US Senate
Prepared by AAUW, Brevard, NC Branch
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US Senate Prepared by AAUW, Brevard, NC Branch You may scroll down to begin viewing the
information provided by the candidates in this race,
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US Senate Race, 2004
Information provided by Candidates
to AAUW, Brevard Branch
NR, indicating
No Response to a particular question, will appear until a response is received.
….#, indicates that the response exceeded the 50 word limit.
What are your strongest qualifications for this position?
Bowles (D): I’ve spent 35 years building businesses, creating jobs, and helping people succeed. I’ve lived, worked and raised a family in North Carolina. As head of the Small Business Administration and as White House Chief of Staff, I gained experiences that prepared me to be an effective leader in the Senate.
Bailey (L): My strongest qualifications for office are a love of liberty and the Constitution. I am not some kind of saint who knows how to run your life better than you do. I respect the people of the United States. I will obey their law as written in the Constitution.
Burr (R):
NR
| Health: Access
to sound, affordable health care remains an issue of major concern in our
country.
Do you support or oppose the following: |
(D) |
(L) |
(R) |
| Federal support to help laid-off workers pay the cost of keeping their health insurance while they find another job with health benefits | Support |
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| Increasing the federal share of Medicaid costs now borne by the states |
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| Changing the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003 to allow purchase of prescription drugs from Canada |
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| Changing the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003 to permit Medicare to bargain with drug companies for the best prices |
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What revisions do you believe are needed in the Medicare Prescription Durg and Modernization Act of 2003?
Bowles (D): One of my biggest concerns with the Medicare Bill is that the federal government is not given the authority to negotiate prices to lower the costs of prescription drugs. I also believe that re-importation is critical because it allows seniors to buy prescription drugs as cheaply and safely as possible.
Bailey (L): I believe the federal govt should get out of the medical insurance business unless the people of the United States amend their Constitution to reflect a desire for it. Those already dependent will have to be taken care of but the program should be phased out.
Burr (R):
NR
| Social Security: Millions
of Americans depend on Social Security. However, it is generally
agreed that Social Security benefits are at risk for future generations.
Do you support or oppose the following |
(D) |
(L) |
(R) |
| Using Social Security trust funds to pay for other federal expenditures |
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| Keeping the full cost-of-living adjustments |
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| Allowing individuals to invest some portion of their Social Security contributions in private accounts |
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Bowles (D): Congress must be proactive in finding ways to fully fund Social Security by taking steps now to pay down the debt, create surpluses and place those surpluses into the Social Security Trust Fund. I am opposed to any efforts to privatize Social Security.
Bailey (L): Social security is a ponzi scheme that must end. Annuities from private firms should be purchased for those already dependent and others should be freed from its obligations. I believe most people can invest that 15% of the fruits of their labor better than the govt.
Burr (R):
NR
| Education: The
quality and funding of education is a major concern in our country.
Do you support or oppose the following: |
(D) |
(L) |
(R) |
| Increased support for Head Start to bring it to full funding by 2006 |
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| Expanded education and job training for bread-winners of families transitioning from welfare or job loss |
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| Using public funds to support private or church sponsored elementary and secondary education |
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Comment on any or all of your answers above:
Bowles (D): It is our nation’s responsibility to ensure that our school children have access to the best public education possible. Reducing class sizes, supporting our teachers, and increasing funding for early education programs like Smart Start are examples of some cost-effective ways we can increase our commitment to education.
Bailey (L): If the people of the United States want to involve the federal govt in their child's education they are free to amend their Constitution. Until they do, I believe they prefer to maintain local control. I applaud their good sense.
Burr (R):
NR
| Education: No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a significant federal initiative to improve public school education. However, it has been criticized for not providing sufficient funds to states to carry out its requirements. |
What is your opinion
of this federal initiative?
Bowles (D):
I cannot support NCLB unless it is appropriately funded. I believe in setting
high standards and holding people accountable, but you have to give those
people the resources to get the job done and done right. We need to fully
fund NCLB, especially both Title I and II programs.
