Ron Tupa

On the Issues

I spent my entire 14-year tenure in the Colorado legislature fighting for campaign finance and lobbying reform, never accepting a dime of special interest PAC money or gifts from lobbyists. Congresswoman Pettersen's campaign, on the other hand, has taken over $500,000 in PAC money. Over 90% of her campaign contributions have come from PACs and large contributions.^[1]

I support a lifetime ban on former members lobbying their Congressional colleagues, and a ban on lobbyists’ gifts to members of Congress. Former members of Congress trading their influence for private gain on behalf of a private entity is contrary to the public good.

Money plays far too great a role in what happens in D.C. Both Democrats and Republicans refuse to ban insider trading. Politicians get richer, while the working class struggles to stay afloat. Whether Republicans or Democrats are in charge, the debt skyrockets, health care costs spiral out of control, and the middle class pays the price for all of it. I agree with Republicans’ calls for advance notice of 24-48 hours before voting on bills. Legislators need time to review and thoroughly understand the consequences of the bills they vote on.

A public schoolteacher myself, I am a champion of high-quality education. I started my teaching career right here in CD-7 at Evergreen High School in 1996. Since then, I have taught at three other school districts (and five other high schools). Things have changed a lot in education since the nineties, and not for the better. America’s students continue to fall behind those of other industrialized countries.

With state budgets increasingly under pressure to rein in K-12 spending and inflation now at double-digits, it’s no wonder fewer applicants are entering the teaching profession here in Colorado and across the country. When you factor in the lingering effects of COVID absences, the distractions and dangers of social media, and the emergence of artificial intelligence, its not hard to understand the burnout of veteran teachers and the hesitance of others to join the profession.

For these reasons and many others, I am a strong supporter of school choice. Public charter schools have been a wonderful option for many families, and they’ve served particularly well in areas where students are at a socioeconomic disadvantage.As a first-generation college student, I experienced the magic of equal educational opportunity coupled with a wide slate of higher-ed offerings. Some students thrive in a college setting, while others reach their potential through vocational and technical training. In a complex global economy, individuals should have as many options available to them as possible.

I support Medicare for All: a single-payer, national health insurance program that will provide everyone in America with comprehensive health care coverage, free at the point of service. This is supported by nearly 70% of voters.^[1]

I support drug importation from Canada to lower the cost of pharmaceuticals. I would introduce legislation to allow the FDA to regulate the price of drugs, similar to how Medicare and Medicaid costs are regulated.

By now, we are realizing that Republicans and Democrats are all in the pocket of Big Pharma and Big Insurance. Your costs go up, while access and quality of care suffer. The Health insurance industry has donated heavily to Congresswoman Pettersen, and in return, she continues to back privatized, for-profit insurance that leads to billions in profit^[2] and increases the massive administrative-cost burdens within our system.

Congress must work together for the sake of our growing elderly population to address healthcare costs and provide as many options as possible for dignity in aging and quality of life. Americans need to know that the government will do what’s best - within the legislature, as well as with the private sector and other countries - to provide a system of healthcare excellence. Universal health care, along with drug reforms, would go a long way toward disrupting the status quo.

Hardworking middle-class families and small-business owners have never been squeezed financially from so many directions. Between energy costs, grocery costs, rising construction costs, and supply chain issues, folks who have “done everything right” are still struggling to stay above water. Meanwhile, the most economically vulnerable don’t stand a chance. There’s too much despair and too little economic hope. Something’s got to give.

In Congress, we need all hands on deck to rein in inflation, cut unnecessary regulations, and prioritize the needs of families and small businesses, who are the heartbeat of our economy. A critical part of this process is engaging in conversations about how the government can better handle its own runaway spending and debt.

The federal government should also be incentivizing companies for building and manufacturing domestically. As it stands, Republicans and Democrats seem to be fine with enriching China while Americans pay more for everything.

I agree with the scientific consensus that climate change is real and that man-made activities contribute to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (i.e. ‘global warming’). As the world’s largest economy, America is also among the world’s worst polluters. However, this is not just an American problem. The issue is global and all countries have a part to play if meaningful progress is to be made to cool the planet, especially BRICS countries such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil. I support adding sanctions to the Paris Climate Accords to make them binding on major polluters and developing countries as a condition of Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status.

Here in America, we must do more to address the climate crisis by taking action now. Renewable energy sources should continue to receive additional funding and development incentives to ensure continued private sector investment. I support increasing the fuel economy standard for cars and income-based subsidies for hybrid and electric vehicles and vehicle charging stations. I also support many aspects of the Green New Deal and the Build Green Infrastructure and Jobs Act, including offering job opportunities and retraining for displaced coal and oil and gas workers.

Finally, as we transition away from fossil fuels to a greener future that halts global warming and provides the energy we need, members of Congress must work together on a diverse, yet reliable, energy portfolio. To that end, the potential for clean, plentiful nuclear power has been largely missing from the energy conversation. With safeguards, I support nuclear power as a part of our comprehensive energy portfolio.

I believe that every woman deserves the freedom to choose what is best for her body, her family, and her future. My past voting record on women’s health has consistently earned 100% ratings from abortion rights organizations here in Colorado. Politicians simply have no place in decisions that should be left to a woman and her healthcare provider.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade with the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. It was simply a terrible decision for women’s rights. To counter the conservative SCOTUS decision and other conservative state court rulings across the country, I would not only cosponsor a federal law codifying Roe v. Wade such as the Women's Health Protection Act of 2023, but also support a Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion in the US Constitution. Falling short of passing a Constitutional Amendment, I would continue to support federal protections against harassment and discrimination to ensure women had access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and over the counter abortion drugs such as mifepristone and misoprostol.

Congress spends nearly $900 Billion a year to maintain over 700 military bases located in 80 countries around the globe. While America faces no immediate military threat similar to the USSR during the Cold War, we now spend MORE on our defense than the next 10 countries combined! With the Department of Defense representing nearly half of all discretionary spending, we simply cannot afford to maintain this level of spending while other critical areas like education, healthcare, housing, job training, social services, and transportation remain woefully underfunded. As a member of Congress I would oppose the recently passed $900 Billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that funds the Dept. of Defense, and reallocate a chunk of that money to these underfunded areas.

I support an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza as the best and fastest route to peace and security in the region. Congresswoman Pettersen has taken almost $50,000 from pro-Israel lobbies^[1] and refuses to call for a ceasefire or condition aid to Israel on a lasting peace plan.

As part of a comprehensive immigration reform package, the Cold War initiated trade embargo should be lifted from Cuba, opening up that nation of 11 million people to US products and the mutual cultural, economic, and societal benefits of renewed trade.