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The following article originally was published February 1 by Grand Junction’s Free Press.
At least Dan Maes answered the questions
by Linn and Ari Armstrong
Recently the Supreme Court struck down part of the McCain-Feingold censorship law in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The decision is tragic because the Court only partially restored the First Amendment, and apparently four of the justices cannot comprehend the simple phrase, “Congress shall make no law…”
Leftist critics of the ruling argue that, while a lone individual might have some rights to free speech, individuals do not have the right to freely associate to express themselves. Further, these critics claim, you have no firm right to spend your own money on expression.
To grasp the left’s hypocrisy on finances, just ask a critic of the ruling whether the right to get an abortion would be preserved if women and clinics were forbidden from spending money on abortions. (Eugene Volokh raised this point.)
Regarding this case the left is perfectly consistent with its Marxist roots. Marx wrote, “The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness.”
In simpler terms, you are just too stupid to independently evaluate a film or ad funded by a corporation. You need the benevolent nannies of the left to help you think straight.
Unfortunately, some people do everything they can to prove Marx right. They thoughtlessly buy junk just because the idiot box or their friends tell them to. They never read great books or otherwise develop their reasoning skills. They vote for candidates based on appearance, smooth talk, and hysterical smear campaigns against the other guy.
However, trying to save people from their own stupidity only entrenches stupidity. People cannot choose wisely if they lack the capacity to choose badly. In terms of free speech, people must be free to say and believe stupid things, if we wish to preserve the right and ability to say and believe profundities.
The law properly guards against fraudulent speech. You can’t legally tell someone a used car has only ten thousand miles on it when it actually has a hundred thousand. Nor can you make up lies about a candidate. Established law already addresses such matters.
Aside from libel, however, people should be free to say whatever they want about candidates (using their own resources), whenever they want, and with whomever they want. That is precisely what the First Amendment is all about.
We can’t blame bad government on advertisements. After all, smear campaigns work only if voters fail to critically judge them. It is you, the individual voter, who must carefully evaluate claims, do some background research, and seek the broader context. If you fail to do so, censorship laws will not save the republic but will only further erode its foundation.
Let us make 2010 the year when candidates articulate their views on the issues and voters decide accordingly. Let us make this election about ideas, principles, and policies, not hair dye, cowboy hats, and vocal timbre.
It is in this spirit that we introduced our Candidate Survey, found at http://tinyurl.com/cosurvey10. Unfortunately, as of our deadline, we had heard from only two candidates running for governor or U.S. Senate. Dan Maes, the Republican challenger to Scott McInnis, said he’d answer the survey and followed through on his word. We also heard from independent candidate Rich Hand. You can find their responses linked from the original survey.
Though we originally contacted all the major-party candidates (or their representatives) for those offices by January 13, our initial correspondence did not make it to the right parties in the case of McInnis and Democratic top gun John Hickenlooper. While representatives of both candidates have now confirmed receipt of the survey, they have not committed to answering it. We encourage readers to ask these candidates to answer the survey.
Maes is the underdog, and we disagree with a number of his views. Generally, though, we are impressed by his responsiveness, straight talk, sincerity, and hard work.
Maes is a pretty solid fiscal conservative. He thinks the state should cut taxes and permit the traditional energy industry to thrive (thereby also increasing the tax flow from energy). He is too unfriendly to immigrants in our view. Disappointingly, he said campaign censorship laws should be “maintained,” and he thinks flag desecration should be Constitutionally outlawed.
Most disturbing is Maes endorsement of the “personhood” measure, which if fully implemented would outlaw nearly all abortions, outlaw common forms of birth control, restrict fertility treatments, and subject women to severe legal interference.
Maes also punted on several questions. For example, we asked, “Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?” Maes answered, “It already is.” Cute. Perhaps Maes would care to answer the question next time: what does he think the law should say?
At least Maes answered (most of) the questions. That’s a start.
John Finger is a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate from Colorado. Questions are shown in bold.
SUMMARY
In a Twitter-length reply (140 characters maximum), please state why you are running for political office.
Our system is broken. Both Democrats and Republicans are hell-bent on maintaining their own power, for their own purposes, regardless of the consequences. Members of both parties take an oath to defend the Constitution, then ignore the Constitution until they take the same oath again. Just look at the money which is doled out for cronyism and for projects which don’t work. I will use whatever means necessary to stop our march toward socialism, get our economy going again, and not leave our children in a quagmire of debt.
[That's 528 characters!]
ECONOMIC ISSUES
* Should the federal or state government spend money in an attempt to “stimulate” the economy? If so, on what sorts of projects?
No. Government should cut taxes; it works every time.
* Should tax dollars be directed toward energy projects, tourism, or any other form of business subsidies?
No.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights be kept completely intact? If not, how should it be altered?
N/A
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Amendment 23 be repealed, maintained, or modified?
N/A
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should any particular state taxes or fees (such as the state corporate income tax or the subjects of the tax-cutting initiatives) be repealed or reduced? Should any be added or increased?
N/A
* Should state or federal spending (depending on which office you seek) be higher or lower than it is currently?
It should be much lower; we should not be spending money on things unless they are specified in the Constitution or are a logical extension thereof.
* Should the state or federal minimum wage (depending on which office you seek) be repealed, maintained, or increased?
The federal minimum wage should be repealed, and I would introduce legislation accordingly. The states should make minimum wage decisions for themselves.
* Should college education be subsidized by tax dollars?
Not with federal money. The states should decide this for themselves.
* Should antitrust law or its enforcement be changed?
Not easy to answer; government should oversee true competition and enforce the law when competitiveness is compromised.
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should Sarbanes-Oxley be repealed?
Yes. It doesn’t catch any crooks and adds an unnecessary, enormous burden to business, hurting its competitiveness.
(my question:) Should Glass-Steagall become law again? Yes; this would prevent banks from using depositor dollars to speculate, lose money, and be bailed out once again by the taxpayers.
SOCIAL AND CHURCH/STATE ISSUES
What do you believe is meant by the “separation of church and state,” and do you endorse it?
It means what the 1st Amendment says, that Congress shall make no law establishing an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. We as elected officials would have to respect each of those lines in the sand. Of course I believe it; it’s part of our Constitution.
* Should religious institutions receive tax dollars for providing welfare or other faith-based services?
No. And the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships should be disbanded.
* Should the teaching of creationism or Intelligent Design be subsidized by tax dollars?
No education should be subsidized by federal tax dollars; in fact, the Department of Education should be eliminated.
* Should tax-funded schools establish a period of permitted or required prayer?
This should be up to the states to address.
* Should government officials promote religiously oriented displays and comments on government property and at government events?
Not at the federal level.
* Do you support gay marriage?
This should be decided by the states, not by the federal government. This is a 10th Amendment matter, as are several of the next questions. I’ll use “states rights” and “10th Amendment” interchangeably in many of the following questions.
* If you answered no to the question above, do you support domestic partnerships, civil unions, or comparable legal recognition of gay couples?
This is again a matter of states’ rights.
* Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children by the same standards as heterosexual couples?
States’ rights again.
* Should government never, always, or sometimes mandate parental notification and consent before a minor may legally obtain an abortion, and, if sometimes, under what conditions?
States’ rights again.
* Should government mandate waiting periods or ultrasounds before a woman may legally obtain an abortion?
States’ rights again.
* Do you endorse the “personhood” measure that may appear on the 2010 ballot?
I’d want to see the wording before answering this question.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of fetal deformity?
10th Amendment. Right now, all of our opinions in the matter of abortion are irrelevant, as the U.S. Supreme Court has usurped the states’ rights to decide such matters.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?
10th Amendment.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of risk to the woman’s life, as determined by the health professional selected by that woman?
10th Amendment.
* Should elective abortion be legal?
10th Amendment.
* If you believe that abortion should be legally restricted, what criminal penalties do you advocate for a woman and her doctor for obtaining or facilitating an illegal abortion?
10th Amendment.
(my question): Should Roe v. Wade be overturned? Yes. The Supreme Court has no right to determine abortion matters. It is not within the court’s purview. The court should let the states make their own laws. If one state then decides to be pro-life, while the next is pro-choice, while the next has exceptions, that’s fine. That’s how our system of federalism is supposed to work. But until that time comes, all of our abortion opinions are irrelevant.
* Would execution ever be an appropriate penalty for obtaining or facilitating illegal abortions?
10th Amendment.
* Should types of birth control be legal that may prevent a fertilized egg or zygote from implanting in the uterus?
10th Amendment.
* Should fertility treatments be legal that may result in the freezing or destruction of a fertilized egg or zygote?
10th Amendment.
* Should research involving the use of embryonic stem cells be legal?
10th Amendment.
* Should abortions or embryonic stem cell research be subsidized by tax dollars?
No.
IMMIGRATION
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should the U.S. expand a legal guest-worker program or legal immigration, and, if so, by how much?
I couldn’t answer this question adequately, as there are too many variables. But we have no adequate system for catching guest workers who overstay their welcomes, thus allowing them to stay in the country indefinitely.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Colorado government force employers to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees, and, if so, what penalties should apply for failure to do so?
N/A
* Should federal or state tax-funded benefits (depending on which office you seek), including K-12 education, be extended only to U.S. citizens, to legal immigrants and guest workers, or to everyone in the U.S. including illegal immigrants?
U.S. citizens and legal immigrants who actually contribute to the system should be entitled to benefit from it. Illegal immigrants should be removed from the country. Let people apply through proper means to get and stay here.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
* What restrictions, if any, should be placed on the use of eminent domain?
The Fifth Amendment addresses this issue adequately: “…nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” But the Supreme Court has ruled that private property can be taken for private use, pleasing governments which want more tax revenue but undermining our right to private property. This flaunts the Constitution and should never be allowed. As a side note, Pfizer never developed the property which was the subject of this case. It just sits there; the City of New London, CT doesn’t get developed property taxes from anyone. It’s poetic justice.
* Do you endorse the use of eminent domain in the case of the Pinon Canyon military expansion? Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain?
No. Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain? Yes. I’m an Army veteran but don’t see why such a huge expansion is necessary using eminent domain. The Army has such a vast maneuvering area at Fort Carson. If it needs more space, it shouldn’t use eminent domain to get it.
* Should the Endangered Species Act be altered or differently enforced?
This act shouldn’t even be law. The states should determine what species is endangered and what is not.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the smoking ban be maintained, expanded, or repealed? Should it apply to on-stage performances?
N/A
BILL OF RIGHTS
* Should McCain-Feingold and state campaign finance restrictions be repealed, maintained, or expanded?
The Supreme Court made this question moot.
* Should the federal government control what radio or television stations may broadcast?
No. Most of these issues can be decided at the state level. Where broadcasts are interstate, federal courts should employ a choice of state laws when deciding conflicts.
* Should the FTC’s rules regarding blogger endorsements be rescinded?
Yes. The federal government has no business here.
* Should students with licenses be legally permitted to carry concealed handguns on the property of tax-subsidized colleges?
Yes. The 2nd Amendment allows this.
* Should additional restrictions be added (or repealed) on gun ownership? Please specify.
Felons and those clinically certified to be mentally unstable should be prohibited from gun ownership. There should be no restriction on other adults.
* Do you believe that desecration of the U.S. flag should be outlawed by Constitutional amendment?
No. As much as it hurts to see, it’s a 1st Amendment right.
* Do you believe that pornography or obscene materials involving consenting adults should be legally restricted?
Anything between consenting adults intrastate should be subject to state laws. Anything between consenting adults across state lines or international borders should be allowed. Anything exploiting children across state lines or international borders should be banned.
OTHER
* Should state or federal laws (depending on which office you seek) pertaining to marijuana be altered, and, if so, how?
Federal laws governing all drugs, both illegal and prescription, should be repealed. In interstate commerce cases, the federal courts would employ a choice of state laws. The states should make their own drug laws. History offers an important lesson: when Prohibition was lifted, gangs lost revenue, government gained badly-needed revenue, business picked up, and crime dropped precipitously. We should do the same thing with drugs.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should rules pertaining to petitioners be altered, and, if so, how?
N/A
* If there is any important issue that you believe we have missed, please state what it is and state your position on it.
(my question): What’s the best way to kick-start the economy? Get the government out of the way. Lower all taxes, both corporate and individual. Repeal federal drug laws and the minimum wage. Subject Congress to the same rules as it applies to the rest of us. Partially privatize Social Security and Medicare. Make charitable contributions an unlimited deduction on your tax form. No more bailouts; nobody is too big to fail. Offer significant tax breaks to companies which make renewable energy efficient and affordable to the masses. And start listening to Ron Paul & Glenn Beck. More of this at www.fingerfavorsfreedom.com. It was www.raisethefinger.com, but the complaints outnumbered the laughs when we used it!
Rich Hand is an independent candidate for governor of Colorado.
SUMMARY
In a Twitter-length reply (140 characters maximum), please state why you are running for political office.
I am running to re-affirm our tenth amendment rights and keep Colorado money in Colorado supporting Colorado’s citizens. We must stop the federal spending and borrowing and the Governors are the last resort.
[This is 207 characters!]
ECONOMIC ISSUES
* Should the federal or state government spend money in an attempt to “stimulate” the economy? If so, on what sorts of projects?
No. We need to limit the flow of money by challenging the sixteenth amendment through a constitutional amendment of the Colorado Constitution to limit federal taxation to a maximum of 15% of income. The federal “stimulus” kills jobs by undermining free market principles.
* Should tax dollars be directed toward energy projects, tourism, or any other form of business subsidies?
Tax incentives should be used at the state level to drive behavior. In Colorado we need to diversify energy development to use all sources of energy. We should not pursue energy policy based on a political “green” agenda. We need a practical approach that focuses on energy development that works in Colorado based on our resources and 300 plus days of sunshine.
We need to minimize the cost of doing business and reduce regulatory burdens to attract business. We need to stop imposing more and more barriers to business. We need to make healthcare costs deductable for individuals so small business is not burdened with the cost of healthcare. I will review and reduce mandates on health insurance policies so that these companies compete with flexible plans that fit the consumer not some state bureaucrats vision of health insurance.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights be kept completely intact? If not, how should it be altered?
Absolutely! We need to hold government accountable and make the state communicate the value of programs and fight for funding if necessary. If the voters don’t want to pay for a service then we don’t provide it. I will look to separate funding so that Citizens understand what they are paying for in their taxes and determine if they believe it is worth supporting. We work for the taxpayer not special interests.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Amendment 23 be repealed, maintained, or modified?
