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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Economy,
Budget,
Energy,
Health care,
Campaign financing
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. In this time of high unemployment, what are the most important steps that should be taken to improve our nation’s economy?
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Answer from Dave Chapman:
First, we should have a rule that any company who have had a layoff cannot sponsor foreign workers to come to this country.
Second, the Fed should reduce the US trade deficit (and associated unemployment) by printing dollars and buying bonds from top-rated foreign governments and money-center banks.
Third, in any case where a corporation has imported foreign workers and then laid off the American workers, the executives of that corporation should be thrown in jail.
Answer from Anna G. Eshoo:
In these difficult economic times, my top priorities are creating American jobs, preventing further erosion of our housing market, and spurring economic growth to ease the burden faced by millions of hard-working Americans. While our recovery is moving forward, I think we need to take a number of important steps, such as enhancing America's domestic infrastructure and economic competitiveness, strengthening local education systems, initiating important regulatory reform, and exploring innovative reforms, such as increasing the flexibility of states to use valuable unemployment insurance funds for programs that best support job-seekers.
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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?
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Answer from Anna G. Eshoo:
Congress has already reduced projected deficits by more than $1 trillion through discretionary cuts for 2011 and 2012 and enacting tight spending limits for the next nine years. I support the House Democratic budget to further reduce the deficit with policies that balance spending cuts with increased revenue. It would eliminate corporate tax loopholes, frivolous subsidies to large energy and agricultural companies, and wasteful defense spending. I do not, however, support slashing programs which support our seniors, feed the hungry, or sustain America's global security and leadership. I believe it is imperative that we do not balance the budget squarely on the backs of those who are least fortunate. As such, I do not support cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or nutritional assistance programs. I'll continue to fight for smart, effective programs that serve society's least fortunate.
Answer from Dave Chapman:
Economic growth in the key to reducing the deficit. Attempting to fix the deficit by austerity will fail, just like it failed in the 1970s, and just like it is failing in Greece and Spain today.
We need to change the debt:equity ratio of the entire economy by having the Fed increase the money supply via paying taxes, rather than by lending money to the banks.
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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?
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Answer from Anna G. Eshoo:
I strongly support energy policies that will create 21st century clean energy industries that are essential for our country's economic, national security, and environmental future. I was a proud supporter of The American Clean Energy and Security Act, a comprehensive approach to protect consumers, promote research and development, and deploy clean energy technologies in the U.S. The goals of this bill focus on creating green jobs, and it moves us closer to a sustainable and secure energy future. It would also save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, and cut global warming pollution 80% by 2050.
Answer from Dave Chapman:
Carbon taxes are much more honest that cap-and-trade. In fact, the current cap-and-trade program is so corrupt that it appears to be designed to discredit the whole idea.
We currently pay $120 Billion per year on military activities which protect our oil imports. That is $40 per barrel. We should pay at the pump. If the oil industry paid its fair share of the military budget, then it would not be necessary to have solar or wind subsidies.
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4. What, if any, changes should be made to federal health care policies or programs?
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Answer from Anna G. Eshoo:
The historic Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is an extraordinary achievement for our country and I'm very proud to have been part of the effort. Our economy could not sustain the rising costs of healthcare, or the tens of millions of Americans who had fallen through the cracks and left without any insurance whatsoever.
Health reform expands coverage, increases services covered by insurance, and reigns in skyrocketing healthcare costs. The non-partisan Congressional Budget projects the law will save $210 billion over the next ten years, and more than $1 trillion over twenty years.
As research, technology and market conditions evolve, Congress must evaluate how the health care system is serving Americans. I will continue to advance research and seek ways to increase the medical workforce, including increasing the number of Graduate Medical Education slots funded by Medicare and the Children's Health Graduate Medical Education.
Answer from Dave Chapman:
There are no easy answers.
We should avoid making sudden, radical changes to the current situation. In particular, a dramatic reduction in the rates which are paid to doctors and hospitals would be very disruptive.
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5. What, if any, changes should be made to federal rules on campaign financing?
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Answer from Dave Chapman:
The whole system has a bad case of "original sin". The current Federal Campaign Laws were passed in response to the insurgent campaign of Gene McCarty. The purpose of the current campaign finance laws is to prevent a bunch of rich people from suddenly writing checks and making opposition to the Vietnam War a mainstream opinion.
Given that the purpose of these Campaign Finance Laws is to stifle dissent and to prevent honest discussion, you cannot be surprised when they have anti-democratic outcomes.
Answer from Anna G. Eshoo:
I am extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case on campaign finance laws. I've been a vocal supporter of campaign finance reform since before I was elected to Congress. By allowing corporations unlimited access to their wallets, the Supreme Court has undermined the principle of the "will of the people" in favor of the "will of the corporation."
Throughout my political career I've worked to stem this influence and I'v consistently supported measures to limit the effects of corporate money on campaigns. I am currently a cosponsor of the Fair Elections Now Act and the "Let the People Decide" Clean Campaign Act. In the past, I've cosponsored the Independent Commission on Campaign Finance Reform Act, the American Political Reform Act, and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (known as McCain-Feingold).
I've also launched an effort to require greater political disclosure from companies who do business with the federal government. I'm proud that the Consolidated Appropriations Act, legislation that the House passed on December 23, 2011 and which the President signed into law, contains language allowing the President to move forward with an executive order requiring federal contract recipients to disclose their political campaign contributions. This measure would bring about increased transparency, clarity, and fairness in the federal contracting process. I've repeatedly called on the President to act quickly on this matter, and I hope he will do so.
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.
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 California Education Fund
