League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
San Diego, Imperial County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Michael Crimmins Answers Questions Candidate for United States Representative; District 51

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?

If the United States Supreme Court does not declare ObamaCare unconstitutional, the Congress should vote to repeal it immediately to restore to the business community tax stability so businesses can strategically plan 3 to 5 years out and begin to start hiring. Corporate taxes and capital gains taxes should be reduced to help kick-start the economy in addition to removing onerous and burdensome regulations. It's high time to unleash America's economic engines and stop trying to compete with one arm tied behind our backs.

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?

Understand we do not have a taxing problem. We having a totally out of control spending problem at the federal level. We should return to the 2008 federal budget spending authorizations, stop baseline budgeting and replace that with zero-based budgets where all requests for spending have to be substantiated from the starting point of zero dollars. Our national security is directly tied to our economic security. You cannot have a strong military without an equally strong economy to pay for it and likewise in today's world you cannot have a strong economy without the military to protect and defend it.

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?

Simply stated "dig for it, drill for it, and mine for it". Both offshore and onshore on federal and private lands. All forms of producing energy should be explored for and exploited. The United States together with our neighbors, Canada and Mexico, have more proven energy reserves than any other region on earth. Why we are dependent on foreign sources for oil is simply ludicrous! The Keystone Oil Pipeline needs to be authorized and built out to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Of course clean energy alternatives should be researched and exploited but we need to realize for the foreseeable future we are a fossil fuel economy as we have been for the last century. Trucks run on diesel fuel and aircraft burn kerosene; not wind, solar and battery power sources. We haven't built a new oil refinery in America since 1974. That needs to change accordingly. For every penny that the cost of a gallon of fuel goes up, the greater San Diego economy loses one million dollars per month. Just how much are we losing? When President Obama entered office gas was $1.79 a gallon. It is now north of $4 a gallon.

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

The United States Supreme Court should declare ObamaCare unconstitutional. If not, both Houses of Congress should immediately repeal it and piecemeal replace it with what will work. Giving bureaucrats control over 17% of our national economy, one out of every six dollars, is crazy given the government's repeated record of fraud, waste and abuse where our taxpayer funds are involved. That needs to stop and prosecuted to the fullest extent. With increased life expectancies, the age at which citizens qualify for Medicare and other government healthcare programs should be gradually increased to accurately reflect longer life expectancies.

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

There should be immediate reporting within 24 hours on all contributions made of $1,000 or more by individuals. Individual contribution limits should be gradually increased. Corporate campaign financing should be researched and debated in Congress for its feasibility/desirability to be written into law.

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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: July 10, 2012 17:34
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