Gary Swing

Evidence and science should drive policy, not lobbyists or political pressure. As a Green, I start from the ecology pillar: we face real limits on a finite planet, and ignoring the data on climate, extinction, and pollution is reckless.

I would rely on independent scientific advice rather than industry-funded studies. That means consulting career scientists at agencies like the EPA, NOAA, and NIH without political interference; requiring transparent disclosure of funding sources for any research used in legislation; and creating public advisory panels that include independent researchers, local experts, and community voices - not just corporate representatives.

I’d support restoring scientific integrity rules that protect agency scientists from political meddling, and I’d push for open data so the public can see the evidence behind decisions. For major environmental or public-health bills, I’d insist on clear summaries of the consensus science, including uncertainties, so voters and colleagues know what’s settled and what’s still debated.

Grassroots democracy also matters: town halls, written public comment, and accessible online records so ordinary people can weigh the evidence alongside experts. I’m not a scientist, but I trust the method - observation, testing, peer review - over ideology or donor preferences. Policy that ignores the data on climate, public health, or resource limits fails everyone. This approach keeps decision-making honest and accountable.

Federal science funding should serve the public interest, not corporate profit or endless military projects. I support strong investment in basic research and innovation, especially in areas that address real ecological and social needs: renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate resilience, public health, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.

The clearest way to free up resources is to cut the military budget by 90 percent, as I have long advocated, and redirect those funds toward civilian science and green technology. We do not need more advanced weapons systems; we need breakthroughs that help us live within planetary limits. I would prioritize competitive grants to universities, national labs, and independent researchers over no-bid contracts to large defense contractors. Public funding should come with open-data requirements and limits on exclusive private patents so the benefits are widely shared.

I oppose using science budgets as corporate welfare. Innovation thrives when researchers can follow the evidence without political or donor pressure. That means protecting agency scientists, expanding peer-reviewed grant programs, and supporting collaborative international research on climate and biodiversity.

A steady-state economy needs smart technology, not endless growth. Federal investment should focus on solving concrete problems - clean water, carbon reduction, habitat protection - rather than subsidizing industries that externalize their costs. Redirecting resources from militarism to science is both practical and necessary.

Arizona’s extreme heat, mining waste, and water scarcity are symptoms of treating the desert as an unlimited resource for extraction and growth. AI data centers that consume vast amounts of water and electricity only intensify the problem.

I support a steady-state approach based on ecological limits. That means strong protections for public lands, strict limits on new mining that contaminates water and leaves toxic waste, and full cleanup liability for existing operations. Water must be allocated according to science and long-term sustainability, not short-term industrial demand. Data centers and other heavy water users should face strict efficiency standards, public disclosure of consumption, and preference for locations and technologies that minimize desert impact - or be required to fund water-saving offsets.

Carbon and pollution taxes that reflect true environmental costs would discourage wasteful energy use and encourage renewables and efficiency. Federal policy should prioritize restoring watersheds, protecting aquifers, and funding community-scale adaptation to heat rather than subsidizing more extraction.

The Green pillars of ecology and social justice require us to stop externalizing costs onto the land, Indigenous communities, and future generations. Growth that depletes finite water and heat-stressed ecosystems is not progress. We need policies grounded in the reality of a desert climate, not the fantasy of endless expansion.

Public health decisions must follow evidence, not ideology or politics. The measles outbreak in Arizona last year was preventable. Measles is highly contagious and dangerous, and the vaccine is safe and effective according to decades of scientific data.

I support maintaining high vaccination rates through accessible, science-based immunization programs, strong public-health infrastructure, and clear communication grounded in evidence rather than misinformation. That includes adequate funding for state and local health departments, rapid outbreak response capacity, and protecting the ability of public-health agencies to act on the best available data without political interference.

Broader access to care also matters. Medicare for All would remove financial barriers that keep people from preventive services, including vaccines and routine check-ups. Healthy communities are more resilient when everyone can get care without worrying about cost.

I would oppose efforts to weaken vaccine requirements or undercut scientific agencies for political reasons. At the same time, public trust depends on transparency: open data, honest discussion of risks and benefits, and accountability when systems fail. Prevention works best when it is rooted in evidence, equity, and community confidence rather than coercion or corporate influence.

Ecology and social justice are linked here too - healthy people need healthy environments and reliable public systems.

Social media has become a major source of information - and misinformation - for young people. I support targeted protections that reduce harm without turning platforms into tools of political control.

Kids deserve privacy and safety. That means strong limits on data collection from minors, restrictions on addictive design features that keep them scrolling for profit, and clear age-verification tools that do not create a surveillance system. Platforms should face real liability when their algorithms amplify demonstrably false claims that endanger public health or safety, just as we hold other industries accountable for foreseeable harm.

At the same time, I am wary of broad content regulation. Government or corporate gatekeepers deciding what counts as “approved” science or policy information risks suppressing legitimate debate and dissent. The better path is transparency: require platforms to disclose how their algorithms rank and promote content, fund independent media literacy education, and break up monopolistic power so a handful of corporations cannot dominate the information landscape.

Public health and democracy both depend on evidence and open discussion. We should protect young users from exploitation and manipulation while preserving the ability to share and challenge ideas. Corporate profit motives that prioritize engagement over accuracy are the core problem - not free inquiry itself.

Arizona’s ranking at the bottom in school funding and graduation rates is a failure of priorities. Public education is a core public good. Starving schools of resources while subsidizing extraction industries and military spending is shortsighted and unjust. I support substantial, equitable increases in public school funding - paid for in part by cutting the bloated military budget and ending corporate welfare - so every student has access to well-paid teachers, safe facilities, and the tools they need to learn.

Science belongs at the center of K-12 education. Students should learn the scientific method, evidence-based reasoning, and the basic findings of biology, climate science, and ecology. That means teaching evolution, the reality of human-caused climate change, and the physical limits of our planet without political interference or watered-down standards. Critical thinking and media literacy are just as important so young people can evaluate claims for themselves rather than accept whatever appears on a screen.

An educated public is essential for grassroots democracy. When schools are underfunded and science is treated as optional or controversial, we produce citizens less equipped to deal with real environmental and social problems. Fully funding public education and grounding it in evidence is both practical and a matter of social justice.