The Flashpoint AL-05 Candidate Questionnaire

In order to better understand the views of each of the eight candidates vying to be their party’s nominee for the AL-05 congressional seat the authors of Flashpoint have created a candidate questionnaire. The questions were designed to generally fit within the top ten “issues of importance” in the congressional races according to Rasmussen polling data, although a few local and general questions were added.

The questionnaires were sent to each candidate with a publicly available email address last night and will be delivered to the remaining few this morning. We have asked that responses be returned no later than 16 May. They will be posted on the site for all to read.

So, here’s the list:

General

1. As a freshman legislator you may be limited in the amount of legislation you can personally champion. Please list two or three specific bills that are already pending or that you would introduce that you would personally fight for in order to secure their passage.

2. NASA’s annual budget is approximately one half of one percent of the total federal budget. Do you believe this is adequate to meet the challenges they have been issued to return to the moon and eventually send a manned vehicle to Mars? There appears to be a looming gap between launch requirements and launch asset availability – how would you address this issue? Should their mission and/or funding be altered in any way?

3. Please provide a description of what you feel would be appropriate Constitutional gun restrictions.

4. What makes you the best prepared candidate to represent the interests of Redstone Arsenal?

Economy

5. What is the role of the federal government in the Economy?

6. During campaigns candidates are eager to talk about programs they want to create or expand, but something has to give. Would you be willing to eliminate or curtail any programs and/or raise taxes to address budget problems? Please provide specifics.

7. What is your position on free trade? How would you vote on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement? Do you support continuing NAFTA?

Government Ethics & Corruption

8. What efforts would you make to increase the public’s trust in government?

9. Would you pledge to abstain from seeking or accepting earmarks as a member of Congress? Note: According to Citizens Against Government Waste there were five senators and ten representatives who received no earmarks in FY2008.

Social Security

10. What are your thoughts on Social Security? Is it in trouble, if so, how do you propose to fix it?

National Security/War on Terror

11. What country or group do you believe poses the greatest threat to the United States? What actions would you take to secure our safety from this particular threat?

Education

12. Does the country need more or less involvement from the federal government in educating our children? Do you support market based school choice programs such as vouchers or tax credits?

Health Care

13. What responsibility does the federal government have for health care? What are your thoughts on addressing the issue?

Iraq

14. What is your position on the Iraq War? Are we winning? When should we leave?

Taxes

15. What specific measures would you support to change our federal tax code?

Immigration

16. What should the federal government do about immigration? What impact have illegal immigrants had on Alabama?

Abortion & Other Social Issues

17. Which term best describes you: pro-life or pro-choice?

18. Would you address the issue of human trafficking and slavery in the US and worldwide?

19. Would you support an amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as being between one man and one woman?

Energy

20. What should the federal government do, if anything, to decrease fuel prices and what should the government do to develop and promote sustainable alternative energy sources?

Softball

21. Are there any questions you wish we had asked? Go ahead and answer it.