ROTHFUSS FOR WY SENATE 2010
Statement of Candidacy for Wyoming Senate District 9
Dr. Christopher J. Rothfuss (D)
April 9, 2010
Two years ago, while I was campaigning as the Democratic candidate for United States Senate against Mike Enzi, I had people from every corner of our State – Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans – asking me to consider running for the Wyoming State Legislature in 2010. They said Wyoming needed my expertise as a chemical engineer to help shape our State’s energy future. They understood the value of my technical training, my relationship with the University of Wyoming, and my experience as a science advisor and diplomat at the U.S. Department of State, and they encouraged me to remain engaged in Wyoming politics. They also knew that I would always put the needs of the people of our state, and our nation, ahead of party politics.
Well, it’s 2010, and I am very happy to be here today, to officially announce my candidacy for the Wyoming State Senate.
The district nine Senate seat has been held by Democratic Senator Mike Massie since 1999. Mike has been a strong and valued voice in the Senate. His practical, collegial manner has allowed him to work constructively with members of both parties, to craft legislation, and to ensure that all of his constituents are ably represented. The Senate will certainly miss Mike’s contributions now that he has chosen to move on – hopefully to become Wyoming’s next Superintendent of Public Education.
With only seven Democratic seats in the 30 member Senate, it is imperative that Mike’s seat remain Democratic. Balance is an essential part of democracy. We need a plurality of voices to ensure that all views may be expressed – and with the disproportionately low representation by the Democrats, we must also ensure that the voices present are resounding and authoritative. As a chemical engineer, an instructor at the University of Wyoming, and a former diplomat for the U.S. Department of State, I have the practical experience to effectively address the needs of our State. For Wyoming, those needs begin with our energy industry.
Energy is clearly the lifeblood of the Wyoming economy. Our state is a leader in energy production. However at the national level, we have too often been deferential to the will of others. We diligently produce coal, oil, and gas, and let the other states sort out the political details, and reap the rewards. This passive approach to energy policy must end. We need to focus on a comprehensive solution that leverages all of our resources – coal, oil, gas, wind, solar, nuclear, everything we’ve got – to meet our growing energy demand, eliminate our dependence on foreign oil, and simultaneously reduce our greenhouse gas and other emissions. As a Chemical Engineer, I know this can be done, and it can be done in a manner that stimulates our economy, reduces the trade deficit, and benefits U.S. & Wyoming industry, the environment, and our national security. In the absence of any effective national energy leadership, the Wyoming State Legislature must step up and be proactive towards achieving these objectives in a manner that most benefits the people of Wyoming, and provides us with economic stability through the years ahead. We need to make Wyoming a leader in energy policy – not just energy production.
The strength of our economy in the coming decades will depend on us finding creative and effective solutions to our health care dilemma and our energy and financial crises. I believe it will also require sensible economic policy and fiscal responsibility. I can assure you right now that we don't need more taxes. Regardless of political party, Wyoming believes in small government, low taxes, and sensible spending. State expenditures must benefit all of Wyoming – not just private enterprise.
Perhaps the greatest economic pressure that the people of Wyoming will feel over the next decade will be health care costs. All Americans must have access to adequate and affordable health care services that highlight preventive medicine. I believe that health care decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not insurance companies or governments. The Affordable Healthcare for America Act went a long way towards increasing national coverage, but did very little to decrease total costs. These costs have been skyrocketing in recent years. The lack of cost cutting measures at the Federal level necessitates action at the State level to find innovative solutions that are appropriate for the people of Wyoming. Doctors, hospital administrators, health insurance providers, malpractice insurance providers, and consumer advocates must agree on a course of action that would dramatically reduce costs and end the upward spiral of healthcare expenses. Until we control costs, all coverage solutions will simply shift the expense from our insurance premiums to our income tax or the national debt.
In the long run, our State’s economic vitality depends on education. With Wyoming’s strong educational funding, there’s no reason we shouldn’t have the best schools in the country. School quality starts with our teachers. We must find ways to attract and retain the best qualified teachers available – that means ensuring that our teacher salaries are among the highest in the country. There is no better long term investment. Quality education requires low teacher to child ratios in the classrooms. Our schools must be adequately staffed to effectively educate our children. And we must look for ways to shift the focus from testing, back to teaching. Current federal education laws have wasted untold resources and limited educational opportunities. 'No Child Left Behind' aspires to mediocrity, but fails to adequately fund it. That is not a solution. We must inspire inquiry and creative thought in our children. The State Legislature must identify ways to bolster Wyoming public education, and to empower our educators to move beyond ‘teaching to the test.’
The same priorities we place on K-12 education must hold for higher education. The University of Wyoming and our colleges throughout the State must be insulated to the greatest extent possible from budget cuts and shortfalls. It is during troubled times and downturns that we most need our educational institutions to remain strong and vibrant. They provide the knowledge, the workforce and the leadership that pulls us through to the other side. Education cuts may sometimes provide a short term savings, but they inevitably cost us dearly in the long run.
Finally, I’d like to take a moment to address individual rights and freedoms. I support the United States Constitution in its entirety - all the rights, all the amendments. It is a truly exceptional document and I believe we do our country and the people of Wyoming a disservice each time we diminish our constitutional freedoms in the name of national security, or just because people in Washington feel it is for our own good. It isn't. Our federal government was formed on the premise of protecting the liberties of our people and our states. In that spirit, I believe that all U.S. citizens should be exactly equal in the eyes of the government – discrimination of any kind, regardless of intention or plurality of support, is unacceptable. I will resist any efforts within the State Legislature to erode our freedoms, restrict our privacy, limit our 2nd amendment rights, or establish inequality under the law.
As your Senator, I will be a leader in the development of our state’s energy policy; a proponent of education; I will work to reduce health care costs; I will protect your individual rights and your constitutional freedoms; and I will support our future economy by working to keep our taxes low, our spending lower, and our budget balanced.
We need better government – a government focused on solutions, rather than partisan politics. And that’s what I offer.
Thank you.
-Chris Rothfuss