Ten Questions…Senate Debate (part 1)

Today I’m going to begin the “debate” portion of my Ten Questions features. What I’ve done is taken each question and placed the answers from each of my nine responders (ten for Question #10) under each one. They are in random order so no one has an advantage by always getting the last word in, as it were.

I have done a little bit of editing this time, in that I decided not to place links or campaign website references inside the answers. (However, misspellings and poor grammar are retained.) If you’d like to see the original Ten Questions answered by each candidate I’ll link them below as I introduce each one. Unfortunately I only got about 1/3 of the candidates to return the questions and right now those who returned the surveys aren’t polling above 5% so it’s looking like the also-rans are the only ones who answered.

But I’m going to carry on anyway, because this is a public service after all and there IS usefulness to this as Green Party aspirant Kevin Zeese is assured a place on the November ballot. Thus, it’s good to compare his answers to the more mainstream parties’ folks.

First I’m going to do Questions 1 through 3 for both the Senate and the Maryland General Assembly (that post will be tomorrow.) In order of appearance on Question #1, the candidates responding are:

Mike Schaefer, Democrat – website and original Ten Questions responses.
Richard Shawver, Republican – no website, original Ten Questions responses.
Kevin Zeese, Green – website and original Ten Questions responses.
Allan Lichtman, Democrat – website and original Ten Questions responses.
Dennis Rasmussen, Democrat – website and original Ten Questions responses.
Lih Young, Democrat – no website, original Ten Questions responses.
Earl Gordon, Republican – no website, original Ten Questions responses. He did not respond to all questions either since I gleaned them from a 47 page treatise he sent to me.
Daniel “The Wig Man” Vovak, Republican – website and original Ten Questions responses.
David Dickerson, Democrat – website and original Ten Questions responses.
Blaine Taylor, Democrat – no website, original Ten Questions responses.
George English, Democrat – website and original Ten Questions response. English only answered Question #10, the rest of the time he deferred to his website.

Enjoy the debate.

Question #1:

There are several schools of thought regarding the problem of illegal immigrants, or as some would call them, “undocumented workers.” Some solutions offered range from complete amnesty to sealing the border with a wall to penalizing employers who hire these workers. Currently there are competing House and Senate measures – in particular the House bill has spawned massive protests around the country. While I have listed some of the possible solutions, it’s no exhaustive list. What solutions do you favor for the issue?

Schaefer: My campaign demands we think outside the box.

In WWII we prohibited the sending of US dollars to countries we were at war with. And I think with any country as we needed our monetary base at home to remain strong.

We need to promptly ban the sending of US dollars by wire, mail, or personal delivery, from a USA base to a recipient in Mexico. Most of these dollars are untaxed US earnings. And the act of modest-income earners fulfilling their moral equivalent of our athlete’s “Buy Momma a House” with their new-found riches, works to impoverish the Mexico illegals who are struggling to find decent housing, decent food and clothings, and assist their children with the new-found costly lifestyle. We must force those who earn bucks to spend it here, this helps our economy too, and the incentive of the Mexican poor to come to Lama-land and send hom the riches to their loved ones, will VANISH and so will the desire of many to leave their loved ones if they cannot be sending them pots of gold.

Shawver: Illegal immigrants, are illegal. Anyone hiring illegal’s are breaking the law. Send the illegal’s back, fine the employer’s.

Zeese: I favor legal borders, legal workers, legal immigration. But to achieve that we need to face up to the real underlying issue and that is economic. I find the House and Senate as posturing rather than facing up to the real economic problems — because they have both helped cause the economic problems that spur immigration. We have tripled to quadrupled the border patrol in recent years, arrest a million people trying to cross but still have a larger problem with undocumented immigrants. Why? Because enforcement cannot trump economics and our trade and other policies have made the economic problem worse. For example, NAFTA (supported by both Democrats and Republicans) has pushed one million Mexican farmers off their farms — they get pushed into the cities where there is already economic stress and as a result millions are desperate. So, desperate they risk coming across the border. We need to renegotiate NAFTA. These and other treaties like the WTO are not really free trade agreements, they are agreements that empower big business multi-national corporations and they do so at the cost of working families in the US and south of the border. In the US workers are growing more desperate — deeper into debt than ever before, more and more without health insurance, unable to afford the rising costs — especially of energy and homes, with median family income dropping and poverty rising for five years in a row. Thus, when working families see immigrants it is easy for the big business and big government interests to divide and conquer — the immigration issue is being used by those in power to keep power. This is a phony debate, nothing was ever going to be done on it, it is pure election year grandstanding not a real attempt to solve the problem. Solving the problem of illegal immigration would require facing up to the special interests — the big business interests — that control both old political parties.

