League of Women Voters of Michigan
© LWVMI Education Fund 2008
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
District 1
Tom Casperson,
Republican
Although I have legislative
expertise through serving as a State Representative, authoring 20 public acts,
the reason I am most qualified to act as the voice of the First District is
that I have 27 years of experience operating a small business, struggling to
make ends meet, and contending with the restrictions and irresponsibility of my
government. I am a conservative
legislator, focused on issues, sensible solutions and reasonable reforms, but
not party lines.
1) Not all American's need
major medical, comprehensive coverage.
And, we should not be subsidizing health care to those that are here
illegally. Our focus needs to be on
providing major medical coverage to those that are less fortunate and
entitled. For those within that
classification, we must find a way to make them accountable, so there is cost
containment by providing incentives through healthy lifestyle education and
choices, as well by discouraging unnecessary, redundant treatment.
2) We must drill
domestically. I am a conservationist -
my family has depended on the environment for generations. However, too many politicians believe a
conservationist can not be an environmentalist, which is untrue. We need a well rounded energy program that
includes: 1) advancing the opportunities for alternative fuels; 2) streamlining
the regulatory process so that it is reasonable, allowing for expeditious
development of traditional energy, like nuclear; 3) examining sensible reforms
to limit speculation.
3) We must embrace a
comprehensive plan that’s mindful of Reagan’s description of how government
operates: "if it moves, tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it
stops moving, subsidize it." To
avoid that mentality, we must: rely on building business incentives over
government regulation; strengthen education; build the national infrastructure;
implement tort reform; lower the corporate tax rate; strive for energy
independence; and reform government so that bureaucracy can’t arbitrarily
enforce unreasonable regulations.
Bart Stupak, Democrat
I represent
1) Instead of cutting access to and support for
Medicaid and SCHIP as President Bush has proposed,
Congress should seriously consider allowing uninsured individuals and families
the voluntary option to choose to enroll in Medicaid, MIChild,
Medicare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP). Also, by allowing retirees starting at age
55 to buy into Medicare, we can give 3.5 million uninsured individuals the
option of using Medicare to meet their health care needs.
2) I voted for the 2007 Energy bill, which will
improve energy efficiency for appliances, lighting, buildings, and promote
alternative fuels. Additionally,
increased fuel economy standards in the bill will save families $700 - $1000 per year and reduce oil consumption by
1.1 million barrels per day in 2020, one-half of what we import from the
3) Create new jobs by investing in emerging
industries like medical research and clean energy. Stop giveaways to big oil and corporations
that send jobs overseas. Invest in education so we can compete globally. Improve broadband access. Improve harbors,
highways and other infrastructure. Michigan
Democrats’ American Manufacturing Initiative would provide tax credits to spur
technological development while encouraging manufacturers to expand domestic
facilities. AMI would also address unfair trade practices, currency
manipulation, and unenforced trade laws.
Daniel W. Grow, Libertarian
Grow attended NMU, earned a
degree in Public Administration from MSU, and a JD from the University of
Detroit School of Law. He represents businesses
and governments in state, federal, and administrative courts. Chairman, Libertarian Party of Southwest Michigan,
since 2006, he was a Michigan National Convention delegate and on the national
party's Platform Committee. He was
elected as a committee member to the Libertarian Party of Michigan's Executive
Committee in June of 2008.
1) The unnecessary burdens imposed on individuals and
businesses by government limits consumers health care choices. Laws that force uninsurable risks to be
pooled with genuine insurance risks must be repealed. Allowing a variety of insurance products
would reduce costs and prices would fall, while restoring individual
responsibility to health care. The
current problems in health care are not solved, but primarily caused, by
government. I oppose government provided
health insurance and health care.
2) Far from being
"dependant," individuals choose maligned fossil fuels as preferable
over the alternatives. Combined with the
private ownership of land and natural resources, it's the innovation of individuals
and firms guided by the price system that provides the long-term availability
of natural resources, affordable energy, health and prosperity. Like communism, the environmental movement
attacks freedom and calls for centralized control, while making those able to command
political favors rich at the taxpayers' expense.
3) Legislation enabling a state wide
"enterprise zone" would allow
Joshua J. Warren, US Taxpayers
Did not respond in time for
publication
Jean Treacy,
Green
Did not respond in time for
publication