michigan 8th congressional district

8/12/2019 Michigan 8th Congressional District

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U.S. Congress Michigan District 8

Copyright League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund 1

VOTER GUIDE - League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund

U. S. Congress Michigan District 8Primary Election: August 5, 2014

You may VOTE in ONLY ONE PARTYS PRIMARYeither Republican or Democratic for ALL partisan officeson ballot.

Candidates are ordered below within each office by party with Republicans preceding Democrats.Candidates on the ballot: 2 Republicans and 4 Democrats

Duties: Representatives share the responsibility with

Senators for enactment of the nation's laws as provided in

the U.S. Constitution. Laws that require payment of taxes

are initiated in the House of Representatives.

Qualifications: A Representative must be at least 25 years of

age and a U.S. Citizen for at least 7 years. There are 435

Representatives based on Congressional districts

reapportioned after each census. Michigan has 14 districts

as of 2012.

Term: 2 years VOTE for ONE (1).

Mike Bishop, Republican

Campaign Website:

www.electmikebishop.com

Occupation / Current Position:

Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel,

International Bancard Corporation

Education: Juris Doctorate of Law Michigan State

University DCL (1993) B.A. in History/Psychology

University of Michigan (1989) Real Estate Brokers

License Curry Management Institute (1994)

Qualifications / Experience: Chief Legal Officer and

General Counsel International Bancard Corporation

(2013 present) Senior Attorney Clark Hill PLC

(2011 2012) Adjunct Professor of Law Thomas M.

Cooley Law School (2011 present) Senior Attorney

Simon, Galasso & Frantz, PLC (2004-2010) Senior

Attorney Booth Patterson PC (1993-2004) MI House

of Representatives (1998-2003) Michigan Senate

(2003-2011)

Questions:1. PRIORITIES:What are your top three national

legislative priorities? Why did you select them?

A: Healthcare - The number one concern on the minds

of families and businesses in the district is the rising

cost of healthcare. We need to work on reforms that

will make healthcare affordable and accessible, and not

by mandating a government-managed marketplace.

Jobs - My top priority is getting Michigans economy

moving again so the private sector can create jobs. I

believe one of the biggest challenges facing Michigan is

uncertainty. Debt and Deficit - Its time to stop the out-

of-control spending policies in Washington, D.C. and

halt government expansion. We need to curb spending

and begin paying down our debt.

2. ECONOMY:What should the federal government do

to strengthen the national economy, reduce unem-

ployment, and address the widening income gap?

A: I believe that the fiscal policies of Washington, D.C.

are out of control. I do not think the massive expansion

of government and huge amount of new debt American

taxpayers have been forced to take on in recent years

will help our economy grow or create jobs. The

Presidents fiscal policies have paved the way for

unsustainable spending in Washington while borrowing

even more from countries like China. The first step toeconomic recovery is to stop out-of-control spending

and begin to pay down the deficit and the debt so

employers in Michigan and across America can borrow

the money they need to grow and create jobs.

3. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: What steps would you

propose to secure Americas energy needs while

protecting our water, air and land?

A: I believe we must do much more to expand all

sources of American energy and create an all-of-the-

above energy policy. While the debate over energy

issues has often been heated, I believe that it also

presents an opportunity for America to innovate, rather

than regulate, our way to a cleaner more secure and

affordable energy future. We must have a new energy

policy in this country that focuses on safely using

American innovation and American natural resources to


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create millions of jobs, bring down the cost of energy

and make America independent from overseas oil.

4. MONEY IN ELECTIONS:Do you support the Disclose

Act, which would require disclosure by outside groups

of large campaign contributions and expenditures?

Why or why not?

A: I do not support the Disclose Act, simply as a matter

of fairness. I wholeheartedly agree we need campaignfinance reform. However, for whatever reason, there

has not been the political will in Washington DC to get

done what needs to get done. I bring up fairness

because this version of the Disclose Act, like the first

version, still has exemptions. Organizations that meet

certain criteria in terms of membership and the number

of states in which they operate would not have to

disclose their donors. To me, this is not acceptable.

Disclosure must be across the board, with no

exceptions.

5. IMMIGRATION:What specific changes, if any, wouldyou propose to current immigration policy? Please

explain.

A: I believe that Congress must take action to address

our failing immigration system. It is evident that we

have a broken system that undermines existing laws

and threatens our national security. It is time to replace

ineffective policies with real reforms. I believe this

requires a massive response that allows America to

control its own borders, reform federal work laws, and

provide local law enforcement with the resources they

need to protect local communities. We can and must dobetter to improve our legal immigration system for

future generations. I will not support any measure that

threatens our national security.

