1. What
distinguishes you from your opponents?
My opponent has a
history of “just following orders” handed down to him
by the Bush Administration. When in charge, his record
includes investigating the Clinton administration,
claiming to have solved the energy crisis, holding a
morning hearing without the object of the inquiry,
Ross Perot, in attendance, refusal to allow federal
funds for Sacramento’s proposed Oak Creek Park, and
asking Federal officials to enforce Federal law over
State rights – especially here in California as it
relate to the War on Drugs and our state’s position of
the compassionate use of marijuana (that was passed by
a large number of California’s voters).
My hands are clean. I
am not beholden to big business, developers or any
other special interest group. I am running a grass
roots campaign. I feel that a seat in Washington
should be earned and not bought. I will work, along
with the hundreds of volunteers on my campaign, to win
the trust of the voters and the right to represent
them in Washington. I stand for good government – one
that works for the people. My life’s experiences and
commitment to the voters of the 3rd district make me
an ideal candidate for this job. I respectfully ask
them to vote for me on November 5th.
2. What is the greatest challenge of public
service?
Without campaign
finance reform, candidates who want independence must
continue to rely on engaging citizens in a grassroots
campaign. I am running a strictly grassroots campaign
and my plan is to engage open-minded citizens on a
personal level by walking in your neighborhoods. I am
searching for constituents to join the campaign, and
to organize gatherings in their homes. I am walking
alongside activists concerned about our air, sprawl,
affordable housing, a livable wage and safe drinking
water. I’m looking for citizens who are fed up with
the present system. By offering voters participation,
respect and content, I intend to restore trust in our
democracy.
3. What is the most important issue facing the 3rd
District?
Water. Flood
protection — I support raising Folsom Dam.
Privatization – Water and energy must be publicly held
and not privatized. Purity – We need the truth about
water that is fouled and funds to clean it up. We need
regulations that prevent further pollution. Keeping
Northern California’s water here— we must stop the
diversion structure being built as part of the Cal Fed
process which will become the peripheral canal.
Transportation
(moving people.) We need a vision for 20 years from
now that has solutions such as a real metropolitan
system that is part of the solution rather than a
bystander. Long-term ideas take time and we are out of
the latter and cannot wait another term for progress.
Environment Our air
remains unhealthy. Our need for housing for working
families needs national investment rather than the
loan guarantees for lenders that Mr. Ose seems to
believe to be a solution. Urban planning citing
housing as part of a transportation plan with Federal
investment must be a goal of any congress member
4. What advice would you give someone thinking of
running for public office?
See answer 2.
5. What is your favorite political book?
The Path to Power
(The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1)
by Robert A. Caro
6. What was your favorite political TV program?
KPFA Radio
7. How did you become involved in the (D) Party?
The day I became
eligible, I registered to vote as a Democrat. I cast
my first vote for Democrats, and have continued to
vote Democrat. Since 1976 I have been working on
campaigns for Democratic candidates, particularly
those running on a progressive platform. In 1988, I
ran in the Democratic primary for Congress, coming in
second out of four.
8. Who are your political mentors? What are some
of your favorite political quotes?
I am of the political
mold of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Teddy
Roosevelt, and those other farmer politicians, Andrew
Jackson and Harry Truman.
9. Will the U.S. invade Iraq by December 2002?
Should they invade?
Our foreign policy
needs a vigorous change of direction from the last 20
years. We are now the undisputed Great Power, and
should use our international might to make life better
for the billions of people around the globe living in
misery. This will do more to undermine terrorism than
all the bombs and missiles at our disposal.
10. If you were in Congress today, what would be
your first bill to sponsor?
See answer 14.
11. Why should the citizens of the State of CA elect
you on Nov. 5th, 2002?
My hands are clean. I
am not beholden to big business, developers or any
other special interest group. I am running a grass
roots campaign. I feel that a seat in Washington
should be earned and not bought. I will work, along
with the hundreds of volunteers on my campaign, to win
the trust of the voters and the right to represent
them in Washington. I stand for good government – one
that works for the people. My life’s experiences and
commitment to the voters of the 3rd district make me
an ideal candidate for this job. I respectfully ask
them to vote for me on November 5th.
12. What are three legislative bills in the U.S.
House that you support and why?
The War Against
Drugs and Homeland Security initiatives threaten to
undermine our Constitutional rights. I will protect
against further erosion of these rights, such as our
right to bear arms, our right to due process, our
right to equal treatment, and our right to privacy.
Our country
spends one billion dollars per day in interest
payments on the National Debt. I will demand that any
increases in our National Debt be mitigated by
increased efficiency in our government, especially our
military budget.
We need to preserve
our Natural Resources for the benefit of future
generations. Our finest soils must be designated for
agriculture and wildlife for perpetuity. We must learn
to live within our ecological limits, and we must
never lose our capacity to feed ourselves. I will work
to increase housing density around our public
transportation to reduce traffic congestion and air
pollution.
13. What is your view on the recent Enron debacle?
Will the new federal law be effective?
Today most
politicians work primarily to benefit large
corporations (like Enron) that heavily fund their
political campaigns. These representatives serve their
funders first, and if there is anything left over, a
little trickles down to us. Winning elections with
large amounts of money has poisoned the process,
corrupting otherwise well-intentioned public
servants. I want this to change.
Government should
focus on Main Street, where the majority of our
families live, not on Wall Street and the pentagon,
where the largest corporations dominate. Average
people are burdened the most by taxes, and yet the
institutions that serve us (schools, health care, a
safety net, etc) barely work.
14. Do you support the current Tax cuts passed by
the House?
I will vote to
reverse President Bush’s tax cut, which mostly
benefited corporations and the wealthiest Americans. I
propose that we use the saved funds to pave the way to
universal health care for every American. We can also
use the money to establish a superpower-class
education system that includes programs for an equal
start, and funding through college.
15. How do you improve education in CA and around
the U.S.?
Please see my answer
to question 14.
16. What type of Health care reform will you be a
proponent for in D.C.?
Please see my answer
to question 14.
Howard
Beeman
Interview:
Howard Beeman (D) for the 3rd U.S. House District for the
State of California