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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Qualifications,
Implementation,
Issue facing district,
Environment
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What are your qualifications for office? (50 Word limit)
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Answer from Jim Berns:
I am a lifelong resident of the First Congressional District. Father of 9 children. 13 times candidate for public office. Expert on limited government. Will vote against any law that increases taxes or the power of the Federal government. Will vote for tax decreases and limits on Federal government power.
Answer from Steve Chabot:
I've had the great privelege of representing Ohio's First Congressional District for nearly 16 years. And during that time I have fought against wasteful spending and exessive regulatory burdens. I will continue to lead the fight against these obstacles and build an economy that works for all Americans.
Answer from Rich Stevenson:
We need independent voices in government, altruistic legislators who represent their fellow citizens, not special interests. I am non-partisan, dedicated to providing conscientious, new leadership not influenced by the backroom agendas of the entrenched. I am a plain-talking, active, concerned American eager to devote full time to representing this constituency.
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2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)
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Answer from Jim Berns:
I will vote against all laws that are unconstitutional and not fully funded.
Answer from Rich Stevenson:
I will lobby my fellow Congresspersons to sponsor the legislation I introduce. I will use the overwhelming 80% public support for the measures I introduce to force passage of those measures into law and to have them signed into law by the President. Overwhelming public support will be needed. The Constitutional amendment will give citizens "Equal Political Speech" to have a voice in all political campaigns. Glass-Steagall will separate commercial banks from financial banks to insure well-regulated financial stability for the next several generations. I will push hard until we have laws that protect the financial interests of the 99%.
Answer from Steve Chabot:
We need to reform the tax code by lowering rates, closing loopholes, and putting hard-working taxpayers ahead of special interests. These pro-growth reforms would ensure the taxcode is fair, simple, and competitive and would allow businesses to expand and create jobs.
I have supported dozens of bills that would provide relief from the record amounts of government red tape, such as the REINS Act, repeal of President Obama's heath care law, and a new rule that would require the Obama Administration to consider the economic impact of all new rules and regulations.
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3. What is the biggest issue facing the district you hope to represent? What will do you do in office to address it?
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Answer from Steve Chabot:
In Cincinnati, we have a project of regional and national significance that I believe is the type of project Congress needs to support. The Brent Spence Bridge is a major commercial artery connecting the Midwest with the South. The annual value of freight crossing the bridge exceeds $400 billion + that's a little over 3% of our national GDP crossing one bridge, and by 2030 the valuein real dollars is expected to more than double to $800 billion.
The bridge was recently labeled "functionally obsolete" by the federal government and needs to be replaced. Replacing the Brent Spence Bridge would save an estimated $748 million in congestion costs annually, savings that would grow inreal dollars to $1.3 billion annually by 2030. A 2009 study done by the Texas Transportation Institute concluded that completing the Brent Spence Bridge project would save 2.9 million person-hours of delay, 210,000 vehicle-hours of delay, and 1.22 million gallons of fuel every year. Over the next 20 years, this would result in $18.9 billion in benefits for commuters, shippers, and manufacturers.
The numbers are powerful on their own, but with freight serving as a key determinant of our economic competitiveness in the new global economy, projects like the Brent Spence Bridge carry even greater significance.
With the price of oil at over $100 a barrel and freight traffic scheduled to increase by 10% by 2030, our abilityto efficiently move goods within our nation's borders is critical to keeping the price of American goods low and competitive in the global marketplace.
Answer from Rich Stevenson:
Financial stability and jobs: Do all I can to end the culture of corruption in Washington D.C. The re-enactment of the Glass-Steagall Act will be named "The Financial Stability Act of 2013." Work on "Trickle Up" strategies to increase income at the bottom to create a strong domestic economy. Increase income taxes on unlimited personal income above five to ten million dollars. Close tax loopholes that enable large corporations to pay no taxes, ever. End offshore loopholes that grant zero tax liabilities to legal entities that greatly benefit from our economy. Make "pay to play" apply to all legal entities.
Answer from Jim Berns:
Unemployment and underemployment. Every reduction in the goverment will impove the economy and increase employment in real jobs.
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4. 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 Jim Berns:
End the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy is a waste of time and money and only pretend to solve a problem they make worse.
Answer from Steve Chabot:
We need an all of the above energy approach that utilizes our resources here in America as well as an invetstment in clean and renewable energy sources for the future. It is also important to halt the unecessary regulatory measures being implemented by government agencies that have resulted in higher energy prices and fewer American jobs.
Answer from Rich Stevenson:
"Fracking" for natural gas is too dangerous to our water supply, and atomic fission produces too much radioactive waste to be considered long-term solutions to our energy needs. We should develop those sources as little as possible. We should retrofit all structures and facilities to be Green, to use less overall energy, as one strategy to solve our energy needs. We need to develop renewable energy sources to the greatest extent possible. Global warming is a real problem that makes reducing our carbon footprint mandatory. The best answer now is use of all available clean energy sources to reduce use of fossil fuels as much as possible. These energy activities would create enough jobs to establish a strong economy with close to full employment.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Answers will be cut off
if they exceed a word limit, if present. Direct 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 the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
