Fix problems, fulfill promises: There are things that government's just not good at

Former Mayor Frank Guinta told a Town Hall meeting crowd gathered in Dover that government owes citizens the benefits they have paid into systems such as Social Security and Medicare, but Congress must work to reform insolvent entitlement programs for future generations.

“I’ve just been in government for the last four years, and I can tell you firsthand that there are things government is not good at,” said Guinta, a candidate for Congress for New Hampshire in the First District. “If we come up with a different system, we shouldn’t be punishing [people] who have paid into Social Security, who require Medicare and Medicaid, but we should reform it for future users of a potential system.”



In Dover, the congressional candidate reaffirmed his pledge to repeal any law that creates a new government-run health care system. At the same time, the candidate said any existing government-run health care system such as Medicare must be delivered to the folks it’s been promised to. A new system for future generations should be the subject of debate for the next session of Congress, he said.

“There’s a problem at hand, and we have an obligation to solve it,” Guinta said. “Right now, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, Retirement, Pensions, they’re not solvent. I think most people, regardless of party affiliation, would agree with that. What I’d hope what people would want me to do is find a reasonable solution to that problem.”

The candidate said the solution to the problem would take some work to resolve, but work that he’s willing to undergo. Guinta said he would give an honest assessment of the issue and all of the bills that might be filed to address it, but more importantly, he will involve his constituents and listen to their suggestions and concerns.

“It’s a combination of representation and leadership,” he said.