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Oregon Candidate Questionnaire

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Candidate Name: James Foster
Office Candidate is running for: US Congress House District 1
Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/JamesFoster2014
# ISSUE ANSWER
CANDIDATE COMPARISON QUESTIONS
Please answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions. The optional explanations will be included in your Individual Candidate Guide.
1 Do you support drilling for oil and natural gas on public lands and waters? Yes
  I would prefer that most public lands & waters be sold.
2 Do you support the EPA conducting aerial surveillance on agricultural operations? No
 
3 Do you support the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act allowing the U.S. Military to arrest and detain ANY "suspected" terrorist without trial, legal counsel, or accusation of wrongdoing? No
 
4 Do you subscribe to the theory that human activity has a significant impact on climate? Yes
  While the evidence seems to support this I'm not convinced that the proposed solutions are desirable.
5 Do you support a public audit of the Federal Reserve System? Yes
  The Fed should have less discretion
6 Do you support the IRS demanding group membership lists? No
 
7 Do you support the FCC monitoring newsrooms and the internet? No
 
8 Do you support closing Guantanamo Bay? Yes
 
9 Do you support increasing taxes for higher income families? No
  I would prefer to close loopholes and reduce rates overall.
10 Does the federal government have constitutional authority to regulate schools? No
  Except on federal lands (D.C.)
11 Do you support federal secret service agents being assigned to local schools? No
 
12 Do you support dismantling the U.S. Department of Education? Yes
  The constitution does not give Congress authority over schools.
13 Do you support Common Core State Standards? No
  I have no objection to the standards, just to the federal involvement.
14 Do you support a constitutional amendment to enumerate the already existing natural rights of parents? Yes
  Such an amendment should not be necessary, but I see little harm in the effort.
15 Do you support restrictions on the ownership of guns by law abiding citizens? No
  "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
16 Do you support the direct election of the president by popular vote? Yes
  This can be done without a constitutional amendment (http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/)
17 Should the federal government return to the states land it owns for the purposes not authorized by the Constitution? Yes
 
18 Do you support free trade agreements with foreign nations? Yes
  We should remove restrictions even without formal agreements.
19 Do you support requiring all employers to verify employee eligibility to work in the United States? No
  Employers should not be forced to enforce federal laws.
20 Do you support securing the borders before any form of amnesty is legalized? No
  These are two separate issues.
21 Do you support spending public funds to benefit illegal immigrants? Decline
  Certain public funds (such as roads) benefit both citizens and immigrants.
22 Do you support automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. when both parents are not legal residents? Yes
  No need to change this part of the Constitution.
23 Do you support the Federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (Obamacare)? No
  The Constitution does not provide authority to regulate healthcare.
24 Do you support paying for the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" by cutting Medicare services and reimbursements? No
  We should transition to a private healthcare system.
25 Do you support subsidizing insurers for lack of enrollees in the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act"? No
  This is another excess of the PPACA.
26 Do you support legalizing genetically altered marijuana? Yes
  The federal government should leave these issues to states.
27 Do you support the First Amendment right of business owners to run their business in accordance with their religious beliefs? Yes
  As long as the government is making a host of exceptions, one more has little impact.
28 Do you support spending public funds on abortion services? No
 
29 Do you support repealing the Supreme Court decision in Roe versus Wade? Yes
  It would have been less controversial if we left the issue to states.
30 Do you support the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research? No
  Not to protect embryonic stem cells but to reduce the federal role in science.
31 Do you support the Humane Society of the U.S. and the U.N. to make all animal cruelty laws a felony? No
  I'd leave the issue to states.
32 Do you support adding the Oregon Spotted Frog to the endangered species list affecting Oregon ranchers and farmers and recreational areas? Decline
  I have not researched this specific species, but in general I would hold the regulators to a high standard of proof.
33 Do you support preserving Israel's existing borders including occupied territories? No
  I believe that Israel is strong enough to defend itself without our involvement and that we cause more harm than good there.
34 Do you support U.S. aid to Israel to ensure it can defeat its enemies? No
  I believe that Israel is strong enough to defend itself without our involvement and that we cause more harm than good there.
35 Do you support laws that exempt government officials from laws that apply to private citizens? No
 
36 Do you support replacing Social Security gradually rolling over to private retirement plans for future beneficiaries? Yes
  The present course is not sustainable and changes must be made.
37 Do you support raising the Medicare eligibility age? Yes
  The present course is not sustainable and changes must be made.
38 Do you support enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)? No
  The federal government should not interfere with state actions in this issue.
39 Do you support the use of presidential executive orders that changes law? No
  The legislative power is vested in Congress and the President should not pretend to change laws.
NARRATIVE QUESTIONS
The following questions will not appear in the Candidate Comparison Guide, but will be included in your Individual Candidate Guide.
40 How would you ensure the land-use rights of rural Oregon and how would you protect their ability to farm and ranch?  
  The federal government owns more that half of Oregon's land and so far as possible this should be transferred to private or state ownership.
41 How would you propose to strengthen the checks and balances of the federal system?  
  Congress should not delegate its legislative power to executive agencies. Congress should be more aggressive in challenging executive overreach.