cd-1 complete peace voter guide

8/14/2019 CD-1 Complete Peace Voter Guide

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PEACE ACTION MAINES

2008PEACE

VOTER

GUIDE

This voter guide has been prepared by Peace Action Maine toeducate the public on candidates positions on peace, militarism andforeign policy issues. It is based primarily on questionnaire responses.

This voter guide is not to be construed as an endorsement of anycandidate or political party.


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HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Michael Brennans Responses 4

Mark Lawrences Responses 6

Chellie Pingrees Reponses 8

Ethan Strimlings Responses 13

NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR POWER Michael Brennans Responses 17




ARMS SALES AND MILITARY AID Michael Brennans Responses 24




MILITARISM AND THE WAR ECONOMY Michael Brennans Responses 30




THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND THE WAR ON TERROR Michael Brennans Responses 39





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HUMAN RIGHTS

AND

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS


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HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

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1. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would reverse the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and restore

the writ of habeas corpus? Yes.

2. Do you believe that the US should operate prisons outside of itsborders? No.

3. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would abolish the death penalty? Yes.

4. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would initiate hearings that might lead to the criminal

prosecution of elected officials and contractors involved in war

crimes and constitutional violations?Yes.

5. When, if ever, do you consider the use of military force to beappropriate? I might consider the use of military force appropriatein one of two circumstances to prevent or counteract genocide,

or in response to military action against the United States by anotherstate actor.

6. Do you believe that economic sanctions or embargoes are aneffective tool of foreign policy? No.

7. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would enable undocumented immigrants currently working in

the United States to attain legal resident status and, eventually, full

citizenship? Yes.

8. Do you believe that the US should become party to the KyotoProtocol? Yes.


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9. What will you do to eliminate poverty?I will propose and work for:* A national campaign to cut poverty by half over the next five

years by increasing the earned income tax credit, making workpay and increasing high school graduation rates. This campaignwould be the first step in a larger campaign to end poverty inAmerica.* Workers rights to organize and oppose free trade deals that

allow good paying American jobs to leave the country.* Letting the Bush tax cuts expire in 2010 and passing new tax reformfocused on reducing the share of taxes paid by middle and workingclass people.* Establishing a National Housing Trust Fund to finance thedevelopment of affordable housing.* The creation of a Financial Products Safety Commission to protectconsumers from deceptive credit practices and products.


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the writ of habeas corpus? What this administration has done to theConstitution is appalling. I strongly support reversing the MilitaryCommissions Act of 2006 and restoring the writ of habeas corpus.

2. Do you believe that the US should operate prisons outside of itsborders? No. I believe America should abide by the GenevaConventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

3. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would abolish the death penalty? I support the abolition of thedeath penalty.



crimes and constitutional violations?I believe that Congress must

aggressively hold hearings into the rationale used for the U.S. toenter into the war in Iraq and the conduct of the war, includingallegations of corruption by private contractors. I also believeCongress should be conducting impeachment hearings againstVice President Cheney and President Bush. Any information thatcomes to light about potential criminal activity should be given tothe appropriate prosecutorial agency.

5. When, if ever, do you consider the use of military force to beappropriate? It depends on each individual situation, but I consider

force to be appropriate when our national security is threatened,and when the shared security of the world is threatened. I supportmultilateralism in our foreign policy because our world is moreinterdependent than ever before. However, military force shouldalways be the last resort.


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6. Do you believe that economic sanctions or embargoes are aneffective tool of foreign policy? Economic sanctions or embargoesshould be considered as part of a multinational effort, only whenthe humanitarian effects of such efforts have been properlyweighed.



citizenship? I support creating a path to citizenship forundocumented immigrants. Concurrently I believe we should crackdown on employers who exploit the labor of undocumentedimmigrants.

8. Do you believe that the US should become party to the KyotoProtocol? Absolutely yes.

9. What will you do to eliminate poverty? First, we need to withdrawfrom Iraq and repeal the Bush tax cuts. We need to take the savingsto pay down our debt and invest in domestic needs, such asinfrastructure and social programs. Creating a universal single-payerhealth care system will reduce peoples burdens, and such a systemshould include strong mental health services. Beyond that we needto invest in communities and encourage a shift in our focus awayfrom individualism and toward helping one another.


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the writ of habeas corpus? Yes. As part of the Responsible Plan toEnd the War in Iraq, I have endorsed H. R. 1416, the Habeas CorpusRestoration Act.