Lichtman: I strongly oppose a punitive approach to immigration, including any laws like H. R. 4437 that could potentially punish teachers, clergy, social service workers and doctors who have a moral duty to serve all people in need, including the immigrant community. No American should be forced to choose between helping those people in urgent need of assistance because of excessive fear of facing penalties. I also favor a rigorous approach to citizenship for undocumented workers such as that provided in the Kennedy-McCain framework, much of which is incorporated in the current Senate bill.

Although I believe that we need to secure our borders I believe that only long-term approach to illegal immigration is a comprehensive North American solution to immigration and Homeland Security which would include the United States, Canada and Mexico working conjointly as a community on economic development, mutual security, infrastructure, education, and labor policy.

Rasmussen: First and foremost – the flow of illegal aliens must be stopped. If that means more patrols, enhanced technology, bringing in the National Guard and building barriers, then let’s do it!

Second – we need to implement formidable disincentives so that businesses do not hire illegals. That means sizable fines and other legal sanctions. We need to be able to have employers verify an immigrant’s status.

Third – we need to register all aliens. If you do not have a valid “citizen” or “visitor” I.D., then you discontinue all public assistance.

Fourth – We need to recognize that we can’t deport 12 million people. Currently, we cannot track down all the individuals for whom there are open arrest warrants, and we know their names, where they live and where they work. Identifying, much less deporting, 12 million illegal aliens with no incentive to identify themselves is unrealistic. For those who meet the requirements on a selective system, we must assimilate them into our society.

Basically, I like the concept of “Closed Borders and Open Doors” with a selective, but fair, immigration policy. Diversity has been a strength of America. However, we are a nation of laws, which must be enforced.

Young: Stop minorities bashing. Support civilian review board. Improve quality officials. race relationships, diversity in good faith, not rhetoric or abuse as often by “fraud-crime- injustice networks”. Clean-up; not relaying/shuffling at the expense of justice, productivity, good workers, minorities, immigrants. Investigate/ prosecute/ eliminate: unjust appropriation, siphoning resources to benefit a few.
All people, including minorities have a lot to contribute; should have opportunities to reach their potential. Support: good-faith diversity, not rhetoric or bad-faith (used for wrong purposes: unjust practices, unlawful acts, falsification, false/misleading testimonies, bad proposals, or for token only etc.), equality (opportunities, education, employment, business, procurement, contracting, promotion; learning, environment); fair election process; people input, open public hearings, town hall meetings (not for formality only); accurate timely information, report, statistics; assistance to needy, disability, elderly, vulnerable, but not to be diverted to benefit a few or “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks” operation. Protect people (rights, resources, reputation, liberties, constitutional, litigation, jury trials, due process, grievance, complaint, records), families, affiliations, social relationships, heritages. Improve: accountability, cost-effectiveness; benefit people, all ethnic groups, (not like current system siphoning public fund/resources (local- federal) mainly to benefit a few); quality of officials. Support affirmative action, smart growth, “proper growth”. Restore principle, function, fairness, non-discrimination. Examine/ eliminate: racial profiling, endless unjust practices, double standards; false arrest, citation, charges, detention, incarceration, bond/bail, unjust sentencing, police brutality, “official misconduct- fraud- crime- injustice networks”; improper accounting, records; abuse/diversion of social benefit programs, distortion of fund; disparity of inmate population, false excuses/disguise of abuse, detention, imprisonment. Many officials (3 branches, past, current) are problems, not solution; unjust manipulation, influence, misleading, deceit; controlled by or be part of “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks” = 4th branch which overlap private and public sectors. Eliminate serious problems: public agencies, private businesses (e.g., financial, legal/judicial, accounting, etc.); unjust practices, manipulation, influences; immoral, unethical, unlawful acts, fraud, crime; falsification, false excuses, false arrest, citations, liens, foreclosure, etc; deprive/ damage/ destroy people (individuals, families, business; personal, political, civic, association, social relationship); silencing people down with threats, coercion, discrimination, victimization, retaliation, civil/human rights backwards, socio-political problems, vicious cycles, people-slaves; official violation of laws, unjust schemes; bad-faith; sole sources, secret deals, abandonment of public resources especially without public knowledge; distortion of fair market mechanism in many aspects: planning, construction, land deals; disregarding important factors, justification, priorities, cost-benefits (whether education, school construction, economic development, affordable housing, medium priced dwelling units, traffic, parking…,); heavy burden with taxation, bond/debt, fees.