6. HEALTH CARE:What changes, if any, should be made

to federal health care policies or programs? Please

explain.

A: The number one health care concern on the minds of

families and small businesses is the rising cost of health

care. Congress should begin working on step-by-step,

bipartisan solutions that would actually lower

healthcare costs. These solutions include expandingaccess to Health Savings Accounts, and allowing small

businesses to pool resources to purchase health

insurance for their employees. We should do this not by

mandating an expensive government-managed

marketplace, but by forcing insurers to actually

compete for their customers in the open marketplace,

across state lines much like we do now for auto

insurance.

Tom McMillin, Republican

Campaign Website:

www.tom4michigan.com


State Representative, CPA

Education: Bachelor's degree from University of

Michigan in Accounting/Economics

Qualifications / Experience: State Representative,

Chairman of House Oversight and of Joint Committee

on Administrative Rules, former Oakland County

Commissioner, Auburn Hills Mayor and City

Councilman and School Board President of Prevail

Academy Charter School, former Consultant and part-

time Chief Financial Officer for a variety of clients.

Husband and father of three and new grandpa.



A: 1. Eliminate the federal deficit and reduce the

national debt. It is unconscionable that we continue

to lay horrendous debt on our children and

grandchildren. 2. Eliminate Obamacare. This horrible

taking of our liberty must be repealed. We must

restore the ability to individuals to control their own

healthcare. 3. Return authority to the states. The

federal government should not be deciding health

care, welfare, education, land management, laborpolicy and many other areas for all 50 states. The way

these would best be handled in Vermont, Wyoming,

California, Florida and Michigan, etc are all different.




A: The way to strengthen the economy and reduce

unemployment is to reduce burdensome regulations

on job providers and make the tax code much simpler

and less burdensome. Most regulation policy

decisions should be made at the state level and tax

policy needs to be more predictable and taxes lower.

The way to reduce an income gap is to increase job

opportunities, make America more competitive

through lower regulations. Also reduce corporate

welfare than only benefits the well-connected

wealthy.


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A: Allow projects like the Keystone pipeline, while

protecting property rights. Allow increased leasing of

federal lands for exploration and production. Encourage

free market alternative energy development by

reducing any regulations that are impediments.




Why or why not?

A: Campaign finance laws have been largely ineffective.

We need to focus on eliminating the power in

Washington. Big money is given in campaigns,

because there are big payoffs - due to the power and

excessive spending in Washington. Eliminating

corporate welfare handouts to companies like

Solyndra, that just turn around and see their

executives give big donations to campaigns, will help

take big money out of politics. Large contracts, the

ability to crush competition through selective

regulations - these areas of crony capitalism are what

drive the money problems in politics. Power must be

removed from Washington.

5. IMMIGRATION:What specific changes, if any, would

you propose to current immigration policy? Please

explain.

A: We need to secure our borders. States should be

allowed to enforce immigration law when the federalgovernment fails to exercise their responsibility. We

need to end Americas attractive draw for illegal

immigration by eliminating governmental benefits,

such as, welfare, in state tuition, food stamps,

housing subsidies and free medical benefits for

people here illegally. Eliminate US citizenship for

"anchor babies", where non-citizens come into

America illegally in order to have their child on

American soil, thereby giving them citizenship.


to federal health care policies or programs? Pleaseexplain.

A: Repeal ObamaCare. Return authority to the states to

decide health care policy and tort reform. We only

need to look at how the federal government treats

our veterans at VA hospitals to know that the federal

government cannot do healthcare right. Make sure

insurance can be sold across state lines to enhance

competition and lower premiums. Institute more

consumer choice and individual authority over health

care decisions, where possible.

Ken Darga, Democrat

Campaign Website:

www.darga4congress.com


Served as Michigans State

Demographer until retiring to run

for Congress.

Education: Graduate degrees from the University of

Michigan in Economics and in Social Policy &

Administration

Qualifications / Experience: A state demographer is a

numbers guywho serves as liaison to the U.S.

Census Bureau and provides data and analysis to state

agencies, policy-makers, and other users of economicand demographic statistics. Served as a health care

economist in the Michigan Department of

Management and Budget prior to becoming state

demographer. Authored two books on policy issues

involving the U.S. Census.



