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Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Health Care,
Campaign finance,
UN
Click on a name for other candidate information.
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1. What specific measures would you support to increase equal access to health care?
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Answer from Steve Chabot:
I voted for patient protection legislation which included: the prohibition of "gag rules"; guaranteed access to emergency medical care; direct access to OB/GYN and pediatricians; and the creation of an independent appeals process for patients denied medical care. With health insurance rapidly becoming too expensive for the average working family, the most important patient protection is access to affordable, quality health care. That's why I introduced legislation to make health insurance premiums fully tax deductible.
Answer from John Cranley:
I support a meaningful patient's bill of rights that will ensure that health decisions are made by doctors, nurses, and patients rather than HMO bureaucrats. Second, I will support increased prescription drug Coverage through Medicare. Seniors on fixed incomes should never have to choose between buying food and medicine. Third, I will seek to save health care dollars later in life by investing in children's health care.
Answer from Richard L. "Rich" Stevenson:
I am one of the 47,000,000 who are uninsured. I see this question from a personal and a civic point of view. I know many people who brag about the benefits of one-payer systems in Europe. We have the highest costs in the world. We need to lower costs by an increase in preventative health care and a decrease in our reliance on our crisis oriented "disease care system". We need a "health care system".
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2. What measures would you support to reform our campaign finance system?
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Answer from John Cranley:
Our Present campaign finance system must be overhauled; it damages the democratic Process by turning money-not grassroots support-into the primary factor determining electoral success. I believe that the more open our political system is, the better off we'll be. Thus, I support banning soft money contributions, and I support the McCain-
Answer from Richard L. "Rich" Stevenson:
I image a time in our future when "Can't Vote, Can't Contribute will be the law of our land. All Campaign money will come from registered voters who are legally entitled to cast a vote for the candidate they support. No outsider would be allowed to buy anyone's representative. Even the, we should set contributions low enough to involve everyone. Like Mart Luther King, I have a dream of democracy for America.
Answer from Steve Chabot:
I have been a strong supporter of campaign finance reform I have supported legislative initiatives that would ban unlimited soft money contributions, increase campaign disclosure requirements, reduce maximum PAC contribution levels, require labor unions and corporations to receive permission from employees before taking money from their paychecks for political activity, and require a majority of funds be raised from home districts. I voted to require full disclosure of political activities by Section 527 groups.
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3. Should the US pay its dues to the UN in full?
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Answer from Richard L. "Rich" Stevenson:
Yes. World peace is a vital U.S. citizen interest. However, I would seriously reconsider the question of what is our fair share among the nations of the world. The benefit in open discourse to settle national differences is priceless to our human community.
Answer from John Cranley:
Yes. The UN is not perfect, but it has helped eradicate smallpox and polio, provide safe drinking water to a billion people, uphold cease fires, promote free elections, monitor troop withdrawals, and aid millions of refugees. For 52 years, the UN has advanced US foreign policy interests abroad. Now, our refusal to settle our recent debt is even risking our General Assembly vote. We have a responsibility to fulfill our commitment and pay our bills.
Answer from Steve Chabot:
As one of 185 member nations, the US is assessed 25 percent of the UN budget and billed for 31.7 percent of UN peacekeeping costs. The US contributed an additional $4.8 billion for UN peacekeeping missions that was not counted toward the US assessment. As Congress considers this issue, we should insist on substantial reforms at the UN such as trimming high salaries including the pension of a suspected Nazi war criminal.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League, but formatted for Web display.
Candidates' statements are presented as
submitted. Word limits for answers are 75 words for each question.
Direct references to opponents are not permitted
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
