Q&A with Abboud
1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that? What will be your main priority in office?
I am running to get the country back on track. As a lifelong resident of the 16th district I have watched, for the past 16 years, as our communities have suffered at the hands of failed policies that have driven our economy to the brink of catastrophe, caused surging gas prices, laid off hundreds of thousands of workers and completely destroyed America's credibility in the world. I couldn't look my children or grandchildren in the eye and say I did nothing when the country was in trouble. In the 21st century the United States faces enormous challenges, challenges that require technical expertise and training our current Congressman does not have. As a nuclear engineer, small business owner and local mayor I have served with the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory, the California Energy Commission and Al Gore's Advanced Vehicle program. I currently serve on 15 regional and local planning councils that deal with land management, water use, economic development and infrastructure across Northern Illinois. I am running for Congress to bring my experience, technical training and new vision to bear on all the great challenges we face as a community and a nation, and deliver the results our families deserve.
2. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.
If elected to Congress I will focus my immediate attention on two critical issues: the economy and energy. These two issues are at the heart of the financial crisis we face today. I have proposed a comprehensive energy plan that will reduce the price of gasoline to $2 per gallon in 24 months after implementation, and achieves energy independence in 10 years. Current trade, tax and health care policies put American manufactures and workers at a distinct disadvantage. If elected I will fight to reform these policies to ensure we re-establish America as a leader in the global market, while giving American manufacturers and businesses the right incentives to invest in America, keep their operations at home, create new jobs and wealth in the economy. Furthermore, currently the United States government spends nearly $3 trillion on goods and services each year, most of which is purchased overseas. We can begin to rebuild our economy by investing American tax dollars in America, not foreign nations. In addition, I will work to detach federal transportation dollars from state matching funds so road projects in McHenry County, and across the 16th District, are no longer held hostage by a broken state government.
3. In which ways, if at all, would you alter U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan? How would you characterize the effect of the U.S. "surge" in Iraq? What objectives, if any, must the U.S. still meet before it begins to withdraw troops?
We are currently spending close to $15 billion a month in Iraq, a nation that now has nearly an $80 billion budget surplus. I support a condensed timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops to help encourage the Iraqi government to work toward standing on their own. The time has come for Iraq to take responsibility for the daily security of their nation, while the U.S. remains a mechanism of support both diplomatically and technically as Iraq continues to rebuild. Our neglect of Afghanistan has been a critical misstep on the global war on terrorism. In mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda are gathering their strength and training more recruits. I support an increase in American troops on the ground in Afghanistan, which is truly the central front of the war on terror. Furthermore, we need to enlist the support of more of our allies in NATO to more effectively reach our goals in Afghanistan. For more information on how we should conduct the War on Terror, please see question 10.
4. What short-term steps, if any, would you advocate to keep gasoline prices in check?
In the short-term we must accomplish two goals to guarantee working families and businesses get the relief at the pump they so desperately need. The first is to increase America's refining capacity with existing installations, through tax benefits, 10 - 15 percent. Our cars do not run on oil, they run on gasoline. Currently the U.S. is at roughly 97 percent refining capacity, all the oil in the world will not be able to create more fuel to drive down the price of gasoline. Secondly, we must create more market diversity in the energy industry. This diversity will drive down the forward speculative price of gasoline. During the oil crisis' of the late '70's and early 80's the institution of legislation pushing coal to liquid fuel technology helped the price of oil drop from $38 a barrel to $8 a barrel in 4 years. This happened only after the suggestion of market competition. By adopting the Abboud comprehensive energy plan we will achieve the same immediate result and, unlike our mistakes of the past, continue to pursue an energy policy that will ensure true American energy independence and low energy costs in the future. Unlike my opponent I will not sell out the environment or inhibit local governments tax revenue to fix roads to solve this problem.
5. Please list the key elements of your preferred long-term energy policy. Rank or rate the relative importance of domestic oil exploration, conservation and alternative-energy development. What part, if any, should ethanol play in U.S. energy policy?
Energy is one of the most critical challenges we face. As nuclear engineer with 30 years of experience in the energy research, design, manufacturing, production and power trading businesses I have proposed the Abboud Comprehensive Energy Plan. My plan calls for the creation of the American Power Authority. The APA is multijurisdictional authority designed to use private capital to invest in new refining capacity for gasoline, diesel and bio-diesel fuels, electric power generation, alternative and new energy technologies like wind and solar, thermal and hydro-electric power. My plan also calls for the investment of current, wasted tax dollars generated by the federal gas tax to help U.S. auto-makers make plug-in hybrid technology as inexpensive and common as seatbelts and anti-lock breaks. This plan will reduce the cost of gasoline to $2 a gallon in 24 months and achieve true energy independence in 10 years. To learn how it works visit www.BobAbboud.com. During my career in the energy industry I have been called upon to work on energy solutions for Argonne National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission and Al Gore's Advanced Vehicle program. I have been working on this problem throughout my entire career, and this work has proven that my plan is viable and the only realistic approach to solve this crisis.
6. What steps, if any, should Congress take to promote economic recovery? What steps by the federal government might make the nation's economy worse?
