US House races

Jim Steiner

Jim Steiner is featured in today’s GraniteGok Congressional Candidate Q & A Series. He is another of the four worthy Republican candidates in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District.  As with the others, we thank Jim for taking time to answer these questions and further continue to appreciate NH’s candidates acknowledging the growing importance of the readers here in the blogosphere.

Jim’s responses are below and as always, feel free to leave a comment!

===============================================================
QUESTIONS

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

Jim Responds: General, what is the most important thing I and the Congress can do to help you and our soldiers perform their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan?

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

Jim responds: Yes, as part of an overall plan at developing a national strategy for energy independence for this country, including the use of solar, bio fuels, wind and other technologies.

• Drilling in ANWR? Jim: Yes.
• Drilling in the deep off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico? Jim: Yes.
• Creating a fast track process to license and build new nuclear plants? Jim: Yes, and to build new refineries as well.

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

• Giving tax credits for policies to individuals / families as well as businesses? Jim: Yes, particularly in order to provide incentive to individuals who must insure outside the employer arena.

• Allow policies to be purchased across state lines? Jim: Yes, and to be made portable so they can travel with an employee from job to job.

• Allow individuals to buy lower cost policies by "unhooking" legal mandates? Jim: Absolutely, I am vehemently against unfunded mandates contained in any legislation.

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?

Jim responds: I disagree.  I cannot find where the Prime Minister stated this, or the context, but the United States remains a singular beacon in the global community not bent on empire building.  When parts of that community are in trouble, recently or historically, the US is called upon to step in.  And we are a fair-minded people who will continue to do that, even though the thanks we receive may be limited.

Read more

Grant Bosse signs AFTR pledge back in April (GG file photo)

Next up in GraniteGok’s Congressional Candidate Q & A Series, we have Grant Bosse, Republican candidate for New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District.  As with Senator Sununu, we thank Grant for taking time out of his campaign schedule ("I may be outspent but I’ll never be outworked") and further continue to appreciate NH’s candidates acknowledging the growing importance of the readers in the blogosphere (and our little niche of it).

Grant’s responses are below and as always, feel free to leave a comment!

QUESTIONS

Grant’s response:  What steps can Congress take to aid our military and diplomatic efforts to make Iraq a stable and sustainable democracy, able to provide its own security and serve as a positive influence in the Middle East.

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

• Drilling in ANWR?
• Drilling in the deep waters off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico?
• Creating a fast track process to license and build new nuclear plants?

Grant’s response: Yes, I support using domestic energy reserves that Congress has unreasonably placed off-limits.  I have also called for the streamlining of the complex regulatory process that prevents new refineries and nuclear power plants from being built, and for an end to the frivolous lawsuits that prevent the construction of new electric power lines.  These proposals are all included in my comprehensive, ten-point Energy Plan.

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

• Giving tax credits for policies to individuals / families as well as businesses?
• Allow policies to be purchased across state lines?
• Allow individuals to buy lower cost policies by "unhooking" legal mandates

Grant’s response: Self-employed, small business owners, and stay at home parents should receive the same treatment under the tax code as those of us who go to work for someone else.  There is no reason why health insurance should be bought exclusively through the workplace.  We should also allow consumers to choose the best health plan for them.  State regulators should ensure that insurance companies under their jurisdiction are financially solvent, and able to pay claims.  Restricting insurance companies from offering policies across state lines is an ill-advised restraint of trade.  Increasing competition among insurance companies will increase choice and lower the cost of health insurance.

Likewise, increased mandates on insurance coverage have decreased choice and driven up prices.  Patients and doctors should be making health care decisions, not politicians and bureaucrats.  I strongly favor reducing mandates in health insurance.

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?

Grant’s response: I strongly disagree.  The United States would not gain anything from the global community by ceding its sovereignty, through such poorly drafted agreements as the Kyoto Protocol or the Law of the Sea Treaty, or through submission in the International Criminal Court.

 

Read more