Education is a key to success. We need to continue to encourage alternate education programs outside of public education. Amendment 23 represents the voters understanding of the importance of education and we need to continue to find the best ways to educate our kids. My plan to limit the amount of income taxes sent to Washington (challenging the sixteenth amendment) would help support additional funding for alternate education funding. We need to revisit the way we are currently funding education overall. We need to look at a stable funding mechanism that limits the fluctuation of the current tax program.
So I agree with the Amendment in principle but I have a problem with public education formulas for distribution, the amount of money leaving our state that could be used for education, and the inconsistency of the funding sources. We need to look at better ways and not be blinded by the current interests surrounding public education. It’s about educating our kids, not supporting union demands.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should any particular state taxes or fees (such as the state corporate income tax or the subjects of the tax-cutting initiatives) be repealed or reduced? Should any be added or increased?
I would eliminate the state corporate income tax for employers that have their operations based in Colorado. We need to create jobs and stop punishing business for being successful. The more money business can make, the more they will put back into their business and the economy.
* Should state or federal spending (depending on which office you seek) be higher or lower than it is currently?
Federal spending needs to be tied directly to the constitutional limits of the federal government. Colorado citizens and businesses should pay no more than 15% of their income maximum to the federal government. We need to reaffirm the tenth amendment and challenge the sixteenth and while we’re at it repeal the seventeenth amendment.
When people feel they have control of the process they are more likely to support the services needed. Government should not be growing at this point. We have too much already. We need to reduce or transfer funds to programs that have the people’s support. The reason ballot initiatives keep failing is that people are tired of the waste and fraud in government, especially at the federal level. We should not be sending our money to bail out GM, Chrysler, Financial institutions, while we lay off our police and firefighters. People are ticked off and are making that known where they have control; at the local level. We need to bring government closer to the people and start building trust again.
* Should the state or federal minimum wage (depending on which office you seek) be repealed, maintained, or increased?
Repealed. I am a small business man and let me tell you, you get what you pay for. Good business people know this and pay accordingly. Minimum wage kills jobs for our kids and entry level workers.
* Should college education be subsidized by tax dollars?
No. A college education should be earned and not an entitlement. We need to support students that are willing to invest in themselves with tax incentives to their parents and make loans available at fair interest rates. The current system encourages higher institutions to be less efficient because they know that government is under writing college educations. A college education is critical but that means every student needs to make the commitment of their own resources. We need to drive the prices down for college by introducing some market principles into the process. They operate in a bubble and have very inefficient business practices that is supported by the knowledge that government will keep subsidizing their institutions.
Colleges need to start looking at their courses and deciding if they keep a department of foolish studies. Too many college courses today would be better suited for some other venue and we need to increase true disciplines like mathematics, sciences, engineering, history, political science etc…
Education is a business with some unique drivers. I think we need to look at tax breaks and incentives for Colorado citizens to save for a college education. I would support helping individual students that deserve college rather than throwing tax dollars at the institutions themselves.
I expect a lot of push back here because there is an industry around colleges and they believe they should not have to “compete”. I would love to see every Colorado student graduate college, but every kid will want to go to college.
* Should antitrust law or its enforcement be changed?
No
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should Sarbanes-Oxley be repealed?
NA
SOCIAL AND CHURCH/STATE ISSUES
What do you believe is meant by the “separation of church and state,” and do you endorse it?
It is used improperly all the time. We are a Christian nation and I am proud to believe we are endowed by our creator with inalienable rights. As Governor or any politician for that matter can’t force people into any religion. The separation is simple; the state cannot infringe on people that want to worship God. The state can’t mandate a God. People need to read the founding documents and our history to reset their understanding of the first amendment. I am a man of God but I don’t endorse any particular church or religion.
You can’t have a free society without a moral foundation. God should be accepted and celebrated. If that offends people they need to get over it.
* Should religious institutions receive tax dollars for providing welfare or other faith-based services?
Definitely. Government has a horrible track record of helping people get off welfare. They actually have a self interest in perpetuating it. I trust private foundations to provide social services and I would want to insure auditing of the programs is in place but if we are looking for results to help people become productive we have to trust private organizations and churches to do the job government has shown it can’t.
* Should the teaching of creationism or Intelligent Design be subsidized by tax dollars?
I think all subjects that get kids thinking is good for students. I also believe there is no reason religion should not be discussed in the classroom. Are we afraid that knowing about God is going to ruin our kids? Insanity. No special tax dollars are needed we just need teachers that are willing to teach and get kids passionate about learning.
* Should tax-funded schools establish a period of permitted or required prayer?
Permitted prayer is fine. I believe with tax dollars tied to the student, parents can choose where to send their kids. That will eliminate the need for state bureaucrats to get involved. If the school prays everyday and parents don’t like it they move their kids. It is a local issue to be decided in school districts.
* Should government officials promote religiously oriented displays and comments on government property and at government events?
“Government official” is a loaded term. Is a teacher a “government official” just because they work for a public school? As Governor I would promote the Christian faith and Jewish religious symbols at Christmas and Passover. I would recognize the importance of these religions on our culture and history.
* Do you support gay marriage?
No but I do support individual rights. If two people want to enter into a contract with each other and share their resources that’s great. Marriage is an institution that creates the best environment to raise our kids. We need to respect that and also respect people’s individual rights to enter into contracts and call it what they wish. But not marriage.
* If you answered no to the question above, do you support domestic partnerships, civil unions, or comparable legal recognition of gay couples?
I will do nothing as Governor to promote the gay agenda. I will promote the rights of individuals protected under our constitution. The gay agenda is an agenda to promote acceptance of a lifestyle most people don’t agree or take part in. I do not have to accept their agenda but I will respect their right as individual citizens.
* Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children by the same standards as heterosexual couples?
This issue is more complicated for me. I believe and will support adoption of children by people with the right intentions for adopting children. First we want kids in traditional families, man and woman. But when any family is abusive and the choice is violence or no adoption I would support couples adopting these kids with the same vigorous background checks as heterosexual couples.
* Should government never, always, or sometimes mandate parental notification and consent before a minor may legally obtain an abortion, and, if sometimes, under what conditions?
Always notify parents.
* Should government mandate waiting periods or ultrasounds before a woman may legally obtain an abortion?
No
* Do you endorse the “personhood” measure that may appear on the 2010 ballot?
No
* Should abortion be legal in cases of fetal deformity?
See the one question on abortion for my stand on the issue
* Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?
See the one question on abortion for my stand on the issue
* Should abortion be legal in cases of risk to the woman’s life, as determined by the health professional selected by that woman?
See the one question on abortion for my stand on the issue
* Should elective abortion be legal?
As Governor this is my position on abortion. I will produce and support an education program that factually describes the procedure of aborting a child. A fetus is a life with a beating heart and with today’s technology we understand more clearly than ever what happens when an abortion is conducted. We see that life struggle to get away; we see the baby’s features and formation. Education will reduce abortion more than any government policy ever could. I will support laws that limit abortion at the point of the baby’s ability to survive without the support of the mother. Before that point we are in very dangerous territory to hand over authority to government. I am consistently suspicious of government in our lives and when it comes to the monitoring of our woman for the purpose of applying law, I can never hand over that decision to a government bureaucrat.
