1. What
distinguishes you from your opponents?
Lets see I am a
pagan. I am a CEO of a corporation
Seeking a better alternative? I recommend we look to Milton
Friedman, Herbert Spencer, Gene Roddenberry - some of my
favorite philosophers - for their vision of a better world.
I’ve seen Big Party politicians burden California with
costly boondoggles and corrupt social engineering: a “drug
war” that erodes our Bill of Rights and promotes crime and
police corruption; a public school monopoly with declining
quality and increasing costs; electricity “reforms” that
raise prices, reduce profits, and endanger supply; “managed”
health care that looks more like the DMV every day.
My goal is to make it easier to follow our dreams: Reduce
our tax burden. Honor parents’ rights and responsibilities
for their children. Care for poor families with aid
vouchers not long lines for government rationed State
services, but individual sovereignty and economic
freedom.
I am a husband, father, man of faith, and CEO of a
bio-information firm.
I want my children to enjoy the free and diverse society
envisioned by Jefferson, Paine, and Adams.
For a more prosperous and more compassionate California, I
urge you to vote Libertarian in the election on November 5,
2002.
2. What is the
greatest challenge of public service?
Dealing with authoritarian system of Governmental control.
Most government works on small fiefdoms with one powerful
figure.
I processed engineered many Government offices.
3. What is the
most important issue facing the State of CA?
The State Budget
Crisis
For the year 2002,
the budget of the State of California is $109 billion, which
works out to about $3,100 per resident, or $12,400 for a
family of four. If each family had to pay this amount, cash
out of pocket, there would be widespread outrage. Citizens
would demand to know where the money is going and what they
are getting for their money.
But the politics of taxation is the art of offering as many
people as possible the illusion of getting something for
nothing. Business taxes, payroll taxes, deductions,
credits, and heavy taxation of “the rich” hide the true
cost of the government behind a combination of higher
prices, lower wages, and lost economic opportunities.
Nevertheless, the politicians’ ravenous appetite for our
hard earned dollars is so huge that it cannot be completely
hidden, and Californians are hit square in the face with
income and sales taxes that are among the nation’s highest.
Balancing the
State Budget
We Libertarians
want to cut the State budget sharply and abolish the income
tax. Many items in the State budget are either unnecessary
or are things we as individuals could better provide for
ourselves if we were relieved of the burden of taxation.
One of the biggest single items in the state budget is
education. California spends over $7,000 per student. If
we assume a reasonable average class size of 20 students,
that’s $140,000 per classroom. Generously pay the teacher
half of that, and we still have $70,000 a year to provide
classroom space and supplies for 20 students. Visit your
child’s classroom. Do you see $70,000? Where is the money
going?
In California 43 percent of the State’s revenue is derived
from income taxes, roughly $40 billion. Most of these funds
collected are in the General Fund, which is a catchall for
government projects requested by the governor and the
legislature. There are, of course, some essential services
that only the State can provide. The fairest and most
efficient way to pay for state services is to charge people
for the services that they use.
4. What advice
would you give someone thinking of running for public
office?
Get a real job that will help people
5. What is your
favorite political book?
Great Political Thinkers
William Ebenstein
6. What was
your favorite political TV program?
Star Trek Ok OK
John Stossels 20/20
7. How did you
become involved in the (L) Party?
8. Who are your
political mentors?
Rick Arnold National Voter outreach
Andrea Morrow Libertarian Candidate for President 1992
John Adams my Great ancestor (yes the 2and president)
Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine
What are some of
your favorite political quotes?
Poly = many
Ticks is a blood sucking parasite
The dissemination of power to the individuals that reside
currently in the state
A theology of laissez-faire capitalism and individual
sovereignty where the states functions only to protect an
individual’s liberty and property
Gary David Copeland
Herbert Spencer
"The cult of the state, is essentially linked with
militaristic societies. By contrast, the cult of the
individual is associated with rationalism and industrialism"
9. Will the U.S.
invade Iraq by December 2002? Should they invade?
I think not at this time
I am opposed to the invasion it sets a dangerous president
that will scare all state that disagree with the US and will
create far more fear and terrorism.
I believe we need to continue the revolution of liberty and
free all the people of the world so they can create
prosperity. We would be fighting for Liberty not against
terrorism.
10. If you were
Gov. today, what would be your order of business?
cut the Bulls shit and get the government to do its job to
protect our liberty and property only
11. Why should the citizens of the State of CA elect you on
Nov. 5th, 2002?
Citizens should do what is right for them not me.
12. What are
three legislative/issues bills that you hope to sign into
law if elected Gov.?
1.The State of California is currently in debt between $20
and $30 billion. The State spends in excess of $25 billion
in drug related enforcement in an attempt to stop the
production, sale and use of illegal drugs.
If you are fortunate enough to have a living parent or
grandparent who remembers the 1920s, you might ask them
about Prohibition. When alcohol was illegal, millions of
people still drank, and the illegal booze market gave rise
to violent criminal gangs. Sound familiar?
Today, the abuse of alcohol is a significant social and
medical problem, but there are no drive-by shootings between
rival liquor stores.
