Democratic candidates
National economy: What, if anything, should the federal government do to strengthen the national economy and create jobs?
Raymond Levi Blagmon — Work with other countries to increase trade of both American goods and services.
Ben Cardin — The federal govt has to invest in programs that boost job creation & help small business while still protecting/supporting our children, seniors, clean air/water, & important values we hold dear. We need a credible, balanced plan to control our debt while investing in modernizing our transportation, energy & water systems. We also need to invest in education so our workers can out-compete anyone.
J. P. Cusick — The Congress can recognize that it is not ethically sound for any Company to make millions and billions of dollars while failing to employ the many American citizens in need of a job. As such the Congress could create a law requiring a minimum number of employees based on the Company's finances. As in ten (10) employees per every one million ($1M) in revenue.
Chris Garner — Demand Free but fair trade. Increase college graduates in the value areas of engineering, science, business and medicine. Manage the deficit through balances in reduction of government services and the reduction of the tax code to 100 pages (from about 50,000 pages). Get the government out of the money lending business. Term Limits. Begin the reindustrialization of America.
Ralph Jaffe — The Congress should butt out. Congressional sessions should be reduced from 1 year to 3 months. Congressional salaries should be reduced to one third of their current salaries. (I’ve expanded this original idea of Governor Perry from Texas.) Let private enterprise take its natural course.
C. Anthony Muse — It should develop a sustainable business tax policy that rewards investment in America by American businesses; and provide aggressive tax and other incentives for businesses that hire Americans, making it more attractive to create jobs here than to outsource to other countries. It should encourage the financial sector to provide access to low-cost capital for small business expansion and hiring.
Blaine Taylor — End current wars, avoid future ones, abolish foreign aid and Federal Reserve Bank; consider gold standard on which to base the dollar, end all offshore banking and forbid any gold from leaving US. Enact a one-time credit card debt forgiveness plan that banks can take off their taxes. Consider New Deal-like full jobs programs, rebuild heavy industrial manufacturing base for full employment.
Ed Tinus — Review and remove regulations that restrict the manufacturing of products here in the USA.
Lih Young — Prosecute/eliminate: “MURDER-FRAUD-CRIME-INJUSTICE NETWORKS” operation; unjust/false/misleading practices; private-public; 3 branches, local-global, inc. non-profit. Protect people/families/businesses: lives, rights, reputation, assets, resources. Promote productivity, public interest; justification, cost-benefits, priorities-social needs, budget constraints; rigorous objective reviews.
Federal budget: What are your views on addressing the federal deficit and producing revenue?
Blogman — Work on ways to lower the national debt. Sanction early withdrawal of our troops from the Gulf.
Cardin — Key to restoring our fiscal health is putting people back to work. Working Americans rely less on govt services, they buy more, which helps the economy-and they pay taxes. We need to grow the Middle Class. We need a balanced approach to control our budget. It requires sensible cuts in govt spending coupled with tax fairness, closing loopholes & having millionaires/billionaires pay a fair share.
Cusick — I agree that the wealthy do need to pay the same tax rate as does other Americans, but I say we need to focus on reducing our huge military budget. Ending the occupation of Afghanistan is long overdue, but we need far more cuts in military expenditures as that would be our best source of producing more revenue.
Garner — We will send over 2 trillion dollars overseas during this administration, while racking up an additional 8 trillion dollars in national debt. We do not have a budget. We are sending our factories overseas. Term Limits is the ultimate solution to this problem.
Jaffe — We should come up with a balanced budget and put a stop to all tax increases. The use of volunteerism can help to reduce the budget and thus streamline the federal government. No one would be fired but when government positions become open, due to retirement or resignation, the openings can be filled with qualified volunteers.
Muse — I am for cutting, spending, and taxing with common sense. Cuts would be spread across the federal budget, aimed at waste and where programs and initiatives are obsolete and unproductive. Spending would be targeted at our priorities, which would be the fiscal and physical health and safety of America. Low and middle-income families would not shoulder all these cost.
Taylor — Enact Federal Balanced Budget Law like MD, end borrowing at all government levels, replace the 1913 Federal Income Tax with a National Sales Tax that taxes items purchased, not income; OR enact flat tax rate that ALL citizens pay without loopholes. Borrowing money that we don't have as persons and governments is why we're in the mess that we find ourselves. We have met the enemy, and it is US!
Tinus — Downsize the Federal government. The Federal government has taken to the affairs of public issues. Where jurisdiction of representation is no longer available to the public. Fed government has enough revenue to operate properly.
Young — Prosecute/eliminate “MURDER-FRAUD-CRIME-INJUSTICE NETWORKS" operation, unjust practices, disservices; abuse/misuse, waste, official misconduct; false excuses/manipulation, public-private partnership, economic development, privatization. Big cut: unnecessary spending; all agencies, personnel, equipment; defense, military, wars, homeland security. Redirect resources for social needs; not give away.
Health care: What is your position on the Affordable Health Care for America Act?
Blagmon — I am a strong supporter of Obamacare and will support any legislation that would make health care more affordable and widely available to all people within the borders of the United States.
Cardin — I am proud that quality health care now is a right & not a privilege for all Americans. I strongly supported the Affordable Care Act. I authored provisions to guarantee children's dental care, expand preventive services for seniors & establish NIH's Minority Health Institute. Americans are now protected from private insurance companies' abusive practices and have more affordable health insurance.
Cusick — I like the Act’s original ideal of creating a single payer system which would provide universal health care for all Americans. Maybe some day that will happen, but for now we must hold on to the improvements already made. Richer people with the money will always get the better health care, so the single payer system will not overrule the privileges of such money.
Garner — I’m against this act because: 1. It was first designed to put money into politicians, their families and friends pockets. This is how Nancy Pelosi increased her net worth by 65% while Americans lost money. 2. This ACT increases the cost of healthcare. 3. This ACT does not address tort reform. In some medical specialties, half the cost of the visit is for medical malpractice insurance.
Jaffe — The Obama Care program should be repealed.
Muse — I support the President’s efforts to ensure adequate and affordable health care for all Americans. With the alarmingly high rate of cancer in our state, I champion the law’s requirement of coverage for those rejected over pre-existing conditions. I also favor the sustainability nature of the new law that requires coverage for preventive health measures, which will ultimately bring down costs.
Taylor — Reform it, not repeal it, as we have with most past legislation to meet actual needs and what people want. Current law doesn't cover everyone, and needs to, cradle to grave, for all US citizens. Walter Reed Hospital aside, the current VA Medical System is a good role model. We cannot simply write off 44 million American citizens and expect things to get better.
Tinus — To be proactive on prevention. Federal Government needs to let business be competitive. This is another issue that should not be in Federal Jurisdiction.
Young — Support single-payer healthcare by government, affordable health care. Prosecute/eliminate “MURDER-FRAUD-CRIME-INJUSTICE NETWORKS”, private-public, 3 branches; health services occupations, law enforcement; with threat, coercion, victimization/deprivation of rights, resources (private, public),documents,evidences;damage/injury(physical,mental,financial); unjust medication,arrest,bond/bail/jail.