The Military Commission Act of 2006 fundamentally undermines theconstitution and the rule of law. It is just one astonishing example ofthe damage we all have to work to undo in the wake of the BushPresidency. The ACLU, among other organizations has doneamazing work fighting this Act and educating the public abouthabeas corpus. As they say, in passing the Military Commissions Act,they cast aside the Constitution and the principle of habeascorpus, which protects against unlawful and indefiniteimprisonment. They also gave the president absolute power todesignate enemy combatants, and to set his own definitions fortorture. The Act is a huge shift of power to the President and flies inthe face of core American values protecting us against unlawful or

indefinite imprisonment.


3. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would abolish the death penalty? Yes.


prosecution of elected officials and contractors involved in warcrimes and constitutional violations? Yes. For the last seven years,we have been burdened by an administration that hasdisrespected the rule of law, engaged in warrant-less wiretaps,abandoned habeas corpus, and chipped away at our civil rights.It's no wonder that we have lost so much respect around the world.


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Our system of government, with three distinct branches, was built toprovide for accountability. This Congress should hold hearings toexamine the actions of the Bush Administration and those who haveworked under their watch.

5. When, if ever, do you consider the use of military force to beappropriate? We should use our military force defensively and, insome cases, preemptively for self-defense. I do not believe inpreventive warthat is, a war waged to prevent a hypotheticalattack

6. Do you believe that economic sanctions or embargoes are aneffective tool of foreign policy? Yes. Its true that the effectiveness ofsanctions and embargoes are a hotly debated topic, but theyworked in South Africa and together with our allies, the UnitedStates should employ the full array of non-military means toinfluence developing or otherwise transitional governments.However, like so many policy issues, I would expect to continue to

analyze the impact of these tools.



citizenship? Yes. We all know that our immigration system in broken,and Washington hasn't done anything to fix it this will be animportant topic for our federal government to address in thecoming years. I support reforming our immigration laws by focusingfirst on securing our borders, cracking down on employers who hire

undocumented workers, and allowing undocumented people herenow to get right with the law by paying back taxes and a fine, andgetting to the back of the line.


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8. Do you believe that the US should become party to the KyotoProtocol? Yes. The United States should absolutely become party tothe Kyoto Protocol. The international partnership is essential to trulyaddress climate change and our country should be a leader, usingits leverage to encourage international solutions, not a lone actoron a global issue. That said, the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012 andwe should be a full and willing partner in crafting a post Kyotoclimate change agreement.

9. What will you do to eliminate poverty? Maine has a shrinkingmiddle class and an increasing gap between the rich andeveryone else. Overall, we are 38th in the nation in per-capitaincome, which presents serious challenges for us. In recent years,the incomes of the richest families have climbed substantially, whilethe incomes of the lower-income families have seen only smallincreases.

There are a number of policies that I support that can reduce

poverty, but one of the most important on this list is universal healthcare. Health care costs among the insured and the uninsured are aleading cause of poverty, particularly among the working poor.

Second, increasing the number of good paying jobs is essential.Union jobs increase the standard of living for those who have them,and they raise the floor of pay and benefits for others in thecommunityparticularly so for women. I am staunchly pro-union andbelieve we should strengthen unions ability to organize. We canalso increase the number of good-paying jobs through responsible

economic development by truly tying incentives to the creation ofjobs. As a State Senator, I worked to create corporateaccountability and to set higher standards for taxpayerinvestments in business.


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Third, being able to access an education particularly for singleparents is possibly the most critical component of lifting a familyout of poverty. As Senate Majority Leader, I sponsored MainesParents As Scholars program that allows Maines working poor toattend college, get better jobs and change their lives. Parents ofScholars participants are among our best success stories ofgovernment empowering women and families and making them avital part of the economy.

Fourth, I agree with John Edwards: "Our tax code is the perfectexample of the Two Americas -- one for the wealthiest Americansand Washington insiders, and the other for everyone else." Taxpolicy is a place to support broader policy objectives, level theplaying field, and tie requirements for concrete results togovernment support of business and community ventures thatstrengthen our society.

There is a lot that needs to be done -- including a repeal of the Bush

tax cuts for the highest income Americans, higher capital gainstaxes on investment income, and closing tax loopholes for privateequity and hedge funds. We should restrict government contractsto American-based corporations and clarify rules

At the same time, our tax cuts should be focused on areas that willhelp working families -- with credits that support access to highereducation, child care costs, and tax policies that do not punishwage earners.

