tool Gun ownership should not come without obligations to understand the dangers of firearms, how to handle and store them, and the tragic consequences that can come from irresponsibility. I would support an attempt to require gun ownership training for everyone who wants to buy a gun. While I support having a dialog on whether registration is a worthy solution, I currently oppose registration, but believe that training can be done in such a manner that it does not create a registration database. Assault Weapons My present view is that individuals’ possession of high-capacity or military-style weapons is unnecessary and dangerous. I am open to hearings and debate on the issue and would support such inquiry. Minimum Wage Increasing the minimum wage to $15 over the next 5 years is a very good idea and long overdue. The federal minimum wage is currently at $7.25 an hour and has remained so since 2009. (Twenty-one states and Washington DC have minimum wages higher than $7.25.) The minimum wage simply has not kept pace with the cost of living. Furthermore, more than half of the workers earning this minimum wage are women and disproportionately people of color. And it is women who usually bear the greatest burden of supporting single-parent homes. The Downsides Let me tell you how I reached my conclusion that the minimum wage should be increased. As I usually do in analyzing any gnarly problem, I try to look at what both sides are saying. So let me begin with the reasons why some people are leery of raising the minimum wage.
Reasons for an Increase I do not make light of these concerns. But I do think that they that the identified risks can be managed and that the benefits will outweigh the costs of raising the minimum wage. For example, I believe that the Federal Reserve would have to take into consideration this the impact of the minimum wage decision in its monetary policies. Additionally, in the post-Covid economy, wages at the lower end are beginning to rise throughout the US economy. It is already the case that larger firms are able to pay these wages whereas small businesses are suffering. Why do I believe that we should take the risk? Primarily it is because the purchasing power of the dollar—the amount of goods or services that it can buy—has eroded over time. A 2019 study by the Economic Policy Institute found that the federal minimum wage in 2019 had 17% less purchasing power than it did 10 years ago, and 31% less than the minimum wage in 1968. Making matters worse, inflation in 2021 has exceeded 5% and is rising. It is not the transitory increase we’d hoped it would be; it is heading into 2022 as well. I believe that the benefits of raising the minimum wage to $15 over the next 5 years outweigh the risks. And I would work for and vote for that. Jobs We need to make sure that America generates the right kind of jobs. To do this requires that we innovate, invent, and elevate the standard of living at home and worldwide. In turn, this requires that we focus on economic basics like science, technology, and entrepreneurship. My dad was a manual laborer who spent long hours working in summer heat and winter cold in tough jobs on oil-field rigs. He attended night school to study engineering and worked his way up the ladder with his company to become oil refinery manager. He made sure that I understood that one needs to work hard for what you get. His example taught me that you can’t expect success to be handed to you; you have to earn it. Another equally important lesson my dad taught me was that there needs to be a level playing field. This means everyone should have the opportunity to succeed, not just the wealthiest. This is why I am firmly committed to working for economic policies that benefit all Americans. Exports are Key There should be jobs, living wages, affordable healthcare, education, childcare, and housing to give everyone a chance to succeed. A key to all of these is a strong economy, and a key to a strong economy is exports. Ninety-five of the worlds potential consumers live outside of the USA, yet less than 1% of American businesses export. A key to increasing exports is fair trade and enforcement, positive global outreach, and export help for small businesses. Our principal trading competitor is and is likely to continue to be China. China produces and sells huge quantities of goods by paying its workers little, subsidizing production with government resources, and often cutting corners in terms of quality. In the face of this challenge, the best way for American companies and workers to increase exports and productivity is to make our markets competitive. Thus, I believe we must do the following:
Labor Should be Partner One of the reasons that jobs have moved offshore is that foreign labor is cheaper, due to the long hours, lesser standards, and lower wages abroad. To bring good jobs back to the US, it’s imperative that labor work with corporate managements to achieve lower production costs at home. I believe this can be done without lowering the safety and other standards that labor has achieved over the years, but it does require that labor take a different tack on how to help workers. The focus should be increasingly on how to create jobs, not just how to increase the wages and benefits of existing jobs.[2] |
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| —Kathleen Bailey's campaign website (2022)[3] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 30, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kathleen for Congress, “Issues,” accessed January 25, 2022
