League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
State of California June 5, 2012 Election
	Greg Conlon Answers Questions Candidate for United States Senator

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?

There are three steps that must be taken to decrease the unemployment and improve the economy--create jobs with tax incentives, resolve the housing crisis with new refinancing methods and balance the budget without increasing taxes. Each are covered in detail on my website but the first two I will cover here.

First,Create jobs with tax incentives--there is close to $2.0 trillion of cash on hand in certain major corporatons today. Assuming for every $1.0 billion spent on new plant and equipment 10,000 jobs are created, if we could influence these corporations to invest even half of this cash an estimated 10 million jobs would be created. See my website for the details on how this has and could be done. Second develop new refinacing methods to get home owners the opportunity to reduce their mortgage payments to market rates and have the savings invested in consumer spending to increase jobs. See website for more detail.

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?

Again my website addresses several steps to accomplish this difficult task, including cutting Fedeal government salaries by 15% accross the board similiar to what was done in California in the early 90s on a temporty basis until the budget is balance; reforming both medicare and medicaid as outlined on my website and a new white paper on how this should be done. This reform would include tort reform by placing an award cap for pain and suffering claims and allow open competition for health care insurance companies to operate in all states, but with the elimination of their anti trust exclusion. See website for more steps and explanations on how they can be implemented.

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?

Our number one priority should be to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Every one has been trying to do so for years without success. This foreign oil and the related uncontrolled price increases in the world market has driven our gasoline prices up to $4 to $5 a gallon from $1.50 only a few years ago. Part of this increase is the devaluation of the dollar over the last several years and nothing to do with the import of foreign oil. Sound fiscal policy could stop the dollar's decline.

Natural gas seems to be in abundance but building pipelines has been a major problem. The Keystone Oil Pipline and its siting problems are a good example. Nuclear Power is still an untapped resource yet to be expanded. If new plants are build taking into consideration the problems in Japan, this would reduce our carbon emissions without any new carbon emissions created.

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

The first step would be to repeal Obama Care and implement a competitive market based system discussed above and included on my website. To be added to my website will be a new white paper similiar to my website comments with steps including, tort reform; allowing interstate sales and operation for health care providers; means test receipt of participants' benefits and allow an income tax credit of $6,000 to pay premiums for private insurance.

5. What, if any, changes should be made to federal rules on campaign financing?

This is alway a difficult area to address but at a minimum I believe that disclosure of all donors should be required in the super-PACs and elsewhere. The use of 501(c)(4) entities have been used to shield such disclosure. The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United allowed both unions and corporations to be treated as individuals regarding free speech and this has allow major donors and unions to donate large amounts without any disclosure as to who provided such amounts. This should be changed to required all donors names be disclosed for all to see. Because of the requirement to raise so much money to run for a U S Senate race for a large state, the the upper limit should be increase to at least $5,000 from the $2,500 today. This amount compared to the millions that needs to be raised for a U. S. Senate race is small enough that it would not influence the candidate.

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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: May 7, 2012 13:02
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