Issues are interrelated, horizontally, vertically, local-global; e.g., budget, education, public safety, health care, etc. See other issue statements. Problem solving approaches: proactive, diagnostic, cost-effective, preventive; not minorities-bashing. America: founded, grown, because of immigrants. Declaration of Independence, US Constitution: simple, valuable for hundreds of years, result of immigration. Republican candidate Steve Rosen seems to forget that with false excuse of illegal immigrants; disregards real problems of “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks”= “EXIS OF EVILS” IN OUR HOMELAND = “super classes of crimes, welfare, parasites” = “cruel tyranny” = “robbery machine” = penetrating, expanding everywhere (inc. non-profit, civic organization) = the most terrifying terrorists on daily basis; worse then World Trade Center 9-11-2001 incidence, pre-emptive wars with Patriot Act, Florida election 2000, President Nixon’s Watergate, Financial/accounting/legal disasters (e.g., Enron bankruptcy), etc; opposite the purposes of education, government function, judicial missions; destroy our society, democracy, justice, peace; with double standards; endless unlawful, criminal acts, unjust schemes, scams, depriving of resources (public, private); fraud, theft, identity theft, hate crime, false arrests, citation, detention, imprisonment, contempt of order, bond/bail; murder, attempt of murder; harassment, victimization, discrimination, retaliation; cause homelessness, poverty, serious socio- political- election- media problems in vicious cycles; civil/human rights backward, people-slave. Scapegoat on minorities: bashing, harassing; false excuses to benefit, facilitate “official misconduct- fraud- crime- injustice networks” operation. In a local candidate forum at Jewish Community Center, Steve Rosen arrogantly said that he could influence media. Candidate LIH YOUNG pointed out that Rosen should examine the violation of “rule of law” (Rosen’s own quoted words), problems about media (LIH YOUNG testified on such and other problems frequently), Rosen’s preference treatment from LWV with earlier access to Dnet, uploading more issues, lengthy statements; evidence of unfairness, unjust manipulation, as often by “official misconduct- fraud- crime- networks”. Note: Candidate LIH YOUNG’s repeated requests, including placing Young’s photo on Dnet was denied, when supposed to. LIH YOUNG SUPPORT: measures to promote democracy, productivity, heath, education, public safety; equality, employment, reaching potential to contribute most. Focus: strengthen the implementation, enforcement of Constitutional law, good existing laws; not abuse, misuse. Protect people’s rights (liberties, constitutional rights, litigation, jury trials, due process, resources, properties, reputation, association); not deprived, damaged, destroyed; not secret detention, deprivation, disparity treatment, sentencing. Investigate/ prosecute/ eliminate the false arrests, detention, falsification, false excuses, unjust practices, manipulation, influences, as often by “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks”. OPPOSE: anti-immigrants approaches, hate-crime; obstruct, destruct, hinder productivity, employment, job search, purchasing power, family life; deprive, damage liberties, rights, resources; bad legislative bills with hidden agenda (regarding unjust heavy penalties, driving, license, vehicles, etc.) to benefit/ facilitate “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks” operation at the expense of the people, especially minorities.