Beyond these top examples, there are a number of importantpolicy initiatives that can help lift families out of poverty, includingmaking secondary education more affordable for everyone--increasing the minimum wage, reducing the cost of energy andmaking us energy independent. A major component of all of this isthe federal government meeting its obligations when it comes toMedicare, Medicaid and education, in particular. Our state and


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federal budgets are a reflection of our shared priorities andunfortunately, the last seven years of the Bush Administration haveset a series of priorities that harm the poor, homeless anddisadvantaged. We need to roll back the Bush tax cuts for thewealthy, end the war in Iraq and get our federal priorities straight. Astate like Maine is in no position to provide a safely net andopportunities for the poor without a true state-federal partnership.


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the writ of habeas corpus? Yes. The Military Commissions Act waspassed in the final hours of the 109th Congress. This disastrous actstripped jurisdiction from U.S. courts to hear habeas corpus (theprinciple that protects against unlawful and indefiniteimprisonment) claims from Guantnamo detainees. It also gavethe president absolute power to designate enemy combatants andallows for the admission of evidence obtained by torture. This tearsat the heart of our Constitution. The writ of habeas corpus must berestored. In Congress I will not only work on legislation to restorehabeas rights and prohibit evidence gathered in coerciveinterrogations, but will also work on a broader initiative to closeGuantnamo and transfer detainees to military prisons in the UnitedStates.


3. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would abolish the death penalty? Yes. The death penalty doesnot deter crime and is a monumental flawed public policy. Themajority of developed nations have abandoned capitalpunishment. The United States stands alongside China, Iran andSaudi Arabia when it comes to implementing this ultimate humanrights abuse.

Since the Supreme Court ruled to reinstate the death penalty, over

one hundred men and women have been released from DeathRow after new evidence has come to light. There is evidence thatsuch information has come too late for several individuals and thatinnocent people have been put to death. This is a wrong that cannever be righted. Studies show that the death penalty is appliedrandomly, that race is a determining factor in who gets sentencedto death, and that executions cost the taxpayers millions and


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millions of dollars. We should abolish the death penalty and relyinstead on a sentence of life without parole.



crimes and constitutional violations?Yes. In May of 2007, I deliveredthe 11,200 signatures collected by Maine Campaign to Impeach tothe Maine Legislature demanding that our Legislators use theirauthority to start Congressional impeachment proceedings againstPresident Bush and Vice President Cheney. The Bush administrationhas sanctioned warrant less domestic surveillance, illegal wiretaps,torture of war criminals, leaking of classified information for partisanpolitical purposes and other things we thought could never happenin America. We need to affirm the U.S. Constitution and remindfuture administrations that no one is above the law.

5. When, if ever, do you consider the use of military force to beappropriate? Military force can be an appropriate response to anattack on the United States.

6. Do you believe that economic sanctions or embargoes are aneffective tool of foreign policy? Yes. Economic sanctions are bestused when the goals are limited and clearly defined and when theyare imposed quickly and decisively to maximize their impact. Theyare also most effective when applied multilaterally, againstotherwise friendly nations and is also helped by internationalpublicity of the threat of further sanctions. Economic sanctions can

achieve realistic goals and should be an integral part of U.S. foreignpolicy.


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citizenship?Yes. We are a nation of immigrants and have alwayswelcomed the innovation and hard work that immigrants bring tothis country.

8. Do you believe that the US should become party to the KyotoProtocol? Yes.

9. What will you do to eliminate poverty? We need to provideeducation and opportunity to all Americans. The United States is acountry of boundless opportunity where everyone has theopportunity to better themselves through education and hard work.Our government needs to champion the common good, not justthe narrow self-interest of big corporations. All Americans musthave access to high-quality education and health care and mustbe given the opportunity to participate in our nations economic

prosperity.


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NUCLEAR WEAPONS

AND

NUCLEAR POWER


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NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR POWER

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1. Do you support the research and/or development of new U.S.nuclear weapons? No. I have been involved in the anti-nuclearmovement in the US for three decades.

2. Do you support the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide? Yes.3. Would you vote to enforce the agreements of the Nuclear Non-

Proliferation Treaty, specifically in light of the U.S.-India Nuclear

Deal?Yes.

4. Would you vote to renew the funding for the Reliable ReplacementWarhead (RRW) program? No.

5. Would you vote to enable the implementation of the BushAdministrations Complex Transformation plan? No.

6. Do you support the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Depository? No.7. Do you believe that nuclear power is a safe and viable energy

alternative to fossil fuels? No.


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1. Do you support the research and/or development of new U.S.nuclear weapons? No.



Deal?I support enforcing agreements in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

4. Would you vote to renew the funding for the Reliable ReplacementWarhead (RRW) program? I support strengthening non-proliferationefforts, so at this point I do not see the need to renew the programsfunding.

