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Published: April 02, 2008 08:33 am
CANDIDATE Q&A: U.S. Congress 9th District Democratic Primary
Editor’s Note: Submissions appear as the candidates submitted them without editing.Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Except where noted, questionnaires are only being published for contested races.
John R. Bottorff• AGE: 37
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: Jasper High School; Indiana University - B.S. Kinesiology
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Educator, Sales Consultant, Media Activist
• FAMILY NOTES: Wife- Jeanne, Daughter- Madison, Son- Everett, Daughter- Demiah, Son- Aidan
1) Why are you running for this office?
“The direction our nation has continued to follow has been one of misguided foreign policy. No one can diminish the terrible events of September, 11th 2001 and the tremendous loss of life our country absorbed that day. We can not continue to be consumed by a sense of winning and losing. How is winning defined? Do we lose all respect from our global partners? Do we know who we are fighting? Is fighting an answer we teach our children in this nation? These questions need to be discussed and answered from a sense of compassion and caring to determine which road we are going to travel.
“I am running for this office to bring an end to the Iraqi War and to prevent our constitutional rights from continuing to be violated. Those within the Bush administration who have lied to our nation need to be held accountable for their actions. I plan to join other brave members in Congress who have continued to speak up and demand accountability.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position in the next two years and what is your plan to resolve it?
“War funding is the most important issue facing members of Congress. Any financing made available to the military must be used explicitly for removing our troops from Iraq with safety and expediency in mind. I will join other courageous members of Congress who have not only spoken, but more importantly voted, to end this frivolous war which has been a wrecking ball on our economy. Instead of investing in infrastructure and clean jobs for the next century, global corporations line their pockets with taxpayer money via no-bid governmental contracts.
“Instead of actually funding NCLB, there is an 85 billion dollar gap in financing the education of our children. Seven months of military operations in Iraq would have funded the last 8 years of NCLB, which our president claims is a resounding success, disregarding what the nation’s teachers and administrators are saying.
“Without ending this illegal war that has been waged, our financial crisis on our nation’s soil will continue to mount and our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill.”
3) What unique contribution among your competition will you offer to if elected?
“I feel the unique contribution I bring is a fresh perspective and the fact I am not a career politician, nor do I desire to be. When the forefathers of our nation wrote the constitution they assumed that individuals would step forward and assume the civic duty to serve their country.
“I have neither sought, nor spent, any campaign finance money. This is a testament to our constitution that I am able to run for Congress. If we continue to believe that our voice will not be heard, that only individuals with money can run for office, and that our vote doesn’t make a difference, we will continue to have corrupt politicians and global corporations making the decisions for the future of our children.
“I will stand up and speak for the voiceless to demand our government return to its rightful owners, the people.”
Baron Paul Hill• AGE: 54
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: Seymour High School, 1971; Furman University, Bachelor of Arts, 1975
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: -First elected to the U.S. Congress in 1998.
— Reelected to Congress in 2006.
— Current member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Science and Technology Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.
— Served eight years in the Indiana General Assembly (1982-1990).
— Owned and operated a small business in Seymour.
— Named Executive Director of the Indiana State Student Assistance Commission by then-Governor Evan Bayh in 1992.
• FAMILY NOTES: Husband of 35 years to Betty Schepman Hill. Father of three daughters: Jennifer Hill Weiser, Cara Huddleston and Elizabeth Hill. Father-in-law to Jeff Weiser and Josh Huddleston. Resided their entire lives in Seymour.
1) Why are you running for this office?
“In 2006 voters wanted change. I believe my colleagues in Congress and I have made progress - like increasing the minimum wage for the first time in a decade, cutting interest rates on student loans, raising fuel efficiency standards for our vehicles, funding the VA at the highest level since its creation and enacting pay-as-you-go spending rules. But, there is still much work to be done. And, that is why I am running for reelection - to continue the changes we have begun in order to move this country in a new direction. Like most Americans, I am frustrated that Congress has not accomplished more. But, I will not allow those frustrations to overpower my desire to work for real results. In the midst of such partisan tension, I have been able to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft legislation that will not only impact the lives of middle-class Americans, but on a more basic level, actually be passed into law. I believe most of the residents of Southern Indiana are very much like me - practical folks who want to better America by finding solutions to problems around which most of the country can agree.
2) What is the most important issue facing this position in the next two years and what is your plan to resolve it?
“There is a general angst among Americans, and certainly the people of the Ninth District, about the economy. Property taxes are skyrocketing, healthcare costs increasing, gasoline becoming more expensive daily and the housing market experiencing unprecedented troubles, while Americans are being offered little to no relief. The lagging economy affects all aspects of peoples' lives and Congress must do more to help middle-class Americans. Although short-term options may seem more appealing now, our real problems lie in the government's reckless spending. I am proud that this Congress has enacted pay-as-you-go spending rules and regained fiscal control. However, we must do more. I have voted against both budget proposals crafted by my Democratic colleagues because of the large increases in discretionary spending and reliance on the Social Security Trust Fund. We must overhaul an unfair tax structure that gives breaks to the wealthiest Americans and oil companies reaping record profits while we pay more at the pump.“
3) What unique contribution among your competition will you offer to if elected?
“I am focused on getting results for the people of Southern Indiana. It makes no difference to me whether the people with whom I need to work to get things done are Republicans or Democrats. I have a record in Congress which proves just that. I am an independent voice for Southern Indiana because I firmly believe most of my constituents, like me, are sick of the partisan rhetoric and are looking for leaders who produce results. During this term in Congress I have worked in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation that increases fuel efficiency standards for our vehicles while protecting American jobs. I have also crafted, and successfully passed, a bill that strengthens penalties for persons who smuggle illegal immigrants into our country. I cast my votes on legislation based upon how it will impact the lives of the people of Southern Indiana and what I hear from folks back home. I am also very proud of the constituent services record I have complied during this term. Making sure folks back home get the government benefits they need and deserve is the most important part of my job.”
Candidates(s) listed on the ballot that did not submit questionnaires by deadline include: Gretchen Clearwater and Lendell B. Terry.
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