Bailey (L): Parents are the ones most concerned with their children's educational needs. Parents are far more able to confront and control local school boards and county govts. Parents have almost no chance of influencing national policy. Therefore I oppose federal involvement in education.
Burr (R):
NR
| Environment: Environmental issues are of concern to many Americans. Particularly in North Carolina, air quality is a major concern. |
List three (3) steps you would recommend to address the air quality problem:
Bowles (D):
1. Strengthen the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review Program,
which will give factories more access to pollution control technology.
2. Support efforts
to clean up power plants without weakening the Clean Air Act.
3. Pass a comprehensive
energy plan that reduces consumption and increases conservation.
Bailey (L):
1. The largest polluter is the federal govt. I would take steps
to change that.
2. Federal standards protect polluters from lawsuits. I would
allow suits for actual damages against polluters.
3. I would encourage the use of alternative fuels by encouraging
the govt to research and adopt them for its own use.
Burr (R):
NR
| Economy: The health of our nation's economy is of great concern here and abroad. |
How would you address the issue of our national debt?
Bowles (D): I would use my experience in balancing the federal budget to bring some fiscal sanity back to Washington. We were able to balance the first budget in a generation by working in a bi-partisan manner to find common sense solutions.
Bailey (L): I favor paying off national debt by selling foreign assets and cutting federal spending to the point that there is a surplus. I will save a couple hundred billion annually by ending the war.
Burr (R):
NR
List three (3) steps you would recommend to stem the tide of job loss in the US, particularly in the manufacturing sector:
Bowles (D):
1. Repeal tax breaks that encourage companies to move
jobs overseas.
2. Create new
jobs in America by investing in small businesses.
3. Support research
and development to create the next generation of our manufacturing economy.
You can look at my detailed jobs plan
by visiting my web site at www.bowles2004.com.
Bailey (L):
1. I would eliminate the income tax, the social security tax and
the medicare medicaid tax making labor cheap enough to be profitable for
employers.
2. I would work to reduce the regulatory burden on business.
3. I would cut corporate tax rates.
Burr (R):
NR
| Economy: Thirty five (35) million people now live in poverty in the US. (Poverty in the US:2002. US Census Bureau, Sept. 2003) |
List three (3) steps you would recommend to address the needs of this nation's poor population:
Bowles (D):
1. Education. Improve job training and expand support
for adult literacy.
2. Increase
funding for the earned income tax credit and the refundable child credit
for the working poor
3. Offer
incentives to businesses that are willing to relocate and train workers
in low-income communities.
Bailey (L):
1. Get the federal govt out of their lives.
2. Stop taking money from those who would help the poor in order
to fund govt bureaucracies that don't work.
3. Free the States from federal regulations so they can be more flexible
in their own efforts.
Burr (R):
NR
| Economy: Over
44 million Americans are without health insurance and the numbers are rapidly
rising.
(Health Insurance Coverage in the US: 2002. US Census Bureau, Sept. 2003) |
What solution do you see to this problem?
Bowles (D): The lack of affordable, quality health care is one of the biggest challenges facing us today. We should extend the CHIPS program to cover more kids and their parents and then work in a piecemeal approach until health insurance is truly accessible and affordable for everyone.
Bailey (L): Restore the free market in health services by getting the federal govt out of the business. Reduce the FDA to an advisory board able to make recommendations but without the authority to prohibit.
Burr (R):
NR
| Immigration: New
federal initiatives are being proposed to address the issue of immigration.
Do you support or oppose the following strategies for addressing the issue of illegal immigrants entering the United States? |
(D) |
(L) |
(R) |
| Secure our national borders |
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| Implement a temporary guest worker program |
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| Enforce existing immigration laws |
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| Stronger consequences for employers of illegal immigrant workers |
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Comment on the
above immigration strategy you consider most important:
Bowles (D):
I believe we must do everything we can to enforce our immigration laws,
but we must also recognize that thousands of these residents work hard,
pay taxes and are contributing members of their community.
Bailey (L): America was built by immigrants. Immigrants have a unique perspective on govt which can help preserve our liberties.
Burr (R): NR
Bowles (D): http://www.bowles2004.com