5. Would you vote to enable the implementation of the BushAdministrations Complex Transformation plan? I would vote againstenabling the implementation of the Complex Transformation plan.


alternative to fossil fuels? I do not. We need to develop safer andmore viable alternatives, such as solar and wind power. Beyondthat, we need to learn to live within our means and conserve ourresources.


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1. Do you support the research and/or development of new U.S.nuclear weapons? No.



Deal?Yes.

4. Would you vote to renew the funding for the Reliable ReplacementWarhead (RRW) program? No. The United States must be a modelfor disarmament if we expect the rest of the world to move in thatdirection. Research and development of new nuclear weapons willincentivize the distribution of old and new nuclear technologyaround the world and continue our path in the wrong direction.

5. Would you vote to enable the implementation of the BushAdministrations Complex Transformation plan? Given that Complex

Transformation is a sort of precursor of the RRW program, I feelsimilarly and would not enable the implementation of it.(http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=2158&issue_id=51)


alternative to fossil fuels? No.


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1. Do you support the research and/or development of new U.S.nuclear weapons? No. See answer to next questions.

2. Do you support the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide? Yes.With the end of the Cold War, the threat of a large scale nuclearwar diminished. Unfortunately, today the threat of nuclearproliferation is greater than ever. The United States cannot continueits position of global nuclear dominance for this stance willundoubtedly accelerate nuclear proliferation by other nations. Wemust work towards elimination of our nuclear arsenals.

Unfortunately, the Bush administration has taken many dangerous,reckless steps in the wrong direction. Bush has withdrawn from theAnti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, drawn up plans for a nuclear strikeagainst Iran, violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and evenproposed the development of new nuclear weapons. The nuclearbomb is useless for war. It is indiscriminately destructive and a threatto all. This fact must be driven home to all who possess these mind-

bogglingly ruinous weapons. Nuclear weapons are a threat to theexistence of the world and the world must work together toeliminate these weapons.

As Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, William Perry and Sam Nunn soeloquently stated in their piece in the Wall Street Journal:Reassertion of the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons andpractical measures toward achieving that goal would be, andwould be perceived as, a bold initiative consistent with America'smoral heritage. The effort could have a profoundly positive impact

on the security of future generations.


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3. Would you vote to enforce the agreements of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, specifically in light of the U.S.-India Nuclear

Deal?Yes. When the Bush administration announced its intention toenable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with Indiait deliberately sidestepped the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.India has never signed the Treaty and has tested nuclear weapons.Because it does not accept international monitoring of all nuclearfacilities it should be exempt from U.S. trade in nuclear reactors,technology, and fuel. This agreement sets a dangerous precedentfor our future dealings with Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea.

4. Would you vote to renew the funding for the Reliable ReplacementWarhead (RRW) program? No. Most of the current U.S. nuclearwarheads were built in the 1970s and 80s. The RRW program wasinstituted to maintain and replace deteriorating warheads and toimprove the reliability, longevity, and certifiability of existingweapons and their components. However, while this deteriorationis a potential problem, I believe it is one that has been overstated.

The RRW program also runs the risk of disrupting our internationalnon-proliferation efforts and could lead to the development of newnuclear weapons and nuclear testing and a renewed nuclear armsrace. Spending on nuclear weapons is exorbitant and wasteful andthe RRW is unnecessary.

5. Would you vote to enable the implementation of the BushAdministrations Complex Transformation plan? No. The ComplexTransformation plan is a plan to restructure the nations nuclearweapons infrastructure. The goal is to consolidate existing nuclear

facilities and also to increase the capacity to produce moreplutonium for new nuclear weapons. This program takes the UnitedStates in the absolute wrong direction. It undermines our securityand threatens the spread of nuclear weapons. I strongly opposethis plan.


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6. Do you support the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Depository? No.The core question of how to safely dispose of nuclear waste hasnever been adequately answered. Questions remain about thelong-term viability of Yucca Mountain and the project faces a longlist of scientific, technical, public health, legal, and safety problems.Obviously, the problem of nuclear waste disposal must beaddressed, but Yucca Mountain is not the answer.

7. Do you believe that nuclear power is a safe and viable energyalternative to fossil fuels? No. I would not support the building ofany additional nuclear power plants. This industry could not existwithout government subsidies and tax breaks. Insurance costsalone would be prohibitive without the governments intervention. Iam not convinced that this is a safe technology nor has the corequestion of how to dispose of nuclear waste ever been adequatelyanswered.


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ARMS SALES

ANDMILITARY AID


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ARMS SALES AND MILITARY AID

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1. Do you support an international treaty to ban cluster bombs? Yes.2. Would you vote to make the United States a signatory of the 1997

Convention and Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and

Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction better known

as the 1997 Mine Ban Treatyor Ottawa Treaty? Yes.

3. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales togovernments using child soldiers? Yes.

4. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toIsrael? See explanation below.

5. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toPakistan? See explanation below.

6. Do you support eliminating military aid and arms sales to countriesdeemed undemocratic by the U.S. State Department? See

explanation below.

7. Do you support selling weapons or providing military assistance tocountries in conflict? If it depends on the country, what criteria

would you use to comply with the US Arms Export Control Act?

Depends on the country. See explanation below.

I believe that the US should be a party to an international arms trade

treaty that would state clearly that all international transfers of arms shall

be authorized by a recognized state and carried out in accordance with

national laws and procedures that reflect, as a minimum, statesobligations under international law. Such a treaty would also clearly state

that states shall not authorize international transfers of arms that violate

their expressed obligations regarding arms under international law. I

would support making all future decisions on military aid and weapons

sales to ALL countries by first consulting the obligations and prohibitions ofsuch a treaty.


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as the 1997 Mine Ban Treatyor Ottawa Treaty? I support signing the

treaty.

3. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales togovernments using child soldiers? Congress needs to review on acase-by-case basis any allegations of U.S. military aid and weaponssales to governments using child soldiers.

4. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toIsrael? No.

5. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toPakistan? No.

6. Do you support eliminating military aid and arms sales to countriesdeemed undemocratic by the U.S. State Department? I believeeach country should be examined on a case-by-case basis. I donot believe our foreign aid should be contingent on theestablishment of western-style democracies. We should look at thehumanitarian policies of that nation, the international andAmerican interests at stake, and the purpose for which such aid is tobe used.

7.

Do you support selling weapons or providing military assistance tocountries in conflict? If it depends on the country, what criteria

would you use to comply with the US Arms Export Control Act? Iwould use the criteria I note above.


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as the 1997 Mine Ban Treatyor Ottawa Treaty? Yes.

3. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales togovernments using child soldiers? Yes.

4. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toIsrael? No.

5. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toPakistan? Yes. By providing F16 fighters capable of deliveringnuclear warheads to BOTH Pakistan and India, the US has onlyserved to increase the possibility of conflict between the twocountries.

6. Do you support eliminating military aid and arms sales to countriesdeemed undemocratic by the U.S. State Department? Yes.


would you use to comply with the US Arms Export Control Act? No.


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1. Do you support an international treaty to ban cluster bombs? Yes.Cluster bombs are designed to scatter widely and detonate whenthey hit their target. However, upwards of 30 percent of theseexplosives fail to explode on contact and remain a risk to innocentlives long after conflicts have ended. These bombs can be asdevastating as landmines to the civilian population that is left todeal with the unexploded remnants.

2. Would you vote to make the United States a signatory of the 1997Convention and Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and


as the 1997 Mine Ban Treatyor Ottawa Treaty? Yes. The Treaty stops

the production and development of anti-personnel mines andrequires the destruction of any stockpiles. The United States hasrefused to sign unless the treaty includes an exception for the DMZbetween North and South Korea, stating that the million landminesin this area help maintain peace between the two countries.However, other mining options are available under the terms of the

Ottawa Treaty, including anti-tank mines, anti-handling devices andother explosive devices. Landmines that remain buried long afterconflicts have ended continue to maim and injury innocent civiliansworldwide.

3. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales togovernments using child soldiers? Yes. The problem of child soldiersis most critical in Africa where child soldiers, some as young as nineyears old, are being used in a number of countries. Our moneywould be better spent supporting programs specifically aimed at

disarming child soldiers, giving them new skills and helping themreturn to their communities.

4. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toIsrael? No. We need to work with Israel and the Palestinians to bringpeace and stability to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and tocreate an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Israel is


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our strongest alley in this volatile region of the world; it is a strongdemocracy that continues to be threatened by countries thatrefuse to recognize Israel as a legitimate political entity. Israeldeserves our continued aid and support.

5. Do you support eliminating US military aid and weapons sales toPakistan? Yes. The United States gives millions of dollars each monthin aid to Pakistan. When Pakistani President Musharraf suspendedconstitutional rights in that country we should have suspended ourmilitary aid.

6. Do you support eliminating military aid and arms sales to countriesdeemed undemocratic by the U.S. State Department? Yes. Seebelow.


would you use to comply with the US Arms Export Control Act?

