Matt Ortega

Emken stands for, um, something.

Elizabeth Emken, seemingly the last viable option for national Republicans, released her list of policy stances. Great timing, too: two months after Emken announced her candidacy.

The policy statements are thin, and generally fit the talking points of the tea party wing of the GOP, but one position stood out in particular:

Economic Stimulus
The stimulus was a bad idea from the beginning, and there has been no positive effect. I favor rescinding the spending authority of the stimulus. [emphasis added]

"No positive effect." "Rescind the spending authority." Those are interestingly bold policy stands to make, especially since Emken features her work on autism prominently in her bio and the National Institutes of Health received a $60 million grant for autism research.

The National Institutes of Health is trying to kickstart autism research with $60 million in grant funding from the stimulus bill. It is the largest-ever funding opportunity for research into the neuro-developmental disorder, says the NIMH, the NIH’s mental-health arm.

The CDC estimates that autism now strikes 1 in 150 U.S. children, and the epidemic spurred the government to put out a research plan in January. President Obama himself has made autism a priority, promising to put $1 billion in funds towards research. The NIMH grants support research on topics like early intervention and diagnostic testing.

Perhaps Emken can ask for the money back herself?

Selected policy statements below:

The War in Iraq
There was near unanimity of Congress and the nation on this issue, and we are better off for having removed Saddam Hussein. Whether it is the War in Iraq or other military efforts in which our country is engaged, I believe the politicians in Washington need to listen to leaders on the battlefield.

That war the President gave a speech to outline a major policy shift on shall now hereby referred to as "other military efforts in which our country is engaged." A political adviser should inform Emken that this isn't 2006 anymore and Iraq is the conflict ignored by the media du jour.

Health Care
I would vote against the healthcare reform bills currently pending in Congress. This is despite the fact that they contain a very important provision for which I was a leading advocate, ending insurance marketplace discrimination against people with autism.

I believe health insurance should be portable, individuals should be able to control what’s in their benefit package, and insurers should not be allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing condition. The job of government is to establish a set of fair insurance marketplace rules, and then serve as an honest referee.

Emken outlines no actual reason for opposing any healthcare reform bills. The recently discussed Senate "compromise" does not include a public option or Medicare buy-in but it does offer "a set of fair insurance marketplace rules," like pre-existing conditions, as she mentioned. Most Republicans just say "government take-over" and move on but Emken doesn't even get to that point.

Stem-cell Research
I am pro-life and thus I do not believe life should be created with the intent of destroying it. I support non-embryonic stem cell research and oppose embryonic stem cell research.

"I do not believe life should be created with the intent of destroying it." What?

Abortion
I am pro-life.

It would seem fair that one could assume she opposes abortion even in the case of rape, incest, or the health of the mother is in danger, which would position her among the nation's anti-abortion extremists.

Definition of Marriage / Family Issues
I agree with the majority of Californians and even with the President on this issue: marriage should be defined as between one man and one woman.

This statement is sort of misleading. By referencing the passage of Proposition 8, she implies President Obama supported the ballot measure. That is, in fact, not true. The President stated that while he believes marriage is one man, one woman, he opposed Proposition 8.

Immigration
We are a nation of laws. No one should work in the US that’s not here legally. Business owners need to obey the laws of this country and offer a decent wage to legal workers, and stop exploiting people in order to get cheap labor for their own financial gain. We should stop the flow of illegals by controlling our boarders, and not continue to be complicit in the breaking of laws by offering social services, and other trappings of legitimate citizenship. We must disincentivise illegal aliens from staying by removing employment opportunity and social services, and assist them in returning home. I support and encourage all those seeking a better life in the United States to follow the legal immigration process.

There is much to unpack from her position on immigration: legal workers should be paid a "decent wage" -- not sure what to make of that; used the offensive term "illegals" while misspelling the word "borders"; and created a new word with "disincentivize."