Ahead of the March primary, The Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Sepi Gilani
Current Job Title: Associate professor at UC San Diego
Political Party Affiliation: Democrat
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Town Committee
City where you reside: La Jolla
Campaign website or social media: www.GilaniUSSenate.org
How much assistance should the U.S. provide — military and/or financial — to foreign countries at war, like Israel or Ukraine? What, if any, should be the litmus test for American allies to receive assistance from the U.S.?
We live in a global community and need to rethink our interactions with other communities because events in other parts of the world directly affect us in the United States. Language and cultural barriers of the past should no longer dictate foreign policy. The United Nations Security Council has permanent members who historically have been colonizers and aggressors in foreign wars. I would suggest that we eliminate the permanent members of the UN Security Council and have members who have not been involved in any war in the last 20 years to be arbiters of disputes.
Also, veto power for one of the members should be eliminated. Aid to countries should be informed by the United Nations. Negotiating peace agreements and rules of conduct by nations should be decided by the United Nations. Many of our global wars are over resources and land. I would advocate for mandated negotiations under the guidance of the UN Security Council which will reduce our need to fund foreign proxy wars and funding for foreign countries.
Do you believe the U.S. should sunset or reform eligibility requirements for Social Security and Medicaid programs? Be specific on what changes you would push for in the U.S. Senate.
Social Security and Medicaid programs were developed to help poverty-stricken seniors as well as struggling Americans. I would advocate moving to a single-payer system or “Medicare for All” to cover basic medical needs in addition to having Social Security for day-to-day needs. Social Security is essential to prevent poverty for seniors. We can offset the cost of these social needs by eliminating spending that does not directly help Americans.
What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?
We need to transition from fossil fuel to clean energy over the next few decades. I would advocate for any infrastructure improvements that would reduce our use of fossil fuels, such as high-speed rail, although it has to be thoughtful, economical and put in the right place.
Unfortunately, the legal battles dealing with running rails above ground are significant. Also, as anyone who drives an electric vehicle in California may have noticed, the electrical grid is insufficient to accommodate even the few electric cars on the streets now, and solutions need to be urgently sought. Given our rising sea levels, the precipitous rise in seawater has devastating effects and is causing mass displacement of coastal living people. California is sure to be affected.
As AI technology continues to rapidly expand, what do you see as the federal government’s role in creating and enforcing a regulatory framework?
Because the technology is new, and we have already seen massive labor strikes because of AI in California, I would advocate for strict regulation initially. This can be relaxed as we become more adept with the technology. Many academic scholars have advocated for such regulation, and I would support such regulation. Corporations that implement AI technology may do so to benefit themselves. The government must include civic organizations, local governments, universities and community organizations in decisions that are made to regulate AI.
The White House, in recent negotiations with Congress, signaled support for certain immigration restrictions. What is one proposal you think could better America’s immigration system?
We have to reckon with our past policies as currently, we have 2 million people who were brought to the U.S. as children and have no legal status. I would advocate for paths to citizenship for children and those who came to the U.S. as children without an adult guardian. I would advocate for legal means to immigration as long as we can accommodate such immigration. Currently, given our homelessness crisis, with 650,000 homeless Americans, and massive debt, I would advocate for redirecting some of our resources and time to those who are already here.
The role — and size — of the U.S. Supreme Court has come under scrutiny in recent years. Do you believe more justices should be added to the nation’s highest court, or would you support any kind of reform, like term limits?
California is one of the few states where we have referendums for judges. This is not true in many other states. The California Supreme Court judges face retention elections every four years. I would advocate for a similar referendum for judges of the U.S. Supreme Court. These elections would be on the ballot and would allow the people to remove a U.S. Supreme Court justice after four years of service.
What is the biggest contribution the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein had on politics?
I think taking a position against torture in the name of national security was her greatest accomplishment.
Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.
Housing, healthcare and education for every American.
What is something you’ve learned about yourself during this campaign, and how that would translate into the job?
I’ve learned that although daunting to run for office, it is not impossible for the average American. I would encourage anyone who has thought of running for office to do so. Not all candidates who are running for higher office are invited to the well-televised debates. If more people ran for office, and if we paid attention to politics and treated it not as a spectator sport but as a participatory endeavor, we may be able to have less well-known and very qualified candidates become our representatives in politics. Self-governance by an engaged public ensures that we would all benefit from the results of participatory politics.
If elected to the U.S. Senate, I would continue to encourage others to run for office and advocate for term limits to increase diversity of opinion in our highest offices.
What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?
Iced tap water and fresh popcorn.
