United States House of Representatives

Nonpartisan Voter Guide 2008

© LWVMI Education Fund 2008

Districts 14-15

United States House of Representatives - 2 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.

1. What should the federal government do, if anything, to ensure that every American has health coverage? (75 words)

2. What should be done, if anything, at the federal level to reduce our use of and dependence on fossil fuels? (75 words)

3. What measures would you support at the federal level that would help our Michigan economy? (75 words)

District 14

John Conyers, Jr., Democrat

I currently represent the people of Detroit, Hyland Park, Hamtramck, Melvindale, Allen Park, Southgate, Riverview, Trenton, Gibraltar, and Gross Ile. I have been elected to 21 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and will run for reelection in November 2008. After serving as Chairman of the House Committee on Government Operations from 1989 until 1994, I was elected by my colleagues as the Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary.

1. It is my belief that access to health care is a fundamental human right. To this end, I have proposed H.R. 676, The United States National Health Insurance Act (USNHI), which establishes a unique universal health insurance program with single payer financing. The bill would create a publicly financed, privately delivered health care system that improves and expands the already existing Medicare program to all U.S. residents and all residents living in U.S. territories.

2. We must end our dependence on fossil fuels to alleviate the looming threat posed by global climate change. I believe that the federal government should pass cap and trade legislation to immediately decrease our nation’s carbon output. Coupled with long term tax incentives for the production of wind, solar, hydro, and tide power, we can transform our economy and create millions of green jobs.

3. I support a variety of initiatives to bring jobs back to Michigan. First, I support providing federal loans to the Big Three to help them transform their factories into cutting green vehicle production facilities. Secondly, I support a far reaching, federally funded green jobs program to put unemployed Americans to work by updating the electrical grid, insulating buildings, and harnessing clean power production technology.

Richard J. Secula, Libertarian

Did not respond in time for publication

Clyde K. Shabazz, Green

Did not respond in time for publication

District 15

John J. Lynch, Republican

Did not respond in time for publication

John D. Dingell, Democrat

I've been blessed to serve the people of Southeast Michigan for many years and I spend a lot of time listening to their concerns and hopes so that I can best represent them in Washington. I fight for their priorities in Congress by working to make health care more affordable and accessible to all families, fighting to protect Michigan jobs and working to defend our nation's natural heritage.

1. I have introduced legislation to provide healthcare to all Americans every session that I have been elected to Congress. I believe that this year's presidential election offers a historic opportunity to finally pass a universal healthcare bill. However, I am a realist and understand we cannot let the perfect become the enemy of the good. I am open to hearing from my colleagues on this issue and look forward to working with the next Administration.

2. My goal as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is to draft a climate change bill that is fair and balanced – one that protects both the environment and the economy and reduces our greenhouse gas emissions by 60-80%.

3. There are many things, but to mention just one - Congress must continue to fully fund the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. I have been a longtime supporter of this program because it has proven to be an effective program in terms of creating and retaining jobs, as well as increasing investment and sales for companies in Michigan.

Gregory Scott Stempfle, Libertarian

I have lived in the Dearborn area for 25 years. I currently live in Dearborn Heights with my wife Shelly and our eight turtles. I have a strong background in science with degrees in Biology (2000) and Clinical Laboratory Sciences (2008), both from Wayne State. I have worked in both research and clinical labs. Currently I work in the University of Michigan’s Histocompatibility lab.

1. The medical industry is already the most regulated in the country and half of all money spent on health care is already spent by governments at all levels. Any attempts to socialize medicine will make the system more costly, inefficient, and provide less quality care. The focus should instead be on efforts to reduce the cost of health care and provide tax credits for medical expenses and prescription drugs that are not covered by insurance.

2. I would supports efforts to get new nuclear plants up and running. Nuclear is the cleanest form of energy. I would level the playing field for all forms of energy by not subsidizing or restricting one over another. As an interim measure, I would allow the people of Alaska decide on weather or not to drill for oil there. It should be up to those who stand the most to benefit or lose from drilling.

3. I would support cutting taxes on small and large business and returning of lot of regulatory control to state levels. Three of our top competitors in the auto industry, Germany, Japan, and South Korea are countries whose national defense is heavily subsidized by American taxpayers. I would begin pulling American troops out of these places. Germany has 70,000 US troops, Korea has 37,500, and Japan has 47,000. In 2004, we had troops in 135 countries.

James H. Wagner, US Taxpayers

Did not respond in time for publication.

Aimee Smith, Green

I have been active in movements against U.S. militarism and corporate globalization since 2000. That same year I joined the Green Party and, in 2003, ran for Cambridge City council. In 2002, I was a founding member of the New England Committee to Defend Palestine. I hold a PhD from MIT, where I researched solar cells. I am co-chair of the Huron Valley Greens chapter, and I am a full time mother.

1. No one should be without health care; health care is a right. We can Achieve this in the short term by universal single-payer coverage. But the crisis in public health caused by unchecked corporate license to pollute, use untested substances in products, risk the health and safety of workers and manipulate regulatory and educational governmental bodies must be addressed. The federal government needs to raise and aggressively enforce environmental, occupational and food safety standards.

2. We must promote conservation through a combination of tax incentives, taxes, and regulations on manufacturing, building and transportation. More stringent CAFE standards are a start, but we also must fund community redesign efforts that that allow people to commute to work with little or no fossil fuel usage. Even without the global warming incentive, our way of life is destroying the planet for future generations. The time to make intelligent and drastic changes is now.

3. Michigan cannot afford our share of the vast financial and human resources wasted in waging the so-called “war on terror.” We need to find ways to reform our economy into one based on cooperation, building and conservation rather than exploitation of the resources and people in other lands via military might. Not only does sanity and basic fairness require this – our survival as a species does as well.