A: (1) Bringing back factories (2) Restoring prosperity (3)

Protecting and strengthening Social Security. Bringing

back factories is a national security issue as well as a

jobs issue. Someday our factories will be converted to

military purposes in a crisis. If they are on the wrong

side of the ocean, however, they will be converted to

someone elses military purposes. While nations on the

other side of the ocean build military hardware at a rate

the world has never seen before, we will be seeking

new sources for light bulbs and computer equipment

and other items that our economy cannot function

without.

2. ECONOMY:What should the federal government doto strengthen the national economy, reduce unem-


A: We can bring back factories by eliminating the

business taxes that drive jobs away and replacing them

with taxes that provide incentives to bring jobs back.

My strategy for bringing back prosperity is safe

stimulus.Simple changes in the way we create money

and the way we control inflation will make it possible to


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stimulate our economy without increasing the

governments debt burden or risking excessive inflation.

More factories and more prosperity will lead to higher

income for workers. Other steps to close the income

gap include raising the minimum wage, strengthening

the earned income credit, and tax reform.




A: (1) Establish new taxes on fuels and pollution, with all

revenues used for per-capita tax credits and credits for

businesses and individuals that adopt energy-saving

measures. These credits would neutralize increases in

the cost of living and the cost of doing business that the

new taxes would otherwise cause. (2) Replace many

existing energy subsidies with pay-as-you-save loans for

businesses and households that adopt efficient energy

technologies. This would improve our environment at

no long-term cost to the government. (3) Establish

bonding requirements for activities like fracking that

entail environmental risks.




Why or why not?

A: I support the Disclose Act because voters have a right

to know which organizations are seeking to influence

candidates and elections. I also believe that

organizations should not be allowed to spend or

contribute money for political purposes unless it wasfreely contributed to the organization for political

purposes. Corporations are responsible to customers,

workers, and shareholders, so ordinary corporate funds

should not be used for political purposes that their

customers, workers, and shareholders have not agreed

to support.



explain.

A: Immigrants contribute to Americas economy and

culture and help preserve the solvency of our SocialSecurity system. Our immigration policy has generally

been successful at keeping the number of new

immigrants at a reasonable and sustainable level. There

should be a path to citizenship for undocumented

immigrants who have paid their tax liabilities and shown

that they can be good citizens. We should also prioritize

deportation of serious criminals over persons with clean

criminal records, those with immediate family members

who are U.S. citizens, and those who entered the U.S. as

children.



explain.

A: I propose a publicly administered option with high

copays that would compete with conventional coverageon the insurance exchanges. This option would be

available to employer groups as well as individuals.

Copays would be calculated on a sliding scale and

payments that do not encourage cost-efficiency (such as

deductibles and the employee share of premiums)

would be replaced by payments into personal health

savings & loan accountsfor covering copays. The high

copays would encourage economical choices, and some

of the savings would be used to help patients with high

expenditures to repay loans to their accounts.

Susan Grettenberger, Democrat

Campaign Website:

GrettenbergerforCongress.com


Professor/Director of Social Work,

Central Michigan University, Mt.

Pleasant, MEA member

Education: PhD, Social Work, and MPA, Public

Administration, Michigan State University, MSW,

Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago, BA,

Education/Psychology, Albion College

Qualifications / Experience: Susan has many roles and

identities including social worker, adoptive mom of

four, professor, neighbor, lesbian, proud union

member. Her varied experience in universities,

nonprofits, and with the State of Michigan, as an

administrator, a social worker, an evaluator and an

educator, allowed her to accomplish goals with wide-

ranging constituencies. This will serve her well in the

halls of Congress.

Questions:

1. PRIORITIES:What are your top three national


A: Protecting working families by assuring they have

good paying green jobs, strengthening education, and

protecting the environment. Working families in

Michigan are hurting and deserve a fair chance at a

good life. We can do that. I teach young adults, and


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there are many young people in the next generation of

my family. As a parent, an aunt and a professor, I know

we can do better than we have been to make sure the

next generations have a world where they can succeed

and be happy. They deserve to have access to a good

education and jobs when they finish school. They

deserve a world with clean water and air. We all do.

2. ECONOMY: What should the federal government doto strengthen the national economy, reduce unem-


A: The economy is fueled by consumer spending. When

working people make enough to pay their bills and have

extra money, they spend it. When they spend money,

employers create jobs. Increasing the minimum wage

reduces the income gap which so harms working

families. And by asking corporations to pay their fair

share and reducing loopholes for the wealthiest

Americans, we could fund critical public projects such as

infrastructure repair (roads, bridges, sewer, water

systems). This would create good jobs while enhancing

public safety, protecting the environment and

protecting the structures needed to grow the economy.

3. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:What steps would you



A: America needs a combination of incentives and

requirements to reduce use of fossil fuels, reduce

pollution, increase energy efficiency through new

technologies and increase use of renewable energy

sources. More expensive energy can still be affordable ifwe use less of it. Tax rewards for companies who

develop new technologies or are energy efficient should

replace tax breaks for moving jobs to countries which

have fewer environmental protections. Tax breaks

should be renewed for people buying efficient autos

and increasing fuel efficiency in their homes. We need

to encourage sustainable energy production.




Why or why not?A: Yes, I support legislation to assure disclosure of large

contributions in order to make clear when there could

be parties influencing elections through campaign

contributions and expenditures. It is important for all

parties to be able to evaluate whose interests may be

influencing soon-to-be-elected or current elected

officials and, therefore, policies. Transparency and

accountability are important for democracy to flourish.

The voters have a right to know.



explain.

A: The United States is the country it is because of

immigrants. Immigrants and guest workers, such as

farm workers from Mexico, typically provide labor forjobs that would not be filled otherwise. They contribute

to the economy in significant ways. Undocumented

laborers are often exploited by employers as they have

no protection, and those workers, too, are often making

a contribution to the economy. While we should not

encourage illegal immigration, we should have a path to

legal status and even citizenship for those whose sole

illegality is being in the country. That path could include

some penalties.


to federal health care policies or programs? Pleaseexplain.

A: Health care access is a fundamental right. This is

done through access to affordable insurance. We must

refine the Affordable Care Act to assure that all people

have insurance while protecting people's jobs and the

stability of smaller businesses. This will require careful

and objective assessment of the strengths and

problems of the current policy, and bipartisan efforts to

solve problems. Possible improvements include

negotiating prescription costs and increasing prevention

efforts. Public programs such as health care for veteransmust be efficient, effective and timely. Healthy people

are productive employees.

Jeffrey Hank, DemocratCampaign Website:

www.VoteHank.com,

www.facebook.com/HankForCongress,

Twitter.com/HankForCongress.


Attorney

Education: Political Science/PreLaw Degree- Michigan

State University Juris Doctor Degree- Detroit College

of Law (now MSU College of Law)

Qualifications / Experience: Local leader for good

government. Successfully lead petition drives to

amend city charters with pro-people and pro-taxpayer


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initiatives. Licensed to practice law in Michigan,

Florida, and the US Virgin Islands. Successful small-

business owner. Former President of State Bar of

Michigan Consumer Law Section. Life-long resident of

the District. Speaks English and some Spanish.


legislative priorities? Why did you select them?A: Initiating an American Renaissance; Being a

statesman (and encouraging stateswomen) to answer

the call of duty and bring a sense of responsibility and

progress back to politics, rather than typical partisan

bickering and lack of progress; Ensuring that

government is structured to improve the quality of lives

of its citizens, and that it is a force for good, never for

evil, and that our government works for, of, and by the

People. I chose these as my top three priorities, themes

of my campaign, because it is what is most needed in

politics. We are not thinking and planning long-term or

generationally.




A: Raise the minimum wage; Build the DRIC/NITC/ New

Detroit Bridge and invest in other infrastructure

projects that provide a public benefit; We need to build

the next generation electrical and internet grids;

Eliminate the Cuban embargo, create jobs; Legalize, Tax,

and Regulate cannabis for adults and farm industrial

hemp; Eliminate barriers of entry by eliminating non-health and safety regulations and also structuring free

tradedeals to benefit American workers; Promote

education through free or reduced college tuition along

the lines of the organization Redeeming Americas

Promise; Rebuild the Space Program.




A: Support massive investments in solar technology.

The US must lead in alternative energies from solar,

wind, tidal, wave, geothermal and other non-greenhouse gas, non-polluting sources. I support EPA

regulations on pollution, raising the federal gas tax,

instituting a carbon and/or pollution tax; strong

enforcement of the Clean Air and Water Acts, including

private rights of actions for citizens to litigate against

polluters; re-forestation projects and the Endangered

Species Act; protection of oceans and coral reefs, and

enforcement mechanisms against overfishing and waste

dumping. I oppose Great Lakes drilling.




Why or why not?

