League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
State of California June 5, 2012 Election
	Diane Stewart 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?

As of March 2012 the United States exports were worth 186.6 Billion USD but our imports were worth 238.6 Billion USD. We are on of the top three exporters of the world and the most significant nation in the world when it comes to international trade. Our main exports are: machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, non-auto consumer goods, motor vehicles and parts, aircraft and parts, food, feed and beverages. But we do not assemble these products. Major corporations have sent the manufacturing jobs overseas because it costs them less and earns them more products to have their products produced outside the United States.

First important step is to export products produced by workers here in the United States. But most Americans are not willing to work for the low wages companies want to pay to perform this work.

So the second important step is to lower the price of consumer products so that low wage earners can afford the products they need.

Third create jobs which help the US Government with accountability of federally disbursed grants.

Fourth create jobs that teach US citizens how to budget their finances, save for their own retirement aside from 401Ks, depend less on online banking tactics, and restructure the credit system.

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?

We must stop going to war if there is not going to be a positive financial benefit for every American citizen. Historically, the United States has run up deficits during wars and recessions. By reducing the defense budget by at least one trillion USD we can focus the money back to Social Security and veteran services, allow it to earn its proper interest and reduce the deficit.

If the US Government continues to borrow against Social Security with reckless abandonment then in the future we should give employees the option to pay into the Social Security system or not pay into it and give them other interest earning savings options untouchable by the federal government accessible on retirement.

We must reduce wasteful spending such as the six Billion USD allocated to the war on marijuana. Decriminalize marijuana and we can return the monies taken from cities and states across America to fund the two previous wars and reinstate the appropriate police force and fire fighters needed to protect our communities.

Budget priorities need to be given to domestic programs. We must fix our problems here before interfering with the cultures of other lands even when the interference is at their request. We must provide an affordable national health care system with major medical costs being paid for by the insurers and premiums paying for basic medical visits.

We must restore the funding to our educational systems and develop legislation forbidding governments from cutting any budgets for educaion.

We must invest in foreclosed and abandoned homes and provide housing structures for homeless veterans. These facilities will have services to guide able veterans back into the workforce by providing training and assistance with using their GI Bill towards obtaining their degree.

Support our troops means more than sending a care package when they are deployed abroad or forming a welcome home party for their safe return to their families. It means more than displaying a yellow ribbon around a tree, on your vehicle or providing them with a nice burial plot when their days have come to an end. It means providing them with an adequate VA medical system instead of merely over medicating their symptoms.

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?

We are the leaders in reuseable sources of energy. My priorities are to continue to support research in to alternative sources of fuels and eneries that are produced within the United States. I will support all efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy.

However we must not export more of the energy than we consume here. I will not support buying back the energy we produced here at a higher price because we sold it to another country and did not retain enough to dispense to ourselves.

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

Premiums paid for by the insured should cover basic medical visits without having to pay a co-pay or meet a deductible.

Penalties to individuals and companies should be eliminated if they choose not to buy in to the federal health care program.

Remove the clause concerning Abortion. It is discriminatory unless we are willing to impose the same restrictions on the procedures for organ transplants or any other medical procedures.

Allow for alternative sources of medicinal medicine instead of being innundated with and force fed prescription drugs that kill when improperly combined.

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

I do not see any problems with the federal rules on campaign financing. I would like to see the length of time that campaigning takes reduced. With the speed at which we are able to receive communication we do not need to have one state's primary take place six months before another states primary and determine which candidate is going to receive delegate votes.

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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 20, 2012 15:17
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