Clarence Goins
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What are your top three priorities if elected?
Illegal Immigration; reducing the national debt – reduce spending; and jobs, with special attention to the 9th District
Do you support the tax cut package and the subsequent spending package approved by Congress, knowing how much they will increase the U.S. deficit?
I am in favor of lowering taxes. I do favor lowering the tax on business, as I come from a family of entrepreneurs and my wife is self-employed as well. I do support individual tax cuts, but I do not understand why the individual tax cuts were not permanent like the [cuts for] corporations in this package. To the individual, you are placing corporations ahead of the citizens. Also, there was no reduction in spending, thus increasing our national debt even higher. We have blamed the Democrats for increasing the national debt, yet we have passed several spending bills in the last year without reducing spending.
Overall, I do support the tax cut package. I do not support the subsequent spending packages, as they do not reduce any spending.
Do you support the U.S. imposing tariffs on imports, or are you in favor of free trade?
I support fair trade. Free trade seems to have placed the U.S. behind other countries, thus causing our manufacturing jobs to leave our country. This has left us with higher unemployment and dependent on goods that we buy from other countries. I do support the imposing of tariffs on imports that come into the country.
Are you in favor of so-called "red flag orders" that would allow judges to order that guns be seized from individuals deemed to be a threat to themselves or others?
I am a 100 percent 2nd Amendment supporter. I do not agree with limiting our right to bear arms. I do not agree with increasing the age to 21 to purchase a gun, if my 18-year-old son is able to go to war and not able to buy a gun. From what I can tell, the Red-Flag order is a state mandate that can be adopted to help with gun control, however, families are given the ability to petition the court to seize the firearms of someone believed to be at risk. If a judge decides to seize the firearms, they can quickly take away the firearms and then later they can decide if the restriction should be dropped. I do not support a citizen's 2nd Amendment right to be taken away without due process and fair trial. This is a government intervention that is based solely on a judge’s opinion to violate a citizen’s constitutional right without due process. The Red-Flag process violates the 2nd and the 14th Amendment. With this, I do not support the "Red-Flag" orders. I do support improving our background checks and other avenues to help with holding those accountable who misuse firearms and the officials who fail to hold them accountable.
Mark Harris
What are your top three priorities if elected?
We have got to get our national debt under control. We must pass budgets that are responsible and funds our priorities (i.e., military and border security) without funding all special interests and frivolous causes (i.e., Planned Parenthood and foreign aid to countries who hate us). I think a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution would be a great place to start.
We must enact term limits. I believe this is the only way to break the back of the special interests and lobbyists in Washington, D.C.
Repeal and replace "Obamacare." Congress has promised to fix this national disaster known as Obamacare. It has been a burden on small business and individuals across the country. We need a more free-market, patient-driven health care system that lowers cost and increases access for those seeking care. We can start by promoting HSAs and allowing people to buy insurance across state lines.
Do you support the tax cut package and the subsequent spending package approved by Congress, knowing how much they will increase the U.S. deficit?
I fully support the tax cut. Over time, the tax cuts enacted will promote dynamic growth to our economy and give a much needed economic boost to families across the country. I wholeheartedly oppose the spending package. We have got to not only refrain from increased budgets, but we need to reduce out-of-control spending. We are passing the buck to our kids and grandkids and saddling them with debt that will be nearly impossible to repay.
Do you support the U.S. imposing tariffs on imports, or are you in favor of free trade?
I am for free trade. I believe the free market empowers consumers, reduces cost and enhances relationships with other countries. However, we must ensure fair trade for our American workers. We cannot continue to be held hostage by bad trade agreements where American jobs are the ones eliminated. I hope the President uses this opportunity to renegotiate these trade agreements and protect intellectual property from foreign governments attempting to steal it for personal gain.
Are you in favor of so-called "red flag orders" that would allow judges to order that guns be seized from individuals deemed to be a threat to themselves or others?
I acknowledge that we have got to have the ability to act when someone becomes a danger to themselves and/or others. However, we do have to be careful not to cede any more of our rights to potentially politically activist judges that could simply be pushing an anti-gun agenda. To allow a single judge the ability to confiscate weapons from someone, many times without the person even having the opportunity to plead his case, is giving too much power to an individual. There are ways to protect the public while also preserving the constitutional rights of an individual to due process.
Robert Pittenger
Did not respond