A: I am doing my best to raise as little money as

possible and run a true constituent-oriented campaign. lead by example rather than talking points. Everyone

complains about money in politics but each party is

focused on raising as much money as possible. Its a

vicious cycle that has contributed to the political

tomfoolery we now suffer and has lead to America s

decline because politicians are more focused on dialing

for dollars and the next short election cycle than on

good policy and statecraft. I will support efforts to

create transparency in electoral spending and

appropriate limits on contributions.

5. IMMIGRATION: What specific changes, if any, wouldyou propose to current immigration policy? Please

explain.

A: I support immigration and believe that we are all

members of the human family with an inalienable and

inherent right to freedom of travel, trade, commerce,

and free association. I oppose militarizing the border

and I oppose deportations of anyone but fugitives or

wanted criminals. I believe immigration is good for the

economy and that emotional scare tactics should not

prevail us from reason. Economic data indicates that

immigrants are a positive for communities regardless ifthey are laborers or high-tech workers. I oppose E-verify

and oppose a National ID card but support reasonable

immigration control.



explain.

A: We spend the most dollars in total per any country

on healthcare; it is a bigger percentage of our GDP; we

spend more per-person; and we get worse results and

are more unhealthy than other similarly situated

countries. Thats economic fact and is the consensusfrom which we must start in looking for solutions. In

general I support the Affordable Care Act as a step in

the right direction by increasing coverage for many

Americans and reducing costs. Where there are

problems with the ACA, I will work to improve them. I

will listen to anyone who has good ideas on improving

healthcare and always consider alternatives.


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Eric Schertzing, Democrat

Campaign Website:

www.ericforcongress.com


Ingham County Treasurer and Land Bank

Chair

Education: Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State

Universitys James Madison College (JMCD 85) and a

Masters of Public Administration from Western

Michigan University (00).

Qualifications / Experience: Eric has been Ingham

County Treasurer since 2000. Prior he served 8 years

as Chief Deputy Drain Commissioner and 9 years as

Special Assistant to Congressman Bob Carr (D-MI). In

2005, Eric led the creation of the Ingham County Land

Bank, the second in Michigan, and serves as Chair. He

is a leader in the tri-county area for foreclosureprevention and consumer financial literacy.

Questions:

1. PRIORITIES:What are your top three national


A: One, we need to invest in our nations

infrastructureour roads, bridges, schools--all the

building blocks our economy and prosperity depend on.

Two, we need to address college affordability crisis and

rein in student loans that stop young people from

buying houses and achieving the American Dream.

Three, we need to strengthen Social Security, which isthe bedrock of security for our seniors, now and in the

future.




A: Women deserve equal pay for equal work. I also

believe we need to raise the federal minimum wage,

which has not kept pace with the rate of inflation over

time. Work should pay enough to keep people out of

poverty. I support a tax structure that incentivizescompanies that keep jobs in America--not outsourcing

jobs overseas. And we need to invest in infrastructure

that supports our economy and leads to strong

growtha great education system for our kids is part of

that. Right now the system favors Wall Street and the

ultra-wealthy, and that's wrong. I will always fight for

Michigan workers and families.




A: Our biggest priorities should be improving energy

efficiency and investing in renewable energy sources

like wind and solar. Those investments will make us

more energy secure and keep prices down long-term.

We have no more important responsibility to our

children and grandchildren than protecting the water,air and land we all depend on to live healthy lives.




Why or why not?

A: Yes, I believe in transparency in campaign financing.

People have a sense that the system is rigged against

them, and how can they know unless we can see whos

funding what? Washington is dysfunctional, and a big

reason for that is Republicans in Congress puttingthemselves and their special-interest campaign

contributors ahead of average Americans. They say

sunlight is the best disinfectant--what's been going on

in Washington could use a lot more sunlight.



explain.

A: As with almost any of the big issues facing us, this

Congress has failed to act. I wil l look for a bipartisan

solution that strengthens our border security and that

makes absolutely sure that those who broke the lawpay a penalty, learn English and go to the back of the

line. We need to modernize our immigration policy to

strengthen the economy and keep families together.



explain.

A: It is my priority that folks have access to high quality,

affordable healthcare. If you have a doctor you like, you

should be able to see that doctor. If you have a

preexisting condition, that shouldnt prevent you fromobtaining affordable insurance. I think it's great that

kids can stay on their parents' insurance until they're

26. The rollout of the affordable care act was frustrating

and disappointing, but what we cannot do is go

backward with repeal and put the insurance companies

back in charge. I will work with both sides on fixes that

can lower costs and improve access.

michigan 8th congressional district

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