Gordon: The United States does not face an immigration crisis. The United States is just lacking an appropriate refuges policy to deal with people who were displaced by the socioeconomic disaster that was created by the pro American Neo Cons brutal military-political dictatorships in Central and South America over the past years. The United States should treat these refugees with respect and human dignity, mindful of the contribution many are making to the economic stability of the food supply (farm workers) and housing market (construction workers.) Whatever financial cost is incurred by the United States in its treatment of some of these refugees should be charged to the nation from which they came, by subtracting the cost from the foreign aid that is given to these nations by the U.S. (All foreigners should be fully aware that English is the official language of the United States, there is no need for an amendment to the constitution on this issue).

Vovak: Our borders are out of control to the point where private individuals are exceedingly more effective than the government at protecting America against terrorism. The federal government has a department that controls immigration, called the Immigration and Naturalization Service. That department needs to be eliminated or its laws enforced beginning immediately.

Dickerson: We are Americans first, so we all have to stand united and protect the constitution. We cannot offer Amnesty to any illegal immigrants, but we can be humane and offer processes for everyone to work towards becoming American citizens. We need to secure the border, and we can start by requesting the Mexican and Canadian governments to work with us. The Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall did not work in the long term, but we can start ‘cracking down’ on the businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Every human being is looking to make a better life for themselves and their family, so there is no need for us to act against many of the illegal immigrants. If companies cannot find the employees, then the U.S. government needs to do a better job of issuing ‘Temporary Working Visas’ as a rapid response to small business needs, in the event an American cannot fill the job.

Taylor: No amnesty. English is and remains the official language of the land. Deport all Mexican flag wavers back to Mexico where they belong. Deport all 11 million illegal aliens before they become 30 million. Secure all frontiers: Mexico, Canada, seacoasts. Shoot invaders. Halt ALL immigration for the six-month period of January-July 2007 so that the new Democratic Senate and House of Representatives in Congress Assembled can get us OUT of the mess we’re now in, rather than getting in deeper. Simultaneously, open a national debate about the merits and demerits of halting ALL immigration for good. We’re going to have to do it in the end or risk being infiltrated by foreign elements who will, in fact, take over the United States and end our civilization as we know it. Of that I am absolutely convinced—and history is on my side, too. Europe is experiencing huge problems. The will expel all aliens first, and we will be forced to follow suit. If they don’t, won’t, or can’t learn and speak English, they should ALL go.

Question #2:

Another top-burner concern is the current spike in the price of gasoline. Again, this is a broad issue with many scenarios that can be played out. Possible solutions that have been bandied about in recent days are a temporary suspension of the federal 18.4 cent a gallon tax on gasoline and easing environmental restrictions on gasoline blends (as happened after Hurricane Katrina). Further down the road but possibly affecting prices on the futures market would be the approval of additional oil drilling in ANWR and the Gulf of Mexico. If you were elected, what solutions to this issue would you pursue and why?

Gordon: The energy policy of the Neo Cons presents another act of deception. The American people are told that, due to the demands for oil by nation such as China and India, the availability of oil on the world market is very limited. So based on the gospel of supply and demand, the prices are high at the gas pump.

The claim by the administration is as deceptive as Iran/Contra and Iraq WMD claims. There are absolutely no shortage of oil on the world market. The former Soviet Republics have so much oil that they can sell America that, even if the Middle East was up in flames, gas prices should not have been where they are. Moreover, whether one believes it or not, there is enough oil and gas in Central and South America that could serve this nation’s needs for the next one million years at the rate of the present consumption level. This oil could be made available to the American people in a flash, if America’s politics were free of corrupt Neo Cons influences.

Vovak: If Americans want to pay less in gasoline costs, America should use Iraq’s oil. It is a small price for that country to pay for giving them democracy.

Rasmussen: The energy issue is solvable, but it may require the American people and American businesses to compromise to achieve a strategy of conservation and energy independence.

First – The mileage standard for auto and truck performance must be increased at least an additional 4-5 miles/gallon, including SUV’s.

Second – We must provide incentives and approve exploration of the liquefied natural gas resources located on the northern slope of Alaska.

Third – We have limited refining capacity. We must build more. In addition, we need the ability to produce and blend bio-fuels, particularly ethanol.

Fourth – Mobilize the scientific community and provide researchers the funds, facilities and mandate to develop alternative, commercially viable fuels and sources of energy.

