League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
State of California (Butte, Shasta, Nevada, Tehama, Siskiyou, Placer, Lassen, Plumas, Modoc, Sierra, Glenn Counties) June 5, 2012 Election
	Sam Aanestad Answers Questions Candidate for United States Representative; District 1

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. In this time of high unemployment, what are the most important steps that should be taken to improve our nation’s economy?

We must immediately cut mandates, regulations, taxes and fees that prohibit small businesses from creating jobs. That's how we get moving again. Ronald Reagan showed us how potent the American free market can be if it is allowed to be truly free. That's what I'll fight for. I'll fight to immediately repeal Obamacare and to freeze any other pending job-killing regulations. I'll also fight for an immediate cut in corporate taxes. We cannot be competitive with the rest of the world if much needed capital and other resources flee our country because we have the world's highest corporate tax rate. We must get a handle on the national debt. Businesses cannot operate with certainty and stability with the debt looming over our economy. We must have a viable plan in place now to reduce spending and solve this debt. I will also fight for real, meaningful tort reform so businesses are no longer subject to aggressive trial lawyers and their extortion tactics. That includes reforming the Americans with Disabilities act so it's no longer used as a hammer on businesses, and it includes passing a "right-to-repair" tort reform law that protects business owners and dissuades trial lawyers.

2. How should the federal budget deficit be addressed, now and into the future? How should budget priorities for defense and domestic programs be adjusted?

I will fight to squeeze every program and every department (such as eliminating the entire Department of Education) for immediate and substantial spending cuts. I will also fight to pass the balance budget amendment so that Washington can never again put taxpayers at risk of national bankruptcy. I oppose adding any additional debt, and I oppose raising the debt ceiling.

3. What are your priorities with respect to our nation’s energy policy? Should there be an emphasis on clean energy and reducing carbon emissions, and/or on reducing our dependence on foreign sources?

America must be energy independent. I'll fight to open up oil-rich areas for exploration, including ANWR and coastal areas. I'll also fight for an immediate reversal on Barack Obama's rejection of the Keystone Pipeline. If we have to, I'll make sure every bill going through Congress has a Keystone provision until we get that pipeline moving.

It's time we had an "Endangered Economy Act." I'll push for new laws that require any environmental decision to have an `economic impact' analysis. Those decisions that kill jobs and hurt America's energy independence must be offset by other changes that free up more jobs and more energy resources.

4. What, if any, changes should be made to federal health care policies or programs?

I strongly oppose Obamacare and I want my first vote in Congress to be the immediate REPEAL of Obamacare. It's unconstitutional, it's unfair to businesses owners, it's unfair to seniors, and we can't afford it. I oppose government mandating any form of healthcare coverage; businesses must be free to decide if they wish to provide this benefit as part of an overall compensation package. Real healthcare reform involves stripping predatory trial lawyers from their right to extort doctors and hospitals through a constant stream of expensive and frivolous lawsuits. Enabling insurance companies to compete against each other in the free market system will lower healthcare costs. Real tort reform will significantly cut healthcare costs. The bottom line is that I want government out of the universal healthcare business

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 26, 2012 17:06
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