Conservatives are always talking about getting government out of our lives except in the arena of abortion. I am consistent. We will all be judged by our maker and we can only do what we can to convince people of the ramifications of abortion. I will never support the tax funding of abortion under any circumstance.
This is a divisive issue and this is what I can live with as Governor. I will not apologize or pander to either side on this. This is what I believe my maker will accept at judgment time for me. Others will have a different opinion. That is their right.
* If you believe that abortion should be legally restricted, what criminal penalties do you advocate for a woman and her doctor for obtaining or facilitating an illegal abortion?
See the one question on abortion for my stand on the issue
* Would execution ever be an appropriate penalty for obtaining or facilitating illegal abortions?
No
* Should types of birth control be legal that may prevent a fertilized egg or zygote from implanting in the uterus?
yes
* Should fertility treatments be legal that may result in the freezing or destruction of a fertilized egg or zygote?
Yes not government funded
* Should research involving the use of embryonic stem cells be legal?
Yes not government funded
* Should abortions or embryonic stem cell research be subsidized by tax dollars?
No
IMMIGRATION
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should the U.S. expand a legal guest-worker program or legal immigration, and, if so, by how much?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Colorado government force employers to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees, and, if so, what penalties should apply for failure to do so?
Yes and I would impose severe penalties for businesses that hire illegal workers.
* Should federal or state tax-funded benefits (depending on which office you seek), including K-12 education, be extended only to U.S. citizens, to legal immigrants and guest workers, or to everyone in the U.S. including illegal immigrants?
We need to get the federal government to do their job of enforcing and closing our borders and as Governor we will not be supporting any illegal immigrant with any services. By creating a severe penalty for business to hire illegal workers we will see a exodus from our state. I support legal immigration and work visas. I have no tolerance for law breaking.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
* What restrictions, if any, should be placed on the use of eminent domain?
Eminent domain must pass the test outlined in the constitution. As Governor I will never use it unless the circumstances are so clear that everyone is supporting the land taking and I am the last one standing.
* Do you endorse the use of eminent domain in the case of the Pinon Canyon military expansion? Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain?
I support the tenth amendment and state’s rights. I stand by the ranchers and land owners of Pinon Canyon. I could only support expansion if 100% of the land owners agree and there is a contract in place that protects Colorado from a future pullout of Army operations. That land is too precious from a state perspective regarding the economy and if the Army ever closes up and leaves the base, where are we? Overall I think the military has many options besides taking additional land.
* Should the Endangered Species Act be altered or differently enforced?
We need to have common sense here or we will end up like California, ruining human lives for a guppy. Unacceptable to me. As Governor our people will come first and we will be good stewards of our land. They can work together.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the smoking ban be maintained, expanded, or repealed? Should it apply to on-stage performances?
This is a freedom issue for me. I don’t smoke but I don’t think government should decide how business is run. If the business wants to ban or allow smoking I am good with allowing the market to dictate. In open air we just need to respect each other.
BILL OF RIGHTS
* Should McCain-Feingold and state campaign finance restrictions be repealed, maintained, or expanded?
Repealed. I support free speech and that includes organizations and individuals.
* Should the federal government control what radio or television stations may broadcast?
If I am Governor they will control very little here in Colorado. They should only control what is important for emergency response and military frequencies to keep us safe.
* Should the FTC’s rules regarding blogger endorsements be rescinded?
I don’t like the FTC but I support people knowing where any information comes from and where the funding source is so they can make good judgments about the information.
* Should students with licenses be legally permitted to carry concealed handguns on the property of tax-subsidized colleges?
I support concealed, exposed, and the ability to carry a hand gun. Good citizens should be able to carry. At 18 I believe we all have adult rights and why limit that at college. I support the constitution of the United States and the second amendment is no exception.
* Should additional restrictions be added (or repealed) on gun ownership? Please specify.
No additional restrictions. I believe the more people that have guns in their homes the greater security we have.
* Do you believe that desecration of the U.S. flag should be outlawed by Constitutional amendment?
I hate the idea of our flag being desecrated because it represents the greatness of our country and veterans that have died for it. I believe the people that have died for our flag would be disgusted but would support the freedom to do so. So no I would not support an amendment although it would feel good to do so.
* Do you believe that pornography or obscene materials involving consenting adults should be legally restricted?
I think pornography is a cancer and needs to be eliminated. It undermines our woman and children and I would support throwing the bums in jail that produce it. The problem is that there are people that have come to accept this degradation of society and is not high on the minds of voters.
OTHER
* Should state or federal laws (depending on which office you seek) pertaining to marijuana be altered, and, if so, how?
I believe marijuana leads to more addictive drugs and undermines people’s motivation in life. I am not convinced it has medical purposes but if it does it should be in pharmacy outlets and not in separate places where we see criminals targeting them to steal the drug.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should rules pertaining to petitioners be altered, and, if so, how?
I love that citizens can petition their government. I believe in our representative republic but I think people generally get the issues right when the information is clear.
* If there is any important issue that you believe we have missed, please state what it is and state your position on it.
I just want to emphasize that I will ask the voters of Colorado to amend our state constitution to limit the amount of money our federal government can take from our income. It starts there. When we reduce the scope of the federal government we can focus on the things that are most important here in Colorado like a job creation environment, individual healthcare reform, and a focus on education.
We must reaffirm our tenth amendment rights, challenge the sixteenth amendment, and repeal the seventeenth amendment. It’s that simple…
Rich Hand
Unaffiliated Candidate Governor Colorado
Following are the unedited answers of Curtis Harris to the Colorado 2010 Candidate Survey. Questions are in bold.
SUMMARY
In a Twitter-length reply (140 characters maximum), please state why you are running for political office.
Colorado is heading down the same path as Washington and it must be stopped and turned around. I have the skills and conservative values to do it.
ECONOMIC ISSUES
* Should the federal or state government spend money in an attempt to “stimulate” the economy? If so, on what sorts of projects?
No. It should cut spending, increase energy income, and taxes
[January 25 Update: Maes sent in the following clarification: "Please correct/modify delete 'and taxes' as it looks like I want to increase taxes. The message was to increase energy income and energy severance taxes to the state."]
* Should tax dollars be directed toward energy projects, tourism, or any other form of business subsidies?
Only if the voters approve doing it.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights be kept completely intact? If not, how should it be altered?
Yes.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Amendment 23 be repealed, maintained, or modified?
Repealed as first choice. Suspended in Ref. C fashion as a second.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should any particular state taxes or fees (such as the state corporate income tax or the subjects of the tax-cutting initiatives) be repealed or reduced? Should any be added or increased?
FASTER should be repealed.
* Should state or federal spending (depending on which office you seek) be higher or lower than it is currently?
State should be lower.
* Should the state or federal minimum wage (depending on which office you seek) be repealed, maintained, or increased?
Maintained and re-examined based on economic realities.
* Should college education be subsidized by tax dollars?
Yes.
* Should antitrust law or its enforcement be changed?
Need more clarification.
SOCIAL AND CHURCH/STATE ISSUES
* What do you believe is meant by the “separation of church and state,” and do you endorse it?
The federal government is not to create or endorse a national religion/church. I would enforce that.
* Should religious institutions receive tax dollars for providing welfare or other faith-based services?
