Monday, October 17, 2016

US Representative


Marc Hennemann    R         emhennemann@aol.com
education: George Washington U  BA in Political Science, U of Oklahoma MA in Public Administration
Viet Nam vet, career military, then high school teacher
issues: supports active duty military; opposes reducing military; supports veterans’ access to health care; supports free trade; supports trade agreements so long as they do not export jobs; staunch supporter of Israel; opposes the nuclear deal with Iran; US must destroy ISIS; America must LEAD; cut wasteful frivolous spending; pro-2nd amendment; wants to balance between exploitation and environmental protection; wants to promote growth, expand jobs, and preserve our environment at the same time.

Quote from his website: “The government needs to get out of our living rooms, our board rooms, our wallets, and our way.”  He’s a tad skimpy on how he intends simultaneously to keep taxes low and pay for programs he supports.
Bottom line: a classic R


Rick Larsen   D         rick@ricklarsen.org
Rick is the incumbent. We have long had serious differences. I have made those differences clear to him. He is unmoved. His current focus: invest in infrastructure & small business; grow the clean energy economy; increase access to education, in part by “bringing more financial security to students” re debt, so supports free community college. Fighting for women’s rights, LGBT rights, strengthening the voting rights act; wants to overturn Citizens United; wants to pass real immigration reform and support refugees; deal with addiction and homelessness.

My heartburn comes with his uncritical support for the military, including continuing to fly Growlers at OLF Coupeville, and “economic development”, including the now-dead Cherry Point coal shipment facility. His position on the 2 proposed oil trans-shipment facilities at Anacortes is not clear.

Candidate’s statement:
Elected Experience: It is my privilege to serve as the Representative for Washington’s 2nd Congressional District. I’ve also served on the Snohomish County Council.
Other Professional Experience: Prior to working as a public official I was employed by the Port of Everett and the Washington State Dental Association.
Education: I graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in Washington state and have a masters degree from the University of Minnesota.

I’m working to raise the national minimum wage, combat income inequality, create jobs in our community, and fix our broken immigration system.

Income inequality has been called the “defining challenge of our time.” We need to rise to this challenge and build a ladder for those seeking to break into the middle class. There’s no better place to start than by raising the minimum wage.

I’m also working to put people back to work. The best way to create jobs is to invest in our transportation systems. Building and repairing our roads, bridges and highways will grow our economy and immediately put people to work.

And I’m committed to expanding opportunities for everyone to participate in our economy and democracy. We must reform America’s broken immigration laws by establishing a clear pathway to citizenship, destroy any barrier that prevents people who are registered to vote from exercising that right, extend unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed and support efforts that ensure marriage equality exists in every state.

None of this will be easy, but I’m up for the challenge.

Endorsed by FUSE Progressive Voters.

I have had too many disagreements with Rick Larsen to be able to support him. He loves the military and does not seem to understand that they are destroying the very communities they’re supposed to be protecting. He’s all in favor of TPP, which will suck the last of our country’s sovereignty away and give it to the multi-national corporations. We’re seeing that right now with Trans Canada Corp suing the US in the WTO for its denial of permits to build the Keystone pipeline. While he talks about the environment and climate change, he’s supporting various coal and oil export facilities in the name of jobs. He hasn’t figured out yet that there are no jobs on a dead planet, and the quickest way to kill this planet is by mining, transporting, and burning more fossil fuels.

I readily acknowledge that he has done some very good things. I just can’t forgive the very very bad things he’s done.

All of that said, he’s a whole lot better than the alternative, and I don’t feel like I have much of a choice, so once again,

I will be holding my nose when I vote for Rick Larsen.

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