Questions and Answers

It's campaign season! Ok so it's been campaign season for the last 18 months, but things are starting to heat up. That means's it's also survey season. In keeping with Hold the Mayo tradition, I'll be sharing with you, my loyal reader(s), my answers to the Republican Party Census Document.

All of the questions have the same multiple choice answer options: Yes, No, Undecided.

HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUES
1. Should Republicans do everything they can to prevent Liberal Democrats from repealing the USA Patriot Act and other important laws that help out intelligence agencies protect Americans?

Yes. Thus far despite paranoid fantasies of the civil libertarian fringe the hasn't been used to wantonly trample the rights of Americans, so try not to let the Democrats muck it up. Unless of course the Democrats introduce legislation that simply changes the name of the USA Patriot Act into something that doesn't sound so contrived.

2. Should Republicans stop the Democrats from cutting funding for our intelligence agencies or bringing back Clinton-era restrictions on interagency communications?

Yes. In the age of global terrorism it is probably a good idea if the right hand knows what the left does. That and I think the Republicans should do everything humanly possible to prevent the return of anything Clinton-era.

3.Do you support the use of air strikes against any country that offers safe harbor or aid to individuals or organizations committed to further attacks on America?

No. I don't think we should bomb those countries per se. I think we should attack terrorists in whatever the most efficiently lethal manner is whenever and wherever we find them. Identify a terrorist camp in Pakistan, bomb it. Locate a terrorist leader in Damascus, send in someone to kill him. Find a terrorist base in Iran, obliterate it. Terrorists are transnational, treat them that way. Don't work to pressure nations to deny terrorists safe harbor, deny them oxygen.

4. Should we do everything we can to stop Democrats from repealing critical border and port security legislation?

Yes. I think everything should be done to prevent Republicans from helping them do it too.

ECONOMIC ISSUES

1. Should we make our fight against the Democrats' massive tax hikes a central point of the 2008 campaign?

Yes. Why is this even a question? Aren't you sure? You're supposed to be the low tax party. This should be automatic.

2. Should Republicans oppose Senator Clinton's one size fits all, government-run healthcare plan?

No. Opposition is not enough. Defeat her again today and she'll back with more of the same tomorrow. Republicans need to do more than pay lip service to the concept of Free Market Solutions. They need to put together a comprehensive package of de-regulation and a program to disentangle the government form the healthcare industry. They need to push this aggressively to not only defeat Hillary Care but to destroy the federal foundation on which she wants to build it.

3. Should we continue working for serious tort reform to protect individuals and businesses from predatory lawsuits?

Yes. There are all sort of problems with a loser pays system, but the current system in which there is little or no cost to the predator isn't working either. I say go after the route of the problem - the lawyers. Enact legislation that allows the defendant in such a suit to file a complaint against the plaintiff's attorney. If the original suit is deemed frivolous or predatory, the attorney is disbarred. Permanently. As a safeguard against abuse the complaining attorney also puts his license on the line by files such a complaint. This will cut down on nuisance suits and the number of lawyers. A win-win solution.

4. Should we make sure President Bush's judicial nominees receive fair hearings and up or down votes in the Senate even when Democrats threaten a filibuster?

No. Well yes to the fair hearing bit, but the filibuster is part of the Senate process. If you don't like it used against judges eliminate it altogether. You won't do that though because you have used it to good effect since you squandered your congressional majorities. What you need to do is eliminate this pretend filibuster crap. If they want threaten a filibuster, fine. Call their bluff and make them do it. It's so easy to filibuster because there is no cost associated with "threatening to filibuster." Make them do the work, and filibusters will be a lot less common.

5. Should Republicans in Congress protect our private property rights from eminent domain?

Yes. A thousand times yes.

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Do you think Congress should pass the Federal Marriage Amendment protecting marriage as a union between a man and a woman?

Yes. I mean why not? Congress passing the thing is only the first step in the process. I think we need a good Amend the Constitution debate in the states to remind them of the role they should play in governing the nation. Maybe it will make a few people realize how far the Federal Government has gone in usurping state authority.

2. Do you want Republicans to defend the recently-passed partial birth abortion ban by attacks by the Democrat majority?

Yes. Regardless of my opinion of the law, it is a core principal of the Republican Party. If it is what you believe in, I would like to see you stand up and defend it.

3. Do you support President Bush's initiatives to allow private religious and charitable groups to do more to help those in need?

I can't imagine a more disingenuous question coming from the Democrats. Allow me to rephrase that: Do you support President Bush's initiatives to give your money to private religious and charity groups that may not wish to donate too? No.

DEFENSE ISSUES

1. Do you think U.S. troops should have to serve under United Nations Commanders.

No. The only involvement U.S. troops should have with the U.N. is chasing them out of the U.S. if they don't leave willingly when we ask them to go.

2. Do you agree that our top military priority should be fighting terrorists?

Yes. But I would caution against having to myopic a view of the world. There are other threats that cannot be ignored, such as Russia and China.

3. Should Republicans fight Democrat efforts to impose Clinton-era cuts in the Pentagon's budget?

No. Just fighting Clinton-era cuts isn't enough. Republicans should be pushing for Reagan-era increases.

4. Do you support economic sanctions against North Korea and Iran to stop their nuclear weapons programs?

Yes. But they will be useless. Nations will violate them at will when it suits their interests. The only way stop the North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons programs may be to just physically eliminate them.

5. Do you agree that sewing the seeds of democracy and freedom in the Middle East is a worthy goal?

Yes. The spread of freedom is an inherently good thing. If we do not stand for freedom. We stand for nothing.

REPUBLICAN PARTY

1. Do you support the election of Republican candidates across country and the rebuilding of our majorities over the next 10 years?

No. I cannot support a candidate based on the mere fact that they are a Republican. I never would have voted to re-elect Trent Lott for instance. Ron Paul is up for re-election to Congress and I couldn't support him either. If John McCain or Mike Huckabee are the GOP nominee for President they will only get my vote if it cast against Mrs. Clinton.

2.
a. Did you vote in the year 2002? Yes.
b. Did you vote in the year 2004? Yes.
c. Did you vote in the year 2006? Yes.

There is bonus question for RNC members only with the note "Your gift today makes you a member in good standing of the RNC." So I guess my registration and voting history don't count? The thing is, I hate these kinds of rules. So I'm going to break this one. You're not getting any of my money. There will be no gift from me today. But I am going to answer you "Members Only" question.

Which Republican Presidential Candidate will/did you support in the 2008 Primary?

Fred D. Thompson.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 09:58 PM | No Comments | Add Comment