Veronica Fernandez

Where Fernandez stands

Grouped by topic by Vote Book; headings and quoted words are the candidate’s own, with the source under each one. “As reported” items are a news outlet’s description, not an exact quote.

Abortion

What is your stance on access to abortion and other reproductive healthcare? And what roles should the federal government and the states each play on reproductive healthcare?

I have been and always will be Pro Choice. Abortion is Healthcare. Full stop! I support adding to the Supreme Court and restoring RvW along with ending the filibuster

Immigration & border

What is your position on immigration reform? What do you think the relationship between federal immigration enforcement and state or local government institutions should be?

I support abolishing ICE. What is happening in our country is cruel and inhumane. I've been to Delaney Hall and have seen children running terrified from ICE. That's something you can't un-see. Nearly 80% in Delaney Hall have committed no crime other than the MISDEMEANOR of crossing our border illegally. We cannot have our local and state law enforcement acting with ICE. These officers are members of our communities and our residents will grow fearful and learn not to trust them. I've seen this firsthand at township and county meetings Our officers are meant AND trained to protect and serve our communities, not pull people off the street, many times in error, wrestle them to the ground, and arrest them in front of our children. There can be no good outcome from this. I understand wanting secure borders and that can be done. INS can be used for citizenship (that's who I used to adopt my foreign born children) which is far more humane and American!

Health care

What changes would you support to make healthcare and mental health services more affordable, accessible, and easier to navigate?

Please see above. Healthcare is not complicated, it's corrupt. Cleaning up how politicians get their money will free us to create the most humane and cost effective healthcare system on the planet. So many people are afraid of "socialized" healthcare and say "Look at Venezuela, look at Cuba", I say yes, look at them but also look at Norway, Germany, New Zealand. We are in the unique position of seeing what works and what doesn't work. We will be able to have a proactive healthcare system and a healthy country is a productive country. Our healthcare providers are consumed with navigating ever changing networks, coding, billing, etc. and don't have proper time to treat patients. With M4A, you are enrolled at birth and "disenrolled" at death. It we put the right people in place, healthcare doesn't have to be the soul crushing, bankrupting nightmare is it now. I do not take ANY money from ANY industry, including Healthcare and Pharma.

Energy & environment

What actions would you support to strengthen climate resilience and protect infrastructure and neighborhoods from the impact of extreme weather?

Again, Citizens United has had a huge powerful hand here. The Fossil Fuel industry has had a choke hold on our congress for decades and do all they can to keep us dependent on them, so they can continue to report billion dollar profits EVERY quarter AND still collect taxpayer funded subsidies. Enough! Overturning CU would allow for renewable energy to advance. There have been so many advances in all areas of energy and every country has the ability to be energy self-sufficient. We need to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and not leave the UNFCC. With the billions saved by weaning ourselves off of FF, we could help Green Peace, World Wildlife Fund, etc. and create new coalitions to save the only planet we have. FEMA must be restored and regulations re-instituted and made stronger. Our state has more Superfund sites than any other state and I would strongly encourage Mikie Sherrill to issue a moratorium on Data Centers, which she can do. This is urgent!

Jobs, wages & cost of living

What policies would you support to ease the cost of living and strengthen long-term economic stability for families in this district?

As a former licensed underwriter (including Health) in our state, I can assure you that nothing would bring down the cost of living AND improve the quality of our lives more than the implementation of Medicare for All. We all hear M4A will raise taxes but that is not true. Taxes will go DOWN! Right now our local property taxes are loaded with billions in ins premiums that go to a handful of companies who provide NO medical products or services. They are completely unnecessary middlemen kept in business only because they donate millions every election cycle to both parties, thanks to Citizens United. Right now BOEs are cutting teachers & eliminating programs for our children so they can pay ever increasing premiums. The average teacher salary in our state is approx $81K, the family health plan, no dental or vision, is now over $60K per year and that is in our property taxes! This IS my WHEELHOUSE & I so want to fight for this, it's one of the reasons I fought so hard to make the ballot!

Elections, ethics & government

What are the most important challenges facing our country, and how do you propose to address them?

It's all important Everything from Healthcare, Immigration, Voting, to Education, Guns, Environment and everything in between. However, they are ALL rooted in ONE common challenge and that is money in politics. The SCOTUS ruling on Citizens United in 2010 was a disaster and allowed the flood gates of unknown and dark money to pour into our campaigns. As a result political spending is at an all time high and that is reflected in public policy which reflects the agenda of big donors and special interests. I propose to address this by supporting SJR25 which calls for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. We have not had in amendment in over 30 years and are way past due. We need structural change in this country and I can think of no better place to start than a 28th Amendment to clean up campaign finance reform. This is not as hard as you may think. The 26th amendment to lower the voting age to 18 was ratified in 100 days. Public policy CAN reflect public opinion again

What measures do you support to expand voter access and restore trust in our elections?

My very platform is electoral reform beginning with Campaign Finance Reform to overturn Citizens United. I also support Ranked-Choice Voting, ending gerrymandering, and having independent maps drawn for fair districts. Ideally, I would love to see publicly funded elections. I worked on ending the County Line in our state by going to party committee meetings and passing petitions. I think I may have had a hand in why the Murphy Admin more than doubled signature requirements to make the ballot this year. Cory Booker was unchallenged in the primary! I support a Election Day as a Federal Holiday and would love to see the same for primaries across our country. A few states should not have the power to determine nominees. I also support open primaries in our state. Education is key, so many people don't understand how it works. I didn't either, but the more I found out, the more outraged I became. Providing the public with FACTS is crucial. We CAN do so much better!