Candidate for
Member; California State Assembly; District 33; Democratic Party

My political philosophy is based on the primacy of the values of individual liberty and equal opportunity.
When I say that I am committed to the value of individual liberty I mean that every American should be free to express her own beliefs and lead her own lifestyle so long as she does not cause harm to others. Therefore, a terminally ill person should have the right to employ a physician to assist her in her own death if she is competent to make this decision. And patients should have the right to use, and physicians to prescribe, small amounts of medical marijuana if it is determined that this is necessary to relieve pain. And of course, if one accepts the primary of the value of individual liberty, then a woman should have the right to choose, and no gay person should be subjected to discrimination that prevents them from enjoying the same legal rights and privileges enjoyed by the majority.

I also believe in the value of equal opportunity. This means that every person should have an equal chance to achieve the best life that they are capable of achieving. This value is especially important for children. No child should be deprived of adequate food, shelter, clothing, health care or education simply because they are the children of parents who cannot afford to provide for these necessities. It is the ultimate responsibility of state and federal government to guarantee a level playing field for all children. We have made a good start in achieving the ideal of equal opportunity with social security and Medicare for our senior citizens. Now it is time to guarantee social justice for our children as well.