There are two functional problems in the economy, the deregulation and abuse in our financial system, and the damage to the wealth generating component of the economy by off-shoring critical manufacturing. We must continue to remain competitive in the global market, but there is no reason why we cannot attack both these problems and remain competitive. If elected I will work to reform tax and trade policies to give American businesses the incentives they need to keep their businesses here at home. America must recognize manufacturing as the critical component to our strategic economic security. The loss of manufacturing and other jobs have directly contributed to the financial crisis we now face as a nation. Secondly, we must restore financial regulations and oversight to ensure that risk is evaluated on an individual basis, to put a stop to both the predatory lending and the irresponsible borrowing that have forced us to the brink of economic catastrophe. Furthermore, it is critical that we address the energy and health care crisis' to give American businesses and our economy a fighting chance in the 21st century. The loss of jobs and the deregulation of our financial industry have contributed equally to the current crisis. Make no mistake, if Congress expects to recover our economy, it must address these issues simultaneously. Don Manzullo has been the principle architect of, and complicit bystander in the execution of both these failed policies e.g. the repeal of Glass-Steagal and supporting tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas. The only way our government can make our economy weaker, is to re-elect the same leaders, with the same ideas that have forced this crisis upon us.
7. Do you favor or oppose a larger federal role in health-care? Either way, why and what should the federal role be? What, if anything, should be done about rising health care costs and Americans who do not have health coverage?
In the immediate future we must allow must small businesses and other groups to pool their resources and buy insurance collectively. This will help reduce the cost of health insurance for the sector of the economy that employs that vast majority of Americans. In the long term we must fundamentally reform the health care payment system, by recognizing that insurance is not an economically viable tool for managing health care payments. I have proposed the Health Care Trust Fund. This trust fund will allow all Americans to pay into a system that will put their money to work for them by using the collective power of the fund to dramatically reduce the cost of health care by 40 percent. In addition, your money will follow you through life, from job to job and from good health to bad. The Health Care Trust Fund will work seamlessly with Medicare. The trust fund will take care of our health care needs from birth to age 65. To learn more about how my health care plan works, and how I used it to reduce the cost of health care for my village and other municipalities, visit www.robertabboud.com.
8. Would you maintain or scale back federal tax cuts made during the past eight years? Either way, why? How, as specifically as possible, would you try to reduce federal budget deficits and the national debt?
Tax cuts have to benefit as many Americans as possible, not just a wealthy few. I support tax cuts for 95 percent of working Americans, to put more money in the hands of those who need it most. If elected, I would also repeal needless tax cuts for oil companies posting record profits, and for businesses that send American jobs overseas. The current tax policies have crushed our economy and put thousands out of work in the 16th District. Reducing the national debt and budget deficits must be addressed in two ways. The first is putting Americans and our economy back to work. More money generated by a healthy economy will create more revenue to meet the demands of our annual budget. Secondly, we must reign in federal spending, not to cut critical programs, but to ensure we are spending taxpayer dollars more efficiently and effectively. When our government spends our money they should spend it in a way that invests in either a better quality of life, or in a way that helps grow American businesses and our economy. This means focusing spending on infrastructure, energy, the reduction of health care costs and grants and tax incentives for small businesses.
9. The current Congress could not agree on immigration reform. What would you do to advance reform in a divided Congress, and, briefly, what should the key policy elements be?
The answer to both questions is a single answer; craft a policy that both parties can agree upon and attacks the illegal immigration problem at its heart. We must remove undocumented workers motivation for entering the U.S. illegally. In other words, we must hold businesses who hire undocumented workers accountable. I will work to add provisions to the Sarbanes/Oxley legislation to require U.S. businesses to verify the legal status of all their employees, and their sub-contractors, or face a series of very stiff fines, and eventually the revoking of their license to operate a business. In addition, the federal government should cease providing services for illegal immigrants. We must reinforce our border security with manpower, intelligence, technology and infrastructure.
10. In what ways is the U.S. government successfully defending citizens against terrorism, and in what ways is the U.S. failing in that regard?
Since the devastating attacks of September 11th, the creation and execution of the "War on Terror" has not produced the results America needs to both remain safe and protect the security of our essential liberties. Since those tragic events, and even more so after the invasion and U.S. occupation of Iraq, terrorist attacks have increased around the world and terror networks have widened. Currently, the assault on our essential liberties in regard to privacy and freedom of travel, are clear examples of our failure to adequately address the threat of global terrorism. Allowing our government to infringe upon our privacy and most basic rights, hands a direct victory to the terrorists. Our failure is the continuing neglect of Afghanistan. In addition, Don Manzullo and others' choice to dramatically reduce our human intelligence and Special Forces capabilities has left us incapable of effectively combating global terrorism. Fighting the war on terrorism, as indicated in a recent Rand Corp. report, is more of a police action than a military action; continuing to call this a war in the classic sense, obscures the true goals and methods of combating global terrorism. Fighting this war effectively is going to require the tip of the sword, not its broad side. I have proposed a significant investment in American technological and human intelligence, and a renewed investment and expansion of our Special Forces capabilities. To defeat terrorism truly we must find these criminals abroad and bring them to justice. On the other side, we must combat the ideology of Islamic fundamentalism with the ideals and freedoms a plural society like America promises.