Interview: Kevin Litten (L) for 2nd U.S. House District for the State of Iowa

By: Ky Starr 

1. What distinguishes you from your opponents?  
My goals of reducing government spending by cutting the size and scope of the federal government. Increasing the rights and responsibilities of states and individuals.

2.   How long have you been involved in politics?
I joined the Republican party in high school. Twenty years later I
converted to Libertarian. This is my first run at elected office.

3.   What is the greatest challenge of public service?
I suppose it is knowing that you can not please everyone. Also letting
them know that it is not about what government can do for them, but that
you are doing the best thing for everyone.

4.   What is the most important issue facing the State of Iowa?
Having the 50th and 46th best economic climate for growth out of all the
states. This is more of a state's issue than a national one, but it must
be addressed if Iowa is to sustain itself.

5.   What advice would you give someone thinking of running for public
office?
Do it ! This country needs all the bright enthusiastic people it can get.

6.   What is your favorite political book?
"Restoring the Heart of America, A Return to Government by the People" by Clyde Cleveland and Ed Noyes

7.   What was your favorite political TV program?   

  
8.   How did you become involved in the (L) Party?
After 20 years as a Republican I became disillusioned with the party's
inability to promote positive change in the rights of the American
people. I had always admired Barry Goldwater and the conservative
movement yet somehow it had gotten stuck with fiscal topics and
forgotten about individual rights and liberties.  

9.   Who are your political mentors?  What are some of your favorite
political quotes?
Barry Goldwater obviously. "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.  It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.  The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."
--C.S. Lewis

"A wise and frugal Government  which shall restrain men  from injuring
one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement.

                          - THOMAS JEFFERSON

10.  Will the U.S. invade Iraq by December 2002?    Should they invade?

Doubtful, and only if the the safety and security of America or
Americans is at stake.

11.  If you were in Congress today, what would be your first bill to
sponsor?

The balanced budget amendment to the constitution.

12. Why should the citizens of the State of Iowa elect you on Nov. 5th,
2002?  

Because I am the only candidate running in my district who wants to
reduce the size of the federal government. I am the only candidate who's
party has consistently backed the human rights of individuals so that
they can live their lives the way they see fit. Because I know that
government does not have a solution to every problem.

13.     What are three legislative bills in the U.S. House that you
support and why?

HR 1762, The Second Amendment Protection Act of 2001. The three
historical protections Americans have possessed are the ballot box, the
jury box, and the cartridge box. As some members of congress try to chip
away at these rights, it is important that other members reaffirm them.
Self defense is a human right and is best accomplished when armed.

HR 912, The Medical Use of Marijuana Act. To have control over your body is the most basic right of all. For the government to prevent people
from getting the relief from pain and nausea that they need is a
horrible perversion of what government should be about.

HR 1978, would abolish mandatory minimum sentences for simple
possession, distribution, manufacture, and importation of illegal drugs.
Our nations prison population is full of low level, non-violent
offenders doing lengthy stays. This breaks up families, is counter
productive, and expensive.

14.     What is your view on the recent Enron debacle? Will the new
federal law be effective?
Justice moves slowly. I have no doubt that those found guilty will be
punished. The new law may be of some help. Theft is theft, the money is
missing, someone will catch the blame. One would think the Enron people learned their accounting skills working for congress ;-)

15.     What type of Health Care reform is needed in the U.S. today?
Americans today can receive unlimited tax relief for the purchase of
health insurance if, and only if, they are covered by a plan through
their workplace. Individuals who want or need to purchase their own
insurance plans must use after-tax dollars, and this can increase the
cost of coverage by as much as 40 percent. This system also places
employer sponsored insurance policies in charge of an individuals
personal health care. In short, individuals are disconnected from their
own health care decisions. The current tax subsidy for health insurance
is inefficient and unfair. It should be reformed to place individuals,
not employers or government, in charge of choosing something as personal as health care.

Congress needs to consider a new set of simplified Medical Savings
Accounts. MSA's combine two elements - a savings account controlled by an insured individual to pay for routine health care expenses along with a high-deductible (catastrophic) insurance policy to cover more
substantial health care needs.

Congress should provide a fixed-dollar tax credit option to taxpayers who purchase health insurance.


16.     How do you improve education in Iowa and around the U.S.?

By restoring choice to the ultimate consumers of it, the students and
parents. By introducing competition into the system so that parents
could choose between schools. By paying teachers based on merit and not
seniority. By opening the system up to charter schools, vouchers, and
private competition. Our government run tax funded school system is a
monopoly that needs to be broken. Parents ought to be able to take their
kids and their money to whatever school they want.

17.     How do we stimulate the U.S. economy?
By decreasing the amount of government we would increase the amount of personal income people have to spend. The regulatory burden on companies could also be lessened. Markets could be made freer with would increase competition and lower prices. Our tax code could be simplified to a simple flat tax giving people better control over their income. Government  subsidies could be abolished so that the real price of everything would allow true competition with prices.