Candidate positions for Minnesota - 3rd Congressional District (2008)

Issue	Question	Position
No Child Left Behind	Do you favor or oppose the education program known as "No Child Left Behind?"	ANSWER OPTION Oppose, the cost for the Federal education bureaucracy is more than $1.6 billion per year. No students are taught with this money, nor classrooms built. CANDIDATE'S POSITION The cost for the Federal education bureaucracy is more than $1.6 billion per year. (Not the Department of Education's total budget which I propose to increase, just the cost of running the bureaucracy that is the Federal Department of Education.) No students are taught with this money, nor classrooms built. Rather, it is a shining example of the way the Federal government can throw thousands of Washington area residents into the initiation, maintenance and monitoring of programs like No Child Left Behind. (More Info)
Universal health care	Do you favor or oppose universal health care?	ANSWER OPTION I support reduced healthcare costs and universal healthcare coverage. CANDIDATE'S POSITION According to his Web site Dillon supports reduced healthcare costs and universal coverage. (More Info)
Stem cell research	Should federal funding be used to expand embryonic stem cell research?	ANSWER OPTION I support all forms of stem cell research. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Dillon says he supports gay marriage and all forms of stem cell research. (More Info)
Issue	Question	Position
Social Security	Do you favor privatizing Social Security to any degree?	ANSWER OPTION You're going to have to put a little more money in or take a little less money out, or both. I do not support privatized Social Security. CANDIDATE'S POSITION You're going to have to put a little more money in or take a little less money out, or both. So if it's the third rail of politics, bring it to me. I'd like to put my tongue on it. It's not that complicated. (More Info)
Same-sex marriage	Do you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman?	ANSWER OPTION I support gay marriage. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Dillon says he supports gay marriage. (More Info)
Iraq War	Do you favor or oppose a set date (timeline) for the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq?	ANSWER OPTION It is time for us to declare victory and begin our withdrawal, measured in months, not years. CANDIDATE'S POSITION The continued American presence contributes to the widely held belief that we came to Iraq as conquerors, not liberators; time for us to declare victory and begin our withdrawal, measured in months, not years. (More Info)
Issue	Question	Position
Energy policy	What is your plan for meeting future energy needs?	ANSWER OPTION A policy of investing in solar and wind energy through tax incentives and production credits will help these renewable sources compete in a marketplace massively distorted by subsidies. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Short-term next election focused thinking is preventing a coordinated US energy policy that will reduce costs for consumers while protecting the environment. A policy of BOTH encouraging conservation of oil (through tax incentives and regulation) and allowing for greater production will bring both lower costs and environmental benefits. A policy of investing in solar and wind energy through tax incentives and production credits will help these renewable sources compete in a marketplace massively distorted by subsidies. Incentives for corn ethanol should be scaled back and focused on Research and Development. A massive federal program such as the former Manhattan project should be created to bring Fusion power to the marketplace. (More Info)

Issue	Question	Position
No Child Left Behind	Do you favor or oppose the education program known as "No Child Left Behind?"	ANSWER OPTION We all know that the Bush administration has failed in its responsibilities to our public schools, whether through the chronic under-funding of No Child Left Behind or its negligent attitude when it comes to children with special education needs. CANDIDATE'S POSITION We all know that the Bush administration has failed in its responsibilities to our public schools, whether through the chronic under-funding of No Child Left Behind or its negligent attitude when it comes to children with special education needs. I also support retiring Congressman Jim Ramstad's proposal to provide new education building improvements through federal tax credits that would repair and modernize old and unsafe schools. (More Info)
Universal health care	Do you favor or oppose universal health care?	ANSWER OPTION People that like the health insurance they already have should be allowed to keep it while those who want a better option should be given the opportunity to purchase coverage through a federal program. CANDIDATE'S POSITION People that like the health insurance they already have should be allowed to keep it. Those who want a better option should be given the opportunity to purchase coverage through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the system available to every Member of Congress. The cost of this coverage should be affordable and not exceed a certain percentage of a family's income. A basic health care benefit set should include wellness and prevention, prescription drugs, and mental health services. (More Info)
Stem cell research	Should federal funding be used to expand embryonic stem cell research?	ANSWER OPTION I support allowing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research with appropriate protections against human cloning. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Ashwin supports allowing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research with appropriate protections against human cloning. - Dan Pollock Communications Director Madia for Congress
Issue	Question	Position
Social Security	Do you favor privatizing Social Security to any degree?	ANSWER OPTION If America's seniors had placed their trust in privatized Social Security they would most likely be at a huge loss right now. I do not support privatized Social Security. CANDIDATE'S POSITION If America's seniors had placed their trust in President Bush, they might have put their Social Security into some of the safest investments they could find in 2005. Companies like Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, GE, AIG, Fannie Mae, or Lehman Brothers. Imagine if a near-retirement senior had invested his Social Security savings in January 2005 and diversified his investments among these six companies. This morning, he would have awoken to a Social Security account with an 80 percent loss -- and a drastically different quality of life in retirement. (More Info)
Same-sex marriage	Do you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman?	ANSWER OPTION I support same-sex marriage and full equality under the law. CANDIDATE'S POSITION I support same-sex marriage and full equality under the law. Civil unions fall short and seem to be a way for politicians to avoid recognizing all people as equal. (More Info)
Iraq War	Do you favor or oppose a set date (timeline) for the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq?	ANSWER OPTION Our best hope for a resolution to the Iraq war is for the U.S. to reduce its forces on a responsible timeline and to build a political solution to the country's problems. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Our best hope for a resolution to the Iraq war is for the U.S. to reduce its forces on a responsible timeline and to build a political solution to the country's problems. I support withdrawing our forces over a period of 18-24 months, with a force of about 10,000-20,000 left in Iraq for three missions. (More Info)
Issue	Question	Position
Energy policy	What is your plan for meeting future energy needs?	ANSWER OPTION Expanding the use of homegrown energy and funding for sustainable energy programs like wind, biomass, and biofuels. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Expanding the use of homegrown energy offers incredible economic opportunity for states like Minnesota, and for our nation as a whole. I support the use of a mandatory cap and trade system for carbon dioxide emissions. I also support expanded federal incentives for sustainable energy programs like wind, biomass, and biofuels. Developing the innovative solutions to global climate change are a central component of our emerging green economy. (More Info)