NO
* Should the teaching of creationism or Intelligent Design be subsidized by tax dollars?
All public education is paid for by tax dollars. Thus, if the above were part of a school’s curriculum it would be.
* Should tax-funded schools establish a period of permitted or required prayer?
I support prayer in schools but no specific period of time should be required or encouraged. There is enough spare time in public school schedules already w/o crating more.
* Should government officials promote religiously oriented displays and comments on government property and at government events?
It already does as part of our historic architecture which reflects the reality that our country was founded not on the principles of men, but on those God given principles captured in our founding documents by men.
* Do you support gay marriage?
No.
* If you answered no to the question above, do you support domestic partnerships, civil unions, or comparable legal recognition of gay couples?
I would be willing to discuss civil remedies in areas that gays feel they are not equally protected.
* Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children by the same standards as heterosexual couples?
NO
* Should government never, always, or sometimes mandate parental notification and consent before a minor may legally obtain an abortion, and, if sometimes, under what conditions?
Always.
* Should government mandate waiting periods or ultrasounds before a woman may legally obtain an abortion?
Yes/no.
* Do you endorse the “personhood” measure that may appear on the 2010 ballot?
Yes.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of fetal deformity?
It already is.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?
It already is.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of risk to the woman’s life, as determined by the health professional selected by that woman?
It already is.
* Should elective abortion be legal?
It already is.
* If you believe that abortion should be legally restricted, what criminal penalties do you advocate for a woman and her doctor for obtaining or facilitating an illegal abortion?
No comment.
* Would execution ever be an appropriate penalty for obtaining or facilitating illegal abortions?
No.
* Should types of birth control be legal that may prevent a fertilized egg or zygote from implanting in the uterus?
I support the laws as they stand.
* Should fertility treatments be legal that may result in the freezing or destruction of a fertilized egg or zygote?
You ask way to many questions about an issue that is just not a priority at this time.
* Should research involving the use of embryonic stem cells be legal?
Not if there are other viable solutions.
* Should abortions or embryonic stem cell research be subsidized by tax dollars?
No and no.
IMMIGRATION
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Colorado government force employers to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees, and, if so, what penalties should apply for failure to do so?
Yes and 10,000.00 per incident.
* Should federal or state tax-funded benefits (depending on which office you seek), including K-12 education, be extended only to U.S. citizens, to legal immigrants and guest workers, or to everyone in the U.S. including illegal immigrants?
They already are per federal law. It should stop at all levels.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
* What restrictions, if any, should be placed on the use of eminent domain?
It should be limited to cases where exercising it is indisputably for public use only. I use the word “use” versus interest or benefit.
* Do you endorse the use of eminent domain in the case of the Pinon Canyon military expansion? Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain?
I do not “endorse” the use of it anywhere. I would support it reluctantly only if the Army can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they have no other options but to do so. I support a mutual agreement between willing sellers and leasers, and the Army as a first option.
* Should the Endangered Species Act be altered or differently enforced?
No opinion.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the smoking ban be maintained, expanded, or repealed? Should it apply to on-stage performances?
No opinion.
BILL OF RIGHTS
* Should McCain-Feingold and state campaign finance restrictions be repealed, maintained, or expanded?
Maintained. Moot now, isn’t it?
* Should the federal government control what radio or television stations may broadcast?
They already do via the FTC.
* Should the FTC’s rules regarding blogger endorsements be rescinded?
?
* Should students with licenses be legally permitted to carry concealed handguns on the property of tax-subsidized colleges?
Yes
* Should additional restrictions be added (or repealed) on gun ownership? Please specify.
No
* Do you believe that desecration of the U.S. flag should be outlawed by Constitutional amendment?
Yes
* Do you believe that pornography or obscene materials involving consenting adults should be legally restricted?
It already is.
OTHER
* Should state or federal laws (depending on which office you seek) pertaining to marijuana be altered, and, if so, how?
Yes. Med. mar. is a disaster and must be regulated like a pharmaceutical.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should rules pertaining to petitioners be altered, and, if so, how?
No.
* If there is any important issue that you believe we have missed, please state what it is and state your position on it.
Grand Junction’s Free Press published the following article on January 18, 2010.
Candidates should giddy up and answer our survey
by Linn and Ari Armstrong
Shucks, mayor; you done warmed our Western hearts with your down-home talkin’ and dusty cowboy hat.
While announcing his candidacy for governor, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a.k.a. “Hickenritter” (if you listen to GOP Chair Dick Wadhams), a.k.a. “Hick,” said it’s “Giddy up time in Colorado.” Yippie ki-yay. Now all he needs is a running mate named Tonto.
What we want to know is whether Hickenlooper’s campaign is more Lone Ranger or more Woody from Toy Story. To help us out, the mayor can answer the survey we sent to him the day he announced. We’d be much obliged.
We sent the survey to all the major-party candidates for governor and U.S. Senate. All Colorado candidates are welcome to respond, and answers will be published unedited at FreeColorado.com. We hope voters and other journalists encourage candidates to answer the survey. Voters have a right to know where the candidates stand on the issues. You can find the survey at http://tinyurl.com/cosurvey10.
Before we describe the survey, we offer an important elections announcement [that is now dated]. Tomorrow, January 19, is the final day to affiliate with a party if you wish to be involved in the caucus process. While Hickenlooper scared away his competition, many candidates face preliminary party votes.
To affiliate with a party, first you need to get a Colorado voter registration form, available at http://tinyurl.com/mesavote. You can scan in the form and email it to voter.info@mesacounty.us; deliver it in person to 544 Rood Avenue, Suite 301A; or mail it to P.O. Box 20,000, Grand Junction, 81502, postmarked by January 19. We thank the Mesa County Elections office for helping us with this information.
Now back to the survey. We have this crazy idea that elections should be about more than hair color, fancy slogans, and name-calling. We believe that elections should mostly be about the issues. Ideas matter. Where do the candidates stand? What do they believe?
Obviously any survey will reveal only so much about a candidate. For example, our survey doesn’t include questions about the Democratic health bill. Most candidates are already talking about this issue, and we hope they clearly articulate their views on their web pages and elsewhere.
Our survey was more intended to reveal positions that candidates aren’t talking about as much. We want to know whether candidates endorse corporate welfare. We want to know where they stand on key business controls, such as antitrust and Sarbanes-Oxley.
We also want candidates to quit obscuring their views. For example, while Scott McInnis used to be “pro-choice,” he now calls himself “100 percent pro-life.” But what does that mean? Does he want to ban absolutely all abortions? If not, what exceptions would he allow? The matter of abortion (and related issues such as birth control) will be particularly important this election, given a measure may again be on the ballot to define a fertilized egg as a person.
We want to know where candidates stand on immigration issues. Should a guest worker program be expanded? Should the Colorado legislature force businesses to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees? Should businesses be fined for failure to do so? Should tax-funded benefits ever be extended to non-citizen immigrants?
What about property rights? Do candidates endorse eminent domain, the forcible taking of private property? Under what circumstances? Do candidates endorse the smoking ban, even for on-stage performances?
Regarding the Bill of Rights, where do candidates stand with respect to free expression and the right to bear arms? For example, should adults with a concealed-carry permit be able to carry a handgun on tax-funded campuses?
