League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton, Butler County, OH November 2, 2010 Election
	Rich Stevenson Answers Questions Candidate for US Representative; District 1

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit)

I am an Ohio inhabitant for over 40 years. Natural born US Citizen (7 required as citizen); At 68 years of age I am over the required 25 years of age. Active in non-partisan politics since 1985, over 25 years. College graduate. Former Special Agent, US Army Intelligence.

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

I will sponsor the three bills mentioned and others in the House. Public support (over 80%) for these measures will force the House and the Senate to at least get these bills out of committee and onto the floor of both chambers for a vote. I will seek co-sponsors from every member of the House and the Senate. These three bills will open elections to the extent that neither major party will have a majority in either body of Congress. Solutions to all of our major problems will become possible due to solutions based non-partisan political harmony.

3. What is the role of the federal government in regulating the private sector? (150 word limit)

The federal government is limited to regulating interstate commerce. That language opens extensive connections in today's economy related to the media and communications industries, which are almost exclusively operated in more than one state. Retail and manufacturing industries are also interstate entities for nearly all companies and corporations. Even small businesses consider their markets to be interstate and even international. The financial industries obviously need regulation and oversight by Congress to ensure responsible business practices to avoid preventable economic downturns such as the recent disastrous meltdown begun in late 2008. Congress allowed the situation to grow worse over a 20 to 30 year period while enjoying re-election financed by industry lobbyists. Both parties seemed to be happy to take their money. We lost. The wrongdoers profit even today. We need a much stronger financial bill to protect the economy from future downturns caused by unchecked bubbles and greed.

4. How will you address the challenges and opportunities to the United States posed by unauthorized immigrants? (150 word limit)

I will support legislation enabling each state to enforce immigration law to handle local and state problems caused by criminal and illegal behavior within their borders. I totally support the efforts in Arizona to enforce national immigration laws within their borders. Our country is for natural born/naturalized citizens and their interests. We have arrived at the upper level of sustainable population within our borders without the unwelcome illegal immigration from Mexico made possible by the unfortunate passage of NAFTA in the early 90s. Mexican population and economic problems are not our responsibility. We need to send illegal immigrants back to where they came from. We need a constitutional amendment to deny citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants within our borders. We need to expand immigration to recruit talented immigrants who will help our nation to prosper. Welfare is needed for citizens only.

5. What specific functions of the federal government can be performed better by contracting with the private sector? What specific functions of the federal government should not be contracted out to the private sector? (150 word limit)

As is already the case, many infrastructure projects could be completed by private competitive bid. We do need to increase government efficiency and improve organization within many government agencies. The private sector is not innately superior to government. I believe that health care should not be contracted out to private insurance companies. Profit motives of the 790 competing health insurance companies with primary fiduciary responsibilities to stockholders reduces the overall general level of good health within the US population. Only 1% of insurance health care dollars are spent toward preventative health measures. The level could easily be 10-15% of single payer health care dollars devoted to preventative health care measures. The hybrid "Obama" health care bill only extends problems without solving the problem of health care costs.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: November 2, 2010 12:30
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