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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA November 2, 2010 Election
Smart Voter

John A. Smith
Answers Questions

Candidate for
United States Representative; District 39

 
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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California 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?

One of the biggest steps is reducing the Governments role in business. Oversight and regulation within the frame work of "Assisting Companies" not working against them.

Reduce the Tax Burden on companies Small to Large. Repeal NAFTA and other trade agreements that give special treatment to other countries. Repairing the Education systems to ensure our Citizens can compete in the higher paying Technical Fields. Work to bring manufacturing jobs back to America.

2. How should federal budget priorities be changed, now and into the future? How will you balance the costs of military action overseas and national security with the costs of domestic needs?

As an American Citizen, I believe we should take care of America and Americans first and foremost. Stop all Foreign Aid.

I'm a Marine Corp Veteran and Military Dependent; I understand that there is need to protect our interest, but the current use of our Military is somewhat like a Mercenary role. Sell our Military Bases around the world and bring our Troops Home. This will reduce the Overall cost, increase retention, reduce training cost, and better secure our borders.

Repair Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, Audit and reduce the Fraud, work with the Senior to keep our promise, but give younger people the option to Opt Out.

3. What, if anything, should be done by the federal government to address our dependence on fossil fuels or spur the use of clean energy?

In 1977 President Carter started the Dept of Energy to reduce our need for Foreign Oil. So we either refocus that dept or de-fund it.

We can reduce the Fossil Fuels, with a combination of clean energy sources, Hydrogen, Solar, Wind, geothermal; et al. can be used for home and business use. Most of the Fossil Fuels go to Transportation use, so focus on cleaner transportation methods with a better highway, rail systems.

We need to develop a ten year realistic plan to move towards cleaner sustainable energy.

4. What, if any, changes should be made to current federal policies or programs that promote or provide health coverage for Americans.

Health Care should be between a Patient and the Doctor. The Insurance Companies should only handle the payments. The current systems need to be improved not taken over by creating yet another Federal Dept.

Developing a plan to address the actual Cost of Care would ensure that cost goes down and coverage goes up. Medicaid and Medicare are ripe for Waste, Fraud and abuse so auditing and accountability would have to be increased.

5. What, if any, changes should be made to federal rules on campaign financing or disclosure of political expenditures?

Educating the Citizens will be the only way to correct this issue.

Require Candidates to report on their personal website all the information from contributors without having to dig though piles of Government reporting data.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League. No candidate may refer to another candidate in the response.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 18, 2010 13:01
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