Pages

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Response from Bill Haas, U.S. House Candidate

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

Anyone can vote right. But leadership is action not position. My key role will be leadership of good ideas and constituent service.

Key attributes are a good mind (Yale, Harvard Law School), a good heart; unselfish and integrity; ability to lead; know when to follow; working with others; driving Republicans crazy (crazier) when necessary or sometimes just for fun.

My Experiences: community organizing during Vietnam War almost 50 years ago.
Active politically and civically for 40 years since, community organization during Vietnam War, including 1977-79 as Assistant Law Director, Cleveland, Ohio, under then Mayor Dennis Kucinich, (Congressman, 3-time Presidential candidate with good union credentials).
Former member Communication Workers of America, was their lawyer when in Ohio.
Almost 20 years on St. Louis School Board


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

My ideas: I have the best ideas.
Education: reading well by third grade and job training skills for older students in fields like computer programming and construction trades. See Question 3, below regarding other issues.


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)

Income inequality domestically, terrorism internationally, of course.

Internationally, I think that as much good can be done with economic aide to impoverished countries as with military involvement, a Marshall Plan for the Mideast.

Domestically on income inequality my ideas include:

No layoffs upon mergers or automation without fair severance to people getting laid off. If you cant afford to do that, then you shouldn’t merge or automate!

On trade, no trade deal unless fair income support and education and job retraining for those businesses adversely affected.

I’d also like to ban any public monies for moving or stealing a business, including sports teams, from one location to another. Taxpayers lose this blackmail and extortion, and the companies don’t need it and it’s just unfair!

I’d also like to ban animal cruelty on factory farms.

For more, see my website, votehaas.com

We also need independent redistricting in Missouri by 2020 to level the playing field to elect state reps and senators and I hope to lead this effort.


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

This is not easy with Republicans lately, but finding middle-grounds, values and interests we can agree with, and not supporting issues important to them unless they support our issues.


5. Who are your 3 largest campaign contributors? Are there donors from whom you will not accept campaign contributions?

Most of my campaigns have been self-funded, and I’ve done well, winning 4 out of 4 school board campaigns, a competitive congressional primary in 2008 outspent $350,000 to $15,000, and 3d out of 8 in 2012 for Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor when everyone around me had $200,000. In the general election for Congress, about half my contributions came from unions, like the Communication workers of America which I was a member of, working for AT&T at the time.

I would not take money from Rex Sinquefield. One day I hope to win a big lottery so I can become the Rex Sinquefield of progressive causes in Missouri.


6. Since the shooting death of Michael Brown and the national rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement, criminal justice reform has become a national topic of conversation, yet few changes have been made on a national level. If elected, will you make criminal justice reform, and racial equity, a priority in Washington? If so, how?

The key to criminal justice reform and racial equity is educational and job opportunities, and I will work for both vigorously.



No comments: