June 21, 2002

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

2002 Candidate Survey

U.S. Senate & U.S. House of Representatives Candidates

 

Policy Questions:

  1. Life Sciences

    2. The Kansas City area life sciences initiative is a collaborative effort to utilize the area’s assets to promote basic research in the life sciences, leading to greatly enhanced federal funding, private investment, and the commercial development of new technologies to create an economic development engine for the region.

    Do you favor increased funding for such agencies as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation and strenuous simultaneous efforts to secure substantial federal grants to fund the Kansas City area life sciences initiative?

    Oppose. The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are nothing more the political entities. I will do whatever I can to help, bake pies, dance at fundraisers, etc. I believe in the private sector. You can do it without the government and all of the strings and BS that go along with it. A small government works the best.

  2. Business Costs

Business costs are a continuing concern, particularly to small business.

    1. Allowing 100 percent tax deduction for meals and entertainment. Support

    2. Raising from the current level the amount of capital investment small business can deduct rather than capitalize. Support

    3. Elimination of the extremely complex, burdensome, and expensive alternative minimum tax. Support

    4. A separate and reduced capital gains tax rate for corporations. Support

    5. A further reduction in the capital gains rate for individuals. Support

    6. Making the estate tax repeal permanent would substantially assist small and medium sized businesses and stimulate the stalled economy. Support

Another concern that you should have are all of the rules that non-elected bureaucrats make that stifle business. Last year they made up 4,132 rules. Congress and the President only passed 108.

  1. International Trade

  1. Since 1974, Congress has granted every U.S. president the authority to negotiate trade agreements for congressional approval on an up-or-down basis within a specified time frame. The ability of the United States to make progress toward free and fair trade through negotiation has virtually stalled because of the absence of trade promotion authority. Without this authority, many countries will not begin negotiations with the United States, fearing congressional changes to the treaty after it has been negotiated.

    2. Do you support renewal of the president’s trade promotion authority? NO

    The job belongs to Congress. They shuffled it off to the president and we haven’t had a decent trade agreement since. Perhaps if the Congress would do their job they wouldn’t have time to stick their noses in the private lives of American citizens. It is none of their business if we are fat, smoke, drink beer, etc. Speed is not essential for trade agreements.

  2. NAFTA has been an unmitigated success for workers, companies, and consumers in the United States as well as those in Canada and Mexico. Although enhanced competition in the marketplace did lead to some job losses, the U.S. economy generated over 20 million new jobs in the 1990’s, and many of the new, trade-related jobs that have been created offer better pay than the jobs that were lost.

Do you support expansion of NAFTA-type agreements and continued implementation of NAFTA development activities and programs? Undecided

NAFTA is umpteen thousand pages long. I don’t believe anyone in the government knows what it says or the benefits or consequences. I want Congress to read and debate these agreements. It’s their job.

  1. Transportation

    2. The federal funding requests sponsored by Johnson County, the united Government of Wyandotte County, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, and the Mid-America Regional Council to support equipment, facilities, and programs are needed to continue the momentum toward building improved transportation services in the region. Among other projects, these requests include appropriations for the I-35 commuter rail project that will link Olathe with Union Station and KCATA’s bus rapid transit system. Assistance is also needed for the development and enhancement of crossings over the Missouri River.

    Do you support federal appropriations to help meet the transportation needs of the Greater Kansas City area? Support

  2. National Energy Policy

Both the House and the Senate have passed comprehensive energy bills. The house bill, based on the president’s plan, encourages more production from traditional energy sources while the Senate bill puts more emphasis on conservation and renewable energy sources. The Chamber favors the building of new power generation to meet future needs, the development of alternative fuels to promote environmental protection, increased energy assistance to low-income households, and wise energy use and conservation.

Do you support a balanced energy policy that combines both production and conservation? Support

I believe that capitalism and environmentalism can work hand in hand.