Q&A with 6th district candidates

The Frederick News-Post asked 6th district candidates five questions about the most pressing issues facing Congress. Here are their answers, in their own words.

ROSCOE BARTLETT

If elected, what will you do in Congress to improve the economy, both nationally and locally?

As a conservative, I understand that only businesses and entrepreneurs create both jobs and wealth. Governments can hire people to do important jobs -- but only by transferring wealth from taxpayers. I support taxpayers to know better than bureaucrats how to most wisely spend the money they work hard to earn. Lower taxes, less spending and fewer regulations help Americans create and obtain more and better paying jobs. Business advocacy organizations and taxpayer advocacy organizations confirm that I have consistently voted for lower taxes, less spending, against counterproductive regulations, and to protect Americans' Constitutional rights.

What additional steps do you think are necessary to deal with the high numbers of foreclosures and falling home prices?

Homeowners having difficulty making their mortgage payments should be aware that Congress approved the new HOPE for Homeowners program. It will help struggling families refinance their mortgages with insured mortgages through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration that may have lower monthly payments. I will make sure the HOPE for Homeowners program and other financial bailout programs will help Main Street small business owners and homeowners, not just Wall Street. We have to reform government policies, including overcoming opposition by Democratic Congressional leaders to ending Fannie Mae's investment in subprime Mortgage Backed Securities that contributed to fueling the real estate bubble that burst.

Do you support Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins' 287g program in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement? What is your long-term plan for immigration reform?

I am proud that America is the most welcoming nation on Earth to immigrants. However, our immigration system is broken. Ineffective immigration policy translates to a loss of jobs, lower wages for American workers and drastically increased costs to governments. I support collaborative efforts to improve enforcement of existing laws against illegal immigration. I helped facilitate Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins' participation in the 287g program. It helps to identify and deport the violent illegal immigrants who pose the greatest threat to our communities. I have voted against and oppose amnesty for illegal aliens. Amnesty would undermine America's foundation as a country based upon the rule of law.

What is your plan for health care? How will you work with Congress to address this issue?

To improve the quality of our health care and reduce our costs, I support changes to put Americans and their doctors rather than government bureaucrats or health insurance companies in charge of health care decisions. That is why I oppose government-run universal health care. Changes that I support include shifting ownership of policies to individuals to eliminate pre-existing conditions and provide portability between jobs. Optional no-fault policies would reduce malpractice insurance costs and unnecessary tests and procedures. Optional Health care Savings Accounts would reward healthy lifestyles and reduce paperwork. Association Health Plans would make lower cost group coverage available for self-employed, small businesses, and even unemployed or disabled members of organizations, like churches.

What steps will you take to address the energy crisis and promote alternative sources of energy?

I am recognized as one of the most powerful Americans over age 80 for my effective advocacy of conservation, efficiency and cleaner, domestic alternative and renewable energy sources. I cofounded and cochair both the Congressional Peak Oil Caucus and the Defense Energy Working Group to develop bipartisan energy solutions. I helped negotiate a bipartisan comprehensive energy bill that received 191 votes and could provide a framework for energy legislation by the next Congress. I will support funding for the new agency I helped to create this Congress. The Advanced Research Projects Agency -- Energy, modeled on DARPA, will provide cost-sharing to entrepreneurs for high-risk, high pay back energy technology advances.

JENNIFER DOUGHERTY

What will you do in Congress to improve the economy, both nationally and locally?

I will focus on job creation initiatives, investment in infrastructure and green collar jobs for our national economy. Locally, I will hire an economic development specialist to support local government and local business efforts to retain and grow existing businesses. We will also work to recruit businesses that match our environment and workforce. I will focus on making the federal contracting process more open and transparent in order to help local businesses win government contracts.

What additional steps do you think are necessary to deal with the high number of foreclosures and falling home prices?

