Issues
Economy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdfSbuFSaXk (Dr. Aguado's Video)
Aguado’s Point of View
As a Texas resident and U.S. taxpayer, Dr. Aguado(D) is concerned about the issues affecting people living in the lone star state. The economy has been on the minds of many, especially with the recession, and Dr. Aguado wants to remedy the situation as U.S. Senator by offering a variety of solutions.
The problem with the economy is that sectors are in transition and are vulnerable to dislocation. Aguado believes the Texas economy needs to diversify to prevent the gross national product from contracting.
Corporate business and International affairs
• Discontinue tax deductions for companies moving their operations overseas. The Foreign Investment Tax Credit (FITC) needs to be amended to prevent companies from getting billions in tax credits.
• Pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements. Other countries need to be stopped from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and non-tariff barriers on U.S. exports.
• Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has led to a loss of more than 412,177 jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that the professions with the greatest expected future growth in the U.S. are cashiers, waiters and waitresses, janitors and retail clerks; the kind of low-wage jobs that will most likely be available to workers displaced by NAFTA.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that maintain their corporate headquarters in America.
Labor force
• Provide transition assistance to workers by training them in another skill before they lose their job.
• Provide workers the means to learn and utilize new technologies to expand their skill set. Developing this core competency will allow workers to use it in other fields.
• Invest in Texas’s manufacturing centers, such Hydrogen fuel, cell development, information technology, solar-electric panels, bio-fuels, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and wind power.
• Raise minimum wage. Index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to make sure that fulltime workers earn a living wage that allows them to provide for their families and pay for basic needs. For tax year 2008, a claimant with one qualifying child can receive a maximum credit of $2,917. For two or more qualifying children, the maximum credit is $4,824.
• Allow workers the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of fulltime workers in America.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that pay decent wages, prepare workers for retirement, provide health insurance and support employees who serve in the military.
Consumer concerns
• Mandate accurate loan disclosure to reveal the cost of variable rate or adjustable rate loans because they can misguide borrowers by implying low payments. Disclose the impact of any caps on the loan.
• Cap credit card interest rates and/or reduce interest rates during economic recessions.
• Provide bankruptcy protection for Texans in danger of foreclosing by paying mortgage plans for a specific time period. Mortgage companies that have engaged in unscrupulous business practices should not benefit.
• Sustain sales tax at 8.25%, which is above the national medium, and do not create a state income tax.
• Develop a $200 million state disaster fund.
• Sell wind damage coverage to homeowners and businesses.
Other concerns
• Diminish trade with Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) countries that violate laws concerning labor, health and the environment. CAFTA countries that fail to cooperate have a negative impact on migratory birds, marine life and wildlife conservation. They also have a negative impact on trade by increasing their transparency in pricing and regulation.
• No pork barrel spending for projects that are not critically important.
• Create competitive legislative and congressional districts that create incentives to represent the interest of the constituents, not political parties. Stop gerrymandering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdfSbuFSaXk (Dr. Aguado's Video)
Aguado’s Point of View
As a Texas resident and U.S. taxpayer, Dr. Aguado(D) is concerned about the issues affecting people living in the lone star state. The economy has been on the minds of many, especially with the recession, and Dr. Aguado wants to remedy the situation as U.S. Senator by offering a variety of solutions.
The problem with the economy is that sectors are in transition and are vulnerable to dislocation. Aguado believes the Texas economy needs to diversify to prevent the gross national product from contracting.
Corporate business and International affairs
• Discontinue tax deductions for companies moving their operations overseas. The Foreign Investment Tax Credit (FITC) needs to be amended to prevent companies from getting billions in tax credits.
• Pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements. Other countries need to be stopped from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and non-tariff barriers on U.S. exports.
• Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has led to a loss of more than 412,177 jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that the professions with the greatest expected future growth in the U.S. are cashiers, waiters and waitresses, janitors and retail clerks; the kind of low-wage jobs that will most likely be available to workers displaced by NAFTA.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that maintain their corporate headquarters in America.
Labor force
• Provide transition assistance to workers by training them in another skill before they lose their job.
• Provide workers the means to learn and utilize new technologies to expand their skill set. Developing this core competency will allow workers to use it in other fields.
• Invest in Texas’s manufacturing centers, such Hydrogen fuel, cell development, information technology, solar-electric panels, bio-fuels, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and wind power.
• Raise minimum wage. Index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to make sure that fulltime workers earn a living wage that allows them to provide for their families and pay for basic needs. For tax year 2008, a claimant with one qualifying child can receive a maximum credit of $2,917. For two or more qualifying children, the maximum credit is $4,824.
• Allow workers the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of fulltime workers in America.
• Provide a tax credit to companies that pay decent wages, prepare workers for retirement, provide health insurance and support employees who serve in the military.
Consumer concerns
• Mandate accurate loan disclosure to reveal the cost of variable rate or adjustable rate loans because they can misguide borrowers by implying low payments. Disclose the impact of any caps on the loan.
• Cap credit card interest rates and/or reduce interest rates during economic recessions.
• Provide bankruptcy protection for Texans in danger of foreclosing by paying mortgage plans for a specific time period. Mortgage companies that have engaged in unscrupulous business practices should not benefit.
• Sustain sales tax at 8.25%, which is above the national medium, and do not create a state income tax.
• Develop a $200 million state disaster fund.
• Sell wind damage coverage to homeowners and businesses.
Other concerns
• Diminish trade with Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) countries that violate laws concerning labor, health and the environment. CAFTA countries that fail to cooperate have a negative impact on migratory birds, marine life and wildlife conservation. They also have a negative impact on trade by increasing their transparency in pricing and regulation.
• No pork barrel spending for projects that are not critically important.
• Create competitive legislative and congressional districts that create incentives to represent the interest of the constituents, not political parties. Stop gerrymandering.
