League of Women Voters of St Louis Information Service
State of Missouri August 5, 2008 Election
	Michael E. Carter Answers Questions Candidate for Lieutenant Governor; State of Missouri; Democratic Party

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Missouri and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (200 word limit)

I recognize the true nature of the Lieutenant Governor's office and am not afraid to confront it. We must elevate the Lt. Governor's responsibilities. One way would be to overturn our Supreme Court's ruling that the Lt. Governor is not really the acting governor upon the elected-governor's absence from the state. Currently, the elected-governor must be "meaningfully absent" -- unable to communicate, etc. Reinstating the prior legal understanding would inititate a sort of gubernatorial checks and balances with regard to the elected-governor being concerned about the Lt. Govenor's actions upon the elected-governor's absence from the state. Missouri voters would be very surprised at how often the elected-governor is taken out of state. This would force the elected governor to afford not a small amount of respect (concern & cooperattion) to the Lt. Governor. The late Senator Eagleton was Missouri's Lt. Governor and commented that the biggest part of his day while in office was watching the Missouri River flow by his office window. Since then, the current Lt. Governor along with other past-candidates have commented on the position's part-time nature and some have sought to abolish the office -- in some states the Secretary of State is second in line

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

ECONOMY -- Housing is part of the backbone of Missouri's economy and the Lt. Governor sits onthe Missouri Housing and Development Commission. Missouri's Lt. Governor must appreciate that the first-time-home buying segment is pivotal in helping Missouri's limiping housing market. I have worked with many many first time buyers that very much benefitted from MHDC down-payment-assistance and reduced-interest-rate programs. I know first hand the importance of cultivating pride in home ownership for people of every economic tier. Further, sales of first-time buyer housing stock help to drive housing sales at all levels -- an $80,000.00 sale leads to a $200,000

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: July 11, 2008 08:13
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