Nche Zama| Your Turn

The 2020 election raised questions and concerns in the minds of voters ranging from the integrity of election procedures to access to the ballot. What, if any, reforms to election law would you support to ensure all Pennsylvania voters have equal access to free, fair, secure elections?

The right to vote and the power of a persons ballot undergird the fundamental principles of democracy. Any forces or factors that diminish or threaten the sanctity of the electoral process to a point where an individual begins to question the validity of their vote must be addressed urgently and concertedly to protect and save our democracy.

Therefore I support restoring the principles in Pennsylvanias constitution regarding mail-in ballots (prior to Act 77) and I will support repealing Act 77. I will also promote voter ID for all legally qualified voters in Pennsylvania.

How would you position Pennsylvania to be a leader on environmental issues, including climate change?

Environmental issues are multifaceted and policies governing them must be guided by scientific facts, humanism, pragmatism, realism, and with a perspective on domestic and global implications. Therefore I will engage community members, state representatives, industry leaders, farmers, and our engineers and scientists to craft sustainable strategies to protect our environment for future generations.

Some states have acted to restrict the rights of transgender individuals. What is your position on transgender rights?

Gender is biology!

I believe all human rights must be protected and respected as long as an individuals actions and activities remain within the confines of his/her birth and biological gender category and do not traverse gender lines in a competitive or social setting to give him or her a competitive advantage or disadvantage or create social discomfort among others of the opposite biological gender group. We must also be cognizant of the myriad of gender-related psychological challenges many of our children are grappling with, and address them.

Experts predict the U.S. Supreme Court could soon overturn Roe v. Wade, which established the constitutional right to abortion. It would then be up to Pennsylvania lawmakers to govern the procedure. What is your position on abortion? Should it be protected or restricted?

When the sperm and the egg merge, it is a point of no return and this is where life begins. Therefore I do not support abortion. I have spent my life saving lives as a cardiothoracic surgeon. All human life is precious. We must protect it and cherish it. God commands us to do this.

What should Pennsylvanias minimum wage, now set at $7.25 an hour, be?

It depends on economic variables, market, and labor forces. Our economy is in a post-pandemic phase and experiencing tremendous fluxes. Therefore determining a numerical wage value at this time would be socioeconomically unjustified and would represent nothing but political expediency.

What makes you tick? What is an example of when your passion and government service worked hand in hand?

A collective pursuit of excellence fuels my motivation in every engagement in my life. When our government promotes social unity and excellence, people feel more psychologically engaged. Promoting uniformity over unity and excellence is destructive of individual drive and social productivity.

What, if anything, would you do to reform Pennsylvanias criminal justice system? Would you support legalization of marijuana for adult recreational use?

I am a scientist with a Ph.D., and a medical doctor. Therefore naturally I am inclined to avoid politically expedient quick fixes to problems and prefer to address the root causes of problems in order to attain sustainable solutions. This is exactly the approach that society needs and that I will use in addressing Pennsylvanias criminal justice system. Social determinants of crime especially among the poor, disadvantaged and economically challenged communities must be addressed before our criminal justice system can realize improvements and sustainable outcomes.

I would support legalization of marijuana only for medical use.

What are the bounds of political rhetoric? What duty do elected leaders have to speak truthfully and communicate fact-based information to voters?

People are tired of lies and empty promises by some politicians. Elected leaders have a moral responsibility to be truthful and serve at the highest level of excellence. Their primary motivation and commitment must be to the ones they serve. As a surgeon, every decision Ive made in my career has hinged on what is in the best interest of the people I am serving. All communication by servant leaders must be transparent, truthful and grounded in reality, social and scientific facts. Any other form of communication is self-serving and betrays the trust of the people in their leaders.

Nche Zama is a cardiothoracic surgeon who completed training at the Cleveland Clinic and Harvard University and holds a Ph.D. in chemistry, and a master's degree in management from Harvard. He is seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the May 17 primary.

See the rest here:

Zama: Fueled by 'the pursuit of excellence' - GoErie.com