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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Iraq,
Medicare Drug,
Civil Rights
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. The American occupation in Iraq continues to be enormously costly in dollars and in lives. What is your position on how our government should proceed?*
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Answer from Kirsten E. Gillibrand:
We must create a sense of urgency by giving the Iraqis a defined notice period for implementing a working government that gives all sectarian groups reconstruction contracts, oil revenues and veto rights. After the notice period, we must commit to the redeployment of US forces to antiterrorism missions.
Answer from John E. Sweeney:
We cannot stay the course in Iraq, we must win the course. To secure the four troubled provinces, we can either strategically attack in those provinces or add troops into those areas and use smaller special forces (50,000 troop commitment) to train and provide security in a specialized, mechanized way. We must also create safe havens for Sunnis, Kurds, and Shiites.
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2. What is your impression of the roll-out of the Medicare Prescription Drug program so far, and what changes would you propose to make it better?*
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Answer from John E. Sweeney:
I supported the Medicare prescription drug plan, but we did encounter some unexpected problems. I support legislation to extend the enrollment period for Medicare Part D and suspend for 2 years the penalties for enrolling late in the program. I have also requested this bill be considered before the Congress.
Answer from Kirsten E. Gillibrand:
We have a responsibility to improve the prescription drug program so that our seniors can afford the medications they need. I propose allowing Medicare to negotiate for the lowest drug prices available, ending subsidies to the prescription drug companies, and closing the "donut hole" gap in coverage for annual costs.
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3. Where do you stand on the current balance between security and civil rights?*
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Answer from Kirsten E. Gillibrand:
My first priority is to keep our families safe. I support anti-terrorism measures that will enable counter-terrorism agencies to apprehend the appropriate suspects. With proper Congressional oversight and accountability, which has been lacking, I know this can be accomplished by following the rule of law and preserving our rights.
Answer from John E. Sweeney:
I believe civil liberties and the privacy rights must be protected, but they should not stifle efforts to fight terrorism. I support giving law enforcement enhanced tools to seek and capture terrorists. These methods have worked, most recently seen in the break up of the plot to bomb trans-Atlantic flights.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
- Original answers for a published Voters Guide
were limited to 50 words and are presented as submitted. Candidates have
since been invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.
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 New York Education Foundation