Fifth – We need to re-allocate subsidies to the large oil companies and utilize those funds to encourage the development of new power plants and install environmental technology to existing fossil burning power plants to eliminate dangerous mercury emissions.

Shawver: I see no reason why companys can’t drill for oil, as long as they are responsible for any spills.

If we are in Iraq, they should be paying for the war. And we should have all the oil we need.

Zeese: We need to recognize that the 21st Century economy will have to no longer be based on fossil fuels. We have the technology to break our addiction to fossil fuels, including oil and gas but it is not being applied. Once again this is about big business and big government working together for their interests. Every penny increase in the price of oil is $1.5 billion annually for the oil companies. The most recent energy bill had $7 to $12 billion in corporate welfare for the richest companies in the world — big oil. The government is taking money from working Americans and giving it to the wealthiest Americans. We need to restructure our economy for the 21st Century, part of that is shifting from a fossil fuel economy — that is causing terrible environmental damage to our water (including the Chesapeake) and air, but most significantly to the climate change that will cause chaotic weather. We need to move quickly on a variety of fronts to increase efficiency and use technology that minimizes fossil fuels. This includes transportation, home, business and government buildings. For all of these areas we have solutions and applying them will actually grow the economy and create new businesses. If we do not act to manage this transition it will be forced upon us by crisis. We need urgent action in this area.

Taylor: The immediate solution is for the Federal government to take over—nationalize/socialize—ALL gas and oil production faciltiies in this nation, and I make no bones about it, either! The REAL solution, however, is to turn completely AWAY from gas, oil, ethanol and all other fossil-based fuels and TOWARD wind, solar, water, and controlled nuclear power to meet our country’s energy needs for the rest of the 21st Century. In the end, we will, indeed, do exactly this: the only remaining question is: How soon? My answer is to START in 2007, and forge ruthlessly ahead.

Schaefer: Additional oil drilling is a positive, we need to be less energy dependent. Tax credits for purchase of hybrid or electric vehicles need to be increased and promoted. A luxery tax on inefficient new cars is needed, let people buy Hummers but pay a 20% federal luxery tax for any vehicle that does not meet certain standards of efficiency to be set by the states or the feds.

And we need a cap of $2 million on CEO pay, it would be five times the pay of the US President, now 400K. They can have stock options but the $60 million pay taken last year by at least l0 CEO’s earns them prosecution for misapproriaton of shareholder equities. This would not mean much at the pump but the oil companies are prominent among the violators.

Young: Major transaction or land deal should be rigorously reviewed objectively by academically very well trained, based on merits, priorities, cost- effectiveness, social cost-benefits, etc., through competitive processes, general soliciting, fair market mechanism; not arranged by the developer or inner circle; should be openly discussed with residents, in official meetings, Mayor/Council/ public hearings; not misleading, concealing, unjust manipulation or influence; not rushed through as the consent agenda items as mall purchases of goods and services. Eliminate, prevent: abandonment of public resources, land, properties to benefit a few or “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks” including developer, government attorneys, lawyers, law firms, etc.) at the expense of general public and future generations, including other jurisdictions, especially with grants and public debts from the state and federal; sold, leased out (secret hidden agenda, even huge acres, decades-long lease) with zero or no fair compensation, despite citizen’s objection; unnecessarily leased private properties for government use at very high costs even with short lease (a few years or shorter); with extra high costs to construct building, furnish expansive equipments; and when construction is done, lease expires, completed products abandoned or free to a few; often disguised by partnership, economic development, school, education, public safety, etc.; several rounds of unjust abandonment and purchase; misleading public roads, highways, when abandoned to private; unjust projects, appropriation; misuse, abuse, misappropriation; false road construction, maintenance; false records: land, roads, maps; unjust demolition of building even in good condition to initiate new construction, project, purchase, including library or school.

Lichtman: With gas prices soaring above $3 a gallon it is time to stop talking about cutting prices and start taking action. The following is my plan for cutting prices at the pump for the people of Maryland and the nation, both now and in the long term. This is a real plan for change, not the purely rhetorical gesture made by George W. Bush:

1. Provide new powers for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and crack down on price gouging by the big oil companies. Exxon made a record $36 billion in profit last year and recently paid out some $400 million to its retiring CEO, exploding the excuse that soaring pump prices are solely the product of rising costs.

