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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Iraq,
Medicare Drug,
Civil Rights
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. The American occupation in Iraq continues to be enormously costly in dollars and in lives. What is your position on how our government should proceed?*
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Answer from William Van Auken:
The SEP calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, for those who conspired to launch this war to be held criminally responsible, and for the vast resources wasted on militarism to be used to meet social needs in the US and internationally.
Answer from Howie Hawkins:
Bring the troops home now. Withdraw immediately and unconditionally. The mission of installing a puppet Iraqi government to secure US military bases and control the oil undermined US national security by draining the treasury and generating worldwide hostility toward the US. The US should pay reparations to Iraq for reconstruction.
Answer from Hillary Rodham Clinton:
I have spoken out at length regarding the difficult and dangerous situation we confront in Iraq. I have consistently and persistently criticized the Administration's handling of the war. This complicated issue cannot be oversimplified. I refer you to the many speeches and statements I have made regarding this issue.
Answer from Jeffrey T. Russell:
We should pull our troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible without endangering them. The money we are spending on it could be put to much better use here at home. We should stop meddling in the affairs of other countries, which tends to breed hatred of the US.
Answer from John Spencer:
Having served in a war, no one is more committed to bringing our troops home as soon as possible. Our elected representatives, including Senator Clinton, committed us to the war in Iraq. We cannot cut and run. Iraq must be stablized or it will become a breeding ground for terrorist activities.
Answer from Roger Calero:
My party calls for the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of U.S. imperialist and all "coalition" troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. No to economic sanctions and military threats against Iran! End Washington's cold war against Cuba! Independence for Puerto Rico! Hands off Venezuela! Cancel the foreign debt of semi-colonial countries.
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2. What is your impression of the roll-out of the Medicare Prescription Drug program so far, and what changes would you propose to make it better?*
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Answer from Roger Calero:
The assault on Medicare is a disaster for workers and retirees and a boon for the drug and insurance companies. The health care system should be nationalized to provide universal, government-guaranteed, lifetime medical coverage for everyone in this country. Our campaign says: No cuts to Medicaid or Medicare programs!
Answer from John Spencer:
It is a good start but there is more that can be done to protect our taxpayers and particularly our seniors. We need to streamline benefits and ensure that low-income or fixed income seniors get the help they deserve. No Medicare beneficiary should ever leave a pharmacy without their prescription.
Answer from Howie Hawkins:
The 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Bill is corporate welfare for the giant drug companies and a shameful attempt to privatize Medicare. We should universalize Medicare through publicly financed, universal health insurance for all. This system would bulk purchase drugs to achieve a 40 percent discount, as the Veterans Administration does.
Answer from Hillary Rodham Clinton:
While I voted against the bill, I have been working hard to fix the problems plaguing the Medicare prescription drug program. I have co-sponsored legislation to reduce the complexity and fix the donut hole, and released a guide, in English and Spanish, to help New Yorkers navigate the transition.
Answer from William Van Auken:
This bungled drug plan was created not to benefit Medicare recipients, but to boost big drug and insurance profits--the same interests financing Hillary Clinton's campaign. These giant firms should be transformed into public utilities, utilizing their resources to assure comprehensive publicly funded health coverage for all, regardless of income.
Answer from Jeffrey T. Russell:
Government programs tend to be confusing and inefficient. Because of the lack of competition, they have no incentives to provide better services and contain costs. We should phase out and eliminate Medicare, and we should encourage people to look for other insurance programs that will better meet their needs.
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3. Where do you stand on the current balance between security and civil rights?*
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Answer from Hillary Rodham Clinton:
The President must be able to pursue terrorists, defend our national security with the best technology available, and act within the law. If the President feels he needs more flexibility he should engage Congress so that we can craft laws that both protect our citizens' safety and uphold our Constitution.
Answer from William Van Auken:
Attacks on democratic rights are ultimately a byproduct of deepening social inequality, with the ruling elite scrapping constitutional protections in order to defend its vast wealth against working people worldwide. The
Republicans' and Democrats' "war on terror" has made Americans less secure by alienating millions of people around the globe.
Answer from Jeffrey T. Russell:
Civil rights do not have to be sacrificed to make us secure. Searching old ladies and small children at airports does nothing to protect us from terrorist attacks. Tapping the phone calls of innocent people and examining the list of library books they read do nothing to make us safer.
Answer from Roger Calero:
The main target of Washington's spying operations and "anti-terrorism" activities are working people in the U.S. and other countries. My party opposes all government spying, secret courts and warrants, and torture techniques like those exposed in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prisons (and used regularly in U.S. prisons against workers).
Answer from Howie Hawkins:
National security should protect democratic rights, not compromise freedoms in the name of security. We should: Repeal the Patriot Act. End government surveillance of law-abiding citizens and civic groups. End secret detentions, arrests without charges, secret "evidence," no access to attorneys, military tribunals for civilians, and renditions for torture.
Answer from John Spencer:
It is paramount that we keep our Country safe. The greatest threat to our liberty is the threat of terrorism. Violent terrorists wear no uniform and don't play by the rules. I fully support the Patriot Act and NSA wiretapping of suspected terrorists to prevent another attack on U.S. soil.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
- Original answers for a published Voters Guide
were limited to 50 words and are presented as submitted. Candidates have
since been invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