Depends on the country. U.S. arm sales are often justified as a way

to secure access to overseas military facilities or other politicalsupport and as a way to promote stability and democracy in aregion. But all too often these sales end up fueling conflict, arminghuman rights abusers or falling into the hands of our adversaries,and serve to empower unstable, undemocratic regimes. We needto change our policies and stop arms exports to countries thatsystematically abuse human rights. We also need to explore otherpossible ways of support, such as economic aid or political supportthat we can give to other nations as an alternative to military aid.


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MILITARISM

ANDTHE WAR ECONOMY


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MILITARISM AND THE WAR ECONOMY

30

1. Would you vote to reinstate the military draft? No.2. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislation

that would amend Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act to

protect the privacy of American high school students? Yes. In fact, Ihave proposed completely repealing No Child Left Behind.

3. Do you believe that the US should ever employ private militarycontractors? If so, how do you propose holding these contractors

and corporations accountable? No.

4. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would offer tax exemptions, reimbursements or credits to

weapons manufacturers doing business in Maine? No.

5. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would convert a minimum of 15% of current U.S. defense

spending to provide for social programs? Yes.

6. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would establish a Department of Peace? Yes.


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1. Would you vote to reinstate the military draft? No. I opposereinstating the military draft.

2. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would amend Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act to

protect the privacy of American high school students? I would voteto repeal all of No Child Left Behind.


and corporations accountable? To the extent that privatecontractors are employed, their activities need to be held to thesame strict standards as our military personnel. This includescompetitive bidding and auditing of their use of funds. Strictaccounting practices need to apply and it must be clear that anyincidents of abuse will be punished.

It is inevitable that any military department must contract for some

goods and services. However, the increasing trend to contract outsubstantive military functions, including but not limited to securityservices, is a dangerous trend and must be stopped.


weapons manufacturers doing business in Maine? I have no plansto introduce, co-sponsor or promote any such legislation. I wouldlook at any proposal before Congress individually and with thesame scrutiny I would apply to all such tax exemptions,

reimbursements, or credits.


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spending to provide for social programs? I believe we need to endthe war in Iraq now and use the money we are spending there andput it towards our domestic needs, including paying down thedeficit and investing in families through social programs andinfrastructure investments, to name a few.

6. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would establish a Department of Peace? I support theestablishment of a Department of Peace that would work todiminish the role of violence in this country and around the world.


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1. Would you vote to reinstate the military draft? Yes.2. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislation

that would amend Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act to

protect the privacy of American high school students. Yes.Information not otherwise given or publicly available to militaryrecruiters or other organizations should not be mandated availablethrough a childs school by federal funding of education.


and corporations accountable? No. The use of contractors in Iraqhas clearly demonstrated that people engaging in combat musteither be U.S. soldiers or be held to the same standards ofaccountability and conduct. I spoke out against the use of privatecontractors, both because of accountability and cost, before ourinvasion of Iraq was fully executed. You can see that footage on my

website: http://chelliepingree.com/issues/iraq_1.html.


weapons manufacturers doing business in Maine? No. As a StateSenator I fought against many of these types of tax breaks andwould continue to do so in Congress.


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spending to provide for social programs? Yes. There is no question inmy mind that the war in Iraq is a drain on all of our domesticpriorities and that we need to shift a substantial portion of thedefense spending into health care, education and domesticinvestments that would begin to reduce our dependence onforeign oil.

The next President and Congress are going to be faced with criticaldecisions regarding the size and distribution of resources devoted tonational defense. At $541 billion (54% of the discretionary budget),President Bushs FY09 Pentagon budget request (Department ofDefense plus the nuclear weapons portion of the Department ofEnergy) eliminates no major weapons systems and is 5% larger inreal terms (adjusted for inflation) than the FY08 budget request. Ifthis budget is approved, which observers expect it to be, it will be a44% increase since 2000. This would make the Department of

Defense budget at its highest level ever, in real terms--and that doesnot include war spending. $200 billion for the war in FY09 is aconservative estimate. We are currently spending $12 billion amonth in Iraq.

6. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would establish a Department of Peace? Yes. The need for sucha thing speaks to the serious failures of the Bush administration, asour State Department should carry out this function.


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1. Would you vote to reinstate the military draft? No. The militaryshould remain an all volunteer organization.

2. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would amend Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act to

protect the privacy of American high school students? Yes. Section9528 of the NCLB Act requires local schools to give students name,address and phone numbers to any military recruiters upon request.This private information is given without parental knowledge orconsent and it enables military recruiters to aggressively recruitminor students at home by telephone calls, mail and personal visits.While students and parents have an opt-out option, this informationis not always readily available. A better policy would be one thatprotects a students privacy while giving an opt-in option to thosewho want more information on military service. Schools should alsolimit institutional recruiters (including military) access to a few timesa year on campus.


and corporations accountable? No. The Bush administration hasembraced the alarming practice of outsourcing the United Statesmilitary. Private military contractors have been essential to the warin Iraq and are used to perform a variety of jobs, including security.Private contractors have been hired to maintain sophisticated U.S.weapons systems such as the B-2 bomber, they help operate theAegis missile-defense system, they offer protection for non-militarytransport convoys, help train Iraqi police, and provide every-day

support services for the troops. Yet there is lack of publicinformation about the costs involved in using private contractorsand the standards around the hiring, performance and training ofemployees. Private contractors also lack accountability and arenot held responsible under U.S. law for abuse and othertransgressions. Private contractors in Iraq have been linked to thekilling of innocent Iraq civilians, the abuse of Iraqi prisoners,


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supplying substandard materials to the troops, and have beensuspect in widespread war profiteering. We should not be relyingon private companies whose overriding principal is making money,but instead we need to return these jobs to our military who arededicated to servicing our nation.


weapons manufacturers doing business in Maine? In short, myanswer is no. I have been opposed to special interest tax breaksthat do not benefit the community since I started serving on theTaxation Committee. I will continue this policy in Congress.


spending to provide for social programs? Yes. The United Statesaccounts for almost half of all world wide military spending. Therehas been a renewed military build-up in this country beginning in

2001. Bushs 2009 proposed budget includes increases in both warspending and non-war military budgets while cutting importantprograms for children, the elderly, and lower income households.This is a travesty. While it is important to provide for a strong defensethere is certainly ample room for cuts to be made in our militaryspending.


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THE WARS IN IRAQ

AND AFGHANISTAN ANDTHE WAR ON TERROR


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THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND THE WAR ON TERROR

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1. What do you perceive to be the root causes of terrorism? Terrorism isa complex phenomenon and not easily explained, but I do believethere are a set of factors at the root of it. Poverty is clearly one ofthe major causes of terrorism. There is also a significant amount ofanger and frustration that people around the world feel when theybelieve that their human rights are not being respected by eithertheir government or the most powerful nations on earth. Religiousintolerance is another significant cause. In any particular case, it is

likely that more than one of these factors, as well as possibly others,are in play.

2. Do you support the war in Afghanistan? No.3. Would you vote to continue to fund the war in Iraq? No.4. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislation

that would allow for the complete and withdrawal of all U.S. troops,

U.S. military bases and military contractors hired by the U.S.

government from Iraq? Yes.


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1. What do you perceive to be the root causes of terrorism? Terrorism isa criminal act against domestic and international law and cannotbe tolerated in a humane society. Its root cause is the intentionaldisregard of the sanctity of human life and the resorting to criminalviolence to achieve a political end. All civilized nations must unite toreject terrorism and support the respect for human life and social

justice throughout the world.

2. Do you support the war in Afghanistan? America and othermembers of the international community should support thedemocratically elected government of Afghanistan and assist themin preventing the re-establishment of a safe haven for al Qaedawithin its borders.

3. Would you vote to continue to fund the war in Iraq? No. I believeCongress has made a crucial mistake in continuing to fund the war.I would vote to de-fund the war because the leverage Congresshas is the power of the purse.

4. Are you willing to introduce, co-sponsor and/or promote legislationthat would allow for the complete and withdrawal of all U.S. troops,


government from Iraq? Yes, the War in Iraq should never have beenauthorized. If elected, I will support and would be willing to co-sponsor legislation that would end the war in Iraq now and wouldallow for a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops, bases, and militarycontractors from Iraq engaged in that war.


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1. What do you perceive to be the root causes of terrorism? This is amuch discussed question in recent years, and with good reason, asweve all worked our way through a post 9-11 world and witnessedongoing violence in several parts of the globe. At its core, terrorismis viable due to a lack of economic opportunity and social justice. Itmay at times be generated around religious fundamentalism or inresponse to questionable U.S. policies, but the reason is takes holdhas more to do with deep, long-term economic frustration.

2. Do you support the war in Afghanistan? Yes. The world erred inallowing the Taliban to flourish, a military strike on Afghanistanshould have been our last option and we need to support Afghanreconstruction efforts.

3. Would you vote to continue to fund the war in Iraq? No. Please seemy answer to the next question. I think that ending the funding ofthe war in Iraq will prove to be the only way to begin to remove our

troops.



government from Iraq? Yes. We must end the war now. Congressmust stop funding the war and rescind its authorization if theadministration refuses to make plans for immediate withdrawal,including leaving no permanent bases behind. We can't continueto squander our resources on the worst foreign policy mistake in ourcountry's history. Leaving will be complicated, but staying onlycontinues the tragic loss of our soldiers, Iraqi citizens, and almostunthinkable amounts of money.


