Jessica Puente Bradshaw~A Choice Not An Echo

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As you go down the line at the candidate forums for Congress, District 34, most of the candidates sing in harmony on certain hot button issues.  They all want a VA hospital in the valley.  Most favor the D.R.E.A.M. Act.  Most will create jobs, function with transparency and just love apple pie.  Frequently, the only discordant note is Jessica Puente Bradshaw, the 38 year old, born in Matamoros, but raised in Brownsville.

Bradshaw differs on most issues slightly or dramatically from the other congressional candidates and has little difficulty articulating the why and the how.  Mean Mister Brownsville had a conversation with Ms. Bradshaw recently about some of these issues:

Mean Mister Brownsville:  Brownsville and Cameron County are heavily subsidized by the federal and state governments; social security, food stamps, education grants, adult care, child care, medicaid,etc.  Conservatives sometimes talk of cutting back on some of these programs.

BRADSHAW:  "It's not about cutting back at all where there is real need.  Many of these programs have tremendous fraud.  A consultant to the medicaid program recently estimated 20 to 30% outright fraud on that one program alone, billions of dollars.  Cutting fraud makes room for those actually in need.  Non-invasive drug testing, for example, of those in public housing could free up that housing for the recent widow or divorcee or single mom truly in need.  Eliminating or greatly reducing fraudulent claims frees up funds for those in actual need."

Mean Mister Brownsville:  We have an extremely large student population in many border cities including Brownsville.  It's pretty obvious we're educating with tax dollars non-residents, non-citizens.  Your thoughts?

BRADSHAW:  As things stand now, federal school funding is tied in to not asking about citizenship.  That change has to be made at the federal level.  Of course, if a school district wants to self fund or use only local monies, I suppose they could decide to do that.  

Mean Mister Brownsville:  I'm certain you've been asked about the D.R.E.A.M. act, allowing citizenship after certain requirements were met, including military service.  Would you please restate your position?

BRADSHAW:  "Certainly.  The original D.R.E.A.M. act failed to be approved by either party actually.  It was poorly written, with too may loopholes.  It allowed, not only "Johnny" to get citizenship, but in certain cases, to bring with him father, mother, brothers, sisters, aunt, uncle, etc.  Why not simply work to qualify for citizenship as so many have in the past?  I'm not even opposed to private sector companies qualifying individuals or bringing those who qualify to the attention of the federal agency and doing so for a fee.  I believe private enterprise can sometimes do a better job than the bureaucracy."

Mean Mister Brownsville:  We had a march last fall in Brownsville seeking the approval of same sex marriage in the State of Texas.  There are, of course, auxiliary issues, too, involving medical decisions in an emergency by same sex partners, health insurance issues, inheritance and adoption rights, etc.

BRADSHAW:  "I believe marriage to be a spiritual union between a man and a woman.    That doesn't preclude same sex couples from entering into a civil union.  That's the approach I would take.   All the issues you mentioned like medical decisions, inheritance, etc. can by handled by a civil union and a contractual agreement without changing the definition of marriage."

Mean Mister Brownsville:  The country has been involved in wars in Iran and Afghanistan with the use of ground troops.  Conservatives generally support our war effort fully.

BRADSHAW:  "I generally do not favor this kind of involvement, especially based on disinformation.  I noticed Condolesa Rice on tv the other day still not admitting that we went into Iran under false pretense, because there were allegedly weapons of mass destruction.  I want government that admits to mistakes and seeks to avoid repeating them."


Mean Mister Brownsville:  What is your position on a VA hospital in the Rio Grande Valley?

BRADSHAW:  Even if we received such a facility for our region, there's no guarantee it would be in the valley.  Corpus Christi wants such a facility, as does Alice.  My question is "What's the best use of our resources to help our veterans?  We can tie funds up in real estate, maintenance, staffing, insurance and all that goes with maintaining a facility or we can issue vouchers that allow veterans to seek their own health care in already existing facilities.  The voucher system, to me, gives us the most efficient use of our resources.