Gary Wegman
Democrat | Pennsylvania
Candidate Profile*
Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Gary Wegman
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 9
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, DMD, 1983
Lafayette, Easton, BA, 1979
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
American Dental Association, Liaison to American Dental PAC
Pennsylvania Dental Association, President of the 4th District
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Member
Berks County Democratic Committee, Committee Member
Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Reading Parking Authority Chair, 2013-2016
Reading Redevelopment Authority Member, 2000-2002
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Reading School Board, 2012
US House of Representatives, 2016-2018
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (1)
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (4)
AFL-CIO; Senator Bob Casey; Greater Reading pac; UFCW
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Drew Ferguson (2017)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (3)
Judith Schwank (2018); Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2020); State Democratic Party Organizations (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (4)
ActBlue (2019); Greater Reading PAC (2020); Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2020); National Education Association (national, state & local affiliates) (2011)
QUESTIONNAIRE*
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Disagree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Disagree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
It is not the government’s place to tell anyone what they can or cannot do with their own bodies. The government should not interfere in one of the most difficult decisions a pregnant woman will ever have to make. Part of good healthcare is making sure that women have access to the necessary health options (birth control, prenatal and gynecological care, etc.) to help them make this choice.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Disagree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
All Americans should have the freedom to believe whatever religious philosophies they choose to place their faith in, within the privacy of their own homes and places of worship, provided they do not infringe upon the unalienable rights of others. Our public institutions should be places where various schools of thought can be researched and taught, but not in a biased manner.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Disagree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
Properly fund our public school system
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance.
Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
We need a 50-state single-payer system where doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers “compete” in the private marketplace for our public dollars. I’m not going to change how our healthcare is provided, I just want to change the way we pay for it.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Agree
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
We need to consider raising the cap on Social Security to improve the solvency of the program.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Defense.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
We should be subsidizing college costs for students attending public universities. In return, we need to put in place performance benchmarks and require that students return to work in the community they came from to minimize brain drain and to help subsidize future students’ educations.
IMMIGRATION
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Agree
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Disagree
State and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Disagree
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Disagree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
In the near future, we will not have enough workers to support a retired baby boomer generation. Farms who can’t find field hands and hospitals that can’t find doctors know the need for an increase in both skilled and unskilled labor. Not only do we need to admit additional legal workers into the United States to fill these labor shortages, but we should provide a path to citizenship for all people already working and paying taxes to support our economy.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Agree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
As a gun owner, I know that guns are important for farmers, hunters, and sportsmen. The overwhelming majority of responsible gun owners supports background checks, red flag laws, and closing the Boyfriend and Charleston Loopholes. I will push for these laws when elected.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Agree
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
1. We should be negotiating prices for prescription medications for all Americans, similar to what we allow the VA to do on behalf of our Veterans. 2. I believe that the government should undertake the biggest infrastructure project since the Eisenhower Administration. Money has never been cheaper to borrow, and we need to invest in our nation’s roads, bridges, and water systems, plus reinvent the public transportation system. My proposed Nationwide Infrastructure and Transportation Enterprise (NITE) will rebuild and expand our nation’s infrastructure, develop educational opportunities and apprenticeships, and generate living-wage jobs. 3. I support a carbon fee-and-dividend structure, where companies pay for the carbon emissions that they release. These funds will be returned to the people in the form of a direct payment.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, because we still have unequal enforcement of our laws, and in many cases, economic apartheid in our cities, leading to an uneven playing field regarding access to opportunities.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Moderate
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
https://garywegmanforcongress.com/issues/
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I believe I would be an asset to the House Health and Human Services Committee, House Agricultural Affairs Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee if I am elected. I am bilingual -- I learned French from my beautiful wife and family.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised with a strong Christian ethic and a foundation in the Ten Commandments of the Christian faith. I recognize that there are many things about our world that we do not know and do not understand. I try to embrace the philosophy of kindness to all living things and act as a good steward to our Planer Earth
