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| Adam Smith, Democrat (Incumbent) |
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| Candidate: U.S. Representative, District 9 |
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| Adam Smith |
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| Age: 35 |
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| Residence: Tacoma |
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| Occupation: |
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U.S. representative |
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| Education: |
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B.A. in political science, Fordham University; J.D., University of Washington |
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| Political history: |
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State senator,1990-96 |
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| Endorsements: |
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Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Law Enforcement Administrators of Washington, Washington State Council of Police and Sheriffs |
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| Campaign Web site: www.electadamsmith.com |
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| Campaign theme: No response. |
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| 1. |
Should Congress act to lower the cost of prescription drugs? If so, should Congress create a Medicare drug benefit? |
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Congress should act to lower the cost of prescription drugs and a Medicare drug benefit should be part of the solution. We must allow the uninsured to pool together to negotiate better prices for medicines, and, within reasonable costs, subsidize insurance for those who can't afford it. |
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| 2. |
Should the Snake River dams be torn down and timber harvests limited to protect endangered species? |
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We should initially focus on habitat restoration and limiting the harvest of salmon. Habitat restoration will require limitations on activities, including logging and development, but, done properly, growth can continue under these new rules. I don't support dam removal yet due to the cost and uncertainty of the effect. |
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| 3. |
Should new laws be enacted to prevent businesses from sharing consumers' personal information? |
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New laws need to be enacted to protect the privacy of consumers. Consumers have the right to know what personal information is being gathered about them and how it is being used. They should also have the right to place limits on the gathering and use of this information. |
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| 4. |
Are the nation's gun laws too restrictive, too lenient or appropriate as they are? |
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The problem of violence in our society goes way beyond gun laws. We must look at the broad causes while aggressively enforcing existing gun laws and passing new laws that ensure background checks are done on gun purchasers so felons and children don't have such easy access to firearms. |
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| 5. |
Should America be trading with China and/or Cuba? Why? |
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The United States has only 4 percent of the world's population so trade is critical to our economic prosperity. We need access to overseas markets for growth to continue. I don't support unilaterally cutting off trade with China or Cuba, since this action hasn't improved either country's human-rights record. |
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| 6. |
Do you favor or oppose access to abortion? Should the president appoint justices who oppose abortion rights? |
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I am pro-choice, but feel we must also work to ensure that abortions are as rare as possible. I support laws to encourage adoption and programs that teach abstinence and family planning to people who aren't ready to have children. I don't support litmus tests for selecting judges. |
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| 7. |
Should the government pay to give school vouchers to parents who choose to send their children to private schools? |
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We must have more accountability and choice in our public schools. At the same time we need to pay teachers more. I support charter schools, but don't support vouchers. We can achieve choice and accountability without them and without the increased expense that comes with subsidizing private schools. |
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| 8. |
Is there any project in Washington that deserves more federal support? How would you secure that funding? |
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We need more federal support to save salmon. The permit process has ground to a halt as we try to implement new rules to protect habitat. We need more biologists so that decisions are made quickly and correctly. I will continue to work the federal budget process to secure dollars. |
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| 9. |
What should Congress do to shore up Social Security? |
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First and foremost Congress should set aside all Social Security surpluses and stop using them for any other purpose. The surpluses will soon total several trillion dollars and that money, if it wasn't being spent elsewhere, could be conservatively invested to extend the solvency of the trust fund. |
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| 10. |
How would you extend healthcare coverage to more Americans? |
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Small groups of people, like small businesses or the self-employed, have the toughest time getting insurance. I support allowing them to pool together to buy insurance and tax credits to help reduce the cost. I also support expansion of programs to help poor children and families afford health insurance. |
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