Congressional Debate Questions

Questions will be chosen from among these:

Civil Liberties:

Marijuana: Multiple state statute initiatives have been designed and proposed for the California ballot on November 8, 2016

 

 that seek to decriminalize marijuana for recreational and industrial purposes. Do you support the decriminalization of marijuana or support the states current regulation of medical marijuana? https://ballotpedia.org/California_Control,_Regulate_and_Tax_Adult_Use_of_Marijuana_Initiative_(2016) 

 

Abortion: Are you a pro-life candidate and if you could write the law however you saw fit, how would you enforce a ban on abortion? http://dccc.org/san-diego-republicans-continue-hide-positions-choice/ 

 

Prison Reform: California’s corrections budget is one of the largest ever at $10.1 billion. Despite the decline in prison numbers of the last several years, the state has budgeted the same amount for personnel as it did when the prison population has 30,000 more inmates than it does today. Furthermore, court ruling require medical benefits for prisoners that have only increased the amount of money spent on the states correctional budget. What prison reform efforts would you support? (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-prison-budget-insight-idUSKBN0UK0J520160106 January 6, 2016, Reuters) 

 

Marriage: how do you define marriage? 

 

FDA Reform: FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf has announced new efforts to address the national epidemic of addiction to prescription pain killers, but many believe that FDA reform must also address the onerous restrictions and regulations that the FDA has placed on the medical industry. In your healthcare plan, how would you reform the FDA and what is your position on Obamacare? http://www.raps.org/Regulatory-Focus/News/2016/02/24/24401/Senate-Confirms-Califf-as-Next-FDA-Commissioner/

Immigration:

1) There has been a lot of talk lately about "building a wall" to help with immigration efforts.  But those of us in San Diego know very well that most of the traffic is being done underground.  We have witnessed how sophisticated some of their tunnels are, even including lighting and air conditioner.  If you are elected to represent the 52nd District and San Diego, how are you going to protect the border from all the underground trafficking that we have.

2) It is very easy people to point the fingers South when it comes to a discussion about illegal immigration.  Yet we know there is a large amount of people that come in through the San Diego International airport legally and never go back home.  What is your plan to deal with all those people that overstay their visas? 

3) How do you feel about eVerify and if you support it, how would you make sure it is implemented in San Diego, which is considered a Sanctuary City?

4) We know that San Diego is one of the cities that host refugees from all over the world.  How do you feel about that and how would you handle more request from the federal government to have more refugees living in San Diego County.

 

5)  How do you feel about deporting parents that live in San Diego illegally but have children that are born here in the United States? 

 

6) In a resent report from Fusion, we found that 80% of central american women, girls are raped crossing Into the United States and that many of them are kidnapped to be introduced into the sex slave trade. They are willing to take that risk in order to come here for a better life.  What are your feelings about this issue and what kind of laws would you implement in order to prevent this from happening?

Second Amendment:

1)  Statistics show that 9 out of 10 mass shootings over the last 60 years have occurred in "gun free zones".  We protect money and valuables with armed security, what is your vision for providing our children in schools the same level of protection?

2) On both the state and federal level, Democrats have called for bans and severe limits on semi-automatic firearms, including the most commonly owned type of rifle, the AR15.  What specific types of arms does the 2nd Amendment guarantee Americans can own and what limitations on that right do you support?

 

3)  My passion for the 2nd Amendment comes from my belief that people should have the choice to defend themselves and the ones they love both inside and outside of the home.  My question is what requirements do you feel people should meet in order to qualify for a concealed weapon permit and what will you do in office to ensure that people can exercise their right to bear arms across all 50 states?

 

Tax Reform/Fiscal Policy:

    

1-Do you favor the tax system that is in place currently, if ‘yes’ why, if ‘no’ what changes would you make?

2- With most tax revenues coming from the top 10% of earners in the US paid 68% of federal income tax even though they earned just 45% of all income (according to the Heritage Foundation) and the bottom 50% of earner paid 3% of the federal income tax after earning 12% of all income, what would you do to make it fair?

3-  What is your opinion on the earned income tax credit?

4·    Opinion on IRS?

 

5-  What do you think of farm subsidies?  Why?

 

6-   Would you vote for a budget that causes a deficit?  Follow up: How would you balance it?

 

7-- Many people believe government is very wasteful, what do you think? Follow up: What would you do about it?

 

8-  The tea party movement believes that burdening our younger generations is unacceptable, how do you feel about it and what would you do to change it?

 

9-  A few of the people running for President are proposing closing down some government agencies, do you agree?  Which ones would close?

Foreign Policy

 

1-America has made a deal with Iran, a country that has threatened to wipe Israel from the map and has backed Shia militias that killed Americans in Iraq. Saudi Arabia has public executions, stones women, and promotes radical Islam abroad. 28 classified pages may show that the Saudi Royalty had a hand in funding 9-11.  These two countries are now in a regional sectarian struggle against each other. Which side should the US support and why?

2-The F-35 Strike Fighter is the most expensive military weapons system in history. It is $163 billion over budget and seven years behind schedule. Proponents say it is needed to maintain American dominance of the air. Critics note that America hasn’t had a significant air war in decades and that states like Russia and China do not pose a threat to our air dominance and the future is with unmanned aircraft anyways.  Do you support the F-35 program?

3-What was the Obama administration’s biggest foreign policy mistake?

4- Which is the bigger threat to the US – China, Russia, Iran, North Korea or ISIS?

5-With conventional threats on the wane and most hostilities in the Mideast, does the US still have a commitment to subsidize Europe, Korea, and Japan’s defense?

6- How do distinguish yourself from Scott Peters’ foreign policy record?