| Federal
& State General Election Questionnaires By Jim Day
Below are the 2008 Federal and State level General Election Questionnaires which we mailed to each candidate within our readership area. To save time and trouble in flipping back and forth between your candidate’s answers and the questionnaires, we suggest that you list your candidate’s responses from the answer pages on a separate piece of paper and then compare them to the choices we provided them on the questionnaires. Remember, candidates were asked to mark only one choice on the questionnaire which best described their opinion/position. Candidates were allowed short clarifying statements/comments when one of our selections was not quite their position or opinion. Also keep in mind that “NR” means the candidate chose not to make a selection regarding their opinion/position on that particular topic. If your candidate failed to return their questionnaire we have indicated that by placing “Chose Not to Respond” next to their name. As I mentioned in the lead article to our questionnaire section every candidate, except for Independent candidates (the exception being the Presidential and Vice Presidential Independent candidates) and candidates who did not have opposition in the election, was mailed via First Class Mail a questionnaire with instructions on how to respond. They (or their campaign representative) were also called and, in most cases emailed, to make absolutely sure they received the questionnaire and encouraged to respond. My personal opinion is that if a candidate ‘Chose Not to Respond’ I would call them and ask them why not? Then I would ask them their opinion/position on each of the topics on our questionnaire (and any other topic for that matter). If the candidate refuses to answer your questions or you’re not happy with their responses, then I would think long and hard about voting for them. Remember, these people are vying for your vote and could be representing you! |
1. Terrorism
& National Security
[a] We should do whatever it takes to safeguard
our nation against terrorism even though it may mean the restriction or suspension
of certain Constitutional rights and protections.
[a] Federal support and oversight of education is
absolutely necessary to ensure that all of our nation's children receive a high
quality education so they are prepared to compete in today’s global economy.
[b] Education should be supported and monitored
at state and local levels with minimal federal involvement.
[a] I support the use of firearms for sporting,
recreational and home defense purposes, but believe guns should be registered
and we should prohibit the ownership of certain assault weapons.
[a]
[a] The freedom to have an abortion is, and should
remain, a woman's choice.
[a] In essences we are a nation of immigrants. As
a wealthy and benevolent country we should welcome with open arms anyone who
comes here and support their needs without challenges to their circumstances.
[b] Our nation was built in part on the strength
of immigrants and continues to be strengthened by contemporary immigration.
Today’s debate over legal v. illegal aliens cautions us to provide rights and
services to both groups to varying yet equitable degrees.
[a] The
[a] As a world leader, the
[a] A good portion of our citizens cannot afford
the high costs of medicines and other health care expenses.
[a] The rights of all citizens, regardless of their
race, nationality, religion, sex, age, physical disabilities or sexual preference,
should be protected. Government must eliminate discrimination wherever it is
found.
[b] No one should be discriminated against
because of their race, nationality, religion, sex, age or physical disabilities.
However, special protections based upon someone's sexual preference should not
be allowed.
1. Legislative Philosophy
[a] America is a melting pot of beliefs and values. Since we live in a democracy,
laws that relate to moral issues should reflect the view of the majority of
our citizens and not impose any one group’s values over another’s.
[b] Issues related to morality are very subjective. Therefore, government should
not legislate morality.
[c] Laws, by their nature, legislate morality. Since our nation was founded
upon the specific moral principles of the Judeo-Christian belief system, those
principles should be our guide to the enactment of any legislation.
2. Health Care
[a] A good portion of our citizens cannot afford the ever increasing cost of
medicines & other health care expenses. Our state must help those in need
of health care coverage as it does in other areas of social service.
[b] Our state should not be in the health care business, whether it's paying
for medicines or subsidizing other medical expenses. It is not the state's responsibility
to pay for its citizen's medical care. However, civil government should make
sure insurance companies and direct health care providers do not price gouge
citizens.
[c] Our state should provide limited financial assistance to those who cannot
afford the high cost of medicines and medical services, but should not strive
to become our citizen's primary health care provider.
3. Discrimination
[a] The rights of all citizens, regardless of their race, nationality, religion,
sex, age, physical disabilities or sexual preference should be protected. We
should eliminate discrimination wherever it is found.
[b] No one should be discriminated against because of their race, nationality,
religion, sex, age or physical disabilities. However, special protections based
upon someone's sexual preference should not be legislated.
4. Abortion
[a] The freedom to have an abortion is, and should remain, a woman's choice.
[b] Abortions should not be allowed except in cases of rape, incest or to save
the life of the mother.
[c] Abortions should not be allowed except to save the life of the mother.
[d] Under no circumstances should any type of abortion be allowed.
5. Gaming
[a] Our state must take full advantage of gaming since it benefits state and
local governments.
[b] Gaming has proven beneficial to the state but further expansion of gaming
should not be allowed.
[c] Gambling has proven to be a social and economic liability for our state
which, in part, is evident by the efforts of the casinos to prohibit a comprehensive
study of gambling’s impact on our citizens. Therefore, gambling in our
state should be abolished.
6. The U.S. Constitution
[a] The U.S. Constitution is an historical part of the founding of our country.
It is the document that gives us our rights and liberties and outlines how we
should govern ourselves as a nation. Because the Constitution is a living, breathing
document, it requires continual scrutiny and revision as the needs of our society
change.
[b] I view the U.S. Constitution as one of the primary founding documents of
our country. It should never be interpreted without first considering the intent
of our founding fathers when it was written. I recognize that it can only be
changed through a properly enacted amendment after careful consideration and
public debate.
7. Education
[a] Support and oversight of education by federal, state and local government
is absolutely necessary to ensure that all children receive a high quality education
for the good of society as a whole.
[b] Education should be supported and monitored at state and local levels with
minimal federal involvement.
[c] Education of children should be left in the hands of parents without federal
or state intervention or control..
8. Second Amendment
[a] The use of firearms for sporting, recreational and home defense purposes
are perfectly legitimate uses of firearms, but guns should be registered and
ownership of certain assault weapons should be banned.
[b] Gun control is a must in today’s world with crime on the rise and our
children at risk. The 2nd Amendment should apply only to the National Guard,
military and law enforcement, not the general public.
[c] The 2nd Amendment broadly protects the rights of individual Americans to
keep and bear arms. Gun control infringes upon this Constitutional right and
violates the original intent of the 2nd Amendment.
9. Immigration
[a] Our nation was built in part on the strength of immigrants and continues
to be strengthened by contemporary immigration. Today’s debate over legal
v. illegal aliens cautions us to provide rights and services to both groups
to varying yet equitable degrees.
[b] Our nation should restrict immigration more than it is currently doing.
Present immigration threatens our national sovereignty and can be greatly restricted
without denying our past or jeopardizing our future. Illegal aliens should be
deported expeditiously and without question.
[c] In essences we are a nation of immigrants. As a wealthy and benevolent country
we should welcome with open arms anyone who comes here and support their needs
without challenges to their circumstances.
10. Private Property
[a] Private property should, in some situations, be subject to public opinion
and consensus as to its use.
[b] Private property is fundamental to freedom and prosperity and should not
be subject to external controls.
[c] Private property cannot be allowed to stand in the way of civic progress
or the good of a community.