League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	Los Angeles, Orange County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues United States Representative; District 47

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Economy, Budget, Energy, Health care, Campaign financing Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. In this time of high unemployment, what are the most important steps that should be taken to improve our nation’s economy? Answer from Alan Lowenthal: Passing the President's American Jobs Act will create millions of good-paying jobs and create tax breaks for the middle class and small businesses that hire unemployed workers and veterans. I also believe we should end tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. Answer from Gary DeLong: With the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, California has been hit hard by the recession. Our top priority must be getting the economy back on its feet and Americans back to work. The failed stimulus bill did not solve rising unemployment, but it did raise the debt by a trillion dollars with little to show for it. You can not spend your way to prosperity. Instead of government interfering in the free market by picking winners and losers, Congress needs to eliminate burdensome regulations and reduce taxes for America's job creators. Supporting the more than 15 million small businesses that have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years should be our priority. 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? Answer from Gary DeLong: Millions of American families keep a balanced budget every year. Washington hasn't balanced a budget in over 10 years. For quite some time Congress has been participating in reckless deficit spending that not only jeopardizes our economy, but also leaves our children and grandchildren accountable for our massive debt. The national debt is now over $15 trillion, and growing. It increased at an alarming rate of nearly 50 percent in just the last four years. We must eliminate deficit spending, and yes it will be painful. We need to reduce the size of the national debt by generating an annual surplus and paying our debts. In the last 10 years, the Federal government has doubled in size + we need to reduce the size and cost of our Federal government. Forty-three cents of every dollar Washington spends is borrowed + our elected officials shouldn't borrow money and then turn around and spend it on programs. If you can't afford a program, you shouldn't have it. It's no secret that entitlements are where the majority of spending occurs. I believe in Social Security and Medicare, but the undeniable truth is these programs are going broke. We must keep our promise to current retirees, but for younger Americans, these programs will need to be reformed in order to be sustainable over the long term. It is time for Congress to follow the same spending rules that we do. You cannot spend more than you make. As your Representative I will work to pass a balanced budget and make my colleagues do the same. If we don't fix our financial situation now, the debt we pass on to our children and grandchildren will be overwhelming. Answer from Alan Lowenthal: We must find a way to balance the federal budget in a bipartisan way that does not jeopardize the integrity of essential services such as education, health care, Medicare and Social Security. With the end of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we need to reduce defense expenditures while maintaining national security, and focus savings on increasing education and our domestic infrastructure. As a member of Congress, I will support legislation that focuses on domestic investment. 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? Answer from Alan Lowenthal: I support increasing investments in alternative and renewable fuels, and reducing our reliance on carbon-based fuels, especially from foreign-sources. California is at the leading edge of green technology innovation and the creation of "green collar jobs." I will aggressively pursue the funding and legislation necessary to support and expand these job-creating technologies and industries, and to keep them in California. Answer from Gary DeLong: America's economic success and security largely depend on access to an affordable and dependable supply of energy. We need to focus on developing viable and sustainable energy sources within the United States. Congress can help by streamlining regulations and investing in America's energy resources. Whether we are advancing renewable energy, building more refineries, or studying new fuel sources, it is time to keep that money, and those jobs, here in America. 4. What, if any, changes should be made to federal health care policies or programs? Answer from Gary DeLong: Americans need more affordable access to healthcare. However, it appears the recent changes will drive up the cost of insurance premiums to both business owners and citizens, while increasing our national debt by more than a trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Health Care reform should make it easier and more affordable to get insurance, not create a huge new government bureaucracy. I support market-based reforms that increase competition and choice. We need to allow small businesses to pool together to purchase health insurance, give people the opportunity to purchase insurance across state lines, take their insurance with them if they leave their jobs, and expand health savings accounts. Answer from Alan Lowenthal: I fully support President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 5. What, if any, changes should be made to federal rules on campaign financing? Answer from Alan Lowenthal: I wrote legislation in Long Beach which resulted in one of the toughest campaign financing laws in the nation. I do not support special interest money in politics, and I do not support the Citizens United ruling case; corporations are not people. Answer from Gary DeLong: I believe that we should take the special interest money out of politics. 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. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.