Medical marijuana will be a huge issue this legislative session; where do candidates stand on that matter and on marijuana laws generally? What about rules governing petitioners? What about the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights?
Whether you’re Republican, Democrat, unaffiliated, or other, you should care about candidates’ positions. We hope that, in 2010, voters make a stand and demand that candidates state their views clearly, openly, and for the record.
Here’s what you can do to help. Please contact your federal, state, and local candidates and encourage them to answer our survey and explain their views elsewhere. If you’re a Republican, you can find a list of federal and state-wide candidates at http://tinyurl.com/2010gop. We called the Colorado Democrats, and a representative said that hopefully a list of candidates will be made available at ColoradoDems.org. Otherwise you may need to poke around on the internet or call a party office.
Candidates have a responsibility to reveal their views, and voters have a responsibility to critically and fairly evaluate candidates’ positions. It won’t do to take comments out of context or otherwise misrepresent what a candidate is about.
We will get the government we deserve. It’s time for candidates to cowboy up. And it’s time for us voters to earn our spurs.
Update: As of January 24, we’ve received a reply from one candidate running for governor or U.S. Senate: Dan Maes.
(See 8 minutes into John Hickenlooper’s announcement for the governor’s race.)
Following are the unedited answers of Curtis Harris to the Colorado 2010 Candidate Survey.
If nothing else, Harris, a third-party candidate for the the Second Congressional, gets points for speed. He was the first candidate to reply to the survey.
SUMMARY
In a Twitter-length reply (140 characters maximum), please state why you are running for political office.
The present US Government is driving America to socialism and economic disaster. Both major political parties and the Congress are at the heart of the problem. I want to return the Federal government to its Constitutional limits and restore individual liberty in this country.
ECONOMIC ISSUES
* Should the federal or state government spend money in an attempt to “stimulate” the economy? If so, on what sorts of projects?
No. Economies are stimulated by economic freedom.
* Should tax dollars be directed toward energy projects, tourism, or any other form of business subsidies?
No. Corporate welfare is the result of or leads to government corruption. There is no place for it in a free economy.
* Should state or federal spending (depending on which office you
seek) be higher or lower than it is currently?
Much lower.
* Should the state or federal minimum wage (depending on which office you seek) be repealed, maintained, or increased?
Repeal the Federal minimum wage. The States are free to chose their policy. Minimum wages are a proven killer of entry-level jobs.
* Should college education be subsidized by tax dollars?
Certainly not Federal dollars. I would not support state funding, either.
* Should antitrust law or its enforcement be changed?
Yes. Federal enforcement is often politically motivated and/or based on flawed economics.
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should Sarbanes-Oxley be repealed?
Yes.
SOCIAL AND CHURCH/STATE ISSUES
* What do you believe is meant by the “separation of church and state,” and do you endorse it?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;”
I endorse the First Amendment. That being said, this country is founded on the primacy of the rights of people as endowed by their Creator. The exclusion of general religious principles (morality) from government is a mistake.
* Should religious institutions receive tax dollars for providing welfare or other faith-based services?
Not from the Federal level.
* Should the teaching of creationism or Intelligent Design be subsidized by tax dollars?
Not from the Federal level.
* Should tax-funded schools establish a period of permitted or required prayer?
This should be up to local school districts and parents. A daily period of meditation would have done me a lot of good when I was in school.
* Should government officials promote religiously oriented displays and comments on government property and at government events?
Promote? No. Allow? Yes.
* Do you support gay marriage?
The Federal government has no role at all in marriage, gay or otherwise. I support loving, committed relationships. How the people of the States and local governments chose to define these is up to their people.
* If you answered no to the question above, do you support domestic partnerships, civil unions, or comparable legal recognition of gay couples?
These are different labels for marriage. The love and commitment in the relationship is all that matters.
* Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children by the same standards as heterosexual couples?
This is not a Federal matter. I do not have the knowledge or experience that would qualify me to have an opinion.
* Should government never, always, or sometimes mandate parental notification and consent before a minor may legally obtain an abortion, and, if sometimes, under what conditions?
Again, no Federal role. However, I support parental notification unless there is evidence of abuse within the family.
* Should government mandate waiting periods or ultrasounds before a woman may legally obtain an abortion?
Abortion is a State, not Federal matter. There are two questions here. Should abortion be legal? Should there be waiting periods?
As a practical matter, government should not interfere in family matters during the first trimester.
* Do you endorse the “personhood” measure that may appear on the 2010 ballot?
I am not familiar with this measure.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of fetal deformity?
Again, no Federal role. It is the family’s decision.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?
Again, no Federal role. Otherwise, yes.
* Should abortion be legal in cases of risk to the woman’s life, as determined by the health professional selected by that woman?
Again, no Federal role. There can be a big argument over what constitutes “risk of life”.
* Should elective abortion be legal?
Again, no Federal role. As a practical matter, government should not interfere in family matters during the first trimester.
* If you believe that abortion should be legally restricted, what criminal penalties do you advocate for a woman and her doctor for obtaining or facilitating an illegal abortion?
I believe the States can decide on abortion restrictions after the first trimester. I have no opinion on penalties, except the one below.
* Would execution ever be an appropriate penalty for obtaining or facilitating illegal abortions?
No.
* Should types of birth control be legal that may prevent a fertilized egg or zygote from implanting in the uterus?
States choice. My personal opinion – Yes.
* Should fertility treatments be legal that may result in the freezing or destruction of a fertilized egg or zygote?
States choice. My personal opinion – Yes.
* Should research involving the use of embryonic stem cells be legal?
States choice. My personal opinion – Yes. The research should not be Federally funded.
* Should abortions or embryonic stem cell research be subsidized by tax dollars?
Certainly not Federal dollars.
IMMIGRATION
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should the U.S. expand a legal guest- worker program or legal immigration, and, if so, by how much?
Yes. I don’t know how much, but there is unmet demand for skilled people in this country, so the additional visas or immigration would add value to our economy. People that love freedom and have the ability to add value to America should be welcomed.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Colorado government force employers to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees, and, if so, what penalties should apply for failure to do so?
The Federal government has a Constitutionally authorized role in immigration control.
* Should federal or state tax-funded benefits (depending on which office you seek), including K-12 education, be extended only to U.S. citizens, to legal immigrants and guest workers, or to everyone in the U.S. including illegal immigrants?
Not to illegal immigrants. In any case, most Federal benefits are not authorized by the Constitution.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
* What restrictions, if any, should be placed on the use of eminent domain?
Eminent domain is for legitimate public use only and the property owner must be fairly compensated.
* Do you endorse the use of eminent domain in the case of the Pinon Canyon military expansion? Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain?
I am not familiar enough with the situation to have an opinion at this time.
* Should the Endangered Species Act be altered or differently enforced?
Yes. It has become a weapon against healthy growth in our economy and often violates private property rights.
BILL OF RIGHTS
* Should McCain-Feingold and state campaign finance restrictions be repealed, maintained, or expanded?
McCain-Feingold should be repealed. It is unconstitutional. In general, campaign finance is a free speech issue and should not be restricted. Voters should have complete access to information on candidates’ campaign funding.
* Should the federal government control what radio or television stations may broadcast?
Since these signals cross State lines and can have an effect on the welfare of the United States, there is a legitimate Federal role. Beyond protections against slander, libel, and content unsuitable for minors (violations of the rights of others), there should be no content control.
