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Circleville Herald Candidate Questionnaire
Point of Contact: David Amey, (740) 474-3131)
news@circlevilleherald.com
1. Pickaway County has lost thousands of jobs due to globalization in recent years. How will you prevent further job losses and increase the availability of stable, high-paying jobs for Pickaway County?
NAFTA promised that "a rising tide lifts all boats," and that Mexico's middleclass would benefit. The truth is; the Mexican economy is a disaster as a result of NAFTA, which is why illegal immigration across our southern borders goes on unabated. I would work to repeal NAFTA which is not even close to "free trade." It is "centrally managed trade" by global non-government organizations (NGOs) with huge subsidies going to big corporations that are wiping out the middleclass in Mexico and the U.S. I would also co-sponsor HR 25, the FairTax. Both initiatives would offer strong incentives to bring lost manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.
2. Pickaway County is historically fiscally conservative. What will you do to keep taxes low while at least maintaining, or even increasing, current levels of public service?
We have to cut spending and prioritize our limited tax dollars. At the federal level, we must make sure we have a strong military, but we cannot afford to maintain troops in over 130 countries. It's time to bring our troops home and allow the Iraqis and others to determine their own destiny. We spend about $1 trillion a year to maintain our empire overseas. We need to bring those dollars back to the U.S. and put them to work for U.S. citizens to defend our borders and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. This would provide a strong and lasting stimulus to our economy that has already slipped into recession.
3. Congressional earmarks attached to bills may bring negative public attention to the legislator, but often are the only way for important local projects to get federal funds. What is your position on earmarks and the role they play in improving needy communities?
I would work hard to keep our hard-earned money away from the bureaucrats in Washington. We know best how to spend our tax dollars. However, we still have to fight for the money we do send to Washington such as our federal taxes on gasoline. Ohio gets back only 87 cents of every gas tax dollar we send to Washington. The federal government returns $1.26 of every gas tax dollar New Yorkers send to Washington. We also have to eliminate corrupt "pay-to-play" earmarks like the $2.8 million Dave Hobson engineered for Steiner and Associates to develop The Greene, a private development in Beavercreek.
4. How will you improve or reform the nation's healthcare system?
1. Reign in HMOs, healthcare providers, drug companies and insurance companies who shift costs to the taxpayers and the uninsured.
2. Strictly enforce laws that should protect patients from breach of contract and fraud by insurance companies, HMOs, healthcare providers and drug companies.
3. Give doctors and patients more say in healthcare decisions and how healthcare dollars are spent.
4. Keep our promises to seniors, but expand and simplify Medical Savings Accounts for younger generations.
5. Allow individuals and small business owners the same medical expense deductions as corporations.
Paid for by Americans for John Mitchel
