LWVKA 2010 Voter Guide

Provide biographical information, including your qualifications for U.S. Representative and the reasons you are running. (100-word limit)
In this time of high unemployment, what are the most important things that should be done to improve the nation’s economy? (100-word limit)
What are your top two other priorities, why did you select them, and what actions would you would take regarding them? (100-word limit)

Fred Upton
Republican, www.uptonforallofus.com

Following graduation from college, I served as a special assistant to Congressman David Stockman and worked for President Reagan in the White House Office of Management and Budget. I am currently the Ranking Republican on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment. My senior position on the Committee and proven track record of getting things done for Southwest Michigan makes me the best person to promote commonsense legislation that will help create jobs, remove roadblocks for business, and allow Michigan’s economy to thrive once again.
We must find ways to expand economic growth, enhance innovation, and provide education and training for the jobs of the future. There are actions that we could take immediately to help spur Michigan’s economy; such as allowing a tax deduction for interest on car payments, renewing and expanding the home-buyer tax credit, expanding tax deductions on income for small businesses, and fast-tracking applications for nuclear power plants so they can create jobs. Also, we must not implement costly new taxes and mandates on business, such as a new “cap and trade” scheme or an employer health insurance mandate.
We must also rein in government spending. America is $13 trillion in debt, and on a path that is unsustainable. I have voted against trillions of dollars in new spending over the last two years alone and was an early supporter of the GOP earmark ban. I have cosponsored constitutional amendments to require a balanced federal budget and cap government spending at 20% of GDP except during wartime. I also support decreasing our reliance on foreign oil, which is why I support an “all of the above” energy plan that includes renewable energy, nuclear power, and clean coal technologies.

Don Cooney
Democratic, www.cooneyforcongress.org

Married to Kathy Cooney, 17 years; father to Nathaniel. Associate Professor, School of Social Work at Western Michigan University for last 33 years, teach courses on Social Justice, Social Change, Social Welfare Policy. Kalamazoo City Commissioner for last 13 years, co-founder of Communities in Schools, Poverty Reduction Initiative; M.Div., Mary Immaculate Seminary; M.A., Fordham; Ph.D., Bryn Mawr; 46 years organizing and advocating for social justice. I run because with Dr. King I believe “People everywhere have a right to 3 meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity and freedom for their spirits.”
We must invest the nation’s great resources in: —rebuilding the country’s infrastructure; —building a green energy system based on efficiency, conservation and renewable resources; —restore our manufacturing sector; —alter trade policies so our workers don’t unfairly compete in nations without regulations on workers’ wages, benefits, working conditions; —make education a top priority to develop thoughtful, principled, engaged citizens with skills for the 21st century; —develop community banks for access to development capital; —provide living wage jobs in human services for youth development, health care, elder care; —develop a health care system based on Medicare for all.
Two other top priorities are climate change and education. Climate change, because global warming is real, seriously effected by human action and threatens devastating results. We need policies directed towards more simple living styles, energy efficiency, conservation, renewable resources. Education, because the great work of the nation is developing thoughtful, principled, engaged citizens able to compete in a global environment with 21st century skills. We need policies based on lessons learned from programs like the Harlem Children’s Zone, KIPP and SEED. Success in education depends on excellent teachers and schools, involved parents and a supportive, sustaining environment.

Pat Foster
Green, www.WMNC.biz

I graduated from Roosevelt University in 1973, Beta Gamma Sigma, magna cum laude from the business school with a major in accounting. I managed my own CPA tax firm in Chicago until 1998, when I moved my body to Michigan where it could be in harmony with my spirit. I ran for Allegan county commissioner in 2006 and county clerk in 2008 as a Democrat. Because of problems I found with the election system, I joined the Michigan Election Reform Alliance as treasurer to try to make changes in our election system to give more weight to the voter.
The government needs to control the creation of money by taking control of the Federal Reserve banks. Currently the government is not even allowed to audit them. Wall Street traders say that they created over 13 trillion for themselves between September 2008 and June 2009 causing our current depression. Our banking system is controlled by the same group of people who control other world currencies, and they are keeping the dollar valued high so that our citizens buy from foreign producers. If the dollar drops in value to other foreign currencies, Americans will be working.
(a) Creating honest, verifiable elections using voter verified elections. Voting can be done by computer, but only if the voter can verify that their vote was counted correctly by matching it to a complete database of all votes and finding their vote after the election. It can be done with a pin used by the voter that is published, and a voter number that is not published only known to the voter and the jurisdiction running the election. (b) Corporate governance - We control corporations rather than their controlling us.

Melvin D. Valkner
US Taxpayers, www.TheCommonMan.org

I am a life-long resident of the Kalamazoo area, Vietnam Veteran, graduate of WMU, B.S. majoring in Political Science and Philosophy. I am a CPA and tax professional, business consultant (healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and education), entrepreneur and first Treasurer of SW Michigan Patriots (Tea Party). I am running for Congress from Michigan’s 6th District for the Taxpayers Party of Michigan (ustpm.org), Michigan’s affiliate of the national Constitution Party seeking to restrain the federal government to its enumerated powers stated in the U.S. Constitution. I established www.TheCommonMan.org website and wrote TCM Power Principles to “Educate, Elevate and Empower” the citizenry.
To improve the nation’s economy several things must be done in conjunction: Repeal the federal income tax, balance the federal budget, begin paying off the National Debt, begin backing our currency with gold and silver, stop fighting endless wars, respect private enterprise and get the federal government out of the marketplace. All these things will improve the business climate. Last, but not least, we need to protect American jobs by increasing tariffs on incoming goods. This ensures our products can compete in our markets and prevents wages from sinking to the lowest level.
My top two priorities are stopping the endless wars and returning power to the States and the People. See www.TheCommonMan.org. (a) Time to stop being the “world’s policeman” by avoiding entangling alliances. (b) Three events in 1913 congregated power in Washington: Ratification of the 16th Amendment (legalizing the income tax) and the 17th Amendment (U.S. Senators were previously elected by State Legislatures as part of states rights), and creation of the Federal Reserve resulting in “fiat” (unfunded currency) and a huge National Debt. Repeal the 16th and 17th Amendments, limit the Federal Reserve and pay off the National Debt.

Fred Strand
Libertarian, www.fredstrandforcongress.com

I am running for Congress because I believe Congress has become a forum for legalized bribery. In the unending search for re-election monies our representatives have become slaves to special interest groups. I am a practical person who will build public policy decisions by collectively working with others while always looking out for the best interests of Southwest Michigan. My diverse background as a military officer, employee, manager, and business owner will help me work with other lawmakers to promote a climate whereby businesses, both large and small, can flourish and provide the engine for economic growth.
The greatest threat to our society is not Al Qaeda but our own runaway government spending. Local, County, State, and Federal governments must do what every taxpayer must do, live within their means. Jobs must be created in the private sector. Tax incentives need to be implemented which encourage private sector employers to add to their workforces. The banks that gladly gobbled up the bailout money should be required to extend credit to viable small businesses. All incentives for exporting jobs overseas must be terminated. Imported goods must meet and be produced under the same safety standards as domestic products.
Our social security system cannot survive without restructuring. The social security trust fund will soon go broke. Congress must act to repair the system. The first step should be to stop other government agencies from “borrowing” from the Fund. I would support limited privatizing of the system. I believe individuals would take better care of their money than the government. Congress must keep the US out of another Mideast war. Israel will soon attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. We must be prepared to negotiate a ceasefire and resist the urge to become engaged in a third Mideast war.