CD3 Candidate Valerie Plame
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series in which the Los Alamos Daily Post presents the same set of questions to each of the candidates running for Congressional District 3, which serves the northern half of New Mexico.
Democratic candidate Valerie Plame provided the following answers:
POST: Why do you believe you are qualified to represent New Mexico in Congress?
Plame: I served my country for many years as a covert CIA operations officer. My expertise was in nuclear counterproliferation – deterring terrorists or rogue nation states from acquiring a nuclear capability. I want to use the problem-solving skills and critical judgement that I honed on a daily basis with the CIA, to effect positive change for Northern New Mexico. I know how Washington works and I want to use my national profile, on the behalf of my constituency, to hit the ground running from Day One. I want to use my searing life experience of being “outed” by the Bush administration and the lessons I learned from of it – of speaking truth to power on behalf of my community of Northern New Mexico.
POST: What is your overall governing philosophy?
PLAME: Listening with respect to the concerns of those who elected you to office is crucial. I plan to advocate strongly and fiercely for what is best for my constituency. I will always speak truth to power, and I have pledged not to accept any corporate PAC donations, we must get big money out of politics and I will only represent the best interests of the people who elect me.
POST: What would you do to promote the interest of Los Alamos National Laboratory in Washington?
PLAME: Los Alamos National Laboratory is essential to both our state’s economy and our national security. I support funding for our National Labs not only due to their importance to our state’s economy, but due to the essential contributions they make to our technological and scientific advancement.
POST: How would you balance arms proliferation with national defense?
PLAME: A nuclear arsenal is an important part of our national defense strategy but is not incompatible with continuing counterproliferation efforts. We have more than enough nuclear weapons to defend our country – our task is to ensure that rogue nation states and terrorists do not acquire nuclear technology. The Trump administration is busily taking the guard rails off standing nuclear treaties that make us all safer. We are now facing the real possibility of another nuclear arms race, except this time instead of just dealing with the Soviet Union, we must consider the growing nuclear threats from Iran, North Korea and China.
POST: What would your foreign policy goals be?
PLAME: I believe that the United States is a great country, but the current administration has disappointed and perplexed our allies, strained historic relationships, and seeks to undermine an international order that has served us well since the end of World War II. We must rebuild our credibility, recommit to human rights, and restore our good standing with allies to regain our standing on the global stage.
POST: What do you think should be done about the growing income inequality in the United States?
PLAME: The growing income inequality in the U.S. must be addressed – it is detrimental to both the individual as well as to the overall economic and social health of our nation. A multi-faceted approach is necessary in order to address it: there must be fair pay for all, minimum wage must be raised to a living wage; we need better state and federal programs, like Medicare-for-all, in order to relieve the economic hardship; we must restructure taxes in order to create more benefits for the working and middle class; and all education must be accessible and affordable; and we must support unions who historically have always reduced income inequality within the private and public sectors.
POST: Do you have a plan for increasing access to healthcare in the U.S.?
PLAME: I support Medicare for All – with important additions for our Native Health Services and Veterans. I am committed to expanding care for mothers and infants as half of all babies born in New Mexico are born into poverty. I will work with state legislators to expand care to rural areas and improve pre and post-natal care.
POST: Where do you stand on increased regulation of firearms?
PLAME: Firearm-related violence in New Mexico is consistently higher than US rates and is increasing more rapidly. We must act in accordance with what the majority of Americans desire and enact common sense gun reforms, such as banning automatic weapons and expanded universal background checks.
POST: What programs do you support on immigration to deal with the situation at the border?
PLAME: This is a critical moment in American history – one that resonates with moral urgency. New Mexico has a tradition of welcoming immigrants. We must support cities and counties that provide sanctuary to immigrants awaiting adjudication of their refugee claims and end family separation. I support the Dream Act, which allows 800,000 young people who entered the country as minors to remain and will bring stability and certainty to 17,000 individuals in New Mexico. It is time for comprehensive immigration reform that is fair and humane. We need to create a path to citizenship for immigrants, to protect Dreamers, and to regain our global leadership position by committing to basic human rights and protections for those fleeing disasters and violence in their home countries.
POST: What would you do to combat climate change?
PLAME: There are two existential threats to our existence: climate change and nuclear war. I spent my first career combating the threat of nuclear weapons. I am determined to spend my next career combating climate crisis. Locally, nationally and globally this threat must be addressed with the same urgency as an imminent nuclear threat. We must act immediately to protect our air, land, and water. The Green New Deal is our best hope to stop this climate crisis as well as expand our economy – locally, nationally, and globally. We must permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund that preserves our national forests and cultural sites. Additionally, the Acequia Conservation Program Eligibility Act, which enables New Mexico’s acequias to qualify for federal funding through the Farm Bill, is essential for allowing community ditch associations access to federal funds. Both must be protected into perpetuity.
Learn more about Valerie Plame at: www.valerieplameforcongress.com.