United States Senator - Six Year Term - Vote for One (1)
Candidates were asked to summarize their backgrounds in 75
words and were allotted 75 words to answer each question. If the candidate did not reply by the
required date for publication, the words, "Did not respond in time for
publication" appear under the candidate's name.
QUESTION 1
Are you concerned about the size of the federal deficit?
Explain your answer.
QUESTION 2
What government measures would you propose to improve access
to affordable health care?
QUESTION 3
The United States uses a great deal of fossil fuel for power
generation and transportation.
What measures would you support to tackle the ever increasing need for
energy?
From the many conversations I've had with Michigan citizens
since entering the race for the U.S. Senate, one thing has become increasingly
clear. We're concerned that the
American dream of a good job, affordable health care, secure retirement and
most of all - a safe place to live - is less secure than it has been in the
past. I'm running for the U.S. Senate
because we owe it to our children and grandchildren to turn this around...
1. The government is running a deficit, not because it does
not have enough revenue, but because it is spending too much. The level of federal spending has
reached an absurdly high level and must be cut. I helped pass a balanced budget every year I was in the
state legislature, and will do the same in the U.S. Senate. I also believe that every President
should be granted line item veto authority to reduce spending...
2. The rising cost of health care has affected all Michigan
businesses and our state is approaching crisis status. Yet universal healthcare is not the
solution. I have yet to see an
example where the government takes over a service from the private sector and
delivers it more efficiently for less money. The government can help lower costs by passing medical
malpractice reform, encouraging more consumer choice, and consumers to take
greater responsibility for their health.
3. The energy problems we are facing are due, in large part,
to Senate Democrats' efforts to block the development of a comprehensive energy
policy that encourages development of alternative energy sources. Energy independence is a homeland
security issue, as we are currently dependent on volatile nations for many of
our energy needs. By exploring and
encouraging the development of new energy sources such as clean coal and
ethanol through a comprehensive energy policy, we can...
Senator Debbie Stabenow was born in Gladwin, Michigan and
raised in Clare, she then attended Michigan State University. An acknowledged
leader for many years, she has served in county government, the state
legislature, the U.S. House and now as the first woman from Michigan ever elected
to the U.S. Senate. Senator Stabenow's home is in Lansing where she lives with
her husband, Tom Athans. She has two grown children, Todd and Michelle, and one
stepdaughter, Gina.
1. After the Clinton administration, we had the largest
surplus in our history. Now, we face the largest deficit in our history. I opposed both the poorly planned
economic policies and the war in Iraq that left us with this stunning deficit.
We must return to sound economic policies that allow us to balance the budget
while focusing on critical support for our troops and investments in education
and innovation to grow the economy.
2. Skyrocketing health care costs are costing Michigan jobs
and threatening Michigan families. I have authored real solutions to: a) Invest in new health technologies
that experts say would reduce health care costs up to $300 billion while
improving the quality of care. b) Reduce prescription drug prices by increasing
competition, through greater access to generic drugs and safe re-importation from
Canada. c) Help our automakers and manufacturers deal with huge
"catastrophic" health care costs.
3. I fought for the Energy Act of 2005, which has
jump-started the construction of ethanol and bio-diesel plants in Michigan,
through tax incentives and a new renewable fuels standard. As a member of the
Agriculture Committee, I helped author a new Energy Title to the Farm Bill that
focuses on production of bio-fuels and creating new jobs in this emerging
industry. I want Americans to buy
fuel from "Middle America" instead of the Middle East.
Anti-war, anti-racist, union activist starting 1960's. Ann
Arbor SDS 1969-70. Venceremos Brigade to Cuba 1970. Arrested fighting KKK,
1972. Member UAW since 1971- co-chair Local 15's Stop Plant Closings Committee.
Marched for workers', immigrants', women's, LGBT rights. Protested U.S. attacks
on Grenada, Panama, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran.
Defying sanctions, delivered antibiotics to Iraqi hospitals 1998. Opposes
Israeli crimes against Lebanese, Palestinian people. Member MECAWI; IAC;
Workers World Party; President UAW Local 2334.
