Remembering 9/11

Today we remember with sadness the tragedy of 9/11.  We give thanks for all those who have and continue to give their lives for our great nation's freedoms.  May we never forget the lives sacrificed on that day, or the unity and somber pride we felt as Americans that day and every day since.

Like most Americans, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news of that awful morning.  We were eating breakfast as a family when a call came on the phone to turn on the news.  I remember tears being shed as we held each other in shock and fear.

That night, we watched on television as the Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point held a candelight vigil, the first time in history that such an event was held for an event other than the death of a current Cadet.  Our oldest son, Brian, had just recently begun his first year of training there.  My wife, Joye, and I were proud of his decision to serve but we worried as we wondered what his military service might bring in the surely troubling and difficult years ahead.

Fortunately, this great nation has risen from the ashes of that tragedy.  We are blessed to continue to enjoy the freedoms espoused in our Constitution.  I am reminded of the lyrics of the beautiful hymn “America the Beautiful”:

“O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife.

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!”

Foundations

Something that has been on my mind a great deal recently is the idea of foundations.  The foundation of good public education is good teachers; the foundation of a good healthcare system is a strong doctor-patient relationship; the foundation of strong small businesses is fiscal responsibility; and as I’ve met with many people in District 8, I’ve been impressed more and more that the foundation of our society is families. Truly, nothing is more crucial to good society than strong families--in every form they take--producing good, contributing citizens.


So naturally, one of the most important commitments a candidate for state office can offer is to strengthen families. When families succeed, people succeed, and those people go on to solve problems they encounter in the world around them.

My campaign’s three primary focuses--affordable, bipartisan healthcare reform, improving public education, and providing strong support for small businesses--all serve to help families succeed.  I know this because these have all helped and blessed my family.

My wife, Joye, and I have been married for thirty years. She is the foundation of our family, and I owe my happiness and the happiness of our family to her. Together, we’ve raised our four children here in Utah and we can say enthusiastically that truly, ‘this is the place’. When we married, we faced the  uncertainties faced by all families--we didn’t know where work and child-rearing would take us, or what struggles we might face along the way.  Fortunately, we have been able to raise our family in Utah. Our children all attended public high schools in Salt Lake City.  Because of good teachers and good administrators, they were well prepared to enter college and begin pursuing the careers of their choice. Utah’s business-friendly environment has fostered a climate that gives them confidence in being able to find jobs and provide for their own families.  And through all of this, our high-quality healthcare system has kept them healthy and fit for the daily challenges of life.  Nothing has been so rewarding as to raise our children together in this great State, and that’s a feeling we share with so many great people in SD8.

But, these three systems--healthcare, education, and small business--require responsible stewardship.  The families of Utah deserve a government that will help public schools, hospitals, and businesses to better serve those who need and use them.  As a candidate to represent you and yours on Capitol Hill, you have my promise that I will always represent you effectively.  Your interests will be my interests. I will fight to make sure that your family’s needs are a priority.

Sign-Drop Blitz

We had a great turnout at our campaign sign-drop event today.  Support is growing and the word is getting out! Find out more about my candidacy at my website and get involved. Let's take this message of practical, bipartisan healthcare reform, support for public schools and small business all the way to Capitol Hill this fall!

Campaign Billboard

Check out our new campaign billboard as you drive north on Highland Drive near 6200 South!

Autism in Utah

I enjoyed attending the recent Autism Conference at Sugarhouse  Park.  Autism is a neuro- behavioral disease which has recently received increased attention locally and nationally.  There is an especially high prevalence of autism in Utah. The conference was well attended and very informative.  Even as a physician I learned a great deal, especially about the efficacy of early recognition and treatment.  Such early diagnosis and intervention by trained medical personnel can result in better outcomes and improved prognosis.  This can result in lifelong benefits of improved academic, behavioral and social functioning of the autism patient.  However, many patients remain untreated and under-treated due to lack of insurance or private funds by patient's families.  This  under-treated condition then becomes chronic, resulting in huge medical, social and long term economic costs, estimated to be 1.5-3 million dollars per patient.  This a huge, unaffordable, unsustainable burden to the patient, their loved ones and our communities.  Some families are forced onto Medicaid insurance due to the costs.

In Utah we have previously had legislation that addressed the recognition of autism as a disease and also insurance coverage.  However, we still have gaps in coverages.  The estimated increase in insurance costs resulting from treating autism, if any, would be relatively small.  The  long term health, social and economic benefits of early treatment to the patient, their families and to the community are very big.  It makes good sense on many levels to address a change in insurance to treat and prevent the consequences of this disease.  It is a common-sense measure for which I am proud to voice my support.

Support for Small Business

I am grateful to be both a healthcare professional and an owner of a small business.  This gives me the great blessing and opportunity to care for people and make positive changes in their healthcare and their lives.  I also appreciate how important it is to have a job and to be able to provide for my family and to provide jobs for others who work with me. 

When my grandparents immigrated to America, they embraced the great American Dream, which includes the freedom to choose a job or profession and then excel in it through hard work, education, and innovation.  This is what has made our communities, our state and our nation great. 

When I started at St. Mark’s Hospital over twenty years ago, we had a modest-sized Emergency Department staffed by five full-time physicians.  Since that time, we have grown our physician group to twenty-three physicians and now care for over 40,000 patients annually.  We strive to provide high quality healthcare and great customer service.  These are the same principles that make any small business successful and provide jobs for many. 

I understand the needs of small businesses and their employees.  I have had to make payroll through challenging economic times and find ways to improve efficiency and provide benefits and care for our fellow employees.  Recently, we merged our group with an even larger group so that now we cover nine hospitals along the Wasatch Front and employ over one hundred physicians.  Altogether this group cares for a significant fraction of emergency and hospitalized patients in this area. 

My experience as a small business owner will guide me to support small businesses throughout Utah as your next State Senator for District 8.  I believe in a balanced budget, fiscal responsibility, and efficiency in our government while providing the highest quality services to our citizens. 

I believe that small business is absolutely essential for the success and prosperity of our state and our country.  I am grateful to be a healthcare professional and grateful to our patients and customers for their trust.  As your next State Senator, I commit myself to represent you effectively and to see that your voice is heard in the Capitol.  I commit myself to supporting measures that will assist Utah’s small businesses as they provide jobs for Utahns, the most important issue in this election.

UPEA Endorsement

This week I was pleased and honored to receive the official endorsement of the Utah Public Employees' Association.  What a fine organization and group of people this represents.  It is hard to overstate the importance of the constituents of this group--our dedicated public employees who make everything run in this state.  The condition of our great State is a tribute to their great work.  I am proud to have the backing of this organization and will strive to represent all of Utah's public employees well if elected.

This endorsement reminds me that this campaign's message of bipartisan healthcare reform and strong support for small business and public education is precisely the message that is resonating with the people of Utah, particularly in Senate District 8.  Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike are rallying together to see that their views and their concerns regarding these issues are represented fairly and effectively on Capitol Hill.  I am humbled and encouraged by the wonderful support I have received.  I am amazed by the quality of people and families that I have been privileged to encounter as I've been out walking precincts.  There is a reason Utah is the greatest state in this country, and the reason is its people.

I am looking forward to meeting more and more of the wonderful people here in Senate District 8 between now and November.  If you share our enthusiasm for healthcare reform and support for public schools, please get involved with the campaign by visiting voteshiozawa.com/index.php/volunteer.  Together, we can make the changes we want to see on Capitol Hill!