League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura Counties, CA March 2, 2004 Election
	Lois Capps Answers Questions Candidate for United States Representative; District 23; Democratic Party

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What can be done to ensure that California gets its fair share of federal resources?

All of California's elected officials must work together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure that we get our fair share of federal resources. While there may be ideological differences between the parties, there should be no difference when it comes to this issue. In particular, we must work together to ensure programs like Medicaid and highway funding don't shortchange our state.

2. What are your foreign policy priorities for the United States?

Clearly, the most important priority is winning the war on terrorism and keeping our country safe. In addition, we must stop the spread of AIDs, improve education and health care worldwide, and promote democracy in countries where it does not currently exist. Underlying all these challenges, however, is the critical need to repair relationships with our allies that have been damaged by the Bush Administration. Although the US is the preeminent power in the world, our ability to fight terrorism and help millions of people improve their lives is dramatically enhanced by harnessing the power of the international community instead of going it alone.

3. What are your priorities for the federal budget?

Our federal budget should seek to accomplish 3 major goals: ensure our national security, encourage economic growth and bring down the largest budget deficits in history. Unfortunately, the President has submitted yet another budget that fails in at least the latter two goals. The huge deficits run up by the Bush Administration over the last three years will be a serious drag on long term economic growth, hindering job creation and burdening our children with billions in debt. We must reverse this trend by halting the Adminstration's quenchless thirst for more tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of working families.