Q&A: Seals, Dold for 10th congressional
As Congressman Mark Kirk makes his bid for the U.S. Senate, the 10th congressional district will go into new hands. Competing for the seat are Democrat Dan Seals and Republican Robert Dold. The candidates answered the Daily Herald questionnaire.
Q. What is your Number 1 campaign issue?Seals: Job creation. Creating well-paying, permanent jobs for all American families is my top priority. Unemployment in the 10th District has increased significantly. The key to turning that around is supporting small business. Small business has created 65 percent of the new jobs in the last 15 years, but too many of these companies are having a hard time getting financing these days, making it difficult to stay in business, much less hire new people. Community banks tell me the problem is that they don't have enough money to meet their own capital requirements so they can't make any loans. I support federal legislation that will encourage community banks to lend to small businesses. This is one of the best things we can do to support job growth. I also support tax credits for capital investment in small businesses, cutting the capital gains tax for those who invest in small businesses, and quadrupling the tax deduction for small business startup expenditures.
Dold: Get people back to work. My number one campaign issue is the struggling economy and how to get Americans back to work. Faced with the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the biggest concern of voters and a critical responsibility of our elected officials is to improve the economy, pull us out of the recession and lower unemployment.
Therefore, my top priority as Congressman would be to advance policies that support small and medium-sized business and encourage hiring to create private sector jobs for American workers. There are 29 million small businesses in this country, and we must create an environment that encourages them to grow and hire. As a small-business owner myself, I have the experience and knowledge to do this.
We must promote a pro-growth and pro-jobs agenda, by lowering the corporate tax rate to help American business compete in the global marketplace, cutting payroll taxes, increasing investment tax credits, advancing Small Business Administration loans, and making it easier for businesses to access credit.
Q. What is your Number 2 campaign issue?
Seals: Fiscal responsibility. Cutting spending and building fiscal discipline must be a top priority in Congress. This fiscal year alone, the U.S. government is already running a $1.6 trillion budget deficit. The size of the national debt, over $13.4 trillion, means that every woman, man, and child in America is personally responsible for over $42,000 of debt. This is more than a bankroll problem, it is a national crisis.
The first step is setting our economy on the road to recovery. A growing economy produces more tax revenue, which will allow us to pay down the debt more aggressively. We were able to reduce the national debt in the 1990s thanks in large part to strong economic growth.
Second, we need to rein in spending and adhere to basic principles of fiscal responsibility. I strongly support pay-as-you-go, or #8220;Pay-Go,#8221; budgeting. Pay-Go rules require Congress to offset all new spending with an increase of revenue or spending cuts in other places, ensuring the fiscal responsibility that every American exercises in their own household. This kind of fiscal discipline is essential to balancing our budget and reducing the deficit.
We are up to the challenge for reducing the national debt. Household savings rates have increased dramatically and there is no reason why our government can't also get spending under control. We have to. Our future depends on it.
Dold: Rein in spending. The federal government has buried current and future generations of Americans with more than $13 trillion in debt, without any end in sight. In two years the total national debt is forecast to exceed the entire gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States, which currently stands at $14.2 trillion annually.
Congress is borrowing $0.40 for every dollar it spends, which is the equivalent of a family of four earning $75,000 but spending $125,000 every year. The national debt is not just a domestic crisis, it is the single biggest threat to national security, according to Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This summer he reported that taxpayers will be paying around $600 billion in interest on the national debt by 2012, one year's worth of defense budget.
Washington has a spending problem, which was started by Republicans earlier this decade and exacerbated by the current Democratic leadership in Congress. I want to take my common sense business background to Washington to provide leadership and turn the tide against the current reckless spending in Washington.
Q. What is your Number 3 campaign issue?Seals: Education. I believe that to create a vibrant economy, we must build a world class educational system. We must also encourage more innovation in order to build and maintain the industries that will employ our citizens.
Our nation was once first in the world in terms of graduation ratestoday we rank 15th. At the same time, the cost of tuition has gone up five times faster than median incomes. My priorities for improving our education system include: investing in early education, funding and overhauling No Child Left Behind, attracting and rewarding high quality teachers, closing the achievement gap, and making higher education more affordable.
We also must encourage innovation in order to build and maintain the existing and new industries that will employ our work force. We can accomplish this by supporting research and development, encouraging private sector investment, and making sure that innovators can benefit from their work. And as with all initiatives, it is critical that we maintain fiscal responsibility and offset the costs of these vital investments by reducing spending in other areas.
Dold: Keep America safe and free. The United States must take strong and immediate actions to stop Iran from continuing to develop nuclear weapons. These are critical times. Iran is loading fuel into the Bushehr nuclear facility. It is planning to build a new facility and has announced a new long-range bomber aircraft.
