Independent Roozee Brings Outside Perspective to Congressional Race

Marina del Rey resident Matt Roozee bring a unique background to Tuesday's election for a vacant seat in Congress. Roozee holds a doctorate in mathematics from UC Irvine, a law degree from Loyola Marymount University and is working towards a master's degree in business from UCLA.

"I'm running as an independent because, frankly, both parties have failed," Roozee told the audience at a candidate's forum in Venice. "Look around at our country, it's a mess."

Roozee, whose hometown is Covina, responded to a Patch questionnaire about issues facing the district and the nation:

Patch: What do you think is the biggest issue facing our district?
 
Roozee: Like most districts around the country, the problems are: Unemployment and the underperforming economy and elected officials who are either unqualified, unable or unwilling to solve these problems.  The solution is to send high-quality, qualified, competent candidates to Washington to address these very vital issues.  The alternative is that these problems will continue to get worse and our nation will be in grave danger.

Patch: What do you think is the biggest challenge to our nation’s economy and what do you think the federal government should do to facilitate economic recovery?
 
Roozee: Biggest challenge is the high unemployment rate and its associated social costs along with our staggering debt and the damage it is causing to our long term fiscal outlook.  To facilitate economic recovery, the government needs to stop distorting the economic decision-making of individuals and businesses.  This means streamlining the tax code by eliminating subsidies, credits and handouts to favored industries, and removing obstacles to entrepreneurship so that small businesses can flourish.

Patch: How will you specifically encourage job growth in Southern California?
 
Roozee: So much of the poor job growth in the district in particular is tied to the horrible policies of the state and local governments.  These entities are driving businesses out of state with their anti-growth agendas.  As a representative, I can champion pro-growth measures that will end up being a boon to Southern California industry and encourage localities to follow suit. 

Patch: Standard and Poor’s recently predicted the U.S. credit rating would be downgraded due to the federal government’s handling of the nation’s budget deficit. What budget items do you think should be cut, and what needs to have continued or even increased funding?
 
Roozee: Everything should be on the table.  And that means everything.  We currently are spending 25% of GDP at the federal level, up from our post-WWII historical norm of 20% of GDP.  As recently as 2007, we were spending around 20% of GDP, so going back to our 2007 spending levels as a start to an overall policy of spending reform is sensible and doable, though it will be labeled as drastic by many.  They are wrong.  What’s drastic is our recent spending surge (based on the last 50 years of fiscal policy) and that is what needs to be curtailed.  The government needs to focus on what it can do well and on what the people want.  Matters of national security (defense) and personal security (the safety net) are of the utmost importance and we should make those the priority, with everything else being secondary.

Patch: Where do you stand on No Child Left Behind? What would you do to improve the state of education in this country and in California?
 
Roozee: Everyone likes to bash No Child Left Behind, even though it passed with bi-partisan support (H:384-45, S:91-8) at the federal level.  I think it had some good elements, but also some flaws.  However, I think it illustrates the difficulties inherent when government attempts to legislate in areas it doesn't really understand.  The Federal government needs to focus on those areas where it can do well - national security and personal security.

Patch: Where do you stand on federal environmental policy? The Supreme Court is now considering the merit of a nuisance lawsuit against electric companies over their greenhouse gas emissions. Do you think the courts should get involved in climate change policy or is this a role better suited for Congress?
 
Roozee: There is a role for the courts - specifically, to protect individual rights - but the hard decisions regarding environmental legislation must ultimately come from Congress.  Unfortunately, very few in Congress have appropriate backgrounds to meaningfully participate in that discussion.
 
Patch: Federal energy regulators have approved the test phase of a wave farm off the coast of San Onofre. Do you approve of that project, specifically, and what are your thoughts on the development of wave energy in Southern California, generally?
 
Roozee: I am in favor of basic research into renewable energy sources, and wave energy is one example.  It is not yet clear whether wave energy can be made a cost effective replacement for our energy needs.  This touches on an important aspect of all policies designed to protect our environment - the cost.  While the United States and a handful of other wealthy nations can afford the costs associated with transitioning away from fossil fuels, the environmental issues we face are global in nature.  Global warming, ocean acidification, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity are all problems that transcend national borders.  A solution whose costs can only be tolerated by wealthy nations will not be adopted by developing nations and will not resolve our growing environmental problems.
 
Patch: Do you think that the nuclear energy plants in California need additional safety regulation? Do you think we should move away from nuclear energy? What would you say to people who are worried that what happened in Japan will happen here?
 
Roozee: The harm caused by the Fukushima nuclear plant cannot be separated from the larger tragedy which caused it: a 9.0 earthquake followed by a tsunami resulting in more than 14,000 deaths.  Alternative nuclear plant designs, from molten salt reactors (currently used) to fusion reactors (in the future) may mitigate many of the dangers associated with nuclear power generation.  My main objection to nuclear power, however, is that it is presently not cost effective.
 
Patch: As a member of Congress, which health care legislation would you support or oppose?
 
Roozee: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the healthcare component of Congressman Ryan's Roadmap Plan are reasonable starting points for Congressional (and societal) discussion on health care and health care spending but I would not support either as written.  There are many specific initiatives that I support, including prescription drug re-importation, insurance and tort reform, and improving hospital efficiencies and others that I oppose – particularly the individual mandate.
 
I agree with the CBO’s assessment that the long-term problem of rising healthcare costs cannot be solved without addressing the rapid rise in per capita healthcare spending (both the ACA and the Roadmap Plan seem to recognize this).  Over the last 20 years, inflation adjusted per capita healthcare spending has grown by more than 5.5% annually and this is unsustainable.  Reduced spending must happen but there is no easy fix; government-funded medical research, treatment development and distribution must change to include both costs and benefits in healthcare spending.
 
Patch: Do you think same-sex marriage should be legalized? Do you think it is a federal or state issue? Why?
 
Roozee: Marriage equality is an issue that should have been resolved years ago. The government should not be in the marriage business. The government should recognize only Civil Unions for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, for the purposes of civil rights and responsibilities. Adoption, inheritance, taxation, insurance, hospital visitation, spousal support - any rights or responsibilities that the government is meant to protect - must be applied equally to both same and opposite sex couples.

Individuals, churches and organizations may choose to recognize some couples as married and others as not, but those opinions would have absolutely no legal consequences whatsoever. Under the eyes of the law, everyone, without exception, would be completely equal.

Patch: What is your position on America’s involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya?
 
Roozee: America’s foreign policy – particularly as it pertains to military engagement – must have clear, achievable, and measurable goals that align both our humanitarian concerns and our national interests.  I believe we should draw down our forces in Iraq as scheduled.  While I support the notion of preventing Al Qaeda from gaining a state apparatus from which to conduct its business, our current mission in Afghanistan has devolved into a nation building exercise devoid of clear, achievable goals.  Hence, I’m for stopping our current policy in Afghanistan.  If we are to remain involved there, we must reconfigure our mission.  I do not support our action in Libya and think we should immediately cease fighting there.

Patch: Do you intend to continue Jane Harman's endeavors to ease traffic congestion in the district? If so, how?

Roozee: No.  My job if I go to Washington is to fix the economy and reform the government before we have an existential crisis.  There are several issues that are worthy issues, but at the same time are not worthy of being high priority at this time.  This is one of these issues.  I hope that whoever goes to Washington puts jobs and the economy first and this issue way down the list.