Ending drug prohibition and putting a 10 percent use tax on
drugs could fund law enforcement and medical vouchers. This
revenue would be in excess of $10 billion a year.
Addiction is part of human nature and we need to treat it,
not create an opportunity for criminals.
2. Tax Cuts
My approach to taxation is integral to my Libertarian
approach to the role of the government in our lives. I seek
to be the leader of the government of California,
not the ruler of the people of California. The
role of government should not be to rule over people but to
work as an unobtrusive servant to the people, efficiently
performing essential functions.
Lets lead the rest of the country by ending the bureaucracy
and inefficacy of California’s State Income tax.
Here are just some of the more questionable functions of
California’s Government.
California Debt and Investment Committee
on aging
Fair Political Practicing Commission California
Alternative Energy Political Reform act Commission
on Tax Relief Unallocated Capital Outlay
Advisory
Commission
Technology Trade and commerce agency High-speed
rail
California Debt Limit Allocation Hastings
College of the Law
California State Summer School for the Arts Advanced
Transportation Financing
California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
3. Encouraging Economic Growth
Economic growth is the result of human innovation and
creativity. When government regulations and taxes obstruct
progress, economic growth slows and our standard of living
falls. Rich people often don't feel the pain from a slowing
of growth; they have wealth to liquidate; but our poorest
citizens are most in need of economic growth to get jobs,
better jobs, and pay increases. Libertarians stand on the
side of our poorest citizens and their upward aspirations.
Capitalism is all about taking dreams and ideas and turning
them into reality.
13. What is your
view on the recent Enron debacle?
They are dead because capitalism works
Will the new
federal law be effective?
NO
What
will you do as Gov. to ensure that corporations report
more accurate information?
I run a corporation. I believe in the separation of
business and state. It took us thousands of yeas to learn
separations of church and state - How long before we learn
separation of business and state.
If you try to control Business with state you end up with a
Business controlled State
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
15. How do you
improve education in CA and around the U.S.?
Government
Education
The state pays
$7,058 per student this year for education. Education
represents $42.9 billion of the $109 billion California
state budget.
With the advent of the Internet, the face of learning
requirements has changed considerably. Individuals need to
be able to learn at their own pace and excel in those
attributes, which best fit their intellectual abilities.
Internet technology allows our children to use information
technology at a far greater rate and this should be the
basis of their educational development. California’s
parents should be able to keep their tax dollars and use the
money to send their children to the schools of their choice.
Today’s education model is based upon the needs of early
20th century industrial America. Classrooms of 20 to 30
with a single educator. With curriculum dictated by the
State, even if a teacher could implement change, the weight
of the social fabric of our educational bureaucracy limits
any genuine possibility of progress.
Education
Solutions
We need to break up
our State educational monopoly and use financial techniques,
such as tuition vouchers, to work for the changes necessary
in tomorrow’s information age. It’s the parents and the
teachers who create education not Gray Davis, nor the
Legislature, nor the teachers union, no matter how small the
classes. Direct application of knowledge should be the
foundation of our schools rather than drab regimental
training, or lock step memorization. End compulsory
education of high schools students, and you will see our
standards rise. Education should be a desired commodity not
a forced State re-education camp.
The fact is our information continues to double every 18
months. The new skills of leaning technology cannot be
provided by our current educational system. By the year
2020, computers and machines will be such an integral
combination that the much-heralded information technology
will change the face of labor. We need to change our
educational system to prepare our children for that
opportunity.
16. What type of
Health care reform will you be a proponent of in CA?
Health Care
Our health care
system is “sick” but the most of the “cures” proposed by
Republicans and Democrats are regulations that attempt to
micromanage and treat the symptoms and not the disease.
The “disease” is a lack of consumer choice and control over
health plans. Due to tax incentives, most of us get
insurance through our employers instead of purchasing it on
our own. Employer-provided health plans are tax-free but
individually purchased health plans are not. The patient,
as the paying customer, should be in control.
I would support a system of medical vouchers that low-income
families could use to purchase health care or insurance. I
would establish incentives to use the money wisely, with any
unused part of the annual allowance “rolled-over” for future
medical needs.
Regulations on hospitals are forcing emergency rooms to
close their doors, which give patients with no place to go
in an emergency. Misguided regulations intended to enforce
common human decency are rapidly destroying our health care
system.
17. What is your
solution to the Energy/water demands in CA?
Meeting
California's Energy Needs
Our State and
Federal government take 20 to 30 percent in taxes of the
money you spend on gasoline. Governments have no incentive
to encourage an alternative fuel. There is only one quick
solution to the addiction of our government to oil taxes.
The free market offers the only way forward, and it is
nothing more radical than Econ 101: Prices set by supply
and demand both encourage more supply and restrain demand.
Encouraging more supply promotes competition and allowing
higher prices promotes conservation and alternative energy
sources. When government stays out of the picture, this
system works very well.
Pete Wilson got us into our current energy problems. Gray
Davis won’t get us out. Davis committed the State to
expensive long-term electricity contracts and consumers will
be required to pay them off by further restrictions on the
market.
Gary
Copeland
Interview:
Gary Copeland (L) for
Gov. for
the State of
California