Making the Healthcare System Work for the People

Political candidate LaPierre, together with his team, aims at proposing improvements for the healthcare system. Their strategic priorities focus on solving the most urgent health problems citizens are currently facing.
The first step of the program covers the areas below as a priority:

  • Improving the healthcare system for the workforce;
  • Developing strategies for suicide prevention;
  • Decreasing the number of people affected by infectious diseases;
  • Speeding up the national immunization program;
  • Updating the national plan for preventing heart disease and stroke;
  • Reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the healthcare system;
  • Create an action plan to reduce environmental health risks;
  • Developing new strategies to improve medical preparedness and response in cases of emergency;
  • Implementing action plans to support mental health;
  • Advancing strategies to improve the quality of life for the people living with chronic illness.

Strengthening the public health of the workforce is a priority. The team has prepared a detailed step-by-step plan to protect the workforce. The strategy includes a system of cooperation with the Health Department. It relies heavily on strong cooperation with employers.
Besides investing funds in protecting the workforce, LaPierre's team counts on the workforce to input their share of effort. More specifically, they will have to undergo public health training sessions and practical courses. By common efforts, the team hopes to make the healthcare system work for the people for a change.

Supporting the Payday Loans Industry

LaPierre is one of the candidates supporting the payday lending industry. According to national statistics, almost half of the consumers taking payday loans in South Carolina were employed full time. That is a sign that the workforce is not protected against financial emergencies. Payday loans are a quick solution for the people who need money today to handle their issues fast. According to the candidate, payday lenders close the budget gap by providing quick loans.

LaPierre mentions that payday lending in South Carolina functions well under the regulations issued by state authorities. The candidate underlines the importance of alternative lending. With almost 10% of the residents in South Carolina relying on payday cash advances to make ends meet, the system should either support them or offer a better option.

The candidate's team proposes implementing a series of actions to support fair payday lending:

  • Increase the maximum loan amount from $550 to 20% of the borrower's monthly income;
  • Run regular audits to all active payday lending businesses to ensure accurate record-keeping and following the law;
  • Reduce fraud and increase security in lending;
  • Equip potential borrowers with the necessary tools to protect them from identity theft and scams;
  • Improve the borrowers' experience by providing them with unbiased informative material;
  • Propose allowing up to three rollovers for South Carolina borrowers.

Strengthening the public health of the workforce is a priority. The team has prepared a detailed step-by-step plan to protect the workforce. The strategy includes a system of cooperation with the Health Department. It relies heavily on strong cooperation with employers.

Besides investing funds in protecting the workforce, LaPierre's team counts on the workforce to input their share of effort. More specifically, they will have to undergo public health training sessions and practical courses. By common efforts, the team hopes to make the healthcare system work for the people for a change.

Why I'm Running for the US Senate Seat

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Taking Education to a New Level

Education reforms are an urgent need nationwide. Candidate Michael J. LaPierre points out that higher education is a national pride. Up to the point when a young person goes to college, quality education is a matter of luck.

The most critical issues in the public school system include, but are not limited to:

  • Poor quality of education in general;
  • Alarming drop-out rates;
  • Social discrimination;
  • School bullying;
  • Shortage of qualified staff;
  • Poor fund management;
  • Technology challenges;
  • Issues with the common core curriculum;
  • Low teacher salaries;
  • Overcrowding.

The education system in South Carolina in particular is in decline. To bring education back on track, LaPierre's team proposes a series of actions:

  • Increasing educational standards by attracting and retaining qualified staff;
  • Increase education affordability by helping struggling families;
  • Modify school funding legislation and making it child-oriented;
  • Increase teacher compensation;
  • Appoint support for new school boards;
  • Alter teacher certification to allow talented individuals pursue a teaching career;
  • Increase safety in schools.

The team is optimistic about the upcoming changes. Although it is a lengthy process, each action point will bring significant improvement to the quality of education.

Promoting Financial Literacy In Lending

Candidate LaPierre believes that financial literacy is the cornerstone of a healthy society. Reports reveal that financial literacy is in a poor state in the US. 66% of the respondents to a survey failed to answer basic questions on financial literacy. That is a major red flag and should motivate us to facilitate financial learning.

The importance of mastering basic financial concepts should be obvious to each individual. Financial literacy helps people manage their money, handle student or medical debt, etc. One has to make educated financial decisions. They influence the quality of life for each individual and the national wellbeing in general.

Scope: reduce financial illiteracy and help state residents achieve at least a minimum score of literacy.

LaPierre's team has put together a plan to protect borrowers prior to and during the process of lending. They include:

  • Create and distribute informative brochures;
  • Add Financial Literacy 101 to all local high schools in South Carolina;
  • Set up a free hotline to assist borrowers in choosing a reliable lender;
  • Support companies provide safe retirement advice to all employees;
  • Create a money management curriculum and integrate it with the existing early adulthood courses;
  • Enable potential borrowers to check if their lender is legitimate by running their name through a national database;
  • Partner with local social support organizations and groups to spread financial literacy brochures and information;
  • Reach out to former borrowers and notify them on the available free local financial literature resources;
  • Conduct verifications with lending services to check how loan providers explain customers financial concepts in an understandable manner; supply lenders with resources that facilitate understanding of basic financial terms.

LaPierre's approach does not involve any penalties or punishments for the first stage of the program. It focuses on partnering with existing lending businesses to improve the borrowers' experience. The responsibility is equally divided between active government and private businesses, volunteer organizations, and educational institutions. The team is optimistic about the upcoming improvements and the positive impact on the borrowers' financial situation.

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Making Online Lending Safe

With an increasing number of people borrowing online, LaPierre's team raises public awareness regarding the dangers of the process. Under LaPierre's guidance, the team prepared an action plan to adopt measures that will benefit the borrowers under risk. Although the politician is an avid supporter of payday loans, he is also aware of the alarming statistics revealing predatory lending. The politician aims at helping borrowers access safe short-term loans from trusted sources.

The team led by LaPierre intends to bring back some of the power the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has recently lost. The bigger plan is to help governmental organizations perform their rightful duties. A major goal is protecting the vulnerable consumers who fall into a cycle of debt.

The candidate, together with his team of experts, proposes:

  • CEnsuring the CFPB has the authority to act in the supreme interest of the borrowers and take action to protect them;
  • Limiting the finance charge for small-dollar loans. A nationwide standard will greatly benefit consumers;
  • Limiting rollovers to protect people from a debt trap;
  • Running regular audits at payday lending offices to ensure accurate record-keeping and make sure the lenders keep to fair lending practices;
  • Forbidding debt collectors to harass borrowers either by phone, texts, or emails. The necessity is dictated by an increasing number of complaints consumers submit daily;
  • Verifying the websites advertising payday lending and take measures to terminate their activity in case they do not comply with state regulations;
  • Providing consumers with immediate legal protection in case their personal data is shared without their consent;
  • Monitoring online businesses and ensure they undergo the same verification as physical offices;
  • Educating borrowers on how they can protect themselves when considering an online application;
  • Providing free updated material on cyber security, together with a list of identifiable red flags.

LaPierre's vision is for borrowers to improve their financial situation and only resort to payday lending when they have an emergency. “We need to find a middle ground to keep lenders active and consumers protected,” stated the candidate. His team is conducting an in-depth field analysis to fight against identity theft, scams, and protect borrowers from potential risks.

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