* Should the FTC’s rules regarding blogger endorsements be rescinded?
Yes.
* Should students with licenses be legally permitted to carry concealed handguns on the property of tax-subsidized colleges?
Yes.
* Should additional restrictions be added (or repealed) on gun ownership? Please specify.
No additional restrictions. I think Colorado’s laws in this area are a good model for the nation.
* Do you believe that desecration of the U.S. flag should be outlawed by Constitutional amendment?
No.
* Do you believe that pornography or obscene materials involving consenting adults should be legally restricted?
No.
OTHER
* Should state or federal laws (depending on which office you seek) pertaining to marijuana be altered, and, if so, how?
Again, no Federal role here. Repeal the federal laws and leave it to the States.
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should rules pertaining to petitioners be altered, and, if so, how?
* If there is any important issue that you believe we have missed, please state what it is and state your position on it.
Nothing is more important than getting the Federal government’s fiscal and monetary policies under control. Many functions of the Federal government are not authorized by our Constitution and must be phased out. Corresponding cuts in spending, taxes and regulation will allow our economy to grow and produce the tax revenue necessary to eliminate the deficit and reduce government debt.
Thank you.
Curtis Harris
www.HarrisAgainstCongress.com
http://itsthecongressstupid.blogspot.com
Created by Ari and Linn Armstrong
[January 24 Update: Links to candidates' replies and related material are posted following the survey.]
The following survey is open to all Colorado candidates running for the 2010 elections. Candidates should fill out the survey and return it via e-mail to ari(at)freecolorado(dotcom). The survey should be sent as text only within the body of an e-mail, not as an attachment. Answers will be published in full and without editing at FreeColorado.com. Candidates should include contact information for verification purposes.
We will personally send the survey to all major-party candidates running for governor and U.S. Senate. We may send the survey to other candidates as well. We do not have the resources to send the survey to — and track answers from — every single candidate in the state. However, all Colorado candidates are welcome to respond to the survey, and FreeColorado.com will publish every reply received.
Obviously we may choose to quote from a candidate’s answers in our own articles, as may other journalists.
Voters interested in the answers of a particular candidate are encouraged to ask that candidate to send us a reply. Moreover, we encourage other journalists to press candidates for their answers to these important questions.
We have heard from various candidates who decline to answer at least some surveys. We strongly encourage candidates to answer ours. We believe that Colorado voters deserve to know where candidates stand on the issues.
Our goal is to fairly elicit a candidate’s substantive views on a variety of critical issues. While many of the questions may be answered yes or no, we encourage candidates to offer whatever nuances they deem appropriate. If you think a question is loaded, tell us why. If you want to explain how your thinking has evolved or how your answer squares with your record, please do so. If you have not developed a position on some issue, say as much. We will reproduce your answers as given. We do ask that candidates not confuse nuance with evasiveness.
Note: Some questions are marked for state-level or federal-level candidates. While all candidates are welcome to answer all the questions, candidates for one level of government need not answer questions specific to another level.
We believe that candidates can be fair to voters only by revealing their views on the important issues of the day. We look forward to reading and publishing the replies.
SUMMARY
In a Twitter-length reply (140 characters maximum), please state why you are running for political office.
ECONOMIC ISSUES
* Should the federal or state government spend money in an attempt to “stimulate” the economy? If so, on what sorts of projects?
* Should tax dollars be directed toward energy projects, tourism, or any other form of business subsidies?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights be kept completely intact? If not, how should it be altered?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Amendment 23 be repealed, maintained, or modified?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should any particular state taxes or fees (such as the state corporate income tax or the subjects of the tax-cutting initiatives) be repealed or reduced? Should any be added or increased?
* Should state or federal spending (depending on which office you seek) be higher or lower than it is currently?
* Should the state or federal minimum wage (depending on which office you seek) be repealed, maintained, or increased?
* Should college education be subsidized by tax dollars?
* Should antitrust law or its enforcement be changed?
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should Sarbanes-Oxley be repealed?
SOCIAL AND CHURCH/STATE ISSUES
* What do you believe is meant by the “separation of church and state,” and do you endorse it?
* Should religious institutions receive tax dollars for providing welfare or other faith-based services?
* Should the teaching of creationism or Intelligent Design be subsidized by tax dollars?
* Should tax-funded schools establish a period of permitted or required prayer?
* Should government officials promote religiously oriented displays and comments on government property and at government events?
* Do you support gay marriage?
* If you answered no to the question above, do you support domestic partnerships, civil unions, or comparable legal recognition of gay couples?
* Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children by the same standards as heterosexual couples?
* Should government never, always, or sometimes mandate parental notification and consent before a minor may legally obtain an abortion, and, if sometimes, under what conditions?
* Should government mandate waiting periods or ultrasounds before a woman may legally obtain an abortion?
* Do you endorse the “personhood” measure that may appear on the 2010 ballot?
* Should abortion be legal in cases of fetal deformity?
* Should abortion be legal in cases of rape or incest?
* Should abortion be legal in cases of risk to the woman’s life, as determined by the health professional selected by that woman?
* Should elective abortion be legal?
* If you believe that abortion should be legally restricted, what criminal penalties do you advocate for a woman and her doctor for obtaining or facilitating an illegal abortion?
* Would execution ever be an appropriate penalty for obtaining or facilitating illegal abortions?
* Should types of birth control be legal that may prevent a fertilized egg or zygote from implanting in the uterus?
* Should fertility treatments be legal that may result in the freezing or destruction of a fertilized egg or zygote?
* Should research involving the use of embryonic stem cells be legal?
* Should abortions or embryonic stem cell research be subsidized by tax dollars?
IMMIGRATION
* (Federal-level candidates:) Should the U.S. expand a legal guest-worker program or legal immigration, and, if so, by how much?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should Colorado government force employers to verify with the federal government the legal status of potential employees, and, if so, what penalties should apply for failure to do so?
* Should federal or state tax-funded benefits (depending on which office you seek), including K-12 education, be extended only to U.S. citizens, to legal immigrants and guest workers, or to everyone in the U.S. including illegal immigrants?
PROPERTY RIGHTS
* What restrictions, if any, should be placed on the use of eminent domain?
* Do you endorse the use of eminent domain in the case of the Pinon Canyon military expansion? Do you support the military expansion if it does not involve eminent domain?
* Should the Endangered Species Act be altered or differently enforced?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should the smoking ban be maintained, expanded, or repealed? Should it apply to on-stage performances?
BILL OF RIGHTS
* Should McCain-Feingold and state campaign finance restrictions be repealed, maintained, or expanded?
* Should the federal government control what radio or television stations may broadcast?
* Should the FTC’s rules regarding blogger endorsements be rescinded?
* Should students with licenses be legally permitted to carry concealed handguns on the property of tax-subsidized colleges?
* Should additional restrictions be added (or repealed) on gun ownership? Please specify.
* Do you believe that desecration of the U.S. flag should be outlawed by Constitutional amendment?
* Do you believe that pornography or obscene materials involving consenting adults should be legally restricted?
OTHER
* Should state or federal laws (depending on which office you seek) pertaining to marijuana be altered, and, if so, how?
* (State-Level Candidates:) Should rules pertaining to petitioners be altered, and, if so, how?