2. Impose an excess profits tax on the big energy companies with an exception for profits devoted to research into and production of clean, renewable sources of energy.

3. Eliminate state anti-competitive laws, including the Maryland law, which prevents retailers from reducing prices below a specified minimum.

4. Enforce the anti-trust laws to increase competition in the heavily concentrated energy industry.

5. Adopt a plan now for converting a substantial component of the fossil fuel economy to clean, renewable sources of energy. Components of the plan would include:

o Adopt Fuel Economy Standards: We need to adopt real, loophole-free, fuel economy standards for motor vehicles, not the shell game that President Bush has proposed. Even a modest average 5 miles per gallon increase in real fuel economy could save more than 20 billion gallons per year by 2020, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

o Flip the Subsidies: The government must flip subsidies, tax breaks, and research and development programs from fossil fuels to clean, renewable sources of energy. This would include repealing the $12 billion in subsidies to big oil and gas companies in Bush’s energy bill and devoting the proceeds to developing and producing alternative energy sources.

o Convert Government Fleets: We can begin to convert all government vehicular fleets to low emission, fuel efficient vehicles, including the latest in plug-in hybrid technology and bio-mass fuels.

o Upgrade Efficiency Standards: We need to upgrade energy efficiency standards for appliances and buildings and create incentives for conservation and the cogeneration of energy.

o Make a Commitment to Conservation: The U. S. spend less than $1billion a year on conservation measures, a substantial reduction since the Clinton years. We need a real federal commitment to conservation as well as leaders who will work with the American people to promote a new conservation ethic.

o Advance Research: The government must establish a first-class federal research program devoted to the development of alternative fuels and conservation initiatives.

We can reduce prices at the gas pump, put consumers ahead of excess profits for energy companies, and convert to clean, renewable sources of energy. It is a matter of will, not technology. As President Kennedy said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone…”

Dickerson: As U.S. Senator, I would immediately recommend that our country has a meeting with the OPEC members to forge an agreement that prevents another Energy Crisis that we experienced in this country. I remember the day sitting in the car with my father at 3:00a.m. because we had to stand in line at the pump to get gas. China and India’s development has placed more demands for fuel, thus we are seeing a rise in the prices. When the Premier of China visited the United States, he had stopped off in Nigeria to forge relationships and agreed to invest in their infrastructure development. We should reconsider our policy of nation-building in Iraq, and look to secure our relationships with oil producing countries around the world. Does oil drilling in ANWR and the Gulf of Mexico solve the long term strategic problem? No! We also need to immediately be concerned with our National Security and begin developing an Alternative Energy source. Exxon did purchase Reliance Electric years ago, and then they put them out of business when they had invented an Electric Car. I would recommend that we work with Germany and Japan to develop our Alternative Fuel research and development in Maryland. My experience in working in Germany and Japan could support that idea.

Question #3:

Recently the news has featured ethics scandals involving GOP donor Jack Abramoff and former House member Duke Cunningham of California as well as Democrat House members William Jefferson of Louisiana and Allan Mollohan of West Virginia. If elected, what steps would you take to help eliminate ethical improprieties among our elected representatives?

Young: Rigorous review, analysis: budget, based on merit, principle, priorities, cost-effectiveness, social cost-benefits. Promote quality, peace, justice, fair election processes; televise, disseminate, maintain meaningful information; issue, candidate, debate. Oppose: unjust practices, manipulation, influence; bad legislative proposals, hidden agenda with false excuses (economic development, housing, transportation…whatever) for private gain (officials, developers, lawyers, etc.); nonsense grants, programs, projects: facilitate “official misconduct- government gang- fraud- crime- injustice networks”=cruel tyranny= robbery machine; continuing, on-going, expanding, penetrating, threat, coercion, victimization, deprivation, discrimination; endless immoral-unlawful acts, rob/destruct resources (public, private; business, civic, political), frivolous litigation, levies, foreclosures; improper processing of complaints, proceedings, docketing; cause vicious cycles: socio- political- election-media; civil-human rights, people-slave.