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I also believe that while Congress and the President debatewhether we can "win" the war instead of how best to withdraw ourforces form Iraq with the least amount of damage, they areirresponsibly prolonging this disaster. Instead, they should betackling the hard debate of what needs to be done next.

America must no longer be seen as an aggressor in the world. Weneed to embrace a new foreign policy to restore our reputation.

To this end, this spring I joined with Darcy Burner (a candidate forCongress in Washington State,) and military and national securityexperts like General Paul Eaton (US Army Ret.) to create acomprehensive plan to end the war in Iraq and repair the damageit has caused, at home and abroad. Since then more than fifty USHouse and US Senate candidates and over 25,000 Americans haveendorsed it.

The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq builds off the work of the

Iraq Study Group and existing legislation in Congress and isintended to accomplish three objectives:1. End the military effort in Iraq and bring our troops home;2. Begin to repair the damage five years of war andoccupation have caused, at home and abroad;3. Prevent a repeat of this sort of epic and costly foreignpolicy blunder in the future.


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1. What do you perceive to be the root causes of terrorism? Economicinsecurity and cultural alienation.

2. Do you support the war in Afghanistan? No. I support bringingOsama bin Laden to justice. In 2001 we invaded Afghanistan in aneffort to disrupt the Taliban and to avenge the terrorist attacks ofSeptember 11th. Seven years later, the Afghanistan/Pakistanborder region remains a breeding ground for Taliban, al-Qaida and

other militant groups, Osama bin Laden is still at large, andAfghanistan leads the world in poppy production, accounting for 95percent of the worlds crop. Afghanistan is a country that hasbeen in turmoil and war for the last twenty years. Ethnic, religious,social, and geographic difficulties have kept the country fromforming into a strong state. Insurgent violence is increasing inAfghanistan. It is time to reexamine our military presence inAfghanistan; a successful response to the threats of al-Qaidarequires a multi-faceted approach, not one that only relies on ourmilitary. Our continued presence in Afghanistan will produce onlylimited success and will come at a great cost, in terms of lives andfor the possibility of a stable, democratic future for the country.

3. Would you vote to continue to fund the war in Iraq? No. I will notvote for any future funding for operations in Iraq that doesntinclude a clear withdrawal date. To date the war has costAmerican taxpayers over $500 billion dollars. For-profit independentcontractors who have been allowed to operate in Iraq with littleoversight or accountability have fleeced countless millions of thesedollars. The war continues to cost well over $10 billion dollars amonth. Just think of what we could have done here at home with

that money.


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We cannot go on sacrificing the lives of American troops andinnocent Iraqi civilians. Even some of our most experienced militaryexperts and commanders now question our strategy and goals inIraq, whatever they may be. It is time to begin the total withdrawalof our troops from Iraq in a safe and orderly manner. We need topursue a diplomatic solution, one that will not cause the people ofIraq to suffer even more. We need to work to regain Americasprestige and standing in the world, to once again become the

beacon of hope, opportunity and democracy. And we need tobring our sons and our daughters home, now



government from Iraq? Yes. The war in Iraq will go down in historyas one of this nations greatest military blunders. It didnt have tobe this way. In February of 2003, six weeks before the first bombs fellon Iraq, I introduced a resolution to the Maine Senate calling for ahalt to the impending attack and urging President Bush to pursue adiplomatic, not a military, solution in Iraq. The Maine Senateendorsed this resolution and became the first state legislative bodyin the nation to take a stance against war in Iraq. I have beenagainst the war since before it began and I will work to bring ourtroops home now.


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For more information about the candidates stances on these issues,

contact their campaigns:

Michael Brennan for Congresswww.brennanforcongress.org

PO Box 285Portland, ME 04112(207) [email protected]

Adam Cote for Congresswww.adamcote.com

PO Box 6902Portland, ME 04103-6902(207) [email protected]

Mark Lawrence for Congresswww.marklawrence.org

PO Box 183

Springvale, ME 04083(207) [email protected]

Steve Meister for Congresswww.stevemeisterforcongress.com

PO Box 2208Augusta, ME 04338-2208(207) [email protected]

Chellie Pingree for Congresswww.chelliepingree.com


Dean Scontras for Congresswww.teamdean08.com


Ethan Strimling for Congresswww.ethan08.com

PO Box 7448

Portland, ME 04112(207) [email protected]

Charlie Summers for Congresswww.summersforcongress.org

107 Exchange StreetPortland, ME 04101(207) [email protected]

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