Questionnaire Response: George Barry
Here are the responses to the Flashpoint Candidate Questionnaire from Alabama 5th District Congressional candidate George Barry:
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.
H.R.1940 “The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2007″
H.R. 25 ” Fair Tax Bill”
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?
Current funding request have been only 2.1% to 2.5% increase each year from 2000 to 2013, except for 2008 from 2007 was 6% increase (16.285 Bil to 17.309 Bil ). 2.5% increase does not seem enough to cover inflation cost. I witnessed the Moon landing in the 60’s and understand all the benefits NASA has provided our country in technology etc.
NASA has chosen to go back to Apollo Style Launch Vehicles and away from Reusable Shuttles. There would be a vast wealth of knowledge if we kept all the old Apollo data. But NASA is having to start from scratch and do it by 2014. If not we are dependent on the Soviets. Yuk!
Current funding levels do not seem adequate.
P.S. Section 8 of the Constitution calls on Congress ‘To promote the progress of Science…’
3. Please provide a description of what you feel would be appropriate Constitutional gun restrictions.
My feeling are not important, the Constitution makes the call. I am not for gun restrictions (See 2nd Amendment). Guns do not kill, people kill. Gun in the hands of law abiding citizens is the best deterrent for abusive government and invasion.
4. What makes you the best prepared candidate to represent the interests of Redstone Arsenal?
I feel I am the best candidate with the strongest Constitutional beliefs.
As stated many time the first mandate of or Federal Government is national defense.
Economy
5. What is the role of the federal government in the Economy?
Section 8 of the Constitution states, among other things, that Congress is to ‘..Pay debt, regulate commerce with foreign nations, coin money and regulate the value.
Well they gave up ‘regulating the value’ that protected the citizens. They now serve special interest, which is not in our interest. Congress roll is huge and needs to be directed towards the protection of the people.
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.
The Federal Government is too big. I am not in favor of raising any taxes.
All the data shows that lower taxes stimulate a free market economy. The Federal Government has taken upon itself programs that they never had the authority to have.
7. What is your position on free trade? How would you vote on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement? Do you support continuing NAFTA?
Free Trade sounds great, but history has shown that it is not Fair Trade.
I was not in agreement in 1993 when the US embarked on the NAFTA or GATT agreements. That is why I did not support certain candidates back then. Most the agreements did not create a level playing field to US disadvantage. There are many things needing corrected in NAFTA, especially with China and India. The Devil is in the details. Now with that said, concerning Columbia, the intent is to grow a partner that will turn from our unfriendly neighbors like Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela’s Chavez.
Columbia is trying to build a market economy and get away from its drug-warring past. We can build an ally if we do it right. I do not know all the details of the Columbia Agreement at this time, but if it adversely effects US Citizens we need to address it.
Government Ethics & Corruption
8. What efforts would you make to increase the public’s trust in government?
More C-Span more Revolutionary Citizens.
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.
More and more earmarks are more and more debt. We are mortgaging our children’s future with wasteful spending. Gee, just 15 out of 535 members, lets make it 16.
Social Security
10. What are your thoughts on Social Security? Is it in trouble, if so, how do you propose to fix it?
Social Security has been in trouble since the 60’s. Congress has addressed this several times in the past much to the consternation of one group or another. At present it will be out of money in 2019 and thus another debt train. According to the Congressional Budget Office, approximately 80 percent of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than in federal income taxes. Thus some changes must be made.
- Adjust current Social Security benefits to a more sustainable level.
- Create a simple, low-cost administrative structure for the accounts that uses the current payroll tax system and professional investment managers.
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?
Most likely Iran and North Korea. Since both leaders are irrational the solution is difficult. The US must be firm and forthright, if either of you make a move you will become a parking lot. All the while we must build a missile defense safeguard to protect the border of any attack.
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?
The US Department of Education did not exist before 1978. It was created by Jimmy Carter. Before then we had a much better system without Fed involvement. Vouchers and tax credits are a good idea. The primary responsibility of education is with the parent, they need the choice.
