Why do you want to be a U.S. Senator?
Like many Coloradans, I am deeply concerned about the direction our Nation has been heading over the last 8 months. In this past year, there has been a massive explosion in the size and scope of the federal government. The federal government has seized control of car companies, banks, and insurance companies. Now, the federal government is attempting to take control of one-sixth of the American economy in the form of healthcare reform. All the while, Americans are being saddled with burdensome new taxes and unprecedented debt and thousands of lost jobs. In the process, we are losing our individual liberties and freedoms. I cannot sit idly by as this happens. I want to bring a strong Colorado voice and conservative Colorado values back to the United States Senate.

What are the most pressing problems facing our country that you hope to address as a member of the U.S. Senate?
The most pressing problems facing our Nation are strengthening our faltering economy and creating an entrepreneurial climate in which businesses can create jobs and opportunities for all Americans. We must strive to balance the federal budget without raising taxes. We must reduce our staggering national debt. We must make healthcare affordable and available to all Americans, not by nationalizing 17percent of our national economy, but by enacting common sense competitive reforms. We must have a strong national defense that enables us to fulfill our leadership role in the world from a position of strength. To strengthen the economy and reduce the debt, I support incentives for individuals and businesses to encourage investment, expansion, job creation and new business start-ups. I support eliminating wasteful deficit spending. I support lower taxes and reduced regulatory burdens on our businesses, particularly small businesses.

As a member of the Senate what specifically would you do to help the country recover from the recession?
It is obvious that the $787 billion “stimulus” package passed earlier this year has not created jobs. And it won’t. Talk of another “stimulus” package is absurd. More government spending will not rescue our economy. As Ronald Reagan showed us, the best way to stimulate the economy is through low tax rates that enable businesses and families to grow and prosper and save and invest. Americans are not under-taxed – we’re overspent. We must renew our commitment to balance the federal budget; limit discretionary spending to the rate of inflation; and reform entitlement spending. People are rightfully outraged about rewarding political allies like, for example, ACORN. I will fight against the big spenders of both political parties and will oppose spending which rewards special interests or is for earmarks or bailouts.

What do you think is the most egregious thing your Democratic opponent has done that you plan to oppose if elected in 2010?
Senator Bennet has not stood up for the interests of the Nation or the people of Colorado. He has demonstrated that he is but a rubber stamp for the Obama Administration. From his vote for the massive stimulus bill to his support for the government option in healthcare, he has made it clear that he is more concerned about following Democrat party leaders such as President Obama and Senator Reid than he is in protecting values important to the people of Colorado. It was obvious that the town meetings Senator Bennet held in August were not designed to take Coloradans’ concerns seriously. Coloradans deserve a Senator who will listen, take their concerns seriously, and work on their behalf – even if that means opposing party leaders.

Has the Republican Party failed to live up to its stated ideals in the past several years? If so, how?
The outpouring of citizen opposition to the Obama-Bennet policies has been both incredible and heartening. It is also a reminder that many leaders in the Republican Party have also failed in their leadership of this Nation. Thousands of Americans have risen up in outrage over pork-barrel spending, out-of-control federal budgets, and the mushrooming federal debt. Our children and grandchildren are being left with a debt they do not deserve and cannot pay. Americans are rightfully angered as both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have appeared to be more interested in cozy relationships with lobbyists than in responsible government. Good men and women have been marching across the Nation to warn Republicans and Democrats alike that the federal government ought to keep its hands off of their wallets, their businesses, and their healthcare. While rank and file Republicans have stayed true to principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government, and freedom, it is clear that some of our party leaders in Washington abandoned these core beliefs. I will stand up to get-along, go-along business-as-usual politics and will fight hard for our conservative principles of smaller government, lower taxes, and preservation of our constitutional freedoms.

What do you bring to the job of Senator that your primary opponents do not?
I choose to abide by Ronald Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment and express my respect for all of my primary opponents. However, what sets us apart is our vision for this Nation and our experience for this position. I am a third generation Coloradan. I am the only candidate who has run for and won a statewide office. Prior to being elected your Lieutenant Governor, I served as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in the first term of the Owens Administration. President Reagan appointed me Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I will be a strong voice for all Coloradans on meaningful and principled fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, and healthcare reform. I have broad support from within the Republican Party as my recent victory in the State Central Committee straw poll demonstrates. Our success in raising over $500,000 in just 16 days from the date of my announcement is further evidence of the strength of our campaign.

What should the federal government’s role be in reducing the cost of healthcare? What specific things would you propose or support? What kind of laws would you oppose?
There are no easy decisions in healthcare, but solutions are best found in empowering families and individuals and their doctors – not politicians and bureaucrats – to make important healthcare decisions. Government intervention always limits choices. We should empower people by giving them more choices and by promoting competition to drive costs down and increase access to healthcare. Enacting a government-public option is something that neither I nor a majority of Coloradans and Americans support. What we need are common sense and market-based solutions that will slash costs without ceding control of 17% of our economy to the federal government; medical malpractice tort reform that limits expensive and frivolous lawsuits that drive up healthcare and insurance costs and result in unnecessary defensive medicine; tax equity so that those who buy their own insurance receive the same tax benefits as those who get insurance through their employers; high risk pools so those with pre-existing conditions may be covered; portability of health insurance; making cost and quality information plainly available to consumers; changing regulations that discourage individuals and small businesses from utilizing Health Savings Accounts; and giving small businesses the opportunities to pool risk and resources across state lines.