Vovak: The American system seems to be working, as unethical officials are being caught. In time, more will be caught.

Rasmussen: This one is really simple. No ability for lobbyist organizations, including trade associations to give, raise or steer campaign contributions to anyone in office or running for office. Take that ability away, and you have instant reform. The role of the lobbyist is to educate and inform, not control the power to vote.

Dickerson: Term limits, campaign finance and lobbying reform. If all men are created equal, then it should not be that the major press only favors the candidates with the money. Our founding fathers never established term limits, but did they expect Edward Kennedy to be in the U.S. Senate since I was born in 1962? I propose no more than two terms of office for the U.S. Senate. However, I still think that it serves our democracy for the better by allowing candidates at the last minute to file in this state without requiring them to have petitions signed. The winds of change need to allow for someone to step forward without any barriers.

Shawver: To eliminate ethical improprieties Article 1, Section 5.

Lichtman: Maryland needs a Senator who understands how corruption eroded our government and is ready to stand as a watchdog against practices that sell out the people’s interests to the wealthy corporations. As a Senator I pledge to fulfill that role and to accept no perks or benefits from special interest groups – no junkets to foreign lands, no weekends at lush resorts, no fact-finding trips that become golf holidays. As an educator I understand the importance of setting a role model for students. As a Senator I would do no less for the people of Maryland.

I would also propose much stricter regulation of lobbying than in the sham Republican proposal. Real reforms would ban privately-funded travel and all forms of gifts to lawmakers, restrict former members of Congress from lobbying for two years, and establish an independent ethics-oversight committee. The people’s interests should never be sold out for the wealthy corporate interests.

Taylor: The Senate and House should expel all such members who are crooks, and press the judiciary for the full serving of all sentences, with NO parole.

Zeese: Money in politics is at the root cause of most of the problems we face. I don’t agree with Sen. John McCain on everything but he is right when he says that our “electoral system is nothing less than a massive influence peddling scheme where both parties conspire to sell the country to the highest bidder.” If you doubt the accuracy of the statement visit opensecrets.org and see who is funding the two old parties. If you know it is true, as most Americans know, then you have to decide whether you are going to be part of this corrupt system or challenge it. I’ve decided to challenge it and that is why I am running outside of the two old parties. I’ve created a UNITY CAMPAIGN. For the first time in history three parties have nominated the same candidate — the Libertarian, Green and Populist Parties – also I have members of the Democratic and Republican Parties as well as Independents on my campaign committee. We are joining together because government no longer works for most Americans. We need a paradigm shift in the way we approach issues and need to make this a country that is truly of, by and for the people. That cannot be done by either of the old parties because they are in too deep with the wealth special interests that fund their campaigns.

I oppose earmarks, oppose travel paid for by lobbyists, oppose sweetheart book deals and want to see money having less influence on politics. I favor televsion and radio stations — who are licensed to use the public airwaves — to be required to provide enough time for candidates to let voters know what they stand for. I also support inclusion of all ballot approved candidates in all debates and candidate forums. And, we need to end partisan administration of elections — elections should be administered in a non-partisan way by civil servants rather than political appointees. Our democracy is in serious trouble and major changes are needed.

Schaefer: I have known Cummingham for over ten years. He has serious mental blocks and deserves what he got, guess being treated like a hero for all those years before running for Congress made him think he was invincable. Am happy to see this issue be on the front burner. I would double the budget for the Department of Justice’s public integrity unit and have monitoring of all local, county, state and federal officials by random surprise checks and US Attorneys ordered to bring all published or unpublished criticism of official ethnics to the attention of the DOJ public integrity unit for evaluation.

I applaud Nancy Pelosi for pushing the removal of Jefferson from his Committee.

I think pension benefits ought be reduced 50% or eliminated upon conviction, or the actual funds paid in refunded, without intereset, so that the Congress can terminate its relationship with those who dishonor it.

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That’s all for tonight. I’ll do Questions 4 through 6 next Wednesday and Questions 7 through 10 next Friday. Meanwhile, look for the Maryland General Assembly post tomorrow, I wasn’t on the computer much this evening as the lights flickered menacingly on several occasions with the gusty winds.