League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
San Diego County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Gene Hamilton Carswell Answers Questions Candidate for United States Representative; District 52

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

Questions & Answers

1. In this time of high unemployment, what are the most important steps that should be taken to improve our nation’s economy?

Although there are jobs available, both nationally and locally, funding for the required education to qualify candidates for these positions, needs to be made reasonably accessible and available.

In addition, Internet websites are available that can direct the unemployed to jobs. In fairness to all job candidates and potential employers, "Internet Technology" (IT) must be simplified and made readily available to our entire jobless population.

Potential candidates for the jobs also require informed and adequate job counseling.

Not enough employers are aware, that monetary funding incentives exist, and are available to employers, to assist in the hiring of candidates. Such incentive funding can be used for on the job training, as well as assisting in the funding of hourly wages and health care benefits. All of these steps will eventually improve the economy.

San Diego can provide jobs locally through an enlightened examination of our port expansion and modification of present restrictions. These positive actions shall result in more international trade, tourism and industrial manufacturing.

There have been recent House Bills that have not been approved, that would have been an effective method for creating jobs. These Resolutions, had they passed, could have helped repair our infrastructure, such as our bridges, roads, ports, and an improved mass transportation system here in San Diego. These failed Bills, would have resulted in the creation of more jobs, as well as an improved economy for everyone (banks, mortgage companies, Real Estate industry, manufacturers, retail merchants, medical professionals, and across the full spectrum of our city's economy).

San Diego has one of the most adaptive and beautiful ports, which is recognized worldwide. This wonderful asset must be maintained and utilized more effectively. Government restrictions that are mandated need to be modified, which will help to preserve this resource and grow it responsibly. As an engineer that developed the first digital numerical hydraulic modeling system for the study of bay and beach ecosystems, I find it appalling that we currently have inadequate water quality (tertiary sewage treatment systems) and inadequate preparations for the future. Our beaches and ports are constantly being bombarded by raw sewage that is inadequately treated and dumped into our oceans. My dream is that one day soon, our beautiful bays, ocean ,and beaches will return to the way that I remember them. Back in 1973, when I first visited and fell in love with San Diego, I recall standing on, what was then The Hotel Islandia pier ,in Mission Bay, and enjoying being able to see the beautiful crystal clear water, the ocean bottom, and the fish swimming . My hope ,as your Congressional Representative, is to be able to restore this, as it should be, for all of our enjoyment and to stimulate the beach, bay, and port economies.

2. How should the federal budget deficit be addressed, now and into the future? How should budget priorities for defense and domestic programs be adjusted?

A higher priority should be budgeted for education. Quality education is paramount for our nation and our state. More innovations cause the GDP to increase per-capita and results in more taxes generated to fund the reduction of our federal budget.

This was the driving force when the software industry fueled the balanced budget in the eighties under the Clinton administration. Education is the key also to globalized economic stability. Stability of jobs for teachers is a necessity. Our teachers need security, and continuity so as to be able to focus on the student's needs.

From a national perspective... innovations and knowledge could be disseminated to third world nations. This is a key not only to economic stability and growth worldwide but would reduce the threat of terrorism. Our nation needs to focus more on quality education for our own citizens and offering other nations, educational assistance,on an unprecedented international scale, instead of an agenda that has often been described as international exploitation.

We have "economic hit men" who sadly exploit uneducated nations and who do the bidding of some of our corporations, with some of our government's cooperation, to manipulate foreign countries resources and exploit their people and their GDP. A country, where it's population is apathetic and lacks adequate education, allows us and other countries to exploit the health and resources of these uninformed citizenry. This explotation of other people is manifested by our cigarette exports to the importing of their minerals and oil. We are being torn away from our values as a democratic icon to an imperialistic coporatocracy so as to control these individual countries' destiny and their educational and medical growth. Education of all developing nations should be one of our primary goals. Presently,however,the worst possible scenario now exists and this exploitation continues, which promotes a breeding ground for terrorism and disrespect for our nation as an icon of democracy.

