Candidate responses to the questions that are top priority for voters as researched by the League of Women voters
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What makes you the best candidate to represent your party and win the general election?
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Paula Overby:
A strong democracy depends on elected officials and citizens coming together with broad perspectives and backgrounds to debate and discuss issues of greatest importance in open forums and public hearings. My previous work across political parties has earned support from both Independents and DFLers. My policy positions are popular with those who seek a more progressive movement. My campaign appeals to a broad base of voters, and that is why I am the best candidate. I also identify as a transgender woman and this makes me uniquely qualified to respond to the combative style of Jason Lewis and his use of transgender people to support a divisive agenda.
Although our current party leaders are extremely divided, citizens are less divided and most want the same thing— safety and security. We must abandon past failures, re-imagine the future, create a sustainable environment, establish a resilient healthcare system, provide continuity in education, and a basic layer of economic security.
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Tina Smith: Candidate has not yet responded. |
What policies or actions should the federal government take, if any, in the next six months to address how COVID-19 has impacted the economy, the unemployment rate, and people's ability to pay their everyday living expenses?
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Paula Overby: Today, millionaires and billionaires own nearly 70% of our nation's wealth. This weakens our communities and undermines the safety, health, and economic security of our citizens. This is contrary to the goal of achieving progress. In addition to ensuring resources to manage the pandemic, congressional priorities must shift to preserving the strength of our communities, and that begins with housing. Stable housing is a strong measure of a secure and safe community. Preventing a massive number of foreclosures and evictions is critical to recovery. Our economy is consumer driven and its resiliency depends on the distribution of wealth. We must end economic giveaways to overseas conglomerates and instead prioritize economic stability within our own communities. The negative consequences of current policies have never been more apparent. We need a major shift in priorities, and not more unfulfilled promises. We cannot wait on incremental change. |
Tina Smith: Candidate has not yet responded. |
Consider the issues of the U.S. military forces and the budget deficit. If these two issues intersected, with whom would you consult and how would you evaluate any competing interests?
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Paula Overby: Military spending consumes nearly 60% of the discretionary federal budget exclusive of other special appropriations and collateral costs. War is the most destructive force on the planet. The military is the single largest consumer of fossil fuels. It is not sustainable. In consultation with historians and economists, we would lay out the historical impacts of war on the budget deficit and illuminate differences between today’s military economy and the war time economies of WW I & II and the Vietnam war. In addition, military analysts would provide evaluation of competing interests against potential threats of terrorism or a Russian invasion or potential realities of climate change or nuclear Armageddon. In this manner, I would work to build consensus with my colleagues in the senate on this issue which demands a major shift in priorities. I spent a career doing risk assessment and will bring that experience to Congress. Today’s global challenges demand global diplomacy. |
Tina Smith: Candidate has not yet responded. |
Consider Minnesota's industrial and agricultural economies and the issues of climate change and environmental protection. If these two issues intersected, with whom would you consult and how would you evaluate any competing interests?
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Paula Overby: Having consulted with Dr. Nate Hagens, who designed the Reality 101 course for U of M graduate students, these issues already do intersect, and our current business model is unsustainable. Transitioning to a green economy will improve the well-being and social equity in our communities while significantly reducing environmental degradation. Competing interests will be best handled when a measure of sustainability is incorporated into the decision making process. We all want clean water and clean air. We all want a sustainable food system to fuel a healthy economy, healthy people and a healthy planet. Challenging decisions requiring equitable management of resources need to be made which will have a lasting impact on our future. We must prioritize the health and well-being of our communities ahead of profit motives of the well to do. This represents a significant shift in the business-as-usual attitude of our current government leaders, and we cannot wait any longer. |
Tina Smith: Candidate has not yet responded. |
Biographical Information
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Campaign Website http://www.paulaoverby.com
Twitter @Paula_Overby
Campaign Email (Public) [email protected]
Campaign Phone Number (Public) (651) 214-1603
Mailing Address (Public)
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