I supported the expansive sanctions package against Iran's nuclear weapons program passed earlier this summer by the Congress, which strengthens the United States' ability to deter companies from conducting business with Iran's energy sector, through a variety of sanctions and banking restrictions. I strongly encourage President Obama to fully enforce these sanctions.
We must not forget that we are in the midst of a war on terror and ensure that our troops in harms' way have all the support they need.
I am encouraged that the Commander of U.S. and NATO troops, General Petraeus, recently indicated that the momentum of the Taliban in several regions of the Afghanistan has been reversed. We must continue working to create a secure environment to allow this country to regain its footing.
Q. What are the suburbs' most pressing transportation needs? What will you advocate for to help with the state's infrastructure challenges? How do you, if at all, propose funding the STAR Line rail project? Do you support or oppose O'Hare expansion? Seals: The Chicago metro area's transportation infrastructure is a 20th century system trying to meet 21st century demands. It is insufficient for our economic needsespecially in the suburbsand stifles economic growth and prosperity. We must bring our transportation system into the new century by upgrading and expanding the network of regional and inter-regional public transportation options to take the strain off our roadways and get traffic moving again.
The Metra 55 mile Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR Line) is critical to the goal of bringing Chicago's transportation system into the 21st century. The proposed Northwest Corridor segment would run right through the 10th District, giving residents much improved access to our major airports and easing the traffic burden. The STAR Line will create hundreds of new jobs and open a vital economic corridor. With our budgetary challenges, we can only afford to invest in development that makes clear economic sense, like the STAR Line, and I will work to make this critical project a reality.
We must also make necessary infrastructure upgrades to O'Hare International Airport to keep Chicago at the forefront of economic development. O'Hare is a key economic engine for Illinois, and we must continue investing in its success at the state and federal level.
I have also been a longtime supporter of high speed rail that will foster job growth and economic development, provide better travel options, and take cars off the road, decreasing emissions and improving our air quality. Illinois has good news on this front as the Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail route is scheduled to begin construction in September.
Dold: We must bolster our rail lines and public transportation offerings to alleviate congestion. Recent reports indicate that suburban residents recognize and support making public transportation a priority, to lessen congestion on our roads, provide more commuting options and to decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
I strongly support the Metra STAR Line and believe we need a suburb-to-suburb train option. The challenge, of course, is funding such a line. Metra must compete with worthy projects throughout the country, and right now the financial crisis at the state level is a major factor preventing Metra from securing funding from the Federal government.
I have met with members of the STAR Line Municipal Conference and am committed to working with our local mayors and the newly-formed state legislative caucus on this issue to work toward funding of this important project.
I support the expansion of O'Hare Airport, because it represents a major economic engine for our region and state, and because the 10th District's proximity to it helps the District attract and retain business.
Q. Is government debt a problem? If so, what should be done? If you were in Congress at the time, how did you vote on measures, including the financial reform bill? Are you against earmarks? Will you accept them? Should taxes be cut at the federal level? Seals: Yes, our national debt is a serious problem. With the national debt now at over $13.4 trillion, our national debt is at crisis levels. We must get our budget under control. As I've stated, cutting spending and building fiscal discipline must be a top priority in Congress.
I support reigning in out-of-control Wall Street business practices that risk the economic health of our nation. I supported the passage of the historic Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. This financial reform provides for comprehensive regulations of financial markets, improves accountability and transparency including the market for derivatives, and establishes a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency that will protect the interests of American taxpayers.
Our system of earmarks is rife with abuse, so while hospitals and rape crisis centers receive earmarks, so too do cat museums and #8220;bridges to nowhere.#8221; We must reform the system to stop abuse and end the wasting of taxpayer dollars. I also support an overall reduction in earmarks so that we can reduce our national debt more aggressively.
We cannot raise taxes on families or small businesses in the recession. I supported the largest middle-class tax cut in American history this year, and I support an extension of the Bush tax cuts for at least another year to ease the burden on the middle-class and help spur economic growth during this downturn.
Dold: Yes, government debt is an enormous problem facing our nation. We must cut spending to put our government back on firm financial ground. Our goal should be to bring spending back down to near 20% of gross domestic product, which is the historical average, instead of letting spending rise to nearly 25% as currently proposed.
For the first time since 1974, Congress decided not to have a budget despite being in the midst of a global recession and domestic economic crisis. Creating a budget to outline the government's spending priorities should be mandatory. Americans all across our country budget for their businesses and households, and the government should as well.
I opposed many aspects of the financial reform bill, as did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, because they would hurt small businesses and employers. However, I do support consumer protections in the bill, such as prohibiting retroactive interest rate increases on credit card balances.
I am against earmarks. As Congressman, I would not request earmarks, as they represent a critical symptom of the spending problem in Washington.
