Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Response from Candice Britton, Candidate for US Representative, District 1

1.    (A) What do you view as the key role, and/or attributes needed for this position?  (B) What experience/attributes do you have that qualify you for this position? 

(A)    I believe in order to be the people’s representative one must first listen to and be available to meet in person with one’s constituents.

My job will be to help the constituents with Federal agencies that they encounter problems with. To inform them of all government programs that can help them in a time of need. Such as programs to help them with their underwater mortgages and foreclosures etc. My job will be to help them navigate the Federal Government, help small business get government grants, etc. My job will be to do true oversight of all government agencies and hold them accountable to you.

My job will be to understand and read every piece of legislation I am to vote on. My job will be to communicate with my constituents all legislation to be voted on in their behalf. My job title is Representative and that means I am the constituents “voice.” I work for you, you are my bosses.

(B)    I have worked as Manager of Pizza Hut and Wal-Mart Shoe Department. My job centered on customer service. I ran the businesses which included hiring staff; I was responsible for the accounting (keeping the books) and money, as well as ordering inventory. I made our ads for advertising. I ran these two businesses. I also ran a Kinder Care. I worked with Educable Mentally Handicapped and Behavioral Disordered children at an Elementary School. I trained and supervised children for the Special Olympics program. I was a substitute teacher. I was a House Parent at a Children’s Home of girls 12 to 18 years of age.

I ran my husband’s Chiropractic office and dealt with every aspect of the business side as well as the patients and their needs. I attended Logan College as a tri zero Logan student and I have over 60 college hours, but was unable to finish getting my Bachelor in Science degree.

I am living a life akin to yours. I know how the entitlement programs affect you; I understand the process, and get earned results. My mission is assessing our needs, and using my knowledge of how to make the positive changes we rightfully deserve! I present myself to you as one who has tirelessly fought for what I should be able to rely on to live a fully productive life, enabling me to give back to our community. I feel the above experience qualifies me to serve the constituents of CD1. Hire me to be “Your Voice” equals your vote!

2.    Why do you think you are the best person for this position?  (B) What differentiates you from your opponent(s)?

I am the best suited, because I do live a life akin to yours. I know how the entitlement programs affect everyone. I understand the process, and get results. I know how to live within a budget. I understand and know our needs. You are my bosses; I work for you and only you, no one else. I am motivated to forge ahead and tackle the work inherent in YOUR DECISION for me to represent your needs.

I believe the congressional (CD01) seat belongs to the people of a district. Not a Dynasty political family or the parties’ favorites. It is the people’s seat; it is your seat.

(B)    I am not a career politician. I do not come from a Political Dynasty family. I am not a millionaire or an attorney. I was not groomed from a young age to run the family political business (to take over a congressional seat after the retirement of a family member who held the seat for years). I will never claim to own the CD01 seat. It’s your seat—you the constituents own that seat.

Besides holding political office, what jobs akin to yours have my two opponents held? How can they reform the entitlement programs and tax code and make the hard votes when they have never lived them? How can they vote to control spending and lower our debt and deficit when they both come from great means? Neither has had to make the hard choices in life financially. You have and I have had to make the hard choices, buy food or pay the electric bill or rent or mortgage or go without all your medicine.

Both my opponents’ votes were very similar. Their votes contributed in the weakening of our economy and our loss of jobs. Their votes have contributed to degrading our lives to the point of possibly leading us to the second “Great Depression”. For the first time in American history we have lost our AA rating! My opponents’ votes do count. VOTES MATTER! They dictate our future! You, the constituents, will have the opportunity for a fresh start.

This time, choose change and I’ll make it count! Vote for life experience akin to yours. I have the experience to run the business side of holding office. I have the passion needed to listen and to meet with you. I can make the hard decisions as I do every day like you do. I have a strong sense of personal ethics and values and most importantly I know the vote belongs to you not me.

3.    What do you feel are the most pressing issues currently facing this office and what plans do you have to address these issues? (please be specific)

I believe that one must live within ones means (income), except in an emergency. This includes our government. I believe that we must help those who can’t help themselves.

