Idaho congressional candidate surveys for Nov. 3 election

Idaho U.S. House District 2

Name: Mike Simpson

Name: C Aaron Swisher

Questions:

Q: 1. What experience has prepared you to represent Idaho in the U. S. House of Representatives?

Idaho Sierra Law: Did not submit a survey response. 

Pro-Life: I have spent 50+ years studying American government and participating in politics. My B.A. is in Political Science. My only motive is to tell the truth regarding how God would have us conduct government. Scripture is more important to me than political philosophy. I have run once for state legislature, 3 times for Governor, 2 times for US Senate, 3 times for US Congress, and one time for fire commissioner. I probably will never be elected because I speak what I believe.

Mike Simpson: My experience working at the local, state and federal level have allowed me to work with nearly every group and many individuals across the state. I am also the top Republican on the Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations which plays a critical role in supporting the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls.

C Aaron Swisher: I have experienced the falling standard of living that most working-class individuals have experienced, particularly in comparison with the living standard our parents enjoyed. I have an educational background that helps me to understand the causes of this fall in living standards and the policies necessary to fix it. I have also had enough international experiences to develop a well-rounded understanding of America’s place in the global community.

Q: 2. What would you like to accomplish as a member of Congress?

Pro-Life: I would use my resources to investigate lies and corruption. I would speak openly regarding all matters. The congressional leaders would not like my style. I would cite Article and Section of the Constitution on all of my votes. I would be the most constitutional member of Congress.

Mike Simpson: Deficit reduction and economic recovery in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis. The debt and deficit continue to hamper our ability to make investments in the most critical functions of our government such as education, infrastructure, and our military. I have long cosponsored the balanced budget amendment, and we also need to look at reforming mandatory programs to help achieve fiscal responsibility. Combating unnecessary and harmful regulations is also very important for our economy.

C Aaron Swisher: I have three main goals as a member of Congress: establish an economy that is fair to both workers and employers; ensure that our economic activity is done in a way that is sustainable for the environment; and bring the federal budget into balance.

Q: 3. Should the government be doing more to secure our elections, and to investigate and prevent interference by foreign governments? Explain

Pro-Life: No, foreign governments do no really affect our elections, they try. Money from foreign government lobbyists is a huge problem and that is where we should expose many members of government as being corrupt in both parties. Members of Congress receive hidden PAC money for their campaigns from foreign donors. The Clintons, Bidens, and Obama were the worst offenders.

Mike Simpson: I vigorously oppose foreign intervention in U.S. elections. Election security is a national security concern, and I support the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security to partner with states to protect against attacks on our election infrastructure. Securing elections is primarily a responsibility of states. As Congress considers election security issues, we must resist the urge to strip states of their ability to conduct elections in ways that best suit the needs of their communities.

C Aaron Swisher: Absolutely; our election system lies at the heart of the representative form of government established by our forefathers. If we lose faith in the functioning of this system, our faith in our government and its ability to represent the people will crumble.

Q: 4. Please explain where you see opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on the serious issues facing our country.

Pro-Life: The struggle for power is too great to ever find common ground. The only way to solve the problem would be for most in Congress to accept Jesus’ invitation to give up all selfishness and become totally truthful. The voters are selfish and elect people that reflect their spiritual sickness, this is the real problem. Maybe we could stop the murder of pre-born babies and the LGBTQ agenda if we were not fake Christians.

Mike Simpson: President Trump recently signed the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation I authored in 2017 to fund land conservation programs and maintenance programs. I believe we should take care of and preserve public lands where possible so future generations can enjoy the outdoors. This was a bipartisan vote in the House and Senate in addition to having the Administration’s support. We can use this example to help on future issues like immigration reform, infrastructure and supporting our military.

C Aaron Swisher: I see the potential for common ground in almost every issue. What is required is the ability to educate others regarding each issue, AND the willingness to be educated regarding each issue. This is why honesty, facts, and science are so important in our debate. They provide a common foundation upon which both sides can meet to discuss issues, if they are upheld.

Q: 5. What, if any, steps would you take in reforming immigration policies?

Pro-Life: We do not need reform of policy, generally. We need enforcement of existing laws. Neither party wants enforcement. Trump could have secured the border on day one with people, military etc. All illegal crossings could have been stopped long ago. I would fund enforcement.

Mike Simpson: I’ll continue working to find the best ways to enforce our borders and set new guidelines for immigration procedures. I’ve cosponsored bills to give law enforcement power to detain criminals who are illegal immigrants, prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses, expedite and fund construction of a border fence, and prohibit access to Social Security by illegal immigrants. I’ve worked with our farmers and ranchers, who depend on guest worker labor, to explore options to reform this program.

C Aaron Swisher: I would hire more immigration judges to prevent backlogs in immigration courts. Separating children from their parents, because the U.S. has failed to invest in an efficient immigration processing system is simply unacceptable. I would invest in systems that prevent immigrants from overstaying their visas but allow extensions for law-abiding immigrants. I would prevent legal work visas from being used to undermine American workers. And I would support greater border security.

Q: 6. What role should the federal government play in America’s health care system?

Pro-Life: None. Health care is not a proper role of government. The government should never mandate health care practices like forced vaccination, chemo, pharmacy.

Mike Simpson: Government run healthcare creates significant challenges for doctors because often Medicare bills at a lower rate than the private insurance market for certain services. We should not create less incentive for doctors to practice medicine at a time when the AAMC predicts a physician shortage of more than 100,000 by 2030. I also have concerns with costs surrounding government run health care proposals. One estimate shows that Senator Bernie Sanders’ plan would cost $32.6 trillion over 10 years.

C Aaron Swisher: Healthcare markets do not operate in the same manner as other markets. Because of these differences, and the necessity of the services provided by the healthcare system, the government should have a more active role in this market than it does in other markets. I believe that the government should act as the single payer in the healthcare market to help balance out the negotiating power of healthcare companies and ensure that Americans can obtain reasonably priced healthcare services.

Q: 7. How do you see climate change affecting Idaho’s agricultural and urban communities?

Pro-Life: Climate change is a device by international socialists to bring about world government. I am against cloud seeding, HARP, and any of man’s efforts to alter the weather. I am for outlawing chemicals that pollute the earth, our animals, plants, and our bodies.

Mike Simpson: I have talked with many farmers and other Idahoans about the various issues related to climate change. As Ranking Member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I have long been a supporter of renewable energy, and in Idaho we certainly understand the importance of it through geothermal in Boise and the incredible research and innovation with nuclear energy technologies at the Idaho National Lab.

C Aaron Swisher: It will have a detrimental effect on Idaho’s agricultural community – as climate and weather patterns become less predictable and more extreme – leading to a loss of revenue for Idaho’s farmers and ranchers. Urban areas may experience greater growth as people move from more fire-prone. This growth is not necessarily a good thing. Ultimately, I believe that the United States should take bold, aggressive action to reduce our creation of greenhouse gases and our use of fossil fuels.

Find original article at IdahoPress.com