Here are the questions for the candidates in the congressional forum being held Wednesday at 12 p.m. by The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. All six candidates in South Florida’s contested congressional races are expected to attend, and it seemed like it would be an interesting free-for-all, until it was revealed that the candidates had been given the questions beforehand, and ABC’s local political reporter Michael Putney dropped out of moderating the event, telling the Herald that it was a “farce”So the Chamber wanted to hold the event, use it as a fundraiser (non-members now have to pay $75 to get in) and then pretend that the questions and answers were all spontaneous? You’ll notice that the document given to the candidates with the questions appears to have been marked “Confidential Not For Distribution.”
It seems like Putney was right on. The questions prepared for the forum are substantive, as far as that goes, but it would have been better to see the candidates think on their feet, rather than hear a bunch of canned speeches.
The event is to take place at 1111 Jungle Trail, Treetop Ballroom, and theater lovers, you can still register to attend online at the Chamber’s website.
Jared Goyette - SunshineUndergroundFL@gmail.com
Following is the text of the questions, marked "Confidential" by the chamber:
ECONOMY/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
What is your position on the so-called "bailout" legislation proposed by the President? If we
are in the kind of economic crisis he says we're in, what should the federal government be doing
to help?
South Florida is facing many challenges including congested road ways, a poor urban population
that is comparatively less well educated, a large immigrant population without health care, and
an overbuilt housing market that is unaffordable to many who live and work here. How would
you prioritize these issues and what would you do to alleviate them?
What is the role of the federal government in stabilizing the economy?
As the gateway to Latin America, Miami-Dade is a key hub for international commerce. What
can you do in Congress to support our transportation infrastructure: our roads, bridges, airport
and seaport?
What is your position on creating private accounts for Social Security?
HEALTHCARE
In Miami-Dade County approximately 600,000 Miami-Dade residents, or about 29 percent of
those under 65, are without health insurance.
Do you support universal healthcare? Do you support efforts by some in Congress for employer
paid healthcare. If so, how do you justify it? If not what are your ideas for solving the U.S.
healthcare crisis and guaranteeing affordable, quality health care to all?
Should Medicare have the right to negotiate directly with prescription drug companies to get the
lowest possible price of drugs for Florida’s seniors?
TAXES
The economy is the No. 1 issue on Americans' minds right now. Many middle class families are
suffering from increased energy and food costs, and some are losing their homes. Could you
share with us your thoughts on federal tax policy and what tax policy you would support to
stimulate the economy and provide some relief to middle class families? What is your position
on tax increases of any kind for the middle class? And if the economy continues to weaken, will
you maintain your position?
We've heard a lot about taxes this year. Can we have it both ways -low taxes and governmental
services?
In your view, are businesses and wealthy people paying their fair share?
IMMIGRATION
According to the census bureau immigration was the largest factor in population increases for
Miami Dade County. Miami Dade County’s population consists of over 50% foreign born.
Other studies indicate that of the over 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.,
approximately 9% of those reside in the state of Florida.
What is your position with regard to the creation of a temporary guest worker program for
essential workers which creates paths to permanent residence whenever appropriate, provides a
way to earn legal status to those that qualify, addresses the millions of undocumented workers
already in the United States, and creates a national strategy for border security and intelligence?
Immigration issues affect our business community here in South Florida on a daily basis. Do you
support needed immigration reforms such as an increase in H1-B professional work visas for
high skilled immigrants that allow our country to stay competitive in a global marketplace?
What are the prospects for comprehensive immigration reform being passed in 2009?
Incumbents:
Will you continue to support the proposed Dream Act allowing certain undocumented students
to remain in the U.S. and attend college?
Candidates:
Would you support the Dream Act?
FUNDING
With Florida being a donor state, do you feel that Florida, specifically, South Florida receives its
appropriate share funding from Congress?
Incumbents – what specific projects have you worked on which successfully brought funding
South Florida?
Challengers – what would you do to improve our prospects?
NATURAL RESOURCES & ENERGY
What are your plans to protect our fragile South Florida environment while promoting economic
development?
Mario, a major portion of the Everglades ecosystem is in your Congressional District. Is enough
being done to protect the Everglades? What have you done? What will you do?
Florida is reliant on a 65 billion annual tourism industry. Are you aware that despite published
government reports, Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 100 and caused substantial oil
spillage?