1. End federal deficit by immediate withdrawal from Iraq and
Afghanistan and ending U.S. wars and threats to keep economic control of the
world for the profits of giant corporations. Take the hundreds of billions of
dollars in military spending and use it for education, jobs, housing and
healthcare. Tax corporate profits and the rich, cut taxes for working people,
and eliminate interest payments to the banks on federal debt to fund human
needs not war.
2. Slash the Pentagon and military budget, tax the
corporations and rich, and eliminate interest payments to the banks on federal
debt to pay for free national health care for all, including prescription
drugs. Takeover the price gouging
pharmaceutical industry and put it under public control. Guarantee reproductive
rights including safe legal abortion for all women. Fund stem cell research.
Eliminate role of greedy insurance companies in the healthcare system.
Healthcare is a basic human right!
3. Dismantle the Pentagon war machine, the biggest guzzler
of fossil fuels. Oil companies should use their record profits to roll back gas
and fuel prices. No utility shut offs. Oil should belong to the people, not the
corporations! For a massive jobs program to build fuel efficient mass transit
systems in every city that lacks it. Make the corporations and Pentagon clean
up and reverse the environmental destruction they have wreaked around the
world.
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Lawrence Technological
University. Elected VP Freshman, President Sr/Jr. years. Member student council
three years. Served on three
Governor's task force committees in Benton Harbor: Family/Parenting, Criminal
Justice System, and Police/Community Relations. Spoke weekly to the city commissioners/Mayor four weeks
before civil unrest and ten weeks after. Government's a spiritual gift
(1Corinthians 12:28 KJB.) Candidate for Congress 2004. Suggested the Brake
Light in the Rear window 7/7/77. (PTL)
1. Eight trillion dollars of debt equals $100,000 for
each of 80 million workers. The other workers are too near minimum wage to pay the
debt. Our constitution was written
to eliminate flat paper money. Used
God's money of silver/gold. Today
use our coins - eliminate paper.
Twenty seven hundred years ago Isaiah spoke of the dump dogs that can't
bark in the KJB. Could that be our
Federal Reserve System? Not
Federal/No Reserve!
2. When the extended family was intact, Grandmother was the
herbalist/primary care giver.
Today the parents may have three children in three different
states. Divide/Conquer. The physicians desk reference (PDR) is
75% about the side effects of drugs, while God's healing herbs are safe and
effective without dangerous side effects. We should immediately train up an
army of naturopathy doctors using God's natural remedies including Colloidal
Sliver which cured my Lyme disease.
3. Thirty years ago the energy problem became apparent and
government, industry and oil companies did little to solve the problem. Twenty
years ago, I drove East on a four lane freeway and there was just as much
traffic going West. If the rich lived with the poor they created, then our
communities would be more _(?)_ and travel greatly reduced. True brotherhood in America would pay
fair livable wages and employ all Citizens!
Retired professor of law & economics. Born 1945 and
raised in Detroit. BA in history and philosophy, U. of Chicago. MA in
economics, Johns Hopkins
U. JD, Wayne
State U. Law School. See www.LeonardSchwartz.us/bio.html for more information.
1. I'm very concerned. Making future generations pay for
excessive expenditures by this generation is immoral. To reduce the deficit, we
should reduce expenditures, not increase taxes. Democratic & Republican
politicians don't respect you. They think they can spend your money and manage
your life better than you can.
Libertarians aren't busybodies. Libertarians don't want to spend your money or
manage your life.
2. (1) End the prohibition of discounts to patients who pay
doctors and hospitals directly, rather than use Medicare or insurance. (2) Reduce the cost of health care by ending
the expensive war against herbal medicines. Because they can't patent herbal
medicines, drug companies make higher profits on synthetic drugs. The claim
that synthetic drugs are safer
than herbal medicines is ridiculous. The war is about money, not safety.
3. (1) Reduce the amount of fossil fuels used by government
bureaucrats by reducing government expenditures. (2) End tariffs on imported ethanol (made mainly from sugar
cane, which grows well in the tropics) and subsidies for domestic ethanol (made
mainly from corn). Making ethanol from sugar cane, rather than corn, is more efficient
and creates less pollution. We don't need high taxes, subsidies and burdensome
regulations to deal...
