Utah U.S. Senate candidates discuss higher education
Pete Ashdown, Democrat
Maria Villasenor
Issue date: 11/3/06 Section: News
Pete Ashdown said he sees a complete lack of accountability in government today, from ethics to tax dollars.
"I think that is the primary problem that faces our country today, in that our government is not really working for us," Ashdown said. "It's working for the money - special interests in Washington - instead of working for the American people."
He said the U.S. energy policy was the most important domestic issue today, "because it seeps into so many other issues of our daily lives: our economy, our environment and our stability - our safety and our security with nations that we are so dependent on. I do not understand why we are buying oil from places like Venezuela and Iran when they have governments that are trying to work against us."
Ashdown said there is plenty of potential in Utah for good energy policy through solar, wind, geothermal, biodiesel and nuclear energy.
On education, Ashdown said China and India are both graduating fives times and three times, respectively, more scientists and engineers than the United States because they promoted education during the past decade.
He said more accountability is demanded from American public schools than from Halliburton in Iraq, yet schools are not given sufficient resources.
"I think that we need to give a whole lot more support to education on a primary, secondary, and especially on a higher education level," Ashdown said. "The Pell Grants and other assistance for students have not been increased in years, and we need to put that in line with inflation and make it easier for people to go to higher education, rather than harder."
One thing he said he'd like to do if elected would be to post federal budgets online so there would be less chance for corruption and people could see the government is being watched. This process would also help more people provide feedback on their criticisms and suggestions to the government, he said.
"I say that whenever we can find money that can be spared from one program," Ashdown said, "we should take it and reinvest it in education and transportation infrastructure and community services in America."
For more information on Ashdown's platform, visit www.peteashdown.org.
"I think that is the primary problem that faces our country today, in that our government is not really working for us," Ashdown said. "It's working for the money - special interests in Washington - instead of working for the American people."
He said the U.S. energy policy was the most important domestic issue today, "because it seeps into so many other issues of our daily lives: our economy, our environment and our stability - our safety and our security with nations that we are so dependent on. I do not understand why we are buying oil from places like Venezuela and Iran when they have governments that are trying to work against us."
Ashdown said there is plenty of potential in Utah for good energy policy through solar, wind, geothermal, biodiesel and nuclear energy.
On education, Ashdown said China and India are both graduating fives times and three times, respectively, more scientists and engineers than the United States because they promoted education during the past decade.
He said more accountability is demanded from American public schools than from Halliburton in Iraq, yet schools are not given sufficient resources.
"I think that we need to give a whole lot more support to education on a primary, secondary, and especially on a higher education level," Ashdown said. "The Pell Grants and other assistance for students have not been increased in years, and we need to put that in line with inflation and make it easier for people to go to higher education, rather than harder."
One thing he said he'd like to do if elected would be to post federal budgets online so there would be less chance for corruption and people could see the government is being watched. This process would also help more people provide feedback on their criticisms and suggestions to the government, he said.
"I say that whenever we can find money that can be spared from one program," Ashdown said, "we should take it and reinvest it in education and transportation infrastructure and community services in America."
For more information on Ashdown's platform, visit www.peteashdown.org.
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