Health Care
13. What responsibility does the federal government have for health care? What are your thoughts on addressing the issue?
The Federal Government should not create a national health care system.
Keep it private but insure lower cost prescription drugs by opening up competition from, let’s say, Canada.
Iraq
14. What is your position on the Iraq War? Are we winning? When should we leave?
Per a discussion with a US Marine that just returned from Iraq, yes it is improving. The Congress must not micro manage the war, let the military to that.
However, the long term solution will require the Iraq Government divesting the Industry that is controls and privatize it. The government in Iraq runs the oil industry, the medical industry and all manufacturing. The sect that controls the government controls the jobs right now. If they don’t the internal fighting will never cease.
When to leave is when the Iraq military are up to speed to handle Iran, that may be1 to 2 more years, per this soldier. There are approx. 139,000 US troops in Iraq. There are about 80,000 contracted forces like Blackwater and others that are paid 4 time the US soldier. Those guys need to leave. They are, per this US Marine, creating more problem for out troops than they are worth.
Taxes
15. What specific measures would you support to change our federal tax code?
The Fair Tax has some great solutions for an alternative. It will abolish all the bureaucratic structure in the IRS now. Must stop useless spending and shrink the beast that needs feeding.
Immigration
16. What should the federal government do about immigration? What impact have illegal immigrants had on Alabama?
Close the border, correct the anchor baby misinterpretation, some kind of employer sanctions must be fair and uniform and no more benefits. Last estimate is that Alabama cost of Illegal immigrants is $20 million.
Abortion & Other Social Issues
17. Which term best describes you: pro-life or pro-choice?
Pro-life. I helped start Life Home in Huntsville in the 90’s as a Christian alternative to abortion.
18. Would you address the issue of human trafficking and slavery in the US and worldwide?
This is part of the Illegal Immigration problem. With open borders the trafficking from Mexico is estimated to be about 10,000 girls a year. This must stop.
19. Would you support an amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as being between one man and one woman?
Yes I would but that is not my first choice. Marriage is not a Federal issue. If anything it is a state issue or, better yet, a church Issue.
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?
Create more competition. The US needs to be energy independent not dependent on the whims of the oil producing nations.
More drilling and alternative energy exploration. Need Fed incentives to encourage private investment in exploration and or clean coal gasification.
Softball
21. Are there any questions you wish we had asked? Go ahead and answer it.
Well, the main question we get all time is what to do with Illegal Aliens.
All Illegals are rational people. They left their home and friends to risk illegally entering another nation.
WHY? Jobs, feed their family, escape the corruption of their own nation.
THE RISK: To stay in their own country it is the same oh., same oh. To stay there is not hope. They are taught that in America nothing will be done if they cross the border. They are even encouraged to come to the US by their government who is teaches that the next US President will provide amnesty. It must be painful to come to the US illegally
SOLUTION:
- Employer Sanctions
- Who knowingly employs Illegal Aliens
- State can not impose Penalty or Fines
- Recommend use E-verify (Optional – Birth Certificate)
- Wages Paid to IA cannot be deducted from Taxes
- Restrict Public Benefits
- Except in Emergency (Medical, Real Emergency)
- Deny- Housing – Food Stamps – Medicare /Medicaid
- Since 1996 Congress has REQUIRED STATES to Deny Public Benefits (Title 8, Sect 1621)
- Post Secondary Education Restrictions
- Fed Immigration Law (1996) says, “You can not give state tuition rates to illegal unless you apply to all citizens of other States.”
- State Level Crime
- Arizona made it a crime to “HUMAN TRAFFIC”
- Plus “Anti Smuggling Laws”
- NOTE: Can not criminalize above the Fed laws
- State Police Assistance Training
- Alabama has 50 officers with authorization to check status.
- Denied Driver License
- Still 8 states grant DL to Illegal Aliens – Fed has to say no
- Verify Citizenship
from → Politics
I’m inmpressed with the answer to the marriage amendment question. I’ve held the position that marriage is not governemnt’s concern, but the church’s for awhile.