President & US Congress

President/Vice President of the United States
4 Year Term — Vote for (1) pair

George W. Bush/Dick Cheney, Republican
John F. Kerry/John Edwards, Democrat
David Cobb/Patricia LaMarche, Green
Michael Anthony Peroutka/Chuck Baldwin, U.S. Taxpayers
Michael Badnarik/Richard Campagna, Libertarian
Walter Brown/Mary Alice Herbert, Natural Law Party
Ralph Nader/Peter Miguel Camejo, No Party Affiliation

United States Representative
Two Year Term — Vote for One (1)

Q1) How do you propose to balance the need to guard against terrorism and other threats to national security and the need to preserve our basic civil liberties?

Q2) What do you think can be done at the federal level to protect Great Lakes water?

Q3) What should the federal government do to ensure that every American has access to affordable housing?

6th District
Fred Upton, Republican
First elected to Congress in 1986. Currently a senior member of the House Education Committee and Energy and Commerce Committee, and serves as chairman of the Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee. Fred personally reads the more than 500 legislative letters he receives each week and signs every response. Fred grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan. A graduate of the UofM, he and his wife, Amey, have two children.

1) As one who lived through 9/11, I am convinced these awful folks will try again. I believe that proper safeguards are in place in laws that have been enacted since 9/11. I support Congressional oversight for abuse of civil liberties and endorse a reporting system for any such abuse. The technology of terror now outpaces law enforcement statutes. We must have a balance between protecting our citizens and homeland, and protecting the rights of everyone.

2) Having grown up on the shores of Lake Michigan, I have a deep appreciation for our environment. I am a member of the Great Lakes Caucus. I have signed onto every bill, Republican and Democrat, preventing the diversion of Great Lakes water. We must prevent the commercial exploitation of the Great Lakes. I have worked to halt the infestation of invasive species such as zebra mussels from the ballast waters in foreign vessels.

3) Having a roof over one’s head is a basic need everyone should have. I have long supported legislation ensuring access to public housing and I will continue to do so. I cosponsored bipartisan legislation to establish the Housing Trust Fund to provide for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families. I also support the HOPE VI grant program to build affordable housing in communities with populations in need.

Scott Elliott, Democrat
A businessman, entrepreneur, civil rights activist. Scott Elliott has worked as a bookseller and art dealer in New York, London and Chicago. He supports teachers and public education, affordable health care for all, including efforts to lower the cost of medicine and supports a woman’s right to choose. He is committed to protecting the environment. He strongly believes that the future depends on more public participation and greater citizen involvement in government at all levels.

1) The commission reports point to failures of agencies, not of the American ideal of freedom. Agencies have failed us, not our freedoms. If we allow our freedoms to be destroyed then I believe we have lost the war on terror. Before I ever agree to secret searches of library records I will hold the agencies responsible that have failed to follow leads available through traditional methodology. Failures of our agencies shouldn’t cost us our freedoms.

2) State compacts are in place but there is a serious threat to such compacts. States will certainly at a point in time seek to have this water diverted for their needs. The U.S. Constitution gives the federal government the final say of issues that affect interstate commerce. I believe that federal legislation should encourage conservation and research in non-nuclear desalinization technology. These alternatives can result in the creation of badly needed new high paying jobs.

3) Jobs and interest rates are probably the most important factors when talking about making housing affordable. A strong economy is necessary to provide jobs. Jobs are typically not created in times of high interest rates as companies, particularly small companies cannot afford to borrow money. High interest rates destroy affordable housing, deficit spending increases the interest rates. Balancing the budget will help keep the interest rates low allowing more Americans to own their own homes.

Randall MacPhee, Green
Did not respond in time for publication

W. Dennis FitzSimons, US Taxpayers
Born: Eva, Alabama Oct. 29th, 1935. Mackenzie H.S., 1953. Lawrence Technological University 1958, B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Elected class president twice, V.P. once. Retired Electrical Engineer, Ford Motor Company. Suggested: Brake light for rear window. 1988 Bicentennial Delegate Mock Constitutional Convention. Benton Harbor three governors committees. Candidate: MI House 1986, 2002. Candidate: Oronoko Township Trustee 2001. Born again Christian. Jude 1:3, contending for the faith. Married 34 years, divorced 15, 3 children, 6 grandchildren.

1) Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. King James Bible. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. Psalm 14:1 KJB. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15 KJB. Headlines: South...

2) Mostly, states responsibility according to the Bill of Rights Article X. Chem-trails have not been explained by the federal government; they contain toxins which end up in our water supply and fish, etc. Congress has a moral and ethical duty and obligation to the citizens to end chem-trails, not to be confused with contrails (water vapor).

3) Wrote a letter to the editor before the war objecting to it. Congress abdicated their authority again by not properly investigating 9/11 before the war. 75 billion dollars would have built one million homes at $75,000 each. Equal at the war costs would have built another one million homes. Down with death and destruction trying to create a new world order out of chaos! Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil...

Erwin J. Haas, Libertarian
Born in Buffalo, AB, Canisius College; MD, University of Buffalo. Trained in infectious diseases and internal medicine at Ohio State and the Henry Ford Hospital. Practiced in Grand Rapids for 25 years, now I travel all over U.S.

1) Make friends in the Mideast by getting out of the countries there, and stop supporting Israel with tax dollars.

2) Make it possible again for interested citizens to bring law suits against polluters.

3) Get rid of zoning and planning commissions. These are the contemporaneous versions of Jim Crow, necessitate cars to get to businesses and jobs, etc. Congress should abolish them.

VOTE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2004