Naughton speaking to a supporter after the debate.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
On the rainy Saturday morning before primary election day, Democratic congressional candidate Shaughnessy Naughton, her campaign, and her supporters were gathered in the parking lot of Cesares Ristorante in Bristol Borough about to embark on a neighborhood canvassing effort.
Naughton comes from a background as a small business owner and a scientist. This difference in background is one of Naughton’s points that she wants to stress.
“I think we benefit from having diversity in representation,” she said.
Naughton discussed a wide swath of issues during her interview with LevittownNow.com.
The proposed Elcon waste water treatment facility has been a hotly contested question recently in Falls Township and beyond. As the potential representative of the region, Naughton expressed that the idea to place a toxic waste incinerator near the Delaware River is “insane.”
“It’s just not responsible. There’s already a lot of industrial output in Falls Township,” Naughton said. According to Naughton, it is important to keep air and water quality of residents of the area in mind.
Running as a Democrat, it might not come as a surprise that Naughton supports medical marijuana, which recently found legalization in Pennsylvania.
“I have a real problem with politicians interfering with the patient-physician relationship,” Naughton said. She added that the drug needs to be studied and examined, but most importantly, people who need it should have access to it.
Naughton took the opportunity to comment on the use of opioid use in the area, mentioning that there needs to be education so that opioids are not overused.
“I support the work that Planned Parenthood does,” she said. Naughton mentioned that she trusts women to make their own health care choices and would work to keep the womens health organization funded.
Bucks and Montgomery County residents are always worried about jobs, and Naughton is mindful of this concern. Naughton plans on focusing on three aspects to bring jobs and economic prosperity to Lower Bucks County and the entire district. Focusing on human capital through the refining and reworking the affordability of education is one of Naughton’s highlights.
Naughton’s other focuses include fostering research and development in order to spur innovation in the area. Finally, investing in a “21st Century infrastructure” will help the economy towards the future, according to the candidate.
“We’re not going to solve our fiscal issues by cutting our way to prosperity,” Naughton said. In order to bring balance to the national budget, Naughton intends to help bolster the economy and “grow the pie.” The research and development that Naughton referenced can help to expand the economy allowing for more tax revenue.
When asked about congressional term limits, Naughton said: “I think, when you’re talking about term limits for legislatures, I don’t think they make that much sense.” Instead, Naughton would like to see redistricting done by bipartisan panels to allow for the most integrity among congressional districts.
Finally, Naughton commented on the national security and the problem of ISIS. “Protecting our national security is the number one goal of the federal government,” Naughton said. “We aren’t going to be able to bomb our way out of this. We need to look at political solutions,” she explained.