What is your position with regard to off shore oil drilling?
Do you support funding for alternative energy sources?
If off-shore drilling is passed, would you support legislation providing revenue sharing to Florida
- revenue that could be used to prepare our residents, business and property and help mitigate
the costly affects of hurricanes and natural disasters?
Would you support legislation that places full responsibility on the oil companies and federal
government for the inevitable clean up or any other related damage to our coast line, wildlife or
natural resources?
Would you support putting environmental programs in place to better understand
environmental impacts of Gulf drilling and protect the Florida straits before they deteriorate
from an oil spill in the Gulf or new drilling close to Cuba?
Congress has left in place the 2006 agreement limiting off-shore oil drilling close to Florida's
Gulf Coast, yet drilling could occur in the Straits of Florida and Florida Bay. What
environmental protections are in place to protect Florida's tourism industry and our coastal
lifestyles?
Florida is continually at risk of hurricanes. What can be done to better protect South Floridians
against these predictable storms?
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Would you comment on the war in Iraq and your thoughts on the future of American
involvement there?
Some say that India and China are outpacing us in their preparation for work in the 21st
Century. What will you do to restore American competitiveness in the global market place?
No matter what, we will have a new President with many serious issues: wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan, a global war on terrorism; a dependence on foreign oil, concerns about global
warming that could dramatically and literally affect the landscape of South Florida, inadequate
health care coverage. Could you share your thoughts on these issues?
Given the importance of trade with Latin America to our community and specifically our
relationship with Colombia what is your position on the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia?
CONGRESS
In your view, list the three biggest issues facing Congress right now and how would you address
them?
What are your top priorities in Congress?
Which U.S. Supreme Court decision of the past 40 years you feel were the most important and
why? Which of the recent Supreme Court appointments would you have not approved, and why.
What is the role of government or government responsibility in the event of a natural disaster?
Question for incumbents:
Many people view or perceive you as President Bush’s and now Senator McCain's reliable
supporters. How would you respond to those who feel this way? With both Presidential
candidates campaigning on a platform of change, what changes do you expect to support?
Question for challengers:
What major issues that have affected your respective districts would you have voted on or
addressed differently than the incumbents?
Are you prepared to reach across party lines to solve our problems?
8 comments:
The questions are good and to the point. They are very proper for this election. But by giving them to the participants in advance they have lost some of their effect. Each candidate will now search to find out how any answer they give will effect their chances of being elected. Further the richer candidates will have experts doing the research and writing out the answers for them. Major mistake by the chamber.
Chamber sucks. They got way too involved with Florida Hometown Democracy turning off the citizens. And, by this forum, you can see they still suck.
Gosh, nothing about growth management. Nothing about overdevelopment. Nothing about our housing surplus. Nothing about fruad in the housing/banking/mortgage industry. How about medicare fraud?
Yes, Chambers suck!
We don't write about Fruad here. However writing about Fraud does take up a lot of our time, doing the research is time consuming. Want to help?
The Chamber NEVER gives questions ahead of time.
What's the purpose of such a lie by the GMCC in the herald?
ARE YOU CALLING MICHAEL PUTNEY A LIAR?
Questions are weak, answers will be equally weak, blah, blah, blah, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.
Ask what they think of the Democratic nominee for President violating Article 2; Section 1 of the constitution by carrying dual foreign citizenships. Kenya and Indonesia. That's a question.
Would they be in support of term limits in Congress, as all other positions except the courts and municipalities have term limits?
Ask Lincoln DB if he purposely and willfully steered contracts to the companies identified by the Herald?
Ask Joe Garcia what he meant in his statements to Enron? Of course read the statement to him where he said basically he would play for the enemy.
Ask Mario DB when will he be open to actually having a public Cuba discussion without the rhetoric we have heard for the past 50 years?
Ask Ileana RL why the triplettes are not known for introducing any legislation that benefits education in Florida, with one of the worst graduation rates and one of the most poorly funded state education systems in the country?
Ask Raul M and Annette T why are they running, they have no record of accomplishing anything? Oops, one of them does have a record, sorry.
NO WAY, Genius o' Despair, I am telling you that the Chamber is lying and Putney is finally the one to put it in the paper. Kudos to Putney.
Post a Comment