My platform is to bring manufacturing jobs back to St. Louis. This can be done by lowering our manufacturing corporate tax rate below 15% to 0%.

We must bring back our manufacturing base! No country can possibly survive without making its own goods. We are held captive, with our hands tied behind our backs, to depending upon foreign countries (i.e. China who is predicted to be the superpower by the year 2016…not the United States) for our livelihood. These foreign countries don’t have the people’s best interests at heart. Bringing America’s manufacturing base back home will also provide jobs we so desperately need. Not all Americans qualify for the finances necessary for a college degree. Many people simply need to master a trade, work hard, support their family and live a relatively comfortable and secure life.

Our needs in Congressional District 01 are plenty as well as the needs of our Country. Yes this will mean more sacrifice for us all and hard times to endure for years in order to put our Congressional District and Country on rock and get us off the sand.

We must lower our Debt and Deficits and live within our means. We must stop printing money and cooking the books to make the numbers look better than they are with the Debt, Deficit and inflationary numbers. You and your children and grandchildren will have to pay the printed money back! It is not free.

We must stop changing the formula to evaluate inflation. We must put food and utilizes back into the formulary to get an accurate inflationary rate. This is important for the correct pay raises and income adjustments to be given to you to compensate for the increased inflation.

I would seek to accomplish the above by reforming our Tax code, lowering the tax rates on the middle class and small businesses.

I would get rid of all tax loop holes and subsidies to Corporations with huge profit margins.

I would end the Death tax (inheritance tax). No more hiding money in banks or dummy corporations in other Countries.

I would cut spending on duplicate programs within the government. I will go after the administrative waste in each government agency.

We also need to go after the fraud that is committed in many government programs and contracts. The list goes on and on. We have a lot of work to do.

We must stop raiding the Social Security trust fund for general government spending. We must honor and take care of our elder parents and the disabled. We must allow them to retire and die with quality and dignity. We owe them that. We must stop raiding the S.S. Fund! For many have no other income since we allowed corporations and business to end pensions. The disabled (folks with MS, MD, Lupus, mental illness and many other debilitating diseases and illness) live so far below poverty they are not able to take care of themselves let alone live with dignity or quality.

I want to see us all in the Federal Employees’ Healthcare program just like your Senator and Congressperson. We can do this the plans are many and of good quality. The system is already established and is run efficiently. Healthcare should not be connected to your job.

Education needs to be addressed as well as College tuition.

I do not have enough paper to address all the pressing needs of the constituents or our Country. I also do not have all the answers. If anyone acts or tells you they do, they are not being truthful with you.

I will meet each need and issue head on with common sense. Issues I have no knowledge of I will educate me, consulting with the best professionals in the area. I will present the information to you for your guidance and for your direction on which way you want me to vote. I will not consult with K Street lobbyist! No K Street paid lobbyist will be allowed in our office. I will not take money from them for our campaign. With that said your donations are needed. They cannot buy me, I work for you.

I will read the actual legislation and understand the consequence of the legislation before I would vote. Before I would vote on important legislation that affects your life I will hold Town Hall meetings to hear from you.

If not given enough time by leadership to do the above I will vote no. I will do this no matter who the President is or what party the legislation comes from.

4.    How does a redrawn district affect your legislative priorities? (please be specific)

It does not affect my legislative priorities at all. The lines that are drawn to make a district do not matter. The only thing that matters is you the Constituents and your needs within those lines. The redistricting is irrelevant to me representing you.

5.    Describe how you work with, or will work with, others to address your priorities.

I will work across party lines to support and work on legislation that you want me to vote on and that is good for your needs and our country.

I am someone who does not believe in holding us loyal to the party politics when they lose sight of your needs or force us to the extreme right or left ignoring your voice. A good leader will demand freedom of political deliberation as to continuously fight for the needs of the people in which they represent. I support some liberal and conservative principles while reserving my right to disagree with both when the sensible way ahead clearly justifies such actions. I care about finding the right workable solution to a problem which results in the greatest prosperity for the people at the least amount of cost or hardship. An efficient government will, without exception, embrace fiscal responsibility, wasteful spending restraint, freedom of personal choices and strong national defense diplomacy.

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