Karen Breslin

Karen Breslin was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Metro State University of Denver in 1982, a graduate degree from the University of Colorado Denver in 1989, and a law degree from the University of Denver in 2002. Her career experience includes working as a professor, lawyer, and program manager with the National Park Service.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Karen is a political science professor who teaches courses in American politics and law, a lawyer who has assisted community and progressive activist groups, a former program manager and policy advisor with the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service with responsibilities for legislation, communications, sustainability, and park planning, and a former journalist who covered Congress, the Colorado state legislature, as well as federal agencies and federal policy on the environment, economics, international trade, climate change and sustainability, labor, and health care. Her campaign emphasizes defending democracy through civility and policies that respond to the needs of working Americans, including those in rural communities that are too often left behind by Washington.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Some 65 percent of Americans are angered by the political process, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. And they have every right to be. Too often the system serves the needs of the billionaire class and the enormous corporations who pour money and influence into the political process. I will expose that influence and its corrupting influence on the well-being of working Americans.Division and vitriol distracts voters from the failures of both parties and therefore perpetuates policies that advantage elite interests over the rest of us. I will seek to restore civility and substance into political conversations.Some rural communites of the Fourth Congressional District are shortchanged in federal funding and experience lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher rates of substance abuse, and less access to medical care than urban communities. That has to stop. Rural people should not be treated as disposable. No one should be.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Economic fairness - as a reporter covering Congress and a political science professor, it is disturbing to see the way human suffering is left unaddressed, decade after decade. Some of the largest corporations, and the wealthiest people pay no federal income tax, even as the rest of us pay ours. Meanwhile, rural communities often lack sufficient funding to provide health care.

Environmental policy - as a long-time employee of the National Park Service and a lawyer who has sought to protect the environment, I see little evidence that lawmakers or politicians generally appreciate the extent of the destruction of the life systems that sustain us and offer us faux "solutions" like "green energy" which is green only in terms of generating cash for renewable companies subsidized by taxpayers. Climate change is a symptom of indifference to our dependence on nature. We need to focus on technologies to reduce consumption and preservation of natural places that absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

Racial justice - The country's legacy of racist policies reverberates today in the lives of people of color, as evidenced by the wealth gap between whites and blacks and the entrenched poverty on reservations. Notably, much of the national dialogue on the so-called "racial reckoning" paid more attention to microaggressions and vague references to "systemic racism," than to the economic inequality among racial groups, and the causes of it.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Cornel West, Jimmy Carter, Patricia Schroeder - these are people who took or take principled positions regardless of whether they were popular and have a commitment, decency and serving the public interest.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Federalist No. 10. - on the need to protect minorities in a democracy (which requires majoritarian control).

Let America Be America Again - I am inspired by Langston Hughes' poignant expression of the hope that is embodied in the values underpinning our democracy, and the pain of our inability to see the dream to fruition.

Martin Luther King Jr. - Letter from a Birmingham Jail - on the need to confront injustice and to reject calls for patience in the face of human suffering.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

1. A devotion to the public good above political ambition or a desire for financial gain. Legislators who become lobbyists after their service sully the reputation of Congress. Public servants who attain lavish lifestyles through public service are also undermining trust in the system.

2. The ability to make policy choices based on an independent assessment of an issue or bill, rather than on the views of others, i.e., a willingness to vote one's conscience when circumstances require it, regardless of the political costs to that official.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an independent thinker. I am not driven by ambition. I am committed to the public good.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

1. To listen closely to the views of constituents, and maintain a close connection to the district through regular communication and meetings within the district.

2. To provide an honest assessment of issues or bills to constituents, regardless of the popularity of that assessment.

3. To effectively maintain the constituent service function, so that constituents who need support in dealing with the executive branch get that support in a timely and effective fashion.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like my campaign to help foster a new climate of civility in American politics and I would like my legislative service to result in meaningful improvements in the lives of the people in my district, especially in those communities in rural areas with the most need.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I vaguely remember some of the events of 1968, King, RFK assassinations. I was 7

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked in a family-owned fast food restaurant. Hardest job I ever had. Not sure, was a high school student. Probably a few months.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I don't know.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I can't think of any.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I don't know.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have had my share of financial struggles, mostly from choices that were not the best, but nevertheless created great insecurity and fear.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Unlike the presidency or the Senate, terms for House members are quite short. Although I am a strong supporter of the Constitution, as I think the founders left us with a solid blueprint for maintaining representative government while also protecting the rights of political minorities, that quick turnover in the House results in members focusing on re-election. This too would be less of a problem if elections were publicly funded. The size of the chamber also means that individual members are required to collaborate with colleagues and leadership to be effective in serving their districts.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes. I have experience with all three branches of the federal government, as a reporter covering Congress, and an employee in the executive branch, and as an attorney in federal court. The interplay between these institutions is not obvious. Media coverage tends to convince us that the presidency holds most of the power, but the work of the executive branch itself is largely driven by Congress and at times the courts. The president largely influences how that work is accomplished and will seek to direct that work to serve the administration's ends, and that can result in obstruction of congressional intent. Secondly, the constitutional constraints on the federal government generally should be understood by prospective members. My sense is, few Americans appreciate that the federal government cannot legislate/regulate individual or corporate behavior without some connection to interstate commerce, so candidates may misunderstand what the federal government can lawfully accomplish. Lastly, individuals who do not understand our constitutional system of checks and balances and the way the Constitution protects political minorities may think of the courts as just another political branch, and seek to use the court in that way, thereby jeopardizing the protection of political minorities.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Healing the political polarization by restoring trust in government, which has declined because the political process does not sufficiently serve the interest of working Americans. Special interests, the billionaire class and the largest corporations exercise too much control over policy outcomes.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

A longer term, maybe 3 years might be better, but it will take a constitutional amendment.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Think they could be useful at the federal level but the same problem could also be solved by public financing of elections, which likewise could only be accomplished with a constitutional amendment.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I admired Rep. Patricia Schroeder.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I don't recall anyone specific story, but a general impression from speaking to a number of people who struggle to get by, people who work the cash registers, serve the food, roof our homes, etc., that life is a series of challenges that people worry about dealing with: an illness, job loss, car accident, care repair, etc. I travel into a prosperous suburb which offers a food bank, and the need is always great, even in a community that is wealthy. Those are the people who inspire me to run.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I don't have a favorite joke.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, but some values must be sacrosanct.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

We need a more fair tax system. We lack guaranteed health care. A leading cause of bankruptcy is medical bills. If we can't provide health care, we ought to at least allow full deduction of health care costs. The same is true for education and occupational expenses not covered by employers. We should eliminate tax provisions that allow some of the largest corporations and the wealthiest people to pay no taxes.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

To ensure that the executive branch is not in violation of the Constitution and to oversee whether the executive branch is administering laws consistent with congressional intent.