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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Smart Voter
Sacramento County, CA November 2, 2004 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
United States Representative; District 5


The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of California and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on Federal Resources, Foreign Policy, Federal Budget

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.


1. What can be done to ensure that California gets its fair share of federal resources?

Answer from Mike Dugas:

I would work to unify the California Congressional Delegation in a bipartisan effort to secure California's fair share of federal resources.

Answer from Pat Driscoll:

In Congress I would work to direct Federal resources into investing in people, regardless of state. Investments in providing free education, jobs at a living wage, universal health care, social security, clean energy, and equitable taxes will provide a foundation for economic growth and justice that is desperately needed.

Answer from John C. Reiger:

I am not concerned about California getting it's "fair share" of federal resources. I'm much more concerned about working Americans getting there fair share of health care, clean environment, jobs and job safety, personal dignity (non-discrimination), decent income, old age security, and all the other things that go along with a good life.


2. What are your foreign policy priorities for the United States?

Answer from Mike Dugas:

Our first priority should be to secure the borders. Currently our borders are pourous and they need to be sealed off from terrorists. Additionally, the United States should form a new international organization of established democratic nations that promotes representative government and freedom worldwide. This organization should replace the role of the UN Security Council.

Answer from Pat Driscoll:

End the war in Iraq and rebuild cooperative relations with our allies. End our addiciton to oil that drives much of U.S. foreign policy. Halt support for repressive regimes in the Middle East. Reduce terrorism by halting U.S. sponsored terrorists such as those trained by the School Of The Americas.

Answer from John C. Reiger:

1. End U.S. imperialism! Seek peace and security through cooperation and diplomacy. End U.S. unilateralism.
2. Work for economic justice throughout the world. Disband NAFTA, the WTO, and other international agreements that benefit corporations at the expense of workers, citizens, and nations.


3. What are your priorities for the federal budget?

Answer from Pat Driscoll:

Make corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. Reorganize and streamline the military, creating a smaller, more efficient, flexible, and balanced force. Eliminate spending on expensive weapons systems that do nothing to protect us from real threats. From the savings gained by these two measures, fund comprehenisve single-payer health care, free education, and reduce the national debt.

Answer from Mike Dugas:

The Federal deficit needs to be eliminated by reducing spending on wasteful government programs.

Answer from John C. Reiger:

1. Rescind the Bush tax windfall to the rich. Reinstate higher taxes on large corporations and rich individuals.
2. Drastically reduce military spending. Downsize the military to levels appropriate to real needs (not defense industry needs).
3. Use the extra money to create a national health care system , and increase funding to programs that benefit people not corporations.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.


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Created: December 15, 2004 13:39 PST
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