We should create a new Resolution Trust Corp. and develop an effective plan to keep people in their homes and paying their mortgages. Obviously, inflated home values and escalating mortgages make this problem a crisis for families and neighborhoods. People would need assistance must re-apply for their mortgage and fraudulent applications must be rejected. The current legislation gives banks the option of renegotiating loans, since the housing market will not stabilize until we re-establish the base value, a RTC-type of organization would be more effective.

Do you support Sheriff Jenkins' 278g program in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement? What is your long-term plan for immigration reform?

I support enforcing federal immigration policy after years of an enforcement vacuum. I support expedited deportation for those arrested for serious crimes. Unfortunately, the Sheriff admitted knowing about a local business with more than 25 undocumented workers, but he was unable to take action.

The federal government must regain control of immigration; secure our borders and ports; improve record keeping for visas; require businesses to comply with legal hiring practices; raise penalties for hiring undocumented workers; and, introduce legislation to create a payroll deduction system for workers who are earning citizenship status that shifts the financial cost away from the general fund.

What is your plan for health care?

I support health care coverage for all Americans within 5 years. Important components: Plan Choice -- people can stay in their existing plans or buy a plan similar to plans available to federal employees; Patient Choice -- people choose their own doctors; No Exclusions -- people cannot be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions; Portable -- covers care across state lines; Focus on Health -- disease prevention and management; Mental Health Coverage included.

I support a phased implementation that will cover all children first. I support allowing 18-24 year olds to stay on family plans and allowing young retirees (55+) to buy into Medicare.

What steps will you take to address the energy crisis and promote alternative sources of energy?

We can promote a green economy, convert to renewable energy, conserve energy, and reduce our impact on the environment. We must create a plan for immediate actions focused on conservation; short-term actions like getting existing renewable energy solutions to the market; and, finally, invest in a variety of energy supplies including wind, solar, hydro, biomass and nuclear. Some additional drilling is a realistic part of a plan. I support local investment in a bio-fuels refinery for switchgrasses or algae for our vehicles and a "Get Off the Grid" program that encourages local communities to convert to renewable energy supplies.

GARY HOOVER

If elected, what will you do in Congress to improve the economy, both nationally and locally?

I believe that the quickest way to get the economy going both locally and nationally is with alternative fuel sources, we need to invest in all forms of alternative fuel including nuclear, wind, natural gas, battery, switchgrass etc. This will create some 5 million new green jobs through out the country with many of them right here in the six district.

What additional steps do you think are necessary to deal with the high numbers of foreclosures and falling home prices?

I would use part of the money that Congress has approved to help people stay in their homes. The only way to stabilize the home values is to stop the foreclosures. We need a stable home market and helping folks stay in their home is the only way to do that.

Do you support Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins' 287g program in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement? What is your long-term plan for immigration reform?

Yes, I support the 287g program and I believe we need to give local law enforcement the same ability to find and detain illegal immigrants. I believe in strong enforcement of our current immigration laws against illegals and those who employ them. We will never stop people from crossing our borders to find work if companies keep hiring them. I also agree with a quest worker program for those that come here to pick fruits and vegetables. We must secure our borders, ports, and airports and have a way to keep track of those visiting our country on visas.

What is your plan for health care? How will you work with Congress to address this issue?

I believe that we must first work on making health insurance affordable. In order to do that we must open up the private program that members of Congress enjoy to those that want to buy into it. I also think small business should be able to band together to create a larger pool that would reduce the cost to them. We also should permit buying insurance across state lines to create more competition among the insurance companies. I also favor a 50 percent tax credit to small business that offer their employees health insurance.

What steps will you take to address the energy crisis and promote alternative sources of energy?

I believe that we as a country will never be safe till we are energy independent so therefore alternative fuels has to be a major focus of this next Congress. We need a Manhattan type project focus on this with a private public partnership. We need to develop a broad source of alternative fuels from switchgrass, wind, solar, bio-fuel, nuclear, and others. I will promise to work with Democrats and Republicans alike and those from the private sector to make sure we find a why to develop these fuels. Finding these fuels will also create millions of new good paying jobs many right here in the 6th district of Maryland.

Copyright 2008 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.