* If there is any important issue that you believe we have missed, please state what it is and state your position on it.
Thank you.
Candidates Should Giddy Up and Answer Survey (Free Press column)
At Least Dan Maes Answered the Questions (Free Press column)
Curtis Harris Libertarian for Congress
Dan Maes Republican for Governor
Rich Hand Independent for Governor
John Finger Libertarian for U.S. Senate
Cleve Tidwell Republican for U.S. Senate
John Hargis Independent for Third Congressional
I have been dismissive of Dan Maes, who is challenging presumptive front-runner Scott McInnis for the Republican nomination for governor. (See my first, second, and third set of comments.) But Maes shows up and answers questions, and that counts for a lot. His tenacity earns him at least a second glance — especially given that McInnis is the ideal candidate of few.
I talked with Maes at the December 21 Liberty On the Rocks holiday party (er, “Christmas party!”) hosted by the Independence Institute. We talked about a number of issues, but I assured him the conversation was off the record. He also complained that I had not given enough consideration to his candidacy. So I figured I’d invite him to further articulate some of things we talked about, on the record. I sent him five questions, which he generously answered. My questions are in bold.
I appreciate you giving me your time at the II event to discuss your campaign.
I would like to again give you the opportunity to further articulate your views, on the record. I have a number of questions arising from our conversation. I will be happy to publish your replies, unaltered, on my web page.
1. As governor, what would be your role in dealing with the military’s desire to expand Pinon Canyon operations? [See the write-up about McInnis's statements on eminent domain for background.]
I would like to act as a mediator and seek out a mutually beneficial solution if possible. I do not see issues like this as zero sum. I only have the ranchers’ input thus far and they have presented a very strong case for preservation based on many valuable criteria not limited to private property rights, less federalization of state land, and cultural history. I await the Army’s position in detail beyond a GAO report that has unaddressed exemptions in it.
2. Generally, when do you believe eminent domain is appropriate, if ever?
It is a constitutionally acceptable process and should be applied on a case by case basis. Application of the practice should only be exercised when there is a clear and convincing case for a purely public use and benefit.
3. Please explain what specific economic policies you would adopt. Would you seek to cut specific taxes?
Yes, personal income tax and business property tax. Possibly explore a Fairtax (consumption tax).
Cut specific state programs?
Yes, TBD.
Roll back specific economic controls?
Clarify please.
[I was under the impression that Maes wanted to cut certain regulations on business, and I was trying to figure out which regulations he might want to repeal or modify. I will be happy to post Maes's additional comments on the matter if he cares to send them.] Many politicians, including W. Bush and Obama, promised to cut taxes, so I’m looking for some specific proposals.
I see our energy industry and the accompanying tax revenues as an enormous potential for our state just like our energy producing neighbors. With aggressive and responsible energy policies we could increase these revenues dramatically. Simultaneously, I have articulated my position on downsizing government FTE [full-time employees] by up to 4000.
I will defend Tabor while seeking a better balance with the effects of Amendment 23. I am a strong advocate for public schools as I have two children attending them, however; we must seek more fiscally responsible reform.
Cutting taxes is part of my plan but only after we have struck an appropriate sizing of state government and started a statewide recovery.
4. As you know, the Colorado legislature directs corporate welfare to a variety of industries, including tourism and energy. What are your views of corporate welfare?
I would like to examine the specifics in each case. Our state constitution clearly states we are not to make investments in private entities. I want to honor the spirit of our federal and state constitutions. I do see tax breaks as viable incentives to spur our economy.
5. The “personhood” measure slated for the 2010 ballot states, “As used in sections 3, 6, and 25 of Article II of the state constitution, the term ‘person’ shall apply to every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being.” Please explain your views on this measure.
I support it with the understanding that the life of the child is equal to that of the mother and shall never be considered more important than that of the mother.
I appreciate your pledge to answer the survey coming soon from my dad and me. That will probably come out the first days of January.
In closing, understand that we have 3 months until caucuses, 5.5 months until state assembly, and 11 months until the general election. It is still a tad early to have all the answers but I hope I have given you something to start with. Contrary to my opponent, I do have a copy of the current state budget and will continue to examine it, get consultation on it, and come
ready to provide even more specifics in the near future. Thank you.
I will indeed be interested to see whether McInnis is as forthcoming in his answers to the upcoming survey. (I also hope the survey prompts even more specific and revealing answers from Maes on a variety of issues.) I believe the voters of Colorado deserve to know where candidates stand on the issues.
By the way, a People’s Press Collective article discusses some of the recent comments of the candidates, including McInnis’s comments about the CSU gun ban.
Talking both with Maes and with Clive Tidwell, the underdog in the U.S. Senate race, I picked up a “throw the bums out” vibe, which is to be expected from candidates with no political experience running against seasoned former politicians. However, I have no interest in replacing one bum with another, potentially worse one. While experience and biography do matter in these political races, I hope ultimately they are about fundamental ideas and their application to policy. So I will continue to try to get candidates to articulate their ideas and policies as fully as possible. I hope the voters — and other political writers — join me in this.
In the comments to my recent post about Dan Maes, “Mike” reminded me about a proposal to expand military lands around Piñon Canyon.
Lynn Bartels writes for the December 10 Denver Post, “Republicans opposed to the military’s Piñon Canyon expansion project are disappointed that property rights weren’t addressed when party leaders unveiled a new platform and rallied around gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis.”
Here is how the Post’s article summarizes the issue: “The Army wants to [expand] its 235,000-acre Piñon Canyon training maneuver area by almost 100,000 acres. The Army has promised to acquire the land only from a willing seller or through a long-term lease, but landowners in the impacted areas in southeastern Colorado fear their property will be seized, adversely-affected or the military will eventually want even more land.”
It is important, then, to distinguish between expansion of the military lands and the use of eminent domain. Property rights do not always protect the owner from being “adversely affected.” For instance, unless you live in an HOA that controls for such things, your neighbor might paint his house an ugly color, park ugly cars in front, and otherwise do things that incidentally reduce the value of your property. So we must limit the discussion to actual violations of property rights, such as the use of eminent domain to forcibly seize property from those unwilling to voluntarily sell it.
According to State Representative Steve King, McInnis said the government “is no longer threatening eminent domain in the Piñon Canyon expansion.” Apparently, then, McInnis’s support of the project assumed that eminent domain would not be used.
However, the Fifth Amendment states that private property may be taken for public use for just compensation. Do McInnis’s critics wish to claim that government ought never use eminent domain, even though the Constitution explicitly authorizes it? That’s my position, but I think McInnis’s critics need to detail their views. If Republicans are going to beat up their candidates for considering eminent domain for an obviously public use, that’s a high bar, and one that should be set intentionally rather than as a pretext for partisan attacks.
Another comment by McInnis on the matter is more troubling. According to the Post, McInnis said, “Balancing the deep need that Colorado has for quality jobs with the rights of Piñon Canyon property owners requires leadership and dialogue.”
I believe that property rights should be consistently protected, not “balanced” against some alleged need to forcibly seize property for somebody else to use. I would be interested to learn if McInnis’s Republican critics believe that eminent domain should be abolished across the board, or if they merely want to restrict the practice to somebody else’s property.
In the meantime, it would be helpful if McInnis would further clarify his views on eminent domain and property rights.
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