I do not support raising taxes at the federal level. Erskine Bowles #8211; a chair of President Obama's debt commission and former chief of staff to President Clinton #8211; recently warned that Congress can't tax its way out of a national debt crisis. I agree, and believe a better solution is to keep taxes low to put money back into the hands of individuals and business owners and entrust them to save, invest and create jobs.
Q. Do you believe the country's immigration laws should change? If so, how? Do you favor or oppose Arizona's new immigration law and why? Would you support increasing the cap on the number of legal immigrants in the U. S.? Seals: Our immigration system is fundamentally broken. First and foremost, we need to secure our borders. Beyond that first step, I support comprehensive immigration reform to address our growing immigration crisis. We must fully enforce the laws on the books, hold accountable employers that break the law, and create an earned, fair path to legal status.
The Arizona Senate bill is the wrong way to handle our immigration crisis. Immigration must be solved at the federal level, not state-by-state in a piecemeal fashion. The bill is an unfortunate consequence of the failure to solve our immigration crisis on the national level and is another example of why we need comprehensive immigration reform. The number of visas for legal immigrants in the U.S. should be tied to our labor needs, not politics.
I would only support increasing the cap if, after comprehensive immigration reform, it became clear that issuing those visas would help long-term economic growth while preserving American jobs.
Dold: We are a proud nation of immigrants, and the federal government must lead on immigration. I believe that the Arizona bill was a result of inaction at the Federal level. It is a basic obligation of the Federal government to secure and protect our borders. We are also a nation of laws, and should reward those who want to come here legally, work and pay taxes by creating a more efficient legal process.
Q. What is your view on the Defense of Marriage Act? Should gay and lesbian couples receive the same benefits as heterosexuals? What's your view of #8220;don't ask, don't tell#8221; and why? Seals: All people are created equal, and I strongly oppose writing discrimination into the Constitution or into federal law. That is why I oppose both a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). I support repealing DOMA as soon as possible.
LGBT couples should have access to the same rights as heterosexual couples in key areas like health care benefits, inheritance rights, and end of life decisions.
I support the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy recently passed by the House so that members of the LGBT community are able to serve their country openly. This discriminatory law hurts military readiness and national security while putting Americans fighting overseas at risk. During this time of financial turbulence, taxpayers spend more than $25 million per year just to replace qualified people who were ejected from the military due to this discriminatory policy.
Finally, it doesn't make sense to push away mission critical troops, such as Arabic translators, simply because of who they love, when their service is so specialized and vital to our security.
Dold: I support the Defense of Marriage Act and believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. But I do believe that same sex couples should have the right to enter into contractual relationships such as civil unions.
I want to make sure that anyone who wants to serve their country is able to do so. Having said that, this issue is first and foremost about protecting America and military preparedness. Therefore, as a Congressman I would look for direction from the military leaders on the ground and those in the Pentagon as to how this change would impact our military preparedness.
Q. Should there be more or less government oversight with oil drilling? What are your ideas for improving the U.S.'s response to the BP oil spill? What would you have done differently if you were in Congress at the time? Seals: As we have learned from the Gulf oil disaster, regulation and oversight are critical to protecting the American public from abusive and dangerous practices by Big Oil companies. While there were plenty of warning signs that regulators should have spotted, there appears to have also been clearly risky and dangerous operating procedures onboard the Deepwater Horizon rig that led to its explosion and sinking.
The ongoing investigation into the BP spill will hopefully yield new ways in which we can improve the oversight of practices aboard oil rigs to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again. But at this juncture, it seems clear that we should make sure that we have enough people and resources to actually enforce the laws that are currently on the books. If that takes too long to achieve, then we might also increase the penalties of such a violation to encourage oil companies and rigs to better police themselves.
We must have a comprehensive and effective offshore oil spill response plan that can be implemented should another spill occur. We must be ready to promptly provide the resources and regulatory flexibility necessary to help get disasters like the BP catastrophe under control quickly. I will work to ensure that federal disaster management plans are ready to protect the American people, be it from a hurricane like Katrina or a disaster like the BP spill.
I called for swift action on the BP spill and to hold BP accountable for their actions. Not one dollar of American taxpayer money should go to pay for BP's mess. I do not own BP stock and refuse to allow BP to profit while American taxpayers subsidize BP's negligence. I will continue to fight to ensure that BP is held accountable for the cleanup.
Dold: There should be better, rather than more, oversight. The problem was that federal regulators were not strictly enforcing current regulations. If I had been in Congress at the time of the spill, I would have demanded more leadership from the White House for a better coordinated response effort. During the nation's worst environmental disaster, it took President Obama nearly two full months to talk directly to the President of BP. I support the effort by the private sector to create a new rapid response unit to better respond to any future incidents.