MICHIANA PEACE AND JUSTICE COALITION

Open-Ended Questions for Congressional Candidates

  1. How would you end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan?

  2. Are you in favor of continued long-term US occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan?

  3. What is your position on the Lebanon-Israeli-Palestinian crisis?

  4. Collateral damage, i.e., civilian deaths, in warfare is a major cause of international disrespect for the U.S. and Israel. Since this is increasingly a fact of modern warfare, how strongly would you rely on diplomatic and peaceful solutions to conflict rather than a rush to war?

  5. Are you in favor of dismantling US nuclear weapons' program?

  6. What would you do about locking down loose nuclear material worldwide?

  7. Do you support federal legislation to abolish the death penalty?


  8. If you support improving the minimum wage, what do you propose? If not, why not?

  9. Are you in favor of universal health coverage? If so, what plan do you favor for accomplishing this goal? If not, what about the millions of uninsured citizens and their need for quality continuous health care?

  10. How do you propose to reduce the deficit? What about progressive taxation?

  11. What proposals for prison reform do you have to balance cost, care of inmates, protecting the community, keeping costs down, providing proper care for inmates, preventing recidivism, and returning inmates to productive lives?

  12. If you see a crisis in the current Social Security system, how would you fix it? Please elaborate on a public vs a private solution or a combination of these? Do you favor lifting the cap on the FICA tax?

  13. What are your priorities for immigration reform? Do you favor any specific proposals?


  14. How much of a threat do you think global warming is? How would you address it?

  15. What are your priorities in terms of protecting our environment?


  16. Discuss alternatives to the sacrifice of some constitutional rights, for example, due process and the right to privacy, in order to be safe from terrorist attacks?

  17. Do you feel that presidents have the right to ignore laws passed by Congress using signing statements?

  18. Should President Bush be prosecuted or otherwise held accountable for laws he breaks, such as unauthorized wire tapping?


Yes/No Questions for Congressional Candidates

  1. Do you favor finishing what we started in Iraq and Afghanistan as opposed to setting a definite timetable for complete withdrawal?

  2. Do you support continuation and/or expansion of the US Nuclear Weapons program?

  3. Do you support the death penalty?

    **If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, then ask

    "How do you reconcile your pro-life stand with your yes answers?"


  4. Is illegal immigration a solvable problem?

  5. Should the minimum wage be raised now? If not, when?

  6. Are you in favor of universal health coverage?

    ** If so, what plan do you favor for accomplishing this goal?

  7. Do you support progressive taxation? If not, how do you propose to reduce the deficit?

  8. Does the prison system need reform?

    ** If so, what proposals do you have to balance cost, care of inmates, protecting the community, keeping costs down, providing proper care for inmates, preventing recidivism, and returning inmates to productive lives?

  9. Do you see a crisis in the current Social Security system?

    ** If so, do you have proposals for fixing it not including privatization?


  10. Is global warming a genuine threat we need to fix?

    ** If so, how would you fix it?

  11. Is protecting the environment a priority for you?

  12. Should the president be held accountable for unauthorized wire tapping of civilians.

  13. Do we have to sacrifice some constitutional rights, for example due process and right to privacy, to keep us safe from terrorist attacks?

  14. Do you favor a 2 state solution for Israel and Palestine?