Atlas Forum Primaries: Republican NH Debate

[12th Doctor]

Introduction

First off, I would like to thank Modu for hosting this debate.  I would also like to thank my fellow candidates for being here tonight, and allowing the voters to hear what the people they will be voting for have to say about the issues.  I hope that we can give the people of New Hampshire, and the American voters, the answers that they deserve over the next 10 months.  My friends, I know that you have heard alot of candidates in this race talk about what they have done in the past.  I'm not here to talk about me.  I'm hear to talk about how we can improve America.  I'm hear to talk about how we can improve our health care system and make it accessible and affordable to all families.  I'm here to talk about how we can build on our current education system to prepare our children for the challenges of the future.  I'm here to talk about how we can preserve American values, while not holding our society back from moving forward.  I am here to talk about how we can improve security on our boarders, without shutting millions of people out of the American dream.  I am here to talk about a strategic vision for the future security and prosperity for the world.  And finally, I am here to talk about how we can make this land of ours a land of safety and security, a land where we can raise our children to live up to the hopes and dreams that we have for them, and that they have for themselves and I am here to talk about how we can work together to build a new American century.

question #1

No.  I do not.  I also see the history of campaign finance reform as being a history of one failed boondoggle after another.  When we started down this road, 30 years ago, it was thought that anything would be better than having unreported suitcases of money being left on candidates porches.  So, PAC's were invented to allow organizations to donate small amounts of money to candidates.  These PAC's then manipulated the laws to branch out and donate millions to candidates, and exercise their influence over elected officials.  So, people got tired of that, and now we have a new wave of campaign finance reform.  And, the big donors have just found another way around it by forming "non-profit" 527 groups that act completely out of any government regulations.  The fact is, no amount of regulation is ever gonna totally block out big donors, so long as there is a 1st Amendment, and some "solutions" only worsen the problem.

I think that, in the age we live in, it has become easy enough for groups of concerned citizens to track and report on the fundraising activities of individual candidates.  And if the people don't like what they see, the best thing they can do is make their voice heard on election day.

Question #2

While I certainly sympathize with the plight and lack of representation of those living in the District of Columbia, we have to remember that the whole reason for creating a Federal District was so that it could be free of all the trappings of the state.  That being said, the founders had never truly intended for Washington to become the splendid city that it has become... a city of over 500,000 people.  While I think that Senate representation might be a bit much, I do not believe I would be opposed to a reasonable proposal that would grant D.C. a voting representative in the U.S. Congress.

Question #3

Burundi is just one of the examples that we have of a country that has been, over the past 50 years, quite simply cursed by geography.  There are many nations out there today, particularly in Africa, that are facing pressures from rising populations, lack of resources, and the rampant spread of diseases, such as HIV.  I’m sure that a number of other people in this race are going to tell you that foreign aide is the problem, because, like welfare, it brings people into a cycle of dependence.  I think that this stance ignores the relative of the situation.  While I would certainly ask any American to do their part in helping out other people of the world, for the pure simple reason of helping your fellow man, foreign aide is as much about self interest than it is about helping.  When we enact cuts in foreign aid, we not only cause economic collapse in countries, and cause misery for millions, but we also decrease potential markets for American produces.  When we refuse to support friendly, democratic governments, we open the doors for anti-American extremists, and practically force kids to attend Madras’s for any education.  When we refuse to help treat diseases in foreign countries, we risk them gaining victims and spreading here.

We need to open up free trade, and free markets with these countries while offering a helping hand.  We can give them a chance to develop, and that will ultimately benefit us.  Much of what happens on this planet in the next century is going to be determined by what happens in these places like Africa and the Middle East, which we have ignored for the last half century.  My global strategy as President will reflect that.