How are you going to deal with the federal government’s deficit spending? What specifically would you cut to balance the budget? Would you raise taxes?
We must renew our commitment to balance the federal budget, especially in times of prosperity. Many economists estimate that the federal budget could be balanced within 5 to 10 years simply by limiting the growth in spending to the rate of inflation. In tough times, there is no reason to grow the federal government at a rate faster than the growth in the economy. It is also the worst possible time to raise taxes. To the extent possible, we should limit discretionary spending to the rate of inflation and reform entitlement spending. We must reject the temptation to reward special interests. We must fight against the big spenders of both political parties. I do not support increases in our taxes.

What are your thoughts on Global Warming and what do you think about the cap and trade legislation pending before Congress as a solution to deal with the problem?
It is important that we consider sound science and foster open debate as we look for the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I oppose the cap and trade proposals passed on a party-line vote in the House of Representatives and recently introduced in the Senate. It is an arbitrary system that substitutes the whims and biases of politicians and bureaucrats for the sensible decisions of families and consumers. It will artificially increase the price of goods produced in our nation, put our companies at a competitive disadvantage, and cost us thousands of jobs. These are burdens that we cannot afford to bear. The proposed cap and trade legislation would have little global impact as India and China would still be unfettered in their CO2 output. If we are serious about reducing CO2, the answer lies in an “all of the above” strategy that includes the rapid development of nuclear power plants and the exploration and use of clean natural gas, which also brings jobs to Colorado.

What judge currently on the U.S. Supreme Court most accurately reflects the type of judge you would like to see placed on this court in the future and why?
I hold Chief Justice John Roberts in very high regard and believe that the Supreme Court would reach better decisions more often if we had more justices with a similar judicial philosophy. He is fearless in his opinions, principled in his reasoning, and never afraid to stand on his own on issues where he feels he is right. Chief Justice Roberts is a believer in judicial conservatism and keenly respectful of the process and rule of law. The Chief Justice is one of our greatest justices, and we would be fortunate indeed to have more justices of his intellect and caliber. I support the appointment of judges to federal courts, including the Supreme Court, who will strictly construe the U. S. Constitution and not manufacture new rights or remedies not specifically provided for by our Founding Fathers in the Constitution.

Do you think there is a Constitutional right to abortion? Explain your answer. Would you vote to make abortion illegal? Would you have exceptions?
The U. S. Constitution does not specifically speak about a right to an abortion. For decades, this important issue was left to the states to decide. In 1973, the U. S. Supreme Court, in the case of Roe v. Wade, ruled that the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution included a right to privacy which, in turn, included a right to an abortion. While I believe this decision was wrongly decided and should be overturned, it is unfortunately the law of the land today. I would support a Constitutional Amendment to protect unborn human life and will strive to promote a culture of life where all life (including the elderly, children, disabled, ill, and the unborn) is valued and protected. While I believe there may be certain limited circumstances – rape, incest, and life of the mother – when exceptions are needed, I oppose abortion because I believe human life begins at conception. I will oppose all federal funding of abortion. I support the appointment of judges to federal courts, including the Supreme Court, who will strictly construe the U. S. Constitution and not manufacture new rights or remedies not specifically provided for by our Founding Fathers in the Constitution.

Do you think government has an obligation to legally recognize same-sex relationships with a marriage license or some other form of official recognition? Explain your reasoning.
No. I support the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Marriage policy should be made by the people and their elected representatives – not by judges. Government should neither sanction same-sex marriage nor interfere in private contractual matters such as inheritance or medical decisions.

What do you think is the most pressing foreign policy problem facing this country and what do you think the federal government should do about it?
There is no shortage of problems facing our Nation internationally, from the struggle for democracy in Honduras to the emergence of a nuclear Iran. But I believe the most compelling foreign policy issue we face right now is the war in Afghanistan. Our ultimate goal is to defeat the Taliban, suppress al Qaeda, and foster stability in Pakistan. We cannot pull out prematurely, forsake our allies, and allow a terrorist haven to once again flourish. We must listen to our commanders on the ground and not pursue a half-hearted strategy that makes political expediency rather than military victory the goal.

How would you deal with illegal immigration? What do you think the government should do with all the illegal immigrants living in this country?
I believe that we must secure our borders and end illegal immigration. And because we are a nation that relies on the rule of law, I steadfastly oppose amnesty for those illegal immigrants already in our country. The true measure of any plan, though, is sensibility and workability. To that end, I support the expansion of the E-Verify system to insure that American jobs are filled by Americans and temporary workers who are legally present. We also need an expanded and effective temporary worker program to insure that critical Colorado industries have the personnel they need in order to thrive. If we as a nation are firm in our hiring practices and resolute in our opposition to amnesty, the allure of illegal immigration will dissipate.

Do you think gun ownership in this country is over regulated or under regulated? Explain your answer.
I am a firm believer in the Second Amendment and absolutely support the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. Gun sales are among the most heavily regulated transactions in America. In our country today, this constitutional right is often regulated into meaninglessness. However, we may be on the cusp of a turning point – last year, the Supreme Court struck down Washington, D.C.’s handgun ban as unconstitutional in District of Columbia v. Heller, and this year the Court will decide whether the Second Amendment is applied to the states in McDonald v. Chicago. I believe that a victory in this case would be a clear message to those who would abridge our constitutional Second Amendment rights. The benefit of the doubt should always go to honest citizens to decide how best to protect themselves, their family and their property.

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