Issue	Question	Position
No Child Left Behind	Do you favor or oppose the education program known as "No Child Left Behind?"	ANSWER OPTION I support, but propose significant changes to the No Child Left Behind Act and provide states and local schools with the flexibility they need to improve student and teacher performance. CANDIDATE'S POSITION We need accountability in education that includes measuring results. I will work to make significant changes to the No Child Left Behind Act and provide states and local schools with the flexibility they need to improve student and teacher performance. (More Info)
Universal health care	Do you favor or oppose universal health care?	ANSWER OPTION Universal government-run health care is not the answer -- it will stifle quality, hurt creativity, innovation and cost more. Doctors and health care professionals should be in charge of patient care, not insurance companies. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Consumers need more choices, and more freedom so they can take greater responsibility for their health care. Universal government-run health care is not the answer -- it will stifle quality, hurt creativity, innovation and cost more. Doctors and health care professionals should be in charge of patient care, not insurance companies. (More Info)
Stem cell research	Should federal funding be used to expand embryonic stem cell research?	ANSWER OPTION I do not support federally-funded stem cell research. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Rep. Erik Paulsen voted against S.F. 100, which clarifies that the University of Minnesota may spend state-appropriated funds on stem-cell research, including embryonic stem-cell research. (More Info)
Issue	Question	Position
Social Security	Do you favor privatizing Social Security to any degree?	ANSWER OPTION The government should provide any incentives. I support incentives to provide additional savings that can be done on top of regular retirement, whether it's through additional 401k savings, universal savings accounts, that's appropriate. CANDIDATE'S POSITION Social Security absolutely has to be preserved and protected, without a doubt. That is a contract. That is a bond that has been made with workers through the government. That needs to be carried on. The government should provide any incentives. I support incentives to provide additional savings that can be done on top of regular retirement, whether it's through additional 401k savings, universal savings accounts, that's appropriate. We have almost essentially a negative savings rate here in the United States and people need to set aside a little bit more money for their long term retirement. (More Info)
Same-sex marriage	Do you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman?	ANSWER OPTION I support legislation banning same-sex marriage. CANDIDATE'S POSITION As a state legislator, Paulsen supported a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. (More Info)
Iraq War	Do you favor or oppose a set date (timeline) for the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq?	ANSWER OPTION It's really pure folly for any congressional candidate or anyone to say that they know best or what the timeline should be. CANDIDATE'S POSITION "It's really pure folly for any congressional candidate or anyone to say that they know best or what the timeline should be. That's kind of how we got into this mess in the first place." (More Info)
Issue	Question	Position
Energy policy	What is your plan for meeting future energy needs?	ANSWER OPTION We must reduce our dependence on foreign oil and seek public-private partnerships that pursue market-based alternatives, from nuclear to solar to wind to other renewables. This also includes exploring domestic oil and natural-gas resources. CANDIDATE'S POSITION America's dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue. We must reduce our dependence on foreign oil and seek public-private partnerships that pursue market-based alternatives, from nuclear to solar to wind to other renewables. With the proper incentives, we can jump-start an entirely new job-creating industry of green innovation and technology for the future. (More Info)