From a press release issued by the Bill Taylor for Congress campaign:

On Jobs: “The United States has the highest quality, most productive workforce in the world. Yet there are 3.5 million jobs going unfilled right now in this country because there are not qualified people to fill them. We have been sliding into an employment problem for 20 years. Education is the key to success. We need to support our educational system, developing programs to train people for jobs in the 21st century. This strategy includes strengthening training programs provide by organized labor and improving student counseling and guidance in our middle schools and high schools so students are aware of the opportunities available.”

On Business: “We should also continue the streamlining of federal agencies that help American companies sell in foreign markets, and bring outsourced jobs back to the United States. Our trade policy should include safeguards to restrict outsourcing to countries that do not protect children, workers’ safety, the environment, and intellectual property. We should also cut the red tape imposed on small- and medium-sized businesses, as they create the bulk of new jobs.”

On Taxes: “There are 165 deductions, exemptions, preferences, and loopholes that cost the Treasury $1 trillion per year. Each of these items needs a close review. Some are important to many Americans, such as deductions for home-mortgage interest and charitable contributions. Others are not. All need review to see if they are still needed and fair; not just favoring a few privileged individuals.

“Tax rates do not need to be increased as the United States has some of the highest rates in the world. But revenues need to rise by eliminating preferences and loopholes that do not support growth and an expanded economy.”

On Healthcare: Medicare should be protected and elected officials in Washington should be required to join it. The notion that the government should “outsource” Medicare to insurance companies will not save costs. It will reduce access, inappropriately deny payments to providers, and increase paperwork and overhead at every level in the system. Medicare can and must be better managed. For instance, we must require Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. There are other areas as well where cost can be saved without cutting benefits or access.

“The Affordable Care Act should also be further developed. Initiatives such as the 80 percent medical loss ratio, covering kids to age 26, community rating, no pre-existing conditions, and purchasing cooperatives are all good things in the existing law. But some things should be strengthened. For instance, the cooperatives need teeth to require the insurance companies to participate. Additionally, we need to reexamine the funding of the Medicaid expansion, as the states will have difficulty picking up the additional cost.”

On Social Security: “As a society and a government, we have made promises to our seniors. It would inappropriate to change the rules for those people already receiving Social Security. If we can continue to grow our economy, Social Security as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product is not a problem as some have suggested.”