This lack of an enlighten approach provides vast wealth for our country NOW but fails the litmus test for what our country should stand for. It will also destroy opportunities for our children. Education (worldwide) is the only civil way to counter civil unrest and terrorism at home and abroad to developing nations. Please view the following URL... As a man,who served in the military for ten years, as pilot in the United States Air Force, and witnessed unnecessary death, I oppose war and seek a peaceful resolution to all crisis. I do not support exploiting tax payers money for unnecessay wars or for the purpose of benefitting the special interests of the military industrial complex.

Please consider watching this YouTube presentation, which I think is interesting Several longer You Tube presentations are available for your education, however this short one is an adequate introduction. See

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AynGBMUgdmg&feature=related

3. What are your priorities with respect to our nation’s energy policy? Should there be an emphasis on clean energy and reducing carbon emissions, and/or on reducing our dependence on foreign sources?

There is a need for shale production and the methods to harvest shale nationally, to create an independent national energy source while maintaining the environment and the fragile ecosystems. During this transition from hydrocarbon energy dependence, there are additional and possibly better ways of generating energy. One energy source that has not been utilized, is our vast unused supply of energy from our oceans. This energy source, can be made available through the use of generators that use our natural tide reversal. i.e. turning this physical cycle into electricity, e.g. having hydrodynamic power generated through turbine systems that work in conjunction with tidal cycles. This technology is available now, but in order to utilize this source, our society must divert its attention from what appears to be cheap nuclear power production, and divert our resources to hydrodynamic tidal energy production.

It is certain that Saudi Arabia, and the OPEC nations, and the international oil companies, that are "hydro carbon dependency corporations", want the United States to remain status quo. It is imperative for our country's future to develop an alternate resource to insure our independence ,and a better future for our children.

4. What, if any, changes should be made to federal health care policies or programs?

Federal health care policies should be one of our nation's highest priorities. Medical providers, which include insurance companies, physicians and pharmaceutical companies should focus on preventative care rather than what we currently practice, which is reactive care.

Unlike my opponent. I'm definitely a supporter of Pro-choice and for women's rights for reproductive health care. I also support Planned Parenthood.

I certainly do not support privatizing Social Security. Putting Social Security resources in the hands of a Wall Street Financial manager is a major risk for all people. This has been demonstrated acutely by the latest mismanagement and meltdown of our financial system on Wall Street. Our healthcare program's (Medicare, Medicaid etc.) certainly do not need to depend on Wall Street Investor for security of our Health.

Groups, including many of our religious institutions, are starting their own insurance programs to save members money. The members have organized to contribute to funds to insure their membership's health care needs will be provided more economically.

Every person can and should benefit from genome and stem cell research without destroying life. Those embryos that are going to be discarded can be used to save lives through productive research.

An analogy is the organ donor program. Every day organs from deceased donors are being utilized to further our medical knowledge, and to save lives...this is exactly what needs to be done with embryonic research.

Family planning should be available to all women, through agencies such as Planned Parenthood. Federal medical research monies should be used to benefit all humanity.

5. What, if any, changes should be made to federal rules on campaign financing?

Ideally, voters and our country would benefit if all candidates received the same media exposure. All candidates should be invited to speak at all political forums that their election would impact. Every candidate should have their viewpoints included equally in all publications. The League of Women Voters is a perfect positive example whereby voters do benefit by being given equal access to information such as platforms and qualifications allowing voters to be able to make an informed decision. It would be very beneficial if the League could host debates that include all the candidates.

We need to limit the corporation's contributions to candidates selected to give them special advantages. Funding should be equal to all.

You and I are subsidizing the wealthiest corporations with our tax dollars. Your children's tax dollars and grandchildren's tax dollars are going to waste daily... We are funding oil companies, the military industrial complex and we are fighting wars that support this complex. This needs to stop! The Supreme Court has recently decided to lift the corporate ban on contributions from corporations. I refer you to the following You Tube presentation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY

Listen to President Dwight W. Eisenhower address this subject in his farewell speech to the nation. (It only takes a few minutes and is very enlightening).

Corporate influence on elections had been banned from the political arena for centuries. However, because of an unenlightened Supreme Court ruling, they are being allowed. We have moved to a coporatocracy!

Funding should come from individuals rather than from corporations, some of which are international corporations that exist exclusivly outside the United States. These foreign corporations should not be allowed to influence our election process. This would advance the democratic process.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. 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: May 26, 2012 19:13
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