GraniteGrok Q & A Series: Peter Bearse

Peter Bearse is the independent candidate in NH’s First Congressional District seeking to unseat Democrat incumbent, Carol Shea-Porter. Although coming to the attention to the ‘Grok later than the others, Peter was gracious in supplying his take on the ‘Grok’s Congressional Questionaire.

Peter’s website is here.

QUESTIONS:

1. If you could ask General Petraeus any question, but only one question, what would it be?

Peter’s Answer: How do you induce a sense of responsibility among Iraqis for their own communities, and to what extent does their incentive depend on the fact that the Iraqis involved with Americans are paid by them?

2. Do you favor Oil recovery in the newly found fields in Montana & the Dakotas?

Peter’s Answer: YES

3. In the area of health care, are you in favor of:

Peter’s Answer:

Lower prices for the most frequently used prescription drugs
Health insurance policies that do not discriminate against those with "preexisting conditions."
Health savings accounts (and more)

4. British Prime Minister Brown said that the US must give up the idea of absolute sovereignty in order to better cooperate in the global community. Agree or disagree, and why?

Peter’s Answer: I agree but only selectively because there are a number of serious issues that cannot be resolved simply by any one nation exercising its own"absolute" (meaning what?) sovereignty; for example, conservation and/ormining of ocean resources and global warming.

5. Guantanomo military prison:

Peter’s Answer: This is not a question. Rephrase with additional language tomorrow.

6. Should President Bush attend the Summer Olympics’ opening ceremonies in communist China?

Peter’s Answer: In principle, no, but if you don’t want the Chinese to call in the U.S. debt they own, yes.

7. Are you in favor of using eminent domain in taking private property from one owner to another in order to expand taxable property values?

Peter’s Answer: NO.

8. Are you willing to sign an earmark moratorium?

Peter’s Answer: YES

10. Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are demographic time bombs in waiting. What steps should be taken to avoid future failures of these entitlements?

Peter’s Answer:

Make payments into these funds universal, across all income groups; and
Establish a system, both public and private or private/public, so that monies in the funds are invested in a wide spectrum of investment categories;
Dedicate use of these funds for their designated purposes and thus prohibit use of these funds for other government programs.

11. How would you propose Congress and the President balance the federalbudget?

Peter’s Answer: