John Tree: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: Buffalo GroveWebsite: http://www.JohnTree.comOffice sought: 10th District U.S. RepresentativeAge: 45Family: My wife Michelle and I have one child together and are expecting another child on Jan 30th, 2012. We also each have two children from previous marriages. My oldest daughter, Stephanie, died tragically in Aug, 2011 from an accidental drug overdose.Occupation: Colonel in U.S. Air Force Reserve, assigned to Pentagon in Wash DC. Also a business executive in the food industry. Former Director of Wholesome Snacks for the Kellogg company, managing Rice Krispies Treats, NutriGrain Bars, and Special-K bars.Education: B.S., United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, 1990 M.B.A., Chaminade University in Honolulu, 1994 Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, 1998Civic involvement: I am an Eagle Scout and an Assistant Scoutmaster in a Boy Scout troop in Buffalo Grove. I'm also a PADI Divemaster.Elected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 My #1 campaign issue is jobs and the economy. We need to get this economy moving again.We're in a terrible recession and people are hurting everywhere.The future is uncertain and we need to work together to get out of this mess that we're in.Getting our economy growing again is essential to our country's future.Key Issue 2 My number two campaign issue is protecting the promises this country has made to our seniors, our veterans and our middle-class families. This includes protecting social security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It also includes creating job opportunity for our veterans and middle-class families.Key Issue 3 My #3 issue is standing up to the extreme partisanship that has taken over the Congress.There doesn't seem to be any common ground in that institution anymore, as the extremists on the hard right simply dig in and refuse to work with anyone.Questions Answers What would you do to help ease partisan gridlock? Are you willing to compromise on sticking points including spending cuts and taxes to produce results' How can Congress move from being a "crisis-driven" institution?Partisan shouting matches in Washington and the extreme agenda of the Tea Party have distracted our current Congress from addressing what matters most: creating new jobs and lasting economic growth. They are pitting small business, large businesses and their employees against each other, but we all know that we need all types of clean, modern and efficient businesses to grow our economy. We need employers and their employees to be successful in order to create lasting economic growth.I will bring over 20 years of leadership in both the military and private industry to work with members of both parties and to find the common ground to get things done.Congress needs to focus on what's good for America, and working on solutions for America.Should tax breaks be extended? Why or why not? If so, for whom? What should Congress do to improve unemployment? Why do you support or oppose President Obama's jobs plan? What cuts or revenue increases do you support for deficit reduction?Our tax code should be fair to all citizens, not just favor the wealthy.We need to repeal the Bush era capital gains tax cuts for the 1%.We need to extend the payroll tax cuts for the middle class.I'm calling for a 5 year extension to this payroll tax cut in order to provide some degree of certainty for both employers and employees.I absolutely support President Obama's jobs plan.What steps should the country now be taking in the war on terrorism? What policy should the U.S. have toward Iran and North Korea? What is your view of terrorism policies that pit public safety against civil liberty?As a full Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, assigned to the Pentagon, and with a Top Secret security clearance, I want to emphatically state that we need to remain vigilant and firm in our global war on terrorism.I supported the war on Afghanistan because we achieved our national objectives of striking Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and toppling the Taliban.I did not agree with the decision to invade Iraq, and that war cost our country the loss of precious life and national resources.Also, it enabled Iran to now stand alone as the regional power in the area, and Iran represents a tremendous threat to the entire gulf, and especially, to Israel.The United States needs to keep all of its options on the table as it deals with Iran.We need to ensure that Iran doesn't acquire nuclear weapons.We need to stand with Israel and let the world know that Israel is our #1 ally in the region, and that any act of aggression against Israel will not be tolerated.North Korea is has always been unpredictable, but even more so now with the recent death of its President.We need to continue to stand firm against any aggression that North Korea might pursue, and we will stand with South Korea and the free world to ensure that North Korea isn't a a threat beyond its borders.The issue of public safety vs. civil liberties is extremely complicated, and one that needs to be continuously debated and revisited.We all agree that we need to give up some of our personal liberties in order to protect ourselves as a country against acts of terror and destruction, but it's a fine line and a slippery slope that we risk losing too much of our own liberties in the name of public safety.I support transparency and frequent conversations on this issue between the government and the people.How should Medicare and Medicaid be changed overall to fix fund gaps' How should Medicare be changed for those currently enrolled? How should it change for the Baby Boomer generation?We can not ask our seniors living on fixed incomes like my mother, who depends on a social security check of less than a thousand dollars a month, to pay more while the wealthiest Americans pay less -- and some of our largest corporations pay almost nothing at all. I believe we need to protect Medicare and Social Security so it is viable for future generations -- but we absolutely cannot break our promise to those who now depend or will soon be depending on these programs to simply get by. I want to see the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy expire so we can reduce our deficit and shore up these safety net programs for seniors.As a military veteran and a senior Air Force Reservist at the Pentagon, I will be listened to in Washington when I call for cuts to the Pentagon budget and an end to wasteful defense contracts. This is money that must be invested in reducing our debt and in protecting our current and future seniors. I also think it is ridiculous that Medicare, which is the single largest purchaser of prescription drugs in the world, still pays the retail price for medicines.The answer is simple. I will fight for Medicare to do exactly as the VA has done: use their purchasing power to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I want to end special interest protections for the big drug companies that come at the expense of our seniors. Why hasn't our Congress done anything about this'What is your position on concealed carry gun laws' How do you believe marriage should be defined legally? What is your position on abortion? What, if any, abortion exceptions do you support? Should abortion clinics receive government funding?I oppose concealed carry gun laws. I own a pistol. I also have a military background, but I don't understand why individuals need military grade weapons in their homes. I believe citizens should be allowed to own guns for sport -- guns without military applications like automatic firing capability. I also believe that guns should be stored with mandatory trigger locks, that there should be mandatory training requirements, waiting periods for purchasing guns, and full background checks so that people with mental health or violent criminal records can not legally buy a gun. In terms of marriage, I will fight to end all forms of discrimination against Americans based on their sexual orientation. I believe that Congress must repeal the Defense of Marriage Act because the federal government should recognize all lawful marriages and civil unions performed in states such as ours that have enacted such legislation. I will also fight for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit employment bias based on one's sexual orientation. As a military officer, I believe it took the military too long to include gay and lesbian soldiers. I know that when you are in combat you don't ask the person next to you if s/he is straight or gay -- you just count on each other to survive the fight. That is why I supported the military's repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell.'I am 100% Pro-Choice, pure and simple. One thing I just don't get are Republicans who preach for a smaller government and fewer regulations but at the same time aim to get Government involved in the most personal decisions a woman and her doctor can make. I think it's hypocritical, and in Congress I will be a stalwart defender of a woman's right to choose. I believe that health clinics which may perform abortions provide many services that are vital to protecting women's health and I do support government funding for those medical institutions. <div style="margin:8px 8px 0 8px;"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.congressionalprimaries.org/static/primaries/js/widget_api.js"></script><script type="text/javascript">document.write(CongressionalPrimaries.donations("www", "www", "D1129646BCBE92C41681", "John", "Tree"));</script></div><div style="margin:8px 8px 0 8px;"><script type="text/javascript">document.write(CongressionalPrimaries.tweets("www", "www", "D1129646BCBE92C41681", "John", "Tree"));</script></div>