[12th Doctor]

Question #4

Well, first, I would like to mention that, as Chairman of the Education, Health and Welfare Committee, I fought vigorously to lower Health Care costs for families all over the country, and I intend to continue doing that.  The first thing I would like to say is that we really don’t have Health Care in this country.  We have Sick Care.  We take care of people once they have become ill, without realizing that we could lower our costs and head a lot of this off by instilling healthy habits in our citizens early on.  I think that we should do more to expand primary and secondary school nutrition programs, so that we can teach kids how to make the right choices in life, so they can lead healthier lives.  I think that we should expand prenatal care and make it available to all women who need it, so that way healthier mothers can give their babies a healthier start to life. I’m not a doctor, but I am happy to say that I am married to one.  And so I know what a disaster the current health care and insurance system is in this country.  I admit I have had top quality health care for all my married life, first on my wife’s plan from the hospital, then on my plan as a U.S. Congressman.  But, back when I was growing up, my family was counted among the nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance.  I’m sure you won’t be surprised by me saying this, but doctors and prescription drug companies are not the problem.  Trail lawyers, who sue doctors for outrageous amounts are the problem with health insurance and while it is true that each pill that you pay for only costs $0.10 to make, it is also true that the first pill cost $100 million in research and development.  There are no easy answers, but I think tort reform and better nutrition education are a solid start.

Question #5

My plan here is quite simple.  First, I would act immediately to guard the boarder to stop the flow of illegal immigration, while making sure that those who do try to cross are not mistreated, or fall under some misfortune during the process.  Second, I would set up a program to seek out and catalog illegals already in the country.  Next, they would have a chance to sign up for documentation, and, provided that they currently work, or have a work history, they would be allowed to stay in the country on closely monitored, work visas.  Finally, I believe that America is a land of opportunity and I believe that our current process for allowing people in the country, legally, is far to strict.  I would loosen it to allow more hard working people to come here and make a new life for themselves to live and contribute to the American Dream.

Individual Question

Well, first off, I would like to say that Kate and I have work some odd hours in our careers and our lives together.  Neither of us has ever held what you would call a regular 9-5 job in our lives.  In some ways, that has made things more difficult, and in some ways it has helped us.  I think that the question might have missed the point of my statements, however, as my over-ridding answer is quite simply that each family needs to work those things out for themselves.  That’s the beautiful thing about a solid family… it is a bunch of individuals, working and helping and living together for the common good of each other.  No one should ever be ashamed about how they choose to set up their family, as long as it works and as long as they are living up to their responsibilities.  That goes whether the husband works and the wife stays home, or the mother works and dad stays home, or both parents work, or there is only one parent in the home.

Now, I can tell you what I think we should do to make those choices easier.  Better funding for after-school and community-building programs, so that parents who don’t want their kids to go home alone will have some place to send them that they can trust will be in a safe and ethical environment, would be a start.

My Question to Rep. Wallace

Represenative Wallace, you are a good man.  I have served with you on a few committees.  We disagree on somethings, btu I know you have good intentions.  But you seem to have said as little as possible about the specifics of anything that you want to do for America, or what you think about the issues.  So, I'm gonna make this easy on you.  What do you think is the most important issue for Americans, and what do you intend to do about it as President?

Question from Gov. Cereal

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Well, you asked me three different questions here, and with the moderators permission, I'll try to answer all of them.

First, when I refer to a broader based strategy, I'm not specifically talking about terrorism, but rather about all US interests aroudn the world.  I can't sit here for you right now and give you every single detail of it, but I can tell you that it woudl include things such as building stronger alliances in key areas of the world, with countries that are supportive of Democratic government, or at least, open to reform.  It would include putting resources into renewable enegy, so that we are not at the mercy of foreign oil companies.  It would include opening up free trade between nations, in the interests of stregthening alliances and promoting democratic governments and reforms.  It includes using trade networks between democratic nations to improve the economy of flagging democratic governments in order to prevent them from collapsing into tyranny.  It includes expanding economic opportunity into countries that tend to be hotbeds of terrorism, so that we can undercut the root causes.  And finally, it includes working with European and Asian allies to defeat terroism networks that sprout up in those countries and, if we must, the use of force to protect our allies and freedom.

As for the cost, well, as I supporter of free trade, I hope you would agree governor, that the economic benefits of my plan would go a long way towards paying for the costs.  But, I am kinda shocked that anyone on this stage, running for President, is seriosuly willing to sit here and put a cost on the security of the free world.

Finally, I assume that by "Middle-Eastern" you mean "Iraqi", and I must say that I know that things are not easy for the peopel over there, but I think that, in the